The Villainess Lives Twice - Chapter 63

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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 63

Sedric spoke with a stern expression.

“I understand your thinking. However, that method is absolutely unacceptable. If you manipulate grain prices, it won’t just be a problem for supplies coming to the north—it will bring suffering to the livelihood of the entire Empire.”

“Yes. I know.”

Artizea replied.

“To be honest, I think bringing down those who ruin people’s livelihoods should be the priority.”

“Tia.”

“Among the lands where people can live, most of the good places are occupied by the Empire. The productivity is enormous and industry is well-developed. The reason people’s livelihoods are impoverished is because the ruling class is exploiting them. So if we just replace those at the top, the Empire will quickly revive.”

It’s a country with such underlying strength.

So the faster we bring them down, the more advantageous it is.

“If we consider people’s livelihoods in terms of total happiness, my method is correct.”

“If you thought that way, why are you asking for my opinion?”

“Because when I look at Lord Sedric, I feel that it’s wrong.”

Artizea murmured.

“I’m not kingly material. It’s embarrassing, but I only understand moral principles intellectually.”

That’s why she said it.

It wasn’t that she wouldn’t use it because it was a method Sedric disliked. She was worried whether his ideals were too high to be realized through such means.

And actually, she had already guessed the answer. She just needed confirmation.

“Tia.”

Sedric lowered his head to look into her eyes.

“I understand your logic. I think it’s a judgment you could make.”

“Yes…”

“However, once you lose moral principles, you can never regain them. You can lose honor, but not moral principles.”

Instead of getting angry at her, Sedric smiled.

And he carefully reached out to brush away the hair that had fallen beside Artizea’s ear.

“You are a wise person. You’ll be able to think of a much better plan than that.”

Artizea had no choice but to nod.

That’s when it happened.

Knock knock.

There was a sound of knocking on the door.

“Come in.”

Sedric moved away from Artizea’s side with light movements and went to the seat across from her.

“Excuse me. What did you call me for…”

A middle-aged woman entered through the door.

The woman seemed a bit surprised to see Artizea in the office.

But she quickly realized who she was. The woman respectfully knelt on one knee and greeted her.

“My name is Hanna. It’s an honor to meet you, Your Grace the Grand Duchess.”

“Hanna is the person in charge of the northern village of Told. I called her to receive a report.”

At Sedric’s words, Hanna couldn’t hide her surprised expression.

The matter concerning Karam crops was the biggest secret in the Evron Duchy.

But Sedric said this.

“You don’t need to hide anything from the Grand Duchess. Think of her the same as me and report about the Karam crops.”

Hanna quickly composed her bewilderment. And she placed the documents she had brought in front of Artizea.

Artizea silently flipped through the documents for a moment.

“The only thing we can know for certain so far is that proper drainage facilities would be good. It can withstand cold snaps, but grows better during mild periods.”

“Yes. We can harvest once in early spring and once in fall, and the fall harvest is definitely more abundant. But that might be because we can’t properly tend to it during winter. In winter, it’s almost impossible to dig frozen ground with manpower.”

“What about plows?”

“They say horses are better than people, but on snowy or very windy days, horses are also dangerous. Only workers of Karam mixed blood can work little by little. But if it were in the southern part of the duchy, harvesting twice a year wouldn’t be too difficult.”

Artizea read through all the reports, which weren’t many.

And she closed them and looked at Sedric.

“I think it would be better to suspend this for now. Even thinking about it again, the efficiency is too low.”

This research fails anyway. If it had succeeded, Artizea would have known about it.

Probably the reason for failure was that the Evron Duchy lost the power to attempt new things during that war when Duke Loigar’s head was cut off.

“I don’t mean to give up. Let’s try a less dangerous method.”

“Is there a way?”

Sedric’s eyes sparkled.

“Let’s first launder the source of the seeds. We’ll make it a crop discovered in the northwestern region.”

Artizea pulled out all the pins stuck in the map. Then she stuck a pin in another location. The western border where monster waves begin.

“The border with the Evron Duchy is blocked by the Allia Wall, but the western end where monsters live connects directly to the north, right? Looking at it this way, it’s also connected to Karam.”

“That’s not a place where people can live.”

Hanna said.

“Right. But when there are monster waves, plants and insects often get carried down on the bodies of monsters coming from that direction.”

Sedric leaned forward with a positive attitude.

“I know a few trustworthy people who are independent farmers from the western regions.”

“That’s perfect.”

Artizea smiled.

“The farming methods would be much better researched over there too.”

She waved the documents.

“Keep the seeds under strict security, but burn all these records. I’d like the northern village of Told to be eliminated as quickly as possible.”

“You mean erase the traces?”

“Yes. Completely.”

Hanna swallowed. Artizea looked back at her.

“If there’s another reason why the village shouldn’t be eliminated, speak now.”

“There isn’t. I’ve been thinking all along that doing it in the south would be better. It’s just that the mixed-blood people have nowhere to go…”

“I’ll have Aaron look for suitable jobs for them. We can’t turn our backs on those who have worked hard so far.”

Sedric said.

“Can you prevent word from getting out?”

“Don’t worry. That’s my job.”

“Then, we’ll treat all of this as if it never happened.”

Artizea looked at Hanna once, then looked back at Sedric.

“Forget the name ‘Karam crops’ completely. Let the western farmers give it a new name. And when we harvest anew in the west next year, make sure it’s offered at the altar of the Grand Cathedral.”

“The altar?”

“Yes. Blessing newly improved seeds happens every year. Once it’s been offered at the harvest festival altar, even if the fact that it came from Karam is revealed later, it won’t be called a devil’s crop.”

“Would that be possible? They wouldn’t put just anything on the altar of the Grand Cathedral.”

“In the mainland, there’s nothing money can’t do.”

Sedric stroked his chin, lost in thought.

“I think it’s quite possible. Since it’s important, will you handle it personally?”

“Yes.”

“But even if it receives a blessing, I’m worried about how His Majesty the Emperor will react.”

Food was the most powerful weapon the Imperial Court used to control Evron. The Emperor wouldn’t like it.

“If it starts in the west, it’ll be over in an instant. There’s no reason to refuse a new crop discovered by farmers. His Majesty can’t deny the harvest festival altar either.”

“That’s true too. It’s something we’ll have to face eventually anyway.”

“Still, if possible, it would be better to hide it until we’re sufficiently prepared.”

Artizea said thoughtfully.

“Let’s have them create a grain merchant guild in the west.”

Sedric looked at her with a puzzled expression. Artizea replied.

“I bought small and medium-sized grain merchants under false names during the summer. About thirty of them. This should be enough to lead public opinion and create a guild.”

“Tia, don’t tell me you were really planning to execute grain price manipulation?”

“Thanks to Lord Sedric stopping the monster wave last year, there are no burned warehouses or farmland, and grain prices have stabilized. I just thought now would be the time to buy if I were going to.”

Artizea lied. Sedric knew but played along.

“So you’re creating an excuse to bribe the temple with that, and also using it as a cover for spreading new crops. But if it were just having a merchant group, that would be one thing—moving as an alliance like that has a considerable chance of being discovered by His Majesty.”

“Even so, he wouldn’t have an excuse to stop it. In case of emergency, he could block transportation and seize warehouses, so I think he’d be relatively lenient.”

If the Emperor tried to stop it, he would clash with the merchant faction led by Duke Loigar. Blocking nobles’ business expansion was what they hated most.

‘A temporary alliance wouldn’t be bad either.’

With this, the scheme that had brought down Loigar was completely nullified.

But that matter could be planned differently later. As Sedric said, she would be able to come up with a better strategy.

“I don’t know much about military affairs, and even less about the Evron Duchy. But I can support you so you don’t have to worry about what’s behind you. So use the breathing room to do what you’ve wanted to do, Lord Sedric.”

Fortunately, the House of Rosan was wealthy. While not enough to make the entire Evron Duchy prosperous, it had enough leeway to create a breakthrough.

She felt this was the most righteous thing to do.

Sedric’s lips curved into a smile. He felt grateful, but had no intention of accepting.

“That won’t do. You’ve only just reclaimed the House of Rosan. Keep it intact. I’ll gratefully accept just the sentiment. Lending your wisdom and hands is enough.”

“Would you have opposed my words about emptying my private funds even if I were Count Jordin?”

Sedric said awkwardly.

“That and this are different.”

“They’re the same. What’s different about using what I have for the person I’ve decided to devote my life to?”

Sedric’s face stiffened for a moment.

Then his neck turned bright red, and finally his entire face flushed. Sedric eventually covered his face with his palm.

Artizea hesitated, not understanding why he was acting this way.

Then she met eyes with Hanna. She was smiling with a lukewarm expression.

Artizea reflected on what she had said. Then her face reddened and she shot up from her seat.

Sedric grabbed her hand.

“I know you didn’t mean it that way. I’m not misunderstanding, so just sit down. We haven’t finished talking yet, have we?”

He said that, but of course there was someone who was misunderstanding.

Hanna efficiently organized the scattered documents.

“I’ll withdraw. Please call me anytime if you need me for anything.”

And she left the office.

The door closed.

Artizea felt like she was sitting on thorns. Not knowing what to do, she said.

“I’m sorry for causing a strange misunderstanding…”

“It’s not entirely a misunderstanding.”

Sedric said without letting go of her hand. Artizea pulled her hand away.

And covering the hand that still held warmth with her other hand, she said in a cracked voice.

“Let’s talk about the rest later. I should go now…”

“Don’t go.”

Sedric grabbed her hand again.

Artizea felt dizzy and swayed. Sedric pulled her hand, making her fall toward him.

“Stay still. You can’t look at my face right now.”

Artizea held her breath. Sedric embraced her with both arms and pressed his lips to her head.

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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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