The Dead Villainess Had A Child With The Male Lead

Chapter 23 Isn’t A Suggestion, It’s An Order 

The original Killion was a cold-hearted knight.

He wasn’t a man without respect, but he was never one to be swayed by it.

He didn’t even like his fiancée, Veronia, but only stayed engaged out of duty.

‘But why did he kiss her? Why did you spend the night with her? You should have run away when I came on to you! Why? Why? Why?’

Veronia squirmed again, and the water in the bath overflowed with a gurgle that matched her movements.

“Your Highness, are you all right?”

The maid who had been attending to her outside the bathroom asked from the doorway, concerned.

“I’m fine, it’s nothing.”

She couldn’t even squirm at will. There were many eyes to see and ears to hear in the palace.

‘Hmph! So my one-night stand with Killion will reach the Empress’s ears?’

Veronia wrapped her hands around her head and squeezed hard.

But she didn’t struggle, for she couldn’t worry the handmaiden standing outside.

The thought of Sandra, smiling wickedly at her, made her feel sick to her stomach.

It was obvious she was going to bite him on this one.

“Huuhh…”

Veronia sighed heavily. Still, the uncomfortable feeling remained.

‘Why can’t you put up with it! Why can’t you … root it out! Why can’t you … Why do you like it!’

With a shake of her head, Veronia buried herself in the depths of the tub and sat down.

Honestly, every moment with Killion had been ecstatic.

The quiet walks, the sudden, fiery kisses, and everything else that came naturally.

She couldn’t resist the instant pull of his touch. In fact, she clung to it, not wanting to let go.

It was inevitable. Everything about the night was perfect.

The moon was shining, and they were alone in the garden.

I’d had a tiring day, and he was comforting her.

Moreover, he was the hero of a novel she had read and loved throughout her school years.

‘Handsome, clever, brave, strong, pure…’

The only problem was that this single-mindedness only applied to the heroine, Evangeline.

Huuh… She sighed endlessly.

She was about to let out her tenth or eleventh sigh.

Her comm bracelet glittered.

‘Ah, a thick owl! Finally!’

***

“This is a letter from the Imperial Palace.”

“Uh, yes.”

Aide Windler handed the letter to Killion.

Kilion’s face contorted into a grimace as he read the contents.

“Another rejection.’

Windler left the room silently, his footsteps completely muffled. For the next three hours, Killion’s mood would be very low.

It would be wise to stay away from him.

Killion flopped down on the couch.

He had read the letter over and over again, but the words were the same.

Veronia hadn’t allowed him to visit, claiming she wasn’t feeling well. It has been four days now.

“Huuhh…”

There were so many things he wanted to say to Veronia, so many things he wanted to ask her.

But she continued to avoid him.

“I miss you, Your Highness…”

He was surprised at the sincerity that slipped out of his mouth.

But admitting it out loud made him feel a little better.

So he tried again.

“…, Your Majesty, I’d like to see it.”

Killion jumped to his feet.

Perhaps he should go to the palace. It would be reassuring to see with his own eyes what was wrong.

‘Ah, but…’

His gaze fell on the letter in his hand.

It was clearly written, a euphemistic refusal.

[…I am not feeling well and am resting, confined to bed with no outside activities, and I will contact you when I feel better, and I hope you will understand, Lord Killion…]

Eventually, Killion sank back down on the couch, unable to walk.

Huh… A heavy sigh burdened with pain escaped him.

***

Dag-dag, dag-dag.

A week after the banquet, Veronia was on her way back to the palace with Onyx, the Thick Owl.

“The preparations went very smoothly. Everything seems to be falling into place. I guess the Empress is a lucky lady after all.”

Onyx’s curious words echoed pleasantly in her head.

“How about we set the due date a month from now?”

“Okay.”

Veronia nodded.

The sooner the better.

“Okay. We’ll work out the details then, and I want you to be very careful with your behavior for the next month.”

“I will.”

“And call me if anything happens.”

Onyx tapped her comm bracelet.

She would be a troublesome black sheep later in the story, but when they were on the same side, her professionalism was invaluable.

“Your Highness, how do you like your new shoes?”

Linda, the maid sitting across from her, asked, looking at Veronia, who was smiling broadly.

It was the most relaxed and happy Veronia had seen in a long time.

“Yes, of course. It’s the first time I’ve ever worn shoes made from Vulcan leather, so it’s only right that they feel good, and I’ve ordered three more pairs.”

Ho, ho, ho, Veronia laughed out loud.

Linda thought it was the first time she’d heard Veronia laugh in a long time.

‘Only a month, only a month, and I’ll be free of the palace, free of the original.’

Veronia felt like she could fly at any moment. But she remembered that in times like these, she had to be careful.

‘And now I have to say goodbye to Killion…’

It would be a shame to say goodbye to him, actually.

He’s the character she spent the most time with since she’s been possessed by this world.

But in the end, it was a bond that had to be severed.

‘If I want to live, if I want to preserve my precious life… I must be able to let go of such a short relationship without looking back.’

Yes, she must! Veronica soothed herself and fixed her gaze on the changing scenery outside the car window.

Soon the splendor of the Imperial Palace was coming into view.

‘I’ll be done sleeping in that horrible place in a month, done!’

***

Veronia giggled and whispered to Linda the whole way out of the carriage and into the palace.

Veronica was excited to escape, and Linda was just happy to be out for a change.

But their laughter was short-lived.

For there was a figure in Veronia’s bedroom waiting for her return.

“You’re late, Veronia.”

Crown Prince Jonathan greeted her with a stern expression.

His mood was grim.

“What brings you here, my brother?”

“Where have you been?”

“I’ve been shopping for some fresh air. Linda, will you go and get some tea ready?”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

Veronia ushered Linda out first, her shoulders still tense from the strain.

“You’ve been holed up in your room all this time, and the only place you’ve been in a week is shopping?”

“…”

“Without telling me where you were going, without an escort, and with only one maid?”

“It was just a little shopping, no need to take a bunch of girls with me…”

Tsk-tsk.

Veronia’s head snapped back, her entire body tilting to the side at the same time, and she fell flat on the floor.

“…Brother?”

One cheek flared, bright red.

Her mouth tasted like it had burst open, and she could taste blood all over her mouth.

“I told you not to mess with your body, it’s not your body, it’s the imperial body, it’s a valuable asset of the imperial family!”

Jonathan spat out through clenched teeth.

His glare at Veronia was eerie, like that of a snake watching its prey.

“That pretty little body of yours… belongs to your mother and father now, but you must not forget that it will soon be mine! So when you leave, you will report where you are going, and you will always have at least two escorts with you! Do you understand?”

Veronia wiped the blood from her mouth roughly with the back of her hand and glared at Jonathan.

‘Oh, my God… In the corner of this damn house!’

***

A bedroom that’s been swept away by a storm.

‘Have I suddenly gone mad?’

Veronia sat in front of the mirror and smeared ointment on her busted lip. It hurt, but it was bearable.

The image of Jonathan’s red-faced, pouting excitement flashed through her mind, and a chill ran down her arm.

It was frivolous.

She hadn’t expected her usual cover story of going to see Killion to blow up like this.

‘But… I can’t help it that I’m a little nervous about seeing Killion’s face…’

I’ve been avoiding him ever since she woke up in bed with him a week ago.

She didn’t know how she would look, what she would say, or how she would feel if she saw him.

‘But I can’t just keep avoiding him, I feel like I need to say my own goodbyes… and…’

She was sitting there in a panic. Without knocking, the door flew open and Sandra walked in.

‘Please, can you just do one a day?!’

Veronia curled the corners of her mouth in an effort to hide her simmering frustration.

“Uhhhhh, what are you doing here so late?”

Sandra looked at Veronia’s pouting lips, narrowed her eyes, and shook her head.

“I hear there’s a meeting of the great nobles tomorrow. Lord Killion will be attending, so invite him to tea after the meeting. And bring up the subject of setting a date for the wedding.”

“…”

“This isn’t a suggestion, it’s an order. Even if you don’t, I suspect the Emperor will soon be sending a letter to the Duke of Drea.”

“But, but, I haven’t…”

Sandra grabbed Veronia’s chin with one hand.

“I see you’re still out of it. One punch from your brother wasn’t enough for you, do you want me to add another?”

His venomous gaze locked onto Veronia’s face.

She felt like she was covered in filth.