The Villainess Lives Twice - Chapter 77

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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 77

It was past midnight the next day when Cadriole arrived at the port.

Since he had already secured safe lodging and a warehouse, he was able to enter the city safely without being detected.

There was anxiety about possibly being discovered.

However, venturing out into the frozen sea in this darkness was far too dangerous. There was no way to know where the ice might break or where ice floes might drift.

The main ship was anchored and waiting in the open sea, deep enough not to freeze.

It was dangerous. But considering the risk of being trapped in ice, it was better that way.

Once they rendezvoused, there would be no chance of being caught by Evron’s ships.

Cadriole set down Artizea, whom he had carried like baggage, in front of the fireplace.

“Take these people out.”

The house owner and family, who had been bound hand and foot and left lying by the fireplace until then, were dragged away.

Cadriole removed the cloak he had thrown over Artizea.

Even though she had been kept in the cabin, Artizea’s body was frozen blue. Her complexion was ashen, and her lips were purple.

Seeing that face, he didn’t even feel like being angry about her injured lips. Cadriole spoke sincerely, setting aside all thoughts of political strategy.

“With a body like that, you certainly had the nerve to think of marrying a northerner.”

“Prince Cadriole… this is not… your concern.”

Artizea said while trembling.

A crewman poured hot water from a kettle hanging by the fireplace and handed it to Cadriole.

Cadriole placed the cup in Artizea’s hands.

Artizea’s body was so frozen she couldn’t lift it. So Cadriole wrapped his hands around hers and brought the water cup to her lips.

After drinking two cups of hot water and sitting by the fireplace for a while, color finally returned to Artizea’s lips.

This time Cadriole gave her warm porridge.

It wasn’t easy to eat. But Artizea forced herself to consume it. She needed it for her body to endure, and she needed it to regain her reason.

The trembling of her body didn’t stop easily. Cold and tension mixed together, and Artizea couldn’t distinguish which one she was focusing on.

“What do you intend to do with me?”

“Well, what should I do? Originally I planned to take you as my wife.”

Cadriole muttered.

How he had returned to the past was completely beyond his comprehension.

What he had discovered over the course of a month was that he was the only one who possessed these memories.

So Cadriole thought it was highly likely that Artizea had no memories.

If that were the case, he had planned to formally propose to her.

Considering Artizea’s birth, she was slightly beneath the status to become a princess consort of Eimel. Still, as Marquess Rosan, it wasn’t impossible.

And considering that Lawrence was the Emperor’s son, she was just the right match.

Lawrence wouldn’t refuse an alliance with Eimel either.

Once he married her and had her in his grasp, there would be no worries from then on. He didn’t care what happened to Lawrence.

He planned to separate her from Milaire and Lawrence, and make her devoted to himself.

It would be good if she bloomed with talent like before and helped him as both strategist and wife.

But even if that didn’t happen, it would be fine. Just keeping Artizea by his side and monitoring her so she couldn’t do anything would have the effect of reducing variables and conserving resources.

Cadriole was confident he could make her love him. Wouldn’t it work to treat her like the most precious person in the world and love her?

Even if she was the future Marquess Rosan, right now she was just an 18-year-old Young Lady starved for affection.

However, when he went to the capital, it was already too late.

“How astounded I was to hear that the Marquess had already married the Duke of Evron and left.”

Cadriole said, shaking his head.

Artizea was mentally busy trying to deduce his thoughts. Cadriole noticed this and chuckled.

“So I learned that the Marquess also has memories. How far do they go? Your memories?”

“To the moment of death.”

Artizea answered only that much. There was no need to tell him that she had cast the regression magic herself.

Cadriole nodded in understanding.

“Were you betrayed by Lawrence?”

“…”

“Well, it was a predicted ending. Unless the Marquess made Lawrence a puppet and seized power directly.”

Artizea didn’t answer.

“How unfortunate. If I had seen it, I would have laughed heartily at you. Didn’t I tell you? To give up Lawrence and come to me. Being stabbed in the back by someone you trusted must have been quite painful?”

She couldn’t say it wasn’t painful. But Artizea didn’t want to show such inner feelings and turned her head away.

“Because I never trusted him.”

Cadriole bared his teeth and laughed again. Artizea clenched her cold fingertips.

“So, this time the lord you chose as trustworthy is the Duke of Evron? Or the Saint?”

“State your business. Since you came all this way, you must have important business.”

Artizea said stiffly.

The assumption that he came to kill her because she was a threat was wrong. If that were the case, there would be no need to come directly like this. It would be much better to wait for her to come to the capital and send an assassin.

Even if he came to kill her personally out of revenge, it was the same.

Instead of dragging her here and talking at length, he could have just killed her when he captured her at the fortress. That would have been much easier to escape from too.

Cadriole said something Artizea hadn’t even considered.

“Become mine.”

Artizea’s eyes widened. She had already guessed that killing her wasn’t his purpose, but she hadn’t expected to hear such words.

“The Marquess is too precious to be under the Duke of Evron. He won’t be able to use even half of your abilities.”

“Are you saying Prince Cadriole is different?”

“Of course I’m different, having these memories. If we two join hands, overturning the Empire wouldn’t be impossible.”

“I have no interest in the Kingdom of Eimel.”

“I’ll also help you get revenge on Lawrence.”

“…”

“I’ll treat the Saint and Duke of Evron well too. I have no interest in the northern part of the Empire anyway. You mediate. How about if I take the south, the Duke of Evron takes the north, and we join hands to pressure the Empire’s mainland and split it in half?”

“Prince Cadriole.”

“If the Marquess joined hands with the Duke of Evron for the Saint’s sake, this would produce much better results. Rather than becoming the Crown Princess of the Empire, this time marrying the Duke of Evron would truly bring happiness.”

Artizea remained silent.

He knew the past Artizea. So he wouldn’t trust her.

There was no opponent more difficult to persuade than this.

Cadriole grinned wickedly.

“Or did you not serve the Duke and Saint as your lords, but marry the Duke out of personal feelings?”

“That’s…”

Artizea was flustered and tried to refute. Cadriole cut off her words.

“You had feelings for the Duke of Evron from the beginning, so it wouldn’t be strange even if that were the case.”

Cadriole grabbed her arm and pulled.

Artizea saw her own face reflected in his golden eyes. She had a foolish expression.

“Did you think I wouldn’t know that?”

“…I never had such feelings.”

“I’ll pretend not to know any of it.”

Cadriole said.

“And I’ll love you enough to make you forget everything, both publicly and privately. Come to me.”

“…I refuse.”

Artizea shook off his arm. And turned her face toward the fireplace.

“It’s true that I’m a wicked woman, but I’m not shameless enough to change lords twice.”

“Then I’ll kill you here and leave. It would be quite special to cut you up alive in front of the Saint and Duke and scatter you in the sea.”

“Are you certain that killing me would be profitable?”

Artizea turned her head again to look at Cadriole. The cool light had returned to her blue-green eyes that had been shaking with anxiety.

“Since you’re not certain, that’s why you haven’t killed me yet.”

“Killing the Marquess isn’t my purpose. I’m telling you to come to me.”

“If I follow Prince Cadriole like this and offer strategies, would you be able to trust them?”

“…”

“That would be difficult for you. Just the fact that I have my memories has already disrupted Your Highness’s plans.”

Cadriole shrugged his shoulders.

“Well, there’s nothing to lose by keeping you close and monitoring you so you can’t do anything.”

“Rather than that, killing me would be more convenient in many ways.”

Artizea said so.

“I will never follow Prince Cadriole. However, I will devise strategies. We worked well together in the past. This time too, we could be good allies to each other.”

“And then betray me again this time? Sorry, but Marquess Rosan, I have no intention of getting involved in the Cratese Empire’s succession struggle this time.”

“The current Queen of Aimell.”

Artizea said briefly.

And confirming that Cadriole was listening attentively, she continued.

“I’ll assassinate her within six months. By the hands of Cratese Empire citizens who have nothing to do with Your Highness.”

“….”

“I’ll create justification enough to anger them into military action and grounds to force His Majesty the King of Aimell to abdicate. You absolutely won’t suffer any losses.”

Artizea said so.

This was the only way to persuade Cadriole, who possessed memories from before the regression.

No matter how great the interests or vast wealth she promised, Cadriole would not believe it. Artizea already had a history of betraying him.

Then she had no choice but to present something more desperate than that. She had to convince him that even if she betrayed him later, it wouldn’t be damaging.

The situation of the Aimell royal family was somewhat complex.

The current king, Cadriole’s father, was nearly sixty years old.

Cadriole was the first prince, and had no full siblings. This was because the relationship between the king and Cadriole’s mother, the former queen, was not close.

As soon as they barely managed to have one heir, the royal couple never shared a bed again.

And shortly after the former queen died, the king remarried. The new queen, younger than Cadriole, was beautiful and charming.

The king loved Cadriole’s half-brother, born from the new queen’s body, so much it wouldn’t hurt to put him in his eyes.

On the other hand, he hated Cadriole, who resembled the former queen.

At that time, Cadriole was already over 35 years old, while his half-brother was barely around 7 years old. Unless the king lived at least 15 more years, passing the throne to the second son would be impossible.

Moreover, Cadriole had already seized considerable real power as Aimell’s prince. His achievements were great, and he had the people’s support.

To the king, that was also a thorn in his side. To him, Cadriole appeared not as a son and heir, but as a political enemy stealing his power.

That’s why when Artizea prepared the false charges and soldiers to frame Cadriole, he executed it without hesitation.

Cadriole fell silent for a moment.

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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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