The Villainess Lives Twice: Butterfly's Dream (IF Story) - Chapter 66

Milaira, who had just finished washing up after her outing, heard the commotion. 

Usually, when there was noise at Marquis Rosan’s residence, it was often caused by her. She felt that her house was unusually quiet. Lawrence had always been very quiet and well-behaved, and Artizea had been gone for a long time.

She looked at the maid in confusion, but the maids only lowered their heads, clearly not knowing what was going on. 

In this house, it was better to act as though you didn’t know if you did and not to find out if you don’t. Scandals in the master’s household were usually interesting gossip among the maids, but it required some level of interest and attachment. 

Except for a few troublemakers, most workers only focused on their tasks and wanted to leave quickly. If the pay hadn’t been higher than other houses, most wouldn’t have stayed.

Milaira frowned and walked outside.

“Lawrence?”

Hearing a loud noise from the study, she headed that way.

“Why? What in the world happened to cause such a commotion…?”

When she peeked into the study, her eyes widened in shock.

“Lawrence!”

Lawrence, held by the collar by Graham, looked up at his mother. One cheek was red and swollen, and blood was dripping from his nose.

Milaira rushed into the study in a panic.

“What are you doing!”

Cedric shouted sharply and grabbed Milaira’s arm, stopping her from rushing at Graham. He had no problem with Lawrence being punished, but he couldn’t allow Milaira to be harmed.

“Let go of me! What have you done to my son!”

Milaira was furious, but couldn’t escape Cedric’s grip. Graham, still holding Lawrence’s collar, glared at her coldly.

“You have no shame or conscience. A mother like that, what do you expect from the child?”

“Brother Graham.”

Cedric intervened, stopping Graham’s words that were filled with anger and hatred. Graham knew why he was being stopped, so he clicked his tongue and spoke harshly.

“Come with me. Even if the Emperor tries to let this go, I will never stand by and do nothing.”

He tried to drag Lawrence away. Just then, Lawrence, who had been acting like a passive victim until then, grabbed Graham’s wrist.

“Let go of me. Are you really making this big of a deal over disciplining a servant?”

“Discipline? I saw it with my own eyes, you bastard. If you don’t like a servant, just send them away, don’t make them like this.”

“Ugh! The Emperor will see this…!”

“We’re going to the Emperor anyway. You can complain there!”

Graham tightened his grip on Lawrence’s collar, dragging him out of the room.

Milaira screamed with a sharp cry.

“Ah! Let go! What are you doing to my son? What did my son do wrong?”

Cedric held Milaira’s arms tightly, ensuring she couldn’t chase after them. He glared at the maids peeking around outside the study. By now, the butler should have arrived to handle the situation, but there was no sign of him.

Reluctantly, he gestured to the maids. They rushed over and took Milaira from Cedric’s grasp.

Exhausted from her struggle, Milaira collapsed into the maids’ arms. She gasped for air, her lips turning pale, as if she just had a seizure.

“Take care of her. Make sure she doesn’t leave the house.”

Although the servants had no obligation to follow Cedric’s orders, the intimidated maids nodded respectfully.

Cedric sighed and quickly exited the study.

Graham had already shoved Lawrence into the carriage and was sitting in it himself. When Cedric climbed in, the door was closed.

Lawrence glared at both of them with hostility. Before he could speak, Cedric spoke first.

“Don’t say a word.”

“….”

“Anything you say right now will only provoke Brother Graham more.”

Lawrence shot a fierce glare at Cedric, and Graham glared at Lawrence in return.

If it had been Artizea, she would have deliberately provoked Graham and gotten a few more blows to make herself seem even more pitiful and to elicit sympathy from the Emperor. 

But Cedric knew that Lawrence wasn’t like that. Those who use violence against others are rarely accustomed to suffering themselves.

The carriage fell silent.

Emperor Gregor had received word that Graham had just entered the palace and wanted to meet with him.

It was unexpected, but he was happy about it. There was much he wanted to say to the son he would soon be sending away.

Since his adolescence, after learning more about the world, his son had been distant, but now, as he took on an important role, the Emperor sensed his son’s anxiety and smiled faintly.

The Emperor wasn’t just going to offer advice on the already decided policies, but also share his own experiences. After all, he himself had made a name for himself in the West when he was young.

However, the second piece of news soon followed.

“Forget Cedric…but Lawrence came with him?”

“Yes. That…”

The servant, who had come to deliver the news, reported without daring to raise his eyes.

“It seems they fought.”

The Emperor frowned. He knew that Graham despised Lawrence, but for them to fight and then come seeking him out now, especially at such a crucial time, didn’t make sense. They’re older, not to mention such an important time, should have kept them from this.

Sensing a headache coming on, he gestured for his children to be brought to him.

The door opened soon after, and Graham entered, dragging Lawrence with him. Lawrence struggled to free himself and breathed heavily.

“I told you I would walk in on my own.”

“No, Lawrence!”

The Emperor shouted in surprise. Lawrence’s once beautiful face was now a mess. Although Cedric had handed him a handkerchief to wipe away the blood from his nose, the bruises on his swollen cheek were clear.

“Graham! What is this treatment towards your younger brother!”

It was clear who had done it, and the Emperor shouted in genuine anger. The aides and servants in the office all ducked their heads in fear.

But Graham did not back down in the slightest. He shouted back.

“You’ve coddled him so much that he doesn’t know right from wrong anymore!”

“No, you!”

“Do you know what this bastard has done? He’s crippled a child no older than sixteen!”

The Emperor’s eyes widened at that. Taking advantage of his momentary hesitation, Graham continued to lash out.

“Me hitting him once is a disgrace, but how many times has he repeatedly assaulted that servant? Is that your idea of discipline?”

“To hurt just one servant—”

“Shut up.”

Graham growled at Lawrence. His anger was flaring even more, fueled by the Emperor’s indifferent attitude.

“I’m sure I was taught by Your Majesty that the lives of our citizens are protected by imperial law, so they can’t be treated carelessly. But, it seems you didn’t teach this one? Why? Is he special and pretty?”

Graham mocked sarcastically.

“If you want a beautiful animal, then maybe you should keep a cat. Even if it scratches, it won’t ruin someone’s life.”

Normally, the Emperor would have harshly reprimanded such rude behavior, but at this moment, he was silent. He was taken aback, but he also understood that Graham had been holding in his anger for more than a decade.

His gaze shifted to Cedric. Cedric lowered his eyes, looking uncomfortable. He hadn’t expected Graham to lash out this much either.