The Villainess Lives Twice

Defense is not Artizea’s long-term strategy.

The reason she was more likely to win in the past was because she didn’t hesitate to sacrifice her people.

Until Lysia married Lawrence, she had only two people to protect, Miraila and Lawrence.

Besides, the Emperor protected them like a strong wall, so Artizea only had to think about attacking her opponent.

But Cedric could not defend himself against this problem.

Whatever he says, in the end, it just sounds like an excuse. Even if he wins in an argument, his name only has the effect of deepening the stigma as the words apostate and Northerner are mentioned more often together.

So she had to figure this out on her own.

“It is unfair to discuss this now. You didn’t invite a priest to decide whether or not this is apostasy.”

Artizea looked at the Marquis Blancro and said regretfully.

Marquis Blancro admitted it plainly,

“Your Grace’s words are correct. This subject didn’t have enough thoughts.”

Like Marquis Blancro, those who agreed with faith nodded their heads.

On the other hand, those who spoke with a sense of responsibility hardened their faces. But no one spoke to the contrary.

In the first place, it was because Marquis Blancro came forward and said it, so they rode on it.

Artizea turned to the nobility, this time to the accusers, including Count Eison.

“The four of you really surprised and perplexed me.”

Artizea gracefully raised her hand and pointed to Negil and Roun.

“I guess it’s because you don’t know how to properly report an apostate directly to His Majesty.”

“…….”

“But you are descendants of a noble family. Wouldn’t it be better to do a thorough investigation before making a complaint to His Majesty?”

Count Eison’s face contorted.

“Your Grace, are you saying we did something wrong?”

“Whether it’s okay to grow those crops or not, whether it’s apostasy to allow mixed races to live in the imperial lands or not, whether they tell the great temple about this or not, there are temples and priests in the North.”

This time, Artizea glanced at the key figures in the military.

“How the war last year unfolded,”

And she looked back at Count Eison.

“When people with the ability and status to sufficiently investigate, right now without thinking, had recklessly dragged this out in front of His Majesty, how can I not call it disloyal?”

Count Eison looked at the Emperor in astonishment. He knew that the Emperor was aging, but he foolishly thought it would only cause wrath against Cedric.

“Forgive me, Your Majesty. I…… I didn’t think enough.”

Count Eison knelt down on one of his knees. Others followed.

Negil and Roun, who had been on their knees until then, stiffened. Because they thought they would hear something about them, too.

But Artizea ignored them both. As if they weren’t even worth dealing with.

Then, she bowed her head toward the Emperor and spoke softly,

“Please wait. As soon as I heard the news, I sent someone to the temple.”

“You seem convinced that your husband is innocent.”

“Yes. If I have sinned, I have done it to Your Majesty, not my husband before God.”

Cedric’s face, which had remained expressionless until then, was distorted.

“Tia.”

Cedric tried to take one step closer to her.

Artizea rejected it. He has to stay there.

The place he should be now is in front of Evron. Evron is his base. Apart from Cedric’s ideal, realistically, he had to embrace it.

It didn’t take long for people to come from the temple. It was said that Grand Duke Evron was accused of being an apostate, and they could not stand still.

“The Archbishop has arrived!”

In a timely manner, the caller called out.

The audience room door opened wide, and the Archbishop was the first to enter. He was followed by two bishops and six high priests.

They came so quickly that some even wore their robes directly over the monk’s robes.

The Archbishop greeted. Behind him, the bishops bowed their heads following the Archbishop.

“After receiving the news that there was a bizarre accusation, I hurriedly arrived without prior contact.”

“Thank you for coming so quickly.”

The Emperor answered.

“Now, one of the questions posed by Grand Duchess Evron can be answered immediately. There’s no way in so many years we’ve never known that something like this was going on in the northern temple.”

The Archbishop looked towards the witness who had been brought in. And looking into his third eye, he drew a cross.

“Yes, Your Majesty. This has been around for a long time, and there has been a time when the Northern Bishop personally brought an agenda to the Bishops’ council. About whether or not to allow the naming ceremony for the Karam half-blood.”

“I didn’t know anything.”

“It is about people hiding in the remote countryside or mountain villages even in the North. It’s not a story Your Majesty needs to know. Some of the high priests of the temple may not know it.”

“How did the Bishops’ council conclude?”

“No naming ceremony allowed.”

A murmur spread. If no, then the temple did not recognize the mixed race as a human being.

“But there was no conclusion to be burned at the stake. Even though they were born of a demon, they were born to be able to follow the teachings of God. God will grant mercy such as allowing a part of the vacant land to sustain life…….”

The Archbishop continued,

“If you follow God’s teachings for the rest of your life and live a good and faithful life, wouldn’t it be right to hold a naming ceremony before you die and give it to God?”

Those words changed the mood again.

Several people, including Marquis Blancro, put their hands together in front of their chests and prayed for God’s mercy.

Of course, not everyone agreed.

“What does this have to do with God being merciful, and the temple being tolerant?”

Viscount Connor protested.

“The problem is not that you turned a blind eye towards the Karam half-blood, but that Grand Duke Evron actively used them to communicate with Karam. Did the bishops’ council decide that it should be tolerated?”

“That’s right! Before the present Grand Duke, when did anyone else meet Karam so many times?”

“Even if it is the discretion of the military commander, yes. I’ve never heard of anything like truce negotiations with Karam!”

“The accusations of trying to accept Karam’s, Grand Duke Evron said nothing!”

“This is the northern defense that Evron has been protecting! If the apostate breaks it, on the contrary, it only makes the sacrifice meaningless.”

After Count Eison, the accusers shouted one after another.

The Emperor slammed the armrest.

“Don’t you dare make a fuss like a child in front of me!”

A chilly silence descended behind it. The Emperor’s voice rang out clearly.

“Cedric. Although I was informed of the situation of the war last year, it is inevitable that suspicions overlap like this. You will have to explain.”

“I was just doing what I was supposed to do as a defender of the North. I have nothing more to explain than this.”

Cedric said firmly. And he looked at the accusers with cold eyes.

Did they really take pity on the Northerners living there and tried to save them when the northern part really collapsed and became the land of Karam a few decades later?

Or did they even attack Karam in the name of God?

No. All they did was close the gates of Elia Wall. They did not even accept the refugees.

All of this was just a means to accuse him. It wasn’t even a religious debate.

It would be good if the fight could be avoided with clever words. If deception was necessary, he would do it, and if excuses could solve the problem, he could do so.

But for them it was not necessary. No matter what he said, they were determined to nitpick and drag him.

Cedric looked at Negil and said,

“Your opinion is that Evron must remain miserable before you can suck on their fortune. If you look at it after ten years, you will even get attached to a passing dog, but it is a shame that you want your neighbors to starve for the sake of profit.”

“But there will be nothing wrong with what I say. Grand Duke is someone who can even work with Karam for the sake of Evron.”

Unfortunately, those words were convincing even to those who believed in Cedric’s personality.

At the same time, Negil’s intention was achieved.

Cedric is a Northerner and an apostate.

Not because he is evil, but because he cares and loves the North.

The Emperor and the Archbishop hardened their faces. Because they realized how this would work politically in the future.

Rather, Cedric had a calm face.

Because it wasn’t the first time he had to go through it. It was something he had done all his life to stand up to tidal waves of attacks.

He knew what his weaknesses were. And he had no intention of throwing it away, so he had no choice but to hold on and do what he had to do until others believed he was sincere.

Artizea bit her lower lip.

Defense was also a difficult task. If the attack fails, it can be restarted elsewhere. The sword of conspiracy has a chance to be stopped even before it is wielded.

The success rate increases when traps are placed in several places. Even one or two successes can weaken your opponent.

However, it was impossible to avoid all offenses from the standpoint of the defender. Especially if you have something to lose.

As long as the castle is there, you have no choice but to fight back.

Now, she couldn’t hesitate. After all, she had no choice but to wipe out all these stories with something else.

She lightly stepped forward.

“All these accusations are meaningless before the word of God.”

At the same time, she raised her divine energy.

At Artizea’s feet, her divine energy burned brightly. The pure white light shattered as if she had stepped on glittering jewel powder, then wrapped around Artizea’s body and soared up.

There is nothing in her divine powers other than to shine. Only to prove itself.

And that was all she needed now.

“I hid the truth because I could not handle it. But when things have come to this, it has become

obligatory to reveal them.”

Artizea didn’t look back at Cedric. She did not look at the Archbishop and the priests who knelt on his knees as if they had waited.

Artizea looked directly at the Emperor who had wide-open eyes in shock, and focused only on him.

“It was me, not Leticia, who received the Grace.”

This was a direct confrontation with the Emperor. The Emperor would not want Cedric to gain a legitimacy that was not based on him.

But now it was almost at the end. Even if Cedric’s legitimacy was made in a separate place from the Emperor, the Emperor could not immediately cancel the Coronation Ceremony.

There won’t be enough time to come up with a new scheme.

If it had to be done anyway, the priority was to reinforce the fortress walls rather than thinking of a new scheme.

Artizea declared,

“God has told me that I will become the Empress.”

Of course, that is a lie.

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