The Villainess Lives Twice - Chapter 161

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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 161

 

Scayla could not understand Countess Camellia.

 

“Anyway, Ean Camellia can’t do anything. At most, he’ll just cause some commotion.”

 

“I know that too. What I’m worried about is your grandfather finding out.”

 

“Are you afraid he’ll scold you for not being able to handle even that much?”

 

“That’s not it. Well, in some sense, it is.”

 

Countess Camellia sighed.

 

“Your grandfather wanted all the Camellia family members who fled back then to be dealt with. But your father begged to at least spare their lives.”

 

“Father would have done that.”

 

Scayla’s father, Count Camellia, was rather weak-hearted.

 

When Marquess Luden proposed marriage to his daughter with the title succession at stake, he already knew that bad things would happen to his brothers and sisters.

 

However, the family members didn’t just get driven out due to scandals—many of them died in accidents. When unbearable misfortunes continued one after another, he became frightened.

 

Count Camellia used to say like a habit that he didn’t know it would go that far.

 

Although he had some greed and resentment toward his siblings who had mistreated him and his mother, he fundamentally wasn’t the type of person who could harm people to that extent.

 

“How could I turn away from your father’s tears? I thought it wouldn’t cause much harm even if we let them live.”

 

“So mother said you would take responsibility.”

 

“Yes. The children were so young too… They’ve lived quietly until now, so I thought they wouldn’t have other ideas in the future. I did become lax in watching over them as time passed. Anyway, since this has happened, it will be difficult to avoid responsibility.”

 

That wasn’t the appearance of someone afraid of being scolded by their father, but of someone afraid of falling out of favor with their superior.

 

So Scayla couldn’t stay still either.

 

Now Scayla couldn’t wait until Artizea would meet with her.

 

She thought this too was something Artizea had done.

 

It might be a signal. That if she tried to walk the tightrope any longer, the Camellia Marquess family might be excluded entirely.

 

This might be the last opportunity.

 

Scayla was different from Amelie or Gayan, who had become key figures in the imperial government through their abilities. She couldn’t hope to be greatly useful later.

 

The Camellia Marquess family was a force in itself. Forces engage in politics through alliances and divisions. They were even part of a clearly hostile faction.

 

If she wanted to properly switch sides, she had to do it right now.

 

If she wasted more time and became useless, Artizea would not accept her.

 

“The lady is not receiving guests.”

 

The butler said this with a troubled attitude, but Scayla stubbornly insisted.

 

“I’m Her Highness’s friend.”

 

That was merely a nominal story. However, this time it became a good excuse for Scayla.

 

“If she were unwell, I would understand, but I heard she has already recovered.”

 

“But…”

 

“If it’s difficult to meet right now, I’ll wait.”

 

She sat on the drawing room sofa and opened the book she had brought.

 

She didn’t really intend to read the book. It was closer to a declaration of intent that she wouldn’t back down obediently.

 

The butler looked troubled, but eventually said he understood and went to inform Artizea of this fact.

 

Scayla waited for more than two hours. She thought either Artizea herself or her maid would be watching her.

 

Around the time she had nearly emptied one teapot, Artizea came out.

 

Artizea was wearing comfortable clothes tied lightly with a wide ribbon only below her chest.

 

Scayla looked at her with an awkward feeling. She knew about the pregnancy, but seeing her wearing maternity clothes like this felt strange.

 

Scayla didn’t even have a fiancé yet.

 

Artizea slowly approached the table. Scayla came to her senses and politely greeted her.

 

“I’m glad to see you looking well.”

 

“You look the same as always too. It’s good to see you.”

 

Artizea returned the greeting and sat down. Scayla held out a small gift box and said,

 

“Congratulations on your pregnancy. I already sent a letter, but I thought it was proper to greet you in person.”

 

Artizea didn’t respond. Being congratulated on her pregnancy was still something she found difficult to handle properly.

 

Even knowing the other person was just being polite, it was still the same.

 

Scayla interpreted Artizea’s silence as rejection and became anxious.

 

So she stood up from her seat and bowed her head respectfully.

 

“You must think this is shameless, but I came to apologize on behalf of my mother for the sin she committed against Your Highness.”

 

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

 

Artizea looked up at her with an expressionless face.

 

“Did something happen?”

 

Nothing had. Officially.

 

Scayla bit her lower lip.

 

After all, in politics there are no eternal enemies or allies.

 

Scayla didn’t think Artizea would fail to recognize her usefulness just because her mother had attempted assassination on behalf of Duke Loigar.

 

Not meeting with her was probably because she was pregnant.

 

But still, she couldn’t help being anxious.

 

“I know well that Your Highness is not someone who gets swept away by anger. I’m asking for forgiveness, and I’m prepared to pay the corresponding price.”

 

“Well… I really don’t know what you’re talking about…”

 

Artizea trailed off while looking at the gift box Scayla had brought.

 

She had no intention of pretending to be angry. She could tell that Scayla had decided to switch sides.

 

Was it because of Ean?

 

She had deliberately exposed information hoping that Countess Camellia or Scayla would react.

 

However, it was strange to suddenly change her mind completely and submit like this.

 

Artizea had thought she would be more calculating, considering various things more before trying to negotiate.

 

Scayla bowed her head again.

 

“Sit down, Scayla. Don’t make me look up at you.”

 

“I’m sorry.”

 

Scayla sat down again.

 

“I think there’s no hope for my uncle.”

 

Her decision to completely turn around wasn’t only because of Ean. Her conviction that Duke Loigar would be defeated came first.

 

Duke Loigar, after discussing with his retainers, decided to bow his head and stay quiet for the time being.

 

If the Emperor had decided to lavish favor on his child, it would be difficult to touch him for now. The fact that they didn’t know what he had learned from Archbishop Akim was also a major reason.

 

Soon, the result was the same as what Artizea had deduced.

 

However, they understood the reason in completely the opposite way.

 

“No matter how bad the situation has become, a child is still a child. From His Majesty’s perspective, how pitiful must a child who lost his mother be?”

 

It was difficult to prevent that.

 

Instead, Duke Loigar decided to plant his people in the army going south.

 

It was to watch and attack if they saw even the slightest problematic element.

 

Lawrence could be easily brought down if they caught even the smallest flaw.

 

And if they could just bring Lawrence down, the neutral forces would naturally gather around him.

 

That was legitimacy protected by custom and law. Duke Loigar wasn’t greatly worried.

 

However, he was concerned about Cedric’s movements.

 

There was a big difference between having the support of an imperial family member who similarly had succession rights by custom and law, and not having it.

 

Duke Loigar said worriedly,

 

“Of course Cedric must have been greatly disappointed this time, but you never know, right? His Majesty is also caring for Cedric, and he’s the Prince’s Consort’s only brother.”

 

“I don’t know about Duke of Evron, but Lawrence will absolutely never join hands with Duke of Evron.”

 

Marquess Luden dismissed Duke Loigar’s concern.

 

“Have you forgotten that Duke of Evron assaulted Lawrence on the day the Prince’s Consort collapsed?”

 

“I heard about it. It wasn’t serious enough to call it assault, was it?”

 

“Even so, you can’t deny that Lawrence was humiliated. With that pride of his, would he complain when His Majesty has decided on full support?”

 

“Well, that’s true too.”

 

Only then did Duke Loigar laugh heartily.

 

“That Cedric isn’t some wild boar either. He always acts so rough.”

 

His attitude of feigning leisure clearly showed signs of trying to psychologically compensate for feeling intimidated.

 

Marquess Luden said that if Lawrence had intended to endure, he would have started by visiting Artizea when she was ill.

 

“Lawrence won’t endure even if you dangle tomorrow’s profit right in front of his eyes, let alone any grand cause.”

 

Countess Camellia did not refute that opinion at the meeting. However, she later spoke completely differently to Skyla.

 

“Father and Duke Loigar are both thinking wrongly. The Duke of Evron made no political considerations? That can’t be right.”

 

Countess Camellia said this while chewing on her lower lip.

 

“It may look like reckless behavior, but that incident put strong pressure on both Duke Loigar and Lawrence. We can’t deny that.”

 

Even after such actions, Cedric paid no price at all. That itself was tremendous.

 

Rather, he became Minister of Internal Affairs.

 

Whatever anyone might say, the fact remained that Cedric had instantly secured the most important position in central politics.

 

Just because internal affairs was less conspicuous compared to foreign affairs or military matters didn’t mean it wasn’t important.

 

Cedric already had sufficient military reputation. This was an opportunity for him to gain the experience he lacked and expand his influence among the bureaucrats.

 

“Father’s limitation is that he can’t think of the Duke of Evron himself as a potential competitor. He’s gotten old.”

 

“If it’s that dangerous, why didn’t you tell Great-grandfather and Uncle about it?”

 

Countess Camellia couldn’t answer Skyla’s question.

 

It was because she thought it wouldn’t get through to them even if she spoke.

 

Duke Loigar, frightened, was maintaining his pride by consciously belittling Cedric.

 

Marquess Luden’s thinking was still fixed on the political structure from when he was young.

 

Countess Camellia thought Marquess Luden had grown old.

 

His wits hadn’t dulled, but now he didn’t know how to view the world objectively and grasp the facts.

 

Skyla thought exactly the same as Countess Camellia.

 

Despite evaluating the Duke of Evron so highly, the reason she couldn’t think of switching sides was because Countess Camellia had grown old.

 

‘After being so faithful as a daughter and subordinate for over 20 years, Great-grandfather only thinks of squeezing Mother instead of acknowledging her.’

 

If he thought of her even a little as his daughter, he should have understood her inability to refuse her husband’s plea to at least spare their nephews’ lives.

 

Conversely, if he regarded her as a subordinate rather than a daughter, he should have paid for the loyalty and service of the past 20-odd years.

 

Marquess Luden did neither.

 

If Mother’s birth was dirty, it was Great-grandfather Marquess Luden who created that dirty situation. This was unfair.

 

‘I have to do something about this myself.’

 

Skyla couldn’t help but think this way.

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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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