The Villainess Lives Twice: Butterfly's Dream (IF Story) - Chapter 30
Pavel stomped his feet in frustration. Tia quickly grabbed Cedric’s sleeve and grinned.
“It was because I liked it.”
“Liked it?”
“Well, when the prince said not to forget him, it meant that the time we spent together was also good for him, right?”
It was a difficult thing to say, but Tia knew by now that Pavel wouldn’t be upset by such words, so she gathered her courage and spoke from her heart.
“I will never, ever forget the prince. Thank you.”
Pavel’s face reddened slightly, looking a little awkward. He reached out and ruffled Tia’s hair.
“Why are you talking like we’re never going to see each other again? I’ll visit soon. I have to see how amazing the mansion has become.”
“Yes.”
“And I’ll make sure Ced isn’t mistreating you.”
At that, Tia just smiled. Pavel, a little embarrassed, turned his gaze to the air and muttered in a small voice, “Next time, call me ‘Brother.’”
“Excuse me?”
“Got it?”
His voice was so unexpectedly loud that Tia, startled, reflexively responded., “Yes!”
“Alright, I’m going ahead.”
Only then did Pavel smile contentedly and get into the carriage.
Cedric waved him off, and soon the imperial carriage carrying Pavel left.
Cedric urged Tia and Lysia to hurry, and they got into a carriage bearing the Evron family crest.
The journey from the port to the capital took the better part of a day.
Lysia was amazed by the well-maintained wide roads and the streets full of houses and shops, even though they were not yet in the commercial district. She kept exclaiming, pressing herself against the window.
“Lady Tia, look over there! There’s a tower-like shop!”
Whenever something new caught her eye, Lysia would call out excitedly. But when she saw Tia not reacting, she became a bit disappointed. It wasn’t that odd though, as Tia was from the capital.
However, contrary to Lysia’s misunderstanding, Tia wasn’t used to the hustle and bustle of the city, but rather a strange sense of unease kept her from feeling excited.
When she had parted from Pavel, she had briefly forgotten her worries, touched by his kindness, but as they drew closer to the capital, that growing unease weighed heavily on her chest.
‘Has mother forgotten about me?’
She had written a letter with clumsy handwriting, but had never received a reply. Perhaps her mother had already forgotten her, an unremarkable daughter.
If she hadn’t forgotten, that too was terrifying. Her mother might be angry. She might say how dare she forget her family and live joyfully?
As her mother had said, she might be a foolish, ugly, and bad child. Despite feeling guilty, she couldn’t deny the joy she had felt. She didn’t even really want to go back home.
But at the same time, she missed her mother.
“Tia?”
Cedric called her name with a concerned voice, pulling her from her thoughts. Artizea quickly shook her head, trying to shake off the feelings.
She knew well how much Cedric worried about her, how much care he showed her. The thought of missing her mother somehow felt like a betrayal to him.
“After we get home and rest a bit, let’s go see Marchioness Rosan.”
At his kind words, Artizea felt like tears might come to her eyes. How did Cedric know her heart so well? She often found herself amazed by how deeply he understood her.
And once again, she felt guilty. It seemed like she was receiving kindness she didn’t deserve.
The carriage crossed through the heart of the capital and turned into a forest path. But the shallow woods created to conceal the mansion ended quickly. When they reached the building at the end of the road, Lysia gasped.
“It looks like a princess’s palace!”
In terms of size, it couldn’t compare to the Evron castle, and while it was large, it lacked the elegance of the mansions of Duchy Orca or Duchy Riagan. Yet, the mansion, built in the central style, was magnificent and beautiful enough in Lysia’s eyes.
Cedric smiled. Thinking about it, he realized that in his past life, the capital had been harsh to Lysia because of her circumstances. Like most northern children, Lysia had longed for the capital, so he was glad he had brought her here.
The carriage circled the spacious garden, which he had instructed to be well-maintained, before gracefully arriving at the front of the mansion. Ansgar and the staff, who had heard of their arrival, were waiting in formation at the front of the mansion.
When the escort knight opened the carriage door, Cedric stepped down first.
“Welcome back, Lord Ced.”
Ansgar greeted him respectfully, and the staff followed suit, bowing.
Cedric smiled and replied.
“Was everything all right? It was a short time, but you must have worked hard decorating the mansion.”
“No, it’s nothing. I’ve been waiting for the day to renovate this mansion for so long.”
Ansgar said with a soft smile.
Cedric helped Artizea and Lysia down one by one. Ansgar greeted them with a kind smile as well.
“Welcome back, Miss.”
Artizea felt something stir in her heart at the simple greeting. It really felt like this house was her own now. Even though Cedric had told her to think of it as her home, it had been hard for her to believe.
But hearing Ansgar’s greeting, it felt like she had truly been granted permission to return here.
She knew she should respond politely and with composure, but she couldn’t. Blushing, she awkwardly parted her lips and then, without thinking, hugged Ansgar’s leg tightly.
She knew that Ansgar would still welcome her. Ansgar’s calmness gave her a different kind of warmth and comfort compared to Cedric and Marie. It resembled a sense of stability.
Ansgar smiled awkwardly, but he did not pull Artizea away. He understood that it was an expression of affection, as he was genuinely happy to see her back.
Instead, he gently patted Artizea’s back. If it had been another time, he would have hugged her, but since this was a moment to welcome back his young master after a long absence, that was not possible.
Lysia, watching the scene with wide eyes, made eye contact with Ansgar and quickly greeted him.
“Hello, I’m Lysia Morten.”
“I was told you came along as Miss Artizea’s companion. I’m Ansgar. I’m just a humble butler, so please, make yourself at ease.”
“I look forward to working with you.”
It was one of the names her father had emphasized for her to remember before they arrived. As someone who had looked after Cedric from a young age, Ansgar’s role as the head butler and guardian was not a light one.
Ansgar smiled at Lysia’s polite attitude. He then gently lifted Artizea in his arms.
“I’ve already prepared baths for all of you. Please rest first, and afterward, I’ll give you a tour of the mansion.”
“Thank you.”
Cedric said.
Artizea wiggled slightly, as if to signal she wanted to be put down. But knowing her true feelings, Ansgar kept holding her as he led the way into the mansion.
The house staff scattered after the greetings. The higher-ranking servants would have another opportunity to introduce themselves to their master later.
Ansgar led Artizea to her room first. Her room, located on the second floor, was spacious, with a large living area, a reception room, a toilette room, and even a bathroom. It had been prepared with the thought of her future, when she would eventually grow into adulthood.
Lysia’s room was right next to hers, also spacious and well-equipped with a bedroom and another room for personal use.
In comparison to Evron’s main castle, everything was much grander and more luxurious. In reality, the rooms at the main castle were smaller and simpler due to heating concerns, and the ceilings and walls were less adorned, but Lysia didn’t know that. She stood in awe with her mouth open.
It was then that a servant hurriedly arrived. He didn’t dare speak directly to Cedric but whispered quickly into Ansgar’s ear.
“What?”
Ansgar replied out loud, startled. Cedric tilted his head.
“Is something wrong?”
Ansgar hesitated for a moment but then decided that Artizea should know, so he spoke frankly.
“Marchioness Rosan has arrived. She has already passed through the main gate.”
Artizea froze immediately.