The Villainess Lives Twice - Chapter 5

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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 5

1.

The morning dining table of House of Rosan was the same as always.

Lawrence sat at the head of the table, with Milaire sitting close beside him.

Despite having separate servants to attend to them, Milaire always personally took care of Lawrence.

While spreading butter on bread or cutting fish for him, she spoke affectionately.

“It was rather hot last night, did you sleep well?”

“Yes. Once night fell, the temperature wasn’t that high.”

“Still, it gets hot as soon as the sun rises. If you lose your appetite, tell me in advance. I’ll have the chef make that cool melon soup you like.”

“Yes.”

Lawrence elegantly put the fish she had cut for him into his mouth.

When she was young, Artizea had enviously watched Milaire care for him like that. She thought it was the motherly love she could never obtain.

So wanting to get even a little closer to the two of them, she sat as close to them as possible.

And when Milaire wasn’t around, she attended to Lawrence, thinking it was her natural duty.

Even after learning that wasn’t the case, she had rationalized it.

Lawrence was a precious person who would become emperor. He was also the one who would elevate Milaire to an honorable and noble status in the future.

So naturally she would have treasured him. Her own situation was different.

However, now neither matter was of interest to Artizea.

During the torture, she had abandoned all lingering attachment to Lawrence, and even before that, she had already given up on Milaire.

Artizea finished her meal simply with just bread and salad.

She had little appetite. She wanted to quickly assess the current situation and go out.

The salmon meunière that had been prepared as the main course for breakfast wasn’t even placed in front of her anyway.

As she wiped her mouth and stood up, Milaire spoke sharply.

“Your brother hasn’t even finished half his meal and you’re already getting up?”

Only then did Milaire realize that Artizea wasn’t sitting beside her as usual, but was sitting alone at a distant seat.

Her golden-green eyes widened.

Artizea would have apologized in the past, but she didn’t now.

“I don’t have much appetite. You always said I should lose some weight, Mother.”

Artizea spoke calmly.

Her being chubby was from her early childhood, before she was even 6 years old.

However, Milaire always said she was too fat and ate too much.

Girls should eat only a little like bird feed and always manage their figure.

Thanks to that, Artizea at this time had a neurosis about eating.

She was nothing but bones from eating so little, yet could never be called fat.

Nevertheless, Milaire always told her she needed to lose weight.

Milaire became angry.

“Still, at the dining table you should observe proper etiquette…”

“I’d like to visit the temple in the outskirts today, would that be alright, brother?”

She would have asked Milaire for permission to go out, but there was no need to ask Lawrence.

Lawrence only demanded strategic abilities from Artizea, being indifferent to her as a sister.

Artizea said this because she didn’t want to hear Milaire’s criticism.

Milaire was about to burst into anger. But before that, Lawrence slowly opened his mouth.

“Go ahead.”

“Thank you, brother.”

Artizea said this to preemptively block whatever else Milaire might say.

Milaire spoke in a bright voice.

“How can he be so considerate? Even thinking of his sister…”

She genuinely wondered what exactly Lawrence had been considerate about, but Artizea didn’t bother to question it and left the dining room behind.

She was too worn down now to feel dissatisfied with such things.

As she came outside, her personal maid Alice approached with quick steps.

“Miss, you didn’t eat properly again, did you? Why did you come out so early? Usually you would stay a bit longer…”

“Alice.”

Artizea looked quietly at Alice.

She felt somewhat moved.

Alice was the first maid she had personally taken in. She was quick-witted and highly loyal, but because of that, she ended up being poisoned to death in Artizea’s place.

“…”

“What’s wrong, Miss?”

“It’s nothing.”

Having nothing to say, Artizea simply turned her head away.

Artizea had intended to care for Alice’s remaining family for the rest of her life. Alice had been loyal from the beginning, trusting that promise.

After she was imprisoned, had Alice’s family really been safe?

Not just Alice, but the other families of those who died for Artizea as well.

She had set up a structure so that pensions would continue to be paid even if something happened to Artizea.

In case of emergency, she had carefully hidden the connection between that money and herself.

Thinking about how she had focused more on concealment after eliminating all her political enemies, perhaps she had been suspicious of Lawrence from much earlier.

“Miss, are you smiling?”

“Was I smiling?”

“Yes. Like this.”

Alice mimicked her expression and smiled.

Artizea withdrew even her faint smile and turned around.

Even if they were meeting after 20 years, she wasn’t the type to embrace someone joyfully and express such happiness.

“I’m going out. To the temple.”

“Yes, Miss.”

“Alice, come here.”

Artizea gestured for her to come closer.

Alice quickly leaned forward and brought her ear close to Artizea’s lips.

Artizea whispered instructions for what she needed to do.

And when Alice straightened up, she said.

“After that, go to the kitchen and pack a lunch. Something like sandwiches. Make it substantial with meat.”

“Oh my, Miss. Have you decided to stop dieting?”

“I think I need to build up my strength.”

“That’s a good decision. For your diet, Miss, eating more is the right approach.”

“Since it would be awkward to eat alone, pack some for you too, and ask them to pack plenty with meat. At least 5 servings or more. It should look good too. Pack a picnic tea set as well.”

“Yes.”

Alice tilted her head. But she had never questioned what Artizea did.

“There’s no time, so hurry back. I’ll have Sophie help me dress.”

“Yes, Miss.”

Alice hurried outside.

Artizea slowly headed to her room.

Since it was usual to change into an afternoon dress after breakfast, Sophie was standing in front of the toilette room.

“Which dress shall I bring out?”

“Beige… No, let’s go with green.”

Thinking it would be troublesome if it got dirty, Artizea said that.

Artizea didn’t have many clothes.

Unlike Milaire who had four wardrobes, her single wardrobe had plenty of space left over.

Unlike Milaire, who had nearly twenty maids rush to attend to her when dressing up, she didn’t have that either.

The only maid who attended to her clothing was Sophie alone.

Just by saying green, Sophie knew what she meant and quickly ran to the wardrobe.

Even having outdoor clothes was itself a relatively recent development.

Milaire disliked taking Artizea out, and she also disliked Artizea having contact with outsiders.

She said it was shameful for an ugly daughter to go around showing herself.

Artizea didn’t take all those words at face value.

From Milaire’s perspective, Artizea was evidence of betraying the Emperor, so she wouldn’t want to show her in front of others.

Even while understanding all of this, she still couldn’t look straight in the mirror and judge her own face.

Sophie helped Artizea remove her outer garment and seated her in front of the vanity.

And knowing that Artizea usually had little opinion on such matters, she still asked.

“How shall I do your hair?”

“Neatly… No.”

Artizea took a deep breath. Then she said something she had never said in her life.

“Make me look pretty.”

“Oh my.”

Sophie was startled. Then she immediately smiled brightly.

“Well, of course. You’re at that age, Miss.”

“What age is that?”

“The age when you want to look pretty and meet wonderful men.”

“Don’t say such nonsense. I’m going to the Temple.”

Artizea unconsciously clenched her hands that had been resting on her thighs.

“You might have an encounter at the Temple. Perhaps with a very handsome knight.”

“Who would look at me that way.”

It was the first time she had said such a thing. Artizea couldn’t believe herself.

Appearance was important. Considering what she had to do today, being pretty would actually be somewhat advantageous.

But there was no meaning beyond that. Her value didn’t lie in her appearance.

Yet it seemed as if she herself wished to be pretty.

Even knowing that she couldn’t and shouldn’t have that kind of relationship with the person she would meet today.

Sophie’s eyes widened before she chuckled softly.

“You are looking forward to it, aren’t you, Miss?”

“Sophie.”

“Don’t worry. I can’t make you so pretty that every passerby would turn to look, but I can make it so that anyone who faces you directly would take interest in you, Miss.”

Sophie chattered cheerfully as she brought over a brazier and placed a curling iron in it.

“You have natural beauty, Miss, so you could easily become the greatest beauty in society. It would be nice if you put on a little weight though. And if you got some proper sleep at night.”

“Such nonsense.”

“You are whose daughter, after all. Honestly, considering Madam’s age, the jewel of society is now… Eek.”

The door opened, so Sophie quickly shut her mouth.

It was Milaire. It seemed Lawrence’s meal was finished.

Milaire glanced around the Toilette Room once. Then, seeing Artizea with her hair let down, she spoke in a displeased voice.

“Don’t tell me you’re planning to go out reeking disgustingly, trying to seduce men with that ugly face of yours?”

Sophie couldn’t say anything and just fidgeted with the curling iron in the brazier. Artizea spoke calmly.

“I’m going to the Temple, so what would I do seducing a priest, Mother?”

“Then are you going to pin your hair back tightly and roll it up again? Like an old woman?”

Artizea looked at Milaire through the mirror.

Milaire plopped down heavily on the sofa.

Artizea’s Toilette Room had only the bare minimum necessities. So that sofa where Milaire occasionally sat was the most luxurious item there.

“Is brother not going out today?”

“He already left.”

Milaire sighed and lamented.

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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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