Since When Were You The Villain?

Chapter 83.   

   

While the two women were conversing, Killian watched Estelle intently, keeping his lips sealed.   

His gaze was so intense that Estelle wondered if there was something on her face and touched her cheek. 

“Lady Estelle.”  

“Yes?”   

“I hope it’s not too impertinent, but I noticed a scar on your waist earlier.”   

“Oh, that’s right. I’m sure everyone saw it, not just Your Excellency. Anyway, the dress was so uncomfortable, so I tried to move freely. Embarrassed, Estelle touched the scar on her lower back. 

“May I ask when that scar appeared?”   

“Yes?”   

Taken aback by the unexpected question, Estelle blinked her green eyes.   

Killian stared at those eyes, which resembled the emperor’s irises in colour.   

“If my question was too intrusive, I apologize.” 

“No, it’s okay. I don’t consider scars a flaw for a knight. However, this scar has been there since before I even remember.” 

Estelle lightly scratched her cheek with her fingertip.   

“…I see.”    

Killian mumbled as if in thought. 

“Is there any issue…?”   

“No, it’s nothing. More importantly, it seems you’re getting along well with my fiancée. Would you like to have a meal together sometime?”   

“Yes?”   

Estelle blinked her eyes wide in response to Killian’s sudden proposal and asked again.   

Sophia was equally surprised.   

Was Killian always this proactive in arranging things?   

Even when Sophia was in the Grand Duchy, they never had a proper meal together. 

“Well, I’d be delighted. Moreover, if it’s the two of you, I’d also like to host you…”   

Estelle accepted his proposal with some bewilderment but also eagerness. From her perspective, there was no reason to refuse.   

She wanted to spend more time with Sophia, and just having a meal with Killian Viprons Rivelon, whom she had admired, was an honour in itself. 

But Sophia, who was watching him, felt strange.  

Sophia had finally decided to accept her feelings.  

‘I will love Kilian as the cliché tells me, no, as my heart tells me.’  

Even if he is a terrifying murderer in the dark. 

However. (T/L: Her love is pure, even though he is the villain of the novel and a murderer according to her POV. She still couldn’t help but love him.)  

‘Why is Killian acting like this towards Estelle?’    

Killian’s behaviour towards Estelle was different from his usual self. He had never shown interest in women, or rather, he had found it troublesome to spend time with them. But now he was unusually proactive with Estelle.   

‘Could it be… he’s trying to follow the original story?”’  

Sophia’s heart sank with fear that his feelings might change, and she couldn’t help but worry that Killian’s heart might be drifting away from her, just like in the original story.   

If Estelle weren’t the original story’s heroine, Sophia might not have felt so uneasy.   

But Estelle was the woman Killian pursued with everything he had in the novel.   

‘Is this… jealousy?’ (T/L: Yes, darling, fufufu.)   

Killian had merely suggested having a meal together, and it wasn’t just the two of them since he had invited Sophia as well. So, there was no reason to be concerned. But Sophia’s heart still pounded with unease.   

‘Why am I feeling like this?’  

She was surprised at her own narrow-minded attitude.   

There is no need to dwell on it deeply.   

Sophia tried to pull out the thorny emotion that seemed to be embedded within her.   

At that moment, the palace guards, who had confirmed the guest list and ensured the headcount matched, closed the doors to the hall. The restless murmurs of discontent spread through the hall.   

Then the Empress and Mikhail appeared on the second floor.   

People expressed their discontent at being confined to the hall during the ball.    

The Empress, attempting to calm the disgruntled crowd, addressed them in a solemn voice, saying, “I apologize for gathering you all here during the ball.”   

At her first words, which radiated a serious atmosphere, those who had subtly expressed their dissatisfaction fell silent.   

“However, the reason I have gathered you all here once again is due to another tragic piece of news.”   

Another tragic piece of news?   

In that moment, something brushed against Sophia’s mind.   

She quickly turned her head to look at Killian. However, Killian was looking at the Empress with an expressionless face, or rather, he was trying to maintain an expressionless face as he listened to her words. “You are all likely aware of the series of distressing events that have recently taken place.”   

Distressing events?    

The Empress spoke with a sombre tone, and everyone in the hall fell silent.   

“And… today, the Black Moon has once again claimed another precious life.”   

As those words fell, the hall erupted into chaos. 

“What did you say?! Who has died?”   

“The Black Moon has appeared!”   

“Oh my, please let us out! The Black Moon might be here!”   

The once tranquil ballroom was now in turmoil.   

As fear began to drive people to flee, the palace guards blocked the doors, preventing anyone from leaving.   

“Calm down, please. As long as you are here, the Black Moon cannot harm you,” the Empress reassured them, emphasizing that the Black Moon wouldn’t dare to reveal itself in such a crowded place and that committing a murder openly here would lead to immediate capture. This helped calm the people down somewhat.   

“But, Your Majesty, then who has died?” someone asked.   

“It’s…Sir Liam,” the Empress replied.   

“Sir L-Liam? The officer of the military police?”   

All eyes in the room turned towards Killian, the commander of the military police. Simultaneously, Killian’s face contorted, and his head drooped.   

Liam had been one of the knights responsible for the emergency security at the ball tonight.   

‘Then why was Killian injured…?’ Sophia thought.   

She looked at Killian with concern, realizing that there might be deeper emotional wounds beneath his despair.   

Killian’s leg had been injured by a knight who had been following him. He then killed the knight who was following him. 

“Additionally, Sir Nicholas, the vice commander of the military police who was with him, has suffered severe injuries and is currently undergoing treatment.”   

“Are you Sir Nicholas?”   

“Isn’t Sir Nicholas one of the most skilled individuals in the Empire? But for the Black Moon to defeat him…”  (T/L: No wayyy, I hope it’s not what I think.)  

The room erupted in chaos once more.   

Killian clenched his fists and bit his lip, avoiding the gaze of those calling for his attention.   

From a higher vantage point, the Empress looked down at Killian. Beatrice waited for the commotion to subside before speaking again. “I have gathered you all here to find the black moon,” she announced.   

It was evident that the Black Moon was among those present.   

The Empress requested everyone to move to the designated area on the second floor to provide alibis. In the chilling atmosphere, there was no resistance. Those who resisted could easily be accused of being the Black Moon and face execution.   

“Now, Killian Viprons Rivelon, Duke of Viprons.” (T/L: I will seriously kill this empress; please don’t stop me.)   

Looking at the chilling assembly, the Empress pointed at Killian, who stood in the midst of it.   

Beside him, Sophia swallowed nervously, feeling as though she had been implicated as the culprit.   

“Since there has been a casualty in the military police, it would be best to confirm your alibi before proceeding.”   

The Empress suggested that Killian be the first to have his situation examined.   

Killian raised his head to meet the Empress’s gaze.   

‘…I am being directly suspected,’ he realized.   

While it may have appeared as a consideration for him, in reality, this process was just a step towards identifying the black moon. 

The Empress intentionally chose to conduct the alibi examination on the second floor, despite it being more efficient to do it in the crowded hall.   

Perhaps she had heard from Nicholas that the Black Moon had suffered a deep wound on the thigh and escaped. 

But Beatrix deliberately didn’t say that.  

In order to catch the black moon off guard and discern their identity without anyone knowing.   

Climbing the stairs with an injured thigh would be impossible, especially considering the ballroom had a high ceiling, so even if it was on the second floor, it was three stories high.   

If he showed any signs of pain while ascending the stairs, even for a moment, he could be accused of being the Black Moon.   

In this situation, Killian had no choice but to comply with the Empress’s orders.   

Escaping from here would be tantamount to admitting he was the Black Moon.   

Killian responded to the Empress’s summons without a word, and as he began to ascend the stairs, Sophia urgently grabbed his sleeve.  

Her eyes were filled with concern, questioning whether he could climb the stairs with that injury.   

“Nicholas is seriously injured, so I need to go quickly.”   

Killian gently removed Sophia’s hand from his sleeve and continued up the stairs, crossing through the crowd that had gathered in the hall.   

Sofia wanted to run to Killian and give him an arm to support him.  

But with everyone watching him as he climbed the stairs, she understood that acting too quickly could make matters worse.  

She knew the consequences of hasty actions could be detrimental.   

In the end, Killian made his way to where the Empress stood alone.   

With every step he took, the pain from the thigh wound intensified, as if it were being repeatedly sliced by a knife. 

Even though he struggled and held onto the railing, he couldn’t show any signs of weakness.   

With each step, the pain radiated through his body, and the sweat poured down his back. He clenched his teeth and forced himself to move forward, gripping the railing with determination.   

The pain was excruciating, and he longed to sit down, but it wasn’t an option.   

He had to endure it.   

His back was drenched with sweat, and he fought to keep the pain hidden behind a stoic expression.   

No one seemed to notice his suffering.   

Killian was a master at concealing his pain, a skill he had honed since the day his parents passed away.   

All he worried about was the beads of sweat trickling down behind his ears and the possibility of blood seeping through the wound.   

Finally, Killian reached the top of the stairs, facing Empress Beatrice. 

 

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TRANSLATOR:

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