The Villainess Lives Twice - Chapter 120

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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 120

“Welcome, Lady Artizea.”

“It’s been a while, Count Kishower.”

Artizea greeted him politely in return.

Henry Kishower was one of the Imperial Guards most trusted by the Emperor.

He possessed the military virtues of caring for his subordinates and obeying his superiors. And he had a good reputation not only among the lower ranks of the Imperial Guard, but also among military personnel and officials.

The Emperor’s trust naturally brought him power.

In terms of personal martial prowess, he was the best among the six captains.

In his youth, he was the Empire’s greatest warrior, and even now in his old age, he had not lost much of his skill.

Such a person he was, but now he had changed greatly.

The last time Artizea had met him was at her wedding. It had been less than a year since then, but he seemed to have aged a full fifteen years.

His once robust body had lost its vitality, and deep fatigue had accumulated under his eyes. His sunken cheeks suggested he had lost some weight too.

“You look unwell. I heard you’ve been resting for over a month with His Majesty’s permission.”

“I’m fine. Just a little tired.”

Kishower said.

“My wife should have come to greet you as well, but I gave her medicine and forced her to sleep.”

“Oh my… Lady Mielle must be in really bad condition?”

“Yes.”

Kishower said quietly.

He guided Artizea toward the southern room where Mielle’s bedroom was located.

“Princess Hazel said she was fine until winter.”

“Yes. Her condition was actually good. It was like that all winter long.”

Kishower carefully opened the door to Mielle’s bedroom.

A nurse sat beside the bed, and a maid was opening the window for ventilation. Mielle’s bed was covered with a thin curtain woven from lace.

She was in a coma.

“She took to her bed two months ago. But until last week, she could still sit up, smile occasionally, and meet with people…”

Kishower sighed.

“She became like this three days ago.”

Alice covered her mouth with one hand.

Artizea carefully approached Mielle’s bedside.

Though she was still breathing, Mielle’s face already looked like that of a dead person.

“The doctor told us to prepare ourselves. Even if she opens her eyes again, it would be difficult for her to survive the year.”

Kishower showed his despair without hiding it.

Mielle was his only child. She was a child he finally had when he was thirty.

Considering that ordinary people marry before twenty-two and have children right away, the Kishower couple had their child quite late.

The two had tried constantly to have a child, but only Mielle was born, and no children came after that.

Kishower, who became an Imperial Guard from commoner origins, had essentially founded a new noble house.

But he didn’t strive to establish the Kishower family and lived gratefully with what he was given.

It wasn’t that he rejected wealth and honor, but he thought it was enough to make his wife and daughter comfortable.

He was naturally frugal and unambitious by nature. But that wasn’t the only reason. Mielle’s life was far more important to him.

He had no intention of making his daughter a sacrifice for political marriage. He didn’t want to push his sickly daughter to become the family’s heir either.

He also didn’t want to have ambitions himself and rush around busily, reducing time with his daughter.

She was a child he had raised so preciously.

“My wife and I wanted to quietly keep vigil. That’s why we didn’t even inform our relatives. I’m grateful that Lady Artizea came to visit, but normally I would have declined.”

“Count Kishower.”

“What is this method you wrote about in your letter, the way to save Mielle?”

Kishower asked Artizea with bloodshot eyes.

Artizea gestured lightly. Seeing this, Alice quickly whispered to the nurse to leave.

The Kishower family’s maid and nurse were flustered. But it seemed the distinguished people were going to have an important conversation, so they quickly followed Alice out.

Only Kishower and Artizea remained in the room.

Artizea gently placed her hand on pale Mielle’s forehead. Despite appearances, warmth still remained in that skin.

Kishower said.

“Whether it’s medicine or a renowned physician, anything is fine. I want to try everything possible. Even if it doesn’t work, I’ll be grateful and never forget it.”

He probably thought Artizea had obtained some precious medicinal ingredients from somewhere.

Artizea said.

“Ten years.”

“Pardon?”

“I’ll let Lady Mielle live ten more years.”

Kishower blinked. He hadn’t expected Artizea to speak so definitively.

Artizea looked at Kishower with an upright posture.

“She won’t become healthy. Probably in much the same condition as now, always sick and bedridden for no reason… It will be difficult to live like other people. Just like now.”

“Lady Artizea…”

“But she can live ten more years. What will you do?”

There wasn’t even a need to think. It didn’t matter what the method was. Kishower answered immediately.

“I’ll give you ten years of my life. Please let her live even just one more year.”

Kishower had never wielded power.

But he knew well what his position was.

He wasn’t the Emperor’s most favored confidant. But he was the person the Emperor trusted and felt most at ease with.

Kishower didn’t serve loyally for the power or wealth the Emperor gave him. Nor was his loyalty directed toward the individual named Gregor.

He was loyal to the Emperor’s authority.

His loyalty was directed toward the throne itself. Since a subject should naturally be loyal to the Emperor, he was loyal. Such people were few even among the Emperor’s confidants.

Kishower was well aware of the Emperor’s personal flaws.

He felt sorry for the Empress, and thought it wrong for the Emperor to frequent Milaire’s house.

But he was also a conservative person. Even if there were some unjust things, he thought stable reality was better than throwing the world into chaos and overturning it.

Therefore, that didn’t become a reason for him not to be loyal to the throne.

He had no interest in succession struggles either. For Kishower, what he had to do was always clear. Whichever side became Emperor, he would simply be loyal afterward.

The Emperor trusted Kishower because he knew this. That’s why the trust he received was all the more important.

However, his loyalty would never be maintained at the cost of his child’s life.

For Mielle’s sake, he could willingly go to hell, not just do things he believed were wrong.

Though he didn’t know what Artizea would demand, Kishower knew that was all he could offer as payment.

She already had far more money and power than Kishower could give her.

“Don’t say such things.”

Artizea lowered her eyes and spoke gently.

“When I was at the Rosan Estate, Count Kishower was almost the only person who tried to act as an adult figure to me.”

“…Lady Artizea.”

“Lady Mielle too, though I couldn’t see her often for various reasons, was one of the few people my age who was kind to me back then.”

Artizea spoke gently. Of course, that wasn’t the real reason.

Kishower’s eyes reddened.

“Even just your words are appreciated. Though I actually did nothing for you.”

Both of them knew that wouldn’t actually be how things turned out.

If Mielle were to survive, Kishower would naturally have to repay that debt to Artizea.

But he was somewhat comforted by the kind words. It felt like she was saying this wasn’t about power, but repaying Mielle’s gentle nature.

It also sounded like a reason why Mielle should live.

“However.”

Artizea said quietly.

“You must keep it secret.”

“Secret…?”

“Yes.”

Artizea raised her lowered eyes and spoke to Kishower.

“That I saved Milaire. And I won’t tell Count Kishower about the method.”

“But….”

“Count Kishower must believe that I didn’t do anything dangerous to Milaire. You must also keep this secret.”

“Lady Artizea.”

“Today I visited Milaire, but her recovery is simply a coincidence. Can you do that?”

Confusion flickered across Kishower’s face. Words like magic probably didn’t even exist in his mind.

But one thing he could answer with certainty.

“I can keep secrets, Lady Artizea.”

“You mustn’t tell your wife either. I don’t think Milaire herself needs to know. It’s not that I don’t trust the two of them, but some stories are better when fewer people know about them.”

“No one in this world will hear from my lips any story that could threaten my daughter and my daughter’s benefactor.”

“Count Kishower is certainly someone who can do that. I trust you.”

Kishower’s oath was weighty. Even without offering up altars of oath or rivers of death as sacrifice, his vow would surely be kept.

Artizea lowered her eyes, not wanting to show her emotions.

“You say such things. Could you leave the room for a moment?”

Kishower hesitated briefly.

However, he had already trusted Artizea and sworn to keep the secret. Being curious about the method or anxious wouldn’t make things any better.

Kishower left the room.

As he left, Alice entered. Artizea surveyed the room and commanded Alice.

“Draw the curtains. Make sure not a single ray of light leaks outside.”

“Yes.”

Since it was a patient’s room, there were several clean cloths. There was also a basin filled with clean water. Though the weather was mild, a fire was lit in the fireplace making it warmly heated.

Artizea took a white cotton cloth and spread it on the table.

She intended to use magic.

If it were Lisia, she could have made Mielle healthy just by holding her hand. But such a thing was impossible for Artizea.

She removed the gloves she was wearing. Then she took out a small knife and pricked the tip of her left index finger.

Blood flowed down in a stream. Alice saw this a beat too late and cried out in surprise.

“My lady, again!”

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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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