The Villainess Lives Twice

Chapter 277

Proofreader: somnium

Cedric kicked Rye’s leg, knocking him to the ground before lowering himself to the ground.

A wooden barrel was smashed right next to Rye and pickled vegetables spilled out. Rye crawled against the broken building wall.

Any more gunpowder? He does not know. His hands and feet trembled.

Even though Rye had lived a life of violence, he had no combat experience. He couldn’t figure out what was going on.

All he understood was that Cedric told them to disperse.

Cedric rolled on the floor.

He hid himself in the shade of a nearby building. The Evron knights who were protecting Cedric were scattered all at once.

It was because being by Cedric’s side could, on the contrary, indicate the location of the target.

It was already night. There were torches, but few were able to shoot at people in this light.

Even if there is, it wouldn’t be someone the secret organization could mobilize.

‘The number is not enough to make a fire line.’

Cedric thought as he heard the gunfire. Beside him, the rotten walls of the old shack cracked and shattered.

‘Is there more gunpowder?’

The key was that. Gunpowder was a strictly controlled item in the central region, but it was not reliable now.

“Uwaaakk!”

Someone screamed. It wasn’t a shot, but a shout out of surprise.

“The security forces shot!”

“It’s not the security forces, what kind of bastard!”

“The Crown Prince was shot!”

Shouts filled with fear and confusion spread from here and there.

“The Crown Prince deceived us!”

There were people who said that, unknown whether it was an attention diverter or a crazy person.

Of course, that was absurd. If the riot was going to be suppressed hard, the security forces would have just come armed.

There was no need to come all the way to this place and deceive them.

However, there were not many people who thought rationally at that point. They picked up the club and knife they had put down, but the direction of fear and anger did not change.

Surprisingly, the security forces poured in.

“Dewin! Connor!”

Cedric exclaimed.

Two knights heard the order and ran out of the alley. It was to block the security force.

After a while, the shooting stopped. The loaded gun was emptied.

Cedric waited for a while. If the enemy is accustomed to assassination, they will leave a loaded gun waiting for him to reveal himself.

While holding their breath, the remaining knights moved in all directions.

There were not many tall buildings in the slums.

Moreover, there were many buildings that had been destroyed by the riot, so it was obvious where the ones who shot were hiding.

The five minutes was breathtakingly long. Security forces entered the crowd indiscriminately. A man full of wrath overturned the oil barrel to set the fire.

It will be a moment before the induced disturbance becomes a real riot.

Cedric hesitated for a moment. But he soon ran out of the shade.

“This, damn it……!”

Rye swore. He doesn’t know if it was because he believed in him, but there was not a single knight left who should have stayed close to the master.

He knows what Cedric was trying to do, but there’s no one to help. Eventually, Rye followed after him.

Cedric jumped over the wooden crate he had piled to make a railing. Then he pulled his pistol from his waist and pulled the trigger.

Bang!

Eyes gathered on one spot.

Rye raised the torch high to reveal Cedric’s face.

Cedric’s face, smeared with soot and mud, was much more human than before.

“Don’t be afraid! The Imperial Family will protect you!”

A loud cry echoed through the streets.

“Go home!”

It was a command to the crowd and a signal to the security forces.

The crowd dispersed like a swarm of ants that were hit by water at once. The security forces were also confused. A gong was heard. It was the sound of ordering the security forces to retreat.

There was a second shot. He didn’t know where the sound was coming from. Rye threw the torch and fell to the ground.

Cedric jumped beside him. At that moment, as if waiting, four men disguised as a mob rushed in.

Cedric turned his pistol upside down and smacked his opponent in the face with the grip. He simultaneously grabbed the other with his left hand and used it as a shield.

“Kugh!”

Two knives were lodged in the body of the first to jump.

“Ack!”

One of them was shot by Cedric without even letting go of his sword.

Cedric dropped the man he was holding onto the floor and hurriedly drew his sword.

A sword the length of his forearm was being aimed at Cedric’s chest.

Kaang!

Cedric parried it off without difficulty. And then he drove the momentum and cut off the opponent’s chest.

“Keugh!”

The man who had his chest cut off could not even scream properly and bled to death.

The last one swung his sword with a frightened face. Cedric looked at him calmly.

If it was against a gun, he doesn’t know, but he would never lose if it was one-on-one with an opponent with a sword.

Even more so when dealing with someone who is so frightened.

“Ack!”

The sword bounced off, and the arm and thigh were cut at once. The man screamed and rolled on the floor.

“Huwaa!”

Those who were near and saw this scene fell down in terror.

Cedric reflexively pointed his gun at it, but he lowered his arm.

There couldn’t have been only four people hiding in the crowd. He showed his face a little while ago, so they’ll be flocking this way.

In fact, that’s what he wanted to do.

Cedric said to Rye as he reloaded his pistol.

“Tie up and lock up the survivors. Maybe I might be able to use them.”

“What the hell are you going to do?”

Then the two knights returned.

“Everyone who fired from a high position was subdued. We recovered 60 muskets.”

“I’m going to places where there are no people.”

Cedric said in a low tone.

The gun was a weapon with strict management. He didn’t think he would have been robbed to three digits.

It is impossible to form a fire line again.

If so, it was okay to move to a sparsely populated place with a small number of people. If a battle took place here, casualties could have been incurred.

It is a law to not miss the meat by burying the bait too deeply.

“Divide the crowd. The Guards will come soon.”

Cedric spoke to Rye and began to move in stride. The crowd nearby stepped back in fear.

After that, the knights who had finished their work followed in groups. Everyone had their weapons drawn.

Seeing his back, Rye clenched his teeth.

The married couple was very similar in the way that they could do it and they could use people however they want.

“Is my fate fixed…… !”

Rye could not tell whether the coming of the Guards was as a reinforcement army or a subjugation army.

Anyway, he had to make an effort to do what he was told. Rye looked around looking for his comrade.

＊＊＊

The Emperor was lying quietly in his bedroom.

It was quiet in the depths of the Imperial Palace. No one informed the Emperor that something was going on.

However, the Emperor could sense that the density of the air was different from usual.

The number of guards guarding the bedroom seemed to be less than usual.

“Willie.”

He called the chief attendant in a low voice.

“What’s going on?”

He did not expect the chief attendant to give complete information. Whether it was the Guards or someone from the attendants, it was clear that there was a watcher.

The power of the chief attendant is all given by the Emperor himself. He lay so ill that the chief attendant could hardly exercise any visible power.

If the chief attendant trembled and shook because he had said something useless with his mouth, there was nothing good about it.

The chief attendant said cautiously,

“It is said that there was a riot in Rev Street.”

“And?”

Even the Emperor thought it was not information that needed to be hidden. There were occasional riots in the slums that swept the streets.

The chief attendant answered,

“It seems that the Crown Prince personally went there.”

“…… Foolish.”

The Emperor closed his eyes and murmured.

The slum riot was not a matter of concern. It was the Capital’s garbage dump.

The riots that took place there usually started as a fight between gangs.

Occasionally, it happened towards the Empire.

But anyway, that’s what the poor and wretched things said. Not only the nobles and bureaucrats, but also a few commoners listened to them.

After the public security calmed down the situation, it would be over if they gave them food in moderation and comforted them.

What they need to watch out for is when the backlash spreads outside the slums.

“It seems that the Crown Prince heard the word and went out after the temple was destroyed in protest for the return of the Saintess.”

“…….”

The Emperor let out a small sigh and closed his eyes again.

It wasn’t something to be concerned about.

“Still.”

The Emperor murmured. The chief attendant carefully wiped his forehead with a wet towel.

“Your Majesty…….”

“You go and get some rest. What to do next to someone who was sleeping anyway?”

“Forgive me, Your Majesty…….”

“You have stayed by my side for a long time.”

The Emperor spoke as if taunting. Now he wanted to be alone.

The chief attendant replied, “Yes,” and cautiously stepped back.

As if he had read the Emperor’s desire to remain quiet, he took all the others aside from the two guards and retreated.

The bedroom was quiet.

The Emperor surrendered himself to a sense of helplessness with his eyes closed.

He still wasn’t sure if this was the Empress’ revenge or Cedric’s usurpation.

In a way, it could have been a passive usurpation. As it is, he is waiting to die, making it impossible for him to obtain the orders to clean up.

His mind wandered.

He was disgusted.

But he was the master of the Empire. The Empire belonged to him. He has dedicated his life to making the sentence a fact.

Destroying the Crown Prince without any alternative at this point will only lead to the destruction of the Empire.

If so, should he endure it like this? Nothing will change though.

Since Countess Eunice has sent a message, Countess Josiah will return.

If he dies quietly in the presence of his daughters, he will not see harsh conditions after death.

Cedric was still his adopted son. The genealogy will continue from him, and his name will remain in the imperial court.

Nevertheless, he used to feel the illusion that his mind was boiling.

It was then.

The door opened silently.