The Villainess Lives Twice - Chapter 174

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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 174

As Duke Loigar entered the drawing room, the guest rose from his seat. He appeared to be a man in his thirties.

“It is an honor to meet you, Prince Loigar. I am Boerts of Liagan.”

“Pleased to meet you.”

“Duke Riagan is my uncle. My father is Duke Riagan’s fourth younger brother. He is currently serving as the mayor of Meld City.”

Boerts introduced himself in this manner.

He had lived in the Southern Region from birth until now. In the south, he had quite a reputation thanks to the backing of House of Liagan, but Duke Loigar would have no way of knowing him.

“Meld City, isn’t that a transportation hub in the south? It’s surprising that someone as young as you is serving as mayor. I can see what a capable person you are.”

Boerts was the one who was surprised by Duke Loigar’s words.

Meld City was quite a profitable transportation city in the Southern Region. However, it wasn’t a major city that would be known to other regions.

It was a name that only merchant groups traveling to do business in the south would know, so it was surprising that someone of Duke Loigar’s high position would know of it.

Boerts felt a little proud as the mayor of Meld City. And he also developed some respect for Duke Loigar.

“It’s thanks to my uncle trusting me and giving me the opportunity.”

“You must be very grateful to Duke Riagan.”

“Yes.”

Boerts answered with a slight bow of his head.

Usually, this kind of advancement was only possible for relatives of great nobles, unless one was exceptionally outstanding.

And Boerts was the most capable among Duke Riagan’s nephews and had earned the Duke’s trust.

Therefore, Boerts knew well how important it was for him that the Duke and Duchess had come to occupy Duke Riagan’s position.

If in the past the Liagan Duke and Duchess had not betrayed the Previous Count and Countess and sided with the Emperor, he would have been merely a distant relative of House of Liagan at best.

Branch families have their own circumstances. Some maintain relationships by continuously exchanging visits and sending their children as servants or maids, but Boerts’ family was not like that.

Even if Boerts had actively sought them out to pay his respects, he would have been no better than other retainers.

However, Boerts had now become Duke Riagan’s nephew.

Duke Riagan cherished his capable nephew, giving him great opportunities and serving as his patron.

Naturally, he should devote himself accordingly.

That’s why when House of Liagan was surrounded by the Kingdom of Aemel’s army, Boerts immediately abandoned his city administration and headed for the Duke’s house.

And he risked danger by staying nearby and trying to make contact with those inside.

And he succeeded in contacting the Duke.

The Duke wrote this letter to Boerts:

“I’m anxious that countermeasures from the capital are coming too slowly. It’s been a long time since the Southern Expedition departed, surely they haven’t turned it back.

His Majesty may be angry with me, but he wouldn’t believe the justification put forward by the Kingdom of Aemel.”

Boerts knew that the Southern Expedition hadn’t returned, but had stopped along the way.

However, he had no way to inform the Duke of this.

“Go to the capital and appeal to His Majesty. I’ve written a letter, but I’m anxious with just that alone.

If it becomes war, we’ll be able to preserve the Empire’s dignity. But House of Liagan will surely be destroyed, so we must prevent war at all costs.

If the Empire declares war, Prince of Cardriole will start by burning and plundering House of Liagan.

So you must persuade the peace faction, but you must not let them reach the conclusion of acknowledging House of Liagan’s wrongdoing and making appropriate compensation to the Kingdom of Aemel for reconciliation.

If that happens, we couple will bear all the blame as the ones responsible for this problem.”

If that happened, even if the name of House of Liagan could survive, it would no longer be entrusted to the current Duke and Duchess.

And if Duke Riagan fell, Boerts’ family would also be ruined. It wasn’t simply a matter of advancement being blocked, but they could become the family of criminals.

“For now, persuading His Majesty is most important.

His Majesty might want to completely replace people again this time to strengthen your influence.

It wouldn’t be strange if he thought we couple had blinded His Majesty’s eyes and acted arbitrarily in the south.

Please tell His Majesty that we couple didn’t truly have disloyal hearts, but were just petty people who showed a little greed for wealth.

If only His Majesty forgives us couple, the rest will be handled by His Majesty’s ministers and advisors who will devise strategies.

I’m sending my seal and letter of authorization together, so use as much funding and connections as you need from the capital’s merchant groups.”

That’s why Boerts had rushed to the capital.

But unlike what Duke Riagan said, he didn’t intend to seek an audience with the Emperor.

Instead of entering as Duke Riagan’s representative, he quietly entered the capital.

Duke Riagan had told him to persuade the Emperor, but Boerts didn’t think that would be possible.

As soon as he entered the central region, the first news he heard was about the Southern Expedition.

It was that the Southern Expedition was stuck in limbo because Lawrence had become involved in Queen Eimel’s assassination.

If that was the case, persuading the Emperor wouldn’t be easy either.

Although House of Liagan had not been involved in central power struggles until now, and wasn’t in a position to do so, they weren’t completely uninterested in how the Empire’s succession would turn out.

How far would the Emperor cover for his son’s mistakes whom he intended to make his heir? The core issue wasn’t Queen Eimel or the war, but that.

Even though Lawrence was the Emperor’s legitimate son, he had committed acts worthy of investigation. So no matter how much the Emperor cherished him, he couldn’t easily make it as if nothing had happened.

If the Emperor was determined to protect Lawrence, he would completely deny the Kingdom of Aemel’s claims and go to war.

Or, he would pin everything on Duke Riagan and handle it that way.

If the Emperor had decided to save House of Liagan, some countermeasure would have already emerged when he received Duke Riagan’s petition.

The fact that this hadn’t happened meant there was a high possibility of being abandoned. That’s how Boerts interpreted it.

Then, it wasn’t the Emperor who needed to be persuaded. He had to make it so the Emperor had no choice but to decide to save House of Liagan.

The first thing Boerts thought of was the Empress’s Palace.

The butler of Duke Riagan’s residence in the capital informed him of recent news, including about the Empress.

“Empress has become quite gentle.”

“What do you mean by gentle?”

“She opened the doors of the Empress’s Palace and came out, and even had her maid open a salon. At Duke of Evron’s wedding, she attended as the Prince’s Consort’s elder and even received His Majesty the Emperor’s escort.”

Boerts carefully considered after hearing about the subsequent events.

If that was true, rather than fighting with Duke Riagan now, she might choose to resolve old grievances and protect the family name.

The Empress was said to be a proud person as the legitimate daughter of House of Liagan.

So she wouldn’t want the Emperor’s will to determine House of Liagan’s fate twice.

If he had known that the current Liagan Duke and Duchess were involved in the Previous Count and Countess’s assassination, Boerts wouldn’t have had such foolish thoughts.

But he didn’t know. So it seemed like something with sufficient chance of success.

Boerts scattered massive bribes throughout the Empress’s Palace. He hoped that people around the Empress would add even a word of good favor.

However, what appeared at the audience he had difficulty obtaining was not the Empress but her maid, Countess Marta.

“I am Marta.”

The elderly and faithful maid answered briefly.

Boerts wasn’t dissatisfied. He knew well that Countess Marta was from the south and had served the Empress since her unmarried days.

He thought there might be a possibility, but Countess Marta spoke emotionlessly even after seeing Duke Riagan’s seal and letter of authorization that Boerts presented.

“Empress has decided not to involve herself in political matters at all anymore.”

“But if things go wrong, House of Liagan will be completely destroyed.”

“If it’s due to mistakes they committed themselves, then it can’t be helped.”

“The Liagan Duke and Duchess are thinking solely of preserving the family. If Empress saves them, they will properly return what belongs to Empress to her hands, and also apologize.”

Boerts spoke earnestly.

“Please just arrange an opportunity for an audience. I will prove House of Liagan’s sincerity to Empress.”

He opened the gift box intended for the Empress.

Inside was a necklace and earring set made by dividing a fist-sized sapphire into three pieces.

Such precious items were not common even in the Empire.

Duke Riagan had secretly purchased and made it when it was mined from a sapphire mine in the south.

He had the ambition to debut his granddaughter in the capital as Liagan’s legitimate daughter someday. He had been saving it to use then.

Besides that, a carriage full of artworks that Duke Riagan had prepared in the capital was waiting outside.

In addition to that, Boerts also offered Countess Marta a box full of polished gems as a bribe.

Still, Countess Marta maintained an indifferent expression.

“I will accept the gifts. However, Empress will not grant you an audience.”

“Countess, please…”

“Seeing your sincerity, I will give you some advice.”

Boerts composed himself.

This was advice given by a noblewoman who had lived her entire life as the Empress’s maid in the Imperial Palace, in exchange for treasures. It was worth listening to.

Countess Marta said:

“Among the assets remaining to House of Liagan, there would be nothing that could persuade other influential people regarding the issue the capital is most concerned about.”

It meant declaring support for the next emperor and signifying that they were not in a position to be treated as a high noble power.

Those words were correct. If it weren’t so, House Liagan would have long since come up to the capital to take part in the succession struggle.

“But the management of the massive enterprises that support the Empire’s treasury is still entrusted to the name of Riagan. Think about who might covet that.”

Boerts was not foolish, so he quickly understood her words.

House Liagan had no rights or power as high nobility. Therefore, it was impossible to join a faction and receive its protection.

However, they oversaw various state enterprises conducted in the Southern Region, from shipbuilding and trade to salt and mining.

And among these were some that could not be replaced by other regions.

Who would covet that? Who could appreciate its value?

Who could accept this matter not as a political logic but as a business transaction?

There was no need to think about it.

Thus, Boerts immediately headed to Prince Loigar’s estate.

“I have come to make a petition to Prince Loigar.”

Boerts spoke in an earnest tone.

Prince Loigar stroked his chin once.

“Did the Empress not listen to you?”

Boerts composed his startled mind. Prince Loigar was the Empire’s first heir and a power broker in the capital.

It would not be difficult for him to find out where Boerts had been before coming here.

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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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