Since When Were You The Villain?

Chapter 61.

 

As she immersed herself in self-improvement and dance practice, the National Foundation Festival approached quickly.

The grandest celebration of the Empire’s founding commenced, and the streets were adorned magnificently as people poured out to join the festivities.

Traders aiming to capitalize on the festival had set up stalls, and even on this public holiday, the streets were alive with people donning commemorative accessories and entertainers displaying their talents.

“Are you heading out to the festival?”

Jenny asked, looking at Sophia, dressed in a floral-patterned dress.

Sophia had tried, tying her hair with a green velvet ribbon.

“Yeah. It’s the National Foundation Festival!”

How could anyone resist attending the grandest holiday of the empire depicted in romance novels?

Today marked the first day of the National Foundation Festival. With noble parties lined up for the next day’s ball hosted by the imperial family, Sophia found today to be the perfect opportunity to explore the festive atmosphere on the streets.

Furthermore, there was a parade scheduled for the afternoon in the city.

“But you’re going alone…?”

“Yeah! Do I really need someone to go with?”

It wasn’t a formal event that required a partner, after all.

Sophia looked at Jenny with innocent eyes.

Jenny pursed her lips, seeming unconvinced.

It was as if she was silently asking, ‘Are you really going to a festival without your fiancé?

“Cough, the Grand Duke is busy.”

Sophia found herself blaming Killian for no apparent reason.

Since that letter on that day, he hadn’t reached out to her at all.

Killian was the commander of the military police. He was working during the festivities to be prepared for any crisis that might arise.

“I understand that he’s busy. Okay!”

Normally, the military police would be responsible for the safety and management of the festival.

However, due to the recent events involving the Black Moon, the military was taking charge.

With prominent nobles gathering in the capital, the risk of the Black Moon targeting key figures in the capital was a serious concern.

‘I bet that military police don’t even know that their commander is the Black Moon.’

Killian was working to prevent Killian from taking action. (T/L: One of my reader’s line, kekeke.)

In any case, due to his status as the Grand Duke, Killian had to attend the royal ball tomorrow and the friendly competition against Ruchtainer on the final day. It seemed that on the other days, he would be on duty.

‘I’m actually glad.’

Sophia felt relieved that she wouldn’t have to deal with Killian. She believed that getting involved with him would only lead to a meaningless romance.

She didn’t want to fall into his ominous clutches.

* * *

Due to the bustling crowd, the carriage had to stop at the entrance of the festival grounds. The streets were adorned with colourful balloons, garlands, and flower decorations, exuding liveliness since early morning. Somewhere in the distance, the cheerful melodies of a band’s performance could be heard, and with each step, the scent in the air changed enticingly.

On the streets, ladies dressed in elegant gowns mingled seamlessly with young children running around barefoot in tattered clothes. People had gathered to witness the fame of the founding festival, whether out of curiosity or diplomatic reasons, and individuals with exotic attire were scattered throughout the crowd.

Dressed in a simple dress, Sophia made her way through the bustling crowd. Her attention was captured by a corner of the festival where simple games were set up for people to enjoy during the festivities.

With just a small amount of money, people could indulge in various types of games, perfectly fitting the festive mood.

However,

“What’s this, these games…?”

Sophia came to a stop as she looked at the signs of the game booths.

[♥ Eat the Love-Infused Stick Snack with Your Partner ♥]

[☆ Endure Together with Your Lover while Holding Shrinking Newspapers ☆]

[Transfer Paper Using Your Mouth – No Room for Relaxation! -]

All of them were games meant for couples.

Even this…

[~Throwing darts of Love ~]

“What kind of dart throwing is a couple game?! That’s something I can easily do alone!”

Sophia was met with rules demanding that couples participate together everywhere she went.

“Even if the world goes wrong, it’s going really wrong.”

No place was welcoming for Sophia alone.

Such an overwhelmingly couples-oriented festival.

“Miss, don’t you know that festivals are events for couples to enjoy together?”

The owner of the dart throwing booth that had turned her away clicked his tongue and gestured around him.

Following his finger, when Sophia turned her gaze, all around her were couples.

‘Even those foreigners who seemed like backgrounds earlier are couples?!’

Grandparents were couples, even kids around six years old were couples, regardless of gender, everyone had a partner!

Or else, they were families that had evolved from couples to become married couples.

The only person wandering alone was Sophia.

“Then how are solo attendees supposed to enjoy the festival?”

“Solo? Do they even have the qualifications to enjoy a festival?”

“What?!”

This guy is really saying something that will be resisted by solo individuals all over the world!

The modern world has seen a rapid increase in single-person households, but these people, trapped in outdated ways of thinking in this world, remain unaware.

However, the people around didn’t seem to think that the words of the booth owner were wrong.

‘So this is what a romance festival in this world is like!’

Come to think of it, among the protagonists of romance and fantasy novels, there were no characters who enjoyed a festival alone.

In this world, ‘festivals’ are scenes of romance.

The heroine usually gets entangled with the male lead or a sub-male character during festivals and spends sweet or passionate times together.

Festivals can become significant turning points in the love story, deepen the bond of love, and serve as material to fill the pages with everyday memories.

Because of this, festivals in this world seem to have been designed as a device for romance!

‘If you’re going to do this, why not create something like Valentine’s Day instead of a National Foundation Day?’

Sophia was infuriated by the barrier of couples.

That strange look Jenny gave her as she left the house was probably because of this.

“It’s lonely being alone, so what should I do.”

“Then how about doing it with me?”

At that moment, someone suddenly approached Sophia, who was grumbling to herself.

When she looked up, there was a young man with blonde hair wearing a bucket hat right beside her.

And beneath the hat were blue eyes.

“Your Highness?!”

“Shh.”

Mikhail put his index finger to his lips to hush Sophia.

Wait, why are you coming out of nowhere?

Sophia was so surprised that she looked him up and down.

He was wearing a roomy white linen shirt with a beige high-waisted cotton pants, brown leather boat shoe-style loafers, and a beige bucket hat that seemed to be covering his face.

Not flashy, but clean and elegant, yet appearing free-spirited attire was what he wore. Despite being quite different from the formal clothes he usually wore as a prince, the male lead had the ability to carry off even this outfit with remarkable charm.

“Uh, how are you here?”

Sophia looked around anxiously.

“I wanted to see what the atmosphere on the streets was like during the festival, so I came out secretly.”

So, it was a sort of undercover mission to gauge public sentiment?

Perhaps due to the comfortable attire that wealthy commoners or merchants might wear, people didn’t seem to recognize him as the crown prince.

“But is it alright for you to come out like this? Without any guards or other people?”

“Why not? Everyone’s blending in naturally, like me so we don’t stand out.”

Seemingly ordinary people, who were likely the disguised guards, were hiding around the street.

Sophia tried to locate the person who seemed like a guard, but she just couldn’t find them.

‘By the way, meeting Mikhail here of all places.’

Could this be another twist of fate continuing in the novel?

‘ It would be nice if it was Kilian…!’

For a moment, Sophia found herself picturing Killian’s face unknowingly and shook her head, snapping herself out of it.

‘Why did I even wish it were Killian? Who would want such a two-faced scoundrel…!'(T/L: fufufu.)

Pushing aside thoughts of Killian, Sophia refocused on Mikhail.

‘Come to think of it…’

The female lead of < Withered Flowers Bloom Again >, Estelle, makes her first appearance during this national celebration.

The first scene was the imperial ball tomorrow, but Estelle realizes it later when she sees Mikhail.

‘Then, could you possibly have been… back then?’

A man helped Estelle out of a difficult situation on the first day of the festival.

And that man was none other than Mikhail.

‘So, Mikhail meets Estelle for the first time today!’

Sophia gained a significant realization and nodded.

“So, you’re not going to play?”

“What do you mean?”

“Games. Weren’t you interested in playing?”

Mikhail gestured towards the dart game booth.

“It’s not that I desperately want to play, but since it’s a festival, I thought I should try something… anything.”

“Then let’s do it together.”

“Excuse me?”

While Sophia was hesitating, Mikhail had already handed a coin to the booth owner.

“I actually wanted to do this too, but as you can see, I’m here alone.”

Mikhail smiled at Sophia.

‘Who could refuse that smile that seemed capable of killing someone?’

‘Could this be the start of a new romance?’

Sophia thought as she took in the sign for the couple’s dart game and Mikhail.

Upon reflection, Mikhail was a character who could potentially replace Killian.

He was a powerful figure who could turn Sophia’s life away from Killian, not as the main hero but as a rival.

‘If I’m with him, maybe I can distance myself from Killian?’

Sophia nodded her head.

Until now, she had been quite entangled with Killian, and perhaps even the romance clichés had worked with Killian.

‘But being with Mikhail might just bring romance clichés with him too.’

This might be her last chance to break free from the fate tied to Killian, the dark and mysterious character.

‘If I don’t sever the ties with Killian soon, I could end up in a humiliating situation…’

‘I will absolutely, absolutely not like Killian.’

(T/L: For clarification, since she is in the novel, she thinks that clichés are everywhere, and are bound to happen.)

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TRANSLATOR:

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