The Villainess Lives Twice - Chapter 140

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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 140

 

Lawrence stopped in his tracks. He made an effort to compose his expression.

 

“When did you return?”

 

“This afternoon.”

 

Cedric answered in a low voice.

 

“Is the war over?”

 

“No. But I heard news from the capital.”

 

Lawrence made his face expressionless, then half-twisted it again. He knew he shouldn’t act this way, but it wasn’t easy to suppress his emotions.

 

From the beginning, he had never known how to restrain himself for long periods. He was born with a passionate temperament like Milaire. Moreover, he had rarely needed to train his patience.

 

Lawrence couldn’t understand why he disliked him so intensely.

 

He had known from the start that just because Cedric married Artizea didn’t mean he would immediately express active support for him.

 

Rather, now was the opportunity to draw him in.

 

If Cedric wanted to avoid involvement and keep his distance, he would have stayed in the north pretending not to know until the end instead of returning. The border affairs were more urgent, and the distance provided plenty of excuse for late arrival of news.

 

But Cedric didn’t do that and hurried back. This meant he was paying much more attention to Artizea than Lawrence had thought.

 

Among all the things going wrong, this could be considered something heading in a good direction.

 

Cedric had a high reputation and the support of the citizens. If he helped, the aftermath of this incident might pass more smoothly than expected.

 

Even Duke Loigar wouldn’t easily do something as dangerous as framing the Evron Duchy for treason.

 

Nevertheless, he absolutely couldn’t put on a pleasant face. So pretending not to know Cedric and passing by was the best choice he could make right now.

 

Lawrence had never liked Cedric. However, until now it had generally been toward a relative of similar age with whom he didn’t get along and was often compared.

 

He didn’t particularly want to face him, but there was no reason to actively hate him either.

 

But now it was different.

 

There was an unbearably thick emotion bubbling up from deep within. It was as if something like claws were scratching deep in his heart, and the pus inside was emitting poison.

 

It was hateful. Lawrence thought that contempt and disgust for him must surely be hidden within that expressionless face and indifference.

 

And though he had never actually seen it, he kept imagining the terrible expression Cedric would make when showing that disgust.

 

And Lisia.

 

Her making such a face too.

 

That maid still occupied a corner of his mind.

 

That touched the hatred in Lawrence’s head. It was truly incomprehensible.

 

She was just a woman he was slightly interested in. She wasn’t someone to take or be taken from him at all. He had never even properly spoken with her.

 

Though he had told her to come visit, he hadn’t really expected much that she actually would. After all, she was Evron’s woman. An Evron woman for whom duty was more important than passion.

 

And in the first place, it was Artizea who had sent Lisia to the west. It had nothing to do with Cedric.

 

‘This bastard will steal what’s mine.’

 

Yet Lawrence was caught by such groundless thoughts and couldn’t escape them.

 

Previously, Amelie had told Lawrence how he could become emperor if he couldn’t even embrace one Duke of Evron. Lawrence had agreed with her words.

 

But now it was different. There were people in this world that one could never tolerate.

 

He couldn’t understand how he had ever thought to make him his ally.

 

“Please excuse us for a moment.”

 

Cedric lightly raised his hand and spoke. Amelie, Gayan, and Kishower bowed their heads slightly and stepped back.

 

The servant who had been guiding Lawrence also quickly retreated, knowing this wasn’t his place.

 

“What, do you have something to say?”

 

Lawrence asked, revealing his hostility raw.

 

Cedric narrowed his eyes. Unlike Lawrence, that was the extent of his display of hostility and displeasure.

 

“Is that all you’re going to ask?”

 

“What do you mean?”

 

“I’m asking if war stories are all you have to ask me. Aren’t you curious if Tia is alright? She’s your sister.”

 

At those words, Lawrence frowned slightly.

 

“Right… Now that you mention it, that’s true. She’s fine, isn’t she?”

 

Lawrence said this indifferently. He wasn’t particularly curious about Artizea herself even at this moment.

 

Cedric took a step toward Lawrence.

 

Lawrence wasn’t intimidated by his presence.

 

But the next moment, Cedric reached out his hand. Lawrence was startled and quickly stepped back, but couldn’t avoid it.

 

Cedric grabbed Lawrence’s collar with his left arm and slammed him against the wall.

 

Thud!

 

“Ugh…!”

 

Lawrence gasped from the impact to his back.

 

Cedric clenched his teeth and spat out as if grinding them.

 

“The lives sacrificed for something like you are too precious.”

 

“What nonsense… ugh!”

 

Lawrence struggled to shake off Cedric’s hand.

 

Lawrence was fairly good with weapons and hunting. He was a young man with above-average strength. He was also very accustomed to using violence.

 

However, even using all his strength, he couldn’t push away even Cedric’s single left hand. He tried to kick Cedric, but that didn’t work either.

 

His feet were lifted by the force. His breath was cut off and Lawrence’s face turned bright red. His pale, refined features were nowhere to be seen.

 

“She’s your real sister! This happened because she tried to mediate your real mother’s affairs. Even if you don’t think you should protect her, wouldn’t it be normal to at least worry if she’s okay?”

 

A servant rushed over urgently to try to stop them. Gayan caught him and lightly shook his head.

 

Lawrence was no longer the emperor’s most beloved son. And Cedric was someone who had decided to live as royalty now.

 

One shouldn’t interfere in fights between such high-ranking people.

 

“You should have at least protected your mother, sister, and wife.”

 

“Stop acting superior.”

 

“What exactly were you lacking while receiving such devotion?”

 

“Chattering away, giving advice to others, ugh!”

 

Lawrence spat out mockingly even while being choked. Cedric loosened his grip slightly to hear what he was saying. Then Lawrence raised the corners of his mouth in a sneer.

 

“You filthy hypocrite bastard, who’s protecting whom? After you shed a few tears and pushed them to the battlefield, there would be no end to loading corpses onto carts, yet you babble about devotion?”

 

“…”

 

“A loser who ran away because he didn’t want to dirty his hands, cough!”

 

Cedric slammed Lawrence against the wall hard once more. And he growled.

 

“Right. You’re correct.”

 

“Cough, ugh…”

 

“I did run away to avoid dirtying my hands. I should have started by killing you.”

 

Cedric spat out.

 

Lawrence laughed. He even felt somewhat refreshed. Because it became certain that this rage and hatred inside him wasn’t one-sided or a delusion.

 

“Try it then? In the end, you’re someone who doesn’t even have the courage to draw a sword in this corridor.”

 

“Do you think the blood flowing in your veins will protect you from a blade too?”

 

“Ugh, urk…!”

 

“You won’t become emperor, Lawrence.”

 

Cedric spat out.

 

“Because I won’t just stand by and watch.”

 

“Who are you to dare…!”

 

“Remember this. I have the ability to kill you anytime.”

 

Cedric spoke in a voice low enough that others couldn’t hear. Then he threw Lawrence to the floor.

 

Lawrence groaned in pain from the impact of being thrown. Cedric looked down at him and spat.

 

“So you’d better pray nothing happens to my wife.”

 

He said that and turned his back.

 

Gayan, Amelie, and Kishower followed behind him in confusion and haste.

 

“Your Highness.”

 

Since he wasn’t in the mood to talk, Cedric didn’t answer.

 

And he strode across the Imperial Palace and left. He thought that not one of Lawrence’s words was wrong.

 

“Ha.”

 

The servant carefully helped Lawrence to his feet.

 

His back, which had hit the wall, hurt terribly. However, a twisted sneer hung on Lawrence’s lips.

 

I didn’t fully understand exactly what all the words that came out of my mouth meant. However, I felt somewhat relieved as if I had said everything I wanted to say.

 

Lawrence brushed and straightened his wrinkled collar. Then he spoke to his servant.

 

“I’m going back. Tell His Majesty that. Seeing the Imperial Guard following that bastard, there seems to be no need to meet with him.”

 

“Yes.”

 

“And.”

 

“Yes?”

 

Smack!

 

Lawrence’s palm struck the servant’s cheek. The servant bowed his head without saying a word. He had been prepared to become a target for venting anger ever since Lawrence was grabbed by the collar.

 

However, Lawrence was satisfied with hitting him twice, lightly enough not to leave marks on his cheek.

 

“You have to go before His Majesty, don’t you?”

 

“Yes. Yes…”

 

Lawrence clenched his fist. The servant closed his eyes in fear and tensed his stomach.

 

Then Lawrence laughed out loud a few times, patted his shoulder, and left the place.

 

* * *

 

Before Artizea collapsed, there were three main things she had instructed Hailey to do.

 

First, contact Father Colton in the Western Regions.

 

Second, request cooperation from Bishop Nicos and appeal to the Archbishop.

 

Third, control the knight order to prevent excessive conflict.

 

Besides that, there were several detailed instructions regarding information control.

 

However, there were limits to what Hailey could do.

 

First, once Cedric arrived, the knight order matter had left Hailey’s hands.

 

And controlling information to prevent the incident from escalating was also impossible.

 

Since the knight order had initiated military action, and the Imperial Guard and Central Army had reacted to it, it was impossible to keep this matter hidden from the citizens.

 

Meeting with the Archbishop was also postponed for now.

 

Cedric had mobilized forces toward the Grand Cathedral. In the midst of that, she couldn’t step forward and convey that Artizea’s intention was not to fight with the Church.

 

Even if they were to negotiate, it was necessary to spend a few days intimidating the Church first.

 

However, she wrote a letter to Bishop Nicos informing him that Artizea was pregnant. She also wrote words of gratitude, saying she remembered how he had provided conveniences during her stay at the Church.

 

It was a sign that this side recognized that the entire Church was not the enemy.

 

Aside from that, what Hailey could do immediately was only writing letters to send to Father Colton and Lisia.

 

Her sighs wouldn’t stop.

 

When Artizea was trying to solve problems by throwing herself into them, she had resolved to act befitting Evron.

 

However, when things actually turned out this way, her heart leaned toward Artizea’s command to end matters at an appropriate point.

 

‘The situation must not escalate to a point where even Her Highness cannot stop it.’

 

That much was certain.

 

She missed Lisia. If it were Lisia, she would surely maintain common sense while finding a middle ground in times like this.

 

That thought lasted only until midnight.

 

“Sister Hailey, what on earth happened to Her Highness?”

 

That night, Lisia suddenly appeared at the Duke’s Residence. She was in simple attire with only Father Colton accompanying her.

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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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