The Villainess Lives Twice - Chapter 170

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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 170

Artizea hesitated. She was worried about what exactly might be wrong.

Hailey said.

“She has such a healthy constitution, so don’t worry. She doesn’t have a fever either, she just seems a bit tired.”

“I see.”

“Lisia has been quite busy with one thing and another. She’s probably not used to life in the capital either.”

That was really true.

In the past, Lisia had never been able to adapt well to life in the capital.

Unlike then, now she was less exposed to others’ eyes, and wasn’t being pressured by rumors, strict court life, or an environment surrounded by enemies.

However, this environment itself fundamentally wouldn’t suit her free-spirited nature.

“I told her to go see the doctor. Please don’t worry too much.”

“Alright.”

“Speaking of health, honestly Your Highness should be a hundred times more careful.”

Artizea smiled bitterly.

“You never know what might happen to a person.”

Having seen Lisia withering away and dying, how could she not be concerned?

Moreover, Cedric’s memories had returned too. There was no law saying Lisia wouldn’t be the same.

Even if they hadn’t returned now, they might return in the future.

Even that painful mental illness might return.

Artizea feared that.

‘Please, even if everyone’s memories return, let it not be Lisia’s.’

For Lisia’s own sake too.

To say that the relationship between Cedric and Lisia didn’t bother her at all now would be a lie.

But she had decided to believe Cedric’s words.

Cedric had said that before and after, the only one he wanted as a wife was Artizea.

She had decided to believe those words.

There would have been various reasons for the engagement with Lisia. To protect her, to make it easier for Lisia to draw support from the House of Evron in her activities, to prevent the temple from treating her carelessly…

Reason provided various answers.

But that didn’t resolve things deep in her heart. The guilt still remained painfully.

However, Artizea thought she would do her best while she was alive.

She would do her best to believe, and try with all her might to believe that she had been forgiven.

“The child is not yours.”

Cedric had also said that last night.

Artizea trembled as if struck by lightning. Because she realized then that she had been trying to control the child as if it were natural.

Wasn’t she trying to do exactly the same thing as Milaire, in the end?

Artizea became frightened by the fact that she had almost done so even before giving birth.

Artizea decided to think nothing at all until he returned, as Cedric had commanded.

She didn’t know if she could do it well, but she would try her best.

So that she could think nothing at all until then.

25.

Crack!

The teacup that hit Lawrence’s head shattered.

Red tea flowed down, soaking Lawrence’s head and face.

He had been arrested by Gayan at the Southern Subjugation Army’s camp and dragged here, then summoned before the Emperor. The tea flowed down over his dust-covered cheeks, creating dirty stains.

“How can you be so foolish!”

“It wasn’t something I did.”

“Would I not have given you everything I should have given you! This couldn’t have happened unless you ignored me and harbored treasonous thoughts!”

“It wasn’t something I did, Father!”

Lawrence was truly wronged.

It was true that he had sent Viscount Hoden to the south. It was also true that he had tried to win the Empress’s favor by bringing down Duke Riagan.

However, he knew nothing at all about Queen Eimel.

Even regarding the plan to bring down Duke Riagan, there had only been a general direction, never any specific plan.

Even Viscount Hoden had gone all the way down south but failed to obtain any useful information.

This was because at that point, Artizea had evacuated or hidden most people connected to the late Duke and Duchess of Riagan, and invited the Empress’s old friends to the birthday celebration.

However, while he could guess that now, it was something he had no idea about at the time.

Viscount Hoden had been severely reprimanded for his incompetence.

Lawrence said with a frustrated heart.

“Don’t I have no reason to order Queen Eimel’s assassination? It’s true that I was thinking of plotting something against House Riagan. But.”

Thwack!

This time a teaspoon struck Lawrence’s forehead.

Lawrence wiped his forehead once with his hand. He felt an unbearably intense sense of humiliation.

However, his opponent was the Emperor.

Lawrence couldn’t say anything, struggling to contain the resentment rising in his chest.

“Do you think that’s something that can be forgiven?”

“Father.”

“Duke Riagan is someone I personally chose and placed in that position. He swore loyalty to me.”

“He was not faithful.”

“I am the one who can punish that disloyalty. Not you!”

The Emperor’s face flushed bright red with anger.

“He has been my subject for twenty years! He is Duke Riagan, and a meritorious retainer! Who are you to dare bring down a duke!”

“Then what should I have done? Wasn’t winning the Empress’s favor something you also supported, Father?”

The Emperor jumped up, then sat down trembling. His blood pressure had shot up and his vision became dizzy.

“Your Majesty!”

The chamberlain rushed over to support him.

The Emperor squeezed his eyes shut once and opened them.

He tried to calm his mind. Then his chest became stuffy.

The chamberlain placed a water cup in his hands.

The Emperor gulped down the water.

“Are you that foolish? When you should be wise and even more wise in your conduct, you try to solve things so simplistically?”

“…”

“Say you had found some fault and brought down Duke Riagan. Do you think the Empress would have been grateful enough for that to adopt you as her son? Did the Empress seem like such an easy person to you?”

“…”

“Why can’t you show a vision for the future? You’re trying to become someone who governs a nation. What is the most important thing?”

The Emperor spoke as if pouring out words.

“That was also what you could most certainly promise, and it was also the promise you could most easily break.”

The Emperor spoke in past tense.

“Fulfilling what someone wants right now and winning their favor in return – how is that different from what a merchant does?”

“Father.”

“That’s not something you should do, but something your subordinates should do. Don’t you even have someone to handle such things for you!”

The Emperor raised his voice again.

The chamberlain hastily tried to calm him.

“Your Majesty, please calm your anger. Your health is not good.”

“Huu.”

The Emperor let out a long sigh.

This time, strength drained from his arms and legs. He slumped into his chair.

Unbearable fatigue washed over him.

He had been holding meetings and receiving reports non-stop for nearly the past two weeks. However, the Emperor didn’t yet feel any difficulty in conducting state affairs.

So this was mental fatigue rather than physical exhaustion.

“Anyway, you need to withdraw from state affairs now.”

“Emperor! I didn’t do anything!”

“I know that too. It doesn’t seem like Viscount Hoden actually went to the south and did something, and I also know that when you look at the composition of the entourage you sent with Viscount Hoden, you arranged for mutual surveillance.”

“Yes.”

“But it’s certain that when Viscount Hoden went down to the south, some instructions were given to that woman called Countess Lexen.”

The Emperor picked up one of the documents on his desk.

It was a report that thoroughly investigated the activities of Viscount Hoden and his entourage.

There were no suspicious points found regarding Viscount Hoden or his important attendants.

However, several of their servants were missing.

One was a groom, another was a simple laborer.

Each had quit their jobs for various reasons. No one would have thought it strange, but looking into it now, even their families had completely disappeared.

Someone among them must have contacted Countess Lexen.

Right now, Viscount Hoden and most of his entourage were detained to be held accountable for this.

“This is your responsibility.”

“Didn’t you just say that you know I didn’t do it?”

“Responsibility is taken for results. How old are you that I have to teach you such basic things?”

The Emperor said with exasperation.

“Even if you fell into a conspiracy, this incident is your responsibility. Failing to properly control your subordinates is also your responsibility.”

“Emperor!”

“Silence! Go back and confine yourself! You might even have to take responsibility for the war at this rate!”

Lawrence shut his mouth tight.

His fists trembled. He felt wronged and angry.

“What do you plan to do about the Southern Subjugation Army?”

“That’s no longer your concern.”

The Emperor said coldly. Then he pressed his forehead and let out a long sigh.

The Chamberlain rolled his eyes and gave Lawrence a hint. Not to provoke the Emperor’s wrath any further.

Lawrence turned around with large strides. It was a rude attitude.

He was that angry, but also because he realized there was no point in flattering the Emperor anymore.

As he came out of the Emperor’s Office, Gayan, who had come here with him, was still waiting there.

Amelie was standing beside him.

Both looked surprised seeing Lawrence’s disheveled state, drenched in tea and with one side of his forehead red from being hit with a teaspoon.

Lawrence’s lips twisted. It was a sudden realization.

“It’s Cedric.”

“…”

Neither Gayan nor Amelie were clumsy enough in their conduct to show agitation.

But Lawrence was certain.

“Would those thoroughly prepared bastards have pulled this stunt without having a replacement ready?”

“I don’t know what you mean.”

“That’s how all soldiers are. You’ll regret this.”

Lawrence passed by them with a sneering laugh.

Though he deliberately acted leisurely, his feelings weren’t actually that comfortable.

Resentment seemed to fill his chest and rise up to his throat.

He recalled when Cedric arrived at the Southern Subjugation Army.

The soldiers of the Southern Subjugation Army, who had been quite anxious when Gayan decided to arrest him and return to the capital, became stable as soon as Cedric arrived.

It wasn’t that many of them had fought directly under Cedric.

But they had all heard the rumors.

They believed that with Cedric there, it would be a battle they wouldn’t lose, or at least a battlefield where they wouldn’t die meaninglessly due to a commander’s foolishness.

More than the incident itself, Cedric’s involvement made him even more furious.

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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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