The Villainess Lives Twice - Chapter 167

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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 167

Sedric had returned home after three days. The aftermath of this incident was significant enough to warrant such urgency.

“Where is Tia?”

Taking off his outer coat and handing it to Ansgard, Sedric asked almost out of habit.

“She hasn’t gone to bed yet.”

“That’s fortunate.”

He would have to leave the capital for a while, so he wanted to talk with her before departing.

A serious situation had occurred, and he needed to discuss it with Artizea.

Above all, this was a matter involving Cadriole.

On that day, he had been too blinded by rage to think that far. But looking back, Cadriole had withdrawn too easily for someone who had come all the way to the North.

There must have been some agreement reached between Artizea and Cadriole that night.

‘The Queen’s assassination…’

Sedric thought bitterly.

Hearing that Artizea was in the study, he headed straight there and knocked on the door.

“It’s me, Tia.”

He heard a voice from inside saying “Please come in.” Sedric opened the door.

Hailey was standing there with a pale face, extremely tense, and trembled when she heard Sedric enter.

Sedric looked at her with puzzlement. Hailey politely greeted Sedric and withdrew.

Artizea had a quietly subdued expression on her face.

Sedric thought it had been a long time since he’d seen such a face. It was the face of ‘Marquess Rosan.’

“You’ve returned?”

“I’m late. I apologize.”

“You kept sending messages. It’s natural when a matter of national importance has occurred.”

Sedric approached her.

It had been three days. He had to stay at the Imperial Palace longer than expected. He had missed her.

But there was something about Artizea that made him hesitate to reach out and embrace her.

“Do you have to go out again soon?”

“Yes. Count Gayan has sent an urgent message. He says he has arrested Lawrence.”

“I see.”

“You don’t seem surprised.”

“And Lord Sedric, you don’t seem surprised that I’m not surprised.”

That was true.

Sedric let out a light sigh. He sat at the table and pulled over the remaining cold tea to drink.

“His Majesty must have been very angry?”

“Yes. He’s probably angry enough to satisfy your expectations.”

Sedric answered briefly.

Artizea got up from her desk and came to the seat across from him.

Sedric said,

“There are many things I want to discuss with you… but I don’t have much time right now. I’ve been put in charge of the Southern Subjugation Army in place of Count Gayan.”

Artizea was surprised by this news.

“Are you going all the way down to the Southern Region?”

“Not exactly. I know nothing about the geography of the South, and I have even less experience with naval warfare. We’ll probably select and promote a general from the Southern Region within the Central Army.”

“So it’s temporary then.”

Artizea nodded. She also didn’t want Sedric to go all the way down to the Southern Region.

There was nothing good to be gained from getting more involved in this matter. She wasn’t particularly pleased about Sedric and Cadriole meeting again either.

It would be best if Cadriole achieved a moderate victory and withdrew.

But if Sedric got involved, it would become a full-scale war. Then all her plans would be ruined.

Having such thoughts made Artizea feel bitter.

This was a matter involving war. In the capital, it might be calculated in numbers – who holds military power, how many troops are consumed, how much more supplies are needed – but in the Southern Region that would become the battlefield, it couldn’t be so simple.

“…”

Sedric was also lost in thought. He was thinking about what to say first.

He had no intention of interrogating her about what had already been done. The repercussions of this incident were already showing in the results.

He could more than guess what Artizea was aiming for and why she was handling everything alone.

However, he thought they needed to talk. Not because Artizea needed his permission, but because she shouldn’t bear the responsibility for such matters alone.

Sedric no longer intended to keep his hands completely clean and righteously claim his moral superiority.

That said, he lacked the skill for conspiracies and schemes, but at the very least, he needed to know about the things being done for his sake.

This matter had probably begun when he was completely unaware and couldn’t even guess what was happening. It would be impossible to stop it now.

But he intended to ask her to avoid dangerous situations, at least for the time being.

Just then, Sedric’s eyes fell upon the box that had contained the marriage certificate and contract.

“Tia.”

“Ah.”

Artizea realized where his gaze had landed and groaned.

She stood up from her seat in confusion and organized the marriage contract that had been spread out on the desk, putting it back in the box.

“What were you discussing with Hailey?”

“I was thinking of choosing a wet nurse.”

Sedric exhaled deeply.

He had suddenly received an answer to a question he hadn’t been able to ask until now.

“Have you decided… to have the child?”

“…Yes.”

Overwhelmed by indescribable emotions, Sedric stood up from his seat and approached to embrace Artizea.

Gently at first, then tightening his arms to hold her firmly.

“Thank you.”

Artizea could feel all the emotions contained in those words.

Her throat tightened with surging emotions.

She was grateful. Even though he must have learned about her true nature by now, he still loved her.

So she wanted to respond to those feelings.

She always thought about how wonderful it would be if she were the kind of person who could do that.

Artizea briefly closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

Sedric’s scent and warmth seemed to melt her heart as they melted her body. So Artizea held her breath and pushed him away.

Before her heart could soften.

This was completely separate from the gratitude and love she felt.

“I have something to tell you about that matter.”

“Tia.”

Sedric released her, somewhat bewildered.

Artizea’s face as she looked up was quiet and pale.

“I want to revise the marriage contract.”

“Wasn’t that already void?”

“The two-year contract… we agreed to nullify that, but that doesn’t mean the inheritance contract is also void. The part we agreed to nullify wasn’t even included in the contract to begin with.”

Sedric frowned slightly.

Until now, he had never given that marriage contract any thought. It was something most nobles with titles used when marrying, so it was written as a formality.

Like Artizea, he hadn’t expected this to become a real marriage, so he had paid little attention to it.

And after proposing to make this a real marriage, he hadn’t thought this contract would ever need to be executed.

He simply hadn’t thought about whether it was valid or not. Inheritance matters could be decided through discussion between the couple.

This was even more true if there was little prospect of having more children.

“Please tell me.”

Sedric decided to listen first.

Artizea said,

“I want to pass the Rosan Marquess Estate to this child.”

“If no more children are born, that would be natural.”

“No. What I mean is, I hope to separate the inheritance of House Evron and House Rosan as originally intended in this marriage contract.”

“You mean you don’t want that child to inherit House Evron? Only inherit House Rosan?”

“Yes. I may not have any more children…”

“Tia.”

Artizea was about to list the excuses she had crafted over the past three days. But Sedric cut her off without even listening to the end.

“In conclusion, you want to make it your child alone.”

Sedric didn’t raise his voice, nor did he show intense emotion. There was no sign of forcibly suppressing anything either.

But his voice was steeped in an indescribably deep and dark emotion.

So Artizea took a deep breath. It was to avoid being drawn into that emotion.

“Yes, please do that. I want it that way.”

“That won’t do.”

Sedric said firmly.

“For your own sake, if you don’t want a child and won’t have one, that’s fine. But that’s not what this is about, is it?”

“Lord Sedric.”

“Don’t use House Rosan as an excuse. I know very well that you attach no meaning to the name Rosan.”

“Lord Sedric.”

“You mean to prevent that child from becoming my child, or more precisely, to prevent your blood from mixing with Evron’s bloodline, isn’t that right?”

“…”

The lie “no” didn’t readily slip past her lips. She realized that Sedric saw right through her thoughts.

Sedric said.

“I understand what you’re worried about. I think good teaching will suffice, but if the inborn nature is truly irredeemably bad, we can think about that when the time comes.”

“If we do it that way, there will be legitimacy issues later. This is also for my child’s sake. Not for Lord Sedric.”

Excluding the eldest child and trying to pass inheritance to a younger one creates disputes.

If Sedric were to remarry, the problem would become even greater. There would be more people supporting the Empress’s child than a dead first wife’s child.

The child wouldn’t even have a maternal family.

Artizea had advised Skyla about reclaiming legitimacy. Her own child would be no exception to this.

If one is the Emperor’s legitimate eldest son, they can only be excluded through death.

“And it’s also for the people of Evron Duchy and the Empire’s citizens. Rather than creating seeds for another dispute over succession…”

Sedric, who always listened carefully, interrupted for the second time.

“Do you realize that you’re naturally assuming I’ll have other children? And with another woman at that?”

“…”

Sedric’s black eyes blazed with anger like heated coal. Artizea felt dizzy looking at them.

Sedric said.

“The child you bear will be all of my children, and that child will inherit everything as my eldest.”

“Lord Sedric.”

“I’ll respect your wishes unconditionally on almost all matters regarding children, but I cannot compromise on this, Tia.”

“That’s impossible. I cannot make this child Evron’s heir.”

Artizea said while half gasping for breath. She turned her gaze away from Sedric. Her chest ached with anguish.

“Why is that impossible? Because you were one of the causes that drove Evron to ruin?”

Artizea looked back at Sedric with wide eyes in shock.

Sedric looked at her with a pained expression.

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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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