The Villainess Lives Twice

Proofreader: somnium

“Dad, dad!”

Leticia shouted and clung to Cedric’s leg. Cedric raised his leg.

“Kyaahaha! Up uuuppp!”

Leticia exclaimed excitedly as her body floated in the air. Cedric smiled at her and held her up.

“Dad, again! Me again!”

“No, Dad will be scolded if caught.”

“Want to up!”

Reluctantly, Cedric threw Leticia lightly into the air. Leticia laughed softly.

“Your Majesty.”

Mrs. Keshore, who hastily followed Leticia, uttered a voice of reproach.

“You can’t keep teaching her dangerous games.”

“I will be careful.”

Cedric had no choice but to answer that.

The servants who had been watching bowed their heads to express their apology because they could not dare say no to the Emperor.

“Mom is very strict. So do other people.”

Mielle said. Cedric said to Leticia with a smile on his face,

“Look at that, Dad got scolded.”

“Hng.”

Leticia hugged Cedric’s neck and let out a grunt. Her ticklish breath touched his cheek. Cedric laughed unconsciously.

The baby, whom he didn’t know if she had weight or not, was now quite heavy. Thinking about that, he wondered how many days left when he could throw her like this when she asked for it.

Cedric always felt sorry for Leticia, probably because he didn’t see her every day. He tries to make the time so they can be together, but there is so much to do.

As a result, it was difficult to be strict to Leticia when she was begging.

“What did you play today?”

“Aunt here.”

“Aunt Charlotte?”

“Yes. She talk with Mom. She no read picture books to me.”

“Dad will read it to you.”

“Mom will read to me in the evening. Dad read to me, too?”

“Yes.”

Cedric replied with a grin. Leticia groaned.

“By the way, Sister Fi didn’t come today.”

“Do you want to see Fiona?”

“Yes. Sister Fi pretty.”

Leticia’s cheeks blushed and she said that.

From an objective point of view, Fiona was not particularly beautiful. She tried to be nice to Leticia, but she wasn’t very caring.

However, in the eyes of the baby, there was no one as pretty as that older sister of marriageable age, who dresses up splendidly.

“Shall I ask if we can go play next time?”

“Yay!”

The baby, who had the most fun going out of the Empress’ Palace, laughed and rubbed Cedric on the cheek.

Her character, who used to laugh well when she was younger, did not go anywhere, and Leticia still lives with a smile on her lips. Laughter spread among the attendants as if drawn to her by that smile.

“Dad, can I go to Rosan’s house today?”

“What are you going to do there?”

“There is the doggy. Doggy! Doggy!”

Leticia swung her arm and made dog noises several times. And she said to Cedric with a sullen face.

“I told Dad last time!”

“I’m sorry.”

He really couldn’t remember, so Cedric apologized neatly.

Mielle explained.

“The gardener’s dog gave birth four weeks ago. She begged me to see it…….”

“By the way, you were there last week. Dad thought you were going to see Marcus.”

“I’ll see Marc, too.”

Leticia said, hiding what she had forgotten. She proudly opened her chest, but all the grown-up eyes could see it.

Cedric smiled.

He couldn’t help it. She was at an age that would find it far more memorable to wallow with a dog than to sit by an old man.

“It is today. Can I go today?”

As Cedric asked, he looked at Mrs. Keshore.

Although he is the father, the primary caregiver was the nanny, Mrs. Keshore. Mrs. Keshore nodded her head.

“Of course. It’s Rosan’s mansion.”

“Anything else to do in the afternoon?”

“All the Princess does is to make the day enjoyable.”

Mrs. Keshore said with a soft look on her face.

“Then, to ease the burden on Madam and Miss Mielle after a long time, let me take her with me.”

“It’s okay to take her with you.”

“We should also give a good rest from time to time to Miss Mielle. Right?”

Cedric asked Leticia, waving her hand. Leticia replied cheerfully, not knowing exactly what that meant.

“Yes!”

“Then, let’s ask Mom and go together.”

Cedric pulled Leticia up and hugged her. Leticia said,

“Mom, ceeping.”

“Try, sleeping”

“Sleeping.”

“Good job,” Cedric patted Leticia’s head.

“Where?”

“Uh.”

Leticia turned her neck as hard as she could and looked back at Mielle. Mielle answered instead.

“Her Majesty is on the south terrace.”

“I see. Now, you can go back and rest.”

“Yes. I will take my leave, Your Majesty.”

Mrs. Keshore spoke first and bowed down. Mielle also bowed down afterwards.

Cedric headed to the south terrace while holding Leticia. Only a few escort knights followed.

It is a family time that is difficult to obtain, so it would be better not to disturb it. He was anxious to leave her to someone else.

But Leticia is so precious that they were afraid she would be blown away by the wind so it was right for her to be raised by her parents.

Mielle lightly crossed her hands with Mrs. Keshore’s arms.

“Then Mom, shall we go on a date, too?”

“Now?”

“Why not? I was going to go to the Mason boutique.”

“Mason boutique? Isn’t there a place that sells men’s clothes?”

“Hazel says they make great hats. I want to buy one for Dad.”

“Oh dear.”

Mrs. Keshore looked at Mielle with astonished eyes. Mielle’s face turned a little red.

“Why? What’s wrong with buying Dad a hat?”

“Since when did you start taking care of that?”

“Last time Dad came with Aunt, my dad was so…….”

Mrs. Keshore laughed.

“You have to understand that. Your father was a man who lived his entire life in a uniform.”

“Still, he doesn’t have a hat, so it doesn’t look good.”

Mielle said,

“I made a lot of money, Mom.”

“By the way, do you only send gifts to your father?”

“I also have one for Mother. What it is is still a secret.”

Mielle laughed softly.

Mrs. Keshore smiled after her, but looked at her face with a strange feeling.

It was Artizea who saved Mielle. It was natural to repay her favor.

It was also on her own accord that Mielle risked her life for loving Leticia.

But it was not without resentment. She dared not speak out of her mouth, but she thought Artizea had put the weak child in such a place.

Even though Mielle wanted to take care of the baby herself, she thought Mielle would just play with her at best and do peekaboo.

So she entered the Palace with the intention of helping Mielle at her very side, even when she was invited to be Leticia’s nanny. Instead of helping her daughter look after the baby, she intended to look after her and the baby together.

But Mielle had grown up to a surprising degree.

Compared to when she sat in bed and only dreamed, her body moved as much as her heart was happy, and her will became stronger as she became responsible.

The Keshores were counting the time of 10 years day by day. Mielle doesn’t know that.

But she was making all the remaining days meaningful with the child growing up.

* * *

In front of the south terrace, Cedric put Leticia down.

“Wow…….”

He placed his index finger in front of Leticia’s lips as she was about to scream. Leticia quickly covered her mouth with her two hands.

“Can’t wake Mom.”

Leticia said in a whisper. Cedric nodded his head. Leticia spoke again,

“Only Dad can wake Mom up.”

“Our Ticia is smart.”

Leticia nodded her head.

It’s partly because he doesn’t want the baby to stop Artizea from resting, and partly because he’s afraid the baby will have experiences she shouldn’t.

Cedric patted Leticia’s hair once and spoke softly,

“Dad will wake her up, so will you go over there and play?”

“Yes.”

Whispering seemed like a fun game to play, so Leticia whispered and ran like a lightning bolt towards the sandpit.

Artizea was half asleep on the sofa in front of the terrace. Afraid that the sun might get in her eyes, Alice put a thin shawl over the sofa like an awning.

Cedric beckoned Alice not to say anything. Alice stood up quietly, and she politely greeted him and went towards Leticia.

Cedric watched Artizea silently. His mind relaxes a little by making sure her chest rises and falls with every breath she takes.

It wasn’t just for Leticia that they made a large terrace on the south side. It was something he wondered if she would get better if she got more sun, and if it was easier for her to go out, she would be able to walk even a little bit more.

There was no visible effect. Artizea was still sickly, and she was easily exhausted.

Still, her sleeping face was as calm as if she had forgotten everything in the world.

He didn’t know when or how she would leave.

It would be better for her if her body first became ill and debilitated, and then lay in her bed and left. Because she’ll be able to wrap up her life and say her final goodbyes.

But there was no guarantee that it would be like that.

[“If I fall asleep and leave, nothing could be better than that.”]

Artizea said so with a calm face.

However, he was worried that Leticia would witness the last time she fell asleep and left.

So when Artizea fell asleep, he made sure no one woke her up. Because it was important for her to get a good sleep.

And above all else, if she left, the first one to know about it would be Cedric himself.

“Tia.”

He lowered his voice and called Artizea.

There was no answer. Cedric reached out and touched her cheek lightly.

Her body was warm and her breathing was still. He lowered his head deeper and pressed his lips to her cheek.

“Umm.”

Artizea made a small noise and turned her body.