The Villainess Lives Twice

Chapter 235

Proofreader: somnium

The Emperor looked at Artizea’s expression and smiled softly.

“Don’t try to deceive me. I already know that you are friends with Skyla Camellia.”

The Emperor had guessed that it would not be a friend in the honest relationship sense.

Some people are inherently unable to make friends on equal footing. The Emperor himself was such a person, so he knew it well.

It is not simply a story of identity or ancestry. It was a temperamental problem of calculating interests.

And Artizea was definitely that kind of person.

“The idea of ​​bringing in Ian Camellia was great. Even a wise man who killed three people by throwing two peaches would not have been able to overthrow the country with one person.”

“I’m overwhelmed.”

Artizea did not dare to object. The expression on her face remained calm.

“It is true that the seeds of discord were about to sprout. How could I have known that it was already taking root all the way to the bottom?”

“You mean all you did was bring Ian Camellia in?”

“Rather than Skyla relying on Marquis Luden. I also advised that reinstating legitimacy would be better for eliminating future problems.”

Artizea continued.

“It’s a different time now, and Skyla’s position is different from that of Marchioness Camellia. Skyla has been raised as the eldest daughter of the family, and she knows no fear of being ostracized from society.”

“Even so, there’s no way that Lady Camellia wouldn’t have known that the prestige of her own family had ultimately come from Marquisate Luden and Grand Duchess Roygar? If it hadn’t been for the betrayal, today’s situation would not have happened.”

“Yes. But if she thinks she can build her own power outside the shadow of Marquisate Luden, of course she would. Because Marquis Luden hated Skyla.”

Artizea spoke softly and lowered her eyes.

“And these are all seeds sown by Your Majesty.”

“I have never touched Marchioness Camellia.”

“Didn’t you neglect Marquisate Camellia in anticipation of the feud between Grand Duchess Roygar and Marquis Luden and further division of Marquisate Luden?”

“Do you think so?”

“Because Marquisate Camellia had too many weaknesses.”

“It was not as easy as you thought. At the time, I was doing a lot of other big things, and the Eastern nobles were united. It’s not easy to just secretly plant people in it.”

The Emperor smiled. It felt like this conversation was teaching Artizea.

“It is a matter of title. The exclusion of outsiders is on a different level than that seen in the Capital’s social circle.”

Even though they are not family members, they are all relatives and are intertwined through family tree and association.

That is how they have ruled the East by maintaining family fortunes and forming bonds.

“But now, Skyla was not afraid of it. Not just Skyla, but a lot of bright young people.”

The Emperor blinked his eyes. As an older man, he did not readily accept Artizea’s words.

“I have become Grand Duchess Evron, Your Majesty.”

Artizea said while clasping her hands neatly.

“Lady Belmond, on my recommendation, helped the lady-in-waiting in the Empress Palace. Although Lady Keshore is weak, I deliberately prevented her from being around, otherwise she will suffer from the interest of many noble Lords.”

In addition, Artizea could cite numerous examples.

Although Gayan’s son is a soldier, he is now one of the most promising bachelors in the marriage market. Even though Gayan’s title was not hereditary.

Chancellor Lin’s wife was one of the most valued ladies at the party. Their children were not very successful, but they were still treated as members of the social circle.

Even though they were not nobles with a very high rank, or nobles who married commoners.

It was more common now for commoners to enter the social world and be respected as much as nobles.

“Now, less and less people are reliant on a venerable family and believe that they can gain power even if they don’t become entangled in the family tree. It must have been that Skyla had come to believe that if she only reclaimed her legitimacy, she would be able to maintain the rest of Marquisate Camellia with her own strength and wisdom.”

At any given time, the rule of Marquis Luden would have been challenged by Skyla.

And the world has changed that way because the Emperor has treated the commoners with great care for decades.

It was not that the Emperor was unaware that the world was changing.

However, he did not know that it had an effect on the heirs of high-ranking nobles like Skyla, and was really turning the world upside down.

“The world has changed, but I didn’t notice.”

“It is all by Your Majesty’s grace.”

Artizea said so, but what the Emperor felt was that he had grown old.

The Emperor laughed in vain.

“So, I can see that just by encouraging Lady Camellia a little bit, it brought the present result. So how about this?”

When the Emperor reached out his hand, the attendant came and presented the booklet he had brought in beforehand.

The Emperor put it down on the table.

Artizea looked at the Emperor while maintaining a painted smile.

“Do you know what this is?”

“I do not know.”

“This is a thesis written by an international student from the Kingdom of Iantz, which you sponsor. That student’s older brother lied that he wrote it and dedicated it to the superior authority.”

The detailed process was different, but the general idea was true.

“And as a result of this thesis, it seems that the Kingdom of Iantz proposed an agreement to Roygar. There was also a plan to entice the Grand Duchess to win her favor, rather than Roygar, who wants a real profit.”

“He looked like a wise man. I am glad that the sponsorship was not wasted.”

Artizea said without opening the booklet.

“As you may know, I’m in the sericulture business. I am always interested in the trends of the Kingdom of Iantz. With the intention of entrusting the business as a favor to excellent students, we are sponsoring a number of them.”

The excuse was flawless.

The Emperor rested comfortably on the backrest and looked at Artizea silently for a moment.

There is no doubt that Artizea sought the throne and sought to divide Grand Duke Roygar’s faction.

The Emperor wondered if Artizea had started doing this from the start, aiming for the empress position, or if it was a trap she had begun laying for Lawrence.

He won’t be able to figure out what’s going on now and at that time. It may be possible if he threatens her and digs it out, but there is no reason to even do that.

After all, Lawrence was already gone.

But the Emperor was astonished.

Putting her hand on the Kingdom of Iantz means that her gaze is elevated above the imperial courts and social circles.

It was great.

Artizea didn’t even get proper education as the Heir Apparent. Much of the education she received as a nobleman came over Lawrence’s shoulder.

She made it all the way up there. Even though she was still young.

‘It is God’s will.’

The Emperor suddenly thought of the grace that Leticia had received.

He did not believe in divine intervention. Although he believed in the existence of God, he did not believe that the world worked according to God’s will.

However, some kind of luck, which cannot be explained by manpower alone, often acts on the throne.

The Emperor remembered the past, which was now a thing of the past.

There was a time when such luck came upon him as well.

When the previous Empress, who had no children of her own, selected him from among the Emperor’s many illegitimate sons.

When it rained miraculously as soon as he gambled on the investment in the West, which was swept away by a monster wave after a long, long drought.

When the commander of the Eastern Army secretly handed him a cup of fragrant wine.

And when the eldest daughter of the Duke of Riagan knocked on his bedroom door.

Now, the luck seemed to be on Cedric.

“Your Majesty.”

Unable to guess what the Emperor was thinking, Artizea cautiously called him.

The Emperor quickly changed his expression to a gentle one.

It was to entrust her with a task that Cedric couldn’t do in the first place. Not to threaten.

He can’t compromise with Cedric, but he can with Artizea. She knows how to put her interests and fears on a scale.

She will also be well aware that she has to moderately break her husband’s beliefs and convince him.

“Cedric said he wanted to save Grand Duchess Roygar.”

“…… Yes.”

“You are not surprised.”

“Because she deserves it.”

“You know it’s not that simple. The Grand Duchess is the Grand Duchess, but if you keep the Princesses and Prince alive, you and Leticia will be in danger in the future.”

“Yes.”

Artizea answered.

In fact, it was no different than preparing to go out for this job.

“It is easy to say that treason is an unforgivable sin. It is easy to say that we must solve the problems of the East, but spare the poor.”

Artizea said,

“But Your Majesty is the one who must rule the Empire. You cannot give priority to protecting the name of the Empire by organizing the salt business so that the necessities of life are fully distributed to the people, and still by holding the Kingdoms of Eimmel and Iantz accountable.”

The Emperor nodded his head. Artizea’s way of speaking was flattering, but what she said was very right.

“Then, the answer is to keep inducing divisions until Your Majesty can get your hands on the East. It’s a shallow thought, but how about executing half of those, who are in prison with Grand Duchess Roygar now?”

The Emperor leaned towards Artizea.

“Half?”

“Your Majesty has planted a person in a position that can be said to be the key figure of the Eastern nobles?”

The Emperor looked at Artizea with careful eyes.

Artizea knew in fact that Count Brennan was the Emperor’s man. But she didn’t show that she knew it.

She looked at him as if she believed that he would have done so because he was the Emperor.

“Let’s say it’s so.”

The Emperor answered with a look of interest.

Artizea continued to speak with confidence,

“Execute half, save half, and release some of the half for no reason. And, using the information Your Majesty possesses to your heart’s content, you attack your opponent and usurp their advantage.”

“Will they be deceived?”

“Most of the people in the world are far more foolish than Your Majesty, and if you sow the smallest seeds of disbelief in their heart, they will water it themselves.”

Artizea answered. She had no doubts that the Emperor would see the world through her eyes.

“They will fight tirelessly, believing that there will be traitors among them. When the battle reaches its climax, save the people and make them feel that the Imperial favor is ruling the world.”

This was a plan that Cedric could never come up with directly.

However, the Emperor was delighted enough to keep a wide smile.

“You are right. Fighting the living can lead to division much longer than executing the Grand Duchess and spreading rumors in the air.”

“I’m grateful.”

Artizea bowed her head and answered.

The Emperor grinned.

“Are you ready to move in as soon as possible?”

“What?”

“I’m going to clean up the Prince’s Palace.”

Artizea kept her body on high alert. It was a topic much faster than she expected. She thought they were going to play some more tug of war.

The Emperor’s children, who have not reached adulthood, live in the Empress’ Palace.

When they get married or come of age, they are given the title of Grand Duke or Duchess and become independent outsiders.

Therefore, the Prince’s Palace was a Palace that was only opened for one person.

The Crown Prince.