The Villainess Whom I Had Served for 13 Years Has Fallen

22 – Betting Fines – 4 –

Kagakag! Keng!

Sharp echoes resonated through the church.

Malik and Pascal’s battle.

An intense clash of weapons.

‘Maybe I can do this alone.’

With his honed tension, he pushed Pascal back.

When Malik’s sword clashed with Pascal’s dagger, Pascal’s stance wavered.

I considered the hypothesis that Malik might actually win, showing overwhelming skill in swordsmanship.

‘Perhaps he truly belongs to the Histania lineage.’

The son of the knight commander.

Secondary protagonist Sub Malek.

The eldest son of Histania’s Duke exceeded expectations.

Malik’s talent was clearly revealed, enough to understand why Rowen had underestimated Hannah’s abilities.

It took one minute to grasp Pascal’s swordsmanship.

Three minutes to understand the deployment of dark magic.

In this battle, he demonstrated adaptability like a monster, taking less than five minutes to assess the opponent.

Calmly neutralizing Pascal’s magic aimed at the square with body-enhancing spells, he scattered attention with splendid swordsmanship, blending reality into deception, and inflicted a wound on Pascal’s shoulder.

He was confident he could take down Pascal alone.

With this level of skill, most criminals would choose surrender over resistance. It’s uncertain if the Royal Knights are all such monsters, but one thing was certain: Malik’s skill was on par with Pascal’s.

However, when measured by experience, Malik couldn’t match Pascal.

Having overcome numerous real battles and skirmishes,

Pascal’s experience of cutting off the breath of many adventurers was overwhelming.

Pascal also possessed exceptional talent comparable to Malik.

He was in top form from numerous real battles.

-Kang…!

Pascal, who parried Malik’s sword with a dagger slightly longer than his forearm, smiled.

“Isn’t this too easy?”

From the perspective of the three parties, it was clear that Malik had the upper hand in the battle, but Pascal provocatively taunted Malik with a relaxed smile.

Malik showed his irritation at Pascal’s bragging.

“Have you gone mad thinking about going back to prison?”

“No. It’s just that I was scared because of Histania’s name.”

Thud. Pascal’s dagger struck.

Malik couldn’t dodge it.

Blood flowed from his cheek.

Pascal grinned and licked the blood on the blade with his tongue.

“It’s more pathetic than I thought. Hee-hee.”

I know from reading the novel.

Pascal is the Archbishop of Madness.

He’s a crazy guy who laughs a lot.

No matter how the situation turns out, he’s a crazy guy who provokes first and then sees how it goes.

Especially, his ability.

-Swaying.

It is the ability to manipulate a person’s body.

Malik’s body swayed greatly.

Since Pascal slashed his cheek, it became difficult to control his body.

As Malik swayed more frequently, his body became more bruised, and the strength in his body slowly drained as Pascal savored the blood on his sword.

As his body swayed without his will, Malik asked Pascal.

“What have you done?”

Pascal responded by shrugging his shoulders.

“Is that so?”

Crash.

Malik swung his sword forcefully.

Aiming directly for Pascal’s throat.

But he missed wide.

Instead of Pascal, the target of his swing was the church pew that had been split in half.

“Where are you swinging? It’s not even winter yet. Are you trying to chop firewood?”

“Shut up….”

“Keeheehee….”

Pascal put the dagger he held in his hand back into his waistband and walked towards Malik. With each clack of his hard boot heels, he announced the end of the battle, resonating throughout the church. Malik trembled intensely.

“Now, Malik… Malik… What genre do you enjoy?”

Malik’s body was trapped within striking distance, yet he couldn’t move. He clenched his lips and tried to swing his sword with all his might, but his body, which didn’t even flinch, had been detached from his own will for a long time.

“…”

Pascal’s expression began to be filled with certainty. Malik had fallen under his dark magic.

He walked up to Malik, right in front of his nose, and said.

“A bittersweet romance dreaming of an impossible love? Or thrilling action that makes your heart race. Oh, this would be good too. A comedy where the eldest son of Histania can’t do anything!”

“Shut up. Before I rip off your nose…”

“hahahaha, try harder, Malik.”

“Shut up.”

“More… more… more! It’s the rantings of someone desperate to become the greatest work of art.”

With eyes filled with madness, Pascal spoke to Malik.

“Smile.”

Pascal plastered a smile on Malik’s face.

Forcing a smile.

Pascal demanded that Malik show his gums while smiling.

Malik is trembling with anger.

He feels pathetic and miserable for not being able to do anything and losing the battle due to a momentary lapse of concentration.

Seeing Malik’s hateful gaze, Pascal let out a satisfied laugh.

“Finally, another one of my art pieces is complete. What should I name it….”

Pascal looked at me, sitting in the chair, and spoke.

“How about Friendship?”

In response to his pleading gaze, I slowly stood up from my seat.

“I’m not really into comedy.”

“What?”

“Personally, I prefer romance over comedy.”

“The actors in my work don’t have the right to choose the genre?”

“Ah! Just like insects can’t choose their breeding grounds?”

“Just die.”

Malik, who had his freedom taken away, walked towards me. As he got closer, Pascal’s laughter became filled with madness.

Malik wielded a sword and unleashed magic to reinforce his body. He was consumed by self-loathing.

“Run away. Even if you’re you, you can’t defeat that guy.”

Malik tightly closed his eyes.

The only freedom he had now was his mouth.

“Damn it.”

He didn’t want to become a baggage carrier.

He confidently claimed that he could do it.

He felt so pathetic for not being able to do anything. It was embarrassing.

If he had just given up instead of stubbornly persisting when he was told not to come, he could have avoided such humiliation.

Malik bit his lips tightly.

It was a rather unpleasant sight to see blood flowing from his chin.

“I’m sorry.”

Malik’s black sword was directed towards me.

The well-crafted blade was firmly lodged at my throat, ready to cut off my breath.

He was trembling with his hand.

He seemed to be putting up some resistance of his own.

With sincerity, I spoke.

“You know, Malik.”

“Run away….”

“Aren’t you feeling frustrated right now?”

“Damn it.”

Malik cursed me without hesitation.

It seemed like he hated me for trampling on his noble sacrifice.

But what can I do? I couldn’t resist teasing him. After all, it’s the most entertaining thing to do to eat chicken in front of someone on a diet.

I sneered and said.

“You said you could do it alone. Where did the person who said he could do it go?”

“Shut up.”

“As I thought, Hanna is more impressive. Hanna at least swatted a fly with a fly swatter.”

Pascal flinched at the mention of a fly swatter. It seemed like he was experiencing PTSD.

“Well, watch closely.”

I raised the sword.

Filled with abundant aura.

I forcefully pressed the aura into the sword as if it would burst.

“This is the whip of love.”

Starting with what is right is how one learns valuable lessons.

“Endure it even if it stings. That’s how the black magic will be undone.”

“Pascal, listen as well.”

Opportunities for rebirth should be given equally.

“Watch carefully, Mr. Fly.”

“?”

“It’s an electric fly swatter.”

Steadily gathering, the crimson aura.

I feel like something went wrong.

“Oh, I pushed too hard.”

Malik’s vision flickered.

*

*

*

Inside a bright morning cathedral.

Malik, now composed, wrapped his throbbing head and rose from his spot.

“What’s this?”

Beside him, Pascal lay, frothing at the mouth, holding onto his hand tightly.

“Have you awakened, young master?”

A family knight politely gathered his hands and greeted him. It was already strange that it was morning, and Pascal lying next to him was even stranger.

Many questions arose, but one was the most pressing.

Malik asked the knight.

“Where did that guy go?”

The knight avoided Malik’s gaze and replied.

“He was told not to leave overnight and returned early yesterday morning.”

Malik thought of the red-haired butler.

What a real bastard.

***

“Let go!”

This time, it was Pascal being transported as a taxidermy insect. I shed a melancholic tear for him.

“Don’t cry.”

Malik, who had no uninjured place, tapped my shoulder with a hesitant expression.

“Because it’s annoying. Please don’t cry.”

“But… Sending off such a good money-maker like that is just too sad…”

“Please…”

It seemed that Malik gained some insight from his battle with Pascal. The aura couldn’t awaken, but he had grown a step as a person.

Indeed, people are a mystery.

From Noble mtl dot com

[Histania Malik Lv. 48]

[Occupation: Royal Knight ‘Knight’]

[Affinity: 34]

[Favorite conversation topics: Understanding themes/swordsmanship/gratitude/apologies/reconciliation]

[Disliked conversation topics: Perfectionism/ignorance/discrimination/Pascal/insects]

Though his demeanor was still rough, he seemed to view me favorably.

Malik said to me,

“After finishing the task, I plan to apologize to Hanna.”

“You have become more human.”

“That’s right.”

Malik’s transformation was pleasing to see.

“If Hanna hits you, you should hit her back.”

“…Hit her?”

“Yeah, I said I would hit her until she can’t take it anymore, given the opportunity.”

“…”

Malik swallowed hard.

The whip of his sister, who had awakened to her power.

It seemed quite painful.

Malik, who got on Pascal’s transport carriage, spoke,

“If you deposit the agreed-upon commission amount into the account where you deposited the bounty last time, it will be fine, right?”

“Yes.”

“Okay.”

Before leaving, Malik reached deep into his chest pocket and placed two papers on my hand.

“And take these.”

“What are these?”

Malik calmly replied as if it was nothing special.

“These are dining vouchers for a friend of the forest. It’s a place that’s hard to reserve, so go with the Lady when you have time.”

Friend of the forest.

In the novel, it was said to be the best restaurant that can be counted on one hand, and I thought the young lady would like it.

Come to think of it.

Malik’s title for the young lady had changed from a forsaken noblewoman to a princess.

I smiled softly.

“Thank you.”

I felt good at the thought of going out with the young lady after a long time.