The Villainess Lives Twice

Artizea woke up again the next morning.

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Meanwhile, Cedric spent the night by her side.

It was because he was afraid that when she woke up, she would become mentally unstable or have a seizure again.

But when she woke up suddenly in the morning, Artizea had a calm face.

“Tia.
Did you sleep well?”

Cedric deliberately spoke in a more gentle voice.
He had a complicated heart, but he was determined to show a calm side for her.

Artizea blinked her swollen eyes as she buried herself in the blanket.
And she covered her eyes with her hand.

“My eyes are sore.”

“Because you cried a lot.
Doesn’t your throat hurt?”

“It hurts.”

Artizea answered with an almost resting voice.

Cedric said.

“I will call the doctor first.
I’ll see the doctor again, wash my face, and get something to eat.”

 

“You can go.”

At Artizea’s words, Cedric paused.

“You came all the way here from the north.
I’m sure the echo wouldn’t be small?”

Artizea spoke in a shriveled voice and put her hand on her neck.

“You don’t need tell me.”

Cedric said in a whisper.
And he said on behalf of Artizea.

“You’re right.
You collapsed, and I took control of the situation.”

“The Northern work…….”

“Don’t worry about it either.
I beg your pardon.
I should discuss it with you as well.
I have a letter to deliver.”

Cedric said.

If it had been between humans, the negotiation would not have been so easy.

However, the Prince of Karam, Apua, knew how to doubt, but did not fully understand the excuses of humans.

He genuinely accepted and understood Cedric’s words that his wife’s family had trouble.

〘 If you are worried about your partner, you cannot do anything.
Let’s end this conversation here.
This does not mean that the conversation itself will cease.
Anyway, just because you have stayed in this place for a few more months and talk to me more, it’s still impossible to break the Thold Gate all of a sudden.〙

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[“Thank you for understanding.”]

 

〘 And isn’t your partner a woman of light? You barely got her back, so you should cherish her.〙

Cedric smiled bitterly, not knowing where to start explaining and correcting Apua’s words.

“Anyway, I will only say for now that I have come to see the possibilities for the future.
There are a lot more urgent things right now.”

“Yes…….”

Cedric pressed his lips to Artizea’s finger.

“I will take care of the rest.
For now, just think about resting and recovering your body.
It’s not only a problem with the child, it’s your body that’s also a problem.”

Artizea nodded her head meekly.
And she said,

“Don’t worry about me, you can go.
You must have work to do.”

“Tia.”

Cedric made a voice of reproach.

Artizea was right.
Originally, there was a meeting with the Ministry of Home Affairs this morning as well.

But a day or so delay will be fine.
Some had already been asked for their consent.
When Artizea’s conditions change, he has to stay by her side.

He wanted to be by her side for a little longer, probably more.

But Artizea said in a cracked voice.

“I also need time to think on my own.”

“We have to think together.”

“For now, I want to calm myself down a little bit.”

Cedric couldn’t be more stubborn about those words.

“All right.
I’ll just take care of a few important and urgent things and be back soon, so you can rest.”

Artizea didn’t answer.
Cedric didn’t rush for an answer.

He brought his face closer instead.
Artizea turned her head and went under her blanket.

Cedric gently tried to pull her out of the blanket.
But Artizea was stubborn.

Instead of pulling her out with strength, Cedric pressed his lips to her cheek on the blanket.

Because the summer blanket was thin, Artizea could not help feeling the pressure on her cheek.

“…… Now go.”

“‘Go,’ do you have any other things to say?”

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“…….”

Artizea didn’t want her words to come out, so she opened her mouth and swallowed a gulp.

Her neck hurt very badly, and her ripped lips also hurt.
The moment before, it was like sweet pain mixed with itchiness and anguish, now it felt as painful as her sore eyes and throat.

Once the dam collapsed, it could hardly hold up the second time.

Artizea curled up under the blanket and held her breath.
It was just all so hard.

In such a quiet bedroom, there’s no way she could hide her sobbing with a thin quilt in between.
She still couldn’t help but do it.

Cedric hugged her with the blanket.

He wanted to say he would be back.
And she was going to tell him to go.

Everytime, with the intention that he will come back to her side.

But for Artizea, even that still seemed unreasonable.

He stayed still until Artizea’s sobs subsided.

＊＊＊

Afterwards, Cedric was eventually summoned by a lieutenant and forced to leave.

After her tears stopped, the next thing to do was to wash her body.

The maid chief and two of the most trusted maids hurriedly filled the bathtub with lukewarm water.
Marcus and Ansgar personally checked everything in the bathroom.

Alice and Sophie decided to attend the bath.

They didn’t usually use a lot of people, but today they did that even though Artizea was very tired.

The two elderly butlers knew how dangerous these times were.

That is why, unless it was someone they trusted in particular, they decided not to bring them around Artizea.

Artizea usually prefers hotter water, but the doctor personally adjusts the temperature of the water himself.

The doctor made Artizea drink a watery soup boiled with herbs and meat while Artizea was in the water.

Because she couldn’t delay further hydration or nutrition.

“You haven’t eaten anything for three days, so it’s good to soothe the stomach with warm food.
I am trying to use medicinal herbs to protect the body based on the progress.”

“I’m just tired, but there is no particular pain.”

“It may be that you are too weak to feel it.”

Artizea was now unable to say that she knew her body well.

Sophie, who was washing her hair, agreed with the doctor.

“The doctor will take good care of you.
Since Madam has always been weak, you can say that even the most unfavorable condition is normal.”

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“Hmm…….”

“Take your medicines well.
During pregnancy, I was told that taking medicine was not good but…….”

“The best way to stay healthy is to eat a balanced diet.
But you have to start replenishing your energy right now.”

The doctor said

“That’s how you can hold on until giving birth.”

“Okay.”

Artizea drank the soup, roughly skipping it.

She thought she couldn’t eat nor drink, but it went beyond her expectations.
It was even delicious.

When she was relieved, this time she started to feel very hungry.

Seeing Artizea rumbling, Sophie looked at the doctor.
The doctor nodded his head.

“Even if it is light, it is better to eat as much as you can eat first.”

“Yes, I will tell them to prepare it.”

Sophie hurried out of the bathroom.

Alice finished rinsing Artizea’s hair, wrapped it in the towel and dried it.
She grumbled.

“But it seems that our baby is very strong.
I wondered why you were so emaciated even though you’ve been eating well, did it all go to the baby?”

“Aren’t you just glad it’s a healthy baby?”

“Obviously, it’s a glutton just like the master.”

Still, Alice did not stop complaining.

It was both a complaint and a comfort.
To say the child would look like Cedric.

Artizea was listening to such a conversation dazedly.

Alice helped roll her hair up with the towel and then lift her up from the bathtub.

After washing, she felt really refreshed.

The time up until this morning was as vague as a dream.
Her eyes were still sore and her face was puffy, but she couldn’t even realize how much she cried.

And that Cedric is here.

Artizea bit her lower lip.

It wasn’t in her plans.

Cedric would have been better off coming this summer or not coming to the capital this year at all and passing the year in the north.

If that had been the case, at least Lawrence would have been able to put an end to it and set the stage for the fall of Grand Duke Roygar.

Cedric had better not dirtied his hand at all on this.

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It was even more so, because she was Miraila’s daughter.

If he severely punishes Miraila, he becomes a person who treats his mother-in-law harshly.

However, if he did it in moderation, he becomes an unfair person who didn’t punish a perpetrator for being his kin.

So, whether he treats her harshly or not, there are all flaws.

She should have been in charge.
She had a cause she could get because she was Miraila’s own daughter.
And since he didn’t do it himself, there were parts that Cedric could have avoided.

It all failed.

But what was more pathetic, she was not lamenting that he had come, but she felt comforted and consoled.

“Madam.”

Sophie dried her hair and took out her light clothes.

Marcus laid out several small plates in front of Artizea.

Various kinds of fruits, turkey meat cut into bite-size pieces and grilled with sauce, small meat pie that was often eaten as a snack and others were served in little amounts.

“If there is anything that bothers you, please tell me.
I’ll change the recipe or make sure it won’t be served next time.”

“No, it’s okay.”

Perhaps because her stomach was warmed up first, her appetite turned.

Artizea placed her hand on the last plate.
Terin, made from mashed trout, shattered in savouriness in her mouth.
There was a fragrant smell from the mushrooms inside.

Most of the food was placed on one plate, two at a time.

Artizea emptied several of the plates.
Oddly enough, it was tastier than before.

This child seems to want to live for a while, Artizea thought.

‘In this world, if it had been born as a child of a mother like me, nothing good would happen.’

But thanks to the food she ate, her stomach calmed down a lot and she was energetic.
Artizea was able to keep her feelings hidden.

Marcus asked with a smile on his relieved face.

“What do you like best? Shall we use the same ingredients for lunch?”

“Everything’s fine.
Anything that is prepared.”

Artizea answered.

Knock, knock.

There was a knock on the door.
Alice went to see what was up, and then she returned.

And she said to Artizea with a slightly cautious face.

“Miss Lysia wants to see you.”

Artizea flinched.