The Villainess Whom I Had Served for 13 Years Has Fallen

Chapter 237:

To the Original Form (1)

***

A peaceful academy.

“One thousand three hundred sixty-one.”

“One thousand three hundred sixty-two.”

“One thousand three hundred sixty-three.”

Michail, who was swinging his sword in the training ground again today, wiped away his pouring sweat and exhaled heavily.

A sword wielded with only one purpose: to become stronger.

Michail, who thought there was nothing better to clear his mind, was once again swinging his sword to shake off his distracting thoughts.

After class, he would go to the training ground.

Even on weekends, he would go to the training ground.

Sweating it out was Michail’s only hobby, as it allowed him to sleep without worries, so he couldn’t easily give it up.

If only his dreams were as sweet, though.

“You’re still swinging your sword?”

Hanna, dressed in training clothes, approached Michail, who was swinging his sword with all his focus, stretching her shoulders as she came closer.

“You’re really impressive. No wonder your skills are improving so quickly.”

Hanna, wearing black tights and a white shirt, had come by after a long time and spoke to Michail.

“Senior.”

“…”

“Senior.”

“…”

“Are you still mad?”

Michail shook his head. He had lost that day because he lacked skill, and it wasn’t that he was angry at Hanna personally. He just found it difficult to speak to her because of his frustration with the defeat. It was more a matter of pride, or perhaps he felt sorry for fighting her so earnestly without knowing her circumstances.

Michail, unable to find the right words, sighed deeply and stopped the hand that had been swinging the sword.

“No, it’s just that talking feels awkward.”

Hanna chuckled and gripped her sword.

“Why? Is it because I won?”

“…No.”

“You’re lying.”

Hanna thrust her sword forward energetically as she spoke.

“It’s because I had a good teacher. I met a teacher who is far superior to my father, both in character and swordsmanship.”

“…”

“The butler is really too good of a teacher for me.”

“…”

Michail couldn’t agree with Hanna’s words.

While he acknowledged Ricardo’s skill, he couldn’t accept the notion that Ricardo was a good teacher. Michail had seen it—what Ricardo had done at the academy.

– Ricardo again…?

– They say he was near the fire scene this time too.

– That guy is always around when something happens.

– Why do you think that is? It’s because he’s the one causing it.

Although he knew Ricardo’s swordsmanship was excellent, hearing that he was a good person irritated Michail.

Michail, with a slight change in his expression, spoke to Hanna.

“No, it’s because you’re good.”

“No, it’s because the butler taught me. In the past and even now, I’ve been able to achieve everything because of him.”

“…”

“If it weren’t for the butler, I probably wouldn’t even be able to hold a sword right now.”

“…Ha.”

Michail had a lot he wanted to say but bit his lip and held back. He felt like no matter what he said, it wouldn’t get through to Hanna.

If he’s such a good person, why does everyone hate him? As someone who had experienced Ricardo firsthand, Michail cautiously spoke to Hanna.

“Ricardo isn’t the good person you think he is.”

Hanna’s expression hardened at Michail’s words. No matter what anyone said, Hanna was someone who always stood on Ricardo’s side.

“What do you think the butler is, Senior?”

“Huh…?”

“What did the butler do to you that makes you say such things? At least to me, the butler is a good person.”

“I…”

Michail closed his mouth, unable to say anything further.

What kind of person did he think Ricardo was?

After thinking for a long time, Michail finally answered Hanna. The conclusion he had come to about Ricardo could be summed up in just one sentence.

“He’s the complete opposite of me.”

“So what?”

Hanna swung her sword silently as she spoke.

“Senior, you don’t know anything about the butler.”

Michail pursed his lips and replied to Hanna’s words.

“…I don’t want to know.”

Darkness descended upon the men’s dormitory.

After finishing his training, Michail returned to his room and sat on his bed, letting out a tired breath.

“I should wash up, but I’m too lazy.”

Thanks to maintaining high grades, he had a private shower right in front of him, but Michail couldn’t muster the energy to get up from his bed.

“Ugh… But I should wash up since I feel gross.”

With difficulty, Michail got up from the bed. He wanted to lie down longer, but knowing that laziness had no end, he forced himself to stand.

-Thud.

As he walked weakly toward the shower, Michail paused for a moment and looked at the mirror next to his wardrobe.

“I look like a mess.”

Sweat-soaked hair.

Drenched training clothes.

Silver hair that reached the nape of his neck.

Michail let out a hollow laugh at his appearance, which was no different from that of a man.

“Seriously… I look so pathetic.”

In his early twenties, the prime age for dressing up.

Looking at his reflection in the mirror, Michail sighed at his pitiful appearance.

He claimed not to care about his looks, but deep down, that wasn’t the case.

Today, more than ever, Michail hated the mirror that reflected his shabby self.

“…”

Staring at his reflection, Michail muttered in a voice so small that no one else could hear.

“…What am I?”

His voice, filled with deep doubt, echoed in the empty room as he lowered his head.

‘Neither a woman nor a man.’

Michail unbuttoned his shirt as he questioned himself. What exactly are you?

‘There’s no going back now.’

To return, he would have to give up so much. So why was he having such meaningless thoughts? Michail thought it was foolish to even ask himself such questions.

But still.

There was a desire he couldn’t suppress.

Looking at his reflection in the mirror, Michail spoke inwardly.

‘I also…’

He wanted to wear pretty clothes.

He wanted to put on makeup.

He wanted to dress up.

But Michail, who was dreaming of something he couldn’t do, bit his lip and stopped unbuttoning his shirt. His current self was heading in the complete opposite direction.

His body reeked of sweat.

His hair was short, making him look like a man.

Feeling utterly unattractive, Michail felt especially small today.

Even though it was a path he had chosen himself.

Michail had thought he didn’t care about such superficial things. Or perhaps, he had been deceiving himself. By telling himself to just chase his goal without thinking about anything else, he hadn’t given himself time to reflect.

“Sigh…”

Michail moved his hand again.

As the buttons came undone, pale skin was revealed, and the bandages wrapped around his chest began to loosen.

As Michail unraveled the stubbornness that had started from his own desires, he looked up at the single piece of clothing hanging on the wardrobe door.

A white dress.

Michail, staring at the dress he had bought because he wanted to show it to someone, bit his lip and had an impulsive thought.

‘Maybe it’s okay to wear it just once.’

Muttering softly, Michail carefully took the dress from the wardrobe, a bitter smile forming on his face.

‘Yeah, just once…’

The academy shirt and pants fell to the floor.

Like shedding a skin, Michail threw his worn clothes to the ground and, with a deep sigh, began to put on the dress he hadn’t been able to wear until now.

“…”

The flowing dress, as if custom-made, fit Michail perfectly, creating a neat and elegant appearance.

It was a dress he had bought to show to that boy someday, and it fit so well that Michail couldn’t help but smile like a child.

“It’s pretty…”

Excited, Michail spun around in front of the mirror, looking at himself. He awkwardly lifted the hem of the dress, imitating the actions of female students, and burst into laughter.

“It’s really pretty.”

Michail was enjoying his true self.

Perhaps it was something he should have naturally enjoyed in his daily life, but here he was, hiding away, savoring it in secret.

He was excited.

He felt a flutter in his heart.

Relishing the sense of liberation he hadn’t felt in a long time, Michail smiled, but unfortunately, that feeling didn’t last long.

As the moonlight, previously hidden by clouds, began to illuminate the dark room, the reflection in the mirror gradually gained color.

The moonlight’s playfulness revealed his short hair and rough legs.

Michail’s smile slowly faded as he looked at the reflection in the mirror.

“Ah…”

The smile disappeared.

His face twitched.

Michail, staring at his full reflection in the mirror, thought to himself.

Ugly.

It looked like nothing more than a man with a chest wearing a dress and getting excited. Clenching his fists, Michail stared at the person in the mirror. Even though, in reality, he was as beautiful as a princess from a fairy tale, Michail could only see himself as pitiful.

The faint smile he had been wearing vanished, and Michail’s face twisted in sorrow.

“…What kind of woman is this?”

Michail hurriedly tried to take off the dress. If he stayed like this any longer, he felt his mood would worsen.

Crumpling the dress, Michail muttered to himself.

‘Sorry.’

‘I thought it was pretty, but it wasn’t.’

He had wanted to show a beautiful side.

‘But I ended up showing something unsightly.’

Michail, with an awkward smile, tried to shove the dress back into the wardrobe. Just as the flowing fabric was about to slip from his grasp—

-Ding.

A cruel alarm tickled Michail’s ears.

-A quest has been generated.

[Q. To the Original Form.]

1. Show Ricardo your true self. (0/1)

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

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

Reward: Lee Minhyuk’s survival status.

Failure: None.

Michail clenched his fists and stared blankly at the blue window.

End of Chapter