Living As the Villainess Queen (Web Novel KR)-Chapter 435.1

Though no official announcement had been made, word spread in hushed tones: the queen was in labor. By sunset, not a soul in the capital remained unaware.

During the active season, people ventured out only after dark, and as evening fell, the streets filled with life. Yet tonight felt different. The usual din of chatter softened. No one laughed too loudly or raised their voice in anger. The city moved with a quiet reverence, its people casting frequent glances toward the royal palace—on their way home, after errands in the market, even while tending to household chores.

Late into the night, windows still glowed with lamplight. And when fireworks finally lit up the sky—heralding the birth of the royal heir—a cheer erupted like thunder, rolling through the capital.

Crowds spilled into the streets. Market stalls flung their doors back open. Strangers embraced like kin, passing around food and drink without hesitation, joy binding them in an instant camaraderie.

The spontaneous celebration that began at midnight only swelled in size and spirit with each passing day. Even when the active season came to a close, the festivities did not. In time, this jubilant stretch of nights was etched into the kingdom’s history as the longest festival ever held.

***

Within the royal family, names are drawn from ancestral pools—predefined groups passed down through generations. Each child may receive a name from only one such group, and once selected, the entire group is sealed off for the next three generations.

Thus, Kasser’s name—and all others in its group—would be forbidden to his children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.

After careful deliberation, two names remained: Rohid and Lakis. Kasser, equally fond of both, entrusted the final choice to Eugene.

Eugene chose the name Rohid, her lips curling into a smile.

“Somehow, I just like Rohid better,” she said. “We can save Lakis for next time.”

“Next time?” Kasser echoed, blinking in surprise.

With a playful lilt in her voice, Eugene teased, “You did say you hoped the second would be a girl, remember?”

Caught off guard, Kasser glanced away, his composure faltering.

“What is it?” she asked, brow raised. “Changed your mind? Decided one child is enough after all?”

“No!” he blurted out, then hesitated—a rare moment of vulnerability. “It’s not that… It’s just—you went through so much.”

Eugene sighed, deep and honest.

“You’re right. It was incredibly difficult. All mothers are incredible, aren’t they?”

Though her tone carried a hint of jest—See? That means I’m incredible too—Kasser nodded solemnly, as if she’d uttered an unshakable truth. Eugene laughed at his sincerity.

Leaning back into the cushions, she turned her gaze to the tiny figure sleeping beside her.

“But still… we have such a beautiful baby now. It’s strange—when I look at him like this, the pain feels like a distant dream. As if it never really happened.”

“Rohid.”

She whispered the name, tasting it softly on her tongue. It already felt familiar, as though it had always belonged to him.

“Rohid. Rohid.”

Each repetition stirred warmth in her chest.

Was it because he was hers? Or simply because he was so perfect?

The raw redness of birth had faded from his skin, now fair and soft. He had inherited his father’s striking blue hair and eyes, and every delicate feature seemed sculpted with care. Whether boldly crying for food or resting in silent slumber, every little part of him was impossibly precious.

“So this is what it means to feel full just by looking at something,” she murmured.

Even though he slept most of the day, Eugene could sit there for hours, watching him—and still, time slipped by unnoticed.

Everyone around her had called it an easy delivery. But if this was what a smooth childbirth felt like, Eugene couldn’t begin to fathom the agony of a difficult one. The very thought made her vision blur.

Her body still bore the raw echoes of labor. It felt as if every joint had been pulled apart and put back together with little care. Even sitting upright was a struggle. And yet, when she looked at her baby’s face, the pain receded like a tide—distant, almost forgettable.

At that very moment, Kasser was thinking the same thing as Eugene—but his gaze was not fixed on their son.

It was on her.

Since giving birth, Eugene had grown noticeably thinner. She bore it with grace, rarely voicing her discomfort, but Kasser could see it in the small winces, in the way she hesitated to shift her body in bed. Still, even in her gauntness, there was a quiet radiance about her. A beauty that made his chest tighten. A wonder he couldn’t look away from.

A respectful distance away, one of the maids dared to lift her head. The royal couple had been silent for some time, and curiosity finally got the better of her. Her eyes widened. With a nudge, she signaled to the maid beside her.

Keeping their heads bowed as much as decorum allowed, the two exchanged covert glances. When their eyes met, they stifled quiet smiles.

The queen sat with a soft smile, gazing down at the sleeping prince. But the king—his eyes were locked on the queen. New ɴᴏᴠᴇʟ ᴄhapters are published on novelfire(.)net

It had become a familiar sight. In fact, it had turned into a lighthearted rumor among the palace staff: now that the king finally had an heir, it seemed his fascination lay not with the child—but with the woman who had given him one.

Bang! A flare exploded in the sky, scattering sparks of light.

Eugene, noticing he hadn’t moved, glanced up at him.

“Aren’t you going?” she asked.

“Huh? Oh, right. I should.”

When she caught his gaze, she tilted her head, puzzled. “Do you have something to say to me?”

“No. Why?”

“…If you don’t, then never mind. But listen. You’ve been stuck in this room for days. I understand—our son is dangerously cute. But I can’t even get out of bed. If you’re going to be just as useless as I am, that’s a problem.”

The maids murmured quietly without lifting their heads, “That’s not it, Your Highness.”

In their minds, the reason the king hadn’t left the queen’s side had far less to do with the prince—and everything to do with the queen herself.