The Villainess Whom I Had Served for 13 Years Has Fallen

Another peaceful day in the lady’s room.

“Eek…!”

The lady was sitting on her bed, enduring the cool breeze as her hair was being brushed.

With each slow, sweeping motion of the brush, the tangled hair was being untangled, and the lady was grimacing and making strange noises.

“Eeeek!”

“Anyone would think I’m torturing a noble.”

“That’s right!”

“No, it’s not.”

The lady’s slightly curly hair was stubbornly difficult to untangle.

You could call it a noble’s passive trait; without an attendant, her hair would always end up in a frizzy mess, constantly requiring the butler’s touch.

“Eeeeek! Don’t pull!”

“I’m not pulling, your hair is just coming along with it.”

“Eeeek!”

The lady’s head kept getting tugged along with the brushing.

Seeing her head moving back and forth, I couldn’t help but laugh.

“Stop moving, please!”

“You’re pulling, so I’m moving!”

“I told you, just sit firmly.”

“No! It’s annoying!”

As I endlessly brushed the lady’s hair, which was as soft as a puppy’s fur, a sudden urge to play with it overtook me.

I was bored.

And it seemed like fun.

Even though I didn’t plan to ask her permission, I ceremoniously decided to ask the lady, while beginning to braid her hair strand by strand.

“Why did you stop?”

When I suddenly paused my brushing, the lady turned her head. Ready to show her aristocratic temper, wondering why I had stopped, I smiled lightly and spoke.

“My lady.”

“Yes?”

“I was thinking of creating an artwork with your hair today, how does that sound?”

“Like a savage?”

“No, not like a rooster comb, something a bit more refined and elegant.”

“Hmm.”

The lady pursed her lips and thought. Having only ever done her hair in long straight styles, she wasn’t used to challenges.

As a villainess of the Desmond family, she had experienced elaborate hairstyles surrounded by attendants. However, she had never tried a commoner’s style, making her interested as she smiled curiously and nodded.

But.

The lady also didn’t like such bothersome things.

She looked out the window with a monotone voice.

“No one is going to see it anyway, why bother.”

As I ran my fingers through her hair, I replied in a gentle tone.

“I’m here.”

“Who?”

I smiled and pointed to the most handsome face in the world.

“Me.”

“…Not funny.”

“Sometimes a change in hairstyle can lift one’s spirits, don’t you think?”

Persuaded by my words, the lady slowly nodded. Realizing it wasn’t a bad idea, her interest was piqued.

I smiled as I looked at her back while she quietly sat, allowing me to work on her hair.

With the wind blowing in from the window, I began braiding her hair to the side. She remained silent, entrusting her hair to me.

Then she added a hopeful note.

“Make it pretty.”

“Of course.”

“And not that pineapple hairstyle you did when I was small.”

“…”

I couldn’t help but chuckle at the sharp remark, knowing she remembered the prank from her childhood.

“Understood.”

I fiddled with her hair as the breeze from outside blew in. Although the wind made my face itchy, I decided not to close the window as the lady savored the breeze with an open mouth.

The weather was nice today.

Though it was late winter, the surprisingly warm breeze was pleasant for both of us.

After the minute hand of the clock ticked through two cycles.

A small hand mirror was placed in front of the drowsy lady who had been nodding off.

“Hum… Hmm!”

Seeing herself dozing off, she wiped the drool from her mouth with her sleeve and shook her head.

“Don’t shake too much, you’ll ruin the hair.”

“Huh?”

“Ta-da…!”

The lady finally saw her hair.

She took the hand mirror I handed her and looked at her transformed hair with a small gasp.

“It took a while because I’m not used to it. How do you like it?”

“Wow…”

“I almost wanted to do a pineapple style again, but I held back.”

The lady widened her eyes as she looked at her braided hair in the mirror. She was amazed by the elegant braid, gently turning her head to see the sides with wide eyes, making me smile.

“It’s amazing. It’s really pretty.”

“Really?”

“Yes.”

“I’m glad you like it.”

With her hair braided to the side, lightly wrapped around, the lady’s hair flowed down like an elf from a fantasy novel.

Instead of a childish style like Pippi Longstocking, she looked more noble, and she marveled at her reflection in the full-length mirror I had prepared beforehand.

‘Good thing I prepared the big mirror.’

“It’s really pretty.”

“Right?”

“Yes.”

Watching her check the back of her hair in the mirror, I felt a sense of accomplishment.

I had always wanted to try this, and I was glad she liked it.

Though it was a shame she was still wearing her ragged favorite pajamas, it felt more natural and that was fine.

After admiring her hair for a while, she turned to me with a happy smile.

“Am I pretty?”

“Yes.”

“How pretty?”

“The most beautiful in the world.”

“Thiiiis pretty!?”

“No.”

I made a circle with my hands, larger than the one she had drawn.

“This much.”

“Hehe…!”

“Why are you laughing?”

“Just. It feels good.”

The lady blushed and hid her face in the blanket from embarrassment, shaking her head adorably.

And then, bursting into laughter, she said with characteristic villainy, ‘I already know I’m pretty,’ making me laugh out loud.

After a good laugh, she grabbed my sleeve and pulled me towards the bed.

“Ricardo, come here!”

“Me?”

“Yes! I’ll make you look pretty!”

“No, thank you. I look good without doing anything.”

“Eeeek! Come here!”

“No.”

“Why not!”

“I’m afraid to trust my hair to the destructive hands of the lady.”

“Eek!”

Startled, the lady let out a fierce denial, huffing and puffing.

“No! I’m very skilled with my hands.”

“Do you not remember when you folded a paper crane into a Medusa?”

“I don’t remember.”

“…”

The lady seemed to handle the insult effortlessly and began tugging at my sleeve.

Realizing she would fuss all day if I didn’t comply, I reluctantly moved towards her, guided by her hand.

-Glance…

The lady, staring at me, couldn’t hide her twitching mouth and started imagining things.

She was likely planning on how to mess up my hair.

I undid my tied-up hair and tilted my head towards her.

“Please take care of me.”

“Hehe… Okay.”

“Don’t laugh.”

With a serious expression, the lady focused on her artistic effort. I closed my eyes and braced myself.

With the soft touch of her hands in my hair, I felt a serene ease and imagined what masterpiece she might create.

A mohawk.

A topknot.

Slick-back hair?

No idea what kind of creation the lady, with her lack of artistic talent, would produce.

It’d be better for my mental health not to expect too much. If it turns out less messed up than I think, I’ll be happy.

Holding back a laugh, I watched the lady bite her lower lip in concentration.

As sleepiness overtook me and my eyes began to close.

“Done!”

At the lady’s triumphant declaration, I shook off my drowsiness and looked up at her.

“How is it?”

The lady, holding a hand mirror and looking at me with expectant eyes, showed the anticipation of a newbie artist displaying her first masterpiece.

Barely holding in my laughter, I slowly raised my head.

And then burst into laughter at the sight.

“What is this!”

With a ridiculous hairstyle resembling a chicken tail sticking straight up, I couldn’t hold back my laughter.

“Why!”

The lady yelled, defending her creation. Assertively asking where it went wrong, she said, holding up a hand mirror to me with a red face.

“What is this! I’m not a ten-year-old boy!”

“It’s pretty! It’s cute!”

“But how old am I! This looks ridiculous on me!”

“Eeeek! Look closely!”

The lady held up the hand mirror.

“Isn’t it pretty?”

“No, it looks like an alien with antennae.”

“No, it doesn’t!”

After a while of discussing her creation, she eventually let out an honest ‘Pfft’ and started giggling.

“Hehe!”

“Did you just laugh?”

“Pfft!”

“Ha? You laughed.”

“Kyaa, hehe…!”

“Don’t laugh!”

“Ricardo with antennae…! Hahaha, it’s too funny!”

“No. Ha…”

Unable to resist, we both burst into laughter, unable to stop even until dinner time.

“Antennae.”

“Don’t laugh.”

End of Chapter