The Villainess Lives Twice - Chapter 42

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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 42

6.

The garden of the Evron Ducal Residence was quite neglected.

Like other parts of the manor, it was inevitable since the master didn’t care for it.

Horses and hunting dogs grazed in the rear garden, and idle servants hid there to loaf around. Old fallen leaves and branches were tangled haphazardly, creating a space that had nothing to do with aesthetics.

Since Cedric didn’t care about appearances, even places visible to others were no exception.

The area near the main gate was somewhat maintained, but at best they only cut the grass on time and trimmed tree branches.

“We’ll need to lay new paths.”

The grass in the rear garden had grown wild. They had recently hurriedly cut the grass to make a trail, but it wasn’t comfortable enough for a woman in fine clothes to walk on.

Cedric looked embarrassed. He had thought that as long as the rear garden, which was rarely used, was well-defended, it didn’t matter. He hadn’t cared about letting horses and dogs roam free either.

But walking with Artizea, there were more than one or two things that bothered him.

“This is fine though. It feels like being in a forest rather than a garden.”

“….”

Artizea spoke without any particular thought. Cedric covered his face with his palm.

“I’ll have to summon gardeners.”

“Ansgard was just saying he’s brought in new people to hire. He said there were only two gardeners until now. Since this manor is large, it must have been difficult for two people to manage everything.”

“Are they bringing gardeners from far away?”

“Yes. From the duchy.”

Cedric let out a short sigh.

“Even if it takes time, it’s better to use people we can trust. The garden’s structure is especially important for security.”

“I understand that too… But we should at least have paths laid temporarily.”

“That’s wasteful.”

“We don’t know when it will be properly arranged. In the current state, isn’t it difficult for you to walk?”

Cedric pointed to the grass stains on the hem of her dress.

A cloth would suffice for that. It was a bit difficult to walk in dress shoes though. Artizea lifted her skirt hem and stepped over clumps of grass.

“It’s only occasionally. I think it’s rather refreshing?”

“Occasionally won’t do.”

Artizea tilted her head and looked at him.

“Didn’t the doctor recommend it? That you should take walks daily.”

“…I’m paying attention to it.”

“You’re not paying as much attention as the doctor recommended, are you? Ansgard scolded me today.”

“We eat breakfast together every morning. Your caring for me like that is enough. We discuss what needs to be discussed then too.”

“Do you find it bothersome that I keep showing my face?”

“No. That’s not it.”

Artizea looked at him with a troubled expression. She had never thought it was bothersome. She just thought there was no need for him to go that far for her.

“I think just discussing what needs to be discussed isn’t enough.”

That was true.

Artizea knew Cedric well, but Cedric didn’t know her well.

Even if it was a contract marriage, it was still a marriage. Even if they divorced, it wasn’t as if they would part ways and become complete strangers forever.

Not only as spouses but also as lord and vassal, appropriate understanding and trust were necessary.

Since Artizea knew this painfully well, she nodded.

“I’m sorry.”

“For what?”

“For not being able to tell you everything honestly.”

Artizea lowered her eyes. Cedric asked in puzzlement.

“Did it sound like I was interrogating you?”

“No. It’s not that…”

Artizea hesitated.

She had long given up on being understood by others.

Someone like Freil who could have the same way of thinking as her was fine.

Trying to make someone understand in order to prove she was useful was also fine.

But apart from all that, she hesitated to ask for human understanding.

It was difficult to ask someone to believe that even if she was a vicious person, she was doing her best for the future.

Artizea found it easier to just admit she was evil rather than make such a plea.

It was easier to say that since she was an evil person destined for hell, they should fear and hate her and move according to her will.

She knew Cedric was someone who could be trusted, at least someone who would try to be.

Even at the final moment, instead of easily choosing the path of condemning her, he was someone who could bow his head and ask her to work for the world.

But that ‘knowledge’ didn’t match Artizea’s experience. She kept thinking there was no way such a thing could exist in the world.

That’s why even saying this required great courage.

“Even if it seems like I’m hiding something from you, Lord Cedric, or even if I commit wicked acts, I would never do so with malicious intent…”

Artizea spoke carefully.

“If you discover something, please ask me the reason once.”

If he would do that, she felt she could die happily even if she ended up disheveled and on the gallows.

“….”

Cedric was silent for a moment.

He should ask why she was saying such things, but strangely the words wouldn’t come out.

He felt as if he already knew without hearing the answer.

Probably, certainly, when such a situation arose, he would also know the reason.

That’s what he thought.

He unconsciously reached out his hand. Because Artizea’s lowered eyelashes glittered, making it look like tears had formed.

“Lord Cedric?”

“No, it’s nothing. Nothing at all.”

He came to his senses and lowered his hand.

He thought he had strange thoughts. Why was he thinking that she would do dangerous things behind his back? And that he would be able to understand it too.

And that he wanted to embrace her.

All three were strange thoughts. Because he thought of them as if recalling old memories.

Artizea had promised to consult with him before devising schemes.

It was natural that she didn’t tell him everything. Cedric had no need to interfere in every detail of the Rosan Marquess family’s affairs.

It wasn’t strange at all that she tried to hide the shadows she carried in her heart.

Cedric extended his hand to her. Artizea hesitated.

“The path is rough. It’s strange to say that inside the house though.”

“Yes.”

Artizea carefully placed her hand on top of Cedric’s.

Cedric took her hand and guided her to link arms with him.

He still felt like embracing her. But since it was still too early, he decided to be satisfied with this.

“Let’s have proper paths laid soon. If you’re going to take walks for exercise, that would be better.”

“Yes.”

The hand and wrist linked to Cedric’s side grew warm.

Artizea couldn’t prevent her face from reddening.

Walking side by side, fortunately that face didn’t catch Cedric’s eyes as he faced forward.

The two walked a little further in silence for a while.

Cedric suddenly asked.

“Come to think of it, isn’t there anything I can help with for the wedding preparations? Or rather, should I say help… things I should do.”

“There isn’t.”

Artizea answered immediately. Cedric looked back at her with a troubled expression.

“You don’t need to be quite so decisive about it, do you?”

“You’ve written all the invitations, haven’t you?”

“Yes. I’ll write the ones for His Majesty the Emperor and Uncle Loigar by hand, and Ansgard will be responsible for managing the rest.”

“Then that’s fine. You’ve had your formal wear fitted too. I’ll take care of the rest.”

“It just feels like I’m the only one not doing anything. You look incredibly busy. And you have so much to do.”

That was true.

Marriage, the birth of heirs, and funerals were the most important events for noble families.

Among these, there was no time with more things to do than a marriage, where the union between families took place.

Artizea had no parents to handle such matters for her. She had to prepare for the wedding while managing the Rosan Marquess Estate herself.

Artizea’s wedding preparations included arranging the wedding dress and gifts, as well as preparing invitations.

However, adjusting various interests and laying groundwork for the future took priority over those things.

But there were limits to the physical and mental energy one could use in a day. Since Artizea didn’t have a particularly energetic constitution, she had to be careful about allocation.

She needed rest to maintain clear mental faculties, so inevitably the concerns that ordinary brides focused on had to be pushed to lower priority.

Cedric found this regrettable.

“You’re so busy with work that you can barely make any preparations for yourself, aren’t you?”

“Still, it can’t be helped.”

“You shouldn’t say that, Tia. I should handle the miscellaneous tasks, and you should prepare for yourself.”

“Ansgard is taking care of the miscellaneous tasks. I’m making the most important preparations without any problems. Don’t worry.”

Artizea answered that way.

Cedric let out a small sigh. His chest felt tight, but he couldn’t pinpoint exactly why.

He thought he wished Artizea would put more heart into this marriage.

It wasn’t that he wanted to say the wedding was more important than what she wanted to do, or that marriage was the most important thing in a woman’s life.

But a marriage was still a marriage.

No matter how much it was a contract marriage with a set deadline, it was still a marriage. And Artizea was the bride.

And he thought he wanted Artizea to have good memories from the wedding. This was especially true because she was a young lady who had never once been the main character before.

He wanted to make her face happy, even if just for a moment.

“This is our wedding.”

Those were the words he managed to squeeze out, lacking eloquence.

The protagonist of this wedding wasn’t schemes or conspiracies.

It was ‘our wedding.’ Having said it aloud, it felt newly concrete and specific, making his heart pound.

“Do I seem anxious to you?”

“A little.”

Cedric pondered how he could properly convey his feelings.

“The Western Army issue was already resolved when I got engaged to you. Do you remember when I first said I would accept the contract primarily for the sake of the Western Army?”

“Yes.”

“Our primary objective has been achieved. I received permission for the Western Army’s triumph ceremony, and you escaped from Milaire. So let’s think slowly now. At least until the wedding. Even if the contract term is two years, we actually have plenty of time left to spend together.”

Cedric said this while gently stroking the back of her hand.

Artizea lowered her eyes. It was to hide the warmth rising to her face.

“Don’t worry. I haven’t forgotten.”

The words ‘our wedding’ strangely tickled her ears.

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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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