The Villainess Lives Twice - Chapter 38

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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 38

Artizea quietly left the manor without being noticed by the household staff.

Her clothes were those of nobility, but they were mourning attire. Such dresses had no distinguishing features.

Her conspicuous platinum hair was hidden, wrapped in a net tightly woven with thin brown thread.

A black veil hung from the hat brim, covering down to her lips. That was the main reason she had chosen mourning attire in the first place.

Freil had removed his insignia.

He could understand why Artizea had said Alphonse would be inappropriate to bring along. Alphonse was too picture-perfect a knight—even dressed in rags, his noble bearing would surely show through.

Besides Freil, only one coachman accompanied them as their entire entourage. Even Alice had not come along.

Freil asked in surprise.

“Do you often go out like this?”

“Until now, I haven’t had much occasion to go out for such matters. But yes, if I need to go out without being noticed, this will be the standard.”

Freil looked at the black two-wheeled carriage that bore no coat of arms.

It had no distinguishing features anywhere. No one would be able to tell who Artizea was or what kind of person she might be.

There would be no danger unless a fight broke out on the spot.

And such incidents could be sufficiently avoided by moving carefully with a sturdy coachman in tow.

Freil thought he couldn’t understand what kind of person Artizea was.

He had already known she was clever from when she proposed a contract marriage, linking her own marriage to the Western Army issue.

When Olga’s heart was connected to the Baron Itz incident, he had even advised Cedric that she was too valuable to lose because she was formidable.

But wasn’t this kind of preparation in the realm of experience?

Freil thought that even if he were preparing for Cedric’s secret missions, he wouldn’t be able to be this thorough.

Freil harbored wariness toward Artizea.

The House of Evron had many simple and good-natured northerners.

Initially, several people had been shocked by the fact that their master was engaged to Milaire’s daughter.

But everyone lowered their guard after learning that Artizea had suffered terribly at Milaire’s hands.

Knowing how miserable her situation had been within the Rosan Marquess Estate, there was no one who didn’t sympathize with her.

When Artizea came to this manor and showed her calm and composed demeanor, their favorable feelings grew steadily.

Artizea dressed modestly herself while being generous to the employees.

She was aristocratic yet kind.

She was rarely picky about anything, but had high standards. She delegated great authority to her subordinates while still being aware of almost everything that happened.

She was exactly the kind of mistress the people of the Evron Duchy had long hoped for.

However, Freil was certain that the incident with Milaire had also been orchestrated by Artizea.

The affair that began with Olga’s heart was not yet finished.

Indeed, hadn’t Artizea received an invitation from the Empress because of this incident?

She didn’t seem to have malicious intentions.

But Freil couldn’t see how far Artizea’s actions would extend, or what kind of bigger picture she was drawing.

What couldn’t be seen was dangerous.

Freil thought he needed to stay sharp and alert.

The carriage passed through the busy street and entered an old district.

This street had been within the city gates since the early days when the Empire’s capital was established. However, lacking geographical advantages, it had failed to be incorporated into the central area.

No new buildings were constructed, no new shops opened to circulate money. No new residents moved in, and unable to form a tightly-knit community, it was slowly becoming a slum.

In the middle of it all was a tavern. Artizea opened the door to one of them and entered.

Freil followed behind her. Inwardly, he was perplexed that Artizea knew of such a place.

Artizea approached the bartender without hesitation. Then she said.

“Tell Lai Pijett that someone has come to buy a bottle of Hawk’s Claw wine.”

The bartender’s face hardened.

Another employee who heard her words hurried inside in panic.

“Where did you hear that name?”

“Lai? We know each other well.”

Artizea leaned back against the chair with a relaxed attitude.

A suffocating tension settled over the shop.

Lai Pijett was a fixer and an honest villain. He would do anything for money and kept faith with whoever paid him first.

“I’m someone who sold his humanity for money. So I have to keep loyalty to money.”

Artizea had highly valued that aspect of him.

She had used money to build up Lai’s organization. There was plenty of work that required dirty hands.

Under Artizea, he had blossomed into a trustworthy villain.

From forging documents to blackmail, kidnapping, torture, and spreading malicious rumors—there was nothing he couldn’t do. He was a useful subordinate. In fact, Artizea and he made a very compatible master-servant pair.

And in the end, he had betrayed Artizea.

Artizea remembered him appearing in court with forged documents and evidence of assassination.

“I’m sorry, Marchioness. I’m someone who sold his humanity for money.”

With a face that had lost one eye to torture and a crushed nose, Lai had said those words.

Artizea hadn’t thought of it as betrayal. After all, their relationship hadn’t been bound by trust and loyalty.

Between a former master charged with treason and the Emperor, there was no need for conflict.

Why would he need to risk his life to protect her?

Of course, regardless of whether she felt betrayed, this time she felt the need for a different safeguard rather than money.

Before long, Lai came out to the shop with a pale complexion.

As if he had just gotten out of bed, his hair was disheveled and his shirt wrinkled. Seeing his young face after so long felt strange.

Artizea looked at him precisely. So Lai was flustered.

“Who are you?”

While asking this, he desperately racked his brain.

Here, only his colleagues knew his real name, Lai. Because the name was too cute and he was often looked down upon for it, he had completely changed his name to Wat when he came to the city.

The only reason he had bothered to let his colleagues know the name Lai was because of mail from his hometown.

There was no way someone who knew that name would come looking for him. Especially not while mentioning Hawk’s Claw wine.

Hawk’s Claw wine was slang meaning murder in this area’s black market.

‘Who is this? She looks young, but judging by her gestures, maybe not. The man accompanying her… is he a knight?’

Artizea said briefly.

“Think after you hear my proposal, Lai. For now, no amount of thinking will help you figure it out.”

Lai bit his lips tightly and asked.

“How do you know my name?”

“Is that important?”

Behind the veil, thin lips smiled faintly.

“I came to buy Hawk’s Claw wine. And you sell anything for money.”

“Understood. I’ll connect you with someone who might sell it.”

“I want you to handle it personally. Of course, I don’t mean I want you to get your hands dirty yourself.”

This woman is dangerous. Lai trusted his instincts.

He was curious about how she knew his name. But it would be better not to form any connection.

It was true that he was someone who sold anything for money. But he didn’t sell his own safety and family.

Artizea held out a small bundle wrapped in black paper to Lai.

Lai took it and weighed it in his hand. From the thickness and feel, it seemed to be ten gold coins.

Ten gold was enough for a commoner family to live comfortably for a month with money left over.

It wasn’t a small amount, but Lai pushed it away with his hand.

Then Artizea held out a second bundle. When Lai pushed that away too, a third bundle appeared.

This time Lai flinched slightly. As she held out the fourth bundle, Artizea asked.

“Is it still not enough to sell your humanity?”

“Damn it, stop this.”

Artizea added two more bundles to make a total of sixty gold.

Lai’s eyes darted around.

How high would the amount go? He had said he wouldn’t sell, but depending on the sum, it seemed he might be able to sell.

But what came out seventh was not a bundle of gold coins, but a letter envelope.

Artizea silently placed it on top of the bundles of gold coins.

Lai felt an ominous premonition and snatched the envelope to open it.

『To Brother Lai.

Thanks to the doctor and money you sent this time, our youngest is doing much better. He can even walk around now.

With what’s left, we’re planning to get firewood for this winter. Thanks to you, we have so much more room that we might even be able to get cloth for the walls before winter comes. Thank you so much.

But is it really okay for you to send such a large amount of money? You’re not doing anything dangerous, are you? Even sending a doctor from the capital. It must have cost an enormous amount.

The youngest is important, but you’re important too, brother. Don’t overdo it. And honestly, I just wish you would come back home. 』

There was more writing below with longer greetings, but Lai’s eyes couldn’t take it in.

The hand holding the letter trembled violently.

He had never sent a doctor or money. This woman must have done it.

And Lai wasn’t stupid enough not to understand that this was blackmail.

“Aaaaah!”

He screamed and shot up from his seat.

Freil tried to block him. But Artizea shook her head, signaling Freil not to move.

Lai raised his fist toward Artizea, but didn’t dare touch her.

This woman was nobility. And she had secured his family’s position. She had even lowered his sister’s guard.

She knew the reason why Lai needed money.

He couldn’t guess how much she knew or how far she had manipulated things. It was too dangerous.

Artizea finally took out a small card and handed it to Lai.

Lai read the card and slumped into his seat. Then he asked in a resigned tone.

“I just need to do this one job? For dealing with such a trivial bastard, there’s no need to seek me out specifically. Any drunkard would do it for a tenth of this money. It’s wasteful.”

“I want perfect results. And if I think I can get you under my control, it’s not wasteful.”

After saying that, Artizea took the card back and put it in her handbag.

Lai roughly ran his palm through his hair. Then he sighed.

“Understood. You’ll hear news by the day after tomorrow. Young Marchioness of Rosan.”

By saying this, he revealed that he had figured out who Artizea was.

But Artizea didn’t waver.

The card contained the name of the person who needed to be dealt with. If he was stupid enough not to know who she was after seeing that, she wouldn’t have made a deal with Lai in the first place.

“You don’t need to contact me separately.”

Artizea said this and stood up from her seat.

Once they came outside, Freil asked.

“What did you request?”

“To erase traces.”

Artizea said this and got into the carriage. The next destination was the restaurant.

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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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