The Villainess Lives Twice - Chapter 262

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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 262

41.

Flames blazed across the field. Black smoke rose into the sky.

Ash flew and stung her eyes. That was why Lisia’s eyes and nose tip were red.

If possible, she had tried not to touch the fields or pastures.

However, situations didn’t always flow favorably.

Lisia was one person, and the plague broke out simultaneously in all directions. And the western regions were very vast.

The administrative officials of the west were putting forth their full effort. The temple and army also cooperated.

However, instead of the plague spreading from one place to another, it arose sporadically here and there.

As soon as they learned of it, they set up quarantine lines and informed the center. Since Lisia had informed them in detail beforehand about how the contagion occurred, their response was never late.

However, by the time that news reached Lisia, who was conducting treatment activities elsewhere, some villages had already been completely wiped out.

It also spread uncontrollably due to people who escaped through the quarantine lines.

Lisia had thought she could do well this time.

She already knew both the cause of the plague and the quarantine methods. This time, both the country and the temple were on her side.

But it didn’t go as easily as she had thought. Things that had proceeded smoothly as if natural when Artizea did them were not at all like that in her hands.

This was especially true when there was a separate actual ruler of the land, like this time.

“Lady Lisia, preparations are complete.”

A man wearing a brown monk’s robe ran over and said.

Lisia clenched her fist and rubbed her nose tip with her thumb. She almost took out her handkerchief but felt it would only increase the laundry.

“Let’s go.”

Lisia said that and took the lead toward the village.

Alphonse followed behind her.

She had said several times that it would be more convenient to travel alone for this kind of work, but Alphonse didn’t listen.

“Her Highness specifically commanded it.”

Then there was nothing she could do. Lisia knew what kind of person he was in terms of loyalty. She also knew that he thought he had wronged Artizea.

So she knew that what he was following this time was not ‘Saint Lisia.’

Nevertheless, walking like this, sometimes a step ahead, sometimes behind, she couldn’t help but be caught up in old memories.

A group of armed people had gathered in front of the border leading to the village.

Some of them were Western Army soldiers moving to escort Lisia.

The rest were Jacob’s army that ruled this area.

Even Jacob himself had come out.

“The Saint has arrived.”

He said sluggishly.

Lisia replied expressionlessly.

“I believe I’ve told you several times that I’m merely a representative, Lord Jacob.”

“Count.”

“Yes, Count.”

Lisia didn’t bother to argue.

It was true that Jacob had received the title of count from the Emperor.

“But why are you doing this?”

Lisia looked around and asked. It looked as if her attendants and Jacob were confronting each other.

“A messenger came.”

Jacob gestured to a man. It was an unfamiliar face.

The lightly armed man looked at Lisia with a face full of sweat and fatigue.

“Are you Baron Morten?”

“Yes.”

Then the messenger put his hand into his chest.

Jacob quickly moved his body and inserted himself between the messenger and Lisia.

It wasn’t to protect Lisia.

“He says he can’t show me the letter.”

“If it’s a letter that came to me, that would naturally be the case.”

“I’m the owner of this land, Saint. If it’s news from the Imperial government, I naturally have the right to see it.”

“I’m not a saint. If I were a real saint, you wouldn’t be able to treat me like this, Count.”

Lisia said that.

Those words were sincere. The oracle she had received became meaningless when time turned back.

Only the method of using holy power remained as a memory in her body.

Jacob laughed, “Heh.”

“If you’re not a saint, what power are you using to dare speak to me like this? Hmm? Isn’t that right?”

He stretched out his hand.

Before that hand could touch Lisia’s face, Alphonse grabbed his wrist.

Jacob’s complexion turned bright red. He put enough force to make his arm tremble, but he couldn’t move even slightly.

“Please let go.”

Lisia said.

Alphonse threw Jacob’s wrist away as if discarding it.

“Insulting a maid sent as a representative is the same as insulting the noblewoman who is her master.”

An official following Lisia said.

Jacob made a fierce face. He regarded himself like a founding monarch and didn’t respect the Imperial family.

He even had ill feelings toward Cedric.

Jacob was someone who had achieved merit in the same year as Amelie.

When Amelie returned her troops to the Emperor and entered the power struggle in the center, he chose to keep those forces under his control.

The west was vast, and the Emperor couldn’t fight individually with people like Jacob.

This was like an elephant fighting a swarm of mice.

One could easily be stepped on and killed. However, when dozens were scurrying underfoot, moving to step on each one individually became more difficult.

Even spending military funds didn’t guarantee their extermination.

Thus, the Emperor granted people like Jacob the title of count. And gave them the position of Western Army Independent Commander.

That was traditionally how the Empire managed uncontrollable regions.

Jacob gained the authority to rule over one castle and its nearby villages.

His peacetime authority was to collect taxes on behalf of the Emperor and use part of them to supply military provisions or recruit soldiers.

Of course, that’s not how it actually worked.

It was a title and position created because administrative power couldn’t reach there in the first place.

Jacob’s castle was no different from his estate. Strictly speaking, he had neither judicial nor conscription rights, but within his territory he wielded absolute power.

However, Jacob was always plagued by dissatisfaction.

When he became a count, it seemed his power would soon grow. It seemed like sweeping through the west and threatening even the Imperial center to become king was not just a dream.

However, even after decades passed, Jacob’s territory didn’t expand by even an inch.

The Empire was too powerful, and nearby there were warlords who had received count titles like Jacob scattered everywhere.

Jacob was exceptionally cruel among them. He was notorious and his power was strong.

However, that was only true in that vicinity.

Jacob was now old. His children were disappointing.

His eldest son was trash who did nothing but eat, drink, and chase women.

His eldest daughter criticized Jacob’s cruelty and ran away with her younger siblings, never returning.

All of that was because he was trying to create the greatest family to pass down to them.

There was such a reason behind his anger toward Cedric.

Just because he inherited a ducal house, he commanded a great army surrounded by the prestige that Jacob could never obtain no matter how hard he tried.

Not a few warlords lost their power in the recent Monster Wave. Many were absorbed into the Western Army.

That incident also dealt Jacob a direct blow. A considerable number of soldiers he had conscripted remained with the Western Army.

The Western Army had encroached on his territory. When the Duchess of Evron’s relief grain project began to influence through the temple, his control over the residents also rapidly diminished.

There was no way to stop it. In name, he was the Emperor’s subject and was merely exercising military authority on his behalf.

Jacob laughed, “Heh.” This was sufficient courtesy on his part.

It wasn’t even the Crown Princess herself, but just one of her maids anyway.

Moreover.

‘A wench who’ll be swept away soon enough.’

That’s what Jacob thought.

Even so, his meaningless pride wouldn’t let him smile and let it pass.

The messenger didn’t know what to do.

Lisia extended her hand.

The messenger hesitantly stepped back behind Alphonse. Then he took out a letter from his chest and handed it to Lisia.

Lisia quickly read it and put it in her chest. So Jacob couldn’t snatch it away.

“What does it say?”

The attendant asked.

Lisia spoke without taking her wary gaze off Jacob.

“By order of His Majesty the Emperor, Her Highness the Crown Princess will come to the western regions.”

Murmurs spread. The Crown Princess was coming to the west during this time of plague?

Even Jacob’s soldiers had faces where anxiety and excitement coexisted.

The temple had proclaimed the divine revelation the Crown Princess received. Even in these western regions, despite the difficult times, they held a separate service of gratitude and blessing on the day of the Crown Prince’s investiture.

What Lisia had accomplished as a proxy was already significant. She had become the face of the relief grain project. While healing the plague, many came to believe in her as a saint.

But now her master was coming. The real saint the temple had spoken of.

The west would be saved.

Only Jacob remained unmoved.

He didn’t believe in gods or anything of the sort, and even if gods existed, he didn’t think they would save humans through divine revelations.

Lisia spoke.

“Now, would you please step aside? The preparations are finished, so I need to purify the village before it’s too late.”

“Hmm.”

Jacob stepped back.

If it had been a village of a neighboring power, he would have gladly burned it down without letting Lisia interfere.

However, this was his territory. He owned only four villages at most. The damage would be significant if he destroyed them.

There were already two neighboring powers going to ruin because of villages he had burned down using the plague as an excuse.

He watched Lisia enter the village. Lisia’s attendants followed her without hesitation.

Finally, Alphonse cast a wary glance at him and followed Lisia.

Jacob had no intention of following them into the plague-ridden village.

He turned around and mounted his horse with a leap. He hadn’t really intended to do anything to Lisia at this location anyway.

He was simply curious about the news from the capital being sent to her.

When he returned to his fortress, Jacob also had a secret letter waiting for him.

The letter had no signature. Only predictions of the Crown Princess’s schedule were written in dry handwriting.

Whoever it was, their purpose was clear. They seemed to think Jacob would attack her if he knew this information.

Jacob had no such intention yet. It wouldn’t be too late to decide after confirming that others who received similar secret letters were making their moves.

“Your younger brother seems to have earned quite a lot of resentment.”

Jacob said, looking at the young man who was languidly sprawled on the sofa in the study.

He held liquor in his hand. Though he didn’t seem drunk, the bottle that had contained the strong alcohol was considerably empty.

“Interested?”

Lawrence asked mockingly.

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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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