The Villainess Lives Twice

Chapter 103

Proofreader: somnium

Grand Duchess Roygar tilted her head.

“Thanks to Cedric?”

“Because making wine requires a lot of labor. But last year, the labor cost was too high. Oh, the vintage was great, but it was hard to find people, so the production was small. Our winery only got half of the previous year.”

The productivity of the East is enormous.

It was not comparable to the metropolitan area. However, except for the capital, the eastern part has developed all kinds of industries with the highest population density.

In particular, the eastern part was holding an industry that needed a suitable climate and rich soil, such as agriculture.

While the West sowed wheat and grazed sheep on the vast plains, the East grew commodity crops and developed a processing industry.

From tea, wine, silk, tobacco, medicinal materials, and fruit processing, industries that require all of the technology, labor and infrastructure are mainly in the East.

Many of the expensive luxury goods consumed in the capital were produced in the East, and because of this, large landowners and companies grew.

Industrial development in the East was more stable than anything else.

In the West, where monster waves occur regularly, it was not easy to even build an orchard that had to be cultivated for many years, let alone investing in infrastructure.

In addition, the monster wave maximized the profits of the eastern landlords and giant traders.

When the monster wave occurs, refugees soon follow.

While this catastrophe was akin to natural disaster, it did not affect the entire empire at the same time like a flood or drought. It unilaterally brought down only the West.

Westerners whose living base had collapsed, became migrants and flowed into the metropolitan area and the eastern part. And they become a cheap labor force.

After a few years, some return to their hometown. However, many of them stayed as they were.

It played a role in regularly bringing the population into the eastern part and the metropolitan area.

Eastern farmers are also unable to respond to the exploitation. The immigrant labor force that needed to be placed is overflowing. There is a monster wave in the west, so you can’t even leave the place.

However, Cedric stopping the Monster Wave last time changed the situation.

The primary part is that the occurrence of migrants is minimized due to the small amount of land swept away by the monster wave. What had a greater influence than that was the perception of people.

Until now, the Empire has not always been helpless to the Monster Wave.

There were times when the Western Army was more organized. Sometimes an excellent commander even emerged and stopped it. Even if the Western Army collapsed, the central army would be deployed to resolve it.

But no one had ever given hope. Even if any great generals stopped the monster wave without damage, they won’t be there next time.

If they had both ability and ambition, they can join the central army with their raised men or become the Emperor’s bodyguard.

If they had the ability but were not ambitious, they were often framed by someone who envied their achievements and expelled or purged by the Emperor’s hatred.

Regardless of whether they were transferred or demoted, they would leave anyway. And the next monster wave takes place again.

The westerners were in a state of resignation.

But Cedric is different.

He was the shield of the north, and the hero of the west. He will not leave because of transfer or demotion.

He had a system and rebuilt the Western Army, and instead of dedicating it to the Emperor, he left it for western defense.

And he was a member of the imperial family.

Its symbolism wasn’t small. The westerners gained the belief that the imperial family did not throw them away.

The Monster Wave, which will come back a few years later, will be stopped by Grand Duke Evron.

Then there is no need to leave.

The reality that Cedric is actually under pressure from the Emperor is not involved in that belief.

Although few people knew him well, it wasn’t enough to influence the general trend of relief.

The refugees turned away and returned to the desolate land. Helping each other with neighbors, they refurbished their home. The Western Army helped with that.

It was a subtle thing for Grand Duke Roygar.

It doesn’t matter if the west is solid. However, an increase in labor costs in the East was not what he wanted.

His personal fortune is concentrated in the East.

Even if he became emperor, there wasn’t much difference.

Grand Duke Roygar’s supporters are the coalition of the great nobles and the great lords. If one becomes the emperor by one’s own power, that power becomes not only of one’s own, but the power that rests on one’s supporters.

After all, it is no different from the one who was elected out of several nobles.

Someday he would take them all out and regain the imperial authority. To do this, his personal wealth was more important than the development of the entire empire.

This is because it was one of the means in which he can gain an upper hand against his subjects in the future.

[“It is greed that moves Grand Duke Roygar. Remember that.”]

Artizea taught Hayley about the main figures in the capital and said so.

[“People cannot easily escape from their own experiences. If nature and experience coincide, it is even more so.”]

Artizea said.

[“Grand Duke Roygar was only 10 years old when the predecessor Emperor was ousted. The predecessor’s Grand Duchess obtained the minimal protection by becoming Evron’s Grand Duchess, but Grand Duke Roygar was still in the hands of the Empress Dowager. After some time, he even lost his mother.”]

And when he was 13 years old, his brother-in-law and sister-in-law were driven to death.

The memory of that time could not be easily erased by Grand Duke Roygar.

[“At the time, Lord Cedric was a small child, but Evron’s protection was still there. In the first place, the reason Lord Cedric was kept alive was to keep Evron, so his life wasn’t in danger for a while.”]

[“In addition, because Evron Grand Duchy has independence and military power, it can become a shield. It is also the last resort to fighting the mainland.”]

[“Yes, but in the first place, it’s possible because it’s Evron.”]

[“Yes. I understand what you mean.”]

[“However, because Grand Duke Roygar had only inherited wealth. He didn’t have a vassal who could act as a guardian, unlike Evron, the whole estate didn’t throw themselves to protect him.”]

He had to survive on his own, and he ceased to believe in the trust itself without reason.

What anyone can trust at the end is the power in their own hands. In his case, it was wealth.

After all, the throne is for him a means to survive. It is not easy to give up the power you hold right now to obtain an uncertain means.

[“People understand others in the light of oneself. If so, who is the most incomprehensible for Grand Duke Roygar?”]

Hayley only remembered the conversation.

But now she could keenly understand why Artizea expressed Grand Duke Roygar in the single word of greed.

Grand Duke Roygar only counts the monster wave as a cost. He thinks first of the impact it had on his personal wealth rather than the entire empire.

Besides, the meaning of what he said was a stab at her.

It’s good if she panics and reveals her weaknesses, but it doesn’t matter. In the first place, he wouldn’t have expected anything. She, who has just become a lady-in-waiting, is not even the subject of conversation, let alone to negotiate.

Hayley looked serious.

It wasn’t something she could answer at random. But at a moment like this, she has only one thing she can say as a people of the Evron Grand Duchy, and much more, as the daughter of Jordyn.

She thought and thought, and the result was the same as what Mel would have come up without thinking.

“Our Grace is a person with a strong sense of responsibility. It is natural to save the West and I don’t think he thought of it as an honor. And since he’s been in the West for three years, he must have had a lot of affection.”

In fact, she hasn’t spoken with Cedric about the matter, but Hayley said confidently; It is conscious to use the expression ‘save’.

“It’s just embarrassing that Grand Duke Roygar was so disappointed.”

Then Grand Duke Roygar grinned.

“Who said I was disappointed?”

“….”

“It was Cedric who saved the West, but I was sorry that he didn’t get the right compensation for his deed.”

Because he spoke casually, Hayley wandered without hiding her expression for a moment.

But, it was rather unsophisticated to say ‘I didn’t mean it that way.’ or, once again ‘Cedric didn’t do it in the light of reward.’

Grand Duke laughed loudly.

“The western granary… “

He had never mentioned the granary so far, but he said so now. Hayley’s back went stiff.

“It’s fertile and good land.”

A sign of peace lingered in the face of Grand Duke Roygar.

If Cedric’s wishes were to control the western granary, it could be convincing and negotiable.

It is also an advantage that there is nothing to get out of hand right now because there is the right to give it after becoming the Emperor anyway. There are also few concerns about internal competition as there are no forces that covet the West.

Taking a boat to share interests was a form of cooperation that was easy for Grand Duke Roygar to understand.

He looked at Grand Duchess Roygar and said.

“Honey, invite her sooner or later. Maybe you’re closer to her age than me, it’s easier to get along with each other than with me? We need to repay the precious gift.”

“I understand.”

“Also, introduce Lady Hayley to other people.”

Grand Duke Roygar said so and stood up.

Hayley stood up after him, then Grand Duke Roygar said,

“I am not the owner of the salon, but make yourself at home.”

“Thank you for your undeserved hospitality. If I may, can I get a bottle of wine?”

“Oh, I guess you like it.”

“Because I’m a Northerner, I don’t know the taste of wine, so I’ll take this opportunity to learn.”

At Hayley’s words, Grand Duke Roygar laughed. And he ordered the servant to bring several bottles of wine.

***

On the way back from the Empress’ Palace, Artizea stopped at the temple.

It wasn’t the Abbey where she met Cedric, it was a small temple in the capital.

“Do you often stop by temples?”

It wasn’t on the original schedule. However, Lysia wondered because she turned around and headed for the temple.

While in Evron, Artizea did not visit the temple much. This was new.

She said with her eyes closed.

“Just a little. I have time left.”

“Yes.”

Lysia nodded her head slowly back and forth.

“There is a retired old bishop at the temple we’re going to now. Now, he’s a monk who lives quietly.”

“Yes.”

“I’m going to see him. He’s unusually innocent, and he’s close to the lives of the common people. I wonder if I’d get advice on charity work.”

Artizea originally intended to entrust Lysia with a charity work; starting with the grain business in the West.

She thought there was no need to hurry, so she lowered the priority, but decided to get started quickly. Then she can naturally send Lysia away.

And when she arrived at the temple, she ran into an unexpected person.

“Marchioness Camellia.”

“It’s been a long time. Grand Duchess Evron.”

Marchioness Camellia, dressed in a simple brown dress and half covered her face with a veil, greeted her.

Artizea hardened her face. Why is she, who cares for her salon, not in the salon at this time?

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