The Villainess Lives Twice - Chapter 28

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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 28

4.

From then on, the Empire was in great turmoil for quite some time.

Extra editions flew around constantly. When the noble ladies of the salons and intellectuals of the cafes gathered, that was all they talked about, and even commoners visited each other’s homes with cookie boxes to discuss it.

Each time more details of the incident were revealed, people became greatly excited.

When it was revealed that most of the human trafficking victims from the gambling hall were children, parents who lost their children cried out and flocked to the front of the Security Bureau.

There were parents who had directly sold their own children. But there were also cases where they heard the news late and came from far away, abandoning their livelihoods to search for their missing children.

Flames of anger swept through the capital. Rallies demanding public execution of those involved were held.

Some jumped onto platforms in parks to give speeches filled with indignation. Newspapers poured out criticism about the lives of corrupt nobles.

When it was revealed that Count Eison had continuously received children under 10 years old, killed them, and buried them secretly, the citizens were on the verge of turning into a mob.

People surrounded the Security Bureau building, piling dry firewood and pouring oil on it. The Chief of Police responded by calling in a firing squad and pointing guns at them.

Eventually, the respected Prime Minister Lin came out personally to apologize and promised to personally direct the investigation to make the criminals pay their due price.

Even then, the citizens’ anger did not subside. Only after Cedric stepped forward and made earnest promises did the rally disperse.

That news reached Emperor Gregor at the separate palace in less than a day.

The Emperor initially responded to the human trafficking incident with appropriately disguised anger.

However, when he learned that Lawrence was involved in the Count Eison case, he overturned his desk in rage.

The information revealed to the public only went as far as Count Eison being a pedophile who had regular dealings with Baron Itz.

However, the report the Emperor received contained much more detailed information.

According to what was written there, Count Eison not only personally killed children but also bought about 30 children at once every six months or so to use for hunting games.

Those hunting games were secretly famous among young and debaucherous nobles as something stimulating and exciting.

And the biggest problem was that Lawrence had participated in those games several times.

“Are you insane!”

The Emperor shouted and threw an ink bottle at Lawrence. His attendants trembled and knelt on the floor.

Since he couldn’t dare dodge, Lawrence took the bottle directly.

The glass didn’t break. However, since the lid was open, his luxurious golden-brown hair and white face were stained black with flowing ink.

“Father.”

“I knew you were going around playing wildly. I thought young men could be like that. That it was all just a phase.”

The Emperor scolded.

“So no matter how promiscuously you played around, I understood and let it be. But hunting people and burying them secretly? And playing with someone who stripped children naked and released them in the forest?”

“Father, I—”

“I don’t want to hear it!”

Without listening to Lawrence’s excuse, the Emperor this time threw the report at his head.

Lawrence closed his eyes tightly, enduring the humiliation.

“Who doesn’t know that Count Eison is your friend?”

“It’s not a personal relationship. Didn’t you arrange the connection with the previous Count Eison?”

“Don’t you have the ability to judge what kind of person that bastard is? Are you that stupid? Don’t you have the sense to think ‘Oh, this would be big trouble if discovered’ and keep your distance?”

“…”

“It’s not just any matter—it’s human trafficking! Killing children! Don’t you know what the foundation of the Empire is? Do you know that the lives of Imperial citizens are under the Emperor’s protection and can only be disposed of by Imperial law?”

The Emperor pulled out a letter from the report and waved it while shouting.

“Cedric said he’d let me handle the bribery case as I see fit, so please let him handle at least the human trafficking side thoroughly. Do you know what this means? It means the case is so serious that even that stubborn bastard would say it’s okay to cover up a bribery scandal of this scale.”

And it also meant that even if the Emperor tried to stop it, Cedric wouldn’t stay quiet.

“But you’re involved in it, so I can’t face Cedric!”

Lawrence kept his mouth shut. Whatever he said, the Emperor wouldn’t listen. But he felt indignant, so his lips trembled.

That’s when the door opened wide and Milaire entered. Lawrence glanced at her.

Milaire looked at him once with anxious eyes, then approached the Emperor with gentle steps.

The Emperor didn’t scold her not to come. So Milaire approached the Emperor’s side and gently stroked his nape with her hand while speaking affectionately.

“Don’t be so angry.”

“Did you come running here again worried about your son? What’s with that head servant? I clearly told him not to let anyone in.”

“The head servant was worried too, so he did that. Don’t be angry, okay? It hasn’t been long since the doctor said getting too excited isn’t good for your heart.”

Milaire whispered coaxingly in a sweet voice.

“Tsk tsk, because you spoil him like that, that guy can’t come to his senses even at his age. When I was his age, I had seized the crown prince position with my own hands.”

“Wasn’t it because Your Majesty was too exceptional?”

Milaire massaged the Emperor’s nape and smoothly loosened his tie.

Then she opened his collar and carefully massaged the tense spots with both hands. The fragrant oil she had applied to her hands beforehand made flower scents float around the Emperor.

It was an obvious trick, but it was effective. The Emperor let out a long sigh and released the tension from his body.

Milaire felt relieved and began massaging his shoulders in earnest.

“Don’t worry me so much. Accumulated anger isn’t good for your health. Look at this. It’s all knotted up here again.”

“That’s enough. I’ll have the masseuse massage it later. You complain about your fingers hurting every morning.”

The Emperor took her hands and kissed her finger joints as he spoke.

Then he waved his hand at Lawrence.

“Cut ties with Eison quickly. Then I’ll handle it somehow. Consider yourself lucky! That Cedric guy may be rigid, but he’s weak when it comes to his own relatives, so thinking of Tia, he won’t go after you too!”

“What do you mean by that…”

Milaire was about to ask but stopped. She couldn’t provoke the Emperor’s anger any further.

The Emperor sighed and shook his head.

“Leave. And go back and think about how you can become friends with Cedric.”

“Father.”

“Think carefully. Just because I’m your father doesn’t mean I plan to unconditionally make you my successor. I can’t do that either.”

The Emperor said.

“Cedric is the Duke of Evron. And he has the public support that you lack. Just get Cedric under your control. Then I’ll take care of the rest.”

“…Yes.”

Lawrence answered in a voice filled with humiliation.

“Leave. I’m tired.”

The Emperor said, closing his eyes.

Lawrence backed away, roughly pressing the ink dripping from his bangs with his sleeve.

Then the Emperor ordered that a copy of the bribery ledger be sent to Duke Loigar.

Milaire massaged the Emperor’s shoulders without saying anything until then.

The Emperor finished writing all the imperial commands to send to Prime Minister Lin in the capital, then pulled Milaire to sit on the armrest.

And he leaned against her soft body and sighed.

“I should prepare to return to the capital.”

“Yes. As Your Majesty wishes…”

Milaire carefully slid her hand down to around his chest and bowed her head to kiss his forehead.

“You don’t need to worry so much. But that Lawrence needs to come to his senses.”

“They say there are no cowardly sons under brave fathers. Don’t worry too much. Boys grow up making lots of trouble. Because of his noble bloodline, there are many parasites that cling to him. If Your Majesty just pays a little attention, he’ll quickly reflect and change.”

“I wish Lawrence was even half as good as you.”

The Emperor said with his eyes closed.

“If he had at least tried to win the Empress’s favor, he would have become crown prince long ago.”

Milaire’s hand paused for a moment. The Emperor lifted one eyelid to look at her and chuckled.

“What? Going to be jealous again?”

“Would you even listen if I did?”

Milaire said in a sulky voice.

“You know that’s something I can’t help. Lawrence too—if he was going to be stubborn, he should have at least established his own achievements and power like Cedric.”

“…Still, he’s Your Majesty’s son.”

“Right. My one and only son.”

The Emperor muttered that and buried his face in Milaire’s chest with a tired attitude.

* * *

It was the very next day that a messenger came running with a sealed letter containing the imperial command.

“His Majesty has given permission.”

Prime Minister Lin said this after opening and reading the sealed letter.

Soon, it meant to cover up the bribery case and thoroughly investigate Count Eison’s case.

Cedric answered, “I see.” He had expected this would happen, but still felt bitter about it.

“Are you feeling troubled?”

“Yes. I think those who took money and turned a blind eye are not much different from the main culprits.”

Lower-level officials patrolling near the gambling hall might be one thing, but most high-ranking officials would have known the details. Such people were more harmful to society than the main culprits.

“Still, we can’t touch them right now. Too many people took bribes. There’s a high possibility that if the nobles and officials band together to cover for each other and resist, the entire case will be swept under the rug.”

“Yes.”

“Unless His Majesty makes a strong decision, but since this isn’t connected to treason and is just a simple criminal case, he wouldn’t want to bear that level of political burden.”

“That Baron Itz seems quite clever. Not only high-ranking nobles, but everyone from the Ministry of Finance and Tax Office to low-level officials in the Security Bureau are all involved. How could anyone touch this without being prepared to cut out the entire imperial government?”

Cedric let out a sigh.

“His Majesty doesn’t consider this matter that important to begin with. He’s probably planning to just hold onto the bribery ledger. My fiancée said that weaknesses are most powerful when they remain hidden.”

A gun is frightening when it’s aimed, and a newly sharpened blade is sharpest before it’s used.

“His Majesty is a ruthless person. Whether a million or ten million people die at his feet, as long as the throne doesn’t waver, it’s like stealing grain from a warehouse to him. He might be angry, but it’s not significant enough for him to make a decision while bearing something himself.”

Artizea had said this.

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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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