The Villainess Lives Twice - Chapter 172

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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 172

When Amelie had spoken in the meeting room that day, she had already anticipated the current situation.

It could not be said that her remarks were made with a loyal heart to care for Lawrence.

However, it could not be said that her remarks constituted treason against the Emperor either. Amelie knew for certain that they could not serve as evidence.

That was why she was all the more composed.

She was prepared to fall out of the Emperor’s favor. It didn’t matter. She believed Cedric would become Emperor, and she intended to make it so.

Whether it was demotion, dismissal, or even if the Emperor became angrier than expected and imposed exile, it would be fine.

Emperor Gregor was a setting sun. And it wouldn’t take very long for a new sun to rise.

She had now made her presence known not only to Artizea but also to Cedric. This incident had also solidified her position.

Even if some hardship came her way, the new Emperor’s rewards for merit would compensate for everything.

The Emperor became angry as she had expected. However, he could not punish Amelie.

In a situation where war with the Kingdom of Eimel might break out, he had to prevent the military from becoming agitated.

Moreover, Amelie was not the only one involved. Most of those who heard Amelie’s remarks at that day’s meeting did not doubt them. No one reported it as Amelie had said.

It was a sufficiently reasonable story to tell.

He could not punish them all as accomplices. That would leave even fewer trustworthy retainers under his command in a situation where capable people were already scarce.

He could not dismiss a retainer who had been faithful until now just for giving wrong advice about his son.

Especially at a point when he no longer had any expectations for that son.

‘Sigh…’

The more he thought about it, the more his head ached, so the Emperor pressed his temples and glared into empty space.

He knew well that Amelie coveted power.

When the Emperor had tried to assign people around Lawrence, she had readily accepted that intention.

That was why her attitude was all the more shocking. It meant she had judged Lawrence to be beyond help.

The Emperor ordered Amelie to confine herself and ended the matter.

Amelie said one last thing.

“I humbly report, Your Majesty, Lord Lawrence is a person who does not know gratitude.”

“Harper.”

“Even if I were to advise with sincere loyalty and Lord Lawrence were to accept that advice, what meaning would it have? How could someone who has no gratitude toward his parents value his retainers?”

So Amelie concluded by saying she had no desire whatsoever to become Lawrence’s retainer.

Everything Amelie had said that day gave the Emperor a headache, but nothing pierced his heart like a dagger as much as what she said at the end.

Combined with the statement that Lawrence didn’t know where his power came from, it was even more so.

The Emperor pulled over a water cup because his throat was parched.

Since the palace physician wouldn’t let him drink alcohol, he would have liked to drink his fill of cool water at least, but the chamberlain rarely allowed even that.

He missed Milaire terribly.

Seeing the Emperor drink two cups of lukewarm water in succession, Countess Unise said:

“If you’re thirsty, shall I bring you some honey water? I have some made with medicinal herbs and herbs good for fatigue recovery steeped in honey.”

“Mm. Did you bring it?”

He didn’t particularly want honey water, but if it was his daughter’s devotion, he thought it might improve his mood, so the Emperor asked.

Countess Unise said:

“Fiona made it. Fiona went to meet Baron Morten recently. Since Baron Morten was making it for the Duchess of Evron, they worked together on it.”

With all the ingredients and bottles already prepared, all she had to do was pour things in as instructed, so it wasn’t really something Fiona could claim to have made.

But Fiona was quite proud of it.

Still, the Emperor smiled. Fiona was his first granddaughter. Whatever she did was adorable.

“She seemed to dislike Baron Morten, but they appear to get along quite well.”

“To the children, the things Baron Morten does seem new and interesting. Well, she’s a lady who looks good even when doing tasks that maids would do.”

Countess Unise said this. Then she called a servant to bring honey and warm water.

The Emperor held the lukewarm honey water that Countess Unise had personally prepared and briefly cast his gaze into empty space.

And he recalled a name he had never thought to connect before.

It was something naturally brought to mind by thoughts that had flowed from honey water and Baron Morten Lisia to Artizea.

“What do you think about Cedric?”

“Cedric? He’s a good person.”

Countess Unise answered without much thought.

The Emperor slowly took another sip of honey water and asked again.

“Think about it more seriously. If Cedric were to sit on the throne, do you think your family could live in peace?”

“Father…”

Countess Unise was flustered and stopped massaging, coming around to the Emperor’s side and kneeling on one knee.

This was the first time Cedric’s name had come up from the Emperor’s mouth when discussing succession.

Even as his daughter, she could not dare answer carelessly.

Sweat broke out on Countess Unise’s back. She wondered why he was asking her such a thing.

The Emperor put down his honey water cup and leaned forward.

“Don’t worry so much. Are you afraid I might find fault and dismiss you?”

“This is not something I should speak of carelessly…”

“Isn’t it something that concerns you as well?”

The Emperor let out a long sigh as if lamenting.

“When I said I would make Lawrence my heir, how could I not have concerns about you? Although I chose sons-in-law who, whether you or your brother, would not carelessly interfere in such matters and endanger their families and households, and I made it clear that I had no such intentions for you, still, one never knows what might happen.”

The Emperor said.

“Lawrence is not particularly affectionate toward you, but still, aren’t you siblings who share blood? For the safety of you and your children, I would have felt at ease if I could have placed Lawrence in this position.”

To supplement Lawrence’s lacking legitimacy, he needed at least the support of his subjects.

Knowing that Lawrence lacked the ability to gain legitimacy on his own, he had tried to provide even that directly.

But now that he had discovered Lawrence was losing even his retainers’ loyalty, the future looked bleak.

The power he had built up over his lifetime seemed more precarious than ever. Without a child to pass it to, even the largest and strongest fortress was nothing but an empty shell.

Eventually, he would have to pass it on to someone.

“But Lawrence has become like this.”

The Emperor muttered.

Countess Unise was at a loss for words and could not easily speak again.

Saying they would be safe if Lawrence, a blood sibling, ascended to the throne. It wasn’t something Emperor Gregor should say after proving himself that siblings’ lives didn’t matter much when imperial power was at stake.

However, she could not say this directly to the Emperor.

Countess Unise said carefully:

“I’m sorry to say this, but I’m really not close to Lawrence. Also…, I’ve never told you this, Father, but I once had a really big fight with Lawrence’s birth mother.”

“Mm…”

“Compared to that, Cedric is rather reassuring. I can’t say I’m particularly close to Cedric either, but he wouldn’t threaten our family because of his own power.”

The Emperor fell into contemplation.

Countess Unise felt her heart pounding.

Though she had received affection, she had never been an important confidant to the Emperor.

Last year, when they had not known each other long, Artizea had said:

“His Majesty is wise and has many thoughtful retainers around him whose views he can seek, but there are very few people who cannot discuss family matters with anyone.”

“Father is not someone who reflects his children’s or lovers’ requests in state affairs just because he favors them.”

“No. I didn’t mean in the sense of accepting opinions. Confiding intimate worries to someone you can trust is like human instinct.”

“That could be so.”

“He would just say what he wants to say and accept it only to the extent of thinking, ‘So this person thinks this way.’ Nevertheless… the stories heard in those moments have greater influence than one might think.”

Countess Unise regretted that she had answered indifferently at that time.

She hadn’t thought such a moment would come then. If she had asked more questions, there might have been helpful advice.

Artizea had also said:

“Don’t lie to His Majesty, Countess Unise. His Majesty is very suspicious and sees through people’s true hearts well.”

Countess Unise steeled herself.

She couldn’t lie anyway. Through her association with Artizea, Countess Unise had come to realize keenly how clumsy her own lies and schemes were.

Beyond his wrinkled eyes, the Emperor’s pupils glittered.

“Have you never felt resentful?”

“About what?”

“Thinking about it, you and Lawrence are in the same position, yet I have never once said I would make you my heir.”

Countess Unise took a deep breath.

“It would be a lie to say I never felt disappointed.”

The Emperor smiled as if he had expected as much.

Countess Unise lowered her eyes.

“But now I deeply realize that I wasn’t the right person for such a role.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes. I surely would have disappointed you, Your Majesty. It’s better this way, being loved with peace of mind. I also understand why you chose a husband for me who was unambitious and wealthy.”

Countess Unise thought that she wouldn’t have been able to handle even half of what had happened behind the scenes over the past year.

If she had been the one involved, she probably wouldn’t have even noticed the existence of all those conspiracies.

“I have children too, Your Majesty. What I hope for now is that after you pass away, my children can live safely and prosperously as they do now, until the fact that they are your granddaughters is forgotten.”

The Emperor understood the underlying meaning.

Emperor Gregor’s succession as the adopted son of the late Empress was according to custom and law.

However, when Princess Floella was born and the late Emperor did not deny the claim that she was the legitimate heir, the situation became complicated. There were those who questioned the legitimacy of the Crown Prince who had already completed his investiture ceremony.

Even after his ascension, he was called someone who had succeeded as an illegitimate child.

Eventually, Emperor Gregor waited for the House of Evron to have descendants, and as soon as Cedric was born, he purged Princess Floella and her husband. Only then did no one dare speak of his legitimacy.

However, the controversy from that time had not completely disappeared from people’s minds.

When he later used his authority to bring Lawrence into the succession structure, custom and law became disrupted. This ultimately planted the perception that anyone with imperial blood, not necessarily legitimate imperial lineage, could compete for the throne.

So there was concern that even his daughters might be viewed as competitors for imperial power.

Duke Loigar would never let them live. His greatest justification lay precisely in the fact that he was the legitimate prince born from the Empress.

The Emperor was lost in thought for a while before muttering as if to himself.

“How absurd the ways of the world are.”

“Your Majesty…”

“Even after giving affection for so long, building trust and receiving loyalty, trying so hard to teach them, in the end what you can trust is someone with a naturally good character.”

The Emperor drank the rest of his honey water. Then he sank into his armchair and fell into deep thought.

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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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