The Villainess Lives Twice

Artizea told Cedric exactly what the Empress had told her.

She thought he might be offended when he heard that the Emperor wanted to adopt him. However, Cedric accepted it with a calm face.

“I was thinking it could be.”

“It’s not right now. Because Her Majesty has not yet answered.”

Even if the Emperor can do everything in the Empire as he pleases, it is only the authority of the Empress to accept the adoption.

It wouldn’t be impossible to take her hostage and threaten her. But the Emperor had no reason to do that.

“What I’m talking about now is simply for you to think about how to answer in advance. Even if you say no, it shouldn’t be extreme.”

“If His Majesty really makes such an offer, I will accept it.”

Cedric answered without hesitation.

Artizea looked at him in surprise.

Cedric replied calmly.

“Didn’t you say that we should win the favor of His Majesty? I was prepared.”

“But, it’s not that much of a problem.”

“You have been underestimating the level of my resolve from before.”

Cedric reached out towards Artizea and lightly touched her forehead.

Artizea panicked and lowered her head, and stroked her own forehead. She thought there was something.

Cedric chuckled.

“Just.”

“Just?”

“Yes, just.”

Saying that, he again lightly stroked Artizea’s forehead with the tip of his index finger.

Artizea awkwardly covered her forehead with her hand.

Cedric lowered his hand and picked up the teacup.

“You don’t have to take it so seriously. Haven’t we already talked about the need to absorb His Majesty’s administration?”

Emperor Gregor’s officials, though corrupt, were not incompetent.

Administrative power is a mess because they are not working for the general people, they are only flattering power.

There were not enough educated intellectuals to become bureaucrats.

If they try to remove them all at once and fill their positions instead, they will end up unable to shake off the influence of the nobles and the colossus who have already entered the social world.

Because graduating from college means having a wealthy family or wealthy patrons.

A rare exception to that was those who studied on scholarships from the Emperor. They form the backbone of the bureaucracy.

[“It cannot be said that the current government is clean, but it can be said that it is a ‘power independent of the nobility’ that His Majesty has developed over the past 30 years.”]

Artizea said so. Cedric had agreed to it.

He said that it would be better to repair the affected area little by little than to cut it out at once and suffer bleeding and contamination.

“The purpose is not to overthrow the current His Majesty’s regime. I don’t think it matters whether legitimacy is passed down from mother or from His Majesty.”

Artizea didn’t answer for a moment and kept her mouth open.

She, of course, agreed with that opinion. But Artizea also knew for sure that it was a thought she could do, because she was not of Evron.

Cedric continued.

“No matter what happens in the process of establishing the imperial power……, to deny the legitimacy of His Majesty itself is to leave a room for controversy for the future generations. I will be denying the inheritance law out of a sense of personal revenge.”

“You mean to set a clear precedent.”

“That’s right. Assessing that what the Emperor did was not right and saying that he wasn’t the Emperor are two completely different things.”

Artizea recalled that Cedric had said he didn’t want revenge.

So her heart pounded. Her body seemed to be getting hotter.

“I understand that you mean to think about the future.”

“That’s right. No matter who takes the throne, I have to do the same thing. It is of the utmost importance to bleed less and produce good results.”

“Evron won’t be able to accept it like Lord Cedric did.”

“I can’t help it.”

Cedric said,

“Because I want to be the emperor. I can’t just think as the head of Evron.”

Artizea did not answer for a moment, then lowered her head.

Cedric placed her forehead on his palm and looked at her curiously.

“Why?”

“Just.”

“Just?”

Artizea seemed to understand why Cedric had touched her forehead for nothing.

He just wanted to. Her heart was pounding.

‘A little bit.’

Because they can do that now.

She knew from the beginning that it was going to happen. Even though she knew it, she just thought that he wasn’t hers, so she shouldn’t have dared to touch him.

But now she can’t stand the overflowing inside.

She wasn’t sure if it was the psychologically unstable effects of childbirth, or if her will was weakened by the thought that he would accept her.

“Tia.”

“Well, that.”

Artizea hesitated and said.

She spoke as if spitting out the water that had been churning in her chest since before.

“Is it okay to kiss?”

Cedric opened his mouth like a flower bloomed.

“You don’t have to ask that. Even if this is the Grand Hall of the Imperial Palace.”

“That’s I…… I don’t think you’ll like it.”

Artizea hesitated a little more even after saying it.

Cedric tilted his head and brought his face closer to Artizea’s face, making it easier for them to kiss.

Artizea’s tense breath tickled his face. Cedric laughed softly.

“Did I tell you that I feel like I’m living when I’m like this?”

“No.”

Artizea answered as thin as her breathing.

There was no way out because Cedric was still waiting. Artizea closed her eyes and pressed her lips to his.

＊＊＊

Hazel was tense.

Ian Camellia said,

“I’m sorry, Lady. I guess I’m too nervous right now.”

“What? Ah yes!”

It was Hazel’s side who was too nervous. She replied with a shrill voice in surprise.

“Some warm water or tea…….”

“Oh, sorry.”

The teapot in front of Ian was already empty.

It was because Ian was so nervous that he drank nonstop. This was also not polite.

But Hazel didn’t realize that and blamed herself for leaving the guest’s teapot empty.

She looked forward to doing her important work as she assumed the post of Artizea’s lady-in-waiting.

But in less than a week, isn’t this too much work?

This was Ian Camelia.

Hazel could not have known what insults Marquisate Camellia and Marquisate Luden suffered because of his appearance and the lawsuit.

It was rare for a family that had already inherited the title, let alone a Marquisate, to be swept up in an inheritance lawsuit again.

It was a problem that was being watched not only by Marquisate Camellia, but also by several families who had disputes over the succession of the title.

Then, not long ago, Ian suddenly disappeared.

There were also stories that Marquis Luden’s patience had finally run out, and there were stories that he disappeared because he was afraid.

Then, he appeared at Grand Duke Evron’s residence.

‘This is not my job.’

But neither Hayley nor Ansgar were present. There was no one else to take the place of welcoming the guests.

Ian Camellia himself is not such a great guest.

But the inheritance lawsuit is still ongoing.

As it was a political lawsuit that would be concluded by reflecting the interests of the nobility, there was no way to determine right and wrong in a short time.

In short, it was a matter of how far to weaken Marquisate Camellia and undermine the prestige of Marquisate Luden.

Soon, this is also directly related to the question of how close Grand Duke Roygar drew to the throne.

‘I thought he would come to an agreement. This man has lasted a long time.’

Then, from the time Leticia was born, she lost sight of the situation again.

Shortly thereafter, Ian disappeared.

Hazel’s father said:

[“The reason Marquis Luden endured so far was probably to find out who was behind Ian Camellia.”]

[“Looking back these days, I thought that there might not be such a thing as backing. Or was it that the one behind him was Sir Lawrence? If there was really a backing, there would be no way it could have been left like this.”]

[“Or, they may have already achieved their purpose.”]

[“You mean to tarnish the honor of Marquisate Luden and Marquisate Camellia?”]

Hazel thought that the risk was too great to do just for that.

It could be personal revenge. Because scandal annoys people.

But that will not bring down either the Marquisate Luden or Marquisate Camellia.

It is only the weak who would suffer the decisive blow from the scandal of morality.

Those with real power are not greatly affected by such things. After all, their power and influence were not supported by moral purity.

It is a high risk low return. It wasn’t worth risking a life for, Hazel thought.

Hazel’s father shook his head.

[“They have at least two purposes. The first is to get rid of the advisors from Grand Duke and Grand Duchess Roygar”].

Because of the lawsuit, Marchioness Camellia was forced to remain in the capital.

[“You are wrong to think that Marquisate Camellia will not be hurt by this. Unlike Marquis Luden, Marchioness Camellia has no backing by her lineage.”]

[“Ah.”]

[“Actually, the greatest weakness of Marchioness Camellia is that she was born lowly. In a situation where her reputation has gone down, she won’t be able to stick with Grand Duchess Roygar. That was obviously the main purpose.”]

Having traveled all the way to the South, it became impossible to meet secretly or seek advice by letter when necessary.

[“The second is to create divisions between the two families.”]

When things go well, everyone is of one mind, but when things go badly, divisions happen.

Now, when old things that they want to forget keep coming up, everyone gets stressed.

The stress of Marchioness Camellia would not have been small. There was no way Marquis Luden would have been considerate to her in such a situation.

[“Ian’s backer has already achieved its purpose, so it has already released its hand. It doesn’t necessarily have to result in a lawsuit. Then Ian Camellia himself…….”]

[“It’s highly likely that he didn’t know his purpose. So, he didn’t get out at the right time. From his point of view, it is most advantageous to reach an agreement at an appropriate level. In fact, there was no other way.”]

[“Yes. He didn’t find the right time.”]

[“And if he thought he couldn’t find his backer, then there’s no reason to put up with Marquis Luden’s anger.”]

The conversation meant for Hazel, who was going to an important position, such as the lady-in-waiting of Grand Duchess Evron, so that she may know the situation of the Empire.

Not because they thought she’d really get involved like this.