Since When Were You The Villain?

Chapter 72.

 

Among these people, no one is cursing Mikhail. Even though he fell for his younger brother’s fiancée and harboured different feelings.

No one is cursing Killian for cohabitating with Sophia either.

It’s not like Sophia is strong enough to forcefully open the door to the Grand Duke’s residence and start to live there.

The nobles, who realized that they had offended Ian, quickly made excuses to him.

“Ian, I’m sure you’re very angry, but you’re mistaken. The Fraus family, isn’t it a family that everyone in the Empire would envy?”

We weren’t cursing the Fraus family, you know?

Ian’s eyes narrowed.

“We weren’t cursing the Fraus family; we were just pointing out that the woman is disgracing the noble Fraus family.”

“You.”

“Yes?”

“Your chin is quite ugly and rugged.”

Ian, who had been listening to the nobles’ explanations, slowly pointed at his chin with a calm, toneless voice.

The nobleman, who had been insulted out of nowhere, stiffened his face.

To this, Ian raised the corner of his mouth with a twisted smile.

“Oh, please, don’t misunderstand. I wasn’t cursing you; I was just pointing out that chin of yours that disgraced you.” (T/L: That’s what you call it; fire back.)

Ian looked down at him with lazy eyes and clicked his tongue.

“It’s really unfortunate. You have everything else going for you, but that chin…”

The nobleman’s face turned bright red. However, he couldn’t openly show his anger after the words he had just spat out, so he sealed his lips.

“If you have a bad head, at least your mouth should be heavy.”

If those pitiful guys had been part of the Ruchtainer, they would have been punched at least once.

They were lucky individuals.

* * *

After the Emperor’s welcoming remarks, the ball officially began.

After entering the ballroom, Sophia kept looking at the people, scanning the crowd for someone specific.

‘There she is! Estelle!’

It was the original female lead, Estelle.

Her uncommonly vibrant pink hair quickly caught Sophia’s attention.

‘She’s with Ian…?’

Estelle was engaged in a conversation with Ian, and her eyes sparkled.

“Now that I think about it, Ian was ranked among the top three experts in the Empire or something, right? He was one of the Three Grandmasters or whatever.”

Estelle seemed to take an interest in Ian, just as she had shown interest in Killian.

‘In the original work, the relationship between Estelle and Ian was never clearly revealed—or even if it was, I forgot about it—so I don’t know what it is.’

Their faces might have been familiar to each other, but perhaps their connection was fleeting, like extras passing by.

In the original story, Fraus family role wasn’t particularly significant.

In the relationships between Mikhail, Estelle, and Killian, Sophia Fraus was nothing more than Killian’s fiancée, used primarily to showcase his cold-heartedness.

‘By the way, today is the real starting point of the novel, right?’

Sophia recapped the story’s events as she stood next to Kilian, surrounded by people.

Today, Estelle will reunite with Mikhail and discover that he is the Crown Prince.

Mikhail would confidently ask her to dance and then tease her, leaving her surprised.

‘And then, as if nothing happened, Estelle would graciously step on Mikhail’s foot.’

Estelle was truly not to be underestimated as the female lead.

‘Moreover, because of dancing with Mikhail, she became a target for other young ladies, didn’t she?’

Sophia was heavily criticized just for entering the palace with the Crown Prince (previously, when the empress called her). But a woman who danced with the Crown Prince would inevitably draw disapproving glances.

Thinking about it that way, Mikhail was no less formidable than Estelle. He danced with her, knowing how much other young ladies despised those who associated with him.

Anyway, because of that, Estelle almost gets humiliated at the party, but thanks to her strong mentality, she doesn’t give in.

Thanks to Estelle’s resilience, Mikhail, despite feeling sorry, ended up liking her.

“Sophia, the ball has started. What are you thinking so deeply about?”

At that moment, Sophia, lost in thought, raised her head.

“Your Highness!”

Mikhail had appeared by her side without her noticing.

“I came over, and you didn’t even greet me. Is something on your mind?”

“Oh, no! I was just lost in thought for a moment.”

Sophia awkwardly chuckled and glanced back in Estelle’s direction.

Ian was looking at Estelle with an annoyed expression. Estelle hadn’t noticed Killian and Mikhail yet.

“As far as I know, it’s your first ball as a young lady, and you’re not going to dance?”

“Oh, dance…!”

When she snapped back to reality, she realized that people were already on the dance floor, swaying to the lively music being played by the orchestra.

‘When did the first dance start?’

Sophia wondered if she had kept Killian waiting. She glanced up at him.

However, Killian was looking expressionlessly in the ballroom.

“Um… Your Grace?”

Sophia cautiously opened her mouth, but Killian, who had been looking at the crowd, turned his gaze towards her.

“Aren’t you going to dance?”

Sophia asked, but for some reason, he didn’t give a straightforward answer.

“Well… Lord Rivelon, you’ve never danced at a ball before?”

Sophia asked, but for some reason the answer did not come readily.

“Actually, Grand Duke Rivelon has never danced at a ball.”

The response came not from Kilian but from Mikhail, who seemed to be teasing Killian, pretending to be very polite.

“Oh, really?”

Sophia looked at Killian in bewilderment.

Killian nodded as if Mikhail’s words were true.

He explained that he never danced at balls. It was a fact that contributed to the rumours about his lack of interest in women.

‘That’s right. Kilian is basically the Duke of the North, plus he’s known as a killer.’

Grabbing a woman and dancing with her didn’t seem to suit him.

“You wouldn’t be dancing tonight?”

Mikhail asked, lightly wrapping his arm around Killian’s shoulder.

In response, Killian looked at Sophia as if to ask is she wanted him to.

“I did practice, but Your Grace, if you don’t want to… it’s not a must…”

Sophia had practiced, but it wasn’t a big deal if Killian didn’t want to dance.

‘It’s a waste of practice, but…’

‘After all, if I dance with Killian, romance will flow again; I will be thrilled by that face again; I will kiss him again; and then I will have a plan for a second generation with the killer…’ (T/L: She really thinks too far.)

“If Your Grace doesn’t like it, how about dancing one song with me?”(Mikhail)

Mikhail reached out his hand towards Sophia as if he were offering her a choice. However, Killian slapped his hand away and glared at him.

“Your Highness.”

“It’s just a joke, Killian. Don’t be so stern.”

Mikhail chuckled and whispered in Killian’s ear.

Then, a beautiful voice harmonizing with the music caught the attention of the three of them.

“Your Excellency the Grand Duke!”

It was a voice that could only belong to one person.

When Sophia turned her head, as expected, Estelle was approaching them.

Mikhail, flustered, turned his head and hid behind Killian.

“Shh, can we pretend we don’t know for now?”

Mikhail asked Sophia and Killian, hoping not to be caught by Estelle.

It would be quite awkward if he got caught. He had hidden his identities yesterday, and meeting like this.

Kilian shielded Mikhail and turned to face Estelle.

“You are here.”

Estelle was glad to see a familiar face at the ball.

“I wanted to say hello earlier, but there were too many people.”

“You do not have to go out of your way to greet us.”

Killian’s cold response surprised Sophia, and she looked at him in astonishment.

‘Is it okay for Killian to act this way towards the original heroine?’

Where did that intense obsession that seemed like it would follow him to the grave go?

Fortunately, the strong-willed heroine, Estelle, wasn’t intimidated by Kilian’s stoic demeanour.

“Yes. Your Excellency is so popular that it might be bothersome for people to keep talking to you.”

While Estelle spoke, Sophia observed Killian’s expression.

He was looking down at Estelle with furrowed brows.

If Killian had a personality like Ian’s, he would have probably asked, ‘Are you talking to me knowingly?’ (T/L: Ian is savage 😂.)

“I apologize for yesterday. You helped me in many ways, and I think I overreacted.”

“I hope you’re not apologizing because I’m a Grand Duke.” (T/L: Killian giving her emotional damage.)

“What? No way…! Yesterday, I had some bad things happen to me, so I took it out in the wrong place. I’m really sorry. Can you also apologize to the gentleman who was with us yesterday?”

“If you mean the gentleman who was with us yesterday…”

“That gentleman, the one with blond hair who was wearing a hat”

At Estelle’s words, Mikhail, who had been hiding behind Kilian, crouched down even further.

Sophia also pretended not to know Mikhail and maintained her poker face.

“Well… I understand. I’ll pass on the message. Is there anything else you need?”

“Well, I actually had something to tell you.”

At that moment, a royal servant hurried over to Killian.

“Your Highness, have you seen His Imperial Highness, the Crown Prince?”

The servant looked around anxiously, causing Mikhail to shrink back even more.

“Well… I don’t know.”

Killian replied, concealing Mikhail even more behind him.

He was grateful he had worn a long evening coat.

“I believe he was supposed to be with Your Excellency. Do you happen to know where he went?”

“Maybe he went to see the Duchess Chanelia.”

“No, I saw her on my way here. The duchess was chatting with some other people.”

“Is that so? Well, then, I guess I don’t know either.”

Killian skilfully concealed Mikhail, and Sophia, feeling awkward, hoped her small frame would provide enough cover for Mikhail’s arm.

At that moment, Estelle, who had been silently listening to the conversation between Killian and the servant, tilted her head slightly.

Her gaze, which had been focused on Kilian’s leg, seemed to waver.

Sophia noticed Estelle’s gaze and tried to use the hem of her dress to discreetly cover Killian’s leg. However, her efforts were in vain as Estelle lifted her head and their eyes met.

A long and lingering moment passed. (T/L: This scene screams awkwardddd!!! 😂).

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

TRANSLATOR:

Dear readers, I hope you like my work, COMMENTS are much appreciated for encouragement, and for fuelling me up.

Read exclusive chapters (chp74, chp 75, chp 76, chp 77) on ‘Patreon’ or tip me at ‘Buy me a coffee’ at (click on the image for the link)

If you find any mistakes, please let me know in the comment section. Happy reading : )