The Villainess Lives Twice - Chapter 289

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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 289

46.

Around the time Cedric crossed the border of the western regions, Artizea was already traveling down along the Aba River.

Before departing, Hailey’s opposition was extraordinary.

“I understand your concern for Lisia. I’m worried too. Lisia is my cousin, and I don’t want to lose anyone else close to me!”

After saying this, Hailey pressed her lips tightly shut with a shocked expression on her face.

Since she had truly become Artizea’s confidant, they had never spoken of Jordin’s matter.

Artizea looked at Hailey with a quiet gaze. It was a look as if viewing an inanimate object.

No, rather, as if she herself were an inanimate object, with no emotion visible whatsoever.

“I don’t expect you to understand.”

Artizea spoke without inflection. Her tone contained no particular coldness or chill, which made it feel even more distant.

Still, Hailey did not back down.

“What could Your Highness possibly accomplish by going there personally?”

She spoke firmly.

“Send the knight order. Command the Western Army. Your Highness’s abilities are not meant to be displayed on those plains, but are valuable here in this room!”

At those words, Artizea lowered her gaze.

It was miserable. Artizea herself knew best that scheming in a study was indeed her role and natural talent.

Nevertheless, she had to say it.

“Didn’t I tell you before? People end up doing things they cannot help but do.”

Even knowing it wasn’t right, even knowing the chances of failure were high.

Even knowing she lacked talent and it was inefficient, even knowing there were other important matters that deserved her attention.

“I very much dislike it when people around me get hurt. If you intend to stay with me, you must remember that fact.”

Cedric had said that.

“When we go together, we’ll be able to find the truly right path.”

Cedric had also said this.

“At that time, I had already decided to take responsibility for what you do.”

He had a tired expression.

“Please don’t make me lonely anymore.”

It wasn’t that she hadn’t thought of him.

She hadn’t forgotten the baby either.

Still, Artizea had to go.

Lisia was the person who had taught her that truly good people actually existed.

The Artizea of before had studied ethics and theology but didn’t believe in them.

Such things were either hypocrisy or merely ideologies spread by some past ruler to make domination easier.

People are inherently evil. The world Artizea knew was made up of monsters and beasts.

So Artizea wanted to become a monster rather than a beast.

Then, after getting to know Lisia, she learned for the first time in her life what it meant to be human.

She tried to protect her. She wanted to cover her with a roof so she wouldn’t get rained on, to block the fierce winds.

If Cedric was like a distant lighthouse that she couldn’t reach no matter how many times she crashed against the breakwater trying to destroy it, then Lisia was fertile soil that would bloom the most beautiful flowers in the world.

But that soil was easily washed away by heavy rain, as if the roof she had provided meant nothing.

Artizea had sworn to protect her. She had promised Cedric as well.

But she had failed to protect her.

That would have been the humanity she learned about for the first time.

Hailey’s words were right. Cedric had said so too. That there wasn’t much she could do in the western regions.

But how could she leave it to others and return to the capital to face Cedric and smile?

If she couldn’t save her own humanity, she wouldn’t even be able to exist as a human.

So Artizea didn’t persuade Hailey but commanded her.

“You stay here and make it appear that I’m traveling around the western regions on a pilgrimage.”

“Your Highness…”

Hailey ultimately accepted that command.

She wrote a letter to Freil.

“The people’s hearts in the western regions are wavering.

There are countless people who want to meet the Saintess and receive her grace, but they’re being prevented from traveling even to neighboring villages, let alone farther, due to the plague.

When His Highness the Crown Prince led the Evron Knight Order to rebuild the Western Army in the past, I was very angry.

I even resented His Highness the Crown Prince for readily agreeing to such demands.

Since the north was handling northern affairs, I thought the west should handle western affairs on its own.

The land is fertile and the climate is livable. Monster waves can be adequately defended against, can’t they?

If only the Western Army generals didn’t leave for the central regions for power or become lords and just sit guarding their own lands.

Why should the north bear that burden? Why should the Evron Knight Order be sacrificed? I believe Sir Freil must have had similar thoughts.

Ah, you also served as His Highness the Crown Prince’s adjutant at that time. Then you would have known much earlier than I, who spread out maps and read records.

Coming here, now I think that incident was fortunate.

If His Highness the Crown Prince hadn’t won the people’s hearts in the western regions, by now there would have been more than one or two uprisings, even if the Western Army cooperated with quarantine and security.

The lords may be inwardly rebellious, but with the Western Army exerting influence everywhere due to the plague, they can’t rashly reveal it.

It would be terrible if a monster wave occurred at a time like this. It’s fortunate there’s no country beyond the western border.

But I don’t know how long this will continue. The western regions need hope other than a Saintess who doesn’t show herself.”

Hailey wrote up to that point and put down her pen.

If they were sitting face to face, she might have said something, but she was reluctant to leave it in a letter.

‘Even if I tell him to burn it, he’ll surely leave residue in the fireplace.’

Since it was summer, he would certainly put out the fire quickly.

Knock knock.

There was a sound of knocking on the door.

“Come in.”

Hailey said while folding the letter in half.

Sophie peeked through the door.

“Miss Hailey, are you busy?”

“No. What’s the matter?”

“Nothing… I was just wondering if there was any other news.”

On Hailey’s desk were various letters and urgent messages. But among them, there was nothing Sophie was curious about.

When Hailey made an apologetic face, Sophie smiled awkwardly.

“I was just curious, so I asked. I’m sorry.”

“It’s frustrating, isn’t it? Her Highness did wrong in this.”

Hailey deliberately pouted.

If someone else had shown such an attitude toward Artizea, Sophie would have been hurt and angry.

But Hailey was fine. It was okay for her to do so.

“Yes, honestly I think my lady did very wrong too!”

Sophie said loudly while laughing. It seemed like only doing so would ease her heart.

When Artizea left, she took only Alice with her.

It was partly to hide her absence as much as possible, and partly because Sophie, who managed the wardrobe, wasn’t needed.

“Don’t worry too much. She’s Her Highness, isn’t she? She probably knows all about the dangerous situations.”

Hailey spoke gently.

And she glanced at the messages scattered on her desk. Even while believing, she couldn’t quite believe.

She hoped there would be no more sacrifices.

* * *

Artizea’s carriage passed right by the largest and most prosperous city near the Aba River.

Inside the carriage, Alice asked with curiosity.

“Are you not going to enter Kader City?”

In Alice’s mind, Kader City was the most important area in this vicinity.

In fact, it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that aside from Kader City, there was nowhere suitable for Artizea to stay.

Most of the land in the Aba River region was low-lying and fertile.

The arable land was vast, but in contrast, the river frequently flooded. Due to this, cities had never formed since ancient times, and small villages were scattered here and there.

As flood control technology developed, water damage decreased. However, cities did not develop rapidly.

This was because life was manageable with just small farming villages that relied on the river.

‘Kader City is the most developed city among them.’

Kader City was a city that developed as a granary. All the grain from the surrounding areas gathered in Kader City before being transported to other regions by waterway.

Artizea had no intention of stopping there.

If gathering rumors had been her purpose, she naturally would have entered.

But not now. Now Artizea intended to climb to higher ground.

To a position where she could look down upon the Aba River at a glance.

In the distance, dust clouds could be seen rising.

“Bandits!”

One of the guards shouted.

The carriage stopped. Artizea sat quietly in her place.

With no cities and small farming villages scattered everywhere, it was the perfect region for bandits to run wild.

“How strange. Everyone usually avoided us when they saw the knight order.”

Artizea’s guard consisted of 100 men. All of them were knights. This was because Hailey had refused to compromise on this matter alone.

A mere dozen or so bandits were not opponents who could dare to attack.

As expected, the dust clouds stopped. Only one horse approached the knights frantically.

“Be on guard!”

Following Earl Owen’s command, ten knights in the front row aimed their guns.

The bandits lingered in the distance before turning back. Only one horse that had been fleeing from them approached Artizea’s procession.

Riding it was a young woman dressed in dust-covered clothes.

“Stop right there.”

Owen made the woman halt midway. The woman gasped and tumbled off her horse. She seemed to have exhausted her strength.

One knight hurriedly caught her. The woman grabbed the knight’s arm and spoke pleadingly.

“Are you from the Western Army?”

“That’s right.”

The knight was from the North, but he answered falsely. This was to avoid exposing Artizea’s identity.

The woman shed tears profusely. The knight was flustered.

Owen approached Artizea’s carriage. He intended to ask if it would be alright to rest briefly to care for the woman who had been chased by bandits.

Artizea was already opening the carriage door.

She couldn’t hide her shock. With a face more horrified than when Alphonse’s corpse had been returned, Artizea screamed.

“Benia!”

The woman looked up in surprise.

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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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