The Villainess Lives Twice - Chapter 193

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————

Chapter 193

The carriage began to roll.

The secretary dragged Ian Camellia out and threw him down on the seat across from Marquess Luden.

Then he closed the floor hatch and laid the carpet back down.

“Puha!”

Marquess Luden personally removed the gag that had been stuffed in Ian’s mouth.

Ian, who had been gasping for breath because even his nose had been covered, finally sucked air deep into his lungs and then coughed.

“You’ve had a hard time.”

Marquess Luden patted Ian’s shoulder and spoke intimately, pretending to be concerned.

The secretary poured a little premium brandy into a glass.

Marquess Luden was about to hand it to Ian when he saw his hands were bound and scolded the secretary.

“What are you doing? Untie Camellia Viscountess.”

“I apologize.”

The secretary quickly cut the rope binding Ian’s wrists with a knife.

Blood flowed back into his hands, which had turned white from lack of circulation. Ian shook his wrists. His mind was completely blank.

Marquess Luden offered the glass again. Only then did Ian look at him in disbelief.

It must have been Marquess Luden himself who ordered them to bind his hands and feet, gag him, and kidnap him. And his ankles were still tied.

Yet Marquess Luden’s face wore a gentle smile as if he were seeing a nephew he hadn’t met in a long time.

If it had been Ian from before coming to the capital, he wouldn’t have noticed that his eyes weren’t smiling at all.

But now Ian knew what kind of people the high nobility were.

“Oh my, are you suspicious?”

Marquess Luden slightly moistened his lips with the brandy poured in the glass.

Only then did Ian accept the glass. Having been trapped in the carriage floor for hours, his body was cold and he was unbearably thirsty.

After swallowing a sip of brandy, he felt a little better.

“What is the meaning of this?”

Ian glared fiercely at Marquess Luden as he spoke.

He had already suspected that assassination, threats, and various illegal means might be employed.

That’s why he had spent considerable money to stay at the finest hotel. He was also using trustworthy guards.

But in the end, it was impossible to completely block the hands of the House of Luden in the capital.

Ian couldn’t be completely certain what had happened. Considering he was kidnapped while sleeping, it was likely that the entire hotel had fallen into Marquess Luden’s hands.

Ian tried to collect himself.

If he hadn’t received a warning from Skyla in advance, he would have been more flustered.

“You were still young during your time in the capital, and moreover, the Camellia Marquess family during the previous marquess’s time seems to have been quite soft, so you might not realize it. Most nobles don’t hesitate to use violence. In fact, in many cases, they think being cruel shows their dignity.”

“I know that.”

“Then that’s fortunate.”

Skyla clearly thought Ian didn’t understand. That’s why Ian felt displeased.

But Skyla was right. He really hadn’t thought they would kidnap someone so openly.

Nor had he thought they would smile and offer a drink afterward.

“I tried various ways to meet you, but you wouldn’t meet me.”

“What efforts did you make? A few summons letters written by your secretary? Am I crazy? Would I come running just because you called?”

“The young man has no manners. Do you know how much money and effort is poured into getting invited to my house?”

“That would be people who want to flatter you. I’m not one of them.”

“You have quite some spirit.”

Marquess Luden narrowed his eyes and looked Ian over as he spoke.

When thrown on the floor and rolled around in a carriage, most people would tremble in fear and beg for their lives.

Ian was also trembling. But his eyes burned with hatred.

Marquess Luden thought it would be troublesome. But it wasn’t bad either.

After all, Ian’s mother was the eldest daughter of the Camellia Marquess family, and his father was the second son of the Dorel Count family.

Both were families that failed to understand the new era and fell into ruin while clinging to old farms.

In other words, Ian was undoubtedly of noble blood, if nothing else.

Wasn’t that the most important thing? After all, he just needed to leave his seed.

“What are you trying to talk about? If you kill me, a petition will reach His Majesty the Emperor. His Majesty wouldn’t care about someone like me, but he could use it as an excuse to find fault with you, Marquess Luden.”

“Are you trying to threaten me with just such words?”

“You’re the one threatening, and I’m trying to survive.”

“…Well, fine. Although you weren’t properly educated, you’re the legitimate heir of Count Camellia, so you’re not completely thoughtless.”

Ian had no idea what he was trying to say.

Marquess Luden said.

“I’ll give you Meidelin.”

Not knowing who that was, Ian thought for a moment. Then he went through the family tree of the House of Luden he had memorized and his eyes widened.

Meidelin was the name of the second daughter born to Marquess Luden’s eldest son.

“She’s seventeen this year, so you can get engaged first, and if you marry next year and inherit the Camellia Marquess family, it’ll be perfect timing.”

“Are you insane?”

“What’s so surprising? Eliminating enemies isn’t just about striking them down.”

If you can’t eliminate an enemy by killing them, drawing them to your side is also a method.

Marquess Luden looked at Ian with a twisted smile.

“Why are you like that? Isn’t your goal to reclaim your title and wealth, not revenge?”

“Listen here.”

“I never intended to leave the Camellia Marquess family to lowly people forever either.”

At that time, the most important goal was to give Countess Camellia an appropriate status to become the head maid of Duchess Loigar.

Infiltrating and taking control of another family with little connection was not an easy task in itself.

So they caused internal strife within the family and secured control by supporting the current Count Camellia, who was the weakest link.

But now the situation was different.

The Camellia Marquess family was practically in the hands of the House of Luden.

If they faithfully performed their role as retainers, he wouldn’t be unable to continue recognizing them.

Since Duchess Loigar trusted and relied on them so much, he was even willing to accept them as a branch family.

But seeing Skyla acting arrogantly, trusting in her aunt’s favor, it wouldn’t do.

‘Tsk, it’s time for a change of personnel.’

Even if Ian hadn’t existed, Marquess Luden had no intention of making Skyla the Count Camellia.

Rather than the rebellious Skyla, her younger brother Luka, who was passive and gentle like his father, was easier to handle.

He planned to marry Meidelin to Luka and have him inherit the Camellia Marquess family. Then in the next generation, the lowly blood would be somewhat diluted.

But Ian instead of Luka didn’t matter either.

Although Ian may have grown up lowly, his bloodline was truly noble.

So it would be fine to make him Meidelin’s husband. When children were born between them, he could eliminate Ian, change the surname to Luden, and have them inherit the Camellia family.

Of course, he had no intention of saying that much.

If Ian behaved obediently, he wouldn’t be unable to keep him in that position for a long time.

Ian looked at him with a disgusted expression.

“What are you trying to do with your daughter and granddaughter?”

Marquess Luden’s brow furrowed. Since he had acknowledged her, Countess Camellia was officially his daughter.

However, he had never once thought of the lowborn child born from touching a maid as his real child.

That was the result of a mistake and nothing more than excrement.

And excrement was dirty even if it was one’s own.

“Just retire them. If I give them an appropriate pension and treatment befitting a minor title, they’ll gladly step down.”

If not Countess Camellia, at least the count could certainly do so.

“Skyla and Luka can each be given suitable marriage arrangements.”

“What if I refuse?”

“Well, that wouldn’t be a wise choice.”

Marquess Luden grinned.

There was exactly one thing he liked about what happened at the Harvest Festival.

The topic was so big that Ian’s disappearance wouldn’t even become a subject of gossip.

The carriage of House Luden stopped in front of a small farm on the outskirts.

Ian got out from inside, covering his face. Marquess Luden’s secretary took him and headed toward the back door.

Outside the back door, a small carriage was waiting. It was a cheap rental carriage with no distinguishing features.

Ian got into it. The carriage departed immediately.

Count Brennan and Countess Camellia were watching this scene from a distance.

“Follow him. If it looks like he might be killed, save him and bring him back.”

Count Brennan said. A subordinate bowed slightly in greeting and quickly departed.

She then turned to look at Countess Camellia. Countess Camellia had turned pale.

“With this, the information I provided has gained considerable credibility.”

Until now, Countess Camellia had been Count Brennan’s greatest rival.

They weren’t enemies yet. The Camellia Marquess family and Count Brennan’s house were part of the same Duke Loigar faction.

But they were in a relationship that couldn’t remain in the same position for long. Marquess Luden valued tradition and bloodline, while Count Brennan was someone who had succeeded in converting the enormous wealth accumulated by his grandparents’ generation into power and status.

They were cooperating out of necessity now, but would become enemies the moment Duke Loigar ascended to the throne.

It was only natural that Count Brennan had established an intelligence network against House Luden.

Countess Camellia knew this. That’s why she had visited Count Brennan to obtain information about Marquess Luden.

“How fortunate that you’ve finally decided to be wary.”

Count Brennan said, welcoming Countess Camellia.

“Let me share some surprising news I recently learned. Marquess Luden is considering marrying Ian Camellia to Princess Meidelin.”

From that alone, Countess Camellia could guess what Marquess Luden was scheming.

“Surely not…”

It couldn’t be such a simple matter.

Marquess Luden’s wife, who doted on Meidelin, and the eldest son’s couple would oppose the marriage.

Even if he used his authority as head of the family to force it through, that alone wouldn’t be enough to replace the Camellia marquess title.

Most importantly, Duchess Loigar would oppose removing her. And she was also Duke Loigar’s strategist.

“It seems Marquess Luden is looking further ahead than you, madam. Anyone can see that Ian Camellia would be easier to eliminate, so there’s no burden in keeping him around.”

Count Brennan replied thus.

“If Marquess Luden has made up his mind, there’s no better opportunity than now. His Highness the Duke and Her Highness are far away in the south.”

“…”

“In the future, when Her Highness the Duchess becomes Empress, you will be the Empress’s head lady-in-waiting. At that time, touching you would be called treason.”

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————