The Villainess Lives Twice - Chapter 231

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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 231

35.

Henry Kishower jumped up in great shock.

Not only Hailey and Hazel, but even Mielle, who knew little about such matters, opened her mouth in surprise.

Artizea lowered her gaze into her teacup to hide her agitation.

And she asked calmly.

“Was there anything else he said?”

“No. I was only instructed to go as quickly as possible and inform you. Prince said he would go to Duke Loigar’s Mansion with Prime Minister.”

“I understand.”

The knight saluted and withdrew.

Henry Kishower spoke.

“I escorted Prince Loigar to his residence yesterday. He was in despair, but I never thought he would choose death…”

“Perhaps guilt finally caught up with him?”

“That could be. Anyway, I should return to the Imperial Palace. Excuse me.”

Henry Kishower bid farewell to Artizea and gave Mielle firm instructions.

“If anything happens, contact me immediately. Absolutely do not go out.”

“Yes.”

And Henry Kishower hurriedly left.

Hailey looked at Artizea. Artizea was still staring into her teacup.

“Did you anticipate this?”

“No. I never thought he would have the courage to die.”

Duke Loigar was a selfish and calculating person.

Those who covet profit are generally cowardly. Those who love wealth and honor want to live to enjoy them.

Even if he loved his family, it was the same.

Love is ultimately one’s own emotion. To think and judge based on others beyond the limits of oneself requires continuous training.

It’s even more difficult for someone with strong self-love.

Duke Loigar, as the head and patriarch of the ducal house, would never have undergone such training.

People commonly think that families protect their members, but in reality, family members merely serve the family’s purposes.

This relationship was the same between the head of the family and its members.

Moreover, he was a legitimate prince.

With each generation that passes, bloodlines grow more distant from the throne and glory.

Unless he ascended to the throne, his children were merely collateral branches.

In other words, his calculations differed from noble families that sought the family’s perpetuity through personal sacrifice.

He must have known well that his wife and child wouldn’t necessarily die just because he died.

And yet he chose death.

Artizea finished her tea and silently rose from her seat. Her feelings were too complicated to remain in the baby’s room.

Hailey followed behind her.

Hazel hesitated. Mielle gently pushed her.

“You should go too.”

“Ah, but…”

“If it’s something she can’t tell you, she’ll ask you to leave. I just need to stay by Young Lady’s side.”

Hazel hesitated slightly, but soon said “Sorry” and quickly followed Artizea.

Artizea returned to her drawing room.

Hailey glanced at Hazel briefly, but let her inside and closed the door.

Artizea said.

“Hailey, prepare for going out. I want to leave secretly.”

“Yes.”

“This has become troublesome.”

Artizea’s face was clouded.

Duke Loigar’s death could not be beneficial in the long term.

The immediate problem was that the Emperor’s pressure would be concentrated on Cedric alone.

But above all, the problem was that they didn’t yet have the capacity to settle the Eastern Region.

For a while, they would have to focus all their efforts on settling the salt business, and after that, they would have to resolve diplomatic issues.

It wasn’t a situation where they could use force either.

It hadn’t even been half a year since the Southern Subjugation Army was dispatched.

No matter how vast the Empire’s production capacity, they couldn’t mobilize troops consecutively.

This was especially true when treasury income was decreasing due to the suspension of the salt business. Moreover, the opponent was the prosperous Eastern Region.

So the Emperor would have wanted to keep Duke Loigar alive to use divide-and-conquer tactics, while preserving justification to project power into the Eastern Region at any time.

However, with Gannett protecting her pride and Duke Loigar committing suicide, this incident had come to an end.

Once the Eastern Region finished mourning and gathered its strength, it would surely become a source of trouble.

‘Now that it’s come to this, I must find the princess and prince and kill them without fail.’

If there wasn’t clear evidence of their deaths, even fakes would appear. To be used for rallying the Eastern Region.

“I’d like Hazel to take Mielle home, and for you to return home as well.”

“Pardon?”

“I’ll write you a letter to take to your father.”

“Ah, yes!”

Hazel answered enthusiastically, realizing that this was the real purpose rather than being excluded.

Artizea immediately took out paper and began writing a letter.

When Cedric heard the news, he was with Prime Minister Lin.

The two immediately headed to Duke Loigar’s Mansion. It wasn’t that they had any particular thoughts.

They were too shocked and thought they should confirm the facts.

A Royal Guard with a pale face came out to greet them.

Prime Minister Lin asked.

“Is the suicide certain?”

“Yes. There was also a suicide note.”

He said that suicide note was immediately sent to the Emperor.

“With all these people around, you couldn’t stop it? You must have been watching.”

“The study had already been searched, so we weren’t worried and were guarding from outside. When we heard the gunshot and rushed in, it was right after Prince had put the gun barrel in his mouth and pulled the trigger.”

“How could this… good heavens…”

“The investigator in charge of searching the mansion, along with servants and knights, have all gone for interrogation.”

The Emperor had ensured that not a single blade was left in the mansion, just in case.

Even wine bottles and glass cups were replaced with silver items, and every paper knife was confiscated.

But it seemed something had been missed.

The Guard Knight responsible for security at Duke Loigar’s Mansion and the investigator responsible for the search were horrified and arrested everyone involved.

Duke Loigar was still lying in the study. A servant had straightened his limbs and brought a blanket to cover him up to his head.

This was because the Emperor’s orders had not yet come down.

The pistol used for suicide was placed on the desk. Blood had dried on it.

When Cedric looked at it, the Royal Guard said with an apologetic expression.

“The investigator said he thought of it as a valuable item rather than a weapon and just left it. It was a gun that could only fire one shot, and it would be useless without gunpowder and bullets anyway.”

“You wouldn’t have left a box of live ammunition in the house, would you?”

“Yes. We removed everything. But apparently one bullet was hidden inside a candlestick.”

A candlestick split in half was thrown on the desk. There was an empty space. It seemed to be a space originally made to hide documents or jewels.

They said the servant, investigator, and knight on duty that day had fought fiercely.

According to the investigator, he had dismantled and confiscated all items that could hide something. The candlestick with a secret space was no exception.

According to the knight’s claim, no outsiders had entered at all.

The servant said he had no idea there was a secret space in the candlestick and had only regarded it as the same item as other candlesticks in Duke’s Residence.

While listening to such stories, Cedric opened the desk drawer.

“You must not touch anything, Your Highness.”

The royal guard said in surprise. However, Cedric paid no mind and searched for sealing wax to take out.

Then he lit a candle placed on one side of the desk and melted the wax.

Realizing what he intended to do, the knight fell silent.

Cedric knelt beside Duke Loigar, who lay straight on the floor, and gently pulled back the blanket.

Then he closed the wide-open eyes and sealed them with wax.

Even so, that face still seemed to be glaring at something fearsome.

“Princess Consort will be shocked…”

The bureaucrat from the Chancellor’s Office who had followed the two muttered.

Cedric covered Duke Loigar’s face again. Then he asked.

“Was it because of responsibility?”

“Responsibility… do you mean?”

“The suicide note probably contained a confession. Perhaps it was to save my aunt’s life.”

At those words, Prime Minister Lin’s face contorted.

“Well… If Her Highness committed a crime, it wouldn’t rashly implicate Duke Loigar. Duke Loigar is a prince, after all. But the reverse doesn’t hold true.”

“…”

“Wasn’t it shame or… fear?”

Prime Minister Lin said.

“I understand His Majesty pressured him quite severely. His Majesty probably intended to spare Prince’s life, but…”

He spoke in roundabout terms.

Cedric understood what he meant.

Duke Loigar might have resisted out of terror. Or perhaps he had fled through death.

Whether he was in a calm enough state to think of overturning the situation with his own death was uncertain.

However, there was certainly a desire to save his wife and child in it.

Cedric felt conflicted.

It wasn’t as if he had any special affection for his uncle.

When he was truly young, he had despised and scorned him.

As he aged, his understanding grew. But separately from that, when he threatened Artizea and Leticia, he had seriously harbored murderous intent.

Having resolved to become Emperor, he knew well that this was someone he would have to fight eventually.

Even so, his heart was still troubled.

‘There is no such thing as an honorable death, but…’

Cedric stood up.

“I’m greatly worried about how to inform Princess Consort.”

Prime Minister Lin said gloomily.

Cedric nodded somberly.

“First, let’s return to the Chancellor’s Office. It would be best to request an audience with His Majesty the Emperor.”

“Yes. That would be good.”

The bureaucrat from the Chancellor’s Office said carefully. Lin agreed and suggested to Cedric that they go.

“…”

Cedric followed the two men outside with his mouth closed.

Before going to see the Emperor, he wanted to meet Artizea first. However, he hesitated because exposing their consultation to the outside seemed unwise.

And it was when they arrived near the Chancellor’s Office.

Cedric saw a black four-wheeled carriage parked there. The pattern hanging on the carriage window looked familiar.

He told Lin to go in first, dismounted from his horse, and headed toward the carriage.

As he approached, the door opened from inside.

Artizea was inside.

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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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