The Villainess Lives Twice - Chapter 330

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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 (24)

“Woof!”

Artizea heard the sound of a puppy barking while half asleep.

“Woof! Oooong.”

Following the sound of a long whine, the bed mattress sank deeply. Artizea reached out her hand drowsily.

The puppy that had struggled and climbed onto the bed rubbed its head into her hand.

“Mm.”

Artizea made a small sound.

Leticia, who had followed shortly after, shouted.

“Ahhh! Reddie! You can’t wake up Mommy!”

“Grrrr.”

“Only Daddy can wake her up!”

The puppy didn’t even pretend to listen and stepped on Artizea’s shoulder to peer at her face.

Its soft tongue licked her cheek with gentle laps, making it impossible to sleep any longer. Artizea pushed the puppy’s head away with her hand and turned over.

“Mommy! Are you awake?”

Leticia cheered and ran over. Then she climbed onto the bed like the puppy.

“Mommy! Mommy!”

Leticia rushed into her arms with such momentum that it was unclear whether she was trying to hug her or jump on her.

Hazel, who had chased after her, grabbed Leticia in alarm. She was panting heavily.

While Hazel was confident in her stamina, that meant she could work for long periods, not that she was used to sprinting down corridors at full speed.

How could a child not even five years old be so fast? The speed itself seemed catchable, but like a rabbit targeted by an eagle, whenever she reached out, Leticia would dodge and slip away nimbly.

It had gotten worse since the puppy arrived. Playing and running around the garden every day seemed to be training not just her strength but her agility.

“You mustn’t, Lady Tisha. What if you hurt Her Majesty the Empress?”

Hazel said while catching her breath with difficulty.

Leticia these days was completely beyond what Hazel could handle. She even moved while watching her nanny.

“Sister Mii is weak, so I have to protect her!”

Where the little one had learned such words was anyone’s guess.

Hazel seriously thought they might need to change the nanny to someone with a knight’s background soon.

Even Lady Kishower would have already raised the white flag if Count Kishower hadn’t helped.

Now the only remaining hope was Lisia.

‘I hope she returns soon.’

Lisia had returned to the Western Regions for now. Since she had many responsibilities there, she had decided to organize things and hand them over to her successor before returning.

Artizea, still not fully awake from drowsiness, hugged both Leticia and Reddie at once and murmured.

“Our Tisha broke her promise, didn’t she? I told you not to wake Mommy.”

“It wasn’t me. Reddie did it.”

Even as Leticia said this, she seemed to feel responsible and shrank her neck while slowly slipping out of Artizea’s arms.

As if taking advantage of the gap, Reddie burrowed into Artizea’s embrace.

Though she didn’t particularly care for it, perhaps influenced by Leticia, this puppy was very fond of Artizea.

“Woof!”

Reddie pressed its nose against her neck as if telling her to get up.

Artizea petted the soft puppy while meeting Leticia’s eyes.

“Did you finish studying your letters?”

“Mm…”

“Did you play with Reddie?”

“I still did it though.”

Leticia said uncertainly. Artizea smiled.

“It’s okay. Even if you didn’t memorize everything.”

“Really? Daddy said he’d check.”

“Our Tisha doesn’t hate studying letters, right? What if you read picture books a day or two late?”

“Yeah!”

Leticia nodded brightly with a big smile.

“But to read to your younger sibling, you should learn quickly…”

Hazel accidentally misspoke.

Leticia didn’t react immediately. Hazel quickly covered her mouth and bowed her head to Artizea apologetically.

Leticia, who had been lying with her head on Artizea’s arm blinking, suddenly sat up with a start.

“Younger sibling?”

“Oh, no.”

Hazel tried to cover it up quickly. Artizea looked at her.

Hazel tapped her lips with her fingertips. Her father had advised her several times that only when she fixed her habit of speaking her thoughts aloud would she be able to do great things, but it was hard to change.

Leticia looked down at Artizea with sparkling eyes.

“Mommy, am I getting a younger sibling?”

Artizea hesitated for a moment.

She had planned to tell her soon anyway. While she intended to postpone the official announcement much later, there was no need to keep hiding it within the Empress’s Palace.

Her morning sickness wasn’t mild. She had only hinted to the head chef, but through other kitchen workers who didn’t know the situation, rumors spread that the Empress’s health was rapidly deteriorating.

Moreover, trying to lie down as much as possible until the stable period made it even more so.

It might be time to make it public. She had also heard that telling Leticia in advance would be educationally right.

“Mm.”

“No?”

Leticia asked with disappointed eyes.

‘It would be better to discuss it together.’

Artizea slowly sat up. The puppy rolled around toward her lap and showed its belly.

“Grrrr.”

“Ah, Reddie. You only like Mommy! I want to touch your belly too!”

Leticia forgot what she was talking about and pouted.

Hazel asked carefully.

“Will you be getting up, Your Majesty the Empress?”

“I’m fully awake now. I’d like to get some fresh air.”

“Yes. I’ll prepare a place on the terrace. Is there anything you’d like to have?”

Artizea shook her head. Just not feeling severely nauseous was already a good condition for her.

A waiting attendant brought a basin filled with warm water. Artizea slowly got down from the bed.

As she lightly washed her face and hands, her daughter and the puppy clung to her feet.

Artizea put on a long winter robe.

“Woof!”

Reddie barked once excitedly and ran ahead. Leticia wiggled her hips and chased after it, turning the corner and disappearing down the corridor.

“Daddy!”

Soon Leticia’s shout could be heard.

Reddie came running back. Sedric followed behind, carrying Leticia on one arm.

The attendants hurriedly knelt and bowed. Hazel also bent at the waist.

Artizea asked curiously.

“Lord Sedric, isn’t it still working hours?”

“I came for a moment. It’s afternoon break time. I should have time for a cup of tea, right?”

“That’s not something for Lord Sedric to decide, but something you should ask your secretary, isn’t it?”

Sedric couldn’t answer Artizea’s words. He had spoken speculatively from the start anyway.

He hadn’t sent word in advance and just came because he didn’t have time.

Artizea didn’t bother to send him away. Sedric put Leticia down and handed her a small box he had been holding in his other hand.

“This is a gift for Mommy, so Tisha should carry it.”

“Mm…”

“Don’t drop it.”

Then Leticia hugged the box with both arms.

“What is that?”

“It won’t break. It’s a wooden box, so it’s fine.”

Sedric said that, and once his hands were free, he scooped up Artizea in his arms.

“Lord Sedric!”

“Didn’t the court physician say it’s better for you to lie down?”

“It’s just to the terrace for a moment.”

“There’s no one else to carry you there, so let’s just go.”

Sedric said that and strode forward with large steps.

On the terrace, a comfortable chair had been brought out. Sedric seated Artizea in that spot and helped Leticia onto her special chair. Soon an attendant brought a tea tray.

Reddie circled around under the table several times before settling under Leticia’s chair.

Leticia held out the box she had been carefully hugging to Sedric again.

“What is it?”

Artizea asked again.

“It’s nothing special. I remembered how you wanted to eat sugar when you were pregnant with Tisha.”

Sedric opened the box lid. Inside were sugar crystals dyed red.

“Back then, I told you to limit it because if the baby got too big, it would be difficult during childbirth. Now you need to eat anything you can.”

Sedric made a belated excuse. Artizea smiled.

“You were paying attention to such things?”

“It’s been bothering me all this time.”

Artizea picked up one piece of sugar. Unlike candy, the sugar immediately cracked crisply in her mouth.

A sweet and sour cherry flavor spread throughout. Her constantly churning stomach seemed to settle a bit.

It must have shown on her face. Sedric spoke with a relieved expression.

“I’m glad if you can eat something.”

“It’s delicious.”

Artizea put another piece in her mouth. The attendants quickly brought cookies and madeleines.

Artizea gladly broke off a piece of orange madeleine. It had a refreshing fragrance.

“This baby seems to like sweet things. Tisha was completely devoted to meat.”

“Mama! Mama!”

Leticia raised both arms high to gather her parents’ attention. Expecting her to ask for sugar as usual, Sedric quickly defended the box.

But Leticia asked cleverly.

“Where is the baby?”

“Ah.”

Artizea looked at Sedric. Sedric looked at Leticia with confusion, then looked back at Artizea.

“Well, we should talk about it.”

Sedric cleared his throat. Artizea gestured for him to speak.

“Papa?”

“The baby is in Mama’s belly.”

“No! If the baby is in Mama’s belly, it gets this big!”

Having experienced it once when the wet nurse was full-term, Leticia spoke confidently.

“The baby is still this small, so that’s why.”

Sedric said. Leticia’s eyes widened.

“You’re getting a younger brother, Tisha.”

Artizea drove the point home. Leticia shouted.

“Younger brother!”

Leticia tried to stand up abruptly. She almost fell from her chair, so Sedric quickly caught her and helped her down.

“I’m getting a younger brother? Really? Really?”

“Our Tisha, will you be good to your younger brother?”

“Yes! I’ll give him milk every day, play with him, and read him picture books too!”

“If you want to read him picture books, you’ll have to study hard.”

At Artizea’s words, Leticia didn’t know what to do. Sedric laughed and scooped up Leticia to sit on his lap.

“It’s okay. Tisha is still a baby too, so you can learn slowly. But Mama’s body is weak, so Tisha and your younger brother need to protect Mama together.”

“Yes!”

“Promise.”

Leticia hooked her finger. Then she reached for the sugar.

“I want to give this to the baby!”

Leticia picked up the sugar as if it were hers, then got lost in thought with a “hmm,” not knowing how to give it.

Then she reached toward Artizea’s belly.

“Right now, Mama needs to eat it so the baby can be healthy too, so give it to Mama.”

Sedric said. Leticia stretched out her hand with all her might.

Artizea took the sugar from those soft little fingers and ate it. Leticia giggled.

A warm breeze blew gently on the terrace. It was late spring when flowers were in full bloom, so the wind carried flower fragrance from afar.

When she turned her gaze, large flower clusters hung so heavily that the branches drooped, filling the garden with white blooms.

Artizea thought she could remove the brazier placed under her chair.

Sedric poured tea into her cup. It was a peaceful time.

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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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