The Villainess Lives Twice - Chapter 257

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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 257

The children were startled when Lisia approached. Their gaunt cheeks were hollowed and dried out.

In their hands, they held mud-covered carrots. Since there seemed to be no sick people when they were planted, green leaves were swaying in the wide field.

“Are all the adults sick?”

“Yes.”

The older child answered.

“Since when have they been sick?”

“Last time we went to worship at the temple, the priest couldn’t come out…”

The child counted on their fingers.

“The time before that, we offered prayers for the sick. But there weren’t that many sick people then. The doctor said it was a cold.”

“You’re smart.”

Lisia said warmly.

Then it meant it had started about two weeks ago. It almost matched the progression speed Lisia remembered.

“Besides you two, isn’t there anyone who’s well enough to walk around?”

The child shook their head. While doing so, they took several deep breaths with their pale face.

Lisia placed her hand on the child’s head. A green light sparkled within her hand.

Alphonse flinched. However, he didn’t bother to open his mouth to ask what that was.

“Ah.”

The child was startled as breathing suddenly became easier.

Lisia also bestowed a blessing on the younger child.

Then she said.

“Sister came from the big temple in the city. Do you see those people over there? They’re the people who came with sister.”

“Yes.”

“Go wait over there.”

The child hesitated. The younger child tugged at their older sister’s hem.

“Sister…, mom said not to follow strangers…”

Lisia asked.

“Where is your house? I’ll wake up your mom and dad first.”

“Really?”

The child pointed in one direction.

“Over there at the very end, the third one, the house with yellow flowers.”

“So don’t worry and go wait there.”

The children didn’t doubt for long.

Lisia watched the children’s backs as they held hands and walked toward the group.

Alphonse asked.

“Lisia, will you be alright? That thing from earlier…”

“Please don’t ask me anything right now. I need to… speak to Her Highness first.”

Alphonse nodded.

He had received orders from Artizea to go and protect Lisia.

So he didn’t think twice. Lisia was wise. His earlier question was just out of personal concern for Lisia.

Lisia turned her steps toward the village. Alphonse followed her half a step behind.

The scene inside the village was no different from the many painful ones remaining in her memory.

The floor and walls were sticky, and the village was quiet as death. The stench of filth vibrated in all directions.

Even if the children hadn’t realized it, there were probably many dead.

As promised, she would heal the children’s parents first, then she had to go to the temple.

Still, if the priest had been able to fulfill his role until the disease progressed to some extent, they would have gathered patients around the temple.

She could only hope it hadn’t spread much to other places.

‘I really wanted to go to the Crown Prince’s investiture ceremony.’

She couldn’t go on the day Leticia was born, and she couldn’t go to the naming ceremony either.

It would have been good to go even after that, but it was wrong to delay while saying she was organizing her feelings.

Now she no longer had the leisure to go. This time, she really should have gone to have various conversations.

That’s when it happened.

Bang!

An explosion sound came from somewhere. Alphonse instantly grabbed her and knocked her to the ground.

Lisia opened her eyes wide in shock. Black wooden fragments scattered overhead.

Alphonse got up. Lisia jumped to her feet.

“That was gunpowder just now, wasn’t it?”

“This way!”

Alphonse grabbed her elbow.

Lisia hesitated for a moment. But then another explosion went off.

Boom!

This time it was a sound from a bit farther away.

Lisia saw the tall roof of the temple burst apart. The aftermath of the explosion vibrated all the way here.

Flames spread. Due to the fire-vulnerable parasitic monsters, not only houses and grass but even stone walls were instantly engulfed in flames.

“Lisia!”

Alphonse shouted. Lisia knew there was no time to hesitate.

Healing was possible with her divine power, but she couldn’t put out the fire. It would be impossible to bring out even one person.

Bang!

Another explosion went off.

Lisia ran like mad. Another sound of something exploding occurred, but she had no time to confirm whether it was gunpowder or the sound of a house collapsing.

By the time they escaped outside the village, dodging explosions here and there, the entire village was already engulfed in flames.

“Let’s go to the very end!”

Lisia shouted to Alphonse. All the sticky ground would burn.

“Baron Mortan!”

The group members shouted and ran toward her. Lisia looked at them while gasping for breath.

The managers were holding back the children who were wailing and crying out.

The village was already engulfed in fire. They couldn’t rescue anyone. There were only about twenty people here.

The rest had all scattered following Lisia’s orders.

Even if they hadn’t, this group couldn’t have stopped those flames at best.

Lisia couldn’t order them to rescue people from a village exploding with gunpowder in a situation with nothing available.

“Ah! Look at that!”

One of the managers waved his arms frantically.

New flames were starting in a completely different place. At first, it seemed like sparks had flown and spread into a wildfire, but those flames spread in a circle surrounding the village.

It was a firebreak.

The knights picked up the children. And before being trapped inside the firebreak, the group ran frantically to escape from there.

“We need to get farther away.”

The manager said while panting. It felt like even their exhaled breath was burning from the heat of the fire.

Then suddenly Alphonse drew his pistol. Following him, the knights all raised their weapons in unison.

The managers stepped back and surrounded the child and Lisia.

But what came running was clearly a country man. He was riding a mud-covered horse. Of course, he wasn’t armed either.

The man was surprised to see the fire and shocked to see the knights.

“Ah, sor, sorry. That, that is, a let, letter…”

“A letter?”

Alphonse asked.

“Yes, yes. A, a gentleman gave me a letter and told me to deliver it to some lady in this village.”

The man stammered in confusion and barely managed to continue speaking.

“He said if I went, I would, uh, know…”

The man’s gaze turned confusedly toward the village. There must have been more gunpowder buried in the village, as explosions were still going off. Black smoke billowed up.

Lisia spoke quickly.

“Give me that letter, and you take these people and go to your village. It’s close, right?”

“Ah, yes. On horseback, it won’t even take an hour.”

“Go and bring people back. Have them spread the news to the neighbors too. Someone change horses with that man!”

One of the administrators dismounted. The man looked bewildered as he climbed onto that horse.

“Someone is creating firebreaks, but there will be inadequate parts. If we’re not careful, sparks will fly and spread into a wildfire. Hurry!”

Lisia designated someone to follow that man. The man spurred his horse in panic. The designated administrator followed him.

A knight took out a signal flare from his chest and fired it.

In peaceful times, in a peaceful region. It was uncertain how well this would communicate.

The administrative power of the Western Regions had not yet reached every corner.

Lisia tore open the letter envelope.

『To Lisia.

It feels strange to write a letter after so long.

Did you receive my greeting well? I’ve finished cleaning up the aftermath so as not to cause unnecessary trouble. There probably won’t be any spread of plague.

The firebreaks are my gift. I hope it didn’t spread too widely.

I should come to fetch you quickly, but preparations aren’t ready yet. You’ll need time to prepare your heart as well.

I look forward to the day we meet face to face.

From Lawrence,

who faithfully loves you.』

Lisia crumpled the letter. Then she lowered her head and pressed her forehead against the back of her hand.

* * *

It was two days after she had collapsed that Artizea sat up.

It was the next day that she was able to meet with Natalia.

Natalia had kept her promise and remained at the Imperial Prince’s Palace during this time.

Various minor diplomatic issues were involved. However, for now, they were not problems for the Imperial Prince’s Palace.

The Holy Lady becomes the Crown Princess. With this bombshell news, everyone was in chaos sending communications to their respective countries.

Gifts were piled high in front of the Imperial Prince’s Palace.

Many people left freshly picked flowers at the massive main gate of the Imperial Palace every morning. This was what believers who couldn’t send gifts did.

The same thing had happened when Lisia became Crown Princess.

Since Natalia had left such matters to Bernart, she could face Artizea with peace of mind.

“I was very worried.”

Natalia said, looking at Artizea’s pale complexion. Still, she looked reasonably well now.

“Lord Bernart must have been relieved.”

“Pardon?”

“Because he decided to accept my proposal before I revealed that I had received a divine revelation.”

Natalia smiled awkwardly. It was true.

Artizea briefly pressed her forehead. She shouldn’t speak so cynically like this.

“I’m sorry. I’m not criticizing Lord Bernart or anything. He’s doing what he should rightfully do for the Kingdom of Ients, and I’m grateful to both of you.”

Then Hazel approached and held out a letter.

“Your Highness, this is the news you’ve been waiting for.”

“Ah, thank you.”

Artizea answered casually.

Then she looked at the envelope and held her breath.

Lisia’s name was written on it. The seal was triple-layered.

One of them bore the crest of the House of Evron. Originally, it would have been a crest that only Cedric could use.

Artizea couldn’t know that it was engraved on the grip of a pistol.

She hurriedly tore open the envelope. Then she read through it from top to bottom.

“Is there some bad news?”

Natalia asked with concern.

“No. Well, yes. It’s an important matter. There was a fire in the Western Regions and an entire village was burned down.”

“Is it alright?”

“Fortunately… it says it didn’t spread into a wildfire. It even rained for two days afterward.”

Artizea only spoke about the parts she could mention.

The problem was the story about the plague and Lawrence.

But it wasn’t something that could be dealt with right now.

The Crown Prince investiture ceremony was just two days away.

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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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