The Villainess Lives Twice - Chapter 130

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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 130

Countess Camellia hesitated. She knew that even this slight gap could make Duke Loigar’s mood even more unpleasant. However, lately Countess Camellia sometimes couldn’t perfectly control her expression.

It was because fatigue had accumulated. And unlike before, there were rarely opportunities to gain the kind of victory that could blow it all away.

She was still Duke Loigar’s most important confidant.

However, she found herself agreeing with Duke Loigar less often than before.

Especially in cases like this, she often felt anxiety and uneasiness about what Duke Loigar was doing.

But since the reasons for feeling this way weren’t clear, she couldn’t persuade Duke Loigar either.

So in the end, she had no choice but to deflect with an awkward laugh and say this.

“You speak as if I work for the Duchess of Evron, Your Highness.”

The problem was that such feelings generally arose in cases involving Artizea.

Countess Camellia herself sometimes thought she was being overly sensitive about matters concerning Artizea.

But Artizea’s reactions were always questionable.

Her own daughter Skyla was also intelligent and composed for her age. However, Artizea’s attitude was incomprehensibly calm and cold.

Countess Camellia had been reflecting on twenty years ago lately.

She too had earned Marquess Luden’s recognition through her own efforts at an early age.

What about the Empress? She was someone who played a role in Emperor Gregor’s ascension to the throne.

However, she felt that both herself and the Empress were far inferior to the current Artizea.

This incident was the same.

There was no trace of Artizea’s involvement. Everything could have proceeded by coincidence.

The necromancer who taught magic to Milaire was someone famous in social circles last winter. Even Skyla had said she attended one of his séances.

It wouldn’t be strange for the Rosan Estate to have historical texts written in ancient language. Even if one wasn’t a collector of old books, it was natural for noble families with long histories to have several old books in their study.

It also wasn’t particularly strange that there was a book copying only curse words from among them.

There were quite a few nobles who learned ancient language as a cultural pursuit. Most gave up early on. But copying interesting passages was something many people did.

Even before Milaire, the Rosan Marquess family wasn’t such a peaceful and good family. It wouldn’t be strange if one person among the household had collected curse words.

She was well aware that Milaire was mentally unstable. When angry, she was certainly someone who would curse the Empress and more.

And recent circumstances were enough to drive Milaire mad.

Human sacrifice wasn’t surprising either. She already had a record of massacring the entire Rosan Marquess family.

Moreover, the victim was a child sold due to poverty. Not just Milaire, but most nobles would regard such a person as nothing more than a stray dog.

But still, Countess Camellia found it questionable.

Could such an incident have occurred purely by chance in the Imperial Court where conspiracies constantly swirled?

To Countess Camellia, it felt like the probability of throwing three beans and coincidentally forming the vertices of an equilateral triangle.

Soon Milaire would be ruined. Lawrence would also find it difficult to challenge for imperial power.

Such things never happen by accident.

However, neither Duke Loigar nor herself had plotted any conspiracy.

She didn’t think the Empress had done it either. This wasn’t the Empress’s way of scheming.

Duke Loigar threw a gentle voice to the contemplating Countess Camellia.

“I understand because I know you cherish the Duchess of Evron and have devoted considerable care to her. But it seems you may have evaluated her too highly, sister-in-law.”

“Your Highness.”

“Originally, things like reputation and power have their trends, and there are cases where one simply cannot overcome them with personal strength alone, aren’t there?”

“That’s true…”

“You probably didn’t expect her to be tripped up in this way either, sister-in-law. It’s unfortunate for the Duchess.”

“The Duke of Evron won’t divorce over something like this.”

“Cedric isn’t that type of person, of course. So it’s actually a good thing.”

“A good thing?”

“That fellow is distant from politics and schemes. If the Duchess who would handle such matters for him loses power, wouldn’t that be better for us?”

Countess Camellia had no choice but to agree with Duke Loigar who asked if that wasn’t so.

However, since the uneasiness in her heart didn’t disappear, she returned and called for Skyla.

“You were acquainted with Princess Hazel of Belmond, weren’t you?”

“Yes, Mother. We became somewhat acquainted while preparing for Her Majesty the Empress’s birthday celebration this time.”

“I’d like you to approach Princess Hazel. About how she came to think of following the Rosan Marquess’s wife.”

“She said she went to investigate the necromancer and ended up buying information from a maid who turned out to be the daughter of Belmond newspaper. I thought you knew too, Mother. There was an incredibly detailed article published.”

“Yes. But somehow I think there might be more hidden stories beyond just that.”

Skyla opened her mouth briefly, then closed it again. Then she asked.

“Does Uncle think so too?”

Then Countess Camellia showed a conflicted expression.

“I just have some suspicions. I actually find it strange that the Viscount Pesher family returned too.”

“Strange?”

“It’s not easy for descendants of a family thought to be extinct to appear, is it?”

Countess Camellia sighed.

“Especially if it’s a family that disappeared just 18 years ago when the couple committed suicide taking responsibility for the deaths of princes and princesses. And they appeared dramatically at Her Majesty the Empress’s birthday celebration.”

“Yes.”

“That got buried because of the Rosan Marquess’s wife incident. As if… they safely revealed the Pesher family knowing that would happen.”

“Aren’t you overthinking it? Mother, you seem a bit sensitive lately.”

“I hope so. But isn’t it too remarkable to call even that a coincidence?”

Skyla didn’t answer.

“Or they predicted this incident would occur and timed the Pesher family matter accordingly…”

“Mother.”

“It could be coincidence. But if this is even remotely planned and carried out by someone, not knowing such an opponent is too dangerous. It’s better to be cautious and have nothing happen than to be caught unaware.”

Skyla fell into thought for a moment. Then she spoke with a cautious attitude.

“If such a mastermind actually exists, what will you do, Mother?”

“I’ll have to devise ways to deal with them. And find out their purpose clearly too.”

Countess Camellia looked at Skyla.

“I don’t know if they’re working for the Empress or have other purposes…”

From those words alone, it was difficult to tell clearly whether Countess Camellia suspected Artizea or not.

So Skyla tested the waters a little.

“But the only ones benefiting from this incident are Uncle and the Temple, aren’t they? Who would plot such a conspiracy? It couldn’t be something Her Majesty the Empress did for the Pesher family.”

The Empress had openly revealed the Pesher family at the birthday celebration for all eyes to see. Even now she doesn’t hide that she keeps them close.

So conversely, the logic didn’t match that she secretly plotted a conspiracy to hide the Pesher family from others’ attention.

Countess Camellia agreed too.

“Right. Her Majesty the Empress isn’t someone who schemes secretly while hiding herself.”

“It couldn’t be something Uncle did without Mother knowing either, right?”

“That’s definitely not it.”

“Then it might be something the Temple did.”

“That seems somewhat possible. The Rosan Marquess’s wife always draws people’s attention, so she would have been perfect as bait.”

“It could also be something Her Highness the Duchess of Evron did.”

“…”

“Though she’s suffering too much loss for that to be the case.”

Countess Camellia fell silent. So Skyla awkwardly changed the subject.

Countess Camellia said.

“Right. That’s why I don’t know either.”

Skyla was guessing more about this incident than Countess Camellia. However, she decided not to say it all.

It seemed Countess Camellia had no intention of abandoning the premise that she moved for Duke Loigar’s sake.

But it wasn’t time to decide her course of action yet.

Skyla was almost certain that Artizea had orchestrated this incident.

If that were the case, going to the Temple might also be part of the plan.

If Artizea wasn’t broken, then giving up on her and just remaining under Duke Loigar would be foolish.

“I’ll talk with Princess Hazel and continue finding out what happened at the Empress’s Palace.”

She only said that much.

* * *

The room provided by the Grand Cathedral was a small monk’s cell with only a bed and a small desk. The clothes given to change into were also monk’s robes made of coarse hemp.

Hailey had no interest in luxury. However, she couldn’t help but be shocked by this treatment.

“Look at this, Priest. We didn’t come here expecting lavish hospitality, but shouldn’t you at least treat us as proper guests?”

“I’m only following the instructions I was given…”

“I’m fine, Hailey. If you’re going to be uncomfortable, you can go back.”

Artizea said this. Of course, there was no way Hailey could do that.

“What I mean is, Her Highness shouldn’t be receiving this kind of treatment.”

Hailey spoke while recalling several precautions she had heard from Ansgard.

Artizea also thought it was abnormal.

The fact that she was a noble or the Duchess of Evron was a secondary issue.

There were the enormous donations she had poured in so far. Moreover, they had a kind of partnership relationship due to the western granary and relief projects.

Yet to give such treatment despite all this was strange.

Sleeping on a mat that rustled and made straw-like sounds wasn’t a big deal for Artizea herself.

No matter how bad the sleeping arrangements were, compared to hanging in chains and falling asleep half-unconscious, this was heaven. The rough clothes themselves weren’t much either.

However, Artizea hadn’t expected the temple to come out like this. That was the problem.

She had thought they would provide appropriate treatment befitting a major donor internally while not appearing to treat outsiders too generously.

But from the moment she arrived here, Archbishop Akim’s attitude had been strange. He was aggressive to an illogical degree.

‘Archbishop Akim should be someone reasonable enough to communicate with.’

Artizea saw him as the same type of person as herself. It wasn’t that he lacked faith. However, he wasn’t someone who would act recklessly because of doctrine or devotion.

Unlike the lodging and clothes, the dinner was quite luxurious. It was then that Artizea became certain.

There was undoubtedly a factional struggle taking place within the temple.

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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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