The Villainess Lives Twice - Chapter 242

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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 242

A gentle spring breeze blew across the deck.

The sea in the central region and the southern sea would be equally salty, but perhaps because the strait was narrow, the sea breeze seemed to carry less salt.

The wind was favorable.

Cadriole had even brought a long chair onto the deck, secured it in place, and was lying on it.

While the south with its oceanic climate was best in summer and winter, spring in the Empire was the finest.

He hummed a tune as he spoke.

“It’s been a while. The Empire’s capital.”

“You came once last year, no, the year before last, didn’t you?”

“Shh.”

Cadriole gestured for his aide to keep quiet about confidential matters.

Both his coming to the capital to inquire about Artizea’s news and his visit to the Evron Duchy were all secrets.

However, his aide paid no attention at all.

On the deck in the middle of the sea, attendants were sprawled here and there. There was no one around to eavesdrop on their conversation.

“You shouldn’t have useless thoughts.”

“What useless thoughts?”

“Like trying to do something about a married woman.”

“Hey.”

“Adultery might be fine, but kidnapping is not.”

“Hey!”

“Come to think of it, adultery won’t work either. If the new king gets smashed by the Empire’s Crown Prince in a duel right after the coronation ceremony, what kind of disgrace would that be? You’d leave your name in history.”

“Shut up. Why would I lose? To some land mutt?”

“Even so, you can’t exactly suggest fighting on a ship in the river, can you?”

“Why is a duel even a given?”

“It’s the natural consequence of chasing after a married woman who doesn’t want you.”

“You said adultery? Doesn’t that require mutual interest? Why are you assuming she’d dislike it?”

Instead of answering logically, his aide consoled him sluggishly.

“Half the world is women. Somewhere out there, Your Majesty’s match surely exists.”

Cadriole threw the wooden canteen he was holding at his aide.

Instead of meekly taking the hit, his aide caught it. Then he drank the rum inside and sprawled on the floor in good spirits.

The ship swayed, but it wasn’t enough to bother them at all.

Rather, this intoxicating rest after so long was sweet as honey.

“The Empire’s land is nice, not humid either.”

“The Empire isn’t the Empire for nothing. Should tear it into four pieces.”

“I’m speaking seriously, but what about a political marriage?”

“With whom?”

“Even if the Emperor holds all taxation and judicial rights, marrying a landowner with vast territory would create opportunities to intervene in Imperial politics from there.”

“Hmm.”

“Shouldn’t you take a queen soon so we can all rest easy?”

“As if I’d rest easy after getting involved in Imperial politics.”

Cadriole retorted.

“Besides, if I get involved that way, wouldn’t I, the King of Eimel, end up reduced to the position of merely being an Imperial noble’s husband? That’s the kind of country the Empire is.”

“Well, that’s true too. Then selecting domestically…”

“It’s fortunate that Emperor Gregor doesn’t have any daughters of age.”

Tired of listening to his aide, Cadriole changed the subject with an irrelevant remark.

A crewman shouted from the lookout.

“Port in sight!”

It was time to prepare for landing.

It was the Empire.

* * *

“Ka! Ma! Ma! Ma!”

Thud!

“Young Lady!”

The sound of falling on her bottom rang out. The baby didn’t burst into tears, but the maids screamed.

Countess Unise also jumped up in alarm.

Wasn’t this the only baby in the Imperial Palace? It was such a precious baby that if she got hurt, even the temple would be in an uproar.

But Leticia didn’t seem to be in much pain. She was struggling to get back up again, causing a commotion.

“It’s fine. I had the floor cushioned so she wouldn’t get hurt.”

Artizea said.

Countess Unise let out a big sigh of relief and sat back down.

Marcus gently picked up Leticia and stood her back at the table.

The table was newly made to match the baby’s height. Leticia held onto the table, reached out her hand to grab dried fruit, and brought it to her mouth.

Then she shouted excitedly.

“Da! Pa! Da da da! Eh…”

“Oh my, are you having fun?”

“Mi! Ma!”

Leticia held a toy in one hand and banged it on the table.

While wiggling her bottom, she fell on it again.

This time Marcus caught her in his arms before she could fall.

Seeing this, Countess Unise laughed.

“This must be the most enjoyable time to raise her.”

“She puts everything in her mouth, so I can’t take my eyes off her for a moment.”

Artizea said. Countess Unise expressed her agreement.

“Well, it is an important period.”

About a month had passed since moving into the Prince’s Palace.

Around Leticia, they had selected and placed the most trustworthy people possible.

However, they couldn’t control everyone from the cleaning maids to the servants who came and went from the palace.

The area itself wasn’t much different from the Evron Ducal Residence. But the scale of people coming and going was different.

The fast progress of work could be considered a good thing, but it could also be said that there wasn’t enough time to prepare accordingly.

They couldn’t be at ease just because Cedric and Leticia were the only legitimate heirs left to the Emperor.

Cedric wasn’t someone without enemies.

There were quite a few who found the prospect of him becoming Emperor burdensome.

And although he had become involved in central politics as Chief Minister, it was only recent.

In the Empire’s central political circles, he was close to being an outsider. Above all, there was prejudice against the North.

‘There’s nothing I can do about that.’

Artizea sighed.

The Evron Duchy wasn’t without problems either.

There had been considerable conflict when moving into the Prince’s Palace.

The people of the Evron Duchy could hardly accept that Cedric would become the Emperor’s successor.

It wasn’t that there were none who felt relieved and happy. If Cedric became Emperor, the North would no longer be oppressed.

But conversely, there were those who thought it meant losing their lord.

There were even those who felt resistance to his marriage to Artizea, a central noble.

Let alone becoming the Emperor’s adopted son.

Artizea didn’t think the retainers would betray them. Especially the loyalty of the retainers who had followed them all the way to the capital was solid.

Even if they had feelings of resistance, they weren’t the type to join hands with other nobles and betray them.

However, the absence of active resistance didn’t mean there were no gaps.

Even slight passivity and anxiety could be exploited if one wanted to.

In the Imperial Palace, her concentration would quickly wear thin as well.

‘But Leticia will be fine. She’ll protect her with her life. His Majesty will also protect her.’

So the biggest vulnerability was herself.

There was only herself at the Rosan Marquess Estate. There were no families connected to the Rosan Marquess house through blood relations either.

In reality, Leticia had no maternal relatives.

It wouldn’t be strange if all those who dreamed of becoming powerful ministers joined hands to try to kill her.

First, they would make the Crown Princess position vacant, then compete among themselves to claim that position.

It was an opportunity to simultaneously obtain the position of the next Empress and a stepdaughter blessed by the divine.

If that were possible, even a currently insignificant family could leap up to become the Empire’s foremost house in one stroke.

Since all the great noble families had been accused of treason and either destroyed or exiled, the pressure from below trying to rise up was also intensely at work.

‘Still, the Eastern incident caused such severe upheaval that they won’t be able to do anything for a while. There probably aren’t many who can reach into the Imperial Palace yet either.’

Moreover, according to Artizea’s memory, for several years from now, there would be no natural disasters and everyone would harvest above average yields.

So she only needed to look after the safety of Leticia and herself.

“Young Lady!”

The maid shouted again. It was because Leticia had deliberately tried to knock over the bowl containing fruit to spill it under the table.

Countess Unise said.

“She’s not Young Lady anymore, but His Highness the Crown Prince now.”

“Not yet. I’m afraid of earning His Majesty’s misunderstanding by hastily changing the title, so please don’t say such things.”

“There isn’t much time left until the investiture ceremony either.”

Countess Unise laughed cheerfully.

Artizea let out a small sigh.

Since they had entered the Imperial Prince’s Palace, the Crown Prince investiture ceremony was only a matter of time.

She had known this from the moment she first heard they should move in. However, she couldn’t help but think it was still too early.

“They say time is fair to everyone, but the flow of years doesn’t always seem to be the same.”

Countess Unise said.

“Two years have passed like a storm.”

“Indeed.”

“Come to think of it, I heard the Southern Subjugation Army will also withdraw soon?”

“Yes, that’s what I heard.”

“I also heard that the salt business will resume now.”

“Yes. They say there’s several years’ worth of inventory, but still, they should start as quickly as possible.”

Artizea said while picking up her teacup.

“Come to think of it, I heard Count Eunice also received allocation of a salt business site.”

“It’s thanks to His Majesty the Emperor thinking of me.”

Countess Unise smiled brightly.

“Thanks to that, I’ll be able to prepare a good gift for Her Highness’s birthday this year.”

“Birthday…”

Artizea muttered while gazing blankly toward the garden.

Countess Unise asked.

“Surely you’re not going to tell me you forgot?”

“Oh, no. I hadn’t forgotten.”

Artizea remembered it not because of birthday celebrations or anything like that, but because of divorce.

She recalled having calculated that once she turned twenty, she wouldn’t need a guardian so divorce would be fine.

Countess Unise asked.

“Surely you’re not planning to let this year pass by without doing anything either? Last year around this time there were too many big events so it couldn’t be helped, but this year you mustn’t disappoint us like that.”

“Well. I don’t want to make a fuss before even having the investiture ceremony.”

“I thought you might say that.”

Countess Unise let out a deep sigh.

“Then, let’s at least gather just close people for dinner. His Majesty the Emperor won’t be displeased now either.”

Countess Unise said that.

She thought the reason Artizea didn’t celebrate her birthday was because she was being considerate of the Emperor.

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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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