The Villainess Lives Twice - Chapter 17

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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 17

The place where Marcus Hanson, the former butler of the Rosan family, resided was a shabby tavern tucked away in a corner of Lev Street.

He lived in a small room attached to the tavern, doing odd jobs during the day and serving customers at night.

Marcus had several children and grandchildren, but his family had been scattered for a long time.

Artizea had never met Marcus Hanson before returning to the past.

His granddaughter, Lise Hanson, had once entered as Artizea’s maid under a false identity, seeking revenge.

Lise Hanson thought she had perfectly concealed her identity.

But by that time, Artizea already had many enemies. It was a period when even hiring a maid required careful consideration.

Artizea had completed a background check on Lise and thought her ambition and temperament would suit the work she was doing.

So she had secured Marcus Hanson’s location. With her grandfather held hostage, Lise had no choice but to remain loyal to the end.

However, she never actually did anything around Marcus that would hint at connections to the Rosan Marquess family. She had never met him directly either.

But upon entering the tavern, she could immediately tell who Marcus was at a glance.

Marcus was a 78-year-old man, but he stood upright. The old-fashioned suit he wore was worn but neat, and his cuffs were white.

Even when his coworkers were flustered by the sword at Sedric’s waist and his splendid clothes, he maintained his razor-sharp composure and asked.

“What business brings such distinguished guests to a place like this?”

“Could you spare us some time, Mr. Hanson?”

“…”

Marcus fell silent for a moment. But soon he spoke to another employee.

“I’ll be back shortly.”

“A-are you alright, old man?”

“Surely they wouldn’t kill me.”

He said this and turned to leave.

Artizea followed behind him along with Sedric.

The place Marcus led them to was a courtyard behind the tavern where miscellaneous items were stored.

“It’s not a pleasant place, but as someone who does menial work in such an establishment, it’s difficult to guide you to a proper location. What business does the Duke of Evron have with someone like me?”

He recognized Sedric and asked this question.

Eighteen years ago when Marcus was driven out and fled from the Rosan Marquess family, Sedric was still a six-year-old boy.

But Sedric resembled his father, the previous Duke of Evron.

As the former head butler of the marquess family, Marcus knew the faces, personalities, and backgrounds of all high-ranking nobles.

Recognizing him was not a difficult task.

“Though I am an exiled man, the Rosan Marquess family is the master that the Hanson family has served for generations. There is nothing I can tell you.”

Marcus thought Sedric had come to dig up weaknesses of the Rosan Marquess family.

But Sedric shook his head.

“I am merely a guard.”

Sedric gestured toward Artizea.

Artizea slowly removed her hood. Her platinum hair cascaded down below her shoulders.

Even in the garbage-strewn courtyard, the sunlight shone well, making Artizea’s hair gleam brightly.

“…”

“Hello, Mr. Marcus Hanson. I am Artizea of Rosan.”

Artizea looked up at him. Marcus stared at her for a while, unable to say anything.

Resentment and indignation, longing and sorrow welled up, making waves across the wrinkled face of the old man whose body no longer moved well.

Marcus didn’t know what words he should speak first.

That daughter of Milaire?

The cause that drove his family to ruin and brought destruction to the Rosan Marquess family?

But in the end, he spoke these words with a trembling voice.

“You look just like Lord Mikhael. Young Marquess.”

Eighteen years had worn down the resentment within him. Old age had made his body too weary to unleash his indignation.

Longing brought sorrow. The emotion that remained strongest in Marcus was sorrow.

And sorrow is an emotion that wants to be acknowledged by others. A heart that wishes to be understood, recognized, and embraced.

It couldn’t be helped.

Marcus still missed the Rosan Marquess family.

The Hanson family had served the Rosan Marquess family as butlers for generations. Though not nobles, they took pride in being different from commoners.

Marcus was born in the Rosan manor, and in his childhood, he became a playmate for the marquess family’s children.

From the time he came of age, he learned his duties as Mikhael Rosan’s servant. After gaining some experience, he began butler work under his grandfather, who was the head butler.

His children were also born in the Rosan manor, as were his grandchildren.

His sons received butler training to follow in his footsteps, and his daughters became personal maids to the lady of the house and the young ladies.

How could he not miss it? As much as he thought of his family, as much as he remembered the good old days, he missed the Rosan Marquess family.

He wanted someone to accept this anguish and sorrow.

Artizea read this from Marcus’s wavering face and eyes.

It was the same emotion that had been in Lise Hanson, who had once come to kill her.

“You’re the first person to call me Young Marquess, Mr. Hanson.”

Artizea said this in a gentle voice. Marcus spoke stiffly.

“Does that woman know that you’ve come here, Young Marquess?”

“She doesn’t. If she knew, she would have prevented me from coming.”

Artizea said this and placed her hand on her chest, bowing deeply with great courtesy.

It was a respectful bow, as if she were bowing to a priest.

“I have many things to discuss with you, Mr. Hanson, but first I must apologize.”

“Do you know what your mother did?”

“Yes. My mother poisoned all the direct descendants of the Rosan Marquess family and tried to pin the blame on the Hanson family. All to make me the heir to the Rosan Marquess family.”

That poisoning incident occurred during Mikhael Rosan’s mourning period. It happened when Artizea was six months old.

When the daughter born to Milaire looked exactly like Mikhael, the Rosan Marquess family was shocked.

It couldn’t be the child of the dying Mikhael. Probably one of Mikhael’s young grandsons had fooled around with Milaire.

The eldest daughter who became the Marquess Rosan after Mikhael chose to acknowledge Artizea as her younger sister rather than hear that her son had impregnated his grandmother.

Thus Artizea became the illegitimate daughter born between the Marquess Rosan and his wife.

However, Milaire, who had lost the Emperor’s favor due to her pregnancy with Artizea, was not satisfied with this. She needed a more certain safeguard.

She used the funeral as an opportunity. She poisoned the dinner table where all the direct descendants had gathered.

Everyone knew it must have been Milaire who did it.

Marcus tried to accuse Milaire.

The collateral relatives and in-laws of the Rosan Marquess family would help. He thought all he needed was evidence and witnesses.

But his clever daughter grabbed him, trembling.

“You mustn’t fight, Father. We’ll die.”

“There is evidence.”

“What good would that do? It’s not like results would come in just a day or two. Even if Milaire’s crimes are proven, we’ll surely die in the meantime. That woman is more than capable of that.”

His daughter said through tears.

“Who would protect us? The relatives of the Rosan Marquess family? That’s impossible. They only have eyes for the inheritance they can claim.”

“Are you telling me to pretend not to know? When it’s obvious who the killer is!”

“The inheritance will go to the surviving Miss Artizea anyway. If Father succeeds in revealing the truth, do you think the young lady will be grateful? You’d be the enemy of her birth mother!”

His daughter was right.

“Father, please give up. Our family and the Rosan Marquess family are already finished.”

If there had been another surviving heir to the Rosan Marquess family, he would have fought with loyalty to the end.

But the only remaining direct descendant of the Rosan Marquess family was Artizea.

In any case, to seize control of the Rosan Marquess family, Milaire would not leave the Hanson family alone.

In the end, Marcus had his children flee before anything happened.

He told them to hide their names and forget both the Rosan Marquess family and the Hanson family. Marcus thought it was enough if his children could save their lives.

But he himself could not bring himself to abandon that name.

Though the Hanson family, which he had considered honorable, had disappeared, he was still Marcus Hanson.

‘I’m old anyway. If Milaire discovers and kills me someday, that would be fine too.’

That’s what he thought.

Milaire’s scheme was wicked but clumsy and crude. She had no useful advisors or trustworthy employees.

Marcus succeeded in hiding himself.

And something more terrifying than his daughter had anticipated occurred.

The Emperor intervened.

The Emperor had been greatly angered by Milaire’s corruption. But in the end, he couldn’t bring himself to let Milaire be executed.

Massive bribes and power covered up the truth.

The Emperor opened the doors of his bedchamber to Milaire once again. Milaire flew into the Emperor’s arms like a bird.

The search for the poisoner was left unresolved. Marcus could no longer show his face to the world.

So he had been eking out his stubborn existence by taking refuge in Lev’s Tavern like this.

“I have no intention of making excuses for what my mother did. But this apology is not being offered on my mother’s behalf.”

Marcus gazed at her intently. Artizea straightened her back and looked up at him as she spoke.

“As the last descendant of the House of Rosan, I am apologizing for failing to protect our retainer.”

“Young Marquess…”

“I’m sorry.”

She bowed her head again. Marcus’s eyes grew moist.

Unable to hold back his tears any longer, he pressed his white sleeve to his eyes.

Artizea approached and offered him a handkerchief. Marcus accepted the handkerchief.

Sedric watched the scene from a step away.

As someone who had retainers who cherished him more than family for a long time, and who wanted to protect them, his heart couldn’t help but stir.

And his heart warmed at the thought that Artizea, who had undoubtedly been isolated within the House of Rosan, seemed to have found someone who would look after her for the first time.

At that time, Bill, the butler of the House of Rosan, was telling Milaire about Sedric’s visit.

Crash!

Milaire shot up and irritably swung her hand.

A glass vase that was close to a work of art fell mercilessly to the floor and shattered.

Colored glass scattered and glittered on the rug with leopard skin still intact.

Bill didn’t mind the glass getting on his pants and quickly knelt before Milaire. Then he respectfully offered her slippers.

Milaire, who had been barefoot wearing only a thin robe over her undergarments, slipped her feet into the slippers and plopped back down on the sofa.

“Tell me again.”

“Duke of Evron asked me why I was loyal to you, madam, rather than to Miss Artizea.”

Bill interpreted what Sedric had said in his own convenient way. Milaire flew into a rage like fire.

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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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