I'm a Villainess, Can I Die?-Chapter 79

As time passed, the number of people only seemed to increase.

It had been crowded before, but now it felt as if I had wandered into a labyrinth made entirely of moving walls—a maze of people.

We pressed forward, weaving our way through the crowd toward the tea shop on the other side.

On a normal day, it would have been a short walk, but today, we kept stopping and starting, repeatedly blocked by the sheer mass of people.

By the third time we were forced to pause, a group of children suddenly came racing past us.

The small figures darted through the gaps in the crowd like mice scurrying through a field.

Both Aiden and I instinctively stepped aside to avoid them.

Since we had moved in opposite directions, there was now a two-step gap between us.

It was just two steps.

Yet, in that instant, people flooded into the space between us, as if it were an open passageway.

And just like that—we lost each other.

"...Ah."

A stupid sound escaped me as I stood frozen, staring at the spot where Aiden had been.

But now, all I could see was the restless tide of people.

Not even a shadow of the person I was looking for remained.

"Aiden...?"

I murmured his name under my breath.

It was such a small sound that only I could hear it.

The sight of the moving crowd made my stomach churn.

My fingers tingled.

I clenched and unclenched my hands a few times.

Even as I did, I still couldn’t find Aiden.

"Aiden."

I felt like a lost child calling out for a parent.

Not knowing what to do.

Unable to do anything.

Just standing still and calling a name.

Now that I thought about it, most of my childhood memories looked just like this.

Me, alone.

People, turning their backs.

Desperately calling out to those walking away, only to eventually give up.

In my mind, Aiden’s fading figure overlapped with the figures of those who had once left me behind.

Over and over, the scene played.

The moment he disappeared, it would start again—the children running past, the separation, the disappearance.

Again, again, again.

So much for a happy festival.

How could someone just disappear like that?

My fingertips felt frozen.

"Aiden..."

The third time I whispered his name, warmth touched my hand.

The sudden unfamiliar sensation startled me, and I snapped my head to the side.

"My lady."

Soft green eyes met mine.

A familiar voice called for me.

Aiden was looking at me with a worried expression, his brows slightly furrowed.

I stared at him in silence before slowly lowering my gaze to my hand.

He was holding it.

Without a word, Aiden began leading me out of the crowd.

With his firm grip clearing a path, I followed without resistance.

Soon, we had stepped into a quieter area.

"Where did you go?"

The words tumbled out the moment we stopped.

Aiden, still watching me with concern, answered,

"When the children ran past, I got swept up in the crowd. But I turned back right away and called for you..."

I must not have heard him.

I had been too fixated on the spot where he had been, standing there like an idiot.

Even I didn’t know why I had been so dazed.

Aiden looked at me silently before lowering his gaze to our joined hands.

And then—he flinched.

It seemed that he had forgotten he was still holding my hand.

He had probably only grabbed it to guide me through the crowd, then got caught up in the moment.

Quickly, he loosened his grip.

But before he could fully let go, I tightened my fingers around his.

"Don’t go."

Don’t go.

Don’t leave me behind.

Don’t leave me alone.

Actually, I was a little lonely.

I was a little scared.

I wanted someone to stay by my side.

I didn’t want to be abandoned.

I didn’t want to give up.

I wanted to be loved.

Maybe being alone in that sea of people had rattled me more than I thought, because strange voices flooded my head.

Words I didn’t know if I was directing at Aiden or at my past self.

Echoes.

Whispers that overlapped, filling my mind.

I opened my mouth slightly, but no words came out.

As I simply stood there, Aiden—who had been watching me with a startled expression—quickly composed himself.

Then, he smiled.

A soft, quiet smile.

"It’s alright, my lady."

A whisper.

Aiden’s voice was so quiet that only I could hear it.

But that single whisper was enough to drown out all the noise in my head.

The voices vanished.

My stomach settled.

The cold left my fingertips.

"I’m right here."

...Ah.

Was this what magic felt like?

This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight.

For a brief moment, as I stared into his forest-green eyes, I thought that it might be.

As I sat on an old wooden bench, our hands finally separated.

I glanced down at my now-empty palm before tapping the bench lightly with my fingers.

The warmth had disappeared too quickly.

We had moved to a more secluded area, away from the bustling crowd.

Now that I was in a quieter space, I could finally breathe.

That strange, overwhelming sensation from before...

It must have been because I wasn’t used to being in such a crowded place.

Yes. That was all.

I just didn’t do well with crowds.

Suddenly, Lucas’s voice from yesterday came to mind.

"Are you alright?"

If he asked me that right now, I wouldn’t hesitate to answer.

"I feel like throwing up."

"What? You feel like throwing up?"

Aiden paled instantly, looking panicked.

He anxiously scanned our surroundings, as if searching for something.

Then, without hesitation, he cupped his hands together and held them out in front of my face.

"...What are you doing?"

I stared at his outstretched hands in confusion.

With a determined expression, he spoke firmly.

"Do it here."

Here...?

Wait. He means... throw up?

I almost burst out laughing.

The poor guy was so earnest.

But unfortunately for him, I wasn’t actually nauseous.

I had just been remembering Lucas’s voice and said it absentmindedly.

I never expected Aiden to react like this.

"I’m fine."

"So am I."

...Aiden, that wasn’t the issue here..

"I'm not okay. I really don’t feel like throwing up."

I wasn’t about to stick my fingers down my throat just to make good use of someone’s offered hands.

Instead of vomiting into Aiden’s carefully cupped palms, I slowly leaned forward and rested my chin on them.

If he had gone through all the trouble of holding them out, it seemed rude to leave them empty. Since I had nothing else to place there, I settled for putting my face.

Heat.

His hands were warm against my skin.

Aiden went rigid, his eyes blinking rapidly.

Yeah, I know. This is ridiculous.

But was it really worth looking that shocked?

Meeting his stunned gaze, I finally pulled away and straightened up.

"I don’t feel sick," I said.

"...That’s a relief."

Like a broken doll, Aiden stiffly lowered his hands.

Silence followed.

Come on, it was just a little joke. No need for all this tension.

Lifting my head, I realized that the sky had already started darkening.

Beyond the lingering red glow of sunset, the deep navy of night was creeping in.

"Should we start heading back?"

It didn’t feel like we had done much, yet time had slipped away.

We had arrived in the early evening, and now, the sun was setting.

Time truly was fleeting.

Thinking of how merciless time could be, I reached out and spread my fingers against the sky.

The last red light of the sun spilled through the gaps in my hand.

It reminded me of the chandelier lights from yesterday’s ball.

In the end, a festival and a ball weren’t that different.

Crowds of people.

Me, sitting in a secluded corner.

A man standing in front of me, glowing under the light.

Music playing in the background...

...Music?

Was there music playing?

At some point, loud instrumental sounds had begun streaming from the direction of the festival.

At the same time, the usual chatter of voices had quieted.

Now, only the rhythmic thudding of footsteps and the occasional laughter could be heard.

"When the music starts, everyone stops what they're doing and dances—it’s really lively."

Jane had said something like that.

They all stop working, stand where they are, and start dancing.

Was she telling the truth?

The silhouettes of people ahead of us all seemed to be moving in unison.

"They’re dancing," Aiden murmured, breaking our shared silence.

His gaze had also shifted toward the swarming crowd.

"They are," I echoed.

Watching those figures move, I suddenly recalled the odd smile Aiden had worn last night.

Standing amidst the crowd, his lips had curled upward in that strange way...

His eyes had looked so sad.

I had spent half the night thinking ~Nоvеl𝕚ght~ about it, trying to figure out why it had bothered me so much.

In the end, I had come to one conclusion.

Aiden had wanted to dance, too.

That was why he had worn that expression while watching the dancers.

He wanted to dance, but he didn’t.

I hadn’t expected him to care about something like that.

What an unexpected weakness.

But in that case... this was a perfect opportunity.

I had promised to leave Aiden with a happy memory today.

Instead, we had ended up hiding in a quiet corner for most of the festival.

This was my last chance to make sure he left with at least one good memory.

"Should we dance, too?"

"Huh?"

Aiden whipped his head toward me so fast I thought his neck might snap.

His wide eyes stared in utter disbelief.

"You don’t want to?"

Like I had at the ball yesterday, I extended my hand toward him.

Aiden froze—his gaze flickering between my face and my outstretched palm.

Once.

Twice.

Back and forth.

To push him along, I lifted and lowered my hand impatiently.

Come on, hurry up and answer.

Aiden exhaled, then smiled.

A crescent moon curved across his shadowed face.

His wide eyes gradually softened.

"Alright."

Warmth.

Once again, my palm was enveloped by his heat.

Were all mages this warm?

Or were my hands just cold?

A useless question drifted through my mind as I rose to my feet.

We hesitated, unsure of where to position ourselves.

Neither of us had any experience dancing.

It was painfully obvious.

Our hands met awkwardly, our grips on each other’s waists were uncertain.

Slowly, we moved.

It made me realize just how effortlessly Lucas had led me yesterday.

"Is this right?" Aiden asked.

"Probably not," I replied firmly.

Good thing we were in a secluded spot.

If we had been in a crowded space, people would have laughed at us for sure.

Even I found it funny while dancing.

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"Who cares if it’s wrong?" I said. "No one’s watching."

"You’re right. No one’s watching."

From above, Aiden chuckled softly.

I turned my head toward his laughter before slowly closing my eyes.

The thin line between evening and night.

The sound of his soft laughter.

The distant music playing like a lullaby.

The warmth of his hand in mine.

The awkward grip on my waist.

The way he looked at me.

The voice that whispered words meant only for me.

The quiet footsteps, moving together.

The sound of hushed laughter.

Even when I opened my eyes again, nothing had changed.

"Did you have fun today?"

Was today a happy festival for you?

Instead of answering, Aiden lifted the hand resting on my waist.

With a flick of his fingers—

A soft, crisp sound.

And then—

Magic.

Above us, a rain of light fell gently like stardust.

It drifted down over the smallest, darkest, quietest place.

Beneath the softly glowing stars of his magic,

we danced our clumsy, imperfect waltz.