The Villainess Lives Twice - Chapter 78

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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 78

“You want to assassinate the Queen?”

“I’m offering to do what Your Highness needs and desires most.”

Cardriole looked at Artizea with a sunken expression.

Artizea knew he was now in the mood to negotiate. So she quickly added:

“I’ve already planted a blade in House Liagan. I’ll assassinate Her Majesty the Queen and frame House Liagan for it. Her Majesty the Queen has been working with House Liagan behind the scenes. You know this, of course.”

“So you’re saying their opinions diverged and Liagan assassinated her.”

“Yes. But since Your Highness officially doesn’t know about the relationship between House Liagan and the Queen, it will provide sufficient justification for military action.”

Cardriole asked with a face full of suspicion.

“How can I trust that you’ll carry this out?”

“You must have already investigated me in the capital, so you know I became Her Majesty the Empress’s maid, don’t you?”

Cardriole nodded.

“Destroying House Liagan is what Her Majesty the Empress desires.”

“So you’ll use the Empire’s internal strife to your advantage.”

“Yes. House Liagan is no small prey, after all.”

Nine times out of ten, Duke Loigar would step in. The salt trade was profitable, after all.

The current Duke Liagan was in charge of distributing Southern Sea salt as the Emperor’s subordinate.

The money earned from salt monopoly rights was also the Emperor’s greatest source of income. If anyone touched that, it would be easy to frame them for treason.

Cardriole fell into thought for a moment. Even without Artizea’s explanation, he could guess her thinking.

“In the worst case, Father would be involved in the Empire’s treason, and even if not, the revelation that the Queen interfered with the Empire’s salt monopoly would inevitably deal him a blow. Emperor Gregor wouldn’t just stand by either.”

“One cannot interfere in another nation’s internal affairs. But His Majesty the King of Eimel would have to show good faith.”

So she meant he should use the pressure from the Cratese Empire as justification to force abdication when the time came.

Artizea said calmly.

“This isn’t something I’m doing for Prince Cardriole’s sake. And it’s something only I can execute while in the Empire.”

“…”

“All Prince Cardriole needs to do is attack at the right time according to justification. If you just hide that we met here today, no one will suspect Your Highness.”

She waited calmly for Cardriole to think.

During this time, her body’s trembling stopped.

Cardriole had been tormented by his father all his life and fought with his ill-tempered stepmother. Even after achieving merit and strengthening the nation, he had learned that his father would betray him.

If he could eliminate both without being accused of harming his parents, he couldn’t ask for more.

If Artizea succeeded, he could ascend the throne without any moral blemish. Even if she failed, he wouldn’t lose anything.

And once he ascended the throne, Artizea’s means of harming him would disappear.

For Cardriole, it would resolve two worries at once.

Add to that the Southern Sea influence he could gain from House Liagan’s disappearance, and it was clearly profitable without even calculating.

Artizea knew Cardriole well. At least as well as Cardriole knew Artizea.

That’s why she knew this was a proposal he could accept.

Cardriole looked at Artizea with a complicated expression.

“Marquess, you’re not considering one thing.”

“What?”

“Even if I can’t obtain you as an advisor, taking you as a woman wouldn’t be difficult.”

Artizea was suddenly laid down on the carpet in front of the fireplace.

Cardriole looked down at her.

“You’re brilliant. The heir you bear would surely be born with excellent qualities.”

“So, are you accepting my proposal or not?”

Artizea asked without wavering.

Cardriole smiled hollowly. Then he sat up.

He extended his hand to Artizea.

Artizea took his hand and barely managed to sit up. Her exhausted body wouldn’t cooperate, making it difficult to lift her back from the floor.

“Let me make a proposal from my side.”

“What?”

Artizea tilted her head.

Cardriole said while still holding her hand.

“Your goal is to put the Duke of Evron on the emperor’s throne, right? What about after you finish that task?”

“Are you saying… you’d summon me as Eimel’s retainer?”

“No. I’m telling you to come as a woman.”

Cardriole’s breath brushed against Artizea’s palm.

“If the Duke of Evron is merely your lord, you wouldn’t need to insist on him after everything is finished, would you? You probably don’t plan to remain in a publicly exposed position anyway, right?”

“That’s true, but…”

“If you’re going to retire and go somewhere, come to me. The Southern Sea’s climate would surely be good for the Marquess’s health too.”

“You don’t need to go to such trouble just to monitor me. You wouldn’t trust me even then anyway…”

With his lips against Artizea’s palm, Cardriole only lifted his golden eyes slightly.

Then he raised his head with a deflated expression.

“Are you really not understanding? Or are you pretending not to understand on purpose?”

Artizea hesitated.

Cardriole shook his head. Then he pulled Artizea’s hand while wrapping his other arm around her waist.

Artizea was lightly drawn by his hands. She ended up in a position as if sitting on his lap.

“This is absurd. Did you forget that I proposed to you?”

“No, I do remember… but that was for an alliance, wasn’t it?”

It was not long after Duke Loigar had been expelled.

Artizea had already obtained everything she could from Cardriole by then. So she didn’t want to create complicated matters like a marriage alliance.

It was a time when she had much to do for Lawrence. She also had to stay by Lisia’s side. She had no intention of leaving the capital for Eimel.

So she had refused.

Cardriole looked dumbfounded.

“To think it wasn’t even properly received – this is my first such humiliation. I was sincere.”

“Do you have some strange habit of feeling attraction to women who made you put your neck to an axe?”

“Well, I do think I have bad taste. But what can I do? I know what kind of jewel is contained in here.”

Cardriole lightly touched his index finger to Artizea’s temple.

Then he slid it along her facial contours and lifted her chin.

At this, Artizea couldn’t help but tense up.

All sorts of complex emotions swirled in Cardriole’s eyes.

About half of it would be hatred. But the other half was something that transcended that.

“Think seriously, Marquess Rosan. I’m prepared to wait until your situation improves.”

Just as he said this.

“Captain!”

A shout came from outside.

Crash!

The door shattered with a violent sound. Cardriole knocked Artizea to the floor and covered her with his body.

A bloody smell rushed in with the cold wind.

Cardriole quickly pulled the shocked Artizea to him. Then he stood up abruptly and drew his sword.

A corpse fell with a thud into the room.

Cedric slowly entered, stepping over the corpse. He was holding a blood-stained sword.

“Oh my. I didn’t expect you to come in person.”

Cardriole groaned softly.

Not even 48 hours had passed since he had snatched Artizea from the fortress.

He had expected Evron to pursue with full force. But he hadn’t expected Cedric, who was supposedly out hunting, to rush here so quickly.

Cedric looked at him with a face frozen cold.

“Release my wife. Then I’ll kill you without pain.”

“Either way, it seems like you’ll butcher me.”

Cardriole replied lightly.

“What do you think, Marquess Rosan? Wouldn’t it be more advantageous to hold a blade to your throat and threaten you to escape this terrifying situation?”

“This is no time for jokes.”

The moment Artizea answered, Sedric’s expression changed.

Clang!

Cadriole raised his arm in shock.

Sedric’s heavy sword that rushed in an instant completely severed his steel arm guard in two.

Cadriole stepped back while parrying Sedric’s sword strike.

Clang!

Claaaang!

The metallic sound of blade scraping against blade echoed through the narrow room.

Cadriole retreated further back and drew a pistol from his waist.

But Sedric’s sword was faster. Cadriole pushed Artizea away and rolled on the floor to avoid the sword thrusting toward his shoulder.

Sedric’s sword shattered the wooden window shutter.

The wind created by Sedric’s fluttering cloak made the fireplace flames flicker.

“Ugh!”

Sedric’s hand grabbed Artizea’s arm and pulled her.

Artizea couldn’t grasp how the fight was going at all. When she came to her senses, Sedric had moved to the opposite corner of the room with her behind him.

It was to defend her from new enemies who might enter through the door.

Cadriole shouted while scattering his anger.

“You don’t think I wouldn’t want to kill you, do you?”

“Even dogs don’t bark during a fight.”

Sedric spoke quietly. Killing intent spread out in streams.

“Wait!”

Artizea ran and hugged Sedric’s waist. She didn’t dare try to grab his arms.

Sedric froze in place. He was worried he might accidentally hurt Artizea if he moved wrong.

Artizea shouted to Cadriole.

“Go!”

“You’re telling me to flee from battle!”

“Are you planning to fight Evron in Evron? Are you insane? You know full well that the entire territory is the enemy!”

“Tia.”

Sedric called her.

“Please let him go. He’s someone who must not die right now.”

If Cadriole died here, the diplomatic crisis that would arise would be far from light. Artizea couldn’t bear to watch Evron shoulder such a burden because of her.

“…”

“Please. Trust me.”

Sedric said nothing.

This time Artizea spoke toward Cadriole.

“Go.”

“Marquess Rosan.”

“I will keep my promise. If you can’t trust me, I’ll swear on Her Majesty the Empress’s name.”

The Empress Artizea mentioned was not the current Empress, but the future Empress, referring to Lisia.

Cadriole understood this.

He sheathed his sword.

An oath made by Artizea in the name of the saint could be trusted.

And Artizea was right. He couldn’t fight Evron in Evron.

Most importantly, while it might be possible at sea, he didn’t have the ability to break the Empire’s Shield while standing on land.

“I’ll come back for you.”

Cadriole said this and turned around sharply. He leaped over the corpse and ran out through the broken door.

A horn sounded. Cadriole had signaled the Eimel warriors to retreat.

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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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