The Villainess Whom I Had Served for 13 Years Has Fallen

TLed by NolepGuy

Chapter 6

[Ruin Lv. 35]

[Job: Academy Student]

[Favorability: -70]

[Favorite Conversation Topic: Yuria]

[Disliked Conversation Topic: Inferiority Complex about Magic]

With the intention of fostering humility, I gently pressed down on Ruin’s head. A cute sound was heard.

“Kyaaak. Hrk… Kyaaak, f*ck! Let go!”

A sound as loud as squeaky shoes worn by kids. Strangely addictive.

Ruin struggled. It seemed he didn’t appreciate my disciplinary touch.

“Don’t move. You’ll dirty the floor.”

Cleaning is hard, you know.

Small cracks appeared on the marble floor. I thought of silencing him by striking him, but it seems I used more force than intended. But what can I do? I’m angry.

I decided to blame Ruin.

The green-haired head was the problem.

I couldn’t stand him pretending to be friendly with that greasy-looking face.

“Ruin.”

“You f*cker.”

Crunch. I heard the sound of Ruin grinding his teeth. In response, I pressed down hard on his head.

“When someone calls you, answer politely. Got it?”

I added one more thing.

“Oh, right. And no cursing in our mansion.”

In this mansion, only Olivia is allowed to curse.

Even I am not allowed to use it.

Outsiders weren’t allowed to use it either.

A rule set by the Young Lady since she was three. Something about only she could do it.

Since it’s her house, she does as she pleases, and the butler has no choice but to comply.

Even though guests with no basic manners are annoying, being kind to such guests is the butler’s virtue. I decided to explain despite the hassle.

Cursing is bad, after all.

“Didn’t I tell you at the Academy? You need to know the time and place when speaking.”

“Don’t act all high and mighty, you bastard!”

“Don’t shout. You’ll wake the Young Lady.”

I humbly pressed down on Ruin’s head again as he was losing his initial composure.

Ruin twisted his body wildly.

And then, he formed a red sphere in his hand again.

Ruin quickly got up and hurled a Fireball at my face. Why does this green-haired guy use fire magic? He has no sense of romance.

While reproaching Ruin, who had lost his sense of romance, the hot sphere he created was about to touch my face.

I didn’t dodge.

Because it was hastily made, its power wasn’t that great, and it didn’t feel particularly threatening.

-Bang!

[‘Fire Resistance’ neutralizes Ruin’s magic.]

With a small notification sound, the sphere Ruin created fizzled out. As the dazzling light disappeared, Ruin’s foolish expression came into view.

I grabbed Ruin’s wrist and slammed him to the ground.

Crunch.

“Aaaaargh!!”

“Shh.”

I humbly pressed down on Ruin’s head again.

“Do you think you’ll get away with this?”

“Did you think you’d get away with this?”

Ruin trembled like a third-rate villain.

He didn’t look like a Supporting Male Lead at all.

Seeing the Heroine’s name, ‘Yuria,’ in the Affinity Window, it seemed he was still in unrequited love. What a pity, destined to be rejected like a dog in the original work.

His sunflower-like devotion was admirable, but knowing Ruin’s future of being rejected with a “Let’s just stay good friends” made him seem pitiful.

“Get a grip. Stop whining to Yuria every time you get beaten up and at least do something like a Bread Shuttle to earn some points.”

“Stop looking down on me!”

“I don’t want to, but you’re just too pitiful for me not to.”

Ruin is undoubtedly strong.

In the novel, he starts to awaken properly after saving the Heroine from a threat, but even before awakening, he was considered strong.

However, he has absolutely no talent for choosing his opponents.

Like Mikhail.

Or beings like the Third Princess.

He even dared to challenge Olivia and got utterly humiliated.

“Getting beaten up every day is embarrassing. Pick someone easier to handle.”

I deliberately provoked Ruin.

Since I’ve suffered, it’s only fair he does too.

You could call it bad.

But considering what these bastards did to me at the Academy, what I’m doing is practically saintly.

And I am the Villainess’s butler.

If someone asked whether I was good or bad, I’d lean toward the bad side.

Of course, as a person, I’m kind, but as the Villainess’s butler, I can’t just let myself be a pushover.

Returning the favor is more like an occupational habit.

Ruin, who was probably cursing me with clenched teeth, wriggled as if he desperately wanted to escape my grasp.

Pop, pop, pop. Sparks burst from his hands.

A stinging sensation on my back.

He was probably continuously casting magic.

If only he’d stay still like a fish, but unfortunately, I only had two hands.

“Haven’t you changed at all in a year?”

At the mosquito-level magic, I mentally called out the Status Window.

[Ricardo Lv. 59]

[Job]

Swordsman – (Sword Expert)

Butler – (Professional)

[Stats]

Physical Strength: 59

Stamina: 119

Agility: 58

Mana: 31

[Traits]

◈Offensive

[Swordsmanship Lv.5], [Combat Skills Lv.5], [Dagger Techniques Lv.5], [Greatsword Techniques Lv.5], [Spear Techniques Lv.5]

▣Defensive

[Poison Resistance Lv.5], [Fire Resistance Lv.3], [Magic Resistance Lv.3], [Lightning Resistance Lv.1], [Cold Resistance Lv.3], [Dark Magic Resistance Lv.3], [Curse Resistance Lv.3], [Mental Resistance Lv.5]

◉Skills

[Aura (A)]

[Genius of Weaponry (S)]

[Regeneration (A)]

[Limit Break (L)]

A Status Window that looked solid no matter who saw it.

It contained the essence of the past 13 years.

Personally, I think it’s a basic requirement for protagonists in novels focusing on reincarnation, regression, or time loops to at least have immunity to all poisons.

It’s not optional; it’s essential.

Assassination always follows the protagonist.

If someone surpasses them, there’s bound to be an antagonist who finds it distasteful, and inevitably, there will be someone trying to assassinate them someday.

I was afraid of that.

Because I’m also someone who knows the future.

No matter how quietly I try to live, I inevitably stand out. Even if I try to feign ignorance, I can’t help but act like I know—it’s the fate of a possessor.

If you’ve possessed someone, being healthy should be the first priority, right?

So, I amicably consumed poison with the Lady Villainess. The reason was simple: to build resistance in my body.

-Ricardo, my stomach hurts.

-It’s fine. It’s good for your body.

-I think it’s because of the mushroom soup you made earlier.

-What about the mushrooms?

-They were extravagant. Extremely.

-That’s a good thing.

A prepared person is strong.

That’s why I built a lot of abilities related to resistance.

I used the original work to build my resistance.

I strengthened my body by discreetly taking fortuitous encounters that wouldn’t disrupt the story.

And I reaped the benefits through Affinity Quests.

It’s been 13 years since I possessed this body. If I get trampled by a mere Sub Male Lead, I might as well give up the title of possessor.

While looking at the Status Window with a satisfied smile.

“Hiccup!”

The sound of hiccuping came through.

It was the sound of Hanna, the companion of the green-haired head. She was staring at me while hiccuping.

“Hiccup…”

“Ah…”

“Hiccup… Hic… Hiccup!”

A junior fidgeting with her hands, unable to do anything.

She was embarrassed to show such a pathetic side.

“I’m sorry for showing you this side of me. I guess I got too excited after meeting a friend for the first time in a while.”

“A friend…?”

“Yes, a friend.”

Hanna wanted to go home.

I ignored her feelings and continued a deep conversation with the guest.

“Ruin.”

“You monster bastard.”

Crunch…

There’s no sign of him becoming humble.

‘Should I knock him out?’

A red aura flowed from my hand.

***

Hanna was dumbfounded.

‘Why is that person using aura?’

Aura is a symbol of talent.

Among outstanding knights, the superiority of talent is determined by when they awaken their aura.

The person who awakened aura the fastest in the Empire was 25 years old, so who is this man to wield aura as if it were part of his body?

Even Senior Mikhail, who is called an unprecedented talent at the Academy, hasn’t manifested aura yet.

-Crack.

She got goosebumps seeing the butler playing with Ruin’s head like a toy.

‘What is this person?’

Hanna could only quietly watch the scene.

***

“Aaaaah!! You f*cking bastard, I’ll kill you!”

“Your voice is too loud.”

Crunch.

A chilling cracking sound filled the room.

“I did warn you that the Young Lady might wake up.”

“So what! Why should I care whether that wench wakes up or not?!”

“You should care.”

I spoke to him.

“Otherwise, you might never be able to speak with your mouth again.”

I held no ill feelings toward Ruin.

On the contrary, I was glad to see an old friend after so long.

Although emotions flared up due to unresolved past issues, I thought we could reconcile and become close again if we talked things out.

“There’s no magic yet that can represent your voice. If you’re planning to invent one, keep yelling.”

Finally, Ruin quieted down.

I decided to instill some principles into Ruin, now that he seemed willing to talk.

“At the Academy, it’s fine to insult me. It’s even fine to insult our Young Lady.”

Because everyone is equal there.

The Academy is a place where you can even speak informally to the Princess.

There are rules, so you just have to follow them.

Of course, the retaliation that follows is your responsibility, but anyway, freedom of speech is guaranteed at the Academy.

“But not in our mansion.”

I tightened my grip.

I didn’t seem angry.

But apparently, my switch had been flipped a little.

‘This is dangerous.’

I had a hunch.

If Ruin provoked further, his role as the Sub Male Lead might end here.

I spoke as gently as possible to avoid provoking Ruin.

“I’m not doing this because I’m worried you might make a mistake outside. You’re not going to live in the Academy forever, are you?”

I meant it.

If you happily live in a greenhouse-like Academy and suddenly go out into society, calling a noble “Hey, long time no see,” your neck might just get chopped off.

“So listen carefully.”

This is advice from someone who has experienced society.

“Don’t mess around. You’ll die if you do.”

***

After knocking Ruin out, I walked toward Hanna.

Flinch. She trembled, her shoulders shaking.

I extended my hand to her and said.

“I apologize.”

“Ah… It’s fine.”

I bowed my head, filled with regret.

“I’m truly sorry. I don’t even know what to say after showing you such an unpleasant sight.”

“It’s okay. More importantly, I have another appointment.”

Hanna quickly packed her bag.

She seemed eager to leave this house as soon as possible. I gently blocked her path.

“No. It will take some time for your companion to wake up. Please rest for a while.”

“It’s really fine!”

I firmly said.

“Go up to the second floor and rest.”

“What??”

I lifted my head and looked up at the second floor.

“Shut up─────ah, f*ck!!!”

A familiar voice echoed.

I glared at Ruin, who had fainted so conveniently. I truly wanted to kill him.

“It seems the Young Lady has woken up. I’d like to ask you to keep her company.”

If you woke her up, you should take responsibility.

I had no intention of letting her go until she put the Young Lady back to sleep.