The Villainess Lives Twice

Chapter 288

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Proofreader: somnium

The Emperor seldomly regained consciousness.

“Even if he opens his eyes this time, the dawn will not be for long.”

The doctor said so.

He was more calm than before, as if he had accepted the situation now.
Or maybe he understood that the Emperor’s life was no longer a matter of concern.

He didn’t say a word, but he might have realized that someone from the Crown Prince’s faction had a hand.

Either way, he’ll keep his mouth shut and close his eyes to the conspiracies he guesses.

He must be well aware that being content with the honor and riches he has already earned is the way to a long life.

Cedric burned the Imperial Order.
He waited until the burning paper scattered and at last became the ashes, and then he scattered the ashes as well.

He will interrogate and execute the people involved quietly.

There was no need to deliberately show their tortured body to the public, open the execution site, and incite fear by showing their staked heads.

Cedric has greatly eased the kin punishment system.
No one was ever sentenced to death by kin punishment.

If they were a nobleman, they would be stripped of their title and the family dispersed to get rid of the family.
If wealthy, their property is confiscated.
And even relocated to remote areas.

All children under the age of fifteen were forgiven.
If the parents were alive, it was decided that they would go to exile together or be raised in a monastery.

As a soldier, the kin punishment was not applied at all to simple participants, such as following the orders of their superiors.
He himself ordered them to fight as an enlisted man in common rank instead of execution.

To those concerned, Cedric said,

“If you want revenge, that’s fine.
If a person seeking revenge can gather enough sympathy to overthrow the Imperial Family, then such an Imperial Family deserves to be destroyed.”

Hearing that, Freil was terrified out of his wits.

“Please do not speak that publicly.
My back is really cold.”

Cedric smiled bitterly.

“Do you think I’m being overly soft?”

“If you are a little more ruthless, I think I will be more at ease.”

Freil lamented.

“What.”

The military was very wary, but the administrative officials welcomed it.

In particular, since Chancellor Lin has been consistently insisting on abolishing the kin punishment system, they were delighted, needless to say.

“The world has changed a lot.
This will be an important decision that will symbolize the Crown Prince’s reign in the future.”

Then, the story of preparations for the coronation began.

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The Emperor was still alive.
It was disrespectful.

But now no one was bothered.
Only Cedric himself was.

The Empress asked,

“You told them not to prepare for the coronation?”

“It is too early.”

“It’s not too early.
Even if Gregor’s breath returns, how long will it last?”

“There is no need to rush.”

When the cleanup began, everything except the military power and the intelligence organization was transferred.

As he persuaded Ferguson, he obtained half of the intelligence organization, and the secret investigation organization was disbanded along with the treason group.

In the military, active anti-Crown Prince officials were divided into the treason group, and pro-Crown Prince officials filled the position.
Naturally, the military also fell into Cedric’s hands.

The central power was in full control.

Even in the name of the Crown Prince, all problems could be dealt with.

If he wanted to seize power, he would have hastened the coronation and put the Emperor’s crown on his head.
But he didn’t have to.

Moreover, above all else, Artizea was absent.

“I have no intention of doing anything until Tia returns.”

All those who made the same suggestion as the Empress nodded their heads at those words.

Anyone who knew Artizea knew that she should be at the top of the meritorious list.

Even if they didn’t know her, knowing that the Crown Princess was absent, the Crown Prince wouldn’t want to be crowned alone.

There was nothing more to say than that the Crown Princess was the Saintess.

The Empress could have asked one more question there than anyone else.

“Is there supposed to be a message sent to call her back?”

“…… Yes.”

As soon as the job was done, the first thing to do was to fly a carrier pigeon toward her.

Even if she hadn’t been contacted, it was unlikely that Artizea would be unaware of the circumstances here.

Still, he didn’t get a single letter.

He didn’t even know that now she had nothing to do with him.
In fact, this time he managed to get through without borrowing her wisdom.

Still, Cedric wanted to ask a lot of questions.

Did she know that Old Viscount Juven had turned over, what conversation she had with the Emperor?

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Maybe she didn’t want to tell him herself.
Does she miss Leticia?

Was she doing well? Was she willing to come back to him?

The goal has been achieved.
He would soon become Emperor.

When he knelt on his knees to Artizea, what he wanted to accomplish, even by selling his soul, was in his hands.

So even if he is not happy, it would be right to feel a sense of accomplishment.

It would be better to hold on to hopes and step forward.
He was now fearless and able to spread his will to the world.

Had he not longed for it all along his one lifetime and this new life.

But Cedric wasn’t in that state of mind at all.
He had no strength left to leap to the next level.

The lively part of his heart had already been swept away by the wind and rain.

The innocent heart he had barely kept was also broken and cracked, so it was not the same as before.

‘If only she had been a real devil, I would have sold my soul at ease and been comfortable.’

Cedric even thought about it.

Even with Artizea going west, he was not alone.

He had people to discuss political affairs with, others to trust in secret affairs.

Those who had died for him before were alive and staying with him.

Those who had been enemies due to different political circumstances are now his loyalists.

He also had a baby to love.
To have a child was a joy he had never had before.

When he held her up in the morning, having not shaved yet, Leticia slapped his cheeks with her hand.
He didn’t know how it tickled his heart.

But now his heart was still as lonely as before he returned.

A man with his insides torn with complete understanding and ignorance, and Cedric never forgot the wounds inside him.

Sometimes he poured out his emotions, sometimes chewing on his hatred, and sometimes he tried to understand.

No one in the world would know him as much as Artizea.

And no one will know Artizea as much as himself.

Still, it didn’t seem like they had any connection at all.
Even though they must be looking in the same direction now.
Surely it would be.

And what came from the West wasn’t a return message, it was Alphonse’s remains.

It was at this time that the news that Lysia Morten had gone missing was also delivered.

* * *

“I’m going west.”

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Cedric said to the Empress.
The Empress had a blank face at first because she didn’t understand what he was saying.

She then opened her mouth.
The Empress quickly corrected her expression.
But for a moment, she couldn’t hide her absurd feelings.

“Does that make sense?”

Although he had not yet been crowned, Cedric already held the presidency of the Empire.

He couldn’t walk around lightly even with just the status of Crown Prince, but in the current situation, it was impossible to allow that.

Besides, it wasn’t long after the war broke out.

It could be said that it would be impossible to even make a formal march and do a tour.

But isn’t that what Cedric was talking about?

It was clear that he would go light-weight with a few men, as appropriate for a Grand Duke.

“I understand the feelings of your concern for the Crown Princess.
That her lady-in-waiting was harmed?”

The Empress let out a sigh.

“But I was told that she is now in a safe administrative city.
There are escorts you sent with her, and if you are quick, you can mobilize the Western Army?”

As soon as the war was over, he sent a message to the local military in each place not to be disturbed.

Among the warlords, those who were quick to hear the news would be able to grasp the situation slowly.

Even with the Emperor’s secret permission, there was no one who could directly threaten the Saintess, the Crown Princess.

“Tell her to come back soon? There is also the coronation ceremony, but I am more concerned because it is a plague-prone area.”

“She won’t come back.”

Hayley’s response to the message they sent informed them of the water supply and her no return.

[I was not informed by Her Highness, because Her Highness didn’t want to.
Sorry.
Her Highness headed to the banks of the Abba River.]

The letter hanging from the carrier pigeon was short.

Cedric was able to understand the situation with that alone.

Alphonse died, and Lysia disappeared.
The plague spread slowly, but it would not stop until the infected village was wiped out.

Originally, there was no reason for Cedric to interrogate the secret investigator himself.

But he met Cobb.

No useful information emerged.
All Cedric knew was that Cobb had memories of the past.

And Lawrence’s memory returned.

The only people who knew the true meaning of this incident were probably Lysia, Artizea, Lawrence and Cedric himself.

The Abba River disaster decisively brought him hatred and suspicion from the Emperor.

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It was the same in the military.
Whatever his sincerity, it was unforgivable for him to move the army without returning the intemperance.

At that time, he also lost his connection.

He was no longer able to defend Lysia as he completely lost his political position in the Capital.

The people of the West praised him.
The vassals of the North understood him.

He thought he did what he had to do.
If the same thing happened again, he would make the same choice.

He nevertheless couldn’t help thinking of what he had lost.

Now, it’s all gone.
Cedric became the master of intemperance.

With his body in the Imperial Palace, he had to release the Central Army and the Western Army and ignore the old feelings.
But he couldn’t.

He owed Lysia.
Artizea wasn’t the only one who was forgiven by her voice.

And above all else, he couldn’t throw Artizea in by herself.

Her responsibility is his own responsibility.
He had to pay for Artizea’s sin himself.

When he knelt on his knees to her, he tried to take the responsibility.
When he put the bracelet on her arm, he agreed to take on all that she had done to himself.

“I plan to temporarily entrust Chancellor Lin as regent.”

“Don’t say nonsense! Be aware of your position! You are no longer alone! It’s not something you did alone that put you there!”

The Empress raised her voice.

“I…… I am a person, Your Majesty.”

Cedric said in a subdued voice.

“It was always the case that I was not alone.
My life was laid on Evron’s, and now the present and future of the Empire.”

“Cedric.”

“Nevertheless, I am a person.
I am not a statue that will be placed on a throne to be engraved by people’s aspirations and despair.”

Cedric stood up.

Artizea said.
It is said that people do something because they cannot help but do it.

And he had to go now.

“Just once, I will live as myself.”

Knowing that the Empress could not stop him, she asked in a bewildered voice.

“What about Leticia?”

“Your Majesty will take care of her, so I won’t worry.
I won’t take long.
Don’t worry too much.
I am confident that I will come back alive wherever I go.”

Even if I’m alone

Cedric said so and left the room.