The Villainess Lives Twice - Chapter 190

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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 190

Cries of shock and amazement erupted from all around. The Archbishop covered his mouth and groaned.

The most recent clear manifestation of divine power was two hundred years ago during Saint Olga’s time.

Even after that, there were occasional miracles manifested through Olga’s legacy or sacred relics left by previous saints.

However, such miracles generally did not become matters worthy of official record.

They were the kind of events that believers would believe in, but skeptics would dismiss with a sneer as delusions.

But what was happening now was different.

Anyone could see that a holy aura was enveloping Artizea.

The Archbishop’s surprise was even greater because it occurred during a ceremony. Had not divine power appeared directly during the ritual without going through a saint?

Among those below the altar, all the devoutly faithful knelt and pressed their foreheads to the ground.

Even the Emperor could not hide his surprise and held his breath.

In the midst of all this, only Cedric was completely normal. No, he was the one going most insane among them all.

“Didn’t we have a doctor on standby! Which room is it!”

How many times had he seen healing power manifest?

The holy power that dwells in the body through blessings manifests as healing power when needed later. This was Lisia’s specialty.

Cedric himself had once had his life saved by this power.

Conversely, the fact that this healing power was enveloping her entire body meant that her life was hanging by a thread or would soon be in such danger.

If it were an injury or illness, there would be no need to worry. It would be completely healed by the healing power.

However, what was now driving Artizea’s life toward death was childbirth. This was not something that would end with healing.

The first to regain their senses were the attendants of the House of Evron.

The Head Maid came to her senses and jumped up. Then she shouted.

“The east wing, the east wing! My lord!”

She had earlier followed Bishop Nicos to prepare a clean room.

“Check the hot water and bring down the cloth from the carriage! Hurry!”

The Head Maid led the way running while shouting at the top of her lungs to the attendants. One knight moved toward the carriage with the maids.

The Head Maid had never really thought such a thing would happen. Even this morning, the baby had been in stable condition.

Still, bringing along a doctor and midwife and preparing various supplies was to prepare for that one-in-a-thousand, one-in-ten-thousand chance.

Cedric hurriedly followed behind her. He could not see what people were saying, nor the priests kneeling and offering prayers.

Fortunately, Bishop Nicos had paid proper attention. The prepared room was quiet and clean.

The doctor and midwife, who had been idly waiting thinking there would be nothing to do, greeted the two with shock.

The devout midwife saw the holy power surrounding Artizea’s body and knelt to make the sign of the cross.

However, she could not remain like that for long. Her amniotic fluid had broken and blood was flowing, staining her skirt hem bright red.

Cedric laid Artizea down on the bed. As if she had regained some consciousness, her weak hand gripped Cedric’s sleeve.

“Tia.”

“I’m not, okay.”

As if the labor pains had subsided, Artizea answered with difficulty.

But in less than two minutes, she let out another pained moan and gripped Cedric’s hand with all her strength as if her joints would break.

The midwife looked into Artizea’s face and said.

“My lady, breathe slowly. You must breathe through your nose.”

The Head Maid rushed in with scissors and cut away Artizea’s clothes.

Following the doctor’s instructions, knights grabbed Cedric from both sides.

“I’m staying here.”

“This is not what Her Highness wanted.”

Artizea had indeed said something beforehand.

What was coming would come anyway, and there was nothing Cedric could do even if he stayed in the birthing chamber. So she told him not to worry about the birth and to do what he needed to do.

He had promised to do so if that would put Artizea’s mind at ease.

But that was supposed to be when she entered the birthing chamber after carrying the baby to full term without any problems.

There was no urgent state affair right in front of him, so he had no intention of leaving.

The Head Maid firmly blocked Cedric and said again.

“If my lord remains here, how can the doctor and midwife comfortably fulfill their roles? They may have to do harsh things.”

That was also right. While Cedric was not the type to disregard the doctor’s authority, his mere presence could be burdensome.

Cedric rubbed his face with his palm. Then he said to the doctor.

“The Princess takes priority over the baby.”

“Yes. Yes.”

The doctor answered several times while catching his breath.

“While the healing power is manifesting, she can recover as long as she stays alive. Don’t hesitate to use the knife on her body and make sure to save her.”

“I understand.”

The doctor answered. Then he went to wash his hands.

Cedric was half-pushed out of the birthing chamber.

People were crowded together in the narrow corridor. Knights blocked both directions of the corridor, but they could not block the Emperor and Archbishop.

Those two grabbed Cedric.

“What happened?”

“What’s going on?”

“There’s considerable bleeding. I don’t really know if it’s normal or not…”

Cedric stopped answering mid-sentence and realized from the Archbishop’s expression that what he was asking about was not Artizea’s condition.

Disgust surged up.

Once in his childhood, he had believed the Archbishop was a fair and faithful person who would always be on his side.

But now Cedric knew he was someone who forgot justice when faced with the Church’s power.

Had trying to use the Saint been something Akim alone had done?

He knew that relationships between people were rarely bound so uprightly by faith.

But perhaps because he was someone he had believed in as a child, disappointment rose anew.

Lisia’s sacrifice alone was enough. Did they think he would let them use his wife and child?

Cedric said coldly.

“Well. It seems God does not wish for my wife to die and leave the temple.”

At Cedric’s words, the Archbishop’s face hardened for a moment. He realized the implication was not to forget what Akim had tried to do.

The Emperor said.

“It’s premature birth, but if she’s received God’s care, that’s fortunate and good. But do you really not know what happened?”

“…I don’t know.”

Cedric answered honestly.

It seemed certain that Lisia had bestowed a blessing. However, he could not know when that had been.

Perhaps it had happened in the future before time turned back. Cedric did not know whether blessings dwelt in the flesh or in the soul. He also did not know whether divine power could flow from future to past.

No, there was no guarantee that the current time was the past.

Or perhaps Lisia had regained her memories.

Cedric thought that was likely.

On that night when he had hurriedly returned from the North, Lisia had been crying without knowing why she was crying.

It was certain that fragments of memory had returned. So it would not be strange if all the remaining memories had returned as well.

“Ah, aaah!”

A scream came from beyond the door.

Cedric clenched his fists tightly. All idle thoughts and disgust toward the Archbishop flew away.

All sorts of thoughts came to him. He thought he had foolishly persuaded her to have a child.

Since they were married and became husband and wife, he had naturally expected a baby to come and be born. It all seemed like his vain greed.

The Emperor lightly patted the Archbishop’s shoulder. Then he signaled to go over there.

The Archbishop was restless. However, he could not bring himself to open the door of the birthing chamber and check the holy power.

“She’ll be fine. Isn’t this something everyone goes through well?”

“Yes.”

Even at the Emperor’s words, Cedric answered briefly.

The Emperor led the Archbishop away from the front of the birthing chamber and also commanded some of his knights.

“Guard well so nothing unusual happens.”

“We obey your command.”

The Emperor nodded at the faithful answer and pushed through between the Archbishop and the people.

The priests were still all kneeling and offering prayers. More than a few believers were shedding tears.

“Speak frankly.”

The Emperor said to the Archbishop.

“How will this matter turn out?”

Unlike the Archbishop, how such a thing had happened was not an important matter to the Emperor.

Of course, he was curious. However, more than that, how people would accept that the Duchess of Evron had received a miracle during the ceremony, and on the altar no less, was a much more important issue to the Emperor.

And also that Evron’s heir had been born under divine grace.

The Emperor realized that his palms were wet with sweat.

If he had a crown prince, this would not even be worth considering. He would have had to kill them immediately on the spot.

But what about now?

Except for the fact that the temple would use this as an excuse to raise their momentum, there was no particular reason to do so.

That much was certain.

The Archbishop read this from the Emperor’s face. He hastily bowed his head.

This was just when the damage from Archbishop Akim’s incident was finally starting to recover.

With even Cedric sending cold glances instead of being grateful, he had no intention of fighting the Emperor directly.

“The baby is also a fruit. Though there is no precedent, it would not be strange for divine grace to descend at the harvest festival altar.”

“So there is no precedent.”

“Miracles appearing during ceremonies themselves have occurred several times if we go back in hundred-year intervals.”

The Emperor clicked his tongue and turned his steps.

This was something that needed careful consideration. If he truly intended to make Cedric his successor, this was not a bad thing.

Or even if he wanted to exclude Cedric and obtain an heir.

It was worth considering.

It was three hours after the Emperor had left.

“Waaah!”

Finally, a vigorous baby’s cry could be heard.

Cedric grabbed the door handle firmly, but couldn’t open it. He was worried it might have a bad influence.

Before long, the midwife came out carrying a baby washed in warm water and wrapped in cloth. The midwife’s face was covered in sweat and tears.

“She is a very healthy princess.”

“What about Tia? How is Bi?”

Cedric asked, having turned pale. Wasn’t this too short a time for a first birth?

The midwife smiled through her tears.

“My lady is safe. The bleeding was too severe and she had fainted, so it seemed she couldn’t endure the labor pains, so I dared to use the knife.”

“Then!”

“Grace is healing every place where the doctor is stitching the wounds.”

Saying this, the midwife made the sign of the cross.

Cedric finally let out a sigh of relief.

Artizea was alive.

Once he was certain of that, he could finally see the baby’s face.

With her wrinkled face, it was impossible to tell whom she resembled. Her hair was black like his.

Cedric carefully took and held the baby. This baby was his and Artizea’s daughter.

He felt like he might cry.

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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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