The Villainess Lives Twice: Butterfly's Dream (IF Story) - Chapter 23
A week later, Cedric received a report that Aubrey Jordyn had been sent to a boarding school in the East. It seemed like a minor issue, but since it involved the Jordyn family, it couldn’t be treated lightly by the retainers.
Cedric nodded. Being away from home and engaging in group living and education might help improve Aubrey’s character. He hoped that it would, especially for the sake of the Jordyn couple.
Even if she didn’t change, Aubrey would no longer be a problem in the future, and that was enough for Cedric to put her out of his mind.
As for Artizea, she eventually realized that it was Aubrey who had locked the cabinet door, but she didn’t seem overly shocked or upset about it.
“Miss Aubrey must have hated me.”
Cedric was sad to see her accepting it.
Pavel, for no apparent reason, seemed to shrink back, and in just a few days, the estate had quieted down.
With Aaron and Margaret in house arrest as part of their punishment, the retainers were momentarily flustered, but it soon became clear that the Young Lord was capable of managing all the affairs himself.
Cedric temporarily assigned some of the estate management duties to certain retainers, while also taking on the responsibility for overseeing the estate’s financial matters.
Though he tried to spend as much time with Artizea as possible, she seemed to quickly notice how busy he had become.
“I’m fine.”
“You’re not fine. You must be bored. If you need anything, just let me know.”
“Well… may I read next to Lord Cedric?”
Artizea asked shyly, mustering the courage to speak. Cedric readily agreed.
“I’d be happy to have you with me. Are you reading anything interesting these days?”
“The library is amazing.”
She whispered, as if revealing a secret.
The library in the estate was well-maintained, unlike the neglected library at Marquisate Rosan, which hadn’t been cared for in nearly a decade. There were no books chosen for children, and Artizea couldn’t even touch most of the books in Lawrence’s room. The butler didn’t want Artizea going there, saying it was a trouble to clean.
But here, things were different. The library was well-maintained, and thanks to the Jordyn sisters being raised here, there were plenty of books suitable for children within easy reach. Anyone could ask for help from an adult, and they would gladly fetch or recommend a book.
From then on, whenever Cedric was in his study, Artizea would quietly slip in with a book and sit on the sofa, engrossed in reading. Cedric assumed she was reading children’s picture books or educational materials, but to his surprise, she was reading travel books meant for adults.
“Is it fun?”
“It feels like I’m visiting a new place.”
Artizea answered with a flush of pink on her cheeks. Cedric nodded. Her world had been very small until now, so it made sense that she would feel that way.
“You’ll be able to visit places like that for yourself when you’re older.”
“Really?”
“Of course. But before that, there’s something you need to do.”
“…Studying?”
Artizea hesitated for a moment before asking. Since Pavel always complained about not wanting to study, when Cedric mentioned she needed to do something, it was the first thing that came to mind.
Cedric shook his head. He had no intention of rushing Artizea’s studies. She would do well whenever she started.
Things that need to be done in advance are often the hardest.
“Exercise.”
“Ugh.”
Though Artizea rarely expressed negative feelings toward Cedric, the first reaction was a pout.
Cedric was adamant about her eating properly and exercising. Fortunately, Artizea had started eating more and even gained some weight.
It was now time to work on her physical strength.
“You need to. You have to get healthy.”
“I’m not sick.”
Artizea puffed out her cheeks with a dissatisfied expression.
“You need to exercise before you get sick.”
This was an important lesson Cedric could give her as someone with past experiences, but it was unlikely that young Artizea would understand it fully.
After some hesitation, Cedric wrote a letter to Baron Morten. It was a request for him to send his daughter, Lysia, to be Artizea’s companion.
Baron Morten gladly accepted the proposal. Cedric had thought that the aftermath of Aubrey’s incident might make him hesitant, but luckily, that wasn’t the case.
Having Lysia around would be reassuring. She would surely become a good friend to Artizea.
However, when Artizea heard the news, she nodded with a strange expression.
Cedric noticed the slight change but didn’t think much of it. He knew how much Artizea liked Lysia. Sometimes, he even felt a little jealous.
It seemed that Artizea had some reservations due to Aubrey’s actions, but once they met again, she would surely warm up to her.
Cedric brushed it off, but Marie had a different take. Artizea, sitting on her bed with a downcast expression, was hugging the large doll Cedric had given her recently.
With only the news of the companion to discuss, Marie gently asked her,
“Is something wrong? Don’t you like Lady Morten?”
They had met a couple of times already, and yet Artizea’s reluctance to speak up made Marie wonder if it was because she thought she had to become friends with someone who didn’t like her.
Has Lysia ever teased her? Considering she had spent time with Aubrey, it seemed like a reasonable suspicion.
Artizea might not express that she wasn’t happy about Lysia coming to be her companion, given her nature. Marie, hoping to avoid any obvious signs, gently probed her thoughts.
But Artizea simply shook her head.
“Then why?”
“Uh…”
Artizea hesitated, her face turning red. Marie sat on the edge of the bed, meeting her eyes.
Artizea, like a child who had done something wrong, tried to look away but found herself caught and hesitated again.
“Tell me, just a little.”
“I can’t… I’ll get scolded for being a bad girl.”
“Then let’s make it our secret.”
Marie extended her pinky. Artizea hesitated, slowly reaching out to hook her finger, and then asked,
“What if Marie ends up lying?”
“It’s okay. If we keep our secret, no one will ask. How can anyone ask about something they don’t know?”
Artizea seemed reassured, and slowly, she linked her pinky with Marie’s. Letting out a long sigh, she whispered with a flushed face,
“Miss Lysia is so beautiful.”
“Yes, she is.”
Marie replied, as if there was no problem with it. As she remembered, Lysia was indeed a beautiful and lovely child, but what did that have to do with anything? It was common for children to feel more fond of those who were prettier.
The fact that Lysia was pretty wasn’t something that should have made Artizea upset.
But Artizea repeated it, as though it was a very important matter, emphasizing it several times.
“She’s so, so pretty.”
“So?”
“Even Lord Cedric… probably said Lysia should come to the estate because she’s pretty, right?”
Marie desperately held back a laugh. She felt like she was nearly biting her tongue.
She had known that the Miss had fallen in love for the first time, but she didn’t expect her to feel jealous. It was simply adorable.
If Cedric knew, he would surely laugh, calling it cute.
But Marie knew better than to laugh. Artizea had a serious expression on her face, and she had promised to keep the secret. If Marie laughed, the trust between them would be shattered.
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