The Villainess Lives Twice - Chapter 253

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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 253

Defense is not Artizea’s forte.

In the past, her high probability of victory was because she didn’t hesitate to sacrifice people.

Until Lisia married Lawrence, there were only two people to protect: Milaire and Lawrence.

Moreover, since the Emperor protected those two like a solid fortress, Artizea only had to think about attacking her opponents.

But Sedric couldn’t defend himself from this problem.

Whatever he said would only sound like excuses. Even if he won the argument, it would only increase the number of times the words “apostate” and “northerner” were mentioned alongside his name, deepening the stigma.

So she had to resolve this situation herself.

“It is improper to discuss this matter now. To determine whether apostasy occurred or not without inviting a single priest.”

Artizea looked at Marquess Blankro and spoke as if regretful.

Marquess Blankro readily admitted.

“Your Highness is correct. This old man’s thinking was insufficient.”

Those who had agreed with Marquess Blankro out of genuine faith nodded their heads.

Unlike them, those who had spoken with ulterior motives hardened their faces. However, no one voiced opposition.

After all, they had merely followed Marquess Blankro’s lead when he spoke first.

This time, Artizea turned toward the nobles who had stepped forward as accusers, led by Count Eison.

“You four are truly surprising and bewildering. Those people,”

Artizea gracefully raised her hand to point at Negil and Rowan.

“Are foolish and lacking in thought, so I can understand that they don’t know what it means to directly accuse someone of apostasy to His Majesty.”

“….”

“But you four are descendants of distinguished families. Shouldn’t you have first conducted thorough investigations and confirmations before making accusations to His Majesty?”

Count Eison’s face contorted.

“Is Your Highness the Princess Consort saying we were wrong?”

“Whether those crops are permissible to grow or not, whether allowing mixed-bloods to live within the Empire’s territory constitutes apostasy or not, whether the temples and priests in the north reported this fact to the Grand Cathedral,”

Artizea’s gaze swept over the high-ranking military officials.

“How the war two years ago unfolded,”

Then she looked back at Count Eison.

“People with sufficient ability and status to investigate if they wanted to, yet you thoughtlessly dragged everything before His Majesty without consideration, causing him mental strain. How can this not be called disloyalty?”

Count Eison looked at the Emperor in shock. He knew the Emperor was angry, but foolishly thought it was only anger directed at Sedric.

“I am ashamed, Your Majesty. I… was lacking in thought.”

Count Eison knelt on one knee. The others followed suit.

Negil and Rowan, who had been kneeling until then, stiffened. They thought they too would hear some different words.

However, Artizea ignored those two. As if they weren’t worth dealing with.

And she bowed her head toward the Emperor and spoke gently.

“Please wait just a moment. As soon as I heard the news, I sent someone to the temple.”

“You seem confident that your husband is innocent.”

“Yes. If a sin was committed, it was one I committed against Your Majesty, not one my husband committed before God.”

Sedric’s face, which had maintained an expressionless look until then, contorted.

“Tia.”

Sedric tried to take a step toward her.

Artizea refused. Stay where you are.

The place he needed to be now was at the front of Evron. Evron was his foundation. Apart from Sedric’s ideals, realistically too, it was something he absolutely had to embrace.

It didn’t take long for someone to come from the Grand Cathedral. With the Duke of Evron accused of apostasy, they couldn’t possibly remain idle.

“His Eminence the Archbishop has arrived!”

The announcer shouted at the perfect timing.

The audience chamber doors opened wide, and the Archbishop entered first. Following him came two bishops and six high priests.

They had come in such haste that some wore ceremonial robes directly over their habits.

The Archbishop greeted them. Behind him, the bishops bowed their heads following the Archbishop.

“I received news of a strange accusation and came in haste without prior notice.”

“Thank you for rushing here.”

The Emperor replied.

“Now, one of the questions raised by the Duchess of Evron can be immediately resolved. After all these years, the northern temples couldn’t possibly have been unaware that such things were happening.”

The Archbishop looked toward the witnesses who had been brought. Then he made the sign of the cross upon seeing the third eye.

“Yes, Your Majesty. Such matters have existed for a long time, and long ago, the northern bishop directly brought an agenda to the bishops’ council. Whether to permit naming ceremonies for Karam mixed-bloods or not.”

“I knew nothing of this.”

“This concerns those hiding in remote countryside and mountain villages in the north. It’s not something Your Majesty would necessarily need to know. Even among the high priests of the Grand Cathedral, some would be unaware.”

“What conclusion did the bishops’ council reach?”

“We did not permit naming ceremonies.”

Murmurs spread. Then indeed, the temple did not recognize mixed-bloods as human.

“However, we also did not conclude they should be burned at the stake. Though born from demons, they were born as beings capable of following God’s teachings. God would permit the mercy of allowing them some barren land to sustain their lives…”

The Archbishop continued.

“If they live their entire lives following God’s teachings, good and faithful, wouldn’t it be right to perform naming ceremonies before their death and embrace them in God’s arms?”

Those words changed the atmosphere once again.

Marquess Blankro and several others clasped their hands before their chests and offered prayers, speaking of God’s mercy.

Of course, not everyone was convinced.

“What does God’s mercy and the temple’s desire to show tolerance have to do with this matter?”

Viscount Conor protested.

“The problem isn’t that Karam mixed-bloods were overlooked, but that Duke of Evron actively used them to collude with Karam. Surely the bishops’ council didn’t decide that even that should be tolerated?”

“That’s right! When before the current Duke did anyone else meet with Karam so many times?”

“Even considering his discretionary authority as military commander. We’ve never heard of him conducting ceasefire negotiations with Karam!”

“Duke of Evron said nothing about the charges of trying to accept Karam’s ways!”

“This is the northern defense that Evron has maintained! If an apostate destroys it, it would only render those sacrifices meaningless.”

Following Count Eison, the accusers shouted one after another.

The Emperor struck his armrest.

“How dare you create such a commotion before me like whining children!”

His thunderous roar echoed through the audience chamber.

A chilling silence descended afterward. The Emperor’s voice rang out clearly.

“Sedric. Though I received reports on the war situation two years ago, with so many suspicions overlapping, there’s no choice. You must provide explanations.”

“I merely did what was proper as one who guards the north. I have nothing more to explain.”

Sedric spoke firmly. Then he looked at the accusers with cold eyes.

Would they have pitied and tried to rescue the northerners living there when the north truly fell and became Karam territory decades later?

Or had they ever attacked Karam in God’s name?

No. All they had done was close the gates of Allia Wall. They didn’t even accept refugees.

All of this was merely a means to find fault with him. It wasn’t even a religious debate.

If he could avoid the fight with clever words, that would be good. If deception was needed, he would do so, and if he could resolve things by making excuses, he could do that too.

But there was no need for that with these people. Whatever he said, they were determined to find fault and persist.

Sedric looked at Negil and said.

“Anyway, your thinking is that Evron should remain in a miserable state so you can suck wealth from it. Even a passing dog becomes dear after ten years, yet you wish for your neighbors to starve for your own benefit. Have some shame.”

“However, there should be nothing wrong with my words. Your Highness the Duke is someone who would join hands even with Karam for Evron’s sake.”

Unfortunately, those words were persuasive even to those who trusted Sedric’s character.

At the same time, it achieved Negil’s intention.

Sedric is a northerner and an apostate.

Not because he’s evil, but because he loves and cherishes the north, he could be such a person.

The Emperor and Archbishop hardened their faces. They realized how this would work politically going forward.

Rather, Sedric had a calm expression.

This wasn’t his first experience. Enduring against tsunami-like offensives was something he had done his entire life.

He knew what his weaknesses were. And since he had no intention of abandoning them, he had no choice but to endure and do what needed to be done until others believed in his sincerity.

Artizea bit her lower lip.

Indeed, defense is a difficult task. If an attack fails, you can start again elsewhere. The blade of schemes has opportunities to stop even until the moment before striking.

Setting traps in multiple places increases the success rate. Even achieving success once or twice could weaken the opponent.

However, from the defender’s perspective, avoiding every offensive was impossible. Especially if there was something to lose.

As long as the castle stood there, they would ultimately have no choice but to face it head-on.

There was no time to hesitate now. Indeed, there was no choice but to sweep away all of this talk with something else.

She stepped forward gracefully.

“All these accusations are meaningless before the word of the Divine.”

At the same time, she drew up her holy power.

Holy power blazed up pure white beneath Artizea’s feet. White light scattered as if she had stepped on glittering gem powder, then enveloped Artizea’s body and surged upward.

That holy power had no force other than its brilliance. Only the power to prove herself.

And that was all that was needed right now.

“I hid the truth because I was in no position to handle it. However, now that things have come to this, I can no longer keep it hidden.”

Artizea did not look back at Sedric. She did not look at the Archbishop and priests who had knelt as if they had been waiting.

Artizea focused solely on the Emperor, meeting his shocked, wide-eyed gaze directly.

“It is not Leticia who received divine grace, but me.”

This was directly confronting the Emperor. The Emperor would not want Sedric to gain legitimacy that did not originate from himself.

However, this was the final stage. Even if Sedric’s legitimacy was established separately from the Emperor, the Emperor could not immediately cancel the investiture ceremony.

There would not be enough time to devise new conspiracies.

If they had to defend anyway, reinforcing the castle walls should take priority over thinking of stratagems.

Artizea declared.

“The Divine told me that I would become Empress.”

Naturally, those words were a lie.

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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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