The Dead Villainess Is Pregnant With The Male Lead's Child (Completed Main Story) - Chapter 10

‘That jealousy of his is really something else. Tch!’

Crown Prince Jonathan was just an ordinary man.

His appearance and physique were average, his scholarly and swordsmanship skills were average, and his intelligence and leadership were average as well.

He didn’t lack in any area compared to others, but conversely, he didn’t excel in anything either.

That in itself could be considered a strength, but Jonathan himself seemed to think otherwise.

Whenever Jonathan noticed someone surpassing him in any way, he would quickly fall into jealousy.

The problem lay in how he dealt with that unpleasant feeling.

He was the type who couldn’t let it go unless he thoroughly put down the person who’d triggered his envy.

‘I need to resolve that jealousy of his before it twists him further.’

Tate’s mind grew busy.

Killion Drea was by no means an easy opponent.

He surpassed ordinary people significantly in both intellect and physical ability.

Of course, if his excellence were limited only to those talents, one might simply accept it as inevitable.

After all, he was the heir of the loyal and heroic Drea family, who had helped found the empire.

Killion’s greatest strength was his composure.

Whether surrounded by hordes of monsters attacking from all directions or under a sky darkened by enemy arrows, his mind and heart remained calm, always finding a way out.

He rarely grew excited or lost his temper.

Thus, naturally, he made few mistakes, and with few mistakes came consistently excellent results—earning him many loyal followers.

‘It won’t be possible to crush Killion through ordinary means.’

Just then, a sudden idea lit up Tate’s mind like a lantern.

Ordinary methods weren’t even worth considering in the first place.

If he wanted to crush Killion, there was only one way.

“How about opening the imperial-owned Shiovo Forest and holding a special hunting festival, Brother?”

“A special hunting festival in Shiovo Forest?”

“To celebrate Sir Killion and the joint knights’ victory.”

Hmm, Jonathan stroked his chin, lost in thought.

Tate quickly added, “It’ll be in honor of Sir Killion—but he absolutely won’t win.”

“How can you be so sure?”

“I’ll make sure of it by any means necessary, Brother.”

Jonathan grew curious at Tate’s confident tone.

‘He’s not usually reckless—could this confidence mean he’s already prepared something reliable?’

Jonathan began mentally weighing the options.

Watching Killion lose in the hunt would be immensely entertaining.

Even if Killion won, he could always blame Tate and vent his frustration.

The calculation was simple.

Finally, Jonathan smiled in satisfaction.

“That’s a good idea. Let’s do it.”

“Yes, then I’ll make the arrangements myself, Brother.”

Tate’s eyes gleamed with triumphant pride.

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Dinner time at Duke Drea’s household—the three family members sat together cozily.

In the quiet atmosphere, Duke Drea was the first to speak.

“I heard Her Royal Highness the Princess visited today?”

“Yes.”

Killion gave a brief reply to the Duke’s question.

This time, the Duchess asked with a meaningful smile.

“They say the mood in the reception room was quite pleasant. What did you talk about so enjoyably?”

“There was no particular topic. Just light conversation.”

The Duchess tilted her head slightly, clearly not believing Killion’s indifferent answer.

The Duke and Duchess exchanged subtle, knowing glances.

“The mood was good? How curious.”

“Indeed. They say your laughter carried all the way down the hallway.”

“Laughter? All the way to the hallway?”

The couple’s faces were filled with curiosity. They clearly wanted to ask Killion many more questions.

But Killion remained expressionless, focusing solely on the steak before him.

Realizing they wouldn’t get any further answers, the Duke and Duchess stopped questioning and resumed their meal, and soon silence settled over the dining room.

Just then—

Killion suddenly let out a soft chuckle, remembering Veronica’s furious face when she’d exclaimed, “Oh, honestly!”

Startled, his parents looked at him, and Killion quickly wiped the smile away, clearing his throat seriously.

“My apologies. This steak is simply so delicious that I couldn’t help but laugh.”

He was surprised even by himself at how naturally the lie slipped out.

Did he really need to lie? He couldn’t even say why he’d done it.

“Is that so?”

“It’s truly a world apart from the food on the battlefield. I’ve missed this taste terribly.”

The lie, begun absentmindedly, continued smoothly.

The Duke and Duchess exchanged another puzzled glance—Killion had never shown much fondness for food before.

“Eat as much as you like. There’s plenty.”

[This is the timeline separator] [Victory Celebration Special Hunting Festival – Personally Planned by His Royal Highness the Crown Prince! High Society Buzzes Over This Weekend’s Surprise Event!]

The moment Veronica saw the bold headline taking up the entire front page of the gossip tabloid, her fatigue spiked rapidly.

She furiously folded the scandal-filled newspaper and tossed it carelessly onto the table.

‘Here it comes!’

This was an episode that had appeared in the original story as well.

Ever since possessing Veronica’s body, she’d tried—little by little—to deviate from the original plot, but clearly, it hadn’t been enough yet.

‘So, do major events and incidents still unfold exactly as in the original?’

Just the thought sent a cold shiver down her spine.

Determined to shake off her negative emotions, Veronica stepped out onto the terrace.

Basking in bright sunlight would surely lift her spirits.

‘The special hunting festival is nothing but a petty prank by the Crown Prince, who’s always resented Killion.’

Her mood refused to improve with the event looming just days away.

Veronica let out a heavy sigh.

According to the original story, the hastily arranged hunting festival ended up poorly organized in many ways.

Worst of all, Killion—the hero of the victory—suffered a serious injury, drawing widespread criticism.

In the end, it became the turning point that caused not only the families openly critical of the imperial household but even the moderate ones to turn against the throne.

‘Of course it was obvious—the Crown Prince’s hostility toward Killion couldn’t have been clearer in that incident.’

Another long, weary sigh escaped her.

At this point, Veronica couldn’t help but wrestle with a dilemma.

‘Should I help Killion? Or… should I hold back and just observe for now?’

If she tried too hard to prevent the accident, Killion might misinterpret her actions as another attempt to draw his attention.

She hated that kind of misunderstanding—not only was it untrue, but it wounded her pride.

Yet, if she did nothing, Killion would surely fall into the Crown Prince’s trap and get hurt.

And the imperial family’s already shaky reputation would plummet even further.

‘But if I save Killion from the trap, the Crown Prince might retaliate against me for interfering with his plans…’

Ugh! What am I supposed to do?! Veronica screamed inwardly, clutching her head in frustration.

‘If only I could flee quickly before the hunting festival even begins!’

She still had to wait another week to get information about “Thick Owl” from the magical artifact shop Pelos.

And of course, the festival was happening before then.

‘I hope I get terribly sick that day—so sick I can’t even get out of bed. I wish I’d be burning up with fever…’

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Killion didn’t particularly enjoy life in the capital.

He was always scheming to return to his quiet estate—or even back to the battlefield.

But if he had to name one advantage the capital had over other places, it would be the weather.

Located at the empire’s very center, the capital enjoyed consistently mild and sunny weather all year—except for one month of scorching summer heat and one month of bitter winter cold.

Today, the day of the hunting festival, was no exception.

Killion marveled once again at the brilliant blue sky, cool and clear, dotted with fluffy white clouds drifting lazily like tufts of cotton.

Before mounting his horse, his aide Wendler looked at him with deep concern in his eyes.

“My lord, I have a bad feeling about this hunting festival. Wouldn’t it be wiser to make an excuse and skip it?”

“I appreciate your counsel… but after what I’ve endured over the past five years, I’ve come to believe your instincts aren’t exactly trustworthy.”

“My lord!”

Wendler raised his voice, hurt that Killion, instead of acknowledging his worry, only teased him with a smile.

“I understand what you mean. I’ll be careful. So you must also stay on your guard.”

“…Yes, my lord.”

The two immediately mounted their horses and spurred them forward, escorted by their attendants.

[This is the timeline separator]

“You’re participating in the hunt too?”

Second Prince Tate’s eyes widened at the sight of Veronica in her hunting attire.

It wasn’t Veronica who answered, but Empress Sandra.

“So it seems. Times may have changed, but a princess in hunting garb! Oh dear… tsk!”

Sandra shook her head, scanning Veronica’s outfit up and down with clear disapproval.

This scolding had continued nonstop since the carriage ride here.

Not wanting to endure any more of Sandra’s nagging, Veronica quickly moved away as soon as she spotted Killion in the distance.

Sandra loved meddling in Veronica’s every move—but seeing that her destination was Killion, she fell silent.

Killion was dazzling again today.

Unlike the Crown Prince and the other princes, whose hunting outfits glittered with elaborate embroidery and jewels, Killion’s attire was plain and simple, with no ornamentation at all.

He clearly prioritized practicality over showiness.

‘Honestly, he doesn’t need any decoration. His lean, perfectly sculpted muscles are ornament enough.’

It wasn’t that Killion wore the clothes—they wore him.

With quiet satisfaction, Veronica stepped before him.

“Sir Killion, it’s been a while.”

“I have the honor of seeing Her Royal Highness the Princess.”

Killion, too, seemed slightly surprised by Veronica’s hunting outfit.

That reaction was understandable—Veronica had always attended past hunting festivals only as a spectator, never as a participant.

“Is Your Highness personally joining the hunt today?”

“Yes, that’s right. Actually, I have a favor to ask of you, Sir Killion.”

“…”

For a moment, Killion’s expression tightened with tension.