The Dead Villainess Had A Child With The Male Lead

Chapter 5 Victory Ceremony 

 

‘Come to your sense, Veronia, you’re a Princess! There’s a whole lot of people watching you! Focus if you don’t want to mess things up!’

 

Veronia clenched her teeth and steeled her resolve.

 

‘It’s my goal to break out of the villainess frame. I have to break out of the original!’

 

It was a will that must not be slackened.

 

Her life depended on it.

 

‘To do that, first… get away from this man.’

 

After she finished organizing, her mind felt lighter.

 

She also felt a little more confident.

 

Veronia gently took Killion’s hand and stepped out of the carriage.

 

“Thank you, Sir Killion, and congratulations on your return!”

 

“Thank you, Your Highness.”

 

Killion kissed the back of Veronia’s hand briefly over her glove.

 

“Waaaah!”

 

“You two look so well together!”

 

“Marry soon!”

 

“Long live the Empress!”

 

“Long live Commander-in-Chief Drea!”

 

“Long live the Empire of Asnerdom!”

 

The crowd’s affectionate shouts scattered Veronia’s concentration.

 

The sight of so many eyes focused on her, and the existence of the male lead in this world, was a huge burden.

 

Thump, thump, thump, her heart began to beat furiously.

 

Her hand clasped with Killion’s began to tremble.

 

‘Oh, my God! Oh, my God!’

 

Veronia chewed on the roof of her mouth, trying to regain her composure.

 

Meanwhile, Killion was also struggling to calm his startled mind.

 

‘I thought you were going to ask me to kiss you, but you didn’t.’

 

Veronia’s reaction was not what he had expected, but it was very different.

 

He didn’t think a kiss on the back of the hand would be enough for his fiancé of two years, especially in front of so many people, but he was wrong.

 

Veronia didn’t ask for anything more from him.

 

‘And you look so nervous…’

 

Whatever the Princess Veronia is, she’s a character.

 

She had attended countless events, large and small, from national to international, noble to local festivals.

 

She has made it her duty and her pleasure to appear in front of the people on behalf of the imperial family.

 

She has been like that ever since the moment she was born.

 

If there is one person in the Empire who has appeared in front of more people than anyone else, it is Veronica.

 

‘But why do you have your hands in the air like that? Why do you look so nervous?… As if she’s a stranger to public appearances.’

 

Killion looked closely at Veronia’s expression.

 

‘I heard that there was a poisoned assassination attempt on Christmas Day, and you’re still not fully recovered, perhaps from the effects of…?’

 

Killion’s worried gaze never left Veronia’s face.

 

Feeling it, she looked up at him, and as their gazes met in the air, Killion couldn’t help but question his eyes.

 

‘W-what…’

 

Veronia smiled politely, her lips pursed, the corners of her mouth lifting ever so slightly.

 

The corners of her eyes also lowered, but only slightly.

 

It was nothing more than a polite smile, nothing less.

 

It was an expression Killion had never seen on Veronia’s face before.

 

‘What in the world… has happened to you all these years?’

 

Veronia’s smile was always the same, as far as Killion could remember.

 

Her eyes were crescent-shaped, and the corners of her mouth turned up in a wide smile, the kind of smile a beloved little girl would wear.

 

It wasn’t the kind of smile you’d expect to see on a demure woman.

‘Is it because you’re not feeling well?’

 

Killion thought that it was probably like that.

 

It had been two years since they had seen each other, but human nature doesn’t change that easily.

 

While Killion was thinking about Veronia’s changed appearance, the ceremony began.

 

First, the Emperor stood at the center of the podium, congratulated the Knights of the Alliance on their victory and thanking them for their hard work.

 

Then he rewarded the Knights’ commander-in-chief, Killion, and his second-in-command.

 

The leader of the heroes who defended the borders was rewarded with a bonnet and imperial jewellery.

 

The Emperor presented the deed, the Empress presented the box of jewels, and finally the Princess presented the bouquet.

 

And they kissed the back of the Princess’s hand in return.

 

Every time the sturdy and dignified knights held the Princess’s hand, the crowd’s cheers grew louder.

Normally, the ceremony would also include a clinking of glasses and champagne between the servant and Princess, but today it was omitted.

 

This was due to an unfortunate incident at the Princess birthday celebration fifteen days ago.

 

The victory ceremony ended by the time Veronia got used to the eyes and shouts of the large crowd.

 

‘It’s finally over! Oh, not yet, there’s more…’

 

It was a victory banquet.

 

Veronia bit her lower lip hard to stifle a sigh that threatened to escape.

 

 

***

 

 

After two hours of grooming, Veronia was exhausted.

 

‘What is this…? I’ve been feeling so tired since before the banquet started, I think I’m going to collapse.’

 

Once or twice she  was surprised to see her reflection in the mirror, which became more beautiful every time the maids’ hands touched it.

 

After two hours of this, she was no longer impressed by her reflection.

 

Instead, thoughts raced through her mind.

 

First, she remembered Killion’s face from the victory ceremony.

 

‘The life of a wicked possessed is a hard one, but it’s still nice to see a handsome male lord.’

 

Veronia’s hands shook with nervousness, but a deep smile spread across her lips as she pictured Killion’s face in her mind’s eye.

 

‘He looked well over 180… He was tall, and his shoulders were so broad. And that chest, and that waist!’

 

Her jaw dropped open as she pictured his muscular chest pecs and his waist, which fell smoothly and without a trace of fat.

 

But Veronia quickly regained her composure.

 

‘It’s not meant to be, not in the original, and not now!’

 

So let’s not give ourselves any leeway. Let’s just think of it as a handsome statue, and enjoy it with our eyes only!

 

Veronia repeated her resolve.

 

‘If the male lead is this good, how much more so the female lead!

 

To take her mind off Killion, Veronia began to think of her mistress, Evangelina.

 

She hadn’t been at the victory ceremony, but she would be at the banquet in the evening.

 

‘At last, the Female lead and the Male lead will meet again after all these years, a fateful reunion!’

 

They had already met a few times on the battlefields of the borderlands.

 

Evangelina had been a priestess of the temple, healing wounded commoners.

 

It was before her great divine powers had manifested, and she was just another member of the temple.

 

‘Still, the Male lead recognizes the Female lead! and Killion noticed her tending to the wounded in the middle of the night.’

 

A month ago, the body of Evangelina, an ordinary priestess, had manifested immense divine power, and she had been hailed as a saint.

 

The first manifestation of her divine power in over a hundred years caused a stir in the temple and throughout the country.

 

Her healing powers were so great that she could heal many people simultaneously, not just one by one, but by blessing an entire medical or even an entire village.

 

Once the saint’s blessing had brought the patients past the critical stage, the doctors would take over the rest of the treatment.

 

‘I can’t wait to see her. How beautiful she must be, how noble she must be!’

 

However, she planned to end his relationship with the original heroine with one look and a greeting.

 

She had no intention of entangling herself with Evangeline beyond that.

 

There was no point in hanging around the original mistress, as it might lead to a strange misunderstanding.

 

It was better to block all possibilities of becoming entangled with Evangelina in the first place.

She had to be careful.

 

‘For now, let’s concentrate on our plan to escape from our betrothed lord and the imperial family!’

 

She was just finishing up the decorations.

 

There was a short knock on the door and it opened, and the Empress, Sandra, entered the room.

 

“Her Majesty the Empress.”

 

Sandra said, bowing gracefully and gesturing to her handmaidens who bowed in greeting.

 

“Very well. I will do the finishing touches myself, and you will stand aside.”

 

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

 

Veronia felt very awkward alone with the Empress.

 

It felt stifling, as if there was a lack of air.

 

Sandra remained silent until the footsteps of the handmaidens leaving the room.

 

‘Surprisingly, they are quite thorough in this area.’

 

They must be afraid that it will be revealed that the princess, who is loved by all the people, is in fact nothing more than a puppet of the imperial family, and that she will be gaslighted with personal attacks on a fictitious day.

Sandra’s piercing gaze traveled over every inch of Veronia’s body.

 

Her sharp gaze more closely resembled the scrutinizing eye of a merchant than to the eyes looking at a daughter.

 

Sandra’s gaze landed squarely on Veronia’s chest.

 

“You look like you’ve lost some weight, didn’t I tell you to watch your diet a long time ago? I regret the lack of volume, but I can’t help it, you look the way you do.”

 

Ha, Sandra let out a long sigh.

 

Her criticism didn’t stop there.

 

This time, her side-parted braid was on the chopping block.

 

“Well, well, well, I’m sure I told the maids to wear it up.”

 

“I said i would rather wear my hair in pigtails than my updo.”

 

Veronia answered the Empress’s irritated question calmly.

 

Sandra’s eyes and voice grew sharper, as if she didn’t like the casual answer.

 

“Why did you do that?”

 

“I thought a braid would enhance my innocence more than an updo.”

 

“Innocence?”

 

Sandra asked, frowning in disbelief.

 

“You’re not a girl anymore, you’re an adult, and it’s time to grow up. You should be showing off your femininity, not your innocence!”

 

The impatient Empress finally let out a hiss.

 

Startled by the sudden high pitch, Veronia’s shoulders shook.

 

“Didn’t you say at the party tonight that you had to win Sir Killion’s heart?”

 

“…”

 

Sandra said, tapping Veronia with the fan she was holding.

 

Each blow, once to the head, then to the arm, then to the back, then to the chest, didn’t hurt, but it made her feel ashamed.

 

In front of the Empress, she felt like she didn’t exist as a human being, but as an object, a commodity.