The Villainess Lives Twice

Proofreader: somnium

At that moment, the correct response Hayley should have given was, “What is that nonsense?”

But she couldn’t. It’s because she had never been asked so directly before.

Hayley realized that the facade was broken. She was the real power within the Empress’ palace, but in front of Mel, she was nothing more than a younger sister with a big age-gap.

“It’s none of your business.”

In the end, Hayley responded with a blush.

Thinking that she had made a mistake, she looked around and the gazes of the attendants scattered all over the place.

Hayley was now the most eligible bachelorette in the social world, and Freil was the most eligible bachelor.

Both were public attendants of the Emperor, and were favored by the Emperor and the Empress by their own ability. Moreover, she was not the heir who would inherit the family.

So, if they could bring her into their family through marriage, they could get the full influence.

In addition, Hayley had the added bonus of having a tie with County Jordyn.

Some thought it was an advantage, and some thought that Freil was better, but anyway it was certain that every parent with a son at least 17 and older but younger than twenty-five was salivating.

Apart from important information of the Empress’ Palace that they did not dare to access, this must have been the best money-making information.

Aside from that, of course, it was an interesting story. How could they do a hard day’s work without these little fun things?

Hazel and Mielle had an interested face without even trying to hide it.

Hayley grimaced. Mel said with a sullen face,

“As an older sister, I can’t stand seeing you having a relationship you can’t define.”

“It’s not like that! Where the hell did you hear that from?”

“I can tell just by looking at the letters you write. It seems that you are still in doubt.”

Hayley kept her mouth open and couldn’t shut it. Naturally, she never wrote such a story in her letter. In the first place, she wasn’t the type of person to write a sloppy story.

Mel didn’t even tell her by which context of the alteration within the letter she noticed, she said sternly.

“As you can see, the North is at a very important crossroads right now. Your reckless love affair can’t ruin His Majesty’s Northern policy.”

“Sister, it’s not like that!”

“If it’s not a wrong relationship, you can meet the parents sooner or later.”

It was then.

Apparently, Freil suddenly appeared from the opposite side of the hallway.

An earthquake occurred in Hayley’s pupil.

The gazes of the attendants rushed towards it, and then dispersed as if they had been hit by a bomb.

“Pfft.”

Hazel finally burst. Mielle pulled her hand to stop her, but there was an unbearable smile on her lips as well.

Only the ignorant Freil tilted his head. But he first greeted Mel in a military salute.

“Long time no see, Dame Mel. It must be hard coming a long way to the Capital.”

“It was nothing. Nice to see you again.”

Instead of greeting him with a military salute, she greeted him with the usual salute. This was because she dropped her military post when she became Artizea’s lady-in-waiting.

Freil said,

“His Majesty has left all the time available for tomorrow afternoon. Before that, I thought it would be better for you to prepare a briefing with me first, so I came to see you.”

“Right.”

“There are things we need to discuss about security. Did I come too early?”

Freil looked at Hayley. Hayley raised her eloquent eyebrows, but Freil looked back at Mel, having no idea why she was doing it.

“If you are going to have a family conversation…….”

“No, it’s not a big deal.”

Mel answered.

Freil turned to Hayley again with suspicious eyes.

Hayley now looked away from him and rolled her eyes down. Behind her, Hazel was still grinning, and Mielle was biting her lip.

Mel had an unchanging face. Freil felt something threatening, but he had no choice.

He shouldn’t have come out of the hallway when he felt the attendants’ gazes were terribly sharp.

Hazel interjected slightly,

“Well, Sir Freil and Miss Mel, are you two close?”

Hayley’s eyes were stinging, but Hazel did not give in to those gazes, how else could she be called Belmond’s daughter?

Mel had a dull face, but Freil’s eyes rolled. It’s just a question that’s not a big deal, but the atmosphere was strange.

However, he had to calmly tell the truth because it was something he had to answer,

“I was in Sir Mel’s army when I was a squire.”

“Oh my goodness~ ack!”

Hazel covered her mouth with excitement. Mielle pinched Hazel’s side.

Hayley interrupted in a cold voice.

“Stop talking nonsense. If you’re going to talk about security, we’ll be going.”

“It’s within the Empress’ Palace, so we need Miss Hayley’s help.”

“The chief lady-in-waiting is Older sister. You can decide, and if there is something you need, I can do it.”

Hayley said it, unclear whether it was to Mel or Freil. She turned around, beckoning Hazel and Mielle to go back.

The two hesitated. Mel is the chief lady-in-waiting, so if they had to follow either one it would be Mel.

But Hazel was used to following Hayley, and Mielle had to go to Leticia now. She didn’t think she was allowed to intervene in Freil’s business.

Without a word, Mel beckoned them to follow Hayley. Hazel asked politely,

“Can we really follow Hayley?”

“I told Hayley earlier, but I have no intention of meddling in what you guys are doing. Make yourself comfortable. And now, I want you to step down.”

Hazel and Mielle quickly greeted and left the place.

Mel also dismissed the attendants. And she started walking side by side with Freil.

“There must be a lot of things that are unfamiliar to you. There are many eyes, ears, and mouths.”

“I made a commitment. So I have to do it.”

“Did you unpack your luggage? Are you and your children uncomfortable?”

“They set up a separate place for the children in the Empress’ Palace. By the baby’s room.”

“It is the safest place. Still, your husband will be concerned.”

“Aren’t the kids old enough to be separated now? It is an honor to be close to the Princess.”

“But I remember he was a conservative person. Did you have any trouble coming to the Capital?”

“He’s just a little bit worried, but he’s not a man who doesn’t know what’s important.”

Mel gave a faintly warm smile.

“The North is changing much faster than you can imagine.”

As if waiting for someone to give it a chance, the society that had been stagnant for decades began to change explosively.

The flow was at a level that could not be stopped by the worries of stubborn elderly people.

Freil followed her and smiled at her.

“If you said it was going to be like this four years ago, you’d probably get an earful.”

“Anyone in Evron can’t help but be impressed. For good or for bad.”

“Yes.”

“So, have you made a decision?”

“Did Dame Mel recommend me as Governor of the North?”

“I have put up a few words so that His Majesty may deduce who is right. His Majesty was originally thinking that it should be someone unrelated to Jordyn.”

“Well…….”

Mel stopped her steps and looked at Freil.

“Things are pretty complicated. Even if the world is changing, Evron’s isolationism has not completely disappeared. The new Governor of the North will have to keep Alia Wall and Thold Gates open at the same time, while hiding what’s going on in Evron to a reasonable degree from the mainland. It is an added bonus to exhort those who are dissatisfied.”

“It doesn’t seem like a humanly possible thing to do just from listening to it.”

“But that’s what our Master wants. For Evron.”

Freil looks complicated.

“Are you willing to lead the North?”

When asked if he had any ambitions, he could have answered none at all.

Power should only be sufficient to allow one’s own body to function freely.

It was nice to have wealth, but he didn’t think it was worth sacrificing something to achieve it.

The life that Freil wanted was a life where he worked moderately, got home before sunset, had a book he wanted to read, had a drink with delicious snacks, and then fell asleep.

‘Wait, wipe your tears.’

He did not become the Emperor’s favorite and became a powerful person, but rather, he became a slave who can’t do anything about his life.

But Evron was his hometown.

Just as Hayley in the past was frustrated with her love for Evron, hopeful but loathed, he had many thoughts.

After thinking about things for the past few days, he suddenly realized why he was staying as an aide.

He is not the leader himself. He wasn’t sure about the ultimate ideal that the world should change into.

He was accustomed to setting up a strategy for a given goal and measuring success and failure. But he couldn’t set goals with his own mind. He wasn’t sure he should.

He wasn’t the kind of person who could set a goal that was unlikely to be possible.

However, being the Governor is probably not something that can be done with that kind of mindset.

[“Sir has too many thoughts.”]

Artizea had said that before. Freil couldn’t use himself completely as a means as she did.

But it was Evron.

Freil knew he was strategically suited to Cedric’s goals.

Evron was his hometown, and there was a lot he had been thinking about.

There is no one who is not completely political. Everyone has ideals about the land in which they live.

So maybe.

The anguish on his face reflected his troubles. Mel said,

“If you are hesitant, you should not do it.”

“…… Yes.”

“Well, there is still time. Think about it.”

Freil nodded his head.

“By the way.”

“Yes.”

“Know that when there are tears in Hayley’s eyes, you will see drops of blood come out of your pores.”

Mel uttered a terrifying word in a tone not unlike the story she had just told him a moment ago.

Freil’s legs understood the words before his head. His steps stopped involuntarily.

“Yes?”

He asked back, but Mel didn’t answer. Instead, the scabbard around her waist rattled.

Drops of blood hadn’t come out of Freil’s pores yet, but a cold sweat was pouring out.