Chapter 46: It seems difficult

The Villainess Whom I Had Served for 13 Years Has Fallen

As soon as the morning sun rose, the Histania siblings prepared to leave the mansion.

Hanna had to go to the Royal Academy, and Malik had to return to his knight's order after taking a short leave of absence. It was sad to let them go, but I couldn't keep the busiest people in the empire.

I didn't even get to speak with Hanna.

I wanted to hear how she sliced Michail and how she has been since that day, but she had to leave earlier than I thought, leaving me with lingering regrets.

I stood at the entrance, extending the paper bag I had prepared to Malik.

Inside the paper bag were a tteokbokki recipe and a cake I had made myself. Malik glanced inside the paper bag and smiled lightly.

"Did you make it yourself?"

The godfather of gastronomy himself. He recognized the amateur packaging straight away.

I gave an awkward smile and replied to Malik. Normally, it would have been polite to buy it from a decent dessert store, but there were no open stores, so I made the cake myself.

I hoped he would enjoy it.

"Yes, haha… There were no open stores at this time, so I tried making it myself. I can't guarantee the taste, though."

"Opening a store at this time would mean a loss."

Malik smiled, looking satisfied.

During my days as a junior butler, the lady would say.

It was rude to send guests away empty-handed, that they would feel disappointed if they traveled a long way and returned empty-handed.

"Ricardo, don't you give gifts if there's a fight at a party?"

"Who did you fight with today?"

"Sillia."

"Who is that?"

"She exists. The fat and ugly one."

"Even so, pulling her hair…"

"She called me a pig that only knows how to eat!"

"Well done. What's the address of that young lady's house?"

"Eh? Anyway, do you not give if there's a fight?"

"Yes."

"…That's disappointing."

It was a lesson from the lady's experience.

Malik and Hanna seemed to appreciate this consideration, as they smiled and thanked us.

"We'll enjoy the meal."

"We will, thank you!"

Before they left through the front door.

Hanna turned around to look at me.

With her face blushing and her eyes expressing something meaningful, I worried she might have a fever. I naturally placed my hand on Hanna's forehead.

"Uh?"

Her face turned as red as a ripe persimmon.

I realized too late that I had made a mistake.

Out of habit from attending to the lady, I had touched the forehead of a maiden who wasn't even married.

In a past life, I would have ended up in irons.

Hanna's eyes widened.

"What… what.. what's this?"

With a look that said, "What's going on?"

While fanning her feverishly flushed face with her hand, Hanna muttered, "Is…is this the flirting I've only heard about in rumors?" She was breathing out hot breath.

I hastily removed my hand from Hanna's forehead and did not forget to bow my head in apology.

"I'm sorry. Your face was so red, I thought you had a fever."

"My face is red..? Oh. Ah… uh…"

Hanna made a strange noise, touching the spot where my hand had been and then glancing at my face, she covered her flushed face with her hand and said,

"There's no fever… Well, maybe there is. If you touch it again…"

"I'll get you some fever reducer."

Hanna gestured vehemently with her hands, declining.

"It's not needed. I was just too surprised."

"I'm sorry."

"No, you don't have to be, can you just…no.. never mind."

"You don't have to be mindful of me. We have medicine on standby in the mansion."

"Really, I'm fine. Really…!"

Watching this scene, Malik grinned like an old man who had lived many years.

"Ah, to be young… cough!"

Hanna elbowed Malik in the ribs. It seemed like she put aura into it. I wonder if he's okay.

It sounded like a bone had cracked…

Malik clutched his side and couldn't move for a while.

A cool breeze blew through the open front door. The morning sun had risen, and the birds were chirping.

Malik, adjusting his clothes, reached out his hand to me while nursing his side. A nobleman asking for a handshake from a commoner was a rare sight. It was something one would not easily see even at the egalitarian Academy.

"About the ‘Porsche No. 1' I mentioned yesterday, it looks like it will be ready by December. As for the thank-you letter…"

"I'll send about 10 of them, all tightly packed."

Malik was serious.

"Don't bother writing if I can't even read it."

My pride was hurt in many ways.

We said our last goodbyes.

Hanna hugged me tightly and gave me a wink with the meaningful words "Next time for sure." Malik was excited about the new menu that would be released at the Forest Friend.

Malik hurried Hanna, who was holding onto me like a cherished doll.

"Let's go."

"Just a bit longer."

"We don't have the time. We need to visit the shop, so there's no room for leisure."

"Brother, aren't you going to the imperial knight's order?"

"I can be a little late for that."

Malik was more sincere about his sideline than his proper job.

Before leaving, Malik turned and spoke to me. He said he remembered something he’d forgotten to mention.

"Oh, by the way, I forgot to say this earlier. Soon, the Academy students will be coming to Hamel."

"The Academy students? Are they coming for a group meal?"

"No, it's about an undiscovered dungeon that they are using as a test. Did you know?"

I knew.

A new story would start now.

Michail’s awakening story.

The story began here in Hamel, the story where Yuria gets kidnapped by heretics and Michail goes to rescue her. I knew that much from some time ago.

That's why I was looking for a replacement for my right hand

I shook my head.

"I didn’t know."

Phew. Malik, letting out a long sigh, took out a cigarette and put it to his mouth. As he was about to light it,

-Whoosh.

Hanna's hand swiftly threw Malik's cigarette outside the fence.

"Don't smoke. It smells bad."

"It doesn't smell if I smoke outside."

"Don't smoke."

"…"

Malik spoke to me with a distant look in his eyes.

"Do you have a sister?"

"No, I'm an orphan."

Malik nodded.

"That's fortunate."

Malik sighed as he watched his cigarette disappear over the fence.

"It was a mast…"

"Anyway, I just thought I’d let you know because I didn’t think it would be a pleasant meeting. I reckon it's not good for you or those academy kids to meet each other."

Malik spoke directly, not mincing words. It was typical of his character, and the reason he brought it up in the first place.

I gave a small nod and expressed my gratitude.

"I guess I'll be holed up in the mansion for a while."

"That's for you to decide."

Hanna left the mansion with a look of regret.

***

Inside the carriage bound for the capital.

Hanna asked Malik, who was reading schematics,

"You've been grinning and laughing as if looking at a dirty magazine all along. Almost like you're sick."

"What is that?"

"An adult magazine."

"Have you lost your mind?"

"No."

Malik laughed softly.

"That's not for kids to see."

"Is that so? Show me then."

"No."

Malik concealed the schematics in his cloak.

Because being caught having spent 3 million gold would likely spell his doom.

Even for the renowned house of Histania, 3 million gold was a heavy burden. It could be managed by embezzling from his personal savings and the family's finances, but.

He felt he would surely get a telling-off.

Having made the purchase on a whim, Malik realized too late just how large the amount was, turning it into a problem he'd have to bear to his grave, hence the sighs escaping from him.

He had excitedly inflated the estimation himself.

However, he did not regret the ‘Porsche No.1', deeming it worth the cost. Spending is essential when it stokes the flames of a man's ardor, and besides, a knight must honor his promises.

-A true knight, right?

At the memory of the competent butler's words, Malik couldn't help but chuckle wryly.

3 million gold. An insane person who haphazardly pledged such a vast amount and it wasn't even the name of someone else's dog. He had never imagined it would be him.

He had indeed spent a great deal of money, but it wasn't without cause.

The gift he had received was worth that much, and it was all thanks to that man that he could sit at the same table with his sister.

-You're sorry for having treated me poorly all this time? Are you kidding…? I felt like dying because of you and my sister… And now you apologize?

-Why? Because I've awakened some aura and father wants to take me in?

-Or did you want to try playing the big brother now? Go learn swordsmanship from dad. Leave me to live my life.

Because of that man, Malik hadn’t given up.

-A coward?

It was clear that if he hadn’t changed, he would continue to be endlessly ridiculed by that man.

Thanks to him, Malik had learned what he was lacking.

He realized just how inadequate he had been, which may have made him cling on even more.

Despite the setbacks, the apologies, and rejections, his sister eventually accepted his apology after his persistent effort.

-I had no intention of forgiving you. I was planning on leaving our tiresome family behind. But then…

His sister cried.

For the first time in front of him.

-Foolishly, I've been waiting for you to say this…. It's so unjust.

Only because that guy had pushed him did Malik truly realize how terrible a person he had been, having a proper conversation with his sister for the first time.

3 million gold might actually be a small price to pay.

Malik let out a deep sigh.

‘What's father going to do?'

The second son wants to disown Hanna, and father is just keeping silent and acquiescing…. Malik thought there was no salvation for such a dysfunctional family.

Hanna had no intention of facing father either. Malik simply extended his sighs.

The carriage continued towards its destination.

Passing Hamel on the way to the capital.

Just as the palace came into view through the window,

Malik casually threw a question to his sister.

"Sister."

"Yeah?"

"Do you like that guy?"

-Slap!

Hanna branded Malik's back with her handprint. A clear red mark had been left. Malik had the feeling that it would turn into a bruise by the time they reached home.

Nonetheless, Malik spoke.

His sister's reaction was too amusing.

"He's got the looks and the status; clearly, a great potential husband."

"…Be quiet."

"I support you, sister. I noticed that the guy doesn't seem to have a fiancée either."

Hanna shook her head.

"Is that so…"

"Hm?"

Leaning against the window, Hanna sighed deeply and said,

"I really don't know."

"Did he have a fiancée?"

"No. It's just… I feel like there's something similar."

Hanna's voice trailed off as she stared blankly out the window, yesterday evening’s events revolving in her head.

-The Lady doesn't like Senior Michail?

-Um…?

The flustered lady's face.

It wasn't the embarrassment of being caught having feelings for someone, rather it was an expression of genuine surprise.

-Uh… That.

The lady spoke decidedly,

-I don't think I like him anymore.

The awkward smile of the lady still weighed on Hanna's mind.

‘It seems a formal relationship would be difficult.'

Hanna was quick to grasp the situation.