The Dead Villainess Is Pregnant With The Male Lead's Child (Completed Main Story) - Chapter 8
When their eyes met, Veronica stood rooted to the spot, her fluster clear on her face.
“Oh my, I’m so sorry, Lord Killion. I thought no one was here… I didn’t mean to disturb you. Then…”
Veronica was about to turn and leave right then and there.
But Killion’s voice called her back.
“Your Highness, may I ask you something?”
He couldn’t possibly bear it without asking.
What on earth was going on? Why had she changed? Why hadn’t she acted this way from the start? If she could be so straightforward now, why had she been so difficult all this time?
It was practically treasonous—daring to speak so bluntly to the noblest woman in the realm.
“Yes. What is it?”
Taken aback by the unexpected question, Veronica looked up at Killion, her eyes wide.
“Could this possibly… be a new tactic of yours?”
“A new tactic?”
Instead of the words he truly wanted to ask, something else slipped out.
Oops—it was too late now. Killion clenched his molars, waiting for her reply.
“You’ve changed quite a bit from how you were two years ago.”
“Changed?”
Gasp! Was it really that obvious? Veronica’s voice trembled slightly in panic.
Thump-thump-thump—her heart pounded fiercely.
She needed to keep a poker face, but it wasn’t easy.
‘If he finds out I’m not the real Veronica but an impostor who’s possessed her, what’ll happen? Immediate execution? Or maybe human experimentation?’
Swallowing hard, Veronica endured what felt like an eternity while waiting for Killion’s next words.
“You used to hug me the moment we met—that was a given—and never hesitated to kiss me either.”
“…”
“You always danced the first dance with me, not to mention the second and third, without fail, every single time.”
“Oh…”
Veronica’s mouth fell open helplessly in embarrassment.
‘…So the real Veronica really acted like that. She’d hug people who clearly didn’t want it, just kiss them out of the blue…’
It made perfect sense now—after clinging to him so relentlessly, suddenly keeping her distance must seem very odd to Killion.
Sighing softly, Veronica reproached herself for not being more careful.
But the milk was already spilled.
If she admitted her mistake and acted awkwardly, it’d only look stranger.
‘Since he’s already noticed the change, I might as well show him an entirely different version of myself!’
Maybe this wasn’t so bad after all.
It was a bond she needed to sever anyway.
‘Might as well cut it off for good right now.’
Killion continued, his gaze fixed intently on Veronica.
“Your Highness has always used every means possible to capture my attention. And this latest tactic… was quite skillful, I’d say.”
Ah, of course—that was only true if it really was a tactic. After finishing his sentence, Killion drained the rest of the champagne in his glass and smirked.
Veronica could see it clearly—the mockery hidden in his smile.
She understood perfectly why Killion was confused by her sudden behavioral shift.
But a “tactic”? “Skillful”?
‘I don’t like the way he’s talking—or that smile right now.’
He seemed to have seriously misunderstood something.
‘I’d better clear up this misunderstanding.’
They say the best defense is a good offense. Clenching her molars, Veronica spoke in a deliberately cool tone.
“Lord Killion, you’re half right and half wrong.”
“Excuse me?”
“Two years can be short or long, depending how you look at it. I’m simply no longer the Veronica you knew two years ago.”
“…”
Killion looked utterly baffled, but Veronica pressed on.
“It seems I’ve finally grown up a bit. I’ve learned quite a lot since then. For example…”
Veronica’s gaze toward Killion was unusually sharp.
Killion’s mouth went dry with tension.
“I’ve finally understood that you don’t force affection on someone who doesn’t like you. You give back exactly what you receive—and I’ve learned how to apply that in real life.”
“…”
“I know you don’t like me. You’ve felt that way consistently for the past ten years. So I’ve decided I won’t like you anymore either. This isn’t some ‘new tactic.’”
“…”
“Don’t worry—I won’t make any effort to win your attention anymore. And please, don’t misunderstand me again. That’s all.”
Having said her piece, Veronica turned and quickly left the terrace.
She felt less relieved from venting her frustrations and more exhilarated—finally, she’d twisted the original plot just a little.
‘Veronica clung to Killion her whole life. Right up until her death.’
At first, it must’ve been out of duty.
Killion was her political fiancé, chosen by the Emperor and Empress.
Naturally, she was expected to like him and try hard to win his favor.
‘But even if she eventually came to genuinely love Killion… was it really true love?’
Veronica had lived her entire life as a puppet of the Imperial family.
She smiled when told to smile, cried when told to cry.
Spoke when ordered to speak, stayed silent when commanded to be quiet.
Danced when asked to dance, sang when asked to sing.
It had always been this way since birth—without exception.
She likely never learned how to recognize her true feelings, let alone express them.
‘So the original Veronica’s love for Killion was probably not genuine. That’s exactly why it so easily turned into obsession or jealousy.’
Of course, she couldn’t be sure—and never would be.
The real Veronica had disappeared after drinking the poison prepared by the Empress.
‘From today onward, there’s no more Veronica who loves Killion. I’ve made sure of it.’
Good job! Veronica patted her own arm reassuringly, murmuring words of praise to herself.
‘Just keep acting like this every day. Soon, I’ll break away from the original story. I’ll escape the Imperial Palace.’
[This is the timeline separator]Tea time with Empress Sandra.
“So you only danced one song with Lord Killion yesterday and called it a day?”
Sandra recited her line precisely as expected.
Veronica, seated demurely, slowly opened her mouth.
“That was part of my strategy, Your Majesty.”
“Strategy? What kind of strategy?”
Sandra scoffed skeptically. Veronica slumped her shoulders and replied in a dejected tone.
“Truthfully, I’ve only ever thrown myself at Lord Killion. Yet I still couldn’t win his heart completely. I know—it’s entirely my fault. My charm simply wasn’t enough.”
Her answer, prepared the previous night in anticipation of the Empress’s reproach, came out smoothly.
“But I can’t afford to fail again now, can I? So I decided to change my strategy.”
“So what exactly is this new strategy of yours?”
“The strong-soft-strong-soft strategy.”
“Strong-soft… what? What on earth are you talking about?”
Sandra furrowed her brow, hearing something completely unfamiliar.
She clearly disliked that Veronica knew something she didn’t.
“It means approaching strongly, then pulling back gently, then approaching moderately again, then pulling back softly once more. Of course, I’m not sure if it’ll work, but I intend to try.”
“Ah… that strategy!”
Sandra pretended she understood—as if she’d known all along.
She didn’t forget to deflate Veronica’s confidence either.
Chin raised, Sandra looked down her nose and remarked,
“I doubt you can properly execute such a sophisticated psychological tactic, but at least your effort is commendable.”
Sandra’s eyebrows twitched as she sipped her tea noisily.
Veronica, instead of replying, simply lifted her own teacup.
“So according to your strategy, you withdrew yesterday—when do you plan to approach him strongly again?”
“Today.”
“Today?”
Sandra’s eyes widened in surprise at the unexpected answer.
“Yes. I’ve already sent a letter saying I’ll visit Count Killion Drea’s residence.”
A year ago, Killion had been granted a title and territory in recognition of his wartime merits, becoming a count.
However, whenever staying in the capital, he didn’t maintain a separate townhouse but stayed at his parents’ ducal residence.
“That’s good—it’s quick.”
Pleased with Veronica’s answer, Sandra’s lips curled upward slightly.
Yet she continued her condescending advice just the same.
“Please, for once, do it properly. You must prove your worth decisively. Think how wonderful it would be to announce your engagement to the Imperial family now, while Lord Killion’s popularity soars!”
Ugh, here we go again. Veronica didn’t want to respond to such nonsense and decided to focus on her dessert instead.
Chewing softly on a bite of cheesecake, she let Sandra’s words go in one ear and out the other.
“It’ll be the grandest wedding in the entire Empire! The whole world will look upon you, Veronica—and upon this Imperial family!”
“…”
“So, Veronica, from now on you must… Wait, are you even listening to me?”
“Of course! The grand wedding! This cake is truly delicious, Your Majesty. Would you like some?”
Please just stop talking. Veronica smiled brightly, hiding her true thoughts as she offered the dessert plate.
Sandra frowned, clearly displeased.
“What if you get fat eating like that?”
“Didn’t Your Majesty just say I should put on a bit of weight?”
Veronica glanced subtly down at her chest as she spoke.
Since Sandra had said those exact words just yesterday, the memory was still fresh.
Having no retort, Sandra accepted the dessert plate Veronica offered.
[This is the timeline separator]Veronica climbed into the carriage.
Her official purpose was to visit Killion—but her real reason was different.
“Let’s head to McKinn Street first.”
“Whatever for, Your Highness? What business do you have on McKinn Street?”
Linda, her maid, tilted her head in confusion at Veronica’s order.
McKinn Street was lined with magical artifact shops—hardly a place suited for Veronica, who had no magical ability.
“I’m buying a surprise gift for Lord Killion.”
“Oh my! A surprise gift! How romantic, Your Highness!”
Linda clapped her hands together and beamed brightly.
Seeing her maid’s innocent delight, Veronica smiled back.
She was glad she’d chosen Linda, the most guileless of all her maids, to accompany her.
Just as her visit to Killion was merely an excuse, so too was the gift she claimed to be buying for him.
Veronica actually intended to visit the Information Guild.
‘I hope I’m going to the right place.’
This was her first time leaving the Imperial Palace on her own since her possession—no official events, just her own initiative.
Naturally, she was nervous.
She knew the original story inside and out from reading it many times.
But there was a huge difference between knowing something in theory and actually doing it yourself.
Thus, she had to be extra cautious and prepared for unexpected variables that might arise at any moment.
‘Besides, the original plot is already twisting bit by bit because of me… I must be even more careful.’
To hide the trembling of her fingertips, Veronica clenched her fists tightly.
Male lead Asks for a Divorce Every Day
It’s not often you come across a plot like this in the female-dominant genre — make sure to check it out!
This is a novel I’m planning to reread as well.
The male lead is strong, skilled in martial arts, and not the usual fragile type you often see in matriarchal novels.
Meanwhile, the female lead is a scientist—rational and logical. Even when she falls for the male lead, she doesn’t let her emotions cloud her decisions.
If you push through the first few chapters, you’ll gradually find the story really intriguing.
It has a mix of mystery, detective elements, and romance.
The author’s writing style is like crafting a puzzle—except they deliberately leave out a few pieces, making it hard to predict what happens next, yet keeping you hooked.
In the end, everything will come together and be explained.
One-sentence summary: Wife, stop playing with beakers and look at me!
In a laboratory accident, research scientist Zhu Wansheng accidentally travels to a matriarchal world. The original owner of the body is an eighteen-year-old only daughter of a wealthy rouge merchant, already married with a handsome young man.
Zhu Wansheng grins: Nice! She always said she was heaven’s favorite granddaughter. After a life of toil in her previous life, she can enjoy blessings in this one.
However, her joy lasts no more than three seconds as bad news arrives: the original owner’s family is about to go bankrupt, and her husband wants a divorce.
Even worse, she’s stuck with a research system full of restrictions.
Zhu Wansheng: ? Is this the destiny of a research dog?
——
Faced with this mess, Zhu Wansheng pours herself a bowl of wine to drown her sorrows. In her drunken haze, her husband arrives.
His figure is imposing, holding a long sword, with a dignified air that captivates Zhu Wansheng.
Gu Yingqing, however, looks at the alcohol-reeking Zhu Wansheng with undisguised disgust and coldly asks, “Divorce or not?” The intoxicated Zhu Wansheng mumbles vaguely, “I think… it’s not… it’s not… impossible!”
——
The next day, after sobering up, Zhu Wansheng is full of energy, rolling up her sleeves ready to make a big move. As for yesterday? She has no memory of it.
Zhu Wansheng is ambitious; a research dog fears nothing!
Upgrading rouge, extracting fragrances, producing perfumes, researching lipsticks… all shall bow to the power of modern technology!
The original owner’s dying rouge shop is revitalized. Her mother is pleased and with a wave of her hand, passes on the family business to her. As she takes control and her experimental results gain popularity, it’s the pinnacle of her life…
——
But there are always those who can’t stand to see her doing well. Jealousy, scheming, assassination attempts – they want nothing less than her life.
The person who has always kept his distance from her suddenly holds her tightly in his arms, eyes full of concern.
She is unharmed, but he falls into a pool of blood…
Zhu Wansheng feels guilty, “I can grant you one wish.”
Gu Yingqing tentatively circles his arms around her, carefully resting his head in the crook of her neck, pleading softly, “I regret it. Can we not divorce?”
Zhu Wansheng: ? When did I agree to a divorce?
[Small Theater]
The newly developed rouge is beautifully packaged, and Zhu Wansheng is eager to try it.
Gu Yingqing suddenly appears: “My lady, may I apply it for you?”
Cool fingertips lightly brush her lips. His Adam’s apple bobs as he leans in for a light bite.
Zhu Wansheng: ?
Gu Yingqing: It smells so good, I wanted to taste it…
On a warm spring day, Zhu Wansheng tries a new perfume: “Spring Night.” Gu Yingqing corners her against a wall.
Warm breath lingers on her neck.
“My lady, from now on, may I test the fragrances for you?”
[Humorous female scientist vs scheming live-in son-in-law male lead]
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MANGA DISCUSSION
1 Comment
Chapter Comments (135)
What I’d wrong with you two!! Subtly flirting. Stick to your roles
You really should listen to Wendy more killion. He has sound advice
Can wet just guillotine the imperial family except Veronica and be done with!
Inline Comments (416)
"It’s fortunate you’ve finally realized, even if late. You’re simply too dim-wit
I think the Empress character has a narcissistic mother personality — she uses her daughter as a mirror for her own glory and doesn’t see her as an independent person
All the way back to his room, Killion grumbled to himself.
Awww this makes me feel sad for my younger siblings
“Just thinking about how many more banquets I’ll have to attend on this pilgrima
Wait a minute is this the saintess? I didn’t even realize
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VKotaku28
I need to sterilise this vile woman to prevent any more possible victims