The Villainess Lives Twice: Butterfly's Dream (IF Story) - Chapter 60

“Would you like to take a walk, if you’re not feeling sleepy?”  

Cedric asked. Artizea looked up at him, a little surprised. Her heart felt heavy for needing to respond, but he had shifted the conversation in a different direction first.  

“Don’t want to?”  

“No, no! I’d love to!”  

Artizea quickly jumped up.  

“I need to change clothes, so just wait a moment!”  

“Just put this on and we’ll go. It’s just the garden at home anyway.”  

Cedric handed her a thick dressing gown.  

Artizea hurriedly put it on over her pajamas and, smiling brightly as she took the hand Cedric extended to her. Her mood, which had been down, lifted instantly.  

Cedric grabbed the lantern. As they were leaving, they ran into Marie, who just smiled knowingly and said nothing.  

The night air was quite cool. The leaves in moonlight sparkled as they swayed.  

“Watch your step. It’s dark.”  

Cedric warned. Artizea’s face turned slightly red,  

“I won’t fall!”  

She hadn’t tripped over her feet since she was a child. There was no way to fall on a well-maintained path.  

Artizea thought Cedric must have been holding her hand to prevent her from falling. It was a bittersweet feeling. Cedric’s hand was much larger, stronger, and warmer than hers.  

They circled the garden and headed toward the courtyard. Though it was a garden they passed often, tonight it felt fresh and new to Artizea, perhaps because they were out at night and Cedric was with her.  

“Do you feel better now?”  

Cedric asked, looking down at her smiling profile. She shook her head.  

“I was fine already.”  

“You don’t have to lie to me.”  

He spoke softly. Artizea flinched.  

Cedric gently shook the hand he was holding. It seemed like a playful gesture, maybe even a way to get her to focus on him. Artizea hesitated.  

“I’m not lying.”  

“Hmm, I misspoke. I mean, you don’t have to hide it.”  

“…”  

“You’ve been very brave.”  

Artizea felt a wave of sadness again and nodded. Cedric stood in front of her, gently stroking her head with his free hand, the one not holding hers.  

“You can talk about it. No one will blame you.”  

“I never thought of my family as useless. I never thought of them as trash…”  

Artizea whispered. Cedric, still with his hand on her head, watched her with a gentle expression.  

It wasn’t difficult to shift her attention elsewhere and make her feel better for a while. Forgetting unpleasant things and focusing on happy thoughts wasn’t a bad approach either.

But that wasn’t the real solution. Artizea had a good memory, and it was just as hard for her to forget wounds as it was for her to remember them.  

So, it would be best to resolve this matter in her heart before leaving it behind.  

Cedric was about to tell her that he knew she hadn’t done anything wrong, but Artizea spoke first.  

“But I know my brother is a bad person.”  

“Tia…”  

“I want my brother to like me, but I still miss my mother and my brother… But, I don’t want Lysia to get hurt because of me.”  

Artizea spoke quickly, as if she wanted to say it before her determination broke.  

“Lysia is an important friend and family to me. I will protect her. Just because we are family doesn’t mean we should forgive everything.”  

Looking up at Cedric, as if seeking his agreement, Artizea’s face looked uncertain.  

Cedric looked down at her a bit surprised. He had always thought of her as still young, but she had already become so resolute.  

What she needed wasn’t advice or comfort, but support filled with trust. So, Cedric smiled and nodded.  

“You’re right.”  

“But… but it’s still sad. I don’t know why.”  

Artizea’s eyes welled up. Cedric pulled her head gently and wrapped her in his arms.  

“Right decisions and feelings don’t always align.”  

“It’s strange…”  

“You thought it was the right thing to do to protect Lysia, right? That’s the right thing, isn’t it?”  

Artizea, still with her face buried in Cedric’s chest, nodded after a long pause.  

“But that doesn’t mean your love for your family has disappeared. You’ve never thought your brother or family is useless or like trash, like he said.”  

“…”  

“It’s normal to feel pain when you hear those words or when you distance yourself from your family. But, in a way, I’m glad.”  

“In what way?”  

“I’m glad you found the courage to distance yourself from a bad person for what’s right.”  

At his words, Artizea flinched, and the arms wrapped around Cedric’s back tightened.  

“I didn’t do something wrong, did I?”  

“You did well.”  

“I’m relieved.”  

Artizea whispered softly in a subdued voice. Cedric gently stroked her head and back.  

“And we’re your family too, right?”  

“That’s right.”  

Finally feeling better, Artizea lifted her head and smiled brightly.  

Her face was so lovely that Cedric couldn’t help but pull her into a tight hug.  

“Kyak!”

Artizea let out a scream in surprise. Cedric spun her around twice before gently lowering her back to the ground.  

Artizea looked at him with a bewildered expression, but Cedric had a casual, unaffected look, which only made her face turn even redder.  

“Let’s go.”  

He extended his hand again. Artizea hesitated for a moment before taking it.  

The lantern light illuminated their path as they slowly walked through the garden, the night air and moonlight surrounding them softly.  

* * *

Lysia felt a considerable amount of guilt about this situation.  

Of course, Lawrence had made her uncomfortable. He was a bad person, selfish, and he had done cruel things to Lysia as well.  

But she didn’t think it was something that would make Artizea cry. It seemed like something Lysia could just avoid or endure. Lawrence was so fickle that he would probably grow tired of picking on her soon enough.  

‘Besides, I think I’ll be going back soon anyway.’  

It wasn’t certain yet. She still had to talk to her father. But after speaking with Cedric and the knights at the mansion, Lysia felt her heart moving in that direction.  

The time she spent with Artizea as a companion, always doing everything together like twins, was over. Now, Artizea was trying to explore her future.  

Lysia needed to do the same. If she stayed here, she would only remain Artizea’s companion. But as Artizea’s world expanded, Lysia would fall behind. Even now, beyond basic education, making friends and playing was almost all Lysia did.  

[It’s better to start preparing for knight training now that you’re thirteen. If you go back with Baron Morten and stay the year until you’re fourteen, it would be the perfect time to begin as a trainee.]  

Cedric had said that to her.  

Whether she aimed to become a ranger, her long-time dream, or naturally take on a role as Artizea’s lady-in-waiting, it seemed wise for her to start knight training. It was something she could excel at.  

If she did, she would return to Evron, and she would no longer have to face Lawrence.  

Lysia was grateful for Artizea’s heart. She understood how much Artizea cherished her family, and she was glad that Artizea had chosen her over them.  

But still, she felt that it was all too unfair.