The Villainess Lives Twice - Chapter 236

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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 236

Artizea returned to the manor with a heavy heart. After washing her hands and face, the first thing she did was go to see Leticia’s face.

She wanted to regain her center of mind.

Mielle came out to greet her with a worried expression.

“Did something happen?”

“It’s nothing serious.”

Answering lightly, Artizea sat down beside Leticia’s cradle.

“Shall I hold her for you?”

Marcus asked. Artizea shook her head.

Then she asked Mielle.

“Didn’t you go home? I told you to go back.”

“When I went home, my mother wasn’t there.”

“Still, you should wait at home for a while. It would be better for you to stay home for a few days.”

“Is that because it’s dangerous? Or because it would look unnatural for Hazel to come and go home alone?”

Artizea looked at Mielle with a subtle expression.

Mielle spoke with sudden maturity.

“Since I’ve been home once, Hazel going out won’t look too strange either. And I like everyone here – Young Lady, Her Highness, and all the people at the Duke’s Residence.”

“…Thank you.”

Artizea lowered her eyes.

From inside the cradle, Leticia smiled brightly at her mother who wasn’t holding her.

If Mielle would come to the Imperial Palace with such feelings, it would truly be a grateful thing.

Henry Kishower serves as a Guard Knight, responsible for part of the Imperial Palace security. There probably weren’t many people as safe as Mielle within the Imperial Palace.

‘I thought this conversation wouldn’t come up until Leticia was at least three years old.’

Even if they formed an adoption bond, moving to the Imperial Palace was another matter entirely.

Considering safety, the Evron Ducal Residence was naturally better.

So she thought they would leave things as they were until Leticia reached a stable age.

She thought they would only call the couple to the Imperial Palace to continue the lineage and then eliminate them after she became old enough not to need parents.

But asking them to enter the Imperial Palace now meant he truly intended to make Cedric Crown Prince.

‘If it was discussed with the Empress, the conversation would have come from that side first.’

Thinking positively, perhaps he had decided to use appeasement tactics since there were no other alternatives anyway.

That possibility wasn’t low either.

First in line for imperial succession. The only competitor was the baby in the cradle. And even that was his own child.

How that would look to other people was obvious.

‘If it weren’t Lord Sedric, this would be the perfect situation to be swayed by circumstances.’

Since the Emperor was aging, those greedy for power and merit would stir things up, saying it would be best for the Empire if he handed over the throne as soon as possible.

But Cedric wasn’t that kind of person.

And the Emperor knew that he was someone who returned affection and trust in equal measure to what he received.

If it was truly an appeasement tactic, it would be a really good thing.

‘It’s better to make the succession itself as peaceful as possible. If His Majesty collapses right now, the South will definitely go to war.’

Cardiole would never miss that opportunity.

The East also had a high possibility of civil war. Among those who wanted to suppress the Marquess Ruden’s dominance, there would be some who would take rash actions.

That’s why the Chamberlain was maintaining the Emperor’s health at such a precarious level.

So that if even one drop of danger fell, everything would immediately collapse.

‘In the end, we have no choice but to enter the Imperial Palace. If His Majesty is also feeling the limits of his health, he’ll start transferring domestic affairs to Lord Sedric.’

While the Emperor sorted out Southern affairs, Cedric could take control of the bureaucrats.

And she would become a useful hand and foot for the Emperor. So there would be no reason to cast her aside.

She had become able to do that. If the Emperor ever changed his mind, she could overturn everything at any time.

“Peek-a-boo!”

Mielle covered Leticia’s face with a thin silk handkerchief and then lifted it up.

Leticia laughed delightfully. Artizea gazed at that face.

“Ah! Ma! Ma!”

Leticia laughed while waving her arms and legs. There wasn’t a trace of worry in that laughter.

With a strange feeling, Artizea looked at the baby’s face and smiled. When she put her hand into the cradle, soft little fingers grasped Artizea’s finger.

“It’ll be okay.”

Artizea murmured.

“Come to think of it, Mielle, have you ever had an audience with the Empress?”

“Yes. I went twice following Hazel. Though I couldn’t help with the birthday celebration preparations.”

“Let’s go once with Leticia. I’ll go with you at first, but from now on, you should take the lead and enter the palace whenever you have time to show Leticia’s face to the Empress.”

“Me?”

Mielle looked nervous.

“Marcus is the guardian, but Marcus alone can’t have an audience with the Empress, can he? I’m also busy, and when visiting the Empress, I have to be mindful of outside attention in various ways.”

“I understand what you mean.”

Mielle nodded with a face full of determination.

She understood that if problems arose, she needed to be able to take Leticia to the Empress’s Palace and seek protection.

Artizea said.

“You don’t need to worry so much. There are now a couple of ladies your age in the Empress’s Palace, and the Empress has taken a liking to Leticia.”

“Yes.”

“Do you think we’ll be going to the Imperial Palace?”

Marcus asked with a worried expression.

“It’s not confirmed, but we should prepare ourselves mentally.”

Artizea only hinted that much.

Since the Emperor had spoken, it was as good as decided. But it would be problematic to tell others before discussing it with Cedric.

A maid knocked on the door, entered, and handed Artizea a letter.

It was a letter from Hazel.

Mielle asked.

“Hazel is late – did something happen? Is she going to sleep at home?”

“Hmm, I wonder.”

Artizea answered while opening the letter. Inside, after brief greetings, it said:

“Father says he would like to meet you once.”

Below that was a rough map drawn.

Artizea wrote below the letter that she would meet as soon as preparations were finished, sealed it in a new envelope.

She entrusted it to the maid to send to Hazel and stood up. It was time to go out again.

The shop designated as the meeting place was one that served tea during the day and alcohol at night to poor commoners.

It wasn’t even a place to sit and eat properly, but rather where people stood to quickly soothe their tired bodies with a sip of warm tea or cool alcohol before leaving.

Naturally, it was hard to call it clean. The bustling shop was so crowded that it was difficult even to enter without brushing against others and wrinkling clothes.

The bar made from cutting a large tree trunk was layered with stains from tea and alcohol.

At least it was fortunate that unlike a tavern, it wasn’t saturated with food smells.

“Ugh.”

Alice made a disgusted sound. Before becoming Artizea’s maid, she too had worked in places like this.

But whether familiar or not, unpleasant was still unpleasant.

“It’s ridiculous that you would come to a place like this.”

Alice complained without saying the word “my lady” aloud.

“There must be a reason for asking us to come to a place like this.”

Artizea replied.

She had borrowed Alice’s clothes and came wearing a hood pulled low.

Even wearing old, worn clothes seemed like it would cause problems in this place. Impoverished fallen nobles were prime prey in places like this.

Belmond Editor entered the shop just as Artizea was wondering whether she should actually put her lips to the tea she had ordered here or not.

“You’ve come.”

Belmond Editor said.

He was dressed modestly but neatly. Hazel, who was following behind him, was also dressed like a proper journalist in a tweed jacket and pants.

People glanced at the two briefly, but soon lost interest. It wasn’t that uncommon for journalists to enter such shops to find stories or meet informants.

Belmond Editor recognized Artizea immediately.

He didn’t bow formally. It would be troublesome if others noticed.

“I apologize for making you come to such a place.”

“You must have had your reasons.”

Though he was someone she should speak down to, Artizea replied with a respectful tone.

This too was to avoid drawing attention.

Belmond Editor smiled. He hadn’t expected Artizea to accommodate him to this extent.

It was a task that could fail if they drew attention. However, even if Artizea were noticed and it failed, the responsibility would be his.

There were hardly any high-ranking nobles who would do this. In fact, Belmond Editor had never seen a single one.

Belmond Editor guided Artizea toward a corner seat. Then he gave Hazel a few coins and told her to buy clean water from somewhere else.

“Since you called me out, I assume you found them.”

“You gave me the exact name, so tracking wasn’t that difficult.”

“Even so, it didn’t even take a day, so I can clearly see you’re quite capable.”

Belmond Editor bowed his head slightly in gratitude.

“Go back now, Hazel.”

“No, Father. You can’t do that after coming all this way.”

Hazel burst out in complaint.

Belmond Editor was about to scold his daughter, but before he could, Hazel moved close to Artizea’s side and said.

“I’m Her Highness’s maid. Serving Her Highness naturally comes first.”

“Shh, Hazel.”

Hazel quickly closed her mouth and looked around. Fortunately, she had kept her voice low. No one seemed to have heard.

Belmond Editor sighed, and Artizea smiled bitterly.

Suddenly, intensity crossed Belmond Editor’s face. Artizea glanced in that direction.

A woman carrying a large basket entered and went inside the bar.

Belmond Editor took the lead and went outside the shop. Artizea followed him with quick steps.

Belmond Editor, who had already scouted the back door, entered the alley without hesitation.

The woman who had exited through the shop’s back door entered a warehouse building.

Belmond Editor followed the woman at a pace that wouldn’t arouse suspicion. Meanwhile, he pulled out lock picks from his coat.

Hazel’s eyes widened as she watched her father pick the locked door in one go.

Belmond Editor said in an excuse-making tone.

“When you work as a journalist, you encounter all sorts of situations.”

The warehouse was completely empty. Whatever it had been used for originally, the floor was littered with dried, twisted hay and garbage.

“What should we do?”

Belmond Editor asked.

“There’s no need to break in and fight. If that were the case, I would have brought Count Alphonse.”

Artizea said.

Then she raised her voice and called out.

“Countess Camellia, if you open the door, I’ll give you a chance to save the Duchess Loigar!”

Her voice echoed through the spacious warehouse.

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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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