The Villainess Lives Twice - Chapter 151

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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 151

 

As soon as the servant delivered the news, the door opened.

 

Cedric entered very quietly. He was accompanied by only one adjutant and had no servants with him.

 

He didn’t make any noise upon entering. Yet all the guests in the salon turned to look in his direction.

 

He had that much presence.

 

Duke Loigar’s face hardened. He thought Cedric had come rushing over in anger.

 

Politics is conducted through justification.

 

Cedric had no justification to condemn him. With Archbishop Akim’s death, the evidence that could implicate Duke Loigar in treason had disappeared.

 

However, if what Cedric wanted was not politics but revenge, there wasn’t much that could be done about it.

 

Because emotions require neither evidence nor justification.

 

Cedric removed his cloak and unbuckled his sword at the salon entrance. Then he handed them to a servant and entered inside.

 

Duke Loigar deliberately brightened his expression.

 

“What brings you here, Cedric? I thought you didn’t frequent places like salons.”

 

His attitude was as if he knew nothing about the interrogation held at the Imperial Palace today.

 

Duke Loigar was indeed determined to officially pretend ignorance.

 

He tried to smile. However, it wasn’t easy to do so.

 

Even though he had done nothing wrong, he found himself intimidated as Cedric slowly approached.

 

In the end, humans are animals too.

 

As his hostile opponent closed the physical distance and faced him, he couldn’t help but instinctively become aware of their physical differences.

 

Contrary to the brief and baseless imagination that flashed through Duke Loigar’s mind, Cedric did not contort his face.

 

Instead, he spoke with a calm attitude.

 

“I came because I have something to tell you.”

 

“Is that so? Then shall we go to a quiet private room? It’s a sudden visit, but I’m sure my brother-in-law can show that much consideration.”

 

Duke Loigar said with relief that didn’t show outwardly.

 

It seemed he hadn’t come to fight.

 

“No. It’s late, and this won’t take very long.”

 

“Then would you like something to drink? We just opened an excellent sparkling wine. I was actually planning to congratulate you on having an heir, so this works out well.”

 

Cedric seemed to think for a moment, then accepted the glass Duke Loigar offered.

 

“Then I’ll gratefully accept your sentiment.”

 

“Yes. It’s only right to celebrate. Even if we postpone the celebration banquet since your wife isn’t feeling well right now, it’s still joyous news, isn’t it? Now it truly feels like the House of Evron has returned to its proper place.”

 

Duke Loigar raised his glass.

 

Cedric didn’t decline and emptied his glass as offered.

 

Then he signaled to his adjutant. The adjutant respectfully presented an ebony box he had been carrying under his arm.

 

“Since you’re congratulating me like this, I think I can even use the excuse that what I brought is a return gift.”

 

“What is it?”

 

Duke Loigar asked in bewilderment.

 

Cedric’s attitude was different from any scenario he had been thinking of, so he didn’t know how to respond.

 

He glanced at Countess Camellia. He wanted to know her thoughts. But Countess Camellia also just had a flustered expression.

 

Cedric personally opened the box lid.

 

Inside was a pair of dueling pistols. The two single-shot guns, made to be perfectly identical, were elegant and beautiful, looking like works of art.

 

Since they were from Cedric’s collection, their performance would be certain as well.

 

“Cedric.”

 

Duke Loigar called Cedric’s name in a frozen voice.

 

He couldn’t have given this as an actual gift. Since it wasn’t a gift, it was a challenge to a duel.

 

Cedric closed the lid again and offered it to Duke Loigar’s servant. The servant hesitated and looked at Duke Loigar.

 

Duke Loigar couldn’t bring himself to order him to accept it.

 

Cedric spoke to Duke Loigar.

 

“I dislike bloodshed in places other than battlefields, Uncle. There’s no need for you to look so frightened.”

 

“Hmph.”

 

Only after hearing those words did Duke Loigar realize he had turned pale. He took a deep breath and tried to compose his expression as if nothing was wrong.

 

However, his blocked breath didn’t clear all at once. Duke Loigar made a sound as if his throat was being choked.

 

“Uncle.”

 

Cedric spoke in a quiet voice.

 

“Since you love Aunt and my cousins so much, I think you’ll understand my feelings.”

 

“…Cedric.”

 

“You said before that we’re the closest blood relatives, after all.”

 

Duke Loigar looked at Cedric, not understanding what he was trying to say.

 

“Though neither you nor I have ever lived like family, and we’ve each been too busy just taking care of our own lives and reputations. In life, there are far more things that don’t go as planned.”

 

“What are you trying to say?”

 

“I want to say that we should fulfill our responsibilities to each other, even if it’s late.”

 

Cedric said.

 

“I mean that I’ll take care of Aunt and my cousins if anything happens. And if anything happens to me, I hope you’ll take care of my wife and child as well.”

 

Duke Loigar’s mind became tangled.

 

The words sounded reasonable, but there was no way they could truly have such a family relationship.

 

They were of imperial blood, and power is a zero-sum game.

 

By attacking Artizea first, Duke Loigar himself had made the option of receiving Cedric’s support more distant.

 

Moreover, since Cedric had responded with treason charges, the rift between them was deeper than ever.

 

In Duke Loigar’s mind, thoughts about the Marquess Luden, Marquess Rosan, Lawrence, and the Empress swirled chaotically.

 

Cedric was not a sophist. However, he couldn’t take those words at face value. Especially when they were said after presenting dueling pistols first.

 

“Don’t think too complicated, Uncle. You know what I want to talk about, and you also know that you can trust me.”

 

Cedric said that.

 

Under the pressure, the servant finally accepted the pistol box.

 

Then Cedric lightly bowed his head to Duke Loigar and left.

 

Countess Camellia hurriedly approached Duke Loigar’s side.

 

“Your Highness.”

 

“It’s the first time I’ve heard the words ‘you can trust me’ sound so chilling.”

 

Duke Loigar opened the pistol box again.

 

It wasn’t that he didn’t understand Cedric’s words. Probably the real meaning he wanted to convey was that if he touched his wife again, these pistols would be put to use.

 

However, unlike his own wife who was completely powerless politically, Artizea was someone who absolutely could not be left alone.

 

Duke Loigar closed the box lid again. Anger rose at the fact that his fingertips were trembling slightly.

 

Until now, except for the Emperor, there had been no opponent who had intimidated him so much.

 

* * *

 

Cedric returned home well past midnight.

 

Lights were brightly lit around the walls of the Evron Ducal Residence. It was for security.

 

However, once inside the walls, the main building was quiet and still.

 

Ansgard greeted Cedric.

 

“You’re late. Have you eaten?”

 

“Something simple during the meeting. How is Tia?”

 

“She’s sleeping.”

 

“Did she eat lunch and dinner properly?”

 

“Yes. She seemed to feel much better after her bath.”

 

“That’s a relief.”

 

Cedric let out a sigh.

 

He’d think about tomorrow’s matters tomorrow.

 

He did feel frustrated because of Archbishop Akim’s problem.

 

News of someone’s death was never pleasant to hear. Especially if it was an assassination.

 

He would never get used to it.

 

But he had to accept it. The world he would have to live in from now on was a world where such conspiracies ran rampant.

 

He knew all too well now that even if he tried to run away, there was nowhere to hide.

 

After briefly washing his body with cold water, he went to his bedroom, then turned his steps away from it.

 

In front of Artizea’s room, Alphonse stood as usual. Next to him, a long chair was placed where Marcus was dozing off.

 

It was in case Artizea’s condition became uncomfortable. Ansgard had also stationed a doctor and nurse in the adjacent room.

 

Cedric said to Alphonse.

 

“Nothing unusual?”

 

“Nothing.”

 

“Thank you for your hard work.”

 

Alphonse bowed his head.

 

The knights who had followed as Cedric’s escort stood beside Alphonse.

 

Cedric carefully opened the door without making a sound.

 

Only thin curtains were drawn over the windows. Moonlight mixed with the light from torches set up on the wall seeped into the bedroom.

 

Cedric approached the bedside. Artizea’s eyelids moved.

 

Her breathing also changed subtly. She seemed to have awakened.

 

He sat on the bed and waited for a moment.

 

Artizea seemed like she didn’t want to wake up from sleep. Or perhaps she was awake but pretending not to know.

 

Cedric slowly placed his hand on her head. Her hair, which sparkled even in the dim light, flowed between his fingers.

 

“…”

 

Cedric opened his mouth, then closed it again.

 

If Artizea was sleeping, he would wake her up. If she wasn’t sleeping but didn’t want to open her eyes, forcing conversation would add more weight to her heart.

 

Both possibilities worried him.

 

It must have been a long day for Artizea. She had just barely settled into peaceful sleep, and he didn’t want to wake her with unnecessary words.

 

Instead, he crawled into the space next to Artizea.

 

And he embraced her from behind.

 

Artizea’s body stiffened with a start. She hadn’t been sleeping after all.

 

“It’s okay.”

 

Cedric whispered softly in her ear.

 

Her body wasn’t as cold as when he first held her. But her tension was exactly the same as then. Even though they had formed a marital bond, it seemed they had returned to that moment after all.

 

“It’s okay.”

 

He said again in a low voice.

 

And he gently took Artizea’s hand as if covering it and pressed his lips to her head.

 

Artizea seemed to tense up for a moment. But she couldn’t stay that way for long.

 

The inside of the blanket quickly became warm.

 

Artizea felt tears threatening to come again and tried hard to hold them back.

 

This time there really was no reason. Truly, she wasn’t thinking about anything in particular, and there was absolutely no reason for it, yet it felt like the organs inside her body from her chest to her stomach were churning on their own.

 

As if noticing this, Cedric’s hand gently covered her eyes.

 

Her heart pounded loudly. Cedric’s heartbeat was much stronger than hers.

 

So, as if buried in that sound, Artizea quickly forgot herself.

 

And soon she fell asleep.

 

Cedric felt the strength leave Artizea’s body and pulled her closer into his embrace.

 

He prayed that at least this night would be peaceful for 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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