The Villainess Lives Twice

Chapter 134

Proofreader: somnium

Bishop Akim was seated opposite Marchioness Camellia.

Although the visit was not scheduled in advance, Bishop Akim was not surprised.

It was because he knew very well that Marchioness Camellia cared about Artizea a lot.

Even when a secret agreement was made between Bishop Akim and Grand Duke Roygar, Marchioness Camellia reacted very sensitively.

It was only after Grand Duke Roygar and Bishop Akim had agreed to be relatively lenient towards Artizea.

What Grand Duke Roygar wants is for Lawrence to be charged with treason. Artizea is just a bridge to bring out Lawrence.

It is said that Artizea has recently been cherished by the emperor, but the gap is clear from Miraila and her own child in their prime.

There was no need to risk making a grudge against Cedric and push Artizea to the extreme.

His desire to win Cedric’s support has not changed yet.

However, unlike before, he wanted to take a form in which he reached out his hand from a more advantageous position. It was because Cedric’s support was not so strong that he desperately needed it.

In the process, it would be better if the resentment between the Emperor and Cedric could deepen.

And his wife’s involvement in treason would be something that would remind him of his parents’ resentment.

That is why he hoped that evidence of this treason would come from the temple’s side.

The Emperor is compelled to execute the Marchioness of Rosan, including Miraila and Lawrence, for treason.

And in the process, he was trying to give her the grace that he had taken Artizea out.

Cedric is far from such a conspiracy or slander. And he didn’t have a bookkeeper to supplement that part.

As it is, Artizea seems to have started in such a role, but she is still young and involved in the work.

Grand Duke Roygar thought she could be left uninformed enough.

If Grand Duke Roygar had decided so, then there was no reason to object.

After all, what he needed was a cause to oust Brother Colton. Artizea herself is pretty good.

Once Artizea is driven out of central politics in that way, she cannot openly support Brother Colton, no matter how wealthy she may be.

If Brother Colton was backed by Artizea after that, it wasn’t too bad that it could be a cause for dispute.

But Marchioness Camellia was against their will.

If they decide to attack Artizea, he should not be lax and should completely eliminate her.

And Bishop Akim seemed to understand the reason.

“How was it? How do you feel about meeting Grand Duchess Evron?”

Bishop Akim poured tea by his own hand into a teacup and handed it to Marchioness Camellia. And said without revealing any agitation.

“…… I regret not heeding Madam’s advice and belittling her because I thought she was a little girl.”

“…….”

“Would you like to see hers?”

Bishop Akim said so and went to his desk. Then he took out a piece of paper and showed it to Marchioness Camellia.

“An ancient handwriting by the Marchioness of Rosan.”

“She is very skilled.”

Marchioness Camellia said that even though she did not know the ancient language very well. But she could see it.

“She even gave her left handwriting. Like someone who knows what I’m asking for.”

“…….”

“It is not easy for someone who has become accustomed to writing to write like a child again. It is rather difficult for those who know the principles of writing ancient language characters to write clumsily like the manuscript found in the Rosan mansion. Even if I tried to copy the same typeface, it would be impossible.”

Bishop Akim said.

“I didn’t originally think the Marchioness Rosan was involved in this. As Madam knows.”

“Yes……. I thought so, while admitting the possibility that the Grand Duchess had written the booklet.”

“There is no evidence of Marchioness Rosan’s intervention either before or after this. However, if there was a connection, it was just stressing Miraila and instigating her madness, because it was just a mother-daughter fight.”

“Yes.”

“But if it was a booklet with the words of curse on it, things were a little different. It was written less than three years ago. You can tell by looking at the fade of the paper or the color of the ink.”

“Is it that she hid a book she had written years ago in the library, which Miraila accidentally found and tried to use it for her curse?”

“That’s what I suspected. Maybe it was hidden with the heart of cursing her own mother. Didn’t Marchioness Rosan not grow up enough, at the time, to embrace the curse words? It’s not a coincidence, it’s just that the karma came back on its own.”

Bishop Akim continued.

“But seeing it in person changed my mind.”

“How?”

“If the Marchioness Rosan wanted to destroy Miraila, she would have written it herself, rather than copying the curse words on paper.”

Marchioness Camellia pondered.

“I think the Bishop seems to agree with me that the Grand Duchess really did this.”

“…… I can’t say that. The manuscript was never written by Marchioness Rosan.”

Bishop Akim sighed.

“But if it was the Marchioness herself who came up with the plan, she would have already known that she might be implicated. So, in order to bury the evidence, she purposefully made a manuscript with someone else’s handwriting, and proudly gave me her own handwriting in this way.”

“Do you think she was confident that you would never find out what she did?”

“That’s right. We will find out, but in all likelihood none of the maids or servants will ever have copied it.”

And Bishop Akim said.

“No matter how logical you think, this is a real coincidence. At least it’s perfectly decorated as one.”

“Yes. I think so, too.”

Marchioness Camellia also readily agreed.

If Artizea had used Miraila to assassinate the Empress, she wouldn’t have been so lax that she would be exposed so quickly.

Conversely, if there is a purpose in being lax, they will not be able to gather the evidence. Especially within a limited time.

Bishop Akim said.

“It is also strange if the purpose was to defeat Sir Lawrence. It’s because profit and loss don’t match when you’re driven as a traitor. The risk is too great.”

“Yes.”

Marchioness Camellia agreed this time as well. And she said

“Apart from logic, your mind must have been inclined towards not a coincidence? Because the Bishop is wise.”

At the words of Marchioness Camellia, Bishop Akim let out a long sigh.

He thought it was a coincidence, so he was trying to get evidence by force.

Conversely, if this is a staged coincidence, the evidence will not come from anywhere.

But soon the same conclusion was reached for both.

The truth of the matter was not important. What was important was the result.

Bishop Akim said.

“If you decide not to hit, you won’t know, but if you decide to hit, you have to be sure.”

“…… Yes.”

Bishop Akim has now agreed to stand in the hands of Marchioness Camellia.

Right now, he shouldn’t have thought of it as an excuse to attack Brother Colton.

It should be approached from the point of view of eliminating the hindrance. You have to nip the bud before it grows into a really menacing person.

“Unless we can find the real evidence.”

It was when Bishop Akim had just spoken.

A priest slammed the door open.

Bishop Akim jumped up in surprise.

“What is this rudeness?”

The sound from outside, which had been blocked by thick doors and windows, came in. A commotion was heard from afar.

The priest said with a face soaked in cold sweat.

“It is the Knights of Evron.”

“What?”

“Grand Duchess Evron collapsed in the prayer room. It seems that her lady-in-waiting, who was with her, told the news to the outside.”

“Why didn’t you tell me about it before that?”

“You had an important guest, so I called the doctor first. I didn’t mean to let you know late. For some reason, they arrived almost at the same time as the doctor.”

The priest bowed his head.

Bishop Akim jumped to his feet. Marchioness Camellia had already covered her face with a veil.

“Goodbye.”

Bishop Akim did not wait for Marchioness Camellia to answer. It was because nothing good will come if they were known to meet secretly.

He hurriedly headed out.

***

The reason that the Knights of Evron arrived so quickly was because it had been prepared in advance.

On the day Artizea came to the temple, not all of the Knights returned to the Grand Duke’s residence.

Alphonse always had at least three knights watching the temple. He also stayed nearby.

It was Alphonse who gave Hayley the flare.

And as soon as the flare went off, he was the first to move.

The temple was bewildered. The temple is not a place that normally closes its doors.

No one knew what had happened until three armed knights entered the temple grounds.

There were more people who did not know that Artizea was at the Great Abbey.

Some of the priests knew Alphonse, so they came forward

“This inner area is where the priests and monks live, Sir Alphonse. I don’t know what’s going on, but if you wait outside, I’ll call the person you’re looking for.”

“I have come to pick up our Grand Duchess.”

Hearing those words, a look of surprise spread out.

A few priests rushed out. One ran to the Archbishop, another to Bishop Akim, and another to Bishop Nikos.

Armed knights flocked in. The knights did get off their horses as prescribed at the main gate of the temple.

However, with a line up, they headed to the building behind the temple where the signal was fired.

The sound of shrill thumping boots resounded through the building.

The priests flocked to stop it.

The same was true of priests who knew nothing. They could not let the knights enter the holy temple armed.

It was at this time that Bishop Akim heard the news and rushed out.

“What is all this! You dare to invade the temple with your earthen feet?”

He came forward without hesitation and shouted.

Alphonse said.

“Bishop, we are only here to see Her Grace the Grand Duchess. If you take her all the way to us here, I have no desire to enter the temple.”

Bishop Akim said with a cold face.

“Marchioness Rosan has not yet finished her penance.”

“Then, call the lady-in-waiting who was with her. We need to know what caused the emergency flares to be fired.”

Bishop Akim changed his complexion.

“Do you dare doubt the protection of the temple now?”

“If Her Grace is safe, there is no reason for us to worry. All you have to do is call her and let her meet me.”

“When the time comes, Marchioness Rosan will be taken care of for her return.”

Bishop Akim spit out coldly.