The Villainess Lives Twice - Chapter 217

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

Chapter 217

As soon as Skyla heard the news that Marquess Luden had died, she broke away from the special envoy group.

She felt sorry for Gannett who had collapsed. But the situation was urgent and she had no time to spare for such concerns.

The Emperor’s investigators wouldn’t be able to suddenly raid the special envoy group. However, now that they had returned near the capital, she had to assume they were within the Emperor’s sight.

‘I need to hide it before it’s too late.’

Fortunately, Skyla was skilled at horseback riding. A skilled rider could reach the harbor from the capital within half a day by horse.

Skyla barely managed to reach the capital before the gates closed.

She immediately headed to the annex.

As expected, Ian had left a letter at the annex. He had briefly written about what had happened to him and noted that he was going to the Evron Ducal Residence.

‘Hah.’

Skyla sat down on the spot for a moment, exhausted.

She had given Ian that advice herself. It wasn’t just for Ian’s safety, but she had thought to maintain a connection with Artizea by placing Ian at the Evron Ducal Residence.

However, she never expected that Marquess Luden would die.

The progression of the smuggling incident was too fast. Marquess Luden’s death was also influencing this.

As they say, when the lips are gone, the teeth grow cold. Marquess Luden knew that Duke Loigar was supposed to take over the smuggling business. If he had been alive, he would have defended the Duke Riagan family in advance.

But he had died. Duke Loigar’s faction was fragmented. Far from uniting to protect the Duke Riagan family, they were keeping their hands off to avoid their own families getting involved.

Her head was spinning.

Marquess Luden had been like a massive wall that had been there since Skyla was born.

Skyla used to dream of breaking it down. She had even thought that her mother would be liberated if only Marquess Luden died.

But Skyla never considered trying to assassinate Marquess Luden. She wasn’t really prepared for such a time either.

She had thought that if Marquess Luden fell, it would be the result of complete defeat in political strife.

Either being defeated in the succession war and purged, or being purged after Duke Loigar ascended to the throne.

Conversely, Marquess Luden had to stay alive until the final decision was made.

What on earth was her mother thinking?

‘I need information.’

Skyla didn’t have her own intelligence network yet. When she was curious about something, she had been using the intelligence network created by Countess Camellia.

She couldn’t use that now. And without information, no matter what she thought, it was all just speculation.

Acting based on groundless speculation was dangerous. Right now, Skyla was no different from standing on a single log bridge.

She felt her chest growing hot. Of course, that couldn’t be the case. Her nerves were just overly sensitive, making her worry unnecessarily.

In the end, Skyla headed to the Evron Ducal Residence.

“You’ve returned so quickly, Lady Skyla? I understood you had gone as an attendant with the special envoy group.”

Alice, who had been contacted by the liaison, came out to greet her with a puzzled face.

“The manor is not allowing any outsiders in at all. Her Ladyship no longer goes out of the manor either. I’m sorry, but if you have something to convey, please write it in a letter and I’ll deliver it for you.”

“No. I didn’t come to see Her Highness. Sir Ian Camellia should be staying at the Evron Ducal Residence, so please tell him about my visit.”

Alice looked somewhat troubled again.

She knew that Ian had come to find Artizea because of Skyla’s advice.

However, letting people into the manor was not within her authority. She also knew that Artizea was advising Ian not to meet with people.

“I’ll report it first.”

“…I hope it won’t take too long.”

Skyla bit her lower lip as if to suppress her impatience. This wasn’t good.

Suspicions were rising and spreading like clouds.

If possible, she didn’t want to let anyone know that she was meeting Ian. Ian was the last card she held.

However, as long as she had to enter the Evron Ducal Residence, there was no way to hide it from Artizea.

‘It would have been the same even if I had made other contacts. There’s no time.’

This problem had to be resolved tonight.

Skyla waited quite a long time in the warehouse where she had made contact with Alice. When Alice returned, the night had already grown deep.

“Follow me.”

Skyla pulled her hood down over her head and followed Alice into the Evron Ducal Residence.

Every stone lantern in the rear garden was brightly lit. There was no need to illuminate the ground with torches.

Knights, not guards, were standing watch with guns at various points. Rather than patrolling, they were keeping human eyes on every location.

Even when Artizea had collapsed at the Grand Cathedral and treason was mentioned, the security hadn’t been this intense.

The knights stopped Alice several times along the way to verify her identity. There were also several guards at the annex where Ian was staying.

“There aren’t that many people inside, so don’t worry.”

Alice said that.

As she said, the inside of the annex was quiet and dark. Due to sending away all the servants except for trustworthy ones, only the area near Ian’s quarters was being cleaned.

Ian was waiting in the drawing room. When he saw Skyla, his face showed relief. His face looked somewhat thinner than before.

“Lady Skyla, when did you return…ugh!”

Before Ian could finish speaking, Skyla ran to him and embraced him.

Ian was shocked. He reflexively almost put his arms around Skyla’s waist, but managed to stop his hands just before.

Skyla spoke quickly in a low voice.

“Pretend to be happy to see me.”

Being a man and woman was convenient at times like this. There was no better excuse for wanting to be alone together.

Alice wouldn’t be fooled anyway, though.

Ian hesitated but eventually embraced Skyla. The guard knight subtly averted his gaze.

“Could you give us some space?”

Ian asked with an awkward attitude. The guard knight hesitated a bit.

“She’s my fiancée.”

Ian said again. Even then, Skyla was burying her face in Ian’s chest. Ian’s bewilderment only grew.

The guard knight smiled with a slightly flushed face. Ian could roughly guess what he was thinking.

Ian, who had fought with the Marquess Camellia family and nearly lost his life at Marquess Luden’s hands, was secretly meeting with the daughter of Marquess Camellia.

To the guard knight who didn’t know the full circumstances, that alone would have seemed sufficiently romantic.

“I’ll leave the door open.”

“Please do.”

The knight opened the door and went out to the corridor. He couldn’t hear quiet voices, but he could check their appearance anytime by poking his head out.

Of course, being a courteous person, he wouldn’t deliberately watch the lovers.

Alice wouldn’t have been fooled, but she withdrew with the knight. She was probably going to report to Artizea.

Only then did Skyla lower her arms from around Ian’s neck. Ian let out a tense breath.

And he tried to compose his flushed face.

Skyla took off her cloak and sat on the sofa. Then she pulled Ian to sit beside her.

“We can speak in lower voices this way. There’s probably a listening device. The Duchess might be listening directly.”

“I seem to be someone whose usefulness has ended for the Duchess of Evron.”

“I’m not yet. Even if she’s decided I’m no longer needed, she’ll be curious about why I came to meet you so urgently.”

Ian nodded to show he understood. Only then could Skyla speak.

“I’m glad you’re safe.”

“I owe my life to your grace, my lady. I’m reflecting on not fully accepting your advice.”

Ian bowed his head. Skyla let out a small sigh.

“Have you had any trouble inside the ducal residence?”

“No. There’s no inconvenience in food, clothing, or shelter, and my actions aren’t particularly restricted. Going out and receiving visitors are limited, but that’s unavoidable because of the Grand Duchess.”

“The security seemed quite extensive.”

“It’s not excessive. I think it’s because they believe Marquess Luden was murdered because of the Grand Duchess.”

Skyla looked at Ian in surprise.

Ian was also surprised. He had thought Skyla would naturally know about what happened during the harvest festival.

He had told Skyla about this because he wanted to know if his speculation was convincing.

“Please tell me about that in detail. No news reached the south. Even on the way here, I was on a ship from the Kingdom of Eimel the entire time.”

She was hearing for the first time now that a daughter had been born.

How could the birth of a grand duchess be connected to Marquess Luden’s murder?

If it really wasn’t an accident, Skyla had been thinking it was because internal strife had occurred in the faction due to Duke Loigar’s absence.

If not that, then someone had taken revenge. There were more than a few who would harbor revenge against Marquess Luden.

Either way, it was something that could have happened.

Ean fell into thought for a moment.

Skyla thought that just as she had tested him last time, this time she was the one being tested.

Chills ran down her spine. Skyla had her own plan, but that plan was built on the premise that she could lead Ean.

Ironically, that leadership only had meaning when Duke Loigar’s faction held power.

Marquess Luden was dead. Duke Loigar was involved in the Milsaem incident. Ean had formed a connection with Artizea.

Ean might have judged that it would be fine to betray her now.

Even though she knew it was something she had advised and that Ean had no choice if he wanted to survive, Skyla felt regret for a moment.

But before she could be completely consumed by that anxiety, Ean spoke.

“The Prince’s Consort told me I should learn to be more cunning.”

“…So, did you decide to learn?”

“No.”

Ean looked down at his hands for a moment.

Those hands were rough. Though he was born with the legitimate bloodline of high nobility, it seemed he couldn’t possess a nobleman’s heart after all.

“I don’t want to become someone like Marquess Luden.”

“…”

“If that’s what a true noble is, then I won’t become a noble.”

“Lord Ean…”

“You saved my life, Miss Skyla. Now it’s my turn to help you.”

Ean said this and looked into Skyla’s eyes.

“You’re currently under the protection of the Duchess of Evron, but that was also your arrangement. I’m aboard your ship.”

Strength slowly drained from Skyla’s body.

She collapsed and leaned her head against Ean’s shoulder. Ean carefully placed his hand on Skyla’s shoulder and patted it gently.

“Was it very difficult in the Southern Region?”

“I thought I was going to die. But it doesn’t seem like the worst-case scenario.”

Skyla closed her eyes and answered as if murmuring.

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