The Villainess Lives Twice - Chapter 207

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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 207

Before news of Marquess Luden arrived, Duke Loigar’s party had already left House Riagan and reached the Kingdom of Eimel.

The royal palace built where the coastline was visible was pure white.

“It must be exposed to sea winds.”

Gannett, thinking it was built of marble, muttered absentmindedly.

Pellona, the merchant guild master standing nearby, answered.

“It’s not marble, but salt crystals that have formed, reflecting light to appear white.”

“Really? It looks like jewels.”

Gannett replied. Living inside would probably be quite uncomfortable due to humidity and salt content, but it wouldn’t be proper to voice such doubts about a foreign royal palace.

It was also true that it was as beautiful as Riagan’s salt crystals.

“Come to think of it, why doesn’t the Kingdom of Eimel produce salt? If salt forms on building exteriors to that extent?”

“Because they lack timber and manpower.”

Pellona, the merchant guild master, answered.

Skyla added explanation.

“Good salt is made by putting seawater in large cauldrons and boiling it over fire. I understand it’s difficult to obtain sufficient firewood in the Kingdom of Eimel. The Kingdom of Ientz would lack labor force, wouldn’t it?”

“After all, spinning thread is more profitable than tending salt cauldrons.”

Pellona, the merchant guild master, smiled as she answered.

“They produce just enough for domestic consumption. Commoners more often just fetch and use seawater directly.”

“I see.”

“But wealthy people buy and use salt from Duke Riagan’s territory. Natural salt has umami flavor instead of bitter taste, and when crystallized salt is crushed and put in glass bottles, it’s beautiful to look at. It’s always placed on the table when receiving honored guests.”

“So that’s why salt bottles were set at each individual place setting.”

Gannett, who had never paid attention to things like salt, answered with some surprise.

She had thought it was served because it was a specialty of House Riagan, not knowing such culture existed in the south.

“Your Highness, please go to your cabin now. Too much sea wind isn’t good for your skin.”

Baroness Wieve spoke in a stiff voice.

She didn’t like that Pellona, the merchant guild master, was staying beside Gannett.

She had been displeased from the start that Skyla had conveyed information to Gannett without consulting her.

Even though Gannett favored Skyla, and Marquess Camellia’s house had higher status than Viscount Wieve’s house, and had closer bloodline ties to Marquess Luden’s house.

In any case, Skyla was an immature young youngest maid, while she was the acting head maid. Countess Camellia had also asked her to take good care of things.

But she couldn’t show such feelings to Gannett.

Above all, having Pellona, the merchant guild master, disguised as Gannett’s maid and mixed in with the party was Duke Loigar’s will.

‘Why does he make us do such dangerous things.’

Baroness Wieve complained inwardly.

She couldn’t be brought as Duke Loigar’s maid. She understood that.

If a stranger suddenly appeared around Duke Loigar, there would certainly be people investigating her background.

If that was problematic, wouldn’t it be fine to make her a maid of some trustworthy attendant?

There weren’t no women among those who came representing various houses or merchant guilds.

“We’re not all of one mind. To arrange a position under someone else, we’d have to reveal Pellona’s identity. His Highness would naturally want to avoid that.”

Skyla had said this like a deeply loyal person.

Baroness Wieve didn’t like that either. It wasn’t that she felt reluctant because she didn’t understand it.

Nevertheless, she wanted to remove even the slightest risk factor from Gannett.

The real problem was that Gannett felt affinity toward Pellona, the merchant guild master.

She seemed to enjoy conversing with new people. Gannett would often ask Pellona about southern culture or history she didn’t know well.

Then Pellona would kindly answer her.

Under normal circumstances, it would have been fine. If they were on an ordinary trip now, and Pellona had revealed her identity and requested friendship.

Though Baroness Wieve had a stiff expression, Gannett didn’t mind.

“Just a little longer. When will I have another chance to visit the Kingdom of Eimel?”

Gannett said this and pressed down her disheveled hair with her hand. Then she looked up again at the palace where sunlight shattered whitely.

Duke Loigar emerged from the cabin.

He held Gannett’s shawl in his hand. He walked with long strides, keeping his attendants at a distance.

He wrapped the shawl around Gannett’s shoulders and said.

“The wind is cold.”

“I’m not cold. Rather, it’s a bit hot.”

“What were you looking at so interestedly?”

“The palace. I was thinking if it were in Kratos, it would probably have some magnificent name.”

“Do you want a palace like that too?”

“No. I already have several pretty villas.”

“But you don’t have a palace. Would you like a palace built white with marble?”

Duke Loigar chuckled softly and gently massaged her shoulder.

Such things shouldn’t be spoken of carelessly.

Palaces belonged to monarchs. Even though Duke Loigar was royalty, even if he built the most beautiful house in the world, he couldn’t attach the name ‘palace’ to it.

It might be different for someone completely unrelated, but for someone with succession rights to speak such words was dangerous.

But this was the south. On deck stood only Gannett and Duke Loigar, maids and attendants, and Pellona the merchant guild master.

The crewmen were preparing to dock at their positions, and the sea wind was strong enough that only nearby voices could be heard.

Gannett suddenly thought of the past.

When she was young, she thought she would live in the Empress’s Palace once she married. She used to make plans to decorate the Empress’s Palace as the most beautiful palace in the world.

Because she was so young, it was harmless talk.

Just as children dream of becoming princesses, she naturally believed in a future of becoming Empress.

“I don’t need a marble palace.”

“Then?”

“I’d like a tree big enough to hang a large swing. A big swing where the children and I could all lie down together.”

“That would require an enormous tree.”

Duke Loigar smiled.

“We’d have to completely change the garden style too.”

“That’s true… Should we make it at the villa?”

“Wouldn’t it be nice to make changes after so long? If we send word now, we could have at least a swing ready by the time we return.”

“What about the children?”

“We’ll ask your mother-in-law for a while. Or wouldn’t it be fine to stay at the villa before winter comes?”

“Should we do that?”

While having such conversation, the ship entered the harbor.

Cadriole was observing people disembarking from the ship through a telescope from atop the lighthouse.

“Definitely Pellona, the merchant guild master.”

He had departed from House Riagan at the same time as Duke Loigar’s party.

His ship was far faster than Duke Loigar’s ship carrying the noble party. Even coming leisurely, he could gain over a week’s time.

It was sufficient time to conduct internal discipline.

“Since there’s no way they joined at sea, contact must have been made at House Riagan.”

“My apologies, Your Highness. We failed to notice.”

“It’s fine. After all, we’re more from Ientz than infiltration, so we’re clumsy at things like information gathering.”

At those words, his subordinate’s head bowed even deeper.

“I know well it’s hard to do delicate work with rough men. From what I see, contact seems to have been made through the Duchess Loigar’s side.”

Cadriole confirmed the faces of the maids around Pellona, the merchant guild master, and spoke.

“Then it would have been even harder to know.”

Cadriole had no subordinates who could collect and manage information for him. He had even fewer women.

Because his power base was pirates. Not all his trustworthy subordinates were men, but he had no talent suitable for approaching noble ladies to extract information.

That’s why he coveted Artizea even more.

“I understand Duchess Loigar doesn’t usually involve herself much in such matters.”

Cadriole muttered this and lowered his telescope.

“In any case, it wasn’t Duke Loigar that Pellona, the merchant guild master, was trying to meet, was it?”

“That’s right. Anyway, even though we managed to remove Countess Camellia, it seems it was all for nothing?”

Or perhaps Artizea had a different plan.

Cadriole didn’t know the detailed circumstances. What he had traded with Artizea was only the Queen’s life.

“Pellona, the merchant guild master, must have come representing the Kingdom of Ients. The fact that Duke Loigar hasn’t said a word to me means things are proceeding well.”

And coming this far meant he had something to discuss with the King of Eimel as well.

‘I hadn’t planned to escape from Marquess Rosan’s grasp.’

If Duke Loigar had joined hands with him, he would have gladly stabbed Artizea in the back.

But if he was joining hands with the Kingdom of Ients, there was nothing he could do.

Obviously, the Kingdom of Ients would try to solve everything by pinning it all on him.

He had no choice but to counterattack from this side.

‘Should I wait a little longer?’

Perhaps his father might not accept the proposal from Duke Loigar and Ients. Now that there was no Queen either.

No. Either way, waiting or not, the result was obvious. He knew it well enough to stake his life on it.

And even if his father didn’t accept the proposal, as long as Duke Loigar chose the Kingdom of Ients, he had to counterattack.

Cadriole threw the telescope to his subordinate with complicated feelings and put on his cloak.

“Are you returning to the palace?”

“I need to go welcome the Duke. Prepare the troops.”

“Pardon?”

“There might be something we need to act on. To face both my father’s army and the guard knights from the Empire simultaneously will require considerable preparation.”

“Will that be alright? If we’re not careful, it could mean war with the Empire.”

“I’ll send the Duke’s party back without touching a hair on their heads. This is purely an internal matter of our Eimel. How unfortunate that they got caught up in a fight between father and son.”

“Then I’ll send the prepared state letter to the Imperial Capital in advance. So they can’t find fault with us.”

“Good.”

That state letter contained detailed explanations about the intimate relationship between the dead Queen and House of Liagan.

That would be the first spark.

Once it reached the capital, Artizea would pour the oil.

After all, Artizea’s goal was to strike down Duke Loigar. He could trust her on that part at least.

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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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