Since When Were You The Villain?

Chapter 129

Mikhail thought meeting Sophia was a good thing, considering he couldn’t focus on his morning schedule due to thoughts of Killian. Perhaps talking with Sophia would alleviate this awkward feeling.

Not long after he waited in the reception room, Sophia entered the chamberlain.

“Lady Sophia, welcome…”

“Hello, Your Highness. I apologize for coming unannounced. I heard that the Orhelien Knights took His Grace away. Do you happen to know anything about it?”

Sophia said hello and immediately asked about business without even sitting down. Mikhail felt he should respond immediately, given how urgent she seemed.

“It’s true that Orhelien is handling this case. And it’s also true that Killian is under investigation due to suspicions.”

Sophia’s expression darkened upon hearing this.

Mikhail read anxiety in her eyes.

“Lady Sophia, please sit down first and have some tea.”

Mikhail advised, trying to calm her down a bit.

It must have been exhausting for her to wait anxiously like this.

But Sophia shook her head.

“No… I’m sorry, Your Highness. I’m not in the mood for tea right now. Your Highness, how long do you think…?”

“If you wait, he will return to the Grand Duchy soon.”

“… How long do I have to wait?”

Sophia asked.

But Mikhail couldn’t give her a definite answer.

“I can’t say for sure, but… he will return safely.”

Even though he went to the underground prison, he’ll be fine.

Because it’s Killian, he won’t be treated harshly. He was simply taken to a place that deals with treason because of the risk of rebellion, like the Black Moon.

Mikhail reassured himself in this way.

But…

“‘Safely’…”

Sophia pondered his answer.

The word ‘safely’ didn’t make her feel safe at all.

People don’t usually say ‘safely’ to someone going for a walk.

Safety is ordinary and commonplace, like breathing, so there’s no need to mention it.

The word ‘safely’ is usually used for those going to war or facing surgery. Because there’s concern they won’t be safe. It’s a situation where safety isn’t taken for granted.

But Mikhail used the word ‘safely’…

Sophia gripped her dress and opened her mouth.

“Where is he now?”

“…”

Mikhail’s silence weighed heavily on Sophia’s heart.

Throughout her wait in front of the palace gate, countless thoughts tormented her.

In novels, sinners, especially those accused of rebellion like the Black Moon, are not treated well.
In modern society, even human rights are not guaranteed.

Cruel scenes from books flashed through her mind.

What she had thought were just thrilling scenes of crisis in novels were now all too real.

“I heard there’s an underground prison.”

Anxious all night, Sophia had inquired about the situation, returning to the palace.

She read history books and asked Jenny about events among the nobles long ago.

A dangerous underground prison.

As recently as a decade ago, people were known to die there by the day.

“Is Killian there by any chance?”

At Sophia’s question, a shadow fell over Mikhail’s face.

Instead of answering verbally, he nodded slightly.

At the quiet response, Sophia’s lips trembled.

“…I have to see Killian.”

“Young lady.”

“If I receive permission from the palace, I heard I might be able to visit the person under investigation at Orhelien.”

Orhelien was the order of knights following the royal family, with the Orhel family above them.

And Mikhail was one of the few people who could move Orhelien.

“Please help me meet His Excellency.”

Sophia approached Mikhail pleadingly. But Mikhail avoided her gaze awkwardly.

“Lady Sophia, I will meet Killian and pass on any news.”

“Your Highness.”

Sophia grabbed Mikhail.

“I know this is an imprudent request. I understand how burdensome it might be for Your Highness… It’s shameless of me, but I will repay this favour somehow. So please, help me meet His Excellency.”

Sophia looked directly into Mikhail’s eyes.

Even if she were to meet Killian now, she knew there was nothing she could do.

Perhaps it would be better to advise her to do something more productive at this time.

Find something else she could do for Killian, or devise a way to counterattack the empress…

But worrying about Killian didn’t bring any other thoughts, nor did it solve anything.

If she could just check on him once, maybe then she could do something.

Mikhail wavered at Sophia’s plea.

He reassured himself everything would be fine and turned away, but he had been anxious all along.

“I cannot give you much time.”

In the end, Mikhail accepted Sophia’s request.

Sophia nodded as if she had been waiting.

“It’ll only be a moment.”

Checking the time once, Mikhail put on his jacket and changed his steps.

Mikhail headed towards the underground prison, rarely visited for a long time.

It was a place he hadn’t liked to go since childhood.

The underground prison was secluded even within the palace, where bodies were once disposed of outside through a side gate.

Thinking that Killian might be there made his feelings complicated again.

At that moment, the two heading toward the underground prison encountered Ian Fraus.

Ian was heading towards the underground prison from the direction of the imperial palace.

“Sophia?”

He spotted Sophia with Mikhail and stopped. Then he greeted Mikhail a step late.

“Ian, what are you doing here?”

Sophia was also surprised and asked him.
“Didn’t you say you didn’t know about Killian? Were you lying?”

As Sophia glared suspiciously, Ian quickly opened his mouth.

“I’m on my way back after requesting investigation authority for the Grand Duke from Her Majesty the Empress.”

Persistent as ever, Ian had cunningly requested the Empress to authorize him to investigate the Black Moon incident.

While the Empress couldn’t grant him that authority immediately, she allowed consultation with Orhelien to share some responsibilities.

In other words, it meant Ian wouldn’t lead the investigation, but rather assist Orhelien.

If Orhelien rejected his involvement, there was little he could do about it.

Naturally, Ian was displeased, but he refrained from raising objections openly against the Emperor’s decision and withdrew.

Yet, he had no intention of merely working under Orhelien.

Therefore, thinking he should at least meet Orhelien and negotiate, he was on his way to the underground prison.

“But Sophia, what are you doing here?”

Ian alternated his gaze between Mikhail and Sophia, asking.

“I came to request an audience with His Excellency.”

Sophia’s words made Ian’s eyes narrow beneath his brows.

‘Is she determined to see Killian?’

Ian didn’t know how to handle Sophia, who seemed so innocent and single-minded.

“… Come with me. Since I’m headed there anyway.”

In his heart, Ian wanted to gather Sophia up and leave her at Fraus, but with Mikhail there, it wasn’t possible.

“But…”

“Your Highness, I will accompany her.”

Before Sophia could refuse, Ian gestured to Mikhail, indicating he would accompany them with proper decorum.

Mikhail, considering Sophia and Ian’s relationship as siblings, nodded in agreement, thinking it wouldn’t be too bad to go together.

Sophia, not wanting to waste time arguing with Ian, reluctantly agreed.
Now meeting Killian was more important than anything else.

Ian didn’t matter at this moment.

Eventually, the three of them headed towards the underground prison together.

The path to the underground prison was flanked by overgrown grass. If the palace gardeners had been negligent, weeds might have even sprouted on the path.

That’s how rare visitors were to this place.

During the constant times of war, it seemed there had been no room for grass to grow at all…

“There it is, Young Lady.”

Mikhail stopped as soon as he saw the entrance leading to the underground prison.

About 10 meters away stood a weathered, greyish building, bearing the marks of time.

The above-ground structure wasn’t particularly large in scale.

The entrance was closed with several layers of iron bars and an iron gate, guarded by two knights from Orhelien.

Sophia’s heart raced as soon as she saw it.

She feared what scenes awaited her inside might be even more frightening than she had imagined.

Mikhail’s steps slowed as soon as the underground prison came into view.

He turned to Sophia, who had swallowed her fear.

“Are you okay?”

Mikhail wanted to suggest they could turn back and wait even now.

But Sophia nodded resolutely, her hand over her heart.

“Then… let’s go.”

Mikhail quickened his pace again and reached the front of the underground prison.

The knights of Orhelien greeted him with proper etiquette.

“Your Highness Prince Mikhail.”

They seemed taken aback by Mikhail’s sudden visit, exchanging glances with each other.

Sensing something amiss from their expressions, Mikhail asked.

“Is Killian inside?”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

“I need to see him for a moment.”