The Villainess Lives Twice - Chapter 143

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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 143

 

Therefore, Duke Loigar came to this conclusion.

 

“It wouldn’t be something Cedric orchestrated.”

 

From the Evron Duchy’s standpoint, an heir is not someone who can be sacrificed for political reasons.

 

However, that wasn’t the only reason.

 

Cedric and Duke Loigar himself had lived different lives but were in similar situations.

 

They were royalty, but the Imperial Family could hardly be called blood relatives.

 

His weak maternal family was completely destroyed when his sister and brother-in-law were executed on false charges.

 

Cedric and he were relatives to each other. However, there was no opportunity to build affection enough to call each other family. Moreover, they each became heads of different houses before they even came of age.

 

Instead, the Marquess Luden family had long functioned as his strong support base.

 

Even now, as his in-laws and his children’s maternal family, they were his closest relatives.

 

Nevertheless, the relationship between the Marquess Luden family and him was still a transactional one.

 

Therefore, the existence of his wife and children held deep meaning for Duke Loigar.

 

Even if I die at any time, a child who carries my blood will live on and succeed me.

 

If I survive and gain even one thing, there is a child who will inherit it.

 

The meaning of life was completely renewed.

 

Before his child was born, Duke Loigar lived to survive.

 

And after having a child, he was living to grasp more things in his hands.

 

So the wife who bore him that child was precious.

 

Only after having children did he finally understand the reality of responsibility tied to his bloodline and family.

 

When one has a wife and children, a person inevitably changes.

 

So he thought Cedric would compromise. To protect his wife.

 

Conversely, now he had crossed the limit of what could be compromised. He would have done the same.

 

Duke Loigar looked at Countess Camellia and said.

 

“I regret not heeding my sister-in-law’s warning. I apologize.”

 

This incident was probably something the ambitious Artizea herself had orchestrated.

 

He never thought she would sacrifice even the child in her womb.

 

It was Artizea who should have been guarded against. Just as Countess Camellia had said.

 

It was an apology with that meaning.

 

“No, Your Highness. I think perhaps the Duchess herself might not have known.”

 

Countess Camellia said.

 

“She’s still young, has no married older sister, and has never experienced her mother’s childbirth. She doesn’t have a trustworthy nanny or maternal elders either.”

 

“I see.”

 

Marquess Luden continued Countess Camellia’s words.

 

“In any case, His Majesty the Emperor has gained justification. That’s the problem.”

 

This was the second time, following the requisition of supplies to be sent north.

 

There was no telling how far the attacks would reach.

 

Duke Loigar reached a conclusion.

 

“It’s not good to confront Cedric now or rebel against the treason charge itself. Let’s just leave alone our attack demanding that Marquess Rosan’s wife be punished for treason.”

 

“Your Highness is right. We can claim legitimacy for that as much as we want. Just because the Duchess of Evron was persecuted by the temple doesn’t make the fact that Marquess Rosan’s wife cursed Her Majesty the Empress disappear. It can never be tied to the word treason.”

 

“Changing our attitude now would be ridiculous. So let’s just leave it alone. Completely, we’ll wash our hands of it. That’s enough.”

 

The Emperor would understand Duke Loigar’s intention not to pursue Marquess Rosan’s wife any further.

 

Marquess Luden nodded.

 

Duke Loigar changed the subject.

 

“The problem is the temple side.”

 

Duke Loigar looked at Countess Camellia and said.

 

“We need to cut our losses. The sooner the better.”

 

“Don’t worry. I’ve already prepared everything.”

 

Countess Camellia said respectfully.

 

“As expected, my sister-in-law is the most reliable.”

 

Duke Loigar smiled.

 

* * *

 

While all these events were unfolding, the Evron Ducal Residence was quieter than ever.

 

Cedric had left early in the morning to handle various matters. The knights were deployed on operations.

 

The servants whispered even their most necessary words, lest they disturb the sleeping Duchess’s rest.

 

Artizea opened her eyes two days after she had collapsed.

 

The bedding was familiar. The scene of late afternoon sunlight streaming through the curtains to brighten the bedroom was also familiar.

 

Artizea buried her face in the pillow and turned over. Her hips and shoulder blade area hurt, probably from lying on her back looking at the ceiling for so long.

 

She had been extremely tired for a while and couldn’t sleep well. The proper sleep she tasted after a long time was sweet.

 

So just a little more.

 

There probably wasn’t anything urgent. No, was there?

 

Still drowsy, Artizea counted the things she had to do one by one in her head.

 

Then her eyes snapped open.

 

Perhaps because she forced herself awake, heat suddenly surged through her body. Her lower abdomen ached sharply.

 

Artizea looked around the familiar bedroom.

 

‘In the prayer room… did I take medicine?’

 

Her memory was unclear.

 

Artizea let out a long sigh.

 

Even after age thirty-five when she lived worrying her subordinates with constant illness, though there were times she couldn’t get out of bed, her memory had never been cut off like this.

 

Was this a side effect of the medicine after all?

 

But her body didn’t feel that bad to think so. Even in the past, sleeping pills had never caused memory loss.

 

She wanted to sleep a bit more, but that was all.

 

‘Is Hailey doing well?’

 

She should get up so as not to worry Alice and Sophie.

 

As she was moving with that thought, Alice, who heard the movement, suddenly sat up from the corner of the room.

 

“Miss!”

 

Alice cried out urgently, even forgetting the changed title.

 

And she shouted outside.

 

“She’s awake!”

 

Before that cry even ended, the door burst open.

 

But people didn’t come pouring in all at once.

 

Alphonse, who had moved first, stopped walking and took deep breaths. He was worried about exciting the room and shocking Artizea.

 

Other people blocked by his large body clamored. But thanks to Alphonse, they seemed to calm down a bit.

 

Artizea looked in that direction, still somewhat dazed.

 

‘Ah, I had fainted.’

 

They must have been worried. Not just Alice and Sophie, but others too.

 

She understood it intellectually, but couldn’t quite feel it.

 

The people who had worried about her in the past were quite rational.

 

Though they worried about Artizea, that worry was closer to worrying about losing their control tower.

 

But the people here now were different.

 

Alphonse, Ansgard, and most of the other servants were just worrying about her without even knowing her real role.

 

This made Artizea feel very strange.

 

Alphonse first let only the doctor pass through. Then he said in a solemn voice.

 

“Everyone must be worried, but medical examination comes first.”

 

Then he bowed silently to Artizea and closed the door.

 

Artizea suppressed a slight laugh that was about to escape.

 

“Really, to that extent.”

 

“This is not the time to say such things. You collapsed and remained unconscious for two whole days without waking up.”

 

Alice arranged Artizea’s bedding and moved the cushions. Then she helped her sit up comfortably.

 

“Since you’ve slept for so long, please have some water first.”

 

The doctor said carefully.

 

Alice immediately handed Artizea a cup of warm water.

 

A silver samovar had been placed in one corner of the room, continuously boiling water to maintain proper humidity levels in the room and ensure Artizea could drink whenever she woke up.

 

After Artizea moistened her dry throat with a cup of water, the doctor examined her condition in detail.

 

Taking her temperature and checking her pulse, the doctor asked.

 

“Are you experiencing any discomfort anywhere?”

 

“I’m hungry.”

 

“It would be best to start with thinly boiled soup first. Though I said it would be good for you to sleep deeply, if you hadn’t woken up any longer, I was about to consider the method of pouring soup down your throat through a glass tube.”

 

After saying that, the doctor continued.

 

“Does your stomach ache or anything? I’ve been checking that there’s no bleeding, but we can’t miss even the slightest abnormality.”

 

“My stomach?”

 

Artizea reflexively placed her hand on her stomach at those words.

 

“It does seem to feel a bit tight…”

 

Artizea answered without much thought.

 

Ever since she started eating more, there hadn’t been many days when her stomach felt completely comfortable. There were quite a few occasions when it would ache sharply or feel heavy.

 

She had never paid much attention to it. When her stomach felt uncomfortable, she thought it was probably because she was eating more than usual.

 

But the doctor spoke with a serious expression.

 

“According to His Highness the Prince, it’s estimated to be about 14 weeks, so this is natural. However, you must not leave your bed for the time being and maintain absolute rest. I apologize, but I need to examine you once more.”

 

“What?”

 

Artizea blinked her eyes.

 

Alice sat beside her and wrapped her shoulders. It was a rude action that a maid should never dare to do.

 

However, she was worried that Artizea might collapse, so she couldn’t help it.

 

Seeing Alice’s attitude and Artizea’s bewildered face, the doctor also hesitated.

 

“You are with child… Didn’t you know?”

 

“Pregnant…?”

 

Artizea felt her mind go completely blank.

 

Alice tightly gripped and embraced her shoulders. Artizea opened her mouth and then closed it again.

 

The doctor tried hard to hide his perplexed expression.

 

Artizea’s breathing became labored several times. The doctor quickly rushed over and, together with Alice, hurriedly laid her down safely among the cushions.

 

“Take deep breaths. Please calm down. This is truly a time when you must be very careful.”

 

“I’m pregnant? Isn’t there some mistake?”

 

Artizea grabbed the doctor’s arm. She applied force until her fingers turned white, but her grip was as weak as a dried branch.

 

“Your monthly cycle must have stopped, didn’t you really notice?”

 

“I didn’t know. I hardly ever had them to begin with.”

 

Artizea said while trembling.

 

Her first period had come later than others. And even after that, she had them at most once or twice a year before they stopped completely in her early thirties.

 

She had hardly ever had them regularly to begin with. She thought it was probably due to stress and didn’t think much of it.

 

“I naturally assumed I was infertile…”

 

“Not having monthly cycles doesn’t necessarily mean that. Though the probability is very low.”

 

The doctor said in a gentle voice.

 

“This baby came to you with great difficulty. Congratulations.”

 

Artizea barely heard those words.

 

She spoke in a half-dazed state. Her mind was completely blank and she couldn’t think of anything.

 

“Leave me.”

 

She barely managed to say those words.

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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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