The Villainess Lives Twice - Chapter 51

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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 51

Duke Loigar said.

“I understand your cautious nature. But now that you’ve properly established your own household, your way of living in the world will be different from before.”

“Yes.”

“If you have any difficulties, contact this uncle anytime. Though, it seems your bride is sharper than you in that regard.”

Duke Loigar laughed heartily.

“You know my sister-in-law, right? From the Camellia Marquess family? These days, whenever she opens her mouth, it’s all about your bride. Come visit our house together when you return from your honeymoon.”

“Yes.”

“Even though we’re relatives, we can’t freely come and go from the Imperial Palace, and Lawrence is, hmm, well, even though he’s my nephew, it’s a bit awkward, isn’t it.”

Loigar stopped mid-sentence and closed his mouth with a start, then quickly corrected himself with a smiling face.

“I’m not talking about your bride. You understand, right? She can’t be the same as someone who inherited the House of Rosan. Anyway, aren’t we precious few blood relatives?”

“Yes. I understand.”

Sedric answered emotionlessly.

Duke Loigar and Sedric had experienced similar hardships. For an uncle and nephew, their age difference was relatively small.

However, they had never been close.

Their natural dispositions were also different.

Duke Loigar had early on joined hands with nobles and merchants who couldn’t grasp mainstream power in central politics to build his own influence.

While he was doing that, Sedric had to guard the North at a young age.

Once things became somewhat stable, the Emperor then sent him to other battlefields.

Since their lives were different, even when they occasionally met, there wasn’t much to talk about. They were just acquaintances who exchanged obligatory greetings before parting.

Now he was acting as if they were the closest family in the world.

Even knowing the reason, it felt strange.

“Come to think of it…”

Duke Loigar hesitated.

He was curious about whether Milaire would come, but it seemed inappropriate to ask Sedric about that now.

Duke Loigar glanced at Lawrence.

Lawrence was moving golden name plates with a calm expression.

A servant approached Lawrence cautiously and whispered in his ear. Then Lawrence stood up from his seat.

Countess Camellia was also looking at the name plates with subtle feelings.

‘The Young Marquess Rosan couldn’t have accidentally created an empty seat.’

What could his intention be?

When the Baron Itz incident first broke out, Countess Camellia thought she could win over Artizea, and furthermore Sedric.

This was because the nobles of Lawrence’s faction suffered the most damage from the Baron Itz incident. She thought Artizea intended to antagonize Lawrence.

But after that, Artizea didn’t show a particularly favorable attitude toward either Countess Camellia or Duchess Loigar.

However, her relationship with Milaire seemed to have completely deteriorated.

Was the empty space on the name plate left for Milaire’s seat?

“Sister, how about we go see the bride too?”

Duchess Loigar covered her mouth with a fan and whispered to Countess Camellia.

Countess Camellia shook her head.

“We weren’t even invited.”

“But Charlotte went. I’m a relative too.”

“Countess Unise and the Young Marquess Rosan had exchanges from the beginning. But Your Grace the Duchess hasn’t met the Young Marquess Rosan yet.”

Countess Camellia gently soothed her.

“The Young Marquess Rosan is lucky. It’s not that I have complaints about my husband, but I would have liked to live with a handsome man at least once.”

“You mustn’t say such things carelessly, Your Grace.”

“Lawrence is handsome too, but he resembles Milaire too much, which feels strange. And I prefer someone who looks masculine like that rather than delicately featured.”

The Duchess spoke childishly.

She was the precious youngest daughter of the prestigious Luden Marquess family in the Eastern Region.

Marquess Luden had over ten children, but most were illegitimate. Excluding the Duchess, there was only the eldest son who was the heir above her as a legitimate child.

So as the only legitimate daughter, she had been raised very preciously from birth for a future political marriage.

When she was engaged to Duke Loigar, who was thirteen years older, she was only six years old.

That was the biggest investment Marquess Luden had made in his lifetime. The Duchess was, in short, the collateral for that investment.

And needless to say, that contract was successful for both sides. The Duchess gave birth to three healthy children immediately after marriage, securing the succession.

Duke Loigar wrapped his young wife in gold and silk, treasuring her like a precious jewel.

Such circumstances were clearly reflected in Duchess Loigar’s appearance.

Only Countess Camellia was seized with worry at her words spoken with the bright face of an innocent girl.

“Your Grace, please stop saying things that might cause misunderstandings. Duke of Evron is your nephew.”

The Duchess babbled about why she was being so particular.

That’s when it happened.

Cheers and shocked sounds came from the direction of the manor entrance.

The shock spread like waves from that direction.

Duchess Loigar tilted her head.

“Did the bride come out?”

She asked puzzledly because there were people making too surprised sounds for it to be welcoming sounds for the bride.

Sedric bowed silently to Duke Loigar and turned around.

Artizea came through the rose arch holding the Empress’s hand. Like a daughter holding her mother’s hand as she came out to the wedding venue.

Since she was coming out with the bride, they didn’t loudly announce who had arrived.

However, word of who she was spread quickly.

“My goodness.”

Countess Camellia jumped up from her seat in surprise.

It wasn’t just Countess Camellia. Many people did the same. The entire wedding venue stirred like waves.

“Thank you for coming.”

Instead of giving the Empress a long, formal greeting, Sedric said this sincerely. A bright smile spread across his face.

It wasn’t because of relief that Artizea’s plan had worked out.

Artizea had said the wedding itself would be fine even if the Empress didn’t come.

But wouldn’t it be too lonely for her to enter the wedding venue alone without a single person to play the role of family?

The Empress narrowed her eyes. Sedric touched his cheek.

“Did I say something strange?”

“No.”

The Empress shook her head.

“I was just thinking that what you said last time wasn’t a lie.”

Artizea tilted her head. She didn’t understand what words she was referring to.

But Sedric caught on.

His face turned red and he averted his gaze.

“Please don’t tease me.”

Just then, the Emperor approached. His eyes held surprise.

“Katrin.”

The Empress hardened her face and cast a cold gaze at the Emperor. The Emperor pretended to be calm.

“What brings you to step outside the Imperial Palace? Is your health alright?”

“I’m not in such bad condition that I can’t come briefly to see my lady-in-waiting’s wedding.”

“Lady-in-waiting.”

The Emperor cast a calculating gaze at Artizea. Artizea didn’t meet his eyes and quietly lowered them.

The Empress said.

“You’re not thinking of telling the bride and groom to kneel at their wedding, are you?”

“I have no such intention.”

The Emperor smiled hypocritically.

“I was just surprised. If you’ve decided to shake off the past and engage in outside activities, that’s welcome. That the occasion is a wedding reminds me of our old days, which is nice.”

Sedric and Artizea could see the Empress gritting her teeth. However, she quickly hid her agitation and replied coldly.

“Enough. It’s not like I’m planning to do anything else. At this age, rather than living alone for the rest of my life, I thought I’d rely on my good nephew and his wife whom I can trust.”

“That’s good too. If you’ve come to think of a peaceful future.”

The Emperor smiled.

And he unfastened the diamond brooch on his chest.

“If you’ve decided to stand in Tia’s mother’s place, then I shall stand in Sedric’s father’s place. I was already feeling bad that they seemed to be having a wedding without parents, so this works out well.”

For women, mothers give pure gold pearls on their wedding day, meaning they should purely cherish the radiant heart of their wedding day.

For men, fathers give new diamonds that have never been used, meaning they should forever keep their steadfast heart.

And after the wedding ceremony ends, these are combined to create a memento for the couple.

That was the custom.

The Emperor’s brooch was not a new diamond. But since it was a gift from the Emperor, it was not lacking compared to something new.

The Emperor personally pinned the brooch to the flustered Sedric’s chest.

The orchestra perceptively began playing music. The servants and maids also stepped back a few paces to create distance.

The Empress took Artizea’s hand again.

The Emperor approached Sedric’s side and patted his shoulder again.

The knights lined up on both sides of the path raised their ceremonial swords in unison, creating a silver roof.

The flower girl leading the way scattered petals.

The four people slowly walked toward the altar.

When they reached the altar, the Empress released Artizea’s hand. Then she helped her switch the bouquet to the hand she had been holding until now.

Then the Emperor extended his hand to the Empress.

“Gregor.”

The Empress looked at him with an incredulous expression. Tense tension floated between the two.

“It’s a wedding.”

He said this with the meaning that there was nothing good about acting like enemies in front of everyone watching.

The Empress had no choice but to place her hand on the Emperor’s.

Though she was reluctant, this was precisely one of the things Artizea had requested.

The very purpose of Artizea becoming a maid had been this from the beginning.

To steal both Artizea’s mother’s position and the position beside the Emperor from Milaire.

No matter how willful the Emperor might be, if the Empress attended, he wouldn’t be able to act like a married couple with Milaire.

No, there was no way Milaire would dare show her face at a wedding the Empress attended.

Acting like a married couple with the Emperor was a chilling thought.

However, the Empress had already come prepared.

When she took his hand, the Emperor smiled broadly. It was a victorious smile as if he had conquered the Empress.

When the two stepped back, Sedric finally took Artizea’s hand.

The Archbishop smiled warmly.

“What a wonderful pair that God would bless. Not only have two young people met, but this has created an opportunity for a long-separated pair to reconcile. What could be better than this?”

Artizea bowed her head.

Milaire, who had been watching this scene, screamed hysterically.

“How! How can this be!”

A servant grabbed both her arms as she tried to rush out.

Lawrence sighed.

“I told you not to attend, Mother.”

“Lawrence!”

“Why can’t you understand what I’m saying?”

“I’m Tia’s mother!”

“So, are you going to ruin the wedding now?”

Milaire looked at him with bloodshot eyes.

“How can you treat me like this?”

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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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