Am I the only one supremely confused as to why there is drama now. Wasn't the prince already engaged to the villain? is the author trying to write in an affair (and justify it with domestic politics)? Wasn't mc and painter guy liking each other?
@liszst depends imo. Read several works where it is like you say, but also several where it isn't. Like how the mc befriends the heroine (didnt bakarina also do that?), or starts their own plotline that only tangentially touches on the heroines. Even some where they stay a villain, and manage to "take revenge" but is clearly still a villain (usually the heroine is one too, tho). Etc.