The Villainess Whom I Had Served for 13 Years Has Fallen

TLed by NolepGuy

Chapter 239

Mikhail followed Ricardo.

From the moment they left the cafe until now, he had been trailing Ricardo like a stalker.

He couldn’t explain why he was following him, and since he couldn’t come up with a plausible excuse, he simply followed him silently, being a nuisance.

Even at the cafe.

-Then, I’ll be off.

Even at the shop selling Mandrake Candy.

-Why do you keep following me?

And now, even here at the tteokbokki shop, Mikhail was trailing behind Ricardo, being a bother.

With a towel wrapped around his head, Ricardo walked toward the kitchen, bidding farewell.

“For now, I’ll head to work.”

“…”

“Until I come back, think about why you’re looking for me.”

With those words, Ricardo disappeared.

“…”

Friends of Forest Tteokbokki Shop.

[We repay your money with flavor.]

Sitting in front of the tteokbokki shop, which proudly displayed its excellent entrepreneurial spirit, Mikhail wore an awkward expression.

“…”

Mikhail felt frustrated. Spending more time with him was just as exhausting for himself.

‘I just want to finish this quest quickly….’

Blaming his lack of conversational skills, Mikhail stared at his rough hands.

“…”

-You’re beautiful.

‘Beautiful…?’

Ricardo’s words, calling his unremarkable, rugged self beautiful, lingered in his ears.

He knew it was a joke, knew it was just a hollow statement without sincerity, but hearing “beautiful” for the first time in his life, Mikhail couldn’t easily shake off the thought.

‘No.’

What’s so great about being called beautiful by Ricardo?

Shaking his head, Mikhail resolved to focus on the task at hand. He reminded himself not to waver and to complete the quest.

1. Show Ricardo your original form. (1/1)

2. Go on a date with Ricardo. (0/1)

3. Hear Ricardo’s true feelings. (0/1)

With the truth he sought just a few steps away, Mikhail took a deep breath and lifted his head.

-Vice President, three orders of tteokbokki.

-Am I the Vice President?

-Yes, the boss told us to call you that.

-Oh…

Ricardo was moving busily.

He was bustling around, having shed the role of a student.

And then.

-…Excuse me, Vice President, you need to come over here.

-What’s going on?

-There’s someone who dined and dashed.

Noise began emanating from one corner of the shop.

Mikhail turned his gaze toward the source of the commotion. A pair of siblings, who looked about five years old, were crying while rubbing their eyes.

The boy, who seemed to be the older brother, was holding out filthy hands with coins, while the girl hid behind her brother’s back, sobbing.

A familiar sight.

Overlaying his past memories with the children, Mikhail stiffened his expression as he watched Ricardo approach the children.

Certainly.

-Plod, plod.

The Ricardo he knew would have turned the kids away. Mikhail held his breath, anticipating Ricardo’s misdeeds.

Having no money himself, he couldn’t help them now. He pressed his lips tightly together.

‘I’m sorry.’

Ricardo, untying the towel from his head, crouched down in front of the children. Then, showing an unexpected side of himself, he smiled.

“Hey, kid.”

“I’m sorry….”

“What are you sorry for?”

“…For coming to eat without money.”

“Who says you don’t have money?”

Ricardo took the coins the boy held out and patted his head.

“This is more than enough.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. When I was your age, I used to dine and dash.”

“…That’s bad.”

“I know. That’s why I did it.”

Ricardo was talking to the kids. In a gentle voice, barely audible, he was having a kind conversation that brought smiles to the children’s faces.

The Ricardo he knew wouldn’t have acted like this. For a moment, Mikhail couldn’t hide his confusion, wondering if this man was really Ricardo.

‘Lies.’

As time passed and Ricardo approached him, Mikhail thought to himself. That appearance was full of lies.

-Clench.

Mikhail disliked Ricardo.

Because he tormented people with a smiling face and enjoyed it, Mikhail couldn’t trust Ricardo’s smile.

However.

Watching the smiling children, Mikhail felt something was off. It was as if something fundamental had gone wrong.

“Thank you for waiting.”

“…”

“Here’s the capital city’s finest tteokbokki.”

Ricardo approached, holding steaming red food in his hands. It was spicy, the same dish he had brought last time when he was with Ruin and Yuria.

“…”

Because it was food he made, Mikhail was even more reluctant to eat it.

“Do you like children?”

“Children?”

“Yes.”

“I don’t like them.”

“Then why did you help them?”

“Ah…”

“Just because.”

Strangely, he felt the illusion that Ricardo’s food looked delicious.

*

I smiled as I looked at the woman in front of me.

A woman I was meeting for the first time, yet who felt very familiar.

And a woman who knew me.

I smiled as I looked at the woman, full of secrets.

“It doesn’t seem to suit your taste.”

“Huh…?”

“You’re not eating.”

“Ah…”

The woman lowered her head and stared blankly at the now-cold tteokbokki. She didn’t move the hand holding the fork, simply gazing at the dish and swallowing her breath.

I voiced my curiosity as I looked at her. Because I thought I knew why she wasn’t eating.

It wasn’t because it tasted bad.

“Or maybe she just doesn’t like me.”

Thinking the reason must be one of the two, I cautiously asked her.

“Is it because I’m too handsome for you to eat?”

“What?”

The woman responded in a rather furious voice. I couldn’t blame her for her honest reaction, but as a handsome man confident in my looks, I couldn’t help but feel a little hurt.

Smiling slightly, I speared a piece of tteokbokki with my fork and held it out to her.

“Ah…”

“Ah?”

“I’ll feed you.”

The woman glared at me as if she was about to punch me at any moment.

“I made it not too spicy.”

“…”

“I’m the one who made this tteokbokki.”

“So what?”

“Isn’t being hungry one of the saddest things in the world?”

“You’ve never been hungry yourself.”

I smiled at her aggressive reply.

“That’s true.”

I answered naturally, making sure not to provoke her further.

“Maybe it’s because I’ve met a lot of people who have gone hungry.”

“Liar.”

“I did grow up in a rather privileged way.”

Smiling slightly, I once again held out the fork with the tteokbokki to her mouth. As the red sauce dripped, silence filled the air, and the woman let out a long sigh.

“It’s not poisoned.”

The woman reluctantly opened her mouth.

-Chomp.

Like a foreigner trying pupa for the first time, she grimaced, moved her jaw, and flinched her shoulders as if she might throw up.

I don’t usually enjoy tormenting others, but seeing the beautiful woman in front of me suffering made me feel like a sinner.

“Is it very spicy?”

“…No.”

“That’s a relief.”

As she chewed the rice cake thoroughly, her expression gradually softened. Her face clearly showed a mix of relief at having finished it and enjoyment of its taste.

“Still the same.”

That expression that can’t lie.

That gluttony for delicious food.

They matched perfectly with someone I remembered from my past.

My suspicion was slowly turning into certainty.

Smiling at her, I asked,

“How does it taste?”

“…It’s good.”

“Isn’t it?”

The woman’s fork began to move slowly.

She ate the fish cake. Then the rice cake. And even the egg.

Although I was the one who bought the food, I felt a little resentful of her selfish behavior of not offering me a taste first. But seeing her eat well made me feel good.

By the time the tteokbokki plate was empty,

I decided to resolve the unfinished business I hadn’t been able to address before. Since she didn’t seem likely to tell me why she had come to find me, no matter how much I pried, and I didn’t know how to deal with her either.

There were still many unresolved matters.

My heart wasn’t ready to accept the changes either.

Smiling faintly, I said to her,

“Excuse me, Miss Secret Girl.”

“Yes?”

“I don’t know your name, so I’m calling you Miss Secret Girl.”

“Ah… Yes.”

Watching her stiffen her expression, I extended my hand slightly. Like a gentleman asking for a dance at a ball, I politely and firmly asked her,

“Could you now tell me why you came to find me?”

“…”

“We’ve eaten, and there’s nothing left to do. I feel like continuing to spend time like this would be a waste for you, Miss Secret Girl.”

Nodding toward her, I said,

“If there’s something you want to say, I’ll listen.”

“…”

“If you want to curse at me, I’ll take it.”

“…”

“If you need an apology, I’ll give it to you. Judging by your expression, you don’t seem to have a good impression of me. Of course, I’m happy to see a beautiful woman, but it doesn’t seem like you feel the same.”

The woman shook her head without responding.

“I see…”

Slowly, I stood up. Time was precious. I decided to leave, aiming to make a choice that would benefit both of us.

“Then I’ll be on my way.”

“Wait!”

Closing her eyes tightly, the woman revealed the reason she had come to find me. Though it seemed hastily put together, it was a reason I could understand.

“Well…”

“Yes.”

“Actually… I heard about you from Senior Hanna….”

“Ah… Miss Hanna?”

“Yes…! I asked her how to improve my sword skills quickly! So… so…!”

Fiddling with the hilt of the sword at my waist, I smiled playfully.

“Miss Hanna said that?”

“Yes. Please don’t tell Senior Hanna…. I came here on my own.”

Watching her blush with embarrassment as she spoke, I smiled faintly.

“So that’s the reason…”

Looking at her, I said,

“You seem to have a lot of secrets.”

“…”

“Even your name is a secret.”

“I’m sorry.”

“Hmm.”

Crossing my arms, I fell into thought.

“I’m someone with a schedule, too.”

“…”

“I don’t live in the capital, and because I’m so handsome, I’m quite popular.”

“…Annoying.”

“Pardon?”

“Nothing.”

It wasn’t a bad proposal. The idea of me mentoring her. But I wasn’t particularly inclined to do so.

“Mikhail will grow on his own anyway.”

Firmly, I turned around and said,

“I’ll think about it for now.”

Grabbing my sleeve as I was about to leave, the woman spoke in a timid voice.

“Today…!”

“Yes?”

“Please stay with me today.”

“What….”

“I will convince you.”

So.

“Go on a date with me.”