The Villainess Lives Twice - Chapter 328

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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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2. Spring Breeze (22)

Behind Mielle, Lisia poked her head out and asked.

“It’s been a while, Sophie. Should I come back later?”

“How have you been?”

Sophie greeted Lisia with a pleased expression.

Artizea tried to get down from the bed. Lisia gestured for her not to, and Alice quickly added more cushions behind her back to help her sit up.

Sophie quickly opened the door. Lisia stepped into the bedroom.

And for a moment, she silently looked around the bedroom.

Artizea waited with indescribable feelings for Lisia to finish her observations.

The furniture and decorations were different from when she was at the Imperial Palace. But this was the very bedroom where Lisia had closed her eyes.

“It’s fine.”

Lisia opened her eyes clearly and spoke cheerfully.

Alice, Sophie, and Mielle tilted their heads, not understanding why Lisia said that. Artizea smiled along with Lisia.

“It’s fine, so you may withdraw.”

“Yes.”

Both Alice and Sophie knew well how much Artizea had been waiting for Lisia.

The door closed quietly. Only the two of them remained in the bedroom.

Lisia approached with light steps and sat beside the bed. Her hair had been cut short.

“You cut your hair?”

“I cut it a while ago. How is it? Does it suit me?”

Lisia shook her head once. Her wavy hair moved as light as if flying.

“It suits you. Though it’s a bit of a shame…”

“Hair grows back. It was for a change of mood. Since I was cutting it anyway, I did something good with it.”

Lisia smiled, saying she had given it to a child whose hair could no longer grow due to burns.

Artizea again responded only with a smile. It was still a shame when she thought about it, but if Lisia was happy, that was good enough. The short hair suited her lively appearance quite well.

In social circles, there would be various comments about her appearance, but now she didn’t have to attend such events when she didn’t feel like it.

“Isn’t it difficult living there?”

“There are difficult aspects. Lord Sedric’s standards are high, and time and manpower are insufficient.”

“I see…”

“The budget is increasing, but rather, having abundant finances means we lack the ability to properly invest it. The Western Regions lack educational facilities. In that regard, it’s worse than the North.”

“In the North, Lord Sedric has been continuously paying attention.”

“Yes. But in the Western Regions, the only thing that can be called an educational facility is monasteries.”

Lisia sighed.

“It will gradually improve. We’re making children receive basic education as a condition for receiving grain from the granary.”

“That’s excellent.”

Artizea truly thought so. Not only because of the work Lisia was doing, but above all, she was glad that Lisia seemed to find it rewarding.

“But when someone capable enough to delegate work to appears, I’ll take a break. About 3 years. Lord Sedric can’t tell me to suffer anymore, right?”

“Since you specifically mentioned 3 years, do you have some plan?”

“I want to travel.”

Lisia smiled.

“I’ve never been to the Southern Region. Lend me the villa, Tia. I want to try lying down with my feet in that beautiful sea.”

“That sounds nice too.”

“But if someone capable appears, Lord Sedric will covet them. The granary also needs people, but whenever I discover someone useful, he quickly takes them away.”

“The granary’s priority is relatively lower now. There have been continuous good harvests.”

“You know you’ve been taking Lord Sedric’s side this whole time?”

Lisia pretended to look displeased.

“Losing Count Pove really hurt.”

Artizea couldn’t help but laugh. Lisia was probably making these jokes to put her mind at ease.

The fact that they could now laugh while having such conversations made her both happy and amazed.

“How are you feeling physically?”

“It’s difficult in various ways, but this is probably normal. Leticia was much, much more well-behaved when she was in the womb.”

Lisia laughed audibly. It seemed Leticia’s remarkable achievements were known even in the distant Western Regions.

But soon she asked with a serious expression.

“What did the doctor say?”

“That it would be difficult.”

Maintaining the pregnancy might somehow be possible. But Artizea didn’t have the strength to endure childbirth.

During Leticia’s time, her condition was relatively better than now. She was extremely sensitive mentally and on edge. However, she ate better than ever before and had decent stamina.

Even then, she couldn’t endure the labor pains.

They say subsequent births are easier than the first, but if both were impossible anyway, there was no need to distinguish between easy and difficult.

Even though Leticia was practically the only heir to the Imperial family, the court physician couldn’t say he would try his best.

“Please kill me, Your Majesty the Empress. But no matter which doctor in this land comes, none would dare say they could save both Your Majesty the Empress and the baby.”

He knelt on the floor and spoke with a sorrowful expression.

Artizea said she understood and dismissed him.

“You haven’t told Lord Sedric yet, have you?”

“No. He would probably tell me to give up the baby.”

She could tell without thinking deeply about it. Regardless of his love for Leticia, she knew he had regretted asking her to have a baby.

“That’s why I wanted to ask you first, Lisia. What do you think? Could I give birth to this child?”

“Tia… I’m not a doctor.”

Lisia gripped her hand tightly and said.

“You know, don’t you? My healing power can cure external injuries and diseases, but… it can’t heal what has been weakened. Even if I supplement vitality with divine power, it’s only a temporary measure.”

She had been pondering what to say since receiving Artizea’s letter. Even while riding here.

Artizea didn’t look disappointed.

“This won’t shorten my lifespan further, will it?”

“It shouldn’t be related to that. It’s not a problem related to magic or divinity. You’re alive and… doing something natural as a human.”

“That’s true… The baby has nothing to do with the price I have to pay.”

Artizea murmured. Then she looked up at Lisia.

“You heard how I gave birth to Leticia, right?”

“Tia, are you planning to put a blade to your body?”

“If I don’t have the strength to endure childbirth, I thought maybe I could do it like that time. I think it would be possible if you healed me.”

Lisia’s expression changed slightly. She fell into deep thought.

Healing was certainly possible. As long as there was life, she could save it, and if it was an external injury, she could restore it without a trace.

Even now, there was no trace of the blade mark on Artizea’s belly from that time.

“It’s possible. It is possible, but it would mean creating a major wound on your body…”

Lisia spoke with a suffocating expression.

“It may not affect your lifespan, but that just means you don’t have to pay the price for magic anymore, not that your body is perfectly fine.”

“I don’t intend to give birth at the cost of my life either.”

Artizea said.

“If maintaining the pregnancy becomes impossible or my condition worsens, I’ll have no choice but to let it go. I’m considering that too. But if it’s possible.”

Artizea closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

“Then I want to give birth.”

“Tia…”

Artizea lowered her head.

“It’s strange, isn’t it? I was so scared during Leticia’s time.”

“It’s not strange.”

“I feel like I could do well this time.”

Artizea spoke in a small, whispered voice.

She had loved Leticia. She loved her more now than when she gave birth, more than when she raised her for a month, more than when she raised her for a year.

Sometimes she thought that only now, after 4 years, had she finally come to love her own child as much as others do.

But this time was different.

“I will be able to love it. No, I think I already do.”

She had learned how to love a baby. She had also learned that it was natural for a baby to love her.

And that it was okay to receive that love.

Even if she might not be a very good mother, she had confirmed that she could be a different kind of parent than Milaire.

What was growing in her womb was not sin or wrongdoing, but the result of loving times. She could accept the baby with a completely different heart than before.

“I feel like I’ve become human, Lady Lisia. Please help me.”

Artizea spoke as if confessing.

Lisia let out a sigh.

“I have no choice. It’s the first time you’ve directly asked for help. I can’t refuse that.”

Lisia smiled and squeezed the hand she was holding tighter. Green blessing bloomed and faded within her palm.

“Promise me. If the doctor says it’s dangerous, you’ll give up immediately.”

“Yes.”

Artizea smiled along with her, feeling somewhat relieved.

“If it gets hard, grab Lord Sedric’s hair. If it’s hard to walk, use him instead of your feet. No matter how I think about it, it’s all Lord Sedric’s responsibility anyway.”

Artizea laughed.

“I should do that. I thought Leticia was a miracle, and now another one.”

“If it’s a miracle twice, that’s a good thing.”

“Yes.”

Artizea bowed her head without letting go of Lisia’s hand.

The miracle was here again. Though their positions were different, just like when they had given up everything, they were facing each other in this room.

After that, the two shared news of people they hadn’t heard from because they were far apart.

Lisia had just started laughing after hearing that Hailey was running away from Yulli.

Thump thump.

There was a sound of someone knocking on the door forcefully. Lisia stood up.

“I’ll go check.”

The person who would come was already decided anyway. Sedric was standing outside the door. His face was without any trace of humor.

“Lisia.”

It wasn’t an expression for happily embracing and exchanging greetings.

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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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