The Villainess Lives Twice - Chapter 24

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

Chapter 24

Baron Itz’s gambling house on Pontin Street was the most glamorous and vulgar place in the capital.

The pillars at the entrance were wrapped in gold leaf, and artworks bought with money were placed inharmoniously throughout the corridors.

The ankle-deep carpets were expensive fabrics imported from the Southern Region. Crystal chandeliers reflected candlelight in all directions, making it dazzlingly bright even in the dead of night.

Spending money to the point of appearing vulgar was Baron Itz’s strategy.

No matter how he decorated the interior, he would only hear that he was a lowly commoner who had bought his title with money.

In that case, it was better to show off just how overwhelmingly much money he had.

Minor nobles who had titles but lacked money and power would mock him while cowering.

True nobles who had enough money to scoff at such amounts enjoyed both a sense of superiority and the pleasure of despising people when they saw the undignified display.

And either way, they liked the base pleasures he provided.

While drawing a line by being wary of or despising Baron Itz, the provider.

As if those who enjoyed his hospitality were morally superior people, different from Baron Itz.

That too was a kind of strategy for Baron Itz. The easier it was for them to draw such lines, the more easily gold was sucked into the baron’s coffers.

Today was another day of smooth sailing. Business was thriving.

Masked guests flipped cards or threw dice while shouting in excitement. From other places came sighs filled with despair.

Half-naked men and women holding golden goblets glided between these sounds like fish.

It was when he had finished his satisfying patrol and was turning back.

His secretary came running in a panic. People looked at the secretary wondering what was happening.

“You fool, what did I tell you? If you disrupt the flow of the main hall, the guests can’t concentrate on their games…”

“This is not the time for that! We’re in big trouble!”

“Big trouble?”

“The Duke of Evron has come. With the ownership documents for Saint Olga’s Heart!”

Of course Baron Itz couldn’t not know the Duke of Evron. However, he just blinked, not understanding what that meant for a moment.

He had never thought that the Duke of Evron would visit his establishment.

Saint Olga’s Heart was also such an old matter that it took some time before he realized what was being said.

But the next moment he understood the situation and ran frantically toward his office.

A blue chill like a blade ground from ice circulated in the office.

Baron Itz hesitated in front of the door. Seven knights had taken control of the office.

The knights of the House of Evron had strict discipline and high morale. Though they were young men who might have gotten heated by the excited and corrupt atmosphere of the gambling house, not one of them relaxed their expression.

The Duke of Evron was sitting on the sofa. He looked displeased.

“Greetings, Prince Evron. What brings someone of Your Highness’s stature to visit such a shabby and lowly gambling den?”

“Sit.”

Cedric spoke curtly.

The atmosphere of the gambling house greatly displeased him.

Cedric wasn’t so rigid as to dislike even gathering in small groups at gentlemen’s clubs or salons to flip cards or make betting books.

However, the number of people who fell into ruin even from such gambling was not small.

Much less this kind of gambling house that made it impossible to distinguish night from day and obscured the essence with dazzling lights was no different from a place that sucked away people’s lives and turned them into gold.

So it would be fine to ignore procedural legitimacy somewhat and wield power.

“Even if Your Highness wields power. I’d bet my finger that it wouldn’t amount to even one-hundredth of what that Baron Itz fellow has done so far.”

Freil said this with a sneer.

Baron Itz carefully sat with his legs together. Cedric threw the documents at him.

He waited for Baron Itz to check the documents with trembling hands, then spoke.

“I have taken over the ownership of Saint Olga’s Heart. Since you haven’t paid for seven years, I trust you won’t demand the execution of this contract now.”

“Th-that is…”

“I need to check the diamond and your ledgers.”

Cedric spoke unilaterally.

“Pardon?”

Baron Itz reflexively asked back.

The knights did not. As soon as Cedric gestured, they began searching the office in perfect coordination.

Baron Itz was startled and tried to jump up. A knight who had somehow gotten behind him pressed down on his shoulders and made him sit back down.

Shouting came from outside. The seven knights Cedric had brought were not all of them.

Dozens of knights had simultaneously occupied the gambling house’s operational spaces. Baron Itz’s guards tried to respond but it instantly became a violent situation.

Of course, mere thugs couldn’t possibly stand against real knights.

They didn’t invade the spaces where guests were, but with such commotion happening inside, it couldn’t help but reach the outside.

Panicked guests each covered their faces and hurriedly left the gambling house.

One of the employees ran to the office to report the situation but was caught by knights and forced to kneel.

“Even if you are a duke, you have no right to do this in my establishment!”

Baron Itz shouted in a voice that seemed to tear. Cedric spoke without any change in expression.

“The Security Bureau won’t take issue with me opening the safe of an illegal gambling house’s office. Or wouldn’t it be solved if I eliminated the justification for searching your establishment?”

Even knowing that Baron Itz didn’t have the diamond, Cedric spoke this way.

Would Countess Camellia’s name come up? Then he would take the baron along to meet Countess Camellia or do whatever was needed.

But probably nine times out of ten, Baron Itz wouldn’t be able to speak.

Sweat beaded on Baron Itz’s face. As expected, he mumbled and made excuses.

“Th-that is, if you could wait just a little, I’ll bring it to you.”

“There are plenty of people here to run errands, so if you tell us the location, we’ll have it brought immediately.”

“If you go back and wait, even tomorrow…”

“How can I trust you? Someone who took goods and didn’t pay for seven years has no credibility whatsoever.”

Cedric said coldly.

“Since you used force to steal a diamond worth nearly your entire fortune from an honest merchant, there must surely be many similar incidents. I need to verify that.”

“Ugh…”

“If you have complaints, bring the diamond immediately.”

Cedric spoke politely, but it was complete intimidation.

Baron Itz couldn’t say anything.

There was absolutely no way to escape. The Duke of Evron was too big a figure to brush off or argue with.

If it were some insignificant lower noble, he would have borrowed the prestige of the Camellia Marquess family.

But the Camellia Marquess family would never tolerate someone like Baron Itz using their name against the Duke of Evron.

Or should he insist that the documents White had were already invalid? The risk was too great.

If they searched, there would be pre-fabricated documents somewhere deep in the document storage.

But that document storage couldn’t be opened in front of others. Because it was such an old matter, he had stored it together with other forged documents, not knowing this would happen.

Moreover, the Duke of Evron, who had already spent money, wouldn’t fail to verify the authenticity of those documents.

The courts would unconditionally side with the Duke of Evron.

If he made a mistake, he might even incur Countess Camellia’s wrath for causing inconvenience.

The knights completely turned the office upside down. All hidden document storages and safes were dragged out.

Baron Itz’s terrified secretary handed over the bundle of keys. For safes that didn’t have keys immediately available, they smashed the locks open.

Baron Itz hung his head and tried the last resort he could think of.

“I have a blue diamond much larger and finer than that diamond. If I offer that to Your Highness instead…”

“I’m afraid not. I absolutely need Saint Olga’s Heart. The lady who will receive it as a gift specifically requested it, and when staking one’s life on something, I can’t very well give a different jewel, can I?”

Baron Itz’s face turned pale. If it was a lady of sufficient status to receive Saint Olga’s Heart as a gift from the Duke of Evron, only the Empress came to mind.

This was serious. No matter what, he couldn’t think of a way out. If what was in the basement was discovered…

Cedric turned his head away from him.

Baron Itz was an easily understood petty evil. Turning his office upside down wasn’t something to feel guilty about. He had even promised Freil that he would ignore procedural legitimacy.

However, fabricating justifications and crushing with power still wasn’t a very pleasant thing to do.

It was when he was having such thoughts.

A knight rushed up urgently and reported.

“Your Highness, there’s a prison in the basement, and I think you need to come see it yourself.”

“What’s the matter?”

Cedric asked back puzzledly. A small prison existed in most decent noble manors. It would be stranger if a gambling house that employed thugs didn’t have a prison.

However, the knight’s attitude was unusual. Cedric jumped up and followed the knight down to the basement.

And he stopped breathing.

What was there was not a small prison that could hold three or four people, but a detention facility that could house over a hundred. Inside, dozens of naked young boys and girls were chained and imprisoned.

It was human trafficking.

* * *

“Even though many parts of Imperial Law have become meaningless, it’s not a complete legal vacuum.”

Artizea spoke gently while holding her teacup.

The tea fragrance was excellent, but it contained some betel nuts that didn’t suit Artizea’s frail constitution, making it somewhat burdensome to drink in the middle of the night.

However, since she couldn’t refuse what was offered, she drank the tea as it was.

“His Majesty the Emperor is quite willful, and he’s someone who can afford to be so, but even so, he fears public outrage. Though he doesn’t say he’s afraid, he’s actually quite obsessed with things like legitimacy and justification.”

“….”

“I once read somewhere that the experiences one goes through as crown prince influence a lifetime of rule, and I think that’s true.”

“So what, Young Lady of Marquess Rosan?”

“Gambling is fine. Drugs are fine too. Bribes are fine, and violence is fine. The public will see that and just brush it off, thinking that’s just how nobles are.”

Artizea said.

“But harming children incites public outrage. His Majesty will be furious. He’ll at least pretend to be, to manage public sentiment.”

“Are you trying to threaten me, Young Lady?”

“For the sake of Prince Loigar, I’m letting you know when it’s time to pull out. Countess Camellia.”

Artizea raised her blue eyes and looked at her opponent.

It was the dawn when knights of the Evron Duchy and Security Bureau agents rushed into Pontin Street.

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