The Villainess Lives Twice - Chapter 240

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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 240

37.

Winter had deepened while I was busy with various affairs.

The air inside the carriage felt stuffy, so when I opened the window, white breath came out.

Artizea briefly regretted deciding to come out in this cold weather.

Originally, to avoid the cold, we should have moved several months earlier.

However, no one would think that the Empress taking Artizea and Leticia down to the southern separate palace was purely to avoid the cold.

Everyone knew that avoiding the cold was just an excuse, and in reality, it was to postpone the matter of entering the Crown Prince’s palace.

The Empress said.

“The northern sea must have already frozen.”

“Yes. They say the sea route has been blocked since a couple of months ago.”

Artizea straightened her posture and answered properly.

“Even the ports further south, they say, won’t be usable until it gets warmer than now.”

Though she didn’t mention the subject, she was referring to Duchess Loigar and her three children.

The Empress looked at Artizea. Artizea bowed her head to her.

“I am truly grateful.”

“It must be what Cedric wanted anyway. So it’s fine. I’m not in a position to refuse if Cedric asks for help with such matters.”

The Empress turned her gaze toward the window.

“Rather, I even feel grateful.”

Since Artizea didn’t know about past events, she couldn’t speak carelessly. Instead, Countess Marta spoke carefully.

“Your Majesty the Empress did your best even then. And at that time… didn’t Duke of Evron also survive?”

“What use is all that? Only a harsh fate remained even for the survivor.”

The Empress murmured.

Silence settled in the carriage.

Artizea turned her gaze to the window again.

The Evron Duchy would be covered in snow up to one’s thighs by now.

Last winter, she had stayed close to the fireplace in a room surrounded by fur on all sides.

The cold that penetrated to her bones, even causing pain, going down the frozen river, crossing the snowy plains – it all seemed like distant memories.

It was as if that part of her life had been cut out with a sharp knife and dipped in a dream.

Artizea could vividly recall even the sensation of lips touching the ends of her hair.

Nevertheless, it still felt unreal.

She knew it wasn’t a dream. Leticia remained as evidence. Carrying the baby in her womb, giving birth – none of it had vanished like a fantasy.

Yet when she felt the passage of time, Artizea would be startled.

According to the original plan, she would be preparing for divorce by now.

The Emperor wouldn’t have decided on succession this quickly. Marquess Luden would still be alive, and Duke Loigar would still be the first in line for succession.

Even the scheme against the Kingdom of Ients might have been less complete.

Artizea fidgeted with her fingertips.

Though the number of returnees had increased, it hadn’t worked against her so far. All variables had worked as surprising fortune.

‘As if the world is helping.’

Artizea had that thought and then shuddered.

Was it really just coincidence?

It was useless to think about it. It would be better to push it aside.

However, her mind became unnecessarily complicated.

She still didn’t understand the meaning of the oracle.

The letter she had tried to write to Lisia had been burned several times, unable to form proper sentences.

There were too many things that had to be said before asking about the oracle.

Extracting those words would require digging up all the buried earth, even tearing out her heart.

In the end, Artizea could only write and send one sentence.

『Thank you.』

The reply she received after waiting a long time was also short.

『May God’s blessing be with Her Highness and the Young Lady.』

She couldn’t even hope that perhaps Lisia hadn’t regained her memories.

Lisia must have understood all the meaning written in the letter she had sent.

The Empress spoke to her.

“What thoughts are so deep?”

“It’s nothing. Just various matters making my mind complicated.”

“Entering the Crown Prince’s palace isn’t an easy matter.”

“I intend to rely on Your Majesty the Empress.”

“What power do I have?”

The Empress said. About half of those words were joking, so Countess Marta laughed.

Artizea also smiled and said.

“These aren’t words of flattery. The northerners are loyal, but their temperament doesn’t suit the Imperial Palace, so I was thinking about what to do.”

“Hmm.”

The Empress made a brief sound.

This matter was no longer unrelated to the Empress either.

She had received an interim settlement.

Fernando Liagan was ruined, and the fortune her parents left behind had returned to the Empress’s hands.

And honor would return as well.

From now on, it was time to move not as Artizea’s political background, but as an ally.

“I’ll send Baron Yuben to you.”

Artizea was a little surprised by the Empress’s words.

“Do you mean the young baron? I understand he’s a man.”

“It’s his mother’s side. Your maids are too young after all, and even if you bring them from Evron, as you said, their temperament doesn’t suit the Imperial Palace.”

The Empress said.

“She’s one of my old friends.”

“Yes, I understand.”

Artizea gave a positive answer after hearing just that much. Her attitude was so unhesitating that even the Empress was surprised.

“Don’t you need to see the person?”

“She’s someone Your Majesty the Empress calls an old friend. It’s enough to know she’s someone whose heart won’t be swayed by power and wealth.”

The Empress nodded with a pleased expression.

“By the way, Cedric will miss you terribly.”

“It’s not like I’ll be at the separate palace for months.”

“You’re not the only one saying that, are you?”

Artizea’s face reddened. Countess Marta laughed.

“We should return before the flowers bloom.”

That’s when it happened.

The carriage stopped.

Artizea tried to hide the tension spreading down her neck.

Could it be that the information she had leaked for the next stage of the scheme was already having an effect?

There was no way a reaction would come that quickly, and there was no way they would attack the Empress’s carriage.

A guard knight approached the side of the carriage. The atmosphere wasn’t urgent.

Countess Marta slightly opened the window and asked.

“What’s the matter?”

“Baroness Camellia is requesting an audience.”

“In the middle of this road?”

The guard knight said with a troubled expression.

“Yes.”

Countess Marta looked at the Empress with a troubled expression.

The Empress turned her gaze to Artizea.

“I will go meet her.”

“Do so.”

The Empress gave her consent.

A knight opened the carriage door. Artizea received the knight’s escort and stepped down from the carriage.

The frozen road had melted from the hooves and carriage wheels that had passed before, turning into muddy slush. Artizea lifted the hem of her skirt.

Seeing her get down, Hailey and Hazel tried to get out of the maids’ carriage.

Artizea gestured for them not to do so.

Skyla had stopped her carriage in front of the escort’s vanguard. She was wrapped in pure white fox fur, but looked haggard.

Artizea spoke to the guard knight.

“Stand back.”

“Your Highness.”

“There is nothing to worry about. Lady Camellia is my friend.”

The knight hesitated a bit more.

However, it seemed unlikely that Skyla could harm Artizea. In his eyes, both Skyla and Artizea appeared to be equally fragile noblewomen.

The knight withdrew to an appropriate distance with the other guards.

Artizea approached Skyla and said.

“Shall we take a brief walk, my lady?”

“Hah.”

Skyla let out a hollow laugh. It was closer to an exasperated groan than actual laughter.

“After never once granting my requests to meet until now, this time we’re ‘friends’?”

“As I said before, it makes for quite a convenient excuse. Even more so at this age.”

Artizea answered in a calm voice completely devoid of emotion.

Skyla replied sharply.

“I suppose that means I’m someone to whom Your Highness has no obligations whatsoever.”

Artizea didn’t bother to answer.

If she had met Skyla and built a friendship when she was truly 18 years old, she might have felt genuine affection.

If that had been the case, it too might have become a chain binding Artizea’s heart.

But that was not the case now.

She viewed Skyla favorably and held her in high regard. However, the obligation from Deary Ford’s life debt came first for her.

“Follow me. I will help you achieve the purpose for which you came here, my lady.”

Artizea walked with light steps.

Skyla stared at her retreating figure for a moment. Then she steeled her resolve and followed behind Artizea.

Artizea passed by four carriages.

One of them was the Empress’s carriage, two were the maids’ carriages, and another was Leticia’s carriage.

After that was a cargo carriage for the servants and maids. Of course, since it was the Empress’s Palace’s cargo carriage, it had its own dignity, but even so, it was a cargo carriage without a single window.

Skyla looked at that carriage and clutched her chest as if she couldn’t breathe.

Artizea knocked on the carriage door.

No answer came from inside for quite some time.

Skyla approached anxiously. Then she spoke desperately toward the inside of the carriage.

“Please open it, Mother. I’m not ready yet.”

Finally, the carriage door opened.

Countess Camellia stepped down, her hair cut short and wearing a kerchief pressed down over it.

She was dressed in maid’s clothing.

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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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