The Villainess Lives Twice

Proofreader: somnium

There were four men who visited the Empress’ Palace: the Archbishop, Bishop Nikos, Brother Colton, and Bishop Monte from the North.

It could be said that they were the real powers of the temple. However, their visit was not treated as special at the Empress’ Palace.

No matter how high a priest was, he was still a priest. It was not strange to be called directly to meet the Saintess.

Hazel is out to meet them.

Two years ago, the youngest lady-in-waiting, who was accepted as symbolic in consideration of her parental status, is now in a fairly mature and trusted position.

“The Empress is in the prayer room.”

The prayer room refers to the annex.

Artizea paid more attention because she could not feel relieved even though she had triple diversion in the Empress’ Palace where outsiders rarely came in.

She called the annex a prayer room and brought holy relics here a few months ago. Artizea made it a forbidden zone, telling them not to interfere with her meditation.

This is the Saintess’ prayer room. They wouldn’t have dared to break in without permission.

No matter how Artizea said that she had now finished her mission as a saint, there were those who did not accept it.

The bishops were an exception in this respect. It was natural for the Archbishop to go to the sanctuary to meet the Saintess.

The Archbishop smiled kindly as Hazel went out to the garden.

“How is the Princess doing these days? It’s been a long time since I saw her.”

“Didn’t you see her at a service last month? I remember that the Emperor took the Princess to the temple.”

“A month later, the child should have grown up.”

The Archbishop understood the sarcastic remark, but he didn’t care at all and said with a gracious smile. There was no way he could have ascended to the position of Archbishop by not noticing each and every one of those things.

Hazel pursed her lips.

“She’s still active. She didn’t break the habit of hanging on to the curtains in a month.”

“It reminds me of the time when His Majesty the Emperor was still young.”

“Pft.”

The Archbishop spoke softly as if it was a good memory, but Bishop Monte spit it out without notice.

The Archbishop glared at him. Hazel looked at Bishop Monte with interest.

Evron’s vassals, including Ansgar, were desperately protecting Cedric’s reputation, so the only information that could be known about his childhood was leaked by mistake or subtly implied in conversation.

So wouldn’t it be necessary for the bishops to keep their loyalty like that?

Bishop Monte, who struggled to swallow the laughter, gave a calm expression with a red face.

“He never hung from the curtains.”

Of course, the Archbishop didn’t know. Though, his association with Cedric was long enough that he even participated in Cedric’s naming ceremony as an assistant priest.

But while he knew that Cedric’s youthful days were lively, he knew at best that he ran with Prince Pavel in the halls of the temple, and bumped into a pole, causing a lump.

On the other hand, Bishop Monte was a native of Evron’s stronghold, and had been holding the position of Bishop of the North for a long time. Finally, a smirk slipped out of his mouth.

Hazel was frantic with curiosity. If it could be published in a newspaper, sales were guaranteed.

But Bishop Monte shut his mouth and glanced away. The gentle Brother Colton said,

“Her Majesty will be waiting. Let’s go.”

“Ah yes. I’m sorry.”

Hazel bowed her head slightly, apologized, and took the lead again.

As they crossed the backyard, six guards were vigilant around them.

The guards flinched for a moment, but soon bowed their heads in front of the Archbishop to pay their respects. The Archbishop, with a gentle face, blessed the guards and entered.

There were four more knights. They were all Evron knights that Mel brought this time.

The section of the annex was within it. There was something that sounded like a conversation or growling over the fence.

Recognizing that the Archbishop was nervous, Bishop Monte took the lead and went inside. Brother Colton followed.

Bishop Nikos noticed the Archbishop. The Archbishop took a deep breath and went inside.

“Welcome, Archbishop. And three of you.”

Artizea got up from her seat first and greeted them. The Archbishop took a bow to the Saintess by bending his knees to her.

“Thank you for making the trip during the difficult time.”

“It is not a difficult time. We had a precious audience prepared by the Saintess, so of course we should come at once.”

Bishop Nikos stepped forward and said so.

The Archbishop glanced at the brazier of papers and ashes on the table.

Apua and Kesa stood up. Apua encouraged the other Karams to stay indoors, so they were the only ones outside.

There was no need to reject each other from the first meeting. Apua was well aware that the biggest obstacle to communication between the two sides was the doctrine of the temple.

“This is Prince Apua. Prince, this is the Archbishop I mentioned.”

Artizea took off the small words and introduced them.

A person like the Archbishop is often bound by titles and positions, so it would be much easier to get cooperation if she said that rather than saying that he was the son of the leader.

“And Bishop Nikos, Bishop Monte, and Brother Colton. You must know about Bishop Monte.”

Apua bowed his head in a polite manner.

His arms were exposed, but a hood was deliberately concealing his third eye. His gestures and expressions were not much different from those of humans.

There were traces of shaving on his face.

The Archbishop was internally astonished.

When Evron was accused of having an affair with Karam, he took the mixed race as evidence to the temple and took care of it.

At that time, those mixed races looked very disgusting and acted like beasts.

The Archbishop did not believe Karam was a real devil, but he thought it was natural to reject such a beast.

But Apua was gentle and well-mannered. Besides, he’s pretty decent, isn’t he?

The Archbishop’s expression softened slightly. Even if he was called Karam, he thought Apua would be different as he was a prince.

“You all sit down. I will prepare the tea.”

“Thank you, Your Majesty.”

The Bishops sat down.

Artizea had the furnace and papers cleaned and put away. Brother Colton asked curiously,

“Did you have a conversation?”

“Yes. Apua is fully capable of communication with words. He can understand the Imperial language.”

Artizea said. Then, a light of surprise flashed across the Bishops’ faces.

“Have I told you before? It is quite possible to learn the language of each other. Karam’s pronunciation is articulate and has a grammatical system.”

“You said that.”

Brother Colton replied. The Archbishop did not believe those words, so he let it slip.

Artizea spoke this time to Bishop Monte.

“The first temples built in the North were before the time of the Shield Saint, right? The Shield Saint had received an oracle in a small temple built in his village.”

“Yes, that’s right.”

“I would like you to find some records of that time.”

This was something that Bishop Monte had secretly been ordered since he was in the North two years ago.

What he had to say again here was so that the Archbishop and Bishop Nikos could listen.

And now that things have come this far, there is no need to continue in secrecy anymore. Artizea also had some confidence.

“Before the Thold Gate was built, there would be records of Karam, right? Names that could not be written in the Imperial text must have been written using ancient symbols.”

“That is correct.”

Bishop Monte answered.

The Archbishop, not knowing which direction this story would take, glanced at Bishop Nikos and Brother Colton a little, without realizing it.

Brother Colton maintained a dignified expression, but Bishop Nikos showed a slightly startled face.

Artizea said,

“If you can write in ancient script symbols, it means that humans can pronounce it, too.”

“Your Majesty.”

Realizing what Artizea was about to say, the Archbishop interrupted her.

“The pronunciation of ancient characters and symbols are merely guesses and guesswork. With that, there is the argument that Karam and humans were the same kind or had exchanges in the past.”

“Did I say that?”

“Your Majesty.”

The Archbishop made a resentful voice. Artizea said,

“I didn’t say it was the same. I don’t know much about biology, so I’ll leave the research on such things to the Imperial University.”

The Archbishop felt dumbfounded. There was no way that the Empress could revoke what the Empress said out of her mouth, so research on Karam at the Imperial University became a fact.

“There is no doubt that there was an exchange. On the contrary, it would be illogical to live on the same land and not have any interactions with people who could communicate and be of mixed race.”

“But Karam,…”

The Archbishop was not foolish enough to say in front of Apua that he was a servant of the devil.

But Artizea calmly accepted those words. Because she knew that Apua had enough understanding.

“Were there not one or two humans who would even work with the devil if it was profitable?”

“Empress…….”

“But that’s not what I’m trying to say. If you can write it down as a symbol, you can also record it, so I’m trying to make a dictionary.”

Bishop Nikos did not hide his surprise.

“A dictionary, you say?”

〘Even if you can’t speak properly, it’s enough to communicate by just understanding the words partially.〙

Apua answered, and Kesa translated.

Artizea said,

“It’s just writing a book. There will be no harm, right?”

“It won’t, but…….”

The Archbishop came with a lot of determination, but if she made a dictionary, there was no problem.

At the moment when her heart was relaxed, Artizea smiled and added one more word,

“If the temple doesn’t take care of it, I will call the professors from the Imperial University and ask for it.”

“Don’t worry, Saintess. It’s probably a sensitive issue. After all, it is only right for the temple to take charge.”

The Archbishop immediately changed his stance.

Even so, he was falling behind Imperial University in fields except for some disciplines such as theology, philosophy, and history.

He could not miss what the Empress was determined to push. Moreover, there are no universities in the North, yet. The Archbishop suddenly realized it.

Perhaps, he might be involved in taking the initiative for the North in the future.

What harm would she do with making a dictionary? That was enough to make up for it.

“I am assured now that you are in charge. I hope trustworthy academic priests will visit often. When they visit, I think it would be good if they can record Karam’s oral traditions, and study it later.”

Artizea casually added one thing. The Archbishop’s lips trembled, but what could he do more than saying that she could do it?