The Villainess Lives Twice - Chapter 8

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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 8

Sedric covered his mouth with his hand and coughed violently for a long while. He had burned his mouth.

“Well, I never thought I’d hear such words from a young lady I met for the first time today.”

Artizea, her face flushed red, offered him a handkerchief. Sedric took it and wiped his mouth and hands.

Artizea hadn’t actually proposed marriage with real intent.

Even though her heart had changed, Sedric didn’t know that.

So she thought he would naturally regard talk of marriage as a scheme, never imagining he would understand it as an actual marriage between a man and woman.

Artizea honestly admitted she had made a mistake.

At this point, Sedric didn’t just not know that her feelings had changed—he truly didn’t know her at all.

It wasn’t strange that he would misunderstand.

She pressed the back of her hand against her burning cheeks and spoke.

“I’m not truly proposing marriage. I’m suggesting it as a means to solve all the problems Your Highness is agonizing over at once.”

“The problems I’m agonizing over?”

“Haven’t you been in a war of nerves with His Majesty for two months over the triumph ceremony? The fact that the soldiers aren’t receiving proper treatment is a problem in itself, but I know Your Highness is concerned because it could cause not just the Western Army but even the Southern Army’s organization to collapse.”

The Imperial Court’s mistreatment of regional armies wasn’t something that started yesterday.

However, accumulated grievances within the army were gradually erupting as they risked their lives to achieve great merit yet received no recognition.

“The more Your Highness persists, the more His Majesty will refuse to grant permission. He hates losing to others and losing face more than anything else. Your Highness probably came to ask the Archbishop for mediation today, didn’t you?”

“That’s right.”

“That’s absolutely not a wise choice. Even if the Archbishop mediates, in the end it can only be resolved by Your Highness giving up the reward and attributing the merit solely to the Western Army.”

Indeed, Sedric had done exactly that in the past. And even now, he was thinking of compromising in that way.

At least that way, he could avoid giving the impression that the lord of the north was leading the west.

“That would be better. I’m not in a position where I need achievements for advancement.”

“But ultimately, someone must lead the triumph ceremony. His Majesty will place someone other than those who actually achieved merit at the front, leaving dissatisfaction with the distribution of rewards.”

“….”

“And all the key personnel of the Western Army currently following Your Highness will be expelled or purged. The important thing isn’t taking honor away from Your Highness alone, but preventing the Western Army from becoming yours.”

The honor of the west that Sedric tried so hard to preserve would become meaningless. Because the Western Army itself would come to regard itself as dishonorable.

“Disappointed generals will choose to become warlords instead of remaining loyal to the Empire, or abandon the Western Army altogether.”

This was what actually happened in the future Artizea knew.

The Western Army grew increasingly weakened. And when another monster wave occurred seven years later, the western regions literally became a living hell.

Due to the loss of the granary region, grain prices in other areas also rose. Naturally, the poor were the first to starve.

Sedric’s face darkened. He knew this too.

However, that didn’t mean there was any other viable solution.

“His Majesty cherishes my brother Lawrence. But right now, Lawrence lacks support from the high nobility. This will clearly become a major weakness when competing for the throne later. His Majesty regrets this.”

She continued speaking.

“But His Majesty has no intention of sharing his own authority.”

“That’s right.”

“So Your Highness is just the right match. As a member of the Imperial Family with succession rights, you can supplement Lawrence’s legitimacy while being the lord of the north and an influential figure in the west.”

Artizea took a sip of tea and said.

“If Your Highness leaves open the possibility of supporting Lawrence, His Majesty will gladly grant honor to the Western Army and provide rewards befitting their victory.”

“I understand what you mean, young lady. That’s exactly why such a thing is impossible. Conspiring with the Marquess Rosan’s wife is completely out of the question. Let alone marriage with you.”

Sedric spoke stiffly.

“The reason I’ve listened to your story to the end is because you are wise but still young. And since you don’t know me well, you probably heard your mother and brother devise such schemes and thought them plausible.”

“Your Highness.”

“I would be very grateful if we could pretend this never happened, in exchange for my not being angry with you and the rudeness of leaving in the middle.”

“No.”

Artizea grabbed the sleeve of his garment as he tried to stand.

“My story isn’t finished. And I never actually told you to support Lawrence.”

Sedric looked down at her. Artizea spoke quickly.

“Showing His Majesty just the ‘possibility’ is sufficient.”

“Young lady.”

“Just leaving ambiguous whether Your Highness might support Lawrence or might not—that alone will ensure the Western Army receives the proper treatment it deserves. Even so, will Your Highness throw all that away for the sake of personal integrity?”

“I have no intention of conspiring to beg for the honor that soldiers who achieved military merit should rightfully receive.”

“Then what about the ‘Village of the rebels’ in the Evron Duchy?”

Sedric glared at Artizea with fierce eyes.

“Are you trying to threaten me, young lady?”

“No. I’m offering sincere advice with all my heart. The fact that I know means someone else could find out too, Your Grace.”

“At least I can be certain that the Marquess Rosan’s wife and Lawrence have found out.”

“Mother and Lawrence aren’t very good at such delicate matters. You needn’t worry. At this point, I’m the only one who knows.”

“They are innocent.”

“I know that too. But if someone is determined, it’s a matter that could cause another purge at any time.”

Artizea knew he wouldn’t be able to leave now.

With that assurance, she could leisurely pour tea into her empty cup again.

Her throat was dry.

When she stopped speaking, Sedric sat back down heavily.

And asked in a low voice.

“What do you want?”

“Your Highness should pursue more practical benefits.”

“Are those practical benefits joining hands with unjust people to secure the Western Army’s triumph ceremony?”

“I’m telling you to sacrifice Your Highness’s personal honor to gain the Western Army’s honor and protect the Evron Duchy as well.”

Artizea said.

“Neither mother nor Lawrence knows about this meeting. Breaking the carriage wheel today to make our meeting seem accidental wasn’t to deceive Your Highness. It was to deceive outside eyes.”

“….”

“It’s common for affection to develop between a man and woman from a chance encounter.”

Artizea spoke calmly.

“So please say that you stopped your power struggle with His Majesty and came to the capital because you fell in love with me. And propose to me. Not many will be suspicious.”

She was the daughter of Milaire Rosan. People would all misunderstand on their own.

But Milaire and Lawrence would know this wasn’t a political marriage. So no marriage alliance would be established.

While saying this, Artizea straightened her back and looked directly at Sedric.

“On the surface, it will appear that Your Highness abandoned the Western Army because of a woman. But in reality, His Majesty will calculate what Lawrence gains from Your Highness becoming his in-law and permit the Western Army’s triumph ceremony.”

Sedric remained silent.

“Furthermore, Duke Loigar, Lawrence’s greatest rival, will also show favor. Your Highness can benefit from both sides.”

Artizea emptied the cold tea from his cup and poured fresh tea.

And Sedric finally had to ask.

“I understand that Lawrence would actually make efforts to win me over. But Duke Loigar is Lawrence’s opposition—what do you mean he would show favor if I married you?”

“Because you would have married blinded by a woman, not formed a marriage alliance to support Lawrence.”

Artizea answered leisurely.

“Until now, Your Grace of Evron has been too flawless and has only done righteous things. But now, if he hears you came to the capital because of a woman, what will Duke Loigar think? ‘Ah, this man also abandons his pride for desire, so there are means to win him over,’ he’ll think.”

“You mean I could exert influence on both sides.”

“Yes.”

Sedric wasn’t originally a person without influence.

Northern Evron was the Empire’s shield, and Sedric himself was the Empire’s greatest military commander.

He had also achieved the merit of rebuilding the Western Army and stopping the monster wave.

Many people in the Eastern Army, Southern Army, and Central Army respected him.

At the same time, he solidified his reputation by not bowing to anyone and not forming factions.

What the Emperor was keeping in check was ultimately that very thing.

He didn’t have enough power to threaten the Emperor, but he had enough influence to displease him.

“If you marry me, His Majesty will no longer find Your Highness’s existence as unpleasant as before.”

“…,”

“His Majesty hates having his power ignored most of all. However, the succession struggle is when that power is most savored. Think about why he hasn’t unilaterally elevated his son Lawrence until now.”

“I understand what you mean. His Majesty is a suspicious person. If I get involved in the succession struggle, even if someone slanders the Evron Duchy, His Majesty would think of it as mere political strife and treat it as a minor matter.”

Sedric spoke as if talking to himself, lost in thought.

“Is that how you think the duchy should be protected?”

Artizea quietly waited for him to finish his thoughts.

In the meantime, the tea had run out.

Artizea personally poured fresh water into the teapot and flipped the hourglass, and Sedric remained silent until it completely emptied.

“Then what do you gain from this marriage? If it’s not to make me Lawrence’s ally through a marriage alliance.”

Artizea lowered her eyes. She had to lie about this part.

Sedric had no reason to trust her yet.

“What I want is to fully inherit House Rosan and become independent.”

“You’ll inherit the marquessate anyway.”

“I can’t wait until then.”

Artizea said that. It wasn’t completely a lie.

“I’m 18 years old now. I can only inherit the title when I turn 20. Right now, my mother has the authority to dispose of House Rosan’s assets as my guardian. She’ll continue to do so for the next two years.”

Even though it had completely lost political influence, House Rosan still possessed enormous wealth.

Just being able to freely dispose of this wealth alone gave Lawrence tremendous power to wield.

And while under Milaire’s care, there wasn’t much Artizea could do.

Getting away was the priority for now.

“But marriage is possible with a guardian’s permission. Once married, you can be recognized as an adult.”

“Yes. But my mother won’t let me go just because I choose anyone. Even if I become an adult, it’s the same. My mother would rather kill my potential husband than marry me off.”

Artizea spoke coldly.

“In that regard, Your Highness is the best card I can choose. His Majesty the Emperor would be pleased with Your Highness’s proposal, and brother Lawrence couldn’t possibly refuse.”

“Are you trying to betray your mother and brother?”

“I’m just a tool. You don’t call it betrayal when a tool passes into someone else’s hands.”

Artizea said that bitterly.

As for whether she herself didn’t view others as tools, that wasn’t the case. In that respect, she might resemble Milaire.

“Please protect me by maintaining a marriage in name only for two years, Your Highness. If you do, I will make you Emperor.”

Sedric’s eyes widened as he stared at her, shocked by words he never expected to hear.

“You must. If Your Highness truly wishes for the people of the Cratese Empire to live in peace. Lawrence is cruel and Loigar is greedy. If they ascend to the throne, the Empire will become a living hell.”

Artizea spoke resolutely.

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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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