The Villainess Lives Twice - Chapter 119

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 119

Lisia was startled to see Lawrence and dismounted from her horse.

When Artizea first told her to avoid speaking with Lawrence as much as possible even if they happened to meet by chance, she had only taken it as a precaution.

Lawrence wasn’t simply the older brother of the person she served. He was one of two people competing for the Emperor’s throne. He was also one axis of the complex political situation that the House of Evron was entangled in.

So she thought it was natural to be wary of him even though he was her blood brother. If Lisia made a careless mistake, it could escalate into a political problem or put Artizea in a difficult position.

But it wasn’t just that level. Artizea truly seemed to find the matter emotionally terrible.

Though she had only actually met him once at the Empress’s Palace, it was enough to tell.

So she had been even more careful to avoid any chance encounters.

But now that they had met face-to-face in front of the manor, she couldn’t just pretend not to know him and go inside.

That wouldn’t just be slightly rude—it would disgrace Artizea’s reputation and the House of Mortern.

Lisia dismounted from her horse. Then she greeted him politely.

“I didn’t know such an honored guest had come and committed a discourtesy.”

She was referring to having dared to look down at him from horseback.

Lawrence wasn’t angry. He gazed at Lisia’s face for a moment.

Lisia tried to maintain a calm demeanor. However, Lawrence’s deep, steady gaze eventually overwhelmed her and she ended up blushing.

“What’s wrong?”

“…Where are you returning from?”

Lawrence asked this because he didn’t have much else to say. Lisia answered briefly.

“Yes.”

Lisia didn’t answer in detail. She knew that truly wise people could read a surprising amount from even the most trivial clues.

The conversation couldn’t continue and broke off.

Lawrence kept his gaze fixed on Lisia while thinking strangely.

She really was nothing special. Young and quite pretty, but that was all—nothing more than that.

There were plenty of women as pretty as Lisia. Even among the women who would come running if he contacted them now, there were several prettier than Lisia.

Yet she was stuck in his head like a nail.

Lawrence had dreamed of her several times. In his dreams, Lisia was lying in his bed.

When he woke up, his heart would be restless and he would feel thirsty. He had even stayed awake all night after waking at dawn, unable to fall back asleep.

If he had her once, this feeling would disappear.

Originally, he had no interest in people or emotional games. Far from love, he didn’t even consider romance as entertainment. That’s why his lovers were always nothing more than partners for stimulating pleasure.

Rather, the emotions he found interesting were hatred, fear, contempt, and all sorts of other negative and passionate feelings.

He believed those were the true emotions people could only show when facing death.

Perhaps he felt this way because she was a woman he shouldn’t have.

Seducing women, toying with them, and discarding them was nothing significant to Lawrence. It was simple, and he had never had trouble with the aftermath.

But making his sister’s maid a plaything would look bad.

Especially if the target was a girl not even twenty years old. Above all, the Empress wouldn’t think well of it.

Moreover, she was an old retainer of the House of Evron. Having a dispute with Cedric over such matters wouldn’t be wise.

“Well, do you have something to say?”

Lisia hesitated.

Lawrence was a person of bad character.

Lisia wasn’t the type to easily judge people based on hearsay alone. However, there was no doubt that Lawrence was promiscuous and arrogant.

Many people blushed while praising his beauty. There were quite a few who evaluated him positively as bold and aristocratic.

But even those who rated Lawrence most highly couldn’t deny that his private life was dissolute.

Above all, he was someone who had stood by and watched the abuse Artizea received within the Rosan Estate.

Even without her warning, he was absolutely someone she shouldn’t get deeply involved with. She had no intention of doing so either.

Yet when facing him like this, she found herself caught up in strange emotions. Her heart seemed to sink with a thud.

What she felt when they first met was excitement. Since she didn’t know who he was, it might have been because she thought he was a kind person.

But now she felt anxiety.

Somewhere in her chest was something like dried, crumbling residue. It was so complex that it couldn’t be classified into simple categories of good or bad.

Lisia was still too young to understand it. An emotion without a name or form was simply incomprehensible.

Between them as they faced each other, something tangled like a half-unwound skein of thread passed back and forth.

Though this was only their second encounter, a lifetime’s worth of emotions swelled in her chest before escaping like wind. Thoughts of him lingered thickly in her mind as if she were captivated.

She deliberately lowered her eyes. Only then did Lawrence speak.

“Living in the capital, is there anything difficult or inconvenient?”

“…No. Her Highness takes care of me without any lack.”

“Do you know my name?”

Lawrence asked impulsively.

“Yes, Lord Lawrence.”

Lisia answered obediently.

At that answer, Lawrence’s heart strangely pounded.

He thought this was the first time he had heard his name in Lisia’s voice. It was natural, yet it gave him a fresh shock.

“I live on Sabelin Street.”

“Yes, I know.”

“Come visit anytime.”

Lawrence said this impulsively. So what if Lisia came to visit?

Well. That was something to think about when the time came.

Lawrence nodded lightly to Lisia in greeting and got back into his carriage.

Lisia watched the carriage depart while still caught up in strange feelings.

The fact that he was being kind to her and speaking in a gentle voice felt so strange that she couldn’t bear it. She felt like crying, but also trembling at the same time.

‘Don’t think about it.’

Lawrence had asked if she knew his name. But he didn’t seem to realize that he hadn’t asked for Lisia’s name.

He might have known it. If he wanted to find out which family’s daughter the maid Artizea brought from Evron was, a butler or secretary would answer him on the spot.

But if you thought about it that way, Lawrence’s name was something she couldn’t possibly not know.

In short, this couldn’t be called an exchange of names. Though it was a trivial matter, Lisia felt she understood what kind of person Lawrence was.

It was when Lisia entered the manor. Artizea, who had finished preparing to go out, was coming out to the lobby.

“Your Highness.”

“Ah, Lisia. You came back early.”

Artizea was startled.

Lisia saw Artizea’s eyes cloud with anxiety.

“I encountered Lord Lawrence in front of here.”

Unable to tell a lie that would be exposed immediately, Lisia spoke honestly.

And before Artizea could say anything, she added:

“Nothing happened. I just greeted him briefly. I couldn’t ignore him.”

“I see…”

“Your Highness.”

Lisia made an impulsive decision.

“I’ll go to the Western Regions.”

It had been quite some time since Artizea had asked Lisia to go to the Western Regions in her place.

Even before arriving in the capital, there had already been plans for charitable work. Artizea had hoped Lisia would take charge of it.

Even when she declined, saying she lacked the ability to manage such a large project, Artizea persistently encouraged her, saying she just needed to go with the mindset of learning and trying her best.

And after being put in charge of the grain loan project, she had told her to do that work this time. It was more like an earnest request than an order.

Lisia had hesitated. It was because of Cedric’s command.

“Stay by her side. That’s enough.”

Cedric had said Artizea was a person with a weak heart.

She was beginning to understand what he meant by that. Though Hailey was there, leaving still felt like a heavy burden.

But if she herself was what made that heart precarious, wouldn’t it be right to go far away?

She didn’t know why Artizea went to such lengths to prevent her from meeting Lawrence.

But Lisia knew well that Artizea liked and cherished her.

So she would listen to those words. Surely Artizea was advising her for her own sake. And it might be better for Artizea herself as well.

So Lisia said:

“I’m not very confident about it. But Father Colton is a good person, and I think I can at least assist him.”

Artizea let out a noticeably relieved sigh.

“Yes. You’ll do well. You definitely will.”

“You can’t get too angry with me if I fail.”

“I know you’ll do very well.”

Artizea took her hand and pressed her forehead against the back of it.

Lisia swallowed down the stone-like lump in her chest. At times like this, she truly didn’t know what she should do.

Even though she thought she had made the right decision, she was still gripped by anxiety.

* * *

“Why are you sending Lady Lisia to the Western Regions?”

Alice asked inside the carriage heading to Kishwar Estate.

Since Hailey and Lisia had arrived, Alice rarely accompanied Artizea on outings anymore. Her status had changed from before, and the nature of the outings had also changed significantly.

Though she shouldn’t feel this way, Alice felt just a little bit hurt.

“People who are both capable and trustworthy aren’t that common, as I now know. You trust Lady Lisia, don’t you, my lady?”

“The Western Regions suit Lisia. Actually, there aren’t many tasks suitable for Lisia here in the capital.”

“But Lady Lisia is pretty, kind, and easily wins people’s favor. And while she’s not as good as the knights, she fights well and rides horses extremely well. I think she’s perfect as your attendant, my lady.”

“Is there anything to fight about in the capital? I prefer going around with you.”

Artizea spoke with laughter in her voice. Alice replied sullenly.

“You’re no longer of a status to go around with just one maid like me, my lady.”

“No matter how many people increase, I’m most comfortable with you and Sophie. You’re trustworthy.”

“I’m busy too. With more people in the manor, there’s so much more to worry about.”

“If it’s really difficult, shall we hire a separate maid to attend to you?”

Alice’s eyes widened.

“Are you dismissing me?”

“It’s a promotion.”

“I don’t want that. Besides Sophie, I don’t have anyone else I can trust either. After all, I should personally handle serving you, my lady.”

Alice said that. Artizea smiled faintly.

“On the way back, let’s stop somewhere briefly and take a walk. We’ve both been too busy lately, haven’t we?”

“I’m sturdy so I’m fine. But taking a walk sounds like a good idea. You’ve hardly gotten any fresh air lately, have you, my lady?”

While having such conversation, the carriage arrived at Kishwar Estate.

Count Kishower came out to greet them personally. His complexion was haggard, as if he had stayed up all night for several days. His face was a deathly dark color.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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