The Villainess Lives Twice - Chapter 223

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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 223

The banquet hall was dyed in silence. Even the King of Eimel held his breath.

The Emperor slowly opened his mouth.

“Can you take responsibility for those words?”

The Emperor’s anger was vividly transmitted even to Ian, who was kneeling with his head bowed below the steps.

Ian felt his spine grow cold.

It was dozens of times more frightening than when he faced Marquess Luden.

Emperor Gregor had ruled the Empire for decades. He had been Emperor since before Ian came of age.

And although he had lived far from the capital like a commoner, Ian was still an imperial citizen.

The majesty rooted in his heart and reflexive fear made Ian tremble.

Ian repeatedly told himself that he must overcome this fear and act wisely.

The Emperor glanced at Ian with cold eyes and spoke to the King of Eimel.

“I’m sorry that such an incident occurred when we had specially arranged this gathering.”

“Not at all.”

The King of Eimel bowed his head with a pale complexion.

The good mood that had developed from the Emperor’s hospitality was nowhere to be found. It didn’t seem like a coincidence that such an incident occurred just days after his arrival.

The Emperor stood up and spoke as if spitting out the words.

“Continue the banquet. You, follow me.”

With that, he turned and went inside. Gayan followed in attendance.

Ian was pulled to his feet by the royal guards.

Ian had to walk on his own feet. However, with royal guards sticking close on both sides, the pressure was considerable.

He followed the Emperor all the way to his lounge.

The Emperor plopped down on the sofa. Ian knelt on one knee before him.

Then the royal guards pressed his shoulders to make him kneel on both knees.

The Emperor spoke.

“How insolent. If you have something to report, you should have informed quietly, not disgrace my face before the King of Eimel like this.”

Ian could not retort and bowed his head.

“State in detail what your status is and who you claim plotted treason.”

“I am Ian, son of Camellia. The one I accuse is Duke Loigar.”

“Nonsense!”

The Emperor struck the armrest and shouted.

Ian flinched despite being prepared. The servants hurriedly knelt.

“Loigar is my blood brother who holds the title of Duke. He is also the first in line of succession. How dare someone like you commit such an outrage!”

The Emperor waved his hand dismissively.

“To dare falsely accuse a member of the imperial family! Did you do this blinded by resentment toward Luden and Camellia? Take him away and punish him for blasphemy!”

“I have evidence!”

Ian shouted and reached into his chest.

The royal guards quickly grabbed him from both sides to prevent him from moving his hands.

And they directly retrieved an object from Ian’s bulging chest.

It was a jewelry box.

Unable to entrust it to others or carry it openly, he had endured his disheveled appearance to keep it in his chest.

A servant took the jewelry box from the royal guard’s hands, showed it to the Emperor once, and inspected it.

The Emperor’s anger subsided. After examining it, the royal guards released Ian.

Ian spoke.

“My wife followed the Duchess Loigar as her maid to the southern region, and upon learning an unbearable truth, she secretly entrusted me with evidence of treason.”

“Who is this wife of yours?”

“Skyla of House Camellia.”

At these words, even the Emperor had to close his mouth.

He didn’t know Skyla closely. At most, he had met her a few times when she came to greet him with her parents at banquets.

Other than that, he only knew that she had visited the Empress’s Palace a few times to prepare for birthday celebrations, that she was acquainted with Artizea, that she was rumored to be clever but still under her mother’s influence.

But she was the young marchioness of House Camellia.

She would be at odds with Ian, who had filed an inheritance lawsuit.

“Is that true?”

“It’s something that can be confirmed immediately, so what would be the point of lying about it?”

“At which temple did you write the marriage vows?”

Ian answered the temple’s location without hesitation.

Those vows had been written before Skyla departed for the south.

Rather than taking immediate effect, they were arranged to be registered in the temple’s marriage records only after certain conditions were met.

Also, several restrictions were placed so that if mutual promises were broken, the engagement could be canceled by either party’s will.

Then they deliberately chose a temple in a small village on the outskirts, outside the capital, and left it there.

And when Skyla returned and spent the night with him in the same room, the marriage was completely legally established.

The Emperor let out a hollow laugh as if incredulous.

“The Marquess and Marchioness Camellia would faint if they knew.”

“This is a matter between adults. We judged this to be a way to resolve things without making the conflict bigger.”

Ian said this because it seemed the Emperor wouldn’t believe if he said they had fallen in love.

It was something he had coordinated with Skyla.

Meanwhile, the servant confirmed there were no devices in the jewelry box. Then he presented it to the Emperor.

The Emperor opened the jewelry box lid and clicked his tongue.

“Who did you say gave this to you?”

“She said it was a personal gift from a minister of the Kingdom of Ients who signed the agreement as the king’s representative.”

“….”

If this alone existed, there might have been some way to make excuses.

They could have claimed the Duchess was naive and accepted the gift, or argued she hadn’t opened it.

But when viewed together with the agreement, that was absolutely impossible.

He truly didn’t want to do this.

He wasn’t unaware of what was in Duke Loigar’s heart. Given the chance, he would want to assassinate him.

There would be considerable resentment, but more than that, it was unavoidable if he didn’t want to lose his position.

However, the Emperor couldn’t eliminate Duke Loigar now. That would leave only Cedric as a suitable imperial heir.

Being the sole heir meant being the second-in-command, an existence capable of confronting the Emperor.

How many monarchs in history had been in adversarial relationships with their eldest sons?

But if there was only one heir, he couldn’t even be eliminated.

‘Leticia exists, but it’s still too early.’

The Emperor closed the jewelry box lid.

Ian had made a wise choice. If Ian had reported through secret channels, he would have kept only the jewelry box and eliminated Ian.

So he could use this evidence whenever he wanted.

“…Quite clever indeed.”

The Emperor muttered in a cracked voice.

It was infuriating. Both Ian and Duke Loigar.

But there was no choice.

Ian had accused treason at an official banquet. This matter couldn’t be covered up.

When the word treason was mentioned, it was impossible to turn a blind eye. Especially when foreign countries were involved.

Even if it was truly a trivial matter, it had to be investigated.

The Emperor put down the jewelry box and ordered a servant.

“Provide Ian Camellia with guest quarters in the imperial palace.”

“Ah, I have lodging….”

“Please go.”

The servant interrupted his words with a gentle expression. Ian realized this wasn’t about providing accommodation for procedural convenience, but about confining him.

“Ah….”

Anxiety surged up.

But he endured it. He didn’t think he could return unscathed after making such an accusation.

“Summon the Prime Minister and Ferguson. There’s no need to cause a commotion… Though it probably already has. Anyway, tell those two to come in.”

“Yes.”

This time the Emperor looked at Gayan and spoke.

“You take the Royal Guards and surround Duke Loigar’s mansion and Marquess Luden’s residence. Don’t let even a single rat escape.”

The Emperor commanded.

“He dared to go to a foreign country and falsely claim to be Emperor – a crime of high treason. I will personally interrogate him.”

“I obey your command.”

Gayan bowed his head and withdrew.

The Emperor rubbed the back of his neck. The servant who remained by his side perceptively asked.

“Shall I call for a masseur?”

“That would be good.”

The Emperor closed his eyes and then rose from his seat. He needed to quietly organize his thoughts alone.

The chaos that erupted that night was beyond description.

The Emperor ordered the banquet to continue, but there was no way the festivities could properly proceed.

The musicians awkwardly continued playing, but no one was dancing. Everyone gathered with people they knew, murmuring about what was happening.

Duke Loigar was seized by an ominous premonition. It became even stronger after hearing that it was Ian of Camellia who had reported the treason.

Until now, he hadn’t been as worried as Countess Camellia.

He had passed the first hurdle. He had made flawless excuses regarding both the Milsaem incident and the treaty issue.

If the King of Aemel had any sense, he wouldn’t say anything unnecessary. Having signed the treaty with his own hand, the King of Aemel couldn’t accuse Duke Loigar.

Unless he joined hands with Sedric to secretly plot something.

The Emperor wouldn’t let the whole matter slide just like that. However, the investigation was only being conducted underwater.

Duke Loigar carefully controlled his officials to avoid interfering with that investigation.

The Emperor couldn’t kill him.

What Count Brennan had done was hard to forgive, but his assessment of the situation was correct.

It was Leticia who now had the support of the Church and the people. Not only Count Brennan, but the Emperor too would be concerned about the power Sedric would gain as Leticia’s biological father.

But treason?

There was no way someone like Ian Camellia could have accessed important information.

So this treason business must have nothing to do with him.

Count Brennan approached him and said.

“My aide says this is information that hasn’t reached us at all. But considering Ian Camellia’s activities so far, this story came from the House of Evron.”

“What?”

“He’s currently under the protection of the Duchess of Evron.”

Duke Loigar hesitated.

As the two men were talking in low voices, Gannett interjected.

“Is it something serious?”

“You don’t need to worry about it. No, you should go home. Tonight’s banquet will probably be canceled like this.”

“What about you?”

“I need to stay here and observe the situation.”

The Prime Minister and Ferguson were called inside.

Some knew the banquet was effectively over and left, while others remained to exchange information despite the murmuring.

And the Royal Guards moved.

“So you were here, Your Highness Duke Loigar.”

Gayan politely bowed to him and said.

“His Majesty summons you.”

“Ah.”

“It would be best for Your Highness the Princess Consort to return home.”

And he spoke kindly to the anxious Gannett.

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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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