The Villainess Whom I Had Served for 13 Years Has Fallen

TLed by NolepGuy

Chapter 12

“Hoo….”

Hanna blew on the hot green tea.

As she caressed the steaming teacup with her cold hands and sipped the green tea, Hanna trembled slightly.

Hanna awkwardly smiled with an apologetic expression.

“I’m sorry. It was too sudden, wasn’t it? I have this personality where I have to eat what I want right away….”

A retort came to mind, but I didn’t bother saying it.

Partly because I felt sorry for her, drenched in the rain.

And partly because it seemed pitiable that she came all the way here just to drink tasteless green tea.

“Since the Young Lady has such a picky palate, I learned the tea-brewing technique from the East seven years ago. I suppose this technique enhances the tea’s flavor, so I can understand why you might think that.”

“Haha… Is that so? Somehow, it does taste better.”

“Hearing you say it’s delicious makes me happy.”

That’s a lie. In truth, I just brewed whatever green tea I had and gave it to the Young Lady.

The Young Lady, with her cheap taste, preferred cocoa over luxurious tea.

I lied so she wouldn’t feel embarrassed.

I observed Hanna carefully.

Her swollen eyes.

Eyelids reddened as if she had cried a lot, making it hard for me to speak.

She looked as though she needed comforting more than being asked why she came here.

I hesitated for a moment.

To be honest, I never imagined she would come here. It was beyond reason to think she’d brave a downpour to visit an abandoned mansion like this. I almost thought she was a ghost, especially since no one ever visits this estate.

The current time is 7 p.m.

The sun is setting.

The sky outside the window is gloomy, and the downpour continues.

It didn’t take much thought to figure it out.

For a Noble Lady to suddenly visit an estate without notice during an early evening, just to drink tasteless green tea? It was unmistakable.

It seemed Miss Hanna had run away from home.

Screech. I heard the sound of Hanna scratching the old teacup with her fingernail. She bit her lip and seemed lost in thought.

The awkward atmosphere seemed to make her uncomfortable.

“It’s raining a lot….”

“Yes, it is.”

“I’m worried the laundry won’t dry.”

Hanna and I made eye contact. I responded with a small, silent smile.

If I asked her what happened, would she answer? Probably not. What she needed right now wasn’t probing questions but some time to think.

When I ran away from the orphanage, I needed time like that too. Back then, I spent time with homeless men at the subway station, but since this world doesn’t have a meeting plaza like Seoul Station, she must have come to my house instead.

This place was probably her subway station.

A quiet hideout where she could escape the rain.

Thinking of my past self, I didn’t feel bad. If anything, I wanted to treat her well.

Slurp. I sipped the tea and looked out the window.

“Green tea is perfect for rainy days.”

“It feels like it calms the mind.”

“Would you like some more?”

Hanna firmly replied.

“No, thank you.”

As expected, it seems the green tea at my house isn’t good.

If I had some expensive tea leaves, I could show her a heavenly taste, but unfortunately, I already sold them secondhand.

“I’ll serve you better tea next time.”

“Even this is good enough.”

Flinch. She trembled slightly.

Her pale lips made her look cold.

I had given her an outer garment, but maybe it wasn’t enough.

I had planned to let her take a bath and give her fresh clothes afterward, but it felt like I should give them to her now.

Her slightly translucent undergarments were also concerning.

She might catch a cold.

Worried, I looked toward the window.

As time passed, Hanna’s face grew more troubled. It seemed like her worries weren’t resolving.

I thought time might help, but it seemed like conversation was what she needed instead.

The weather was cold.

The temperature was dropping.

Hanna’s complexion was worsening.

By the time she finished her tea, she started gathering the rainwater that had dripped onto the floor, preparing to leave the estate.

She crouched down to wipe up the water.

She looked pitiful.

The damp smell from the old wooden boards rose up. Unable to watch any longer, I reached out to take the rag from her.

“Huh?”

Our hands unintentionally overlapped.

Hanna and I, accidentally holding hands, felt very embarrassed. I had only intended to stop her from doing something as a guest. I must have been too hasty.

Hanna….

She gripped the towel tightly without any reaction.

Hiding my troubled heart, I spoke calmly.

“Just rest.”

“No, it’s fine. I’ll be heading home soon.”

“Are you trying to make me unemployed?”

Even if she was a runaway teenager, I couldn’t forgive taking away a butler’s duties. While it might be fine to let a guest wash dishes, making them wipe the floor was something only low-rank butlers would do.

And I didn’t want to make a runaway teenager do such work.

“Please, just sit down.”

“But it’s dirty because of me. I should clean it.”

“It’s fine.”

Hanna gripped the towel tightly.

She showed a strong determination not to let go.

I waited patiently.

Until she loosened her grip.

Hanna lowered her head deeply.

After a brief moment.

When the warmth of my palm began to warm her cold hands, drip. I felt a hot sensation on the back of the hand holding the towel.

A small water drop. Heavier than the raindrops falling from her wet hair, it carried a weight of emotion.

“You know, Butler.”

In the silent estate, even a small voice echoed. Hanna’s damp voice resounded quietly.

“Yes.”

I answered softly.

“Did you know? Today is my birthday.”

“Oh…. Happy birthday.”

“But why can’t I receive any congratulations?”

Hanna was staring at the floor.

Even without seeing her face, I felt like I could tell what expression she had.

Birthday.

It’s not a grand day, but it’s a day when you want to rest and be celebrated. I wanted to make sure the Young Lady’s birthday wasn’t lacking in any way.

I felt the same in my previous life.

Even when I was overwhelmed with work, I’d buy a cake after finishing and eat it. The gift cards my friends sent me for my birthday weren’t much, but they meant so much to me.

In my memory, birthdays were the happiest days but also strangely the loneliest.

Hanna spoke.

“You’re the first one to say congratulations to me today, Butler.”

“This is… an honor.”

“Isn’t it?”

Hanna shook her head.

No matter how much she thought about it, it seemed she was facing something she couldn’t find an answer to.

“You know, Butler. What did I do so wrong?”

Hanna gripped the towel even tighter.

“I wanted to be praised by my father and become a proud younger sister to my older brother and sister.”

Hot tears fell onto the back of her hand.

“Is lacking talent a sin?”

Her powerless murmur echoed through the estate.

The warmth of Hanna’s hands felt on the back of mine.

My chest felt heavy.

“I told my father today that I was going to beat Senior Mikhail.”

She buried her forehead against the back of my hand.

“Do you know what my father said to me? He told me not to entertain such presumptuous thoughts. Do you think the same, Butler? No, right? You don’t, do you?”

Hanna buried her head.

“If he’s my father, couldn’t he at least encourage me, even if it’s just empty words?”

I’ve never had parents, so I don’t know. But I do know that typical parents don’t act like that. At least, the parents I dreamed of in the past didn’t. I wished for parents who would praise me and cheer me on—someone who would be on my side.

I’m not confident in comforting others.

I haven’t comforted many people, nor have I been comforted much myself, so I thought I might end up saying something hurtful.

But right now, at this moment, I felt like I had to do something. Even though I’ve only known Hanna for two weeks, which isn’t a long time.

I decided to speak based on what I’d learned about her during that time.

“Miss Hanna, you see, I don’t invest in things without potential.”

“….”

“I’m quite a materialistic person. If I calculate and don’t see results, I give up.”

“….”

“To be honest, if I thought you didn’t have talent, I wouldn’t have even brought up such a bet.”

Hanna cautiously opened her mouth.

“Do I have talent?”

“Yes. I swear to the Goddess.”

“But I’m less talented than my brother and not as good as my sister….”

“What do they have to do with me?”

Hanna lifted her head to look at me.

Her expression was one of disbelief.

Yet, it seemed she liked my firm words.

[Hanna’s Favorability +15 has increased.]

Hanna looked up at me.

Seeing her calmer expression compared to earlier put me at ease. It was much better than seeing her crying.

“I’m selfish.”

“I know.”

“When you say it like that, it makes me feel like a really bad person.”

“Pfft… Isn’t that true?”

“Well, I suppose it is. So hurry up and beat Mikhail and put 10,000 gold in my wallet.”

“…”

“I’ll make it happen.”

I took the rag from her hand.

And, while stroking her head, I said.

“It just so happens that I’m well-versed in baking. Let’s have some birthday cake before you go.”

Hanna looked at me.

Hanna’s damp gaze, staring at me with a somewhat blank expression, was strangely captivating. I quickly turned my head away after noticing her translucent undergarments.

“I… have plans.”

“Let’s just say your plans are canceled.”

Her plans don’t concern me.

She was probably planning to go to the Adventurer Guild.

There’s nothing better than swinging a sword to clear your mind of stray thoughts.

Perhaps today might have been Hanna’s last day in the original work. Maybe she had gambled everything out of despair.

In any case, I’ve decided that she’ll stay at my house tonight. I also want to help her make a friend.

“Stay over tonight.”