The Villainess Lives Twice: Butterfly's Dream (IF Story) - Chapter 49

“Miss, it’s time to wake up!”  

“Uh, uung…”  

Alice flung the curtains open wide. Artizea buried her face in the pillow and groaned in discomfort.  

“Come on, wake up. You promised that, no matter what, you’d go to the training grounds early starting today.”  

“Mmm…”  

“You were reading late again last night, weren’t you?”  

“I didn’t… stay up that late…”  

“If you keep staying up past 9 PM, I’ll take all the lamps from your room. You need to get enough sleep during your growth years or you won’t grow taller.”  

Artizea sat up with half-lidded eyes and replied weakly, “Mmm…” It wasn’t that she couldn’t sleep early at night, but it was just as hard to get up in the morning even when she did.  

She sluggishly got up and walked into the next room, where warm wash water had already been prepared.  

After washing her face and hands, she felt a little more awake. Alice, having opened all the windows, followed her and pulled her to the vanity chair.  

“I’ll tie your hair high. You’re going to take a bath anyway.”  

“Mm…”  

Artizea responded groggily, and Alice laughed at her.  

“Now that you’ve decided, you should give it your all. I’m sure the Young Lord is already at the training grounds.”  

Artizea yawned and struggled to keep her eyes wide open. She knew it well.  

After tying her hair, she checked the time—7 AM. Cedric would still be at the training grounds.  

She hurriedly changed into her workout clothes and went outside. Alice waved her off enthusiastically and said, “Miss, good luck!”  

Artizea Rosan had turned thirteen this year.  

Her fiance, who had always seemed mature for his age, was eighteen. To an eight-year-old, a thirteen-year-old was the beginning of abstract first love, but to a thirteen-year-old, eighteen felt too far away.  

The training grounds, set up exclusively for Cedric in the mansion, were small, but they were enough for Cedric to use alone.  

Since the time he first opened his eyes at thirteen, he never missed a single early morning training session unless he was aboard a ship. He knew well that his body was the most reliable thing he had.  

‘It’s not wrong to say it’s a hobby.’  

People tend to want to do what they’re good at and avoid what they’re not. Plus, for him, training his body was something he was already familiar with, making it much more efficient.  

“250!”  

The servant counting beside him shouted.

Cedric set down the large sword he had been holding and took the towel from his hand to wipe the sweat from his face and neck.  

He had given Artizea and Lysia permission to use the training grounds once the facilities were set up. Lysia came often, but Artizea rarely came unless it was a rainy day and she wanted to walk around.  

Of course, she also didn’t want to do something she wasn’t good at. Cedric didn’t expect much more from her.  

Still, she had become healthier than he had expected. She was now able to dance well and could jump rope. While her coordination was still low and she often became stiff and slow, her stamina had improved. She was even able to ride a horse decently.  

However, unlike court dances or horseback riding, it seemed that she couldn’t find any enjoyment in strength training.  

When he thought that he would suggest they go horseback riding if they had time this week, the door to the training room cracked open, and Artizea peeked in.  

“Ah!”  

She looked surprised. Cedric smiled and reached out his hand to her as a habit.  

“Did you sleep well? You woke up early.”  

“Did you sleep well?”  

Artizea answered with a slightly flushed face as she walked toward him. Seeing her hair tied up, it seemed like she had made up her mind today. Her workout clothes were almost brand new.  

“Did you come to work out?”  

“Yes. I’m going to start exercising early in the morning from now on.”  

“Good decision. Shall we start with stretching?”  

Although Cedric had planned to finish his session for the day, he couldn’t waste this valuable opportunity.  

Artizea said, still with a red face.  

“It’s, it’s fine. I’ll do it alone. I didn’t mean to interrupt Lord Ced.”  

“It’s not an interruption. Let’s start with warm-ups.”  

Artizea felt like crying. She had planned to secretly watch Cedric train while she did her jump rope… She hadn’t intended to push herself that hard at the beginning, but she didn’t want to be forced to do it either.  

However, whether Cedric didn’t know her feelings or was doing it intentionally, he instructed her to sit on the floor and personally stretched her arms and legs.  

* * *  

By the time Artizea returned to her room, she was utterly exhausted before even starting her day.  

Alice laughed when she saw her sluggish form. 

“Was it tough?”  

“I… I feel like I’m going to die…”  

Her joints felt like they might tear. No, maybe they really had.  

She had agreed to meet at the training grounds at the same time tomorrow. Cedric had said he would help her every day, as it coincided with the time his own training would end.

Artizea felt a mix of joy and melancholy, but what truly dominated her emotions was fear.  

However, Alice, knowing that Lord Cedric would never push her too hard, smiled and said,  

“It’s just the sweat making you tired. You’ll feel better after a bath.”  

“Yes… thank you.”  

Artizea headed for the bathroom, where Marie was waiting.  

“Hello, Marie. Did you sleep well?”  

“Good morning, Miss. I heard you were working out today?”  

“Yes…”  

“Why do you look so down?”  

“Lord Ced is too harsh…”  

Over the last five years, this well-behaved, kind-hearted Miss had consistently avoided one thing: exercise. So Marie couldn’t help but smile.  

“He’s only doing it because he wants you to be healthy.”  

“I know…”  

Artizea sank into the warm bathwater. She muttered,  

“It feels like Lord Ced sees me as just a child…”  

If that weren’t the case, he wouldn’t have grabbed her limbs so carelessly and stretched or pressed them down so forcefully.  

Marie smiled to herself. She knew very well that Cedric cared for Artizea and liked her, but she didn’t expect an eighteen-year-old boy to treat a thirteen-year-old girl seriously. Especially since he’d been raising her since she was eight.  

“You’ll see a change once you’re truly grown up.”  

“I want to grow up quickly…”  

Artizea murmured. It was something she often said, each time with a slightly different reason.  

“You don’t need to rush. There’s still so much for you to learn and do. Shall I wash your hair for you?”  

“No, I can do it myself.”  

“Then I’ll wait outside. You said you were going to the university today, right?”  

“Yes, I have an appointment with Professor Nivea.”  

“Then I’ll get some proper clothes ready for you.”  

After Marie left, Artizea sat for a bit longer in the bath, lost in thought. Just as Alice had said, the sweat washed away and the hot water relaxed her muscles, making her feel like she could breathe again.  

She checked the time and stood up, rinsing her body and hair. Wrapping her hair in a towel, she walked out, where Alice was waiting with a comb in hand.  

“Alice, aren’t you running late? You need to go to school.”  

“It’s still fine. I just wanted to dry your hair before I leave.”  

“You can’t be late. Go on.”  

Artizea urged her.  

“It’s fine. Starting this month, I only have two hours of classes. I’m graduating in the first semester.”  

Alice had been attending school with Cedric’s support since she was twelve.