When the Villainess Died, the Male Lead Went Crazy - Chapter 148.2

As Anais descended the stairs, she stroked Kylian’s hair, which was resting against her. Kylian, with a brightened expression, let out a light laugh mixed with a sigh.

“Wife, I love you more than anything in this world.”

“I, I do too… But please, save such words for when we’re in the bedroom.”

“I’ll say it as much as you want in the bedroom. But you haven’t visited my room lately, and it’s been so lonely.”

Kylian smiled again, trying to lighten the mood, and continued walking. Anais, with her ears burning, couldn’t think of anything to say for the rest of the descent.

Once they reached the bottom of the stairs, Kylian and Anais sat in the seats prepared just for them. Since the first day of the New Year’s event included a performance, the banquet hall was arranged in a D-shape with the Emperor and Empress at the center, surrounded by seats like wings.

Kylian didn’t particularly enjoy the New Year’s event. Although he sat next to Anais, the distance between them was quite far.

“Wife.”

“You’ve agreed to call me ‘Empress’ in official settings, haven’t you?”

“Ah, yes. That’s right. Empress.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

Although Kylian understood that it was natural for Anais to refer to him as ‘Your Majesty,’ it still made him feel a little sad every time he heard it. He much preferred when his wife called him by his name or ‘dear.’ He felt disappointed for a moment but quickly remembered the main point and spoke again.

“Would you consider sitting by my side?”

“Why?”

“Lately, Wife, no, Empress, you’ve been keeping your distance from me. Even in the bedroom, it feels so cold. I don’t want it to feel cold even here.”

Anais glanced at Kylian’s seat for a moment.

“I have another partner. I think it’ll be difficult.”

“…Understood.”

In a banquet hall full of people’s attention, Kylian couldn’t afford to make a scene. With a forced smile, he sent her to her seat in the Empress’s seat and then sat down in the Emperor’s chair.

As Anais sat down in the Empress’s seat, Phileal and Lewarren sat on either side of her.

For a moment, Kylian found himself wishing that the chairs they were sitting in would catch fire and disappear, feeling a childish jealousy rise within him. He quickly shook his head, trying not to let Anais notice his feelings, and looked elsewhere.

“The first performance is the traditional dance of the Bertha Kingdom.”

A strange sound from string instruments filled the air, and dancers entered, starting their performance.

“Wow, it’s beautiful.”

Seeing Anais’ pure admiration, Phileal and Lewarren asked.

“Did you like this kind of thing?”

“Do you like this? Anais, you suck at dancing.”

Anais, laughing incredulously at Phileal’s words, replied.

“I don’t suck at dancing!”

“What are you talking about? You can’t dance at all. When you do, you look like a tin doll.”

“Pfft… The High Priest of Chaos has a better eye for things than I thought.”

Lewarren chimed in with Phileal’s words. Anais raised the corner of her lips into a twisted smile and continued speaking.

“You shouldn’t be laughing at me, Lewarren. I know you’re a worse dancer than I am.”

“I can’t dance well, but that’s because I never learned. If I had worked hard at it, I would have been better than you.”

“Haha.”

Phileal laughed brightly, and Anais couldn’t help but chuckle too. Then, Lewarren gestured to a servant in the back, and drinks were brought to their table.

Kylian hoped Anais wouldn’t drink, but in the lively atmosphere of the New Year’s event, forbidding her would be inappropriate. Plus, he knew she would probably not like it if he tried to stop her.

Kylian kept his mouth shut and looked at the dancers in front of them, his focus completely on Anais.

“Do you remember, Anais? I danced with you with your foot on my foot.”

“My father used to do that with me too.”

“Yes. Duke Percival is over there.”

Phileal waved his hand happily, and when his eyes met Duke Percival’s, the Duke smiled and waved back. Kylian felt a strange discomfort, as it seemed Phileal was much closer to the Duke than he was. Of course, the Duke would never accept him as his son-in-law, but still, he was Anais’s beloved father.

Kylian also thought that perhaps the Duke didn’t completely hate him, despite being of imperial blood. The Duke’s somewhat indifferent attitude suggested that.

If things had gone the way they originally had, the Duke would have tried to remove him before the coup succeeded and the year passed. However, he hadn’t attempted that, and curiously, at times, when Kylian was in opposition with his ministers, the Duke had supported him.

“Anais, try this.”

The banquet hall was quite noisy. Everyone was chatting excitedly amongst themselves while watching the dancers. Kylian wished that his poor hearing would make it so Anais’s conversations with the people around her would be drowned out by the music.

“What is this?”

“This is a flower from Ensest Island, where I used to live.”

“A flower? You eat it?”

“Yes, if you eat it, it gives you strength at night.”

At that moment, Kylian couldn’t hold back and glanced over at Phileal. Phileal, with a mocking glare, shoved the flower into Anais’s mouth.

“You need to have strength at night, Anais. Right?”

“Uhp…”