The Villainess Lives Twice
chapter-106

Chapter 106

Proofreader: somnium

She wanted to rest a little more. It seemed that her mood would improve after eating some of the snacks that Lysia had brought.

However, Artizea followed the monk with a heavy body. She left a message to the maid telling Lysia to follow her quickly when she returns.

She had no acquaintance with Brother Colton. Even at the time before she returned, they had no personal acquaintance.

Brother Colton was innocent, but not of a friendly character. He was wise and picky, and hated those who would buy faith with money. That is why he was respected by many people, and despite his fame and knowledge, he abandoned his position as a bishop and remained a monk.

Perhaps Brother Colton already knows that Artizea is bribing the temple. She was sure he wouldn’t like her.

She should meet when he says he will meet, and if she was too late and it was viewed as the arrogance of the great nobility, there might not be a second chance.

Once they meet, Lysia will be able to persuade him.

The monk guided Artizea to the depths of the temple. It was an old, small prayer room that showed a sense of time.

“Please go from here alone and wait.”

“Her Grace alone?”

Alphonse asked with a hard face. Said Artizea.

“Monk, please guide my escort to a place where he can rest comfortably.”

“No, you can’t.”

“Then stand here.”

While saying so, Artizea opened the door to the prayer room.

The prayer room was very narrow. There was no window.

There was a small single prayer table. An old scripture was placed on the prayer table, and a wooden sign was placed in front of it. The touched part was burned and glossy.

“There’s nothing dangerous in this prayer room. Stand aside where the entrance is in sight so that you don’t get in the way.”

“I don’t think it’s dangerous, but….. Was he thinking of meeting in a place like this?”

“He’s trying to teach a lesson.”

Artizea said so.

Brother Colton was a very arrogant man. Artizea even thought that if he refused to meet, she was even planning to bribe the Archbishop to arrange a meeting.

It was about asking for a bit of asceticism, so he would fully listen if she could solve the first encounter issue without harm.

“Keep praying for a moment. He will come soon.”

The monk who guided her all the way here politely said so and closed the door. Alphonse was forced to retreat and followed the monk.

Artizea touched the scripture on the prayer table. The cover, which originally would have been made of high-quality leather, was so old that it tattered like a cloth.

Artizea opened any page she knew, and she looked at it. She memorized the scripture while studying, but she never opened it when she had time. She did not believe in God.

No, she didn’t mean to think there was no God. Artizea saw the saint, and witnessed the miracles caused by the saint. There is no evidence that there is a God more clearly than that.

However, she never had a desire to turn to God. All that God did for the many injustices and cruelties was to send one Lysia down. And the strength she had as the saint was not enough to protect her own body.

So God was not interested enough to care for even incompetent or righteous human beings. She did not feel that she would be saved just by relying on such an entity.

‘Even if I could be saved, I wouldn’t depend on it.’

It does not end with the salvation of one’s own soul. If God forgives you without repaying all of your sins, is it all over?

It is a mystery. Artizea is not even a faithful believer, let alone a priest. She didn’t know whether God’s forgiveness could absolve everything, or whether it was the story of some laws that existed far from the world.

Artizea reopened the scripture. Then, she knelt down at the prayer table, straightening the hem of her skirt.

This is because she intends to appear a little faithful when Brother Colton comes.

Still, it was a little different from before. Artizea hasn’t done anything bad enough for Colton’s eyes. She bribed the temple, but that was something that any noblemen would do when they wanted something.

‘As a subject of enlightenment, she introduced Lysia and made friends to know more than just advice on charity work… ‘

While thinking, she formally put her hands together and took a prayer position.

Something stuck Artizea’s body like a lightning bolt.

《Return!》

Artizea lost consciousness and fell in place.

***

A tent was set up in front of Thold Gate.

Three flags were erected: one white flag, one flag of the Evron Grand Duchy, and one flag of the Krates Empire.

On the other side, there were rooms for other flags.

“Do you have to go out yourself?”

The fortress commander asked with an anxious face. Cedric said.

“What’s the point if I don’t meet them in person? They wouldn’t trust you over there.”

“But……”

“Don’t worry. Don’t you believe me?”

“I’m not saying that, but…”

“The risks are the same between each party. We should show our sincerity as well.”

On this side, they took the risk of opening the gates and leaving. Their side, they risk coming within range.

However, the fortress commander said, unable to hide his worries.

“Your Grace is the Master of Evron. Even if someone comes from over there, it wouldn’t be the King of Karam, would it?”

“I don’t think Karam has even made a tactic to set up a negotiating table to kill me. But just in case, as soon as I leave, close the gate firmly and keep it from collapsing. That’s your job.”

“Your Grace.”

From far away, a group of Karam with white flags in their hands began to move. The number was a little over twenty.

Cedric ordered the number of escorts to match as well. Inside the castle gate, knights equipped with heavy equipment stood by to run out at any time. In case the gate opening period was delayed, another group of knights was hidden in the nearby hill forest. In case of emergency, rescue teams will rush in from both sides.

Even so, the anxiety doesn’t completely go away. Even if the venue is within the range of the guns, there is Cedric, it cannot be bombarded with artillery fire. When it comes to a battle on an open field, even if both sides are lightly armed and they suddenly fight, humans can never beat Karam.

It wasn’t that Cedric didn’t know the worries of those around him. However, Cedric pretended not to know and headed out.

A small door on the castle gate opened.

The vassals of the Grand Duchy also found this to be unsatisfactory. It is natural that they could not open the main gate because of the danger, but they could not accept that Cedric went out through the side gate.

Cedric took twenty escorts and headed to the venue. A table and two chairs were placed in the conference hall. There was nothing other than that. It was to show that he did not hide weapons or ambush.

Hannah was waiting, then lowered her head. The hooded man standing next to her bowed his head deeply.

“Nice to meet you, Borok. Is it Deck next to you?”

The man stabbed the Karam on his side. That Karam bowed his head in a hurry.

There was a rumbling sound. Borok said.

“It’s an honor to see you, Grand Duke Evron. My younger brother is saying that, too.”

“You’re welcome to take off the hood.”

Borok hesitated a little. But he soon removed the hood.

There was one more eye on Borok’s head. Conversely, Deck had four arms, but only two eyes.

Knights stationed at Thold Gate were familiar with both mixed-blood and Karam. No one was astonished even when they saw the strange appearance to the human eye.

“Thanks to you, I am grateful that today’s meeting has been established. Even if there is no special reward, I will fully acknowledge the achievements to both of you.”

“It’s enough that the fight has a chance to stop.”

Said Borok.

It was not long after Artizea left that the intention of the conversation was mutually confirmed. However, it took more than a month to find an interpreter. If they were bartering, using body language also made communication possible. However, proper language was required for the two forces to meet and talk. There’s also a need for a trustworthy interpreter.

Without these mixed-breed brothers, the conference would not have been established yet.

Borok and Deck were twins. One resembles humans, and the other resembles Karam.

The structure of the vocal cords was different, but since they lived together their entire life, the words worked. They couldn’t speak the other person’s language, but they could understand it.

There were quite a few cases where communication was possible even among mixed-race families or even those living adjacent to Karam. In Hannah’s village, there was a separate sign language that could only be communicated within the village for mixed blood that could not be spoken.

However, it was rare for half-blooded siblings to understand the other person’s words so quickly, and similar appearances were not common. It was Hannah’s achievement for finding these two. Because their family had nowhere to be accepted, they hid their homes near the border and lived as hunters and herbalists.

And from then on, the conditions of the meeting were negotiated after passing through a long correspondence.

Soon an envoy from Karam arrived.

Karam originally did not have the custom of lifting white flags. However, the one who took the lead was holding a white flag, and the one who came after him also held another flag, formally.

The first to enter the tent was the one who had previously met Cedric face-to-face from above and below the walls.

Since that day, this was the first time they faced each other for a month and a half. But Cedric could clearly recognize his face.

The expression on that Karam’s face was the same as that of humans. The young face somehow distinguished him from other Karam.

Borok said to Cedric in a low voice.

“This is Apua. He is the prince of the largest tribe in Karam.”

The original title was longer and more complex. Position was difficult to understand with human concepts. But Borok said briefly.

While Borok was speaking, Deck moved to that Karam. Borok, in reverse, translated Deck’s words. It was supposed to convey all the words that went to and from each other.

“I have introduced you as the master of Evron.”

“Please sit down.”

It was when Cedric suggested a seat.

Apua put one hand in his pocket. Cedric’s knight, worried about him pulling out a weapon, reached out to the gun at the same time. He came with a gun loaded in advance.

But what Apua took out was a sheet of paper.

Deck hesitated to take the paper and hand it over to Borok. Borok opened the paper and showed it to Cedric.

Inside, the following sentence was written in clumsy and crooked writing like a child.

[I’m here to pick up what’s going to happen in 20 years.]

Cedric looked at Apua, and read the sentence below it again.

[I know that among the powerful men, only you are the one who can communicate. The fallen monarch.]

Cedric gave strength to his hand. Then he looked at Apua.