The Villainess Lives Twice

Chapter 287

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Proofreader: somnium

Old Viscount Juven was an old friend of the Empress.

As Artizea was preparing to enter the Crown Prince’s Palace, the Empress sent her as her lady-in-waiting.

Hayley is a political assistant to Artizea, and Hazel was still in a situation where she could only run simple errands.

Even if Ansgar was in charge of the household, there were also limitations in his status.

Because Artizea asked the Empress for her person.

Even if Ansgar was continuously in charge of daily housekeeping, an experienced nobleman was needed to replace him as the mistress.

Old Viscount Juven did a good job.

She changed the furniture of the Crown Prince’s Palace, kept some of what was left behind, decided what to bring from the Grand Duke’s residence and what to buy, and arranged the curtains and floor decorations.

Among the servants of the imperial court, she interviewed and hired men to work in the Crown Prince’s Palace, and hired the maids and servants.

She also did a great job hosting the first party and presenting the Crown Prince’s Palace to guests.

But Old Viscount Juven was not the only one who stayed in the Imperial Palace for practical reasons.

In other words, she was the proof of the alliance between the Empress and Artizea.

She was a hostage, a communicator, and a licensed spy.

There was no one who doubted her in the Crown Prince’s Palace.
Her heart remained the same for 18 years while the Empress was shutting down the Palace.

She is trusted by the Empress, and so, too, by the Crown Prince’s Palace .

In order to show her trust, Artizea did not do a background check on Old Viscount Juven.

She believes that unless the Empress betrays her, Old Viscount Juven will not betray her.

Artizea didn’t check her background, so Freil and Hayley didn’t either.

Cedric recalled talking to Ferguson.

[“One of the secret investigators is undoubtedly the family of the Empress’ lady-in-waiting.”]

Ferguson said that was the information 5 gave.

He knew no more.
5 had intended to go against Cedric from the start.
And he had no reason to give Ferguson all the information he had.

Perhaps, that’s how he got anxious, and paid a bigger price and tried to unlock the rest of the information.

In any case, it was not surprising that there was a secret investigator in the Empress’ Palace.

She may not have thought of a secret investigator, but the Empress would have known that there was the Emperor’s spy.

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Cedric’s advisers, including Freil, thought it would be Countess Martha.

Countess Martha never left her side while the Empress was closing her gates.

Other ladies-in-waiting and her friends left the Palace for various reasons.
When it was time to retire from old age, they even tried to send their daughter or niece her way, but most of them were rejected by the Empress.

In the meantime, Countess Martha continued to stand by the Empress’ side.

If the Emperor wanted to plant a man in the Empress’ entourage, there was no proper family other than County Martha.

[“If you think about it, the Emperor may have spared one or two families on purpose.”]

Freil cautiously suggested such a possibility.
Chancellor Lin agreed,

[“County Martha is from a quiet, conservative family.
The number of relatives in the family is small, and their income is also dependent on the farm handed down from generation to generation.”]

[“It is not strange to say that he left a family that was harmless and made them hostages to the Empress, and at the same time planted people in it.”]

Although the wife was in the middle of the Palace as a close associate of the Empress, Count Martha was completely inconspicuous.

Rather, it made it even more suspicious.

That’s why they didn’t choose the Empress’ Palace as a place to protect Leticia tonight.

It was so, even if Countess Martha had nothing to do with the betrayal.

But the cello player said,

[“3 is Viscount Juven’s father.”]

With that one word, everything was explained.

Viscount Juven’s father, or Old Viscount Juven’s husband, was an attendant, and that in his youth he met his wife well and made a career.

But now, the old couple’s married life was very good, and everyone was envious of them.
They were looked upon favorably in the Crown Prince’s Palace.

Even if Viscount Juven’s father came in and out of the Crown Prince’s Palace, no one would find it strange.

It would have been easier for them to embrace him.
As Cedric himself says, the Evron peoples have been naive about these matters.

It would be easy to be deceived if someone who already had a good favor in the game played a trick.

If even Old Viscount Juven was in on it, it was no wonder that the Crown Prince’s Palace was open tonight.

Cedric asked the Empress in a low voice,

“How did you know?”

“Because I didn’t invite Juven to the Empress’ Palace today.”

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The Empress lowered her eyes and answered.

Old Viscount Juven should have been in the Imperial Palace tonight.
She was the one who went to the Crown Prince’s Palace as a sign of trust between the Empress’ Palace and the Crown Prince’s Palace.

So she had to stay by Leticia’s side until the end.
Then, wouldn’t it be meaningful as an alliance with a shared destiny?

No one was ignorant of that.

But Old Viscount Juven did not do that.

She came without even a call, and said with a peaceful smile as usual,

[“The banquet in the salon is so large that it would be difficult for one Martha to handle it, so I’m here to help, Your Majesty.”]

The Empress felt a little uncomfortable at that time.
On this day, at this time, on purpose?

She realized when she found out that the Crown Prince’s Palace had been breached in an instant.

Of course, unthinkable things happen in the world.

The military power of the Anti-Crown Prince faction may have been strong enough to break through the preparations of the Crown Prince’s Palace, and there was also a possibility that there was a traitor within Evron.

However, it was far more reasonable to suspect the person who acted strangely.

[“How did this happen?”]

The Empress was amazed and asked several times.

Old Viscount Juven couldn’t do that.

She opened the door to the Empress’ palace after 18 years, and remained as her friend for another two years.

Whatever her husband had done, she did not think she would betray her.

Old Viscount Juven turned pale and knelt down on her knees.

[“Your Majesty, how can you doubt me?”]

[“Then how should I interpret this? Why did you leave the Imperial Palace and come to the salon? Why weren’t you surprised and astonished when Leticia ran away here?”]

The Empress was madly angry.

[“Because I trusted you, I sent you as proof of my promise to the Crown Princess.
That’s why the Crown Princess didn’t even investigate your background.
But you made me betray the Crown Prince!”]

Old Viscount Juven eventually confessed.
The Empress was stunned and had nothing to say.

“They believe that if I rise to the throne, Viscounty Juven will be destroyed.”

Her husband insisted that he could not step out, now Cedric will come to power and Viscounty Juven will be wiped out.

And Old Viscount Juven was persuaded by those words.

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She even appealed to the Empress.

Grand Duke Evron is a Northerner.
Up until now, Grand Duchy Evron’s family has been mingled with imperial blood on several occasions, but there is a reason why they have never been mentioned in the succession list.

“At least the Empress should raise the imperial grandchild directly, not leave her in the hands of the Northerners.”

The Empress clenched her fists under the hem of her long sleeves.

It had been a long time.
She never thought that she would not have an Emperor’s spy in the Palace.

She just didn’t know it was the husband of her trusted friend.

If she had sacrificed herself to take care of her family, the Empress would have been a little disappointed.
Because she was capable enough.

It might just end with the end of their friendship.

But knowing how she had lived, she never imagined that she would serve as a spy to her husband, the Emperor’s secret investigator.

She has a faithful face, and plausibly puts up reasonable excuses.

“You already know.”

“…… Yes.”

Cedric replied low.

He has already taken action.
Viscount Juven’s grandfather-in-law must have already been captured by now.

The Empress held her breath.
Cedric was following through on what she thought might be true.

And Cedric knew it.

At that point, the power relationship between Cedric and the Empress had been completely reversed.

“Don’t worry, your Majesty.
It’s okay because you told me.”

Cedric let out a long sigh after speaking.

“Your Majesty believes in me and speaks frankly, so I will also trust Your Majesty and cover this matter.
Except for the person directly concerned, the Empress will have her own way to deal with Viscounty Juven.”

“…… Still, can you?”

“I know there must have been more storms in Your Majesty’s heart than I did.”

Cedric said quietly.

“Some of Tia’s responsibility is in this.
It’s also my responsibility.
It could have been avoided if enough verification work had been done at the Crown Prince’s Palace.”

“…….”

“So, I can’t say that Your Majesty is responsible for all of them alone.”

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It was nothing else but the baby’s business, so his heart was complicated.

But again, it’s the baby’s business, so he wanted to end this with reconciliation.

“If you will continue to treat Leticia as your granddaughter, there will be nothing else I wish for more from Your Majesty.”

The Empress nodded her head slowly.

Cedric suddenly wondered if Artizea knew who the spy at the Empress’ Palace was.

It was highly likely that she didn’t.

From the beginning, Old Viscount Juven was older than the Empress.
And her husband was considerably older than Old Viscount Juven.

By the time Marquis Rosan was active, they must have already retired.

The spies may or may not have changed.
If so, it was understandable that the Emperor had neglected the move to remove it from the Empress’ Palace.

If he could no longer know the inside news, it would have been burdensome to leave it as it is.

Now, it was dawn and the window was getting brighter.

“I have to go back now.
There is still work to be done.”

Thump thump.

There was someone knocking on the door.
It was Bertholdt, who was in charge of guarding the main Palace.

“His Majesty has vomited blood and is in critical condition.
He is struggling with all his might.”

“…….”

“It is not right to announce that the Emperor is in critical condition at a time when the Imperial Palace is in turmoil.
You better hide it for a while.”

said the Empress.

Cedric understood the meaning.

They had to confine the Emperor anyway.
Tonight’s event will be recorded as a rebellion caused by a forged Imperial Order.

However, if the Emperor fell in serious condition immediately after such an event and even died, the record would of course be questioned.

The Empress was trying to stop it.

“I think it would be best not to tell Countess Eunice the whole situation.
I will beat around the bush while talking to her.”

“Yes.
I will entrust the affairs of the Imperial Palace to the Empress.
Sir Gayan will help Your Majesty.”

The Empress nodded her head.