The Villainess Lives Twice - Chapter 160

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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 160

 

“Yes. I have absolutely no interest.”

 

Artizea replied to Ean’s question.

 

“Even if the young marquess succeeds in obtaining the Camellia marquessate, I don’t think he’ll be able to fully claim the interests that the current marquessate holds anyway.”

 

Ean actually understood her honest answer.

 

“Then, are you planning to obtain what you want in the process?”

 

Artizea smiled again.

 

His mind seemed reasonably good. But his vision was still narrow.

 

Ean seemed unable to include anything beyond what could be directly obtained within the scope of profit.

 

“I have no intention of seizing and shaking the Camellia marquessate like Marquess Luden did. There’s no need for that either.”

 

“Then the Luden marquessate…”

 

Ean closed his mouth mid-sentence. Then he fell deep into thought.

 

Showing himself lost in thought like that wasn’t wise. It was something the Camellia marquess shouldn’t do.

 

Of course, from Artizea’s perspective, whether he could live befitting a Camellia marquess in the future wasn’t important.

 

The success or failure of what she planned to do using Ean wasn’t a serious matter either.

 

It was just one trap among the net targeting Countess Camellia anyway. Even if it failed, there would be no loss.

 

Ean soon seemed to make up his mind and asked.

 

“What do you want from me?”

 

“That’s a much better question.”

 

Artizea said.

 

“File an inheritance lawsuit. I will support you with everything necessary. Not only the costs needed for the lawsuit, but I intend to provide all support so you can live befitting a noble during that time. I’m speaking of sufficient protection as well.”

 

Ean frowned slightly. He couldn’t quite understand how that could be Artizea’s purpose.

 

“I know it’s no secret that my mother and uncles were either killed or fled far away, pushed out by the current marquess couple. Can I really shake the marquessate to that extent now?”

 

“You don’t think you’ll succeed.”

 

“It’s been over twenty years since my youngest uncle inherited the title. Even if the inheritance lawsuit achieves great success, at most it would only result in obtaining part of the fortune…”

 

“That would still be more than enough for you, young marquess.”

 

“I can’t risk my life in exchange for fortune.”

 

“You can’t obtain even fortune without taking risks.”

 

Artizea said.

 

“And if Duke Loigar fails to ascend to the emperor’s throne, then the very fact that you filed an inheritance lawsuit will gain meaning.”

 

The courts of the Cratese Empire were by no means strict and fair judicial institutions.

 

Judges usually ruled from the perspective of high nobility. The stronger force, higher status, and wealthier party was always closer to victory.

 

Now they dealt with the emperor’s law, but in the early days, it was an institution that mediated agreements between nobles, so it was natural if you thought about it.

 

Therefore, those rulings weren’t eternal either.

 

Ean looked surprised at Artizea’s words. Then his eyes soon lit up.

 

“If Duke Loigar fails to become emperor and falls, both the Luden marquessate and Camellia marquessate would be purged together.”

 

Purges also needed reasons.

 

They could create appropriate political reasons for elimination. However, if reasons already existed, the burden would be reduced.

 

If those were corruption or evil deeds, it would be even better.

 

Marquess Luden’s actions of harming and driving away the legitimate heirs to seize the Camellia marquessate could be treated as personal evil deeds.

 

When purges were decided upon, having a legitimate heir already asserting his rights would undoubtedly make execution easier.

 

This was a good justification to present to other nobles.

 

Nobles were sensitive about eliminating noble houses. They considered it the emperor’s oppression of noble forces.

 

However, they regarded changes of ownership as other families’ affairs and didn’t care much.

 

Moreover, Ean was the legitimate eldest grandson.

 

He thought Artizea was a noble on Lawrence’s side.

 

Having lived as a commoner in a distant province, he lacked both the information and analytical ability to grasp more than that, and the intuition to leap through logic and reach the truth.

 

And thinking it was Lawrence’s scheme made everything fit well.

 

Bring dishonor to the Camellia marquessate. If that shook the Camellia marquessate, good.

 

Even if not, it would create an excuse for future purges around Duke Loigar.

 

Since Ean would bear the risk, it posed no burden whatsoever to this noble lady and her master.

 

Ean thought now was the time to bet.

 

“The saying that one must bear risks to obtain great things applies to you as well, doesn’t it, madam?”

 

“Hmm.”

 

“There’s no guarantee that Duke Loigar will fall, is there? Rather, if he becomes emperor, I’ll only become more dangerous.”

 

“…”

 

“Above all, if someone like me, who has lived as a commoner in the east until now, files an inheritance lawsuit, wouldn’t they naturally think there’s someone behind it?”

 

Artizea hid her smile.

 

In short, it seemed he meant to be properly included in a faction for protection. She also slightly sensed the meaning that he might reveal the existence of his backer otherwise.

 

“Young marquess, you are like a thorn that the Camellia marquessate left behind because it was too troublesome to pluck out. Since you couldn’t betray them anyway, I’m not particularly worried.”

 

“…”

 

“If Duke Loigar hears about the backer from you, would he acknowledge that merit and even give you a reward?”

 

“But madam.”

 

Ean called her tensely and anxiously. He felt like he might not even get what was initially promised if he said the wrong thing.

 

Artizea knew his anxiety as clearly as looking at her palm.

 

Not bad.

 

He had great ambition but no gambler’s temperament. He seemed fairly intelligent, but not exceptionally brilliant beyond the ordinary level.

 

He hadn’t been thoroughly educated and trained as high nobility from an early age like Skyla.

 

In other words, he was merely an ordinary person.

 

If made into a marquess without strangely touching his pride and twisting him, he would be easy to handle.

 

‘His appearance isn’t bad either, considering the harsh life he’s lived.’

 

Artizea thought for a moment. A new plan came to mind.

 

What reason would there be for the Rosan marquessate not to do what the Luden marquessate had done?

 

Of course, its form would be completely different from what Ean was thinking.

 

Just as when the Luden marquessate was involved in the Camellia marquessate’s title succession, the subject of the master-servant contract was not the Camellia marquess but the countess.

 

Anyway, it was for later. For now, it was just a passing thought.

 

Artizea answered Ean with a deliberately darkened expression.

 

“That person dislikes those who have no power yet try to obtain something with uncertain future compensation as collateral.”

 

“Madam…”

 

“However, from my position, failing to complete the task that person commanded would be very troublesome. I’ll pretend I didn’t hear it.”

 

Ean breathed a sigh of relief.

 

“Thank you, madam.”

 

“Then will you accept my proposal, young marquess?”

 

“I’ll think about it. To your master, I may be nothing, but my life is precious to me.”

 

“Yes. Think it over thoroughly.”

 

Artizea said nothing more beyond that.

 

Ean stood up, unable to hide his anxiety. He realized there was no possibility of better conditions being offered or information being given from their side if he held out longer.

 

Subordinates entered and led away Ean, whose eyes were covered again.

 

Artizea ordered the withdrawal of even the eyes that had been secretly watching. She said not to protect him even if something happened.

 

Ean needed to know that once he accepted the proposal and decided to come to their side, there was no going back to how things were.

 

Freil asked.

 

“Have you decided?”

 

“Decided?”

 

“Yes. I was asking if you’ve chosen Ean as the Camellia marquess. You’ve refused even though Lady Skyla has come to meet you three times already.”

 

“It could look that way. It would be even better if Skyla thinks so too.”

 

“Lady Skyla hasn’t yet decided her loyalty to Your Highness. If she thinks she can’t receive Your Highness’s trust, she’ll completely go over to Duke Loigar’s side.”

 

And in Freil’s judgment, the only advantage Ean had over Skyla was being mediocre.

 

That could be important though. It would be that much more reassuring.

 

If the intention wasn’t to draw the Camellia marquessate in as a force but to reduce variables, it was understandable.

 

Artizea smiled gently.

 

“Skyla’s position is somewhat ambiguous. Even if she follows Countess Camellia completely and shows absolute loyalty to Duke Loigar as things stand now, there’s no guarantee that Skyla will be able to fully exercise her rights as Count Camellia.”

 

“But at the very least, she should be able to receive the inheritance itself stably. She would inherit all the wealth and interests that the Camellia Marquess family currently possesses, and since she would become Count Camellia herself, wouldn’t her political standing be more stable than the current Countess?”

 

Freil countered.

 

“If Her Highness makes the inheritance of the title difficult, there’s also the concern that she might turn into an enemy.”

 

“Hasn’t she already come to visit three times? It’s fine.”

 

“Your Highness.”

 

“She knows very well who is in the more desperate position. She’ll make a fourth visit soon.”

 

Artizea spoke leisurely, as if she had already made some kind of promise with Skyla.

 

“As long as what she can gain by siding with Duke Loigar is limited, Skyla has no choice but to consider various options.”

 

“Lady Skyla does have an active personality.”

 

“That’s right. And as I’ve said before, Sir Freil, what moves people more than anything else is the heart.”

 

No matter how rational a person may seem, their judgment is ultimately influenced by emotions.

 

Decisions are even more so than judgments.

 

Countless people act ‘because they want to’ and decide ‘because they cannot help but do so.’

 

Skyla harbors resentment toward the Luden Marquess family’s treatment of Countess Camellia.

 

And she also has feelings of resentment toward Countess Camellia herself for meekly accepting it.

 

That will twist Skyla’s judgment. All the more so because she respects and loves her mother.

 

And just as Artizea had said, Skyla visited the next afternoon.

 

* * *

 

Up until her third visit, Skyla had been in a relaxed mood even when rejected. It was natural that Artizea, who had experienced great hardship while pregnant, could not easily meet with people.

 

However, for her fourth visit, she couldn’t maintain that level of composure. She also failed to follow the rule of secretly visiting through the back door via Alice.

 

Countess Camellia’s information network had already caught wind that Ean had entered the capital.

 

When news came that Ean had disappeared from where he had been living, Countess Camellia hadn’t been overly concerned.

 

However, if he had come to the capital, that was a different matter entirely.

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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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