How to Survive as That Villainess - Chapter 33

Chapter 4: A Party, or Rather, a Chaotic Mess (10)

The party hall became even more lively. It seemed like all the academy students had gathered. In the distance, I could see Alec standing blankly. I wondered if he had found a partner.

“Now, Kailon Raven, the winner of this swordsmanship competition, will choose the goddess.”

A monotonous voice echoed. When I shifted my gaze to the stage, the crown prince was standing there. His expression was quite a sight, clearly showing that he wished the party would end soon. It was obvious how much he was tired, considering how much he was letting it show.

“Kailon, hurry up and choose.””

With that, the crown prince stepped down from the platform. Then he plopped down on a rather luxurious chair and crossed his legs. Arrogant, to say the least, and somehow, he looked wicked. As expected, Eden seems more suited to be a villain than a crown prince!

At the crown prince’s call, Kyle ascended the platform. He let out a big yawn, looking around the party hall as if he couldn’t be more bothered.

‘Ah, we made eye contact.’

The second eye contact today. I was already getting used to our eyes meeting. I put on a smile and waved. Kyle didn’t avert his gaze and kept staring at me. Oh, wait… No way, right?

A bad feeling crept over me.

“Kyle?”

Kyle, who had been silent for a long while, suddenly bolted from his spot and ran toward me. It didn’t take him more than a few seconds to dash from the platform to where I was. The laziness was gone from his face when he reached me.

“What’s this? No way?”

“Come on… It can’t be.”

The other academy students seemed just as surprised, watching Kyle’s actions closely. Though he was likely aware of the intense stares, Kyle didn’t react at all. Instead, he kept his eyes on me, rummaging through his pockets.

“Come closer.”

“…?”

When Kyle called me over, I had no choice but to go. I approached him obediently. A moment ago, his face was full of boredom, but now there was a liveliness to it. I could hear Dia sighing beside me.

“Kyle?”

I blinked once. Suddenly, Kyle’s face was so close that it startled me. And then, his next action nearly made my heart stop. At first, I thought Kyle was hugging me, but of course, that wasn’t it. Instead, he was putting a necklace around my neck. It was the same necklace with the red ruby that I had seen earlier in the day.

“Why… this?”

“You wanted it.”

Gasp, how did he know? Could he have noticed me staring at it during the award ceremony? I found it surprising as I lifted the ruby slightly to take a closer look. It was red, and also very passionate. It reminded me of Kyle’s eyes.

I’ve always liked jewelry and accessories. So, seeing the sparkling ruby naturally lifted my spirits.

With a broad smile on my face, I looked up. Kyle was still staring at me intently, his expression filled with anticipation. I knew what he was expecting. Just like in the infirmary last time, he really seemed to like my touch.

“Thank you, Kyle.”

Kyle naturally lowered his head a bit. Even though he lowered it, he was so tall that I had to slightly stand on tiptoe. Wow, he’s really tall. I wish I could be taller too. The short villainess silently swallowed her tears.

I gently patted Kyle’s black, soft hair a few times. It was still silky smooth. Even though he’s a guy, his hair felt better than mine.

“Oh my…”

As I stroked Kyle’s hair, I heard gasps and exclamations from all around. Strangely, though, Dia and Huan were as quiet as mice. Why were they so silent?

After what felt like a long time of patting, I looked around. Everyone was frozen in place, their eyes wide open. I tilted my head, wondering if they were playing some sort of staring contest, and one of the students cautiously spoke up.

“Did he just choose Radel Karel as the goddess?”

Huh, what does that mean?

“Seems like it, especially since he gave you a gift. That makes it certain.”

A student beside me chimed in. What the heck, don’t just make assumptions on your own—goddess? That’s such a horrifying thing to say…

“Then it’s settled. The goddess of this party is Radel Karel. Everyone, please enjoy the party from here on out. That’s all.” 

The crown prince, who had been acting all indifferent, just declared me the goddess without a second thought. Eden, who had suddenly stood up from his elegant chair, exited the party hall with an air of authority. I silently cursed the crown prince for leaving as soon as he decided he had nothing else to do.

After receiving the necklace from Kyle, I had unexpectedly become the goddess. As countless students began calling me the goddess, I seriously considered dropping out of the academy.

What a humiliation. Honestly, I didn’t even know who to blame for this.

Was it Kyle for giving me the gift, the two male students who presumptively declared me the goddess, or the crown prince who decided on the goddess out of sheer laziness? Whose fault was this, really?

Ugh, forget it. I might as well just accept this reality. For today, I was the party’s goddess. Oh my, I’m the goddess! Ha ha ha… Damn it.

“Here, take my hand.”

“Huh, we’re going to dance?”

Kyle extended his hand toward me. His hand was large and covered with calluses. The hand that had wielded a sword for his entire life was slightly rough, but surprisingly warm, making me feel a bit strange.

“I didn’t know we were going to dance.”

The winner of the competition traditionally dances first with the goddess they chose. Since I had become the goddess by chance, I thought I’d be able to get away without dancing, but I didn’t expect Kyle to ask me first. Kyle… I thought you’d avoid things like this because you find them bothersome, but this is unexpected.

“But Kyle, just so you know… I can’t dance. Well, it’s not that I’m completely terrible, but I tend to step on feet occasionally? I’m probably going to step on your feet quite a bit by accident…”

“Doesn’t matter.”

Wow, he’s really cool. Kyle responded nonchalantly and then placed his hand on my waist. I quickly put my hand on his shoulder, but the firm feel beneath his tailcoat made my cheeks flush automatically.

Soft music filled the party hall. All around, couples were gazing into each other’s eyes, dancing the waltz. The atmosphere was tender and romantic, and I turned my head away after watching them for a moment.

They’ll probably end up as couples, huh. Ugh, I’m so jealous!

In front of me was a man who was almost too perfect, but he was someone I could never have. As a Sword Master and the heir to the Raven Ducal House, the most powerful family in the empire after the royal family, he was someone far beyond the reach of a mere villainess like me.

There was no way Kyle would think of me as someone special. Even though we seemed to have gotten a bit closer, I still saw him as just a friend attending the same academy, making it difficult for us to develop into a romantic relationship.

“Ah.”

I nearly stepped on his foot while lost in thought. Thankfully, Kyle swiftly dodged, and the pleasant atmosphere remained unbroken. Whew, thank goodness. The hellish tap dance experience with Huan was more than enough…

Kyle was surprisingly good at dancing. Unlike my awkward movements, Kyle skillfully led me with his practiced gestures. Huan was also good, but… how should I put it? The feeling was different.

Huan’s dance felt textbook-perfect, while Kyle’s was smoother. A gentle man—how odd, that doesn’t suit Kyle at all. I looked up at the man who seemed more like a stone statue than a gentle figure. Kyle wasn’t looking at my face but rather at something lower.

“Do you like it?”

“The necklace?”

His gaze at the necklace was intense. Feeling a bit embarrassed, I lowered my head slightly. Why am I feeling shy?

“Of course, I love it. I’ll treasure it always.”

I replied with a shy smile. I never imagined I would receive such a meaningful gift from Kyle, of all people. A prize from the competition, no less! Even though Kyle might have given it to me simply because he didn’t need a necklace, it was still the first gift I’d ever received from him, so I felt determined to cherish it.

“I’ll give you a gift too later. What would you like?”

“…I—”

“Okay, that’s enough!”

Just as Kyle was about to answer, the music abruptly ended. Dia seized the moment, quickly slipping between us and grabbing my wrist, flashing a bright smile.

“Goddess, dance with me next!”

It felt strange to hear Dia call me ‘goddess.’ It was still embarrassing, but there was something familiar and comforting about it. To hide my embarrassment, I mirrored Dia’s wide smile.

It was rare for people of the same gender to dance together; usually, waltzes were danced by men and women. But really, what does it matter now? It’s not like dancing with another girl is going to kill me, so I took Dia’s delicate hand, which felt like a fine jade, and moved with her to the center of the hall.

“…Wasn’t I your partner?”

Huan’s low voice reached my ears, but I chose to ignore it. There’s no rule that says you can only dance with your partner. Being suddenly crowned the goddess had left me in a bit of a mood. I wanted to shake off that feeling by dancing with Dia. She was cheerful and always kind to me, making her company enjoyable and relaxing. So, I danced with Dia, intent on having fun at the party.

We danced freely, without worrying about formality. With Dia, I could truly enjoy myself without fear of stepping on anyone’s feet. Not far away, I noticed Huan watching us with his arms crossed, a displeased expression on his face. He wasn’t happy about losing his dance partner, and his mood was clearly low. Sorry, Huan… I’ll be back soon.

But for now, I continued dancing with Dia for quite a while longer.