Living As the Villainess Queen (Web Novel KR)-Chapter 436.1

Rohid had always been an exceptionally particular child. The only people permitted to touch him were his parents, grandmother, and nanny. The maids—unless they were his nanny—were strictly forbidden from laying a hand on him.

Bath time was the lone exception. Whenever the maids were required to bathe him, he would scream and cry throughout the ordeal. Though he no longer cried these days, he still wore a deep scowl, his face twisted with unmistakable displeasure.

He had always been clear and deliberate in expressing himself. Even as a newborn, he never fussed without cause. If he wanted something, he cried; once his need was met, the crying ceased. If someone tried to feed or hold him against his will, he made his rejection plain.

That innate clarity of will grew into a fierce pride and an uncompromising perfectionism. There was one moment, in particular, when Eugene fully realized just how unusual Rohid truly was.

Despite reaching other milestones early, Rohid was curiously late in speaking. When held or comforted, his eyes reflected a keen understanding—but his lips remained sealed. He would only nod or shake his head in response. Now that he had outgrown crying as a form of communication, it had become rare to hear his voice at all.

Concerned there might be an issue with his language development, Eugene summoned the nanny.

“Your Highness, please don’t be worried,” the nanny said with a gentle smile. “When it’s just the two of us, His Highness babbles endlessly.”

“Really? Then why won’t he speak in front of me? Is it because I’m not spending enough time with him?”

“No, Your Highness. If I may offer my humble opinion… I believe the young prince is simply uncomfortable around others. At times, I even feel that he finds my presence bothersome.”

“He finds you bothersome? What do you mean by that?”

“When anyone else is present, the prince stays completely silent. Even when we’re alone, there are moments when he’ll chatter excitedly—then suddenly go quiet and just stare at me. When that happens, I step away and give him space…”

The nanny’s face, previously lit with animation, suddenly went pale.

“Forgive me, Your Highness. I beg your pardon for leaving His Highness unattended.”

“I know how devoted you are to him. You’ve done nothing wrong. Please—go on.”

Eugene leaned forward, intrigued. It was the first time she had heard any of this, and it fascinated her.

“Yes, Your Highness,” the nanny said gently. “When I quietly peek into the room after stepping out, I often find the prince babbling more eagerly than before. He seems livelier when he thinks he’s alone.”

“Do you have any idea why he does that?” Eugene asked, her brow furrowed with concern.

“In my humble opinion…” the nanny began hesitantly, then continued, “I believe, as others have said, that he feels ashamed—ashamed that his speech isn’t yet clear or refined.”

“…Ashamed?” Eugene echoed, her voice softening. “So you think the prince is secretly practicing his speech, and he doesn’t want anyone to witness it until he’s perfected it?”

“Yes, Your Highness,” the nanny said with a nod. “I think he only tolerates my presence because he understands I cannot leave his side entirely. So please, do not be troubled. And above all, do not feel hurt. His Highness’s eyes shine the brightest when he’s on his way to see you.”

Eugene let out a deep sigh, her gaze drifting toward the window.

“Perhaps the first time I hear Rohid’s voice will be when he clearly says ‘Mother,’” she murmured.

Across the room, Dana and Marianne, who had heard of Eugene’s recent conversation with the nanny, exchanged knowing glances. A soft smile tugged at their lips.

“Marianne,” Eugene said, turning to her, “His Majesty wasn’t like that as a child, was he?”

Marianne gave an awkward look before reluctantly replying, “No, Your Highness… He wasn’t.”

Eugene turned to her mother with a hint of frustration in her voice.

“Mother, do you think Rohid is like this because he takes after me? But I don’t recall being like that when I was a child…”

Dana didn’t answer right away. Instead, a faint smile played on her lips, and her eyes sparkled with amusement.

“Mother?” Eugene prompted, her curiosity piqued.

Dana chuckled softly, the sound laced with fondness.

“Jin—my father, your grandfather—he was a rather peculiar man.” ᴛhis chapter is ᴜpdated by novel~fire~net

“Grandfather?” Eugene asked, tilting her head. “What was he like?”

“You could say he believed no one in the world stood above him,” Dana replied with a laugh. “As the only son of a noble house, he was raised without ever being denied a thing. He was so handsome that stories about his looks traveled across the capital. In academics, horsemanship, swordsmanship—he was second to none.”

“Oh…” Eugene breathed, her eyes wide in admiration. She pictured a striking, self-assured man—proud, gifted, and very much aware of his own brilliance.

“He wasn’t someone who hurt others without reason,” Dana began, her voice calm, “but he was a perfectionist—unyielding with himself, and just as uncompromising with others. He held strong convictions, had an obsessive sense of cleanliness, and one major flaw: a complete lack of sociability. No matter how wealthy or influential someone was, if they didn’t meet his standards, he would scorn them without hesitation and avoid all interaction. Naturally, that earned him quite a few enemies.”

Though she had never met him, Eugene could picture her grandfather with surprising clarity.

“He remained that way until the very end,” Dana continued. “Only in front of my mother did he ever soften. Around her, he could be gentle—almost meek. But his nature didn’t truly change. He was cold, emotionally distant… Even to me, his own daughter, he was never what you’d call warm. Honestly, I think if he hadn’t met my mother, his eccentricities might’ve turned far darker.”

She paused, then added with a wry smile, “And I… I’m his daughter. Now that I think about it, I was a lot like him when I was young. Thankfully, I met someone who could love me as I was—your father.” 𝒇𝒓𝒆𝒆𝙬𝒆𝒃𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝓸𝒎

Eugene smiled, her heart warming at the familiar affection in her mother’s voice. She loved how Dana’s expression always softened when she spoke of her husband.