The Villainess Lives Twice

Chapter 156

Proofreader: somnium

Amalie had already made up her mind that there was no one better than Cedric as the next emperor.

But she was anxious.

Although the Emperor used to wave Lawrence and Grand Duke Roygar in each hand, he still considered Lawrence to be his successor. The Emperor’s servants were well aware of this.

But he didn’t think his firstborn son could even share his power.

Miraila and Lawrence have already been involved in state affairs since a long time ago and have long wanted to get their place.

Nevertheless, the Emperor did not allow it. This is because he used his power and inheritance as a means to gain loyalty and love from his children.

He was the one to let go of the national seal only as he lay down on his sick bed and died.

Amalie calculated that at this time, Grand Duke Roygar, who had built up his own power, or Cedric, who had a high reputation and would gain more public support from now on, would have an overwhelming advantage.

As the Emperor grows old and sickly, the imperial power weakens. And it also meant that Lawrence’s power, which had the Emperor’s favor as a basis, would be weakening.

However, from now on, if the Emperor would transfer power with the rank in mind, the problem would be different.

The Emperor is still righteous, and his authority is high. Even after going through this incident, he was not shaken in the slightest.

Amalie did not dare to confront it. Not just Amalie, but most of the Emperor’s servants.

Artizea asked curiously.

“Did you not think it would?”

“It shouldn’t. Isn’t it too soon?”

Even if it’s just doing the underground work in advance, it’s too early.

After at least a year or so had passed, and the aftermath of this incident had passed, it would be appropriate to start.

Lawrence was an illegitimate child, even when he was the son of the Emperor’s favorite mistress. His reputation wasn’t very high.

But now, he was the descendant of an excommunicated person who was sentenced to life imprisonment. This was beyond disqualification and was a critical hit.

Is there any reason to start preparing for the succession at this point?

Artizea smiled faintly. Frankly, she was much more comfortable with this conversation rather than being congratulated on her pregnancy.

“If you think about it differently, it’s something you can’t do if it’s not now.”

“Why?”

“Because the affair with treason prevented the temple from speaking out loud.”

It was.

Amalie nodded her head in agreement.

Artizea continued, pointing out each one.

“The same goes for Grand Duke Roygar. The Guards searched through Bishop Akim’s residence. It cannot be said that the cause of the poisoning has completely disappeared.”

Artizea does not know whether the Guards have found evidence of a conspiracy between Bishop Akim and Grand Duke Roygar.

The same was true for Grand Duke Roygar. He doesn’t know what the emperor knows, if there is evidence, or whether he can tamper with it.

So he won’t be able to move for a while.

It’s scary to be caught on a weakness, but not knowing what the other person knows about you is also a threat.

“Public opinion has become quite quiet. Because my mother was coldly punished.”

Of course, there were those who argued that punishment alone was not enough.

But many, in their heart, thought that even that much was huge. Wasn’t she the Emperor’s favorite mistress and the Dowager Marchioness of Rosan?

On the contrary, there were not many people who judged that the Emperor was just and coldly judged.

The Emperor’s authority was not shaken in the slightest.

“You must have judged that there was no problem on the part of Her Majesty the Empress.”

Had it been so, the Empress would have exercised half the rights on this matter.

But she now has the descendants of Viscounty Pescher. The Empress’ old friends also unraveled their secrets and revealed themselves.

In the long run, there were enough factors for the Empress to accept the deal.

“While there is no reason not to, it is overflowing with reasons to. Even if the public opinion is somewhat poor, he must have decided that it is best to push ahead now. Even if he starts now anyway, it will be a year or two before brother Lawrence gets his improvement.”

By then, public opinion criticizing Miraila will have cooled down.

“Even with that said, Your Grace does not seem to think much of it.”

“All of this is logic based on the premise that His Majesty loved brother Lawrence and decided to make him his heir. Dame Harper must have thought so.”

“Does Your Grace think that’s not the case?”

Amalie looked at Artizea with a curious face.

Artizea said calmly.

“If His Majesty’s resolve had been that strong, he would have removed Her Majesty the Empress and immediately married my mother to solve the legitimacy problem.”

“It cannot be as simple as you said. Even though she is Your Grace’s mother, so I’m sorry to say this, but she was not worthy of the position of Empress.”

“Then there would have been some means of putting a woman other than my mother over the Empress and adopting brother Lawrence as her son, so why not?”

Amalie was not ready to answer, and she pondered for a moment in her thoughts.

She’s sure if he wanted Lawrence to be his successor, it’d be much less of a political burden on his side.

Artizea said.

“People act according to their heart. Reasonable judgment is far less important than that.”

“You mean that His Majesty never gave him the legitimacy because he had no desire to do so?”

“Yes.”

“I cannot agree with that. His Majesty’s heart was certainly with Sir Lawrence. Especially since Grand Duke Roygar married the Marquisate of Luden.”

“Everyone is so perturbed because they didn’t think he would take concrete action.”

“I can’t help but agree with that statement.”

“His Majesty seemed to have raised a family with my mother and brother. It was not that he had chosen my brother as his son, but that he had chosen my mother as his wife.”

“It is, but…….”

“And yet, instead of marrying my mother, he spent it elsewhere.”

Accessible and emotional, Miraila was an easy-to-use existence.

Nobles and wealthy people who wanted the Emperor’s favor gathered around Miraila like hyenas.

The Emperor would give out power and wealth on a whim, just because Miraila wanted it.

Conversely, there were many cases in which their family fortune was confiscated or their necks lost overnight for making Miraila sad.

Miraila was one of the tactics that the Emperor used to divide, unite, and suppress the nobles as he wanted.

Of course, Amalie was well aware of this.

Artizea spoke in a voice so cold that she couldn’t believe it was a story about her own blood.

“Now, this is a question worth thinking about. Which did His Majesty love more, my mother or my brother Lawrence?”

Amalie did not answer easily this time as well.

Regarding the Emperor’s family relations, political issues have been considered. However, the Emperor’s emotional problem had never been thought about.

But by this point, Amalie could also understand.

The Emperor loves Lawrence, but because he is also Miraila’s son, he loves him a little more than the other children.

Would the emperor who used even Miraila so harshly think of Lawrence differently?

Marriage was much easier, but he kept Miraila as his mistress for the rest of her life. Because it is more suitable for her purpose.

But is he really going to hand over his power to Lawrence? It’s not like it’s unavoidable.

“But His Majesty has actually decided to make Sir Lawrence Crown Prince.”

“Yes, for now.”

“For now …….”

Amalie chewed Artizea’s reply.

“If you look at it as a mental issue, not a political one, things get pretty simple. His Majesty wants to relieve his guilt right now.”

“Guilt about ….. The Dowager Marchioness?”

“Is there anything else lately that might have changed His Majesty’s mind greatly?”

“Exactly…… There is not.”

“Then that must be the reason.”

It was a story that Amalie had never thought of.

Artizea said calmly.

“The decision to abandon my mother was the result of a sober judgment. But for whatever reason, His Majesty threw her away without even trying to protect the woman he had been living with for 25 years.”

“Yes.”

“His Majesty will want to make an excuse for that.”

“His Majesty took over the responsibility, so she could escape from the situation.”

“It is external. Apart from that, His Majesty must make excuses in his heart. He knew exactly what he had done.”

“Well.”

Amalie swallowed a gulp.

Artizea smiled at her.

“Dame Harper seems to have no regrets. But I heard His Majesty said so to brother Lawrence? My brother needs to do well so that my mother can live.”

“Yes.”

“There are very few things in the world that are as good as the excuse that they did it for their children.”

The Emperor regrets that he has not done anything for Miraila, and has to pay his heart’s debt with that guilt.

Although Lawrence did something wrong to Miraila, the Emperor will support Lawrence as much as he is sorry for Miraila.

“His Majesty is a contradictory person. He likes obedient people, but at the same time he hates those who can’t do anything but listen to his commands.”

“He is.”

Amalie laughed bitterly. No one knew it as well as the Emperor’s servants.

Artizea lowered her eyes and recalled the things that were now gone.

The Emperor never loved a person who was only obedient. Just like he loved Miraila, who stood with her nails up.

He wanted obedience and loyalty from his son, but at the same time he wanted his son to take power with his own hands, beyond his control.

Artizea vividly remembers how delighted the Emperor was when she rigged the oracle to create legitimacy for Lawrence.

He did not want to pass power to his son. He told him to wait, ‘I’ll give it to you when the time is right’.

But at the same time, he wants his son not to wait and take it on his own.

It was only after Lawrence created his own legitimacy without waiting for the Emperor’s will that he recognized him as a real son.

But now, is there any way that he would want to hand over everything to Lawrence early on?

It can never be true. So the current condition won’t last long.

A person who has nothing to be desired from is easy to forget.

After the Emperor’s self-justification is over, the sense of debt will be forgotten and only emotions will remain.

Even if there were one or two incidents that could fuel it, the Emperor’s heart would change drastically.

This is Lawrence’s last and greatest chance.

Conversely, if this opportunity failed, Lawrence would no longer be included in the succession fight.

Artizea thought.

‘Rather, this is better for Cedric. It will be a comparison.’

The comparison in being made as the Secretary of State. It was done as cousins.

Comparing people with other people means that they are considered equals.

Lawrence was on the verge of being the heir to the Emperor.

So people would naturally compare Cedric to Lawrence as the next emperor.