The Villainess Whom I Had Served for 13 Years Has Fallen-Chapter 375: The Woman Talks About Her Meeting with That Man (1)
Chaos Approaches.
“Take this opportunity to wipe out every last speck of corruption in the west! Leave no stone unturned!”
“Yes, sir!”
“Don’t hesitate—search every corner! Desmont and Belian have promised to back us. Sweep through everything, and don’t leave a single grain of dust behind!”
“Yes, sir!”
The guards who roughly brushed past someone’s shoulder didn’t bother wondering whose shoulder they had just struck.
They were completely unaware that they had committed an act of disrespect against one of the empire’s most exalted figures, someone whose name alone could bring severe punishment if uttered improperly.
“What about these people?”
“They might be connected to the slave traders. Arrest them all!”
“Yes, sir!!!”
Wolfgang batted away the hands reaching for the Crown Prince and roared, his voice echoing throughout the auction house.
“What are you all doing!!!”
“...”
“This man is the Empire’s second sun...! Leonhardt Theo, the Crown Prince of this empire! Do you realize the sacrilege you’ve committed by daring to touch him with your filthy hands?”
“Th-the Crown Prince...!”
Some of the guards recognized Wolfgang’s face and hesitated, their shoulders shrinking under his gaze.
His words carried the weight of law in the west.
Even with Desmont and Belian taking responsibility for this operation, Wolfgang’s influence in the west was enormous.
Many guards lived under his protection, and the higher-ranking officers owed him favors and bribes. Their hesitation was palpable.
Among the soldiers were those who believed in the righteous cause of rooting out corruption in the west and others who had suffered under Wolfgang’s hand. Yet all of them hesitated, biting their lips and holding their tongues.
Just as the guards’ hands faltered while attempting to detain those associated with the auction house, a booming voice rang out from behind.
“Western Protectors, stand tall!”
The commanding shout snapped the guards out of their daze.
“It is time to eradicate the long-standing evil in the west!”
“...”
“This is our chance to remove the corruption we ignored for so long. Western Protectors, do not falter! Do not fear the task of confronting evil!”
Wolfgang flinched at the strength of that voice.
“I’ll take it from here.”
The head of the Belian family had arrived, spear in hand, to oversee the operation.
Wolfgang clenched his teeth as he looked at the white-haired Belian duchess, knowing full well that she bore ill feelings toward him and was not an easy opponent.
“Duke Belian...”
Had this been before the Kraken’s subjugation, the situation might have been different.
The Belian duchess, still burdened by her fixation on the Kraken back then, would have been easy prey for Wolfgang to manipulate.
"If you could transfer control of the canal to Wolfgang..."
"W-what are you saying?!"
"I’ve brought signed petitions from the merchants and the residents. Normally, it would be improper for commoners to address a noble, but I trust the wise decisions of someone who always puts the west first."
The naïve, inexperienced head of the Belian family. A foolish figure who had been robbed of her inheritance by her relatives, hiding her gender to appear stronger—she had once been easy to control.
"Then promise me you’ll capture the Kraken. If you do that, I’ll grant you authority over Belian’s rights."
By the time Wolfgang noticed that the Belian duchess was no longer the prey he had assumed, it was already too late.
“...”
It was far too late to realize that the one he thought was a wildcat had grown into a tiger.
“Marquis Wolfgang.”
Wearing black ceremonial robes that hid bloodstains, the Belian duchess stared at Wolfgang with icy eyes, ◆ Nоvеlіgһt ◆ (Only on Nоvеlіgһt) as if to signal that the balance of power in the west was about to shift.
“What is the marquis doing here?”
“Why does the Belian duchess find herself in this place?”
“I’m here for the peace of the west.”
The audible grinding of Wolfgang’s teeth echoed as the Belian duchess continued,
“It would be great if Wolfgang could cooperate.”
“...”
“You’re not one to enjoy complicated matters, are you?”
“...Very well.”
“Good. Belian and Wolfgang are families that strive for the peace of the west. Let’s not take this personally.”
“...”
“I also request the Crown Prince’s cooperation.”
Even the Crown Prince, unable to dodge the metaphorical arrow, nodded weakly in response to Belian’s words.
“Understood.”
A fallen duke was still a duke, after all.
‘Ricardo...’
The Crown Prince stared blankly at the spot where Ricardo had stood. He couldn’t shake the feeling that something unknown still lingered in the air.
“...”
Ricardo had never gambled his life on a losing battle—not once. Even at the academy, he would bow his head and retreat from unwinnable fights.
A hunting dog chasing a tiger—that’s what he was.
“...”
A deep unease crept over the Crown Prince, whispering that this ordeal was only the beginning of the challenges ahead.
Meanwhile.
In her office, the third princess was drowning in reports, struggling to process everything that had happened.
“Ha...”
The events in the west had all been heavy, to say the least.
Every document handed to her by her informants contained something serious enough to furrow her brow—sometimes even serious enough to make her burst out laughing. Shartia could barely catch her breath.
"Desmont Olivia reportedly told the Crown Prince, ‘If you’re upset, go complain to your daddy.’"
“Kuhahaha! Are they insane?!”
"Evidence found suggesting pirates and Wolfgang might have colluded."
“...This is getting messy.”
"The head of Desmont ignored the Crown Prince’s plan and devised a new one."
"The Kraken subjugation was successfully completed."
Casualties: Approximately 100 injured / No deaths.
“Are these people insane...?”
"The Belian duchess participated in the Kraken subjugation."
“Belian...?”
"The one who subjugated the Kraken is suspected to be Ricardo, the Desmont family’s butler."
“Again with you...?”
"A large underground slave auction house discovered in Wolfgang territory."
“...”
Chaos Always Breeds Opportunity.
Shartia’s lips curved into a faint smile as she thought about the man who always brought her the most unexpected outcomes.
“You’re insane, Ricardo.”
Even at the academy, he had appeared like a problem-solver whenever she found herself cornered. And now, he had solved the turmoil in the west with such flair.
“...He’s quite the remarkable one,” Shartia muttered.
He was so competent, so perceptive, that it almost made her greedy—she wanted him as her own, wanted him in her circle.
Not to mention his appearance—handsome enough to turn heads wherever he went.
Ricardo’s abilities weren’t just extraordinary; they felt unrivaled across the world. If he were her ally, he could become the unshakable pillar she could always lean on.
“...He’s someone who could steady the course of anyone’s storm,” she thought.
The Guildmaster of the information network glanced at Shartia’s faint smile and chuckled softly. It was so rare to see the princess, who was always tightly wound with irritation, wearing such a relaxed expression.
“You seem to be in a good mood, Your Highness.”
“...Do I?”
“Yes.”
Shartia touched the corners of her lips with her fingers, her expression awkward. She hadn’t realized she’d been smiling.
“...I was smiling?”
“Yes, it’s been a while since I’ve seen that.”
“...Hmm.”
“You should smile more often. The tension can be suffocating, you know.”
“I’ll try.”
As the mood in the office lightened, the Guildmaster cautiously brought up a pressing matter.
“So, will Your Highness extend a hand to Wolfgang now that his influence has weakened? From what I’ve observed, it looks like the Crown Prince is about to discard him.”
Shartia shook her head, her tone measured.
“I’m planning to extend my hand to the Belian duchess instead.”
“...Belian? She doesn’t seem like much help right now.”
“That’s why I need to secure her.”
“...I see.”
Shartia glanced at the documents before her and smiled faintly.
"Confirmed: Ricardo and the Belian duchess have established contact."
“Before Belian grows too powerful, that is.”
The royal family was rife with ambition. Despite the Crown Prince’s position being secure, every royal member couldn’t help but covet the emperor’s throne.
“...And it’s not just the royals.”
Even the empresses harbored quiet hopes for their children to ascend. Their families secretly wished to see their bloodline reign supreme.
The only one who didn’t dream of such ambitions was her mother.
"Shartia, I just want you to be happy. My only wish is for you to live peacefully, away from the dangers of politics."
"..."
"I’m sorry I can’t give you more, my daughter... All I could do was teach you how to survive."
Unfortunately, Shartia couldn’t honor her mother’s wishes. To protect her mother, a commoner, Shartia’s position had to be unassailable.
She couldn’t stand seeing her mother dismissed, insulted, seated at the very end of the dining table during royal gatherings.
The scorn and disregard her mother endured wouldn’t disappear on their own.
"Clench."
With fists tightly clenched, Shartia had no choice but to become stronger. Over time, she inevitably grew interested in the imperial crown itself.
Truthfully, she had given up on it.
Ever since Theo approached her, she believed she was destined to amount to nothing.
But then:
"I believe you will become empress, Your Highness."
"..."
"That’s why I’ve decided to bet on you."
How could she stay idle after someone like him pushed her forward?
“...Sigh.”
Every time she watched Ricardo charge forward without hesitation, it stoked a fire of competitiveness within her that she didn’t fully understand.
When she first met him, she had wondered how someone like him could even exist.
"Please allow my lady to join the student council."
"...?"
"If she doesn’t, the academy might suffer an unfortunate collapse."
"Eeeek! I’m not going to destroy the academy!"
"You did break a flower pot yesterday, My Lady."
"Eeeek! That flower was ugly anyway!"
"...I’ll revise my statement."
“Pfft... Hahaha! Oh, really...”
Shartia’s platinum-blonde hair shimmered as she laughed, her features radiating an uncharacteristic warmth.
The Guildmaster, smirking slyly, leaned in and spoke softly, trusting her intuition.
“Oh, by the way, Your Highness... What do you know about Ricardo?”
“...Pardon?”
“With the events in the west, information about him is starting to spread. I thought it might be useful to look into him ahead of time.”
“...Ah.”
“They say he lived at the academy... If it’s not too much trouble, could you share anything about him?”
“...Hmm.”
“Only what you’re comfortable sharing, of course.”
Respecting the Guildmaster’s tactful request, Shartia smiled faintly and said,
“Shall I tell you a little story?”
The Guildmaster lifted her teacup, intrigued by Shartia’s expression as she began to speak.
“My first encounter with Ricardo was... unusual.”
She began recounting the story of her first meeting with the enigmatic man.
