The Villainess Lives Twice - Chapter 87

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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 87

It wasn’t something she hadn’t expected.

The village created to research Karam crop cultivation methods consisted of about 20 households. Unlike typical villages, there were no large extended families. Still, the population exceeded 80 people.

These weren’t 80 trained soldiers or intelligence agents, but 80 ordinary villagers.

It would be strange if information didn’t leak out. The most certain way would have been to kill everyone to silence them.

Nevertheless, there were two reasons why Artizea believed Hanna and Cedric’s words that information could be controlled and didn’t even suggest massacre.

First was that Cedric would never accept the means of slaughter.

It was something that couldn’t be accomplished anyway. Rather, if her credibility dropped because of it and her voice weakened in the future, she wouldn’t be able to do what needed to be done when it truly mattered.

Second was that transportation between the north and the mainland was inconvenient.

The second reason was also significant. There was virtually no way for farmers living at the northern edge of the Evron Duchy to leak that information to the mainland.

The Evron Duchy was a place where transportation wasn’t well developed. Information spread very slowly as well.

Even if they told people around them, the possibility of it crossing the vast duchy to reach the mainland was slim.

Even if it did reach there, by then the work in the west would already be finished.

There were probably imperial spies within the duchy.

However, unless they were specifically collecting information targeting Karam crops and the northern village of Told, the probability of discovering this matter was low.

‘A priest, of all things.’

Hanna had shown confidence in controlling the related parties.

But there was something in the world that no one could stop. It was faith.

The person who confessed to the priest probably wasn’t even aware that they had leaked confidential information.

In the mind of a deeply faithful person, confession wasn’t leaking secrets. Just as no one thinks that confessing sins to God while praying before sleeping in bed constitutes revealing secrets.

Of course, the priest who received that confession had a different position.

“Your Highness, the Holy Temple defines Karam as spawn of demons. What belongs to Karam belongs to demons.”

The priest spoke with a bloodless face.

“For a vassal of the ducal house to step forward and try to bring in demonic things is a grave sin tantamount to colluding with demons. Moreover, they say this war broke out because of that.”

Forgetting he was before the duchess, he covered his face with both palms.

“It’s divine punishment. Since they coveted demonic things, it’s natural that they drew demons to them. Unlike other times, the fact that Karam suddenly appeared from inside Told must surely be because of that.”

“Have you spoken to the Archbishop about this?”

Artizea asked in a low, gentle voice. It was to understand the temple’s policy.

The priest shook his head.

“I haven’t told him yet. The Archbishop is a soft-hearted person. Moreover, he’s someone who would value northern unity more than following the Holy Temple’s will.”

“I see.”

“Of course, there are unavoidable cases for survival, and I do know that there are those who help Karam because they can’t bear to watch them die, even though they’re spawn of demons.”

“Yes.”

“Still, I’ve told him that we should preach more sternly about the fact that such things are forbidden. But the Archbishop said that even misguided good deeds are still good deeds. He’s someone who always says that one must live first.”

The priest rubbed his face once more. But then determination settled on his features.

“That’s why I’m telling Your Highness. I’m also a person of this place, so I know well. The Archbishop, and the other priests too… probably the majority will say to cover up this matter for Evron’s sake.”

“Priest.”

“But a war even broke out because of this. How can we bury it? There’s clearly someone who caused the war.”

“What would you like me to help you with, Priest? I’m ignorant of the situation here and don’t know much about Karam either.”

“Please inform the Grand Cathedral on the mainland about this matter, Your Highness.”

The priest bowed his head deeply.

“The Grand Cathedral is too far from here. And I think that even if I write a letter to the Grand Cathedral, someone will intercept it along the way.”

“Priest.”

“If the Grand Cathedral demands it, the Archbishop won’t forgive that foolish person who colluded with demons for his own benefit. We must find them as quickly as possible. Your Highness, Prince Evron shouldn’t be abandoned by God because of a vassal’s fault, should he?”

Artizea quietly looked at the priest.

There seemed to be no malice. He was genuinely worried about the Evron Duchy.

He probably hadn’t even considered that if this matter became known to the mainland, they could excommunicate Duke Evron under the name of colluding with Karam.

‘At least it’s fortunate he consulted with me.’

Artizea thought.

“It’s difficult for me to say anything right now.”

She answered calmly.

“It’s not yet certain that the cause of the war is really because of that. And… the person who confessed might have told you something wrong with some bad intention, right?”

“You don’t need to doubt that person’s identity.”

“I see. But if it’s something one of the vassals did behind Prince’s back, I can’t handle it rashly. It doesn’t seem like an ordinary problem.”

“Yes.”

“So first, I’ll look into it as well. Until then, please keep this matter secret.”

“Yes. Your Highness’s prudent words are right.”

The priest nodded.

Artizea stood up and gave him a light greeting.

“I’ll visit you again soon. You don’t need to see me out.”

The priest stood up following her. Artizea left him in the room and came out alone.

Click.

After closing the door, an exasperated sigh escaped.

“Whew.”

Alphonse silently raised the lamp.

Artizea quickly left the temple.

The priest was quite a troublesome existence.

The temple had achieved a considerable level of centralized system. While it was impossible for a farmer at the northern edge to convey information to the mainland, it was very easy for a priest to contact other temples.

She could intercept the letter he asked to be delivered this time. But it would reach the temple eventually.

If Artizea gave a half-hearted answer, this priest would surely devise other ways to send the news.

And a priest’s words would be taken more seriously than a farmer’s words. To mainland people, communicating with Karam was shocking news.

It wasn’t just Karam crops that were the problem – all communication that had taken place in the Evron Duchy could potentially be treated as collusion.

If it had been someone other than a priest who said this now, Artizea would have simply killed them to shut their mouth. Dead people can’t speak.

But she couldn’t do that with a priest.

All priests had their names registered in the Grand Cathedral’s records. When they died, the cause of death had to be reported.

And if a priest suddenly died for incomprehensible reasons, the Grand Cathedral would surely try to investigate the cause.

‘If only I had known just one day earlier.’

Artizea thought regretfully.

Then she would have killed the priest with the Southern Sea people’s weapon that Cadriole’s dead subordinate had been carrying. She could have simply handled it by saying it was damage that occurred during the attack incident.

But the funeral had already been held. No more bodies should appear after this.

At least it was fortunate that this was something heard in confession. The priest seemed to be a deeply faithful principled person loyal to the Holy Temple.

So he wouldn’t easily reveal the contents of confession.

Anyway, first she needed to find out the reason for the war.

Artizea came out with a frightening expression.

Lisia and the maids who had been waiting outside the temple looked at her with anxious faces.

“What’s wrong, Your Highness? Did something happen inside?”

“When the funeral is completely over, tell Agate Javert and Hanna to come to my quarters. No matter how late it is.”

“Yes.”

Lisia answered with a tense face.

Artizea returned to the fortress with quick steps.

The two people gathered in Artizea’s drawing room when it was approaching 3 AM, well past midnight.

Artizea sat in front of the fireplace without taking off her mourning clothes. Her mind was complicated from organizing her thoughts.

After everyone was seated, Artizea first asked Agate Javert.

“What’s the situation at Told Gate?”

“According to the last messenger’s report, there’s been no clash yet. However, the number of warrior-class Karam gathered in front of the fortress is estimated to be more than 20,000 but less than 25,000.”

“Generally when wars break out, much larger numbers gather than that. But 20,000 isn’t a small number either.”

Lisia added an explanation.

This time Artizea looked at Hanna.

“I heard a story today.”

“Yes?”

“They say a war broke out because of the northern village of Told.”

Artizea said this in a cold voice.

Hanna’s face turned pale.

She looked at Agate Marquis. Agate Marquis hesitated and looked at Lisia.

“Did His Highness the Prince tell you to hide this from me? Or are you hiding it on your own accord?”

Artizea asked in a cold voice.

Lisia answered instead.

“I don’t really understand what this situation is about, but I’m certain that His Highness the Prince asked Your Highness to take good care of the fortress.”

Then Agate Marquis bowed his head.

“I apologize, Your Highness.”

Hanna suddenly stood up and knelt down.

“Yes, it’s my fault. In the process of dismantling the village, I accidentally ended up kidnapping a Karam child.”

“A child?”

“There was a newly formed Karam village not far away. It’s said that children from both sides often played together. On that day, during the process of dismantling the village and relocating the residents, some of those children came inside the Told Gate together. According to the soldier who made the mistake, the child was wearing a hood that covered the upper part of their face, so he thought it was a mixed-blood and brought them along.”

Artizea let out a big sigh. It was a sigh of relief.

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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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