The Villainess Lives Twice - Chapter 226

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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 226

Countess Camellia had prepared for escape much more thoroughly even before the meeting took place.

Although investigators and the royal guards had mobilized, there were still gaps that could be exploited.

The bribes she had spread and the connections she had built up until now were meant to be used at times like this.

She couldn’t make them claim that Duke Loigar hadn’t committed treason before the Emperor or block the investigators searching for evidence, but there were many who could at least turn a blind eye for a moment.

She prepared three decoy carriages and identified the soldiers on the escape routes in advance.

She bribed lower-ranking officers and secretly withdrew cash needed for the journey, hiding it in various locations.

One maid and two servants risked their lives.

The maid would wear Gannett’s clothes, put on a veil, and hold out at the manor.

The servants would also each disguise themselves as Gannett and board the fake carriages.

“Don’t worry, my lady. We are people who are alive thanks to your grace.”

“We’ll hold out so you can get as far away as possible.”

The two servants bowed to Countess Camellia.

She had deliberately chosen two women with similar builds to Gannett and bestowed favors on them for use at times like this.

Even knowing this, the servants spoke sincerely.

No matter how desperate, there weren’t many who would pay full price to buy poor lives.

One had saved her family from disease and starvation. One had escaped from a hellish life.

And if they survived this time, true freedom would be waiting.

Countess Camellia also selected children of appropriate ages from the orphanage she sponsored.

The children weren’t old enough to understand what was happening. They were simply excited about the fine clothes and nice carriage.

These children would escape disguised as a princess and prince.

After checking all the final preparations, she went to Gannett.

Gannett was sitting blankly by the window.

Countess Camellia approached her.

“Your Highness.”

Even when called, Gannett showed no reaction.

Countess Camellia slightly tilted her head to meet Gannett’s gaze.

“What are you looking at?”

“Royal guard soldiers.”

Gannett muttered as if talking to herself.

And without giving her attention to Countess Camellia, she continued speaking.

“They’re walking around in the garden…”

“Yes…”

Countess Camellia muttered that way, having nothing else to say.

Despite being the main suspect of treason, Duke Loigar’s residence avoided rough searches.

The charges weren’t confirmed, and there was no imperial decree. Even for the royal guards and investigators, it was burdensome to indiscriminately ransack a royal family’s manor.

Moreover, only Gannett and the children were in the house. They didn’t feel the need to pose a threat.

Duke Loigar’s residence was surrounded. Entry and exit of people was strictly controlled but not prohibited.

That was fortunate at least. Otherwise, Countess Camellia would have had to dress as a servant and use secret passages to come and go.

Having risk was natural.

Of course, even now there wasn’t no risk. A guard knight who had followed Countess Camellia was watching from an appropriate distance.

“Your Highness.”

Countess Camellia took a slight breath and steeled her resolve.

And she spoke in a low voice.

“I’ve prepared for escape.”

Gannett’s gaze turned to Countess Camellia for the first time. Her eyes looked tired.

Countess Camellia spoke as if whispering.

“You’ll go to Marquess Luden’s territory in the east. Your mother will go with you. Meidelin too.”

“There’s no… hope, is there?”

“Your Highness.”

“That’s why you’re telling me to run away, right? Sister, you anticipated all this would happen, so you already sent brother-in-law, Skyla, and Luka away.”

“No.”

Countess Camellia denied it.

It was Skyla who had spirited away her husband and son. She herself hadn’t intended to go that far.

But she seemed to have suspected it.

Recently, when she learned that Skyla had disappeared somewhere alone the day the envoy’s ship docked and returned the next afternoon, and distantly, when Artizea returned from the north and threatened her.

Even more distantly, when Artizea came asking for Olga’s heart.

She had known that she would become a threatening presence.

It was something she couldn’t blame others for. It was her own responsibility for telling Skyla to build friendship with Artizea, and for believing that since she was still young, it would take at least 10 more years of growth to become her equal.

In any case, the situation was now difficult to change.

Countess Camellia found it hard to agree with their talk of retreating to the east to plan for the future.

Her future had already betrayed her.

Prioritizing her own desires over the family’s prosperity might be because she wasn’t truly nobility.

“If Your Highness remains here, you’ll be in the way.”

“Sister.”

“If Your Highness is held hostage like now, Prince Loigar will also find it difficult to act. Go to the east and wait. I’ll somehow manage the Prince…”

“I won’t get in sister’s carriage.”

Gannett looked at her with gleaming eyes.

Countess Camellia thought it probably looked that way because of moisture gathering in her eyes.

“I heard. That sister is a traitor.”

“No, Your Highness!”

Countess Camellia was startled and raised her voice.

The guard knight looked at her.

Gannett wiped her moist eyes with her fingers.

“They told me never to get in sister’s carriage.”

“Was it Count Brennan? What did that man say to Your Highness…”

“It’s not father’s story. I told Skyla to throw the jewelry box into the sea.”

Gannett spoke in a cracked, hoarse voice. Then she lowered her head.

Countess Camellia cleared her throat briefly.

Gannett’s words meant that she already knew the fact that she had been involved in Marquess Luden’s death.

And what Skyla had done too.

Countess Camellia didn’t know how to make excuses from there.

Rather, Gannett spoke.

“Count Brennan doesn’t know. I didn’t tell him.”

“Your Highness…”

“Sister, you knew, didn’t you?”

Countess Camellia fell silent again.

She had already known about the jewelry box story. She had questioned Baroness Weave in detail about everything that happened while in the south.

When she heard that Ian Camellia had reported the treason, she also guessed that he had presented the jewelry box as evidence.

However, Countess Camellia denied it.

“It’s not because of the jewelry box.”

What did the jewelry box matter? Gannett hadn’t truly harbored treasonous thoughts.

And Duke Loigar had harbored treasonous thoughts.

Although he never spoke aloud about becoming emperor, he had made that agreement on the premise that he would become the next emperor.

If he was to be punished for false claims, it was Duke Loigar, not Gannett, who was the criminal.

That was the truth. All responsibility lay with Duke Loigar and the other nobles, the heads of families who decided the family’s will. And with herself too.

Gannett was neither. She had chosen nothing for herself up to this point.

Even if there seemed to be things she had chosen, most of them were guided by others.

Countess Camellia knew this better than anyone.

However, Gannett shook her head.

“I won’t run away.”

“Your Highness!”

“I won’t get in Count Brennan’s carriage either. If I flee, what will happen to him?”

Gannett said this.

Her heart burned hot. Something too big for her to handle had happened, and emotionally as well.

Her sister had helped kill their father.

Her niece had betrayed her.

It felt as if all the ground she had been standing on was crumbling away.

Until now, Gannett had sometimes been seized by the feeling that her life didn’t seem to belong to her.

She loved her husband, loved her children, and loved her father and sister too. Sometimes she got angry, sometimes she desired things, and sometimes she felt very happy or sad.

But even adding all of that together, her life was fluffy and empty like clouds placed on a shelf suspended in mid-air.

When that feeling reached its peak, there were times when she felt she could shed her body.

If she kicked away from the comfortable manor, she felt like some other life would be waiting somewhere.

Even if she couldn’t draw the specific shape of that life, it was so.

But now Gannett seemed to understand that she had to protect her own life herself.

Her heart hardened strangely, and her mind was clearer than ever before.

She came to understand that this was her real duty, not the duties that had always seemed insignificant.

“I’m trying not to resent sister over father’s matter. The fact that father probably didn’t treat sister very well… when I think about it, it’s obvious.”

“Your Highness…”

“I’m sorry for never thinking about it. I’m sorry that someone like me was the marquess’s daughter… If sister had been in this position, this definitely wouldn’t have happened. Father would have achieved what he wanted too.”

Gannett said.

“Since I’m like this, Skyla probably did that because there was no one to protect sister.”

“That’s not it.”

“Still, I’m his wife.”

Gannett decided not to try to make the wise choice. No matter how much she racked her brains, she wouldn’t be able to think as wisely as Countess Camellia suggested.

But since it was her own matter, she decided to decide for herself.

“The children, please take them.”

Gannett bowed her head close enough for her breath to touch and whispered in a low voice.

“I hope they don’t do dangerous things, don’t be greedy, and just live happily like ordinary people, meeting someone they like and building a family.”

Countess Camellia took a deep breath.

“I know it’s a difficult thing, but I’m asking you. If I remain, it should be a bit easier…”

Gannett squeezed her hand once tightly, then let go and stood up.

“I’ll never see sister again. I won’t resent her, but that doesn’t mean I can forgive her either.”

“Your Highness…”

Countess Camellia couldn’t stop her.

Gannett seemed like someone with almost no will of her own, but that didn’t mean she had no stubbornness at all.

Like when Marquess Luden said no, but she cried and starved every day for a whole month, begging to be given her as a maid.

She had deliberately shown him the attic where she lived, hoping he would do so. But it was Gannett herself who had carried out her will.

Even though it was a trivial matter to Marquess Luden, and he had granted it because there was benefit in it.

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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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