The Villainess Whom I Had Served for 13 Years Has Fallen

Chapter 286

The sound of the sword hitting the ground lifelessly brought clarity to Rowen's previously clouded mind.

"Why..."

The pitch-black aura that had once surrounded Hanna had long since dissipated. Now, all Rowen could see was Hanna trembling weakly, her shoulders quivering.

"Why did you do it..."

Gripping Rowen by the collar, Hanna asked, her bloodshot eyes glaring at him. She had asked this question countless times before, but she could never find the answer.

"No matter how much I think about it, I can't understand... If there was at least a reason, it might hurt less!"

"..."

"Is it because of talent...? I showed you, didn't I...? I awakened my aura earlier than you did in your youth! Why can't you just understand me?!"

At Hanna's bloodshot question, Rowen lowered his head. He didn’t know what to say.

No matter what he said, it would feel like an excuse, and even if he apologized, it seemed it wouldn’t reach her.

'As a father...'

As a father, he had disgraced himself before his daughter.

He had raised his sword.

He had imbued it with aura.

The thought that he might have hurt her left Rowen feeling distant and dazed as he silently offered his sleeve.

Rowen thought to himself.

'I’ve failed as a father.'

How much more disgraceful could he become? Rowen was now afraid of himself. Hanna had been the one to reach out first, yet he still couldn’t take her hand.

'...How foolish I am.'

Frustrated by her father’s silence, Hanna yanked roughly at his collar.

"I just wanted to be acknowledged by you! I wanted to say even one more thing to you, so I ran like crazy...! Why... why were you so cruel to me?!"

Hanna's trembling voice made Rowen's heart constrict, as if his chest was being squeezed.

"I just wanted to be a daughter you could be proud of, like everyone else. Did you hate me that much?"

"...Hanna."

Rowen raised his trembling hand.

He wanted to place it on Hanna's shoulders, which seemed burdened with so much weight. Even though he knew it might be presumptuous, he wanted to rest his hand on her shoulder.

But his stubborn pride wouldn’t allow it.

His hand, unwilling to move easily, clenched into a tight fist as Rowen bit his lip. His arrogant self still refused to let go of his stubbornness.

Why was he hesitating like this? Rowen hated his hand, frozen in place like a fool.

As he pondered how to bear the torrent of resentment pouring out, Rowen silently looked at Hanna, who was gripping his collar.

"Do you hate me that much, Father?"

"I..."

"Say something!!"

Inexperienced, Rowen hung his head and clenched his fists. He had more than enough excuses.

Everything surrounding him had been like that.

His father’s teachings.

His mother’s indifference.

The discrimination from his siblings.

Everything had been far removed from an ideal family.

-Is that all you can do, the one who claims to lead Histania? Get out of my sight! No, wait, maybe it’s better to start over and raise someone new.

-...Live up to your father’s expectations, Rowen. That’s what you can do for me. Your father is always right.

-Hey, you think you’ve got the world because Father dotes on you? But once you’re no longer useful, you’re no different from the rest of us. Everyone’s just waiting for you to fall so there won’t be any trouble when you’re gone.

It had been the worst. Every situation.

Even his closest friend was no exception.

Desmond, who bore the burden of his family’s legacy, had also been treated harshly by his parents.

-Wow~ How did you even survive that treatment? At least I only had to deal with a Fireball to the face.

-You and I are the same, aren’t we?

-True, but we’re in the shadows. You’re from Histania.

Perhaps because of the circumstances given to him, he thought such treatment was only natural.

He believed that strict education was for the child’s benefit.

His father wanted his children to succeed.

His father knew the way.

He had been taught that this would satisfy both the family and the children.

It was inevitable.

He didn’t want to be a respected father. He wanted to be a better head of the family than his predecessor and a father acknowledged by his children.

By society.

By his children.

And by his wife.

He had vowed not to become like his predecessor, believing he had raised his children with as much convenience as possible. But the conclusion he reached was the worst, and he couldn’t help but lower his head.

-Rustle...

Only now did he realize that his best efforts had been wrong.

-Rustle rustle...

It felt as if cracks were forming in his once unshakable resolve.

He couldn’t protect his wife.

And in the end, his arrogance had hurt the one he loved.

-Crack...

Thinking that all misfortune stemmed from himself, Rowen’s heart began to tremble. Not from the "incompetent others," but from the perspective of being a "father."

For the first time, it felt like the broken pieces of the puzzle were falling into place.

-Crunch...

Until now, he hadn’t been afraid of regret.

It wasn’t that he didn’t fear regret, but that he was terrified of the regret that would come back to him.

-Crash...

The cracks in Rowen’s stubborn pride collapsed with a resounding noise.

As he thought about why he hadn’t been able to embrace her, Rowen forced his hand, which had been frozen by his stubbornness, to move.

Rowen, holding his daughter’s sorrow in his heart, spoke in a heavy voice.

"...No."

Hanna’s shoulder, which he lightly touched, felt so small. It was so small and fragile that he worried if she was eating properly. It was laughable that he was only now having thoughts befitting a father.

'...I realized it too late.'

At this moment, he couldn’t think of anything else.

Not the Dark Magic he had used.

Not Hanna’s other side.

Not even the possibility that Hanna might be the monster of the future he had created. All of it was blocked by the fragile, delicate shoulders of his daughter. Why had he realized this only now?

Rowen pulled Hanna into a tight embrace and lowered his head. Then, he carefully whispered his feelings into her ear.

"No, that’s not it."

He didn’t know if it would reach her.

Perhaps Hanna wouldn’t accept his words, but Rowen whispered his final shred of pride to her.

"I..."

"What are you doing..."

"I... don’t hate you."

"Do you think I’ll believe that...?!"

At Hanna’s aggressive question, Rowen tightly shut his eyes and broke through his stubbornness to answer.

"Maybe not."

"It’s because I’m not a good father."

Surprised by Rowen’s response breaking the long silence, Hanna lifted her head.

"What... did you just say...?"

Rowen pulled Hanna into his arms and swallowed hard.

"Until now, I didn’t think the path I walked was wrong."

"...I knew it. You’ll never change...!"

"No, that’s what I thought until now."

Rowen hugged Hanna tightly and continued speaking. At this moment, he desperately wanted her to listen to his pitiful excuses as he struggled to continue.

"Since the invitation, I never thought I was wrong for bringing the greatest honor to the household…."

"..."

"So… I guess that’s why I was so stubborn."

Rowen took a shaky breath.

"I wanted you all to be like me. To become greater Heads of the Family than I ever was, to lead Histania, and to shine brighter than the stars themselves."

"..."

"But… at the same time, I had another thought."

Rowen, revealing a small, deeply buried pain, spoke to Hanna. It was something he had never shared with others, words he had feared would wound him if spoken aloud.

He spoke with sorrow in his voice.

"I wondered if you really needed to endure the pain I went through."

"..."

"Siblings pointing blades at each other’s throats. A father sending his children to the battlefield. I didn’t want to give you those experiences. To me, those memories were nothing but bitter scars."

"So what? Are you asking me to understand? No. I can’t."

Rowen endured Hanna’s furious pounding on his chest with an awkward smile.

"I’m not asking for understanding. I’m just telling you about my foolishness."

"..."

"I’m sorry… because this is all I’ve ever known."

Rowen exhaled bitterly and spoke to Hanna.

"For a Sword Master, the strongest thing isn’t force—it’s stubbornness. It doesn’t seem to dull, even with time."

Rowen spoke to Hanna in a heavy voice.

"I am still an inadequate father."

"..."

"I grew up seeing nothing but my own flaws and ignorance, and I’ve only brought you sorrow."

"That’s just an excuse."

"You’re right. It’s an excuse."

Rowen couldn’t deny Hanna’s words. Even now, his obstinacy writhed within him. After all, a stubbornness built over decades isn’t something that changes in an instant.

"That’s why I’m telling you this."

And so, Rowen, suppressing his fear, spoke to Hanna.

Feeling a fear greater than any he had faced in countless battles, he spoke to Hanna in a heavy voice.

"My pathetic excuses are only just beginning."

"..."

"Even if you don’t listen."

"..."

"Even if you can’t understand."

"..."

"Even if you can’t call me your father anymore, I intend to keep making these pathetic excuses."

Rowen spoke to Hanna in a trembling voice.

"Until the day I become a father you can be proud of… for the rest of my life."

Hanna’s fists pounding against his chest gradually stilled. Now, all that remained was her trembling shoulders and the tears falling from her eyes.

Rowen expressed his gratitude to the daughter who had given him far too many chances despite his shortcomings.

"I’m sorry. And thank you for coming to me."

"..."

"I’m truly sorry… that my best efforts brought you nothing but unhappiness."

Rowen held Hanna tightly in his arms.

He vowed never to let her go again.

He whispered his heartfelt truth into Hanna’s ear.

"I’m so sorry for being such a terrible father."

"..."

"From now on… I’ll truly try to change."

[Listen to Histania Rowen’s heartfelt apology. (0/1)]

.

.

.

-Ding.

[0/1 > 1/1]

-The quest has been completed.

Rowen, holding Hanna in his arms, spoke.

"Your sword…"

"..."

"Was never wrong."

Rowen’s atonement had finally taken its first, hesitant step.