Since When Were You The Villain?

Chapter 78:   

   

“If time allows”? Where is such an ambiguous statement found!’   

Rubisella’s words were nothing more than polite greetings, as trivial as saying, “Let’s have a meal.”   

It needed to be more explicit.  

“Haha, what a polite thing to say. Mother, you told me that last time. There’s nothing that time doesn’t allow. It’s just a matter of the heart and will.”   

“Me?”   

“Even in the midst of war, people still have children. There’s never a lack of time for something important, right?”   

Sophia smiled and spoke casually, causing Rubisella’s expression to stiffen. In response, the nobles around them burst into laughter, seemingly amused by the exchange.   

“That’s right, Mrs Fraus. Let’s arrange a gathering sometime.”   

“Rather than that, since Lady Sophia is here too, shouldn’t we offer a welcoming toast?”   

“Congratulations on the engagement of the young lady too; we didn’t get to celebrate it, did we?”   

The nobles extended a champagne glass to her.   

 ‘Alcohol…?’  

Sophia paused for a moment as she looked at the effervescent champagne bubbling up.   

 ‘Alcohol…? Drinking even a sip would be a disaster.’   

Sophia knew just how much of a lightweight she was when it came to alcohol.   

‘Not even a sip!’   

Not only did she have a low tolerance for alcohol, but if she took even one sip, she was sure she’d be pestered to keep drinking.   

“I…”   

At that moment, another glass was pushed in front of her.   

“Cheers, let’s toast.”   

“Ian?”   

When she took what was offered, it turned out to be a sweet-smelling grape juice.   

 “Oh, yes…!”   

Sophia accepted the drink, realizing it was a non-alcoholic beverage.   

‘How does Ian know I can’t handle alcohol…?’   

She couldn’t remember if Ian had ever seen her drink before she transmigrated. Maybe he had witnessed it before being possessed.   

That would make sense, but even then, Rubisella seemed oblivious to this, so it was unlikely he had shared this detail.   

Sophia raised her glass for a toast and took a sip of the grape juice. She glanced at Ian, who appeared weary, as if he were tired of such gatherings, while sipping his champagne.   

“Well, then, I think I’ll take my leave. I told His Grace I would wait for him,” she said as she made her way out.   

Sophia placed her glass on the table in the party hall and made her way out of the room.   

* * *   

After concluding his conversation with the Empress, Killian checked his pocket watch.   

It was almost nine o’clock, the time he had arranged to meet with Viscount Clifford.  

The conversation with the Empress had taken longer than expected, leaving him with little time.   

“Lady Sophia said she would wait in the lounge.”  

The attendant gave him Sophia’s message, but the place he headed was not the lounge.  

His anxious footsteps took him outside the hall, to the solitude outside.  

He hid in the remote shadows, put on the robe he had prepared in advance, and wielded his sword and sheathed his dagger.   

Growing up in the palace had its advantages, especially in moments like this. He knew where people were likely to be and where they were not.   

The vast palace had countless nooks and crannies, and even with patrols, there were secluded areas. Killian knew of several secret places.   

He walked nervously and cautiously, completely hiding himself inside his robe.   

Inside the hall where the ball was being held, servants were busily running around carrying food to the party.   

Exciting music flowed from the building, and people’s laughter could also be heard through the windows.   

However, Killian avoided the light coming through the window and headed towards a darker place.   

During the founding festival, security and surveillance within the palace had been reinforced due to the “Black Moon.”   

However, Killian remained exempt from such measures since he held the position of military police commander and had control over the security schedules. He had deliberately arranged routes to allow for lapses in surveillance on this side.   

Thanks to his meticulous plan, he didn’t encounter a single soul along the way. Eventually, he arrived at the location where he had agreed to meet with Viscount Clifford—no, Hark.   

He discovered the figure of a shadowy figure, illuminated only by a small lantern, displaying an aura of trepidation.   

In the faint light, he could discern the appearance of a middle-aged man who appeared slightly older.   

“…Viscount Clifford.”   

Killian tightened his robe and approached cautiously. Clifford, startled by the sudden presence, stumbled backward.   

“W-who…!”   

“It’s me, Viscount.”   

Killian showed him the letter he had received, revealing his face partially from beneath his robe.   

Recognizing him, Hark relaxed his tense shoulders and managed a smile.   

“You bear a striking resemblance to the late Grand Duke.”   

Clifford, who had discreetly observed Killian multiple times in the ballroom to ensure he wouldn’t fail to recognize him, was relieved to see Killian unharmed.   

Killian felt the same way.  

In the ballroom, he had been keeping a close eye on Hark, concerned that he might have set a trap.   

“I’m glad you’re safe, Viscount.”    

Killian had been worried about Hark ever since he had lost Fideut and Percel recently, fearing that he might also fall victim to an assassination attempt.   

Even now, Killian was on high alert, keeping his senses sharp in all directions.   

“I should have informed you sooner, Your Grace. I apologize sincerely.”   

Hark lowered the lantern he had been holding up to check Killian’s face to waist height and bowed his head. 

“Please don’t blame yourself. I’m just grateful we made contact now.”   

“I wish I could ease your concerns, but we don’t have much time. I’ll get straight to the point.”   

Hark glanced nervously around as if afraid someone might overhear before speaking again.   

“So, it’s about the Emperor’s illegitimate child.”   

His voice trembled with tension as he struggled to find the right words.   

Confronted with the events of that fateful day, Killian’s heart raced as if it might burst.   

“Master rescued the illegitimate child personally, narrowly avoiding her assassination.”   

Prince Howard, the former Duke, had personally intervened to ensure the safety of the emperor’s illegitimate child. However, it was too dangerous for Howard to raise the child himself, as there were too many eyes watching him. 

“In the end, His Grace entrusted me with the care of the child.”   

Hark had said that he had looked after the little girl who had narrowly escaped death on that day under the grand duke’s orders.   

At that time, he didn’t even know that the child was the emperor’s illegitimate daughter. He had simply taken care of her, thinking she must be a precious child since Howard had asked him to.   

“Do you know where the child is now?”   

Killian inquired, curious about the whereabouts of the child whose protection his parents had sought.   

The child who is the source of all these incidents.   

“I don’t have exact information on that.”   

“You don’t? Didn’t you say you personally cared for the child?”   

“I cared for the child for a little less than a month. It was a short period. Soon, His Grace found a noble family to adopt the child. ” Hark explained.   

“Noble…?”   

So, the emperor’s illegitimate child had been living as part of a noble family? Killian couldn’t decide if that was fortunate or unfortunate. He thought that living as a commoner might have been much safer.   

“Perhaps the family that adopted the child also didn’t know that the child was the emperor’s illegitimate daughter. I only learned the truth after His Grace passed away,” Hark mentioned.   

Hark also suggested that the noble family who had adopted the child might still be unaware of the child’s true identity.   

This is because the Grand Duke carried out the work in complete secrecy.    

“The more people who know this truth, the more dangerous it becomes for everyone,” Hark added, emphasizing the importance of keeping the information hidden.   

“Then, my parents… they really…” Killian trailed off, unable to finish the sentence.   

Hark nodded quietly. “Because Her Majesty the Empress did not wish for the illegitimate child to survive.”   

Killian clenched his fists, feeling the pain he had anticipated but had now heard clearly from Hark’s lips.   

It was clear to him that the Imperial Family, or more precisely, the Empress, was behind all of this.   

“Does Emperor His Majesty have any involvement in this matter?” Killian asked.   

Hark replied, “I cannot know such things, but it’s likely that he is aware, even if indirectly.”   

As a mere servant, Hark couldn’t possibly know the emperor’s intentions and decisions.   

“However, it’s my guess that His Grace sought to protect the illegitimate child by the emperor’s order.”   

“By the Emperor’s order…? Then why has Her Majesty allowed this to go on for so long without intervening?”   

Killian inquired further. His suspicions extended to the entire Imperial Family, especially since the emperor had not thoroughly investigated the deaths of Howard Rivelon, the grand duke, and his wife.   

Furthermore, the Emperor didn’t seem to make any efforts to locate the illegitimate child.   

Killian was furious. His father had lost his life while trying to protect the child, yet the emperor, who was likely the child’s father, had done nothing but watch from the sidelines.   

“My master once said that he felt that if His Majesty the Emperor himself stepped forward, things would become more difficult.”   

Hank was equally disappointed with the emperor’s behaviour, but his thoughts changed little by little as the years passed. He began to entertain the idea that it was precisely because the emperor had pretended not to know that both Hark and the illegitimate child were still alive.   

“If His Majesty the Emperor were to show interest, Her Majesty the Empress would notice right away.”   

The emperor had entrusted the grand duke with the child but had shown no personal interest.   

However, if the emperor suddenly became interested, the Empress would surely take notice, and Hark had a gut feeling about what the Empress might do once the child’s true identity was revealed. 

 

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TRANSLATOR:

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