The Villainess Lives Twice - Chapter 18

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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 18

“What? Who does he think he is to say such things?”

“He also said that since Lady Artizea is the master of the House of Rosan, he would report this matter to the master.”

“Tia is the master? And you just stood there listening to that?”

“The other party was His Highness the Duke of Evron. How could someone like me dare to say anything? He’s someone who could have my head cut off right there on the spot.”

“Ha.”

Milaire felt her throat burning and reached out her hand. Bill quickly poured cold water and offered it to her.

Milaire drained the water cup completely, let out a long sigh, and slumped back onto the sofa.

“Strange. Where could that girl have met the Duke of Evron?”

Her intuition kicked in.

When it came to relationships between men and women, Milaire’s intuition had never been wrong.

Rationally, she thought there was no way an insignificant child like Artizea could have caught the Duke of Evron’s attention. There would have been no opportunity for them to meet anywhere.

But her intuition said otherwise. Somehow it was unpleasant, and she felt terribly irritated.

She was an ugly girl. Milaire truly thought so.

How could she not resemble her in any way? She was already 18 years old, yet had no feminine qualities whatsoever and no charm.

The only reason she kept her around was because she was the daughter she had given birth to. Wherever she might be married off, would she receive any affection?

She had been thinking this way, but now the Duke of Evron.

All girls were the same.

Even if you locked them up tightly and raised them that way, like a window frame leaking rainwater, they would find some gap to seduce men.

“She probably doesn’t even know I’m thinking of her. Wicked girl.”

Just then, a servant urgently knocked on the door.

Bill quietly apologized to Milaire, got up, and opened the door.

“Butler, a retainer of His Highness the Duke of Evron has come.”

“A retainer? Why? What for?”

“Well, they say that at the House of Endare, His Highness the Duke of Evron took Lady Artizea’s carriage and went somewhere together. He said they would return to the House of Rosan and told them to wait here.”

“What?”

Bill glanced sideways at Milaire’s face turning vicious.

Just then Lawrence appeared.

He had just returned from an outing. His face was frowning as if something unpleasant had happened outside.

“Young Master. Did you have a safe trip?”

Bill bowed his head respectfully. The servant quickly knelt on one knee.

Lawrence only gave his attention to Bill, the head butler, when he felt like it.

And today seemed to be one of those days when he felt like it.

“Bill. I hear the Duke of Evron’s retainer is outside. What’s this about?”

“Ah, that is…”

“Lawrence, my prince, come here quickly.”

Milaire put on proper outer clothing over her thin gown and came out of the room with a bright smile.

Lawrence looked at his mother with an irritated expression.

“Did you have some problem with the Duke of Evron?”

“No. What business would I have with the Duke? With such a brute who only rolls around on battlefields. He came looking for Tia this afternoon.”

Milaire grumbled. Lawrence’s face contorted.

“Did something upsetting happen?”

“You didn’t do anything rude to the Duke, did you?”

“I didn’t even get to meet him. When he learned that Tia had gone out, he went after her.”

“I understand. Even if he comes, Mother, don’t interfere and just stay quiet. I’ll handle it myself.”

“Why are you being like this?”

“Because the Duke of Evron is an incorruptible person. Tia has finally done something useful, but if someone like Mother gets involved, even what could work won’t work.”

“What do you mean by that?”

Milaire reacted sensitively. Lawrence spoke coldly.

“The Duke despises you, Mother. Are you asking because you don’t know? And unfortunately, I despise you too. For the very reason Father cannot entrust me with the position of Crown Prince.”

The meaning hidden in those words was clear. Milaire’s face turned pale.

But she could do nothing.

She who was an unparalleled tyrant to Artizea was treated as a worthless mother by her son.

When they returned to the House of Rosan and heard the request for help, Marcus hesitated for a very long time.

Mentally, he had already accepted Artizea as the young marquess, but returning to the House of Rosan was another matter entirely.

“I will marry soon and take back the House of Rosan from my mother’s hands. I need you then, Mr. Hanson.”

Eighteen years had passed since then.

Now all the people in managerial positions among the employees of the House of Rosan were filled with Milaire’s people.

The assets owned by the House of Rosan were enormous, and the scale of the businesses they operated was also large. It would be difficult to remove them all at once.

“I want to prevent even a single thing belonging to the House of Rosan from being embezzled, and properly recover everything. Mr. Hanson, you understand everything about the House of Rosan, and most of the older senior employees know you well, don’t they?”

“That is… true, but…”

“So I think you would have no difficulty grasping and controlling the situation. It would be even better if the entire Hanson family came to help. Please return to where you should rightfully be and help me.”

“But isn’t our family still charged with that poisoning crime?”

“That was 18 years ago. The poisoning from that time has already become a dust-covered matter. His Majesty intervened to settle the situation, but never identified the real culprit.”

Artizea said so.

“Mother tried to frame the Hanson family, but there was no evidence and no one believed it. He thought it was better to cover it up vaguely.”

“Young Marquess…”

“So he won’t let this matter be brought up again.”

It was an enormous incident where an entire marquess family was massacred. Covering up for the perpetrator would be a very burdensome matter for the Emperor as well.

“If that incident from back then comes up again, this time I’m here as the heir, so let’s fight it out to the end together. If you’re still worried, you can change your name and hide your identity until everything is settled.”

“I lived in the Rosan Manor for 60 years, and served directly beside Lord Michael for 45 of those years. Not only the employees, but many nobles know me as well.”

“What if it’s just covering one’s eyes and crying ‘boo’? The fact that Mother wasn’t the culprit of that poisoning incident was also a matter of covering one’s eyes and crying ‘boo’.”

Artizea spoke with a confident attitude.

“I will become the Marquess Rosan, Mr. Hanson. As the sole heir, I can handle whatever happened in the House of Rosan as I see fit. If you’re willing to return, I’ll solve the rest of the problems.”

However, Marcus couldn’t nod his head immediately. The wounds were too deep.

But he didn’t shake his head either.

Returning to the carriage, the first thing Sedric said was this:

“I was impressed by you, My Lady.”

“Pardon?”

“The best way to move a person’s heart is to move them emotionally, isn’t it? Even though you’re still young, you seem to know this for certain.”

“I wasn’t trying to move Mr. Hanson emotionally. I was trying to create an appropriate excuse for him.”

“An excuse?”

“Mr. Hanson is suffering from financial hardship. He’s also taking care of his granddaughter who is only 14 years old. He’s probably wanted to escape from Lev Street for a long time. But without a proper excuse, he couldn’t take my hand.”

Artizea said so. She said that’s why she apologized.

Sedric smiled broadly. Artizea blushed slightly.

“Why are you laughing?”

“You seem to consider yourself a villain, My Lady.”

“…Because it’s true.”

To Artizea, this was as true as the morning sun rising.

But Sedric didn’t think so.

“A person who remembers honorable moments wants to escape from dishonor. And only they themselves can determine their own honor. You didn’t create an excuse for Hanson, but made him remember an honorable moment. So he will return for your sake.”

“For my sake?”

“That’s right. He loves the House of Rosan, and you are its last descendant.”

“But I’m… not Lord Michael’s biological child.”

“As the head butler, he probably knew who your biological father was too. You are indeed a direct descendant of the marquess family. If you weren’t, the previous marquess would never have accepted you.”

“I see… I had never thought of it that way.”

Sedric asked.

“Aren’t you curious about your biological father?”

“…Yes. Because it’s meaningless to know anyway. Whoever my biological father is, legally he’s a traitor who committed adultery with the head of the house’s wife, and practically he’s a fool who engaged in debauchery with the Emperor’s concubine.”

Artizea bit her lips and said so.

As the carriage wheels began to roll, the rumbling vibration was transmitted through her body.

Artizea remained silent for quite a while.

Since Sedric also said nothing, the carriage was filled only with silence until it arrived in front of the Rosan Marquess Estate.

This time too, Sedric got out first and helped Artizea down.

Artizea bowed her head to him.

“Thank you for accompanying me. If it hadn’t been for Your Highness the Prince, Hanson wouldn’t have believed me. He would have thought Milaire’s daughter had come to scheme.”

“Not at all. I fully understand how important today’s events will be for the Young Lady and the House of Rosan. Thank you for allowing me to be present at such an occasion. If you need anything, please call on me again.”

“If you say that, I’ll really make various requests without hesitation. Right now I have no power, no wealth, and no people.”

“But the Young Lady has this, doesn’t she?”

Sedric lightly tapped his temple with his index finger.

Artizea smiled.

“Whether this is truly useful or not, I’ll have to show you from now on.”

“I’m looking forward to it.”

Just then, Sedric’s attendant came out leading his horse.

Butler Bill hurriedly followed the attendant. He had come out on Lawrence’s orders.

“Welcome back, Your Highness the Prince. Did you have a safe trip, Miss?”

Artizea tilted her head and looked at Bill.

Bill gripped his sleeve and spoke in a very tense voice.

Since he had already offended Sedric once today, he didn’t think he would listen to him.

But Lawrence’s command was strict, so he couldn’t not deliver it.

“Your Highness, Lord Lawrence said that if you came, he would very much like to invite you to the dinner table.”

Sedric narrowed his eyes and looked down at Bill while putting on the riding gloves his attendant handed him.

He felt like scolding him a few more words, but decided against it.

“Let’s do it another time. It would be a different story if the Young Lady invited me.”

Artizea smiled.

“As an unmarried woman, I’m rather reluctant to invite a man who isn’t even a relative at such a late hour.”

“I thought you would say that. Then I’ll take my leave now. Next time I’ll come with Olga’s heart.”

Sedric politely bowed at the waist. Artizea also bent one knee and courteously curtsied to him.

Sedric mounted his horse. Artizea, as if something had just occurred to her, called out to stop him.

“Oh, come to think of it, may I ask you something?”

“Please speak.”

“Why do you use honorifics with me? You spoke informally last time.”

Artizea looked up at Sedric.

Sedric thought her blue-green eyes had a rich color that was both bright and deep.

“There’s no need to respect Milaire’s daughter, but the person who will become my wife should rightfully be respected.”

Sedric said so and turned his horse’s head.

Artizea felt warmth rising to her face and lowered her head.

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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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