Chapter 99

Sitting down on the cold floor, she stared blankly at the glass bottle in front of her.

“The consideration of dying without pain…?”

Then, she picked up the bottle and threw it out of the bars. There was the sound of a glass bottle shattering along with a clicking sound. The next moment, a sweet scent spread from the dark brown liquid splattered in all directions.

In the end, wasn’t she who saved him from Peloit?

Even though she didn’t want to die miserably in front of everyone, she didn’t want to kill herself like this.

“How did I…! How did I get here?”

A squeaky voice followed.

In the process of being captured, the body was subjected to rough treatment, and the wounded body complained of pain.

To die like this, there was nothing more to lose.

If there was only one thing she got from going on her feet to Peloit, it was this.

When the skirt was torn off, a piece of paper with a magic circle drawn fell to the floor. This was the reason she changed her clothes the moment she was sure that she would be captured by the Imperial Knights.

Perhaps, if the Duke had caught her directly, she would have been caught.

She cut her finger and poured blood over the magic circle.

“Lumiere, Lumiere.”

Yes, if it wasn’t for that girl…

She was supposed to save Revos from that foxy thing. He knew nothing and was being deceived. Even the nobles who shouted that she was a saint while smiling beautifully were pathetic.

She was a woman who knew all too well how to make the nobles sympathize and protect her. While she pretended to be nice, in the end, she just coveted the Empress’ position. She blushed as she saw Duke Esteban, yet she dared to be with Revos.

…She couldn’t forgive her.

Even if she died, she would repay everything to Lumiere, who stole everything from her.

Even though blood was clearly seeping into the magic circle she glanced at, there was no change. It took her a while to think that it was a failure. Then, she could feel the chilling aura that made her spine shiver.

“Summoner. Is your name Elysia?”

Her body stiffened as the cold fingers gripped her chin.

Elysia did not dare raise her head to see the face of the being who was calling her. Her body trembled at the pressure that came over her, and even tears flowed.

“You are destined to die today. Only when their time has come, they look for us.”

Contrary to her will, her eyes turned to the being as if her body was obeying orders.

Black hair and reddish eyes.

She could tell it wasn’t human from the long-slit pupils. The pale, bluish skin was smooth, and it was the most beautiful appearance she had ever seen in her life… Was it because it was not human? It seemed that words were not enough to describe how beautiful it was.

“Thinking about your looks, tell me what you want. I happened to come here, but you did a great job.”

The demon stroked her hair like stroking a puppy who did something cute. However, in fear of the being in front of her, her jaw trembled, and the sound of teeth clashing was heard.

“I don’t have time, and I’m not very patient.”

“I want to change the situation.”

She didn’t want to die, she wanted to kill Lumiere, and she wanted to stand next to Revos. As she barely finished her words, trembling, the answer that came back was not what she wanted.

“Hm, I can’t kill a human. And even if you live, you won’t be able to stand by the person you want.”

Elysia pondered what she could do to turn the situation around.

“Please, turn back time.”

…Going back in time and starting all over again, when Revos loved no one.

“That’s fun. I wouldn’t even think about it.”

Although she didn’t know what he was talking about, the way he said it meant it was possible. Thinking that, Elysia added hastily.

“Can you change my appearance, too?”

Revos falling for Lumiere probably was caused by a big part in appearance.

“Kuku, you’re very funny. I don’t think so. Anyway, I can’t change appearance.”

Elysia clenched her teeth.

It was something she had felt before, but the gaze that seemed to see through her seemed like it was reading her thoughts. The being in front of her nodded his head as if she was right. He had a captivating smile.

“What can you do?”

“I’m in a good mood, so I’m keeping up with you. Don’t be cocky.”

As soon as he let go of the chin he was holding, she gasped for breath. The body, which had plummeted to the floor as if someone was crushing it from above, did not move. Then, he opened his mouth without losing the power to press her.

“It’s possible to enter a dead body. A person who died when you wanted to go back.”

While Elysia struggled to remember if any of the noble ladies had died, there was a woman who was called the flower of the social world.

…Brighter blonde hair than Lumiere’s, and amber eyes.

“I—hup.”

She was choked and couldn’t speak. The power that had been pressing on her disappeared with the voice saying, “Ahhhh.”

“What happens to my body when I enter another body?”

“I’ll put in a suitable soul. Now, let’s talk about price.”

Her bowed head was lifted by an intangible force, and she was again forced to face him.

“Look for a cat with purple eyes.”

“…A cat?”

The words made her nervous.

“Yes. Black cat with purple eyes. Summon me again as soon as you find it. As long as you remember, until the Crown Prince’s wedding.”

“If I summon you, you will come…?”

Elysia didn’t know what to call the demon’s name, though he didn’t seem to care much.

“Yes. You just have to bring it into my arms alive so that it can go back with me.”

He leaned over and brought his face closer. The distance was close enough to feel his breath, but nothing was there, and it felt chilly.

“It’s a very small price for giving you what you want. Though if you can’t find it, I’ll take your soul.”

Drops of blood dripped as his nails scraped the skin of her neck.

“Uugghh…”

It must have been a small wound, but the strength was released from her body altogether.

“Then, goodbye.”

Elysia collapsed on the floor, trying to catch her consciousness that was slowly drifting away.

…Would it end like this?

If she opened her eyes, would she go back to the past?

“Ugh. I think I can only touch one human soul. In this body…”

Even though she could hear him say something, she couldn’t understand what he was saying. And the next moment, Elysia just lost her consciousness.

After finishing her words, Rania shut her eyes tightly and opened them before looking at Elysia as if she had regained consciousness.

Elysia was a little shocked by the truth she had told.

“What are you doing!”

“Do you really need to do this? Even when you didn’t know that I had the tomb guardian, you had a bad feeling for me.”

Elysia destroyed the magic that Rania had cast. It was something she had felt before, but the speed was slow, and there seemed to be not much magic that she could use. That was probably all Peloit told her.

“Seeing that you are living so well with your fake body.”

Rania raised her body and picked up the dagger, which she had thrown into the corner again. As Elysia watched her silently, she thought if she still did not know the difference in power?

“Ha— I mean. It would just be a stomach ache.”

“Yes, Lumiere and you both wanted to be abandoned by the Duke.”

Of course, the Duke would find out about everything Lumiere had done, so he was convinced that there was no way they could communicate with each other.

She used Marquis Blanche to give Elysia an infertility drug, trying to make the marriage fail. Elysia smirked and grabbed her wrist, who ran towards her, and threw the dagger again. Rania wielded her power to free her captured wrist, but she did not let go.

“Elysia… No, should I call you Rania?”

Because she was no longer Elysia.

Elysia bowed her body and brought their eyes together.

“You shouldn’t have touched me, then I might not have been Der’s owner. Now, it looks like you’ll be paying with your soul.”

Everything Rania did to her using Lumiere gave her the opportunity to become closer to Cassian. It all piled up and ended with her going to the temple with him and meeting Der. Of course, that didn’t mean it deserved a thank you since it only changed the difference in speed.

However, she may not have met Der for real.

“Or, just leave Lumiere alone.”

After her return, she didn’t seem interested in Revos, but why did she touch him…?

Elysia smiled bitterly.

What would have been the end of Lumiere’s thoughts was continued by Rania, who eventually encouraged her to act? Even if that wasn’t the case, there were things that Lumiere herself would do, though it probably didn’t come to such an end.

At least, she wouldn’t have risked her life in the monster subjugation to do such a dangerous thing or to find Peloit. Then, Elysia wouldn’t have been kidnapped, and her identity wouldn’t have been revealed.

The more she thought about it, the more her anger grew.

“Why didn’t you just go to Revos with all your heart?”

It hadn’t been long since Jane and Revos exchanged hearts with each other. In the meantime, she could marry him by arrangement or anything else, or even seduce him… If she was lucky, maybe they could have gotten along with each other.

“What do you know?”

“Look at me. Am I not living well with your body?”

…How could she possibly think of living in a different body with such a good father and older brother? Elysia couldn’t understand her.

As she felt the barriers she had hung in the parlor break, she turned her head and saw Cassian’s figure. His gaze turned to the dagger she had thrown and the bloodstains on the table before moving to the broken necklace Rania had brought.

The purple eyes seem to cool down.

Cassian approached, grabbing her by the back and tossing her to the floor. Elysia immediately grabbed his arm as he drew his sword.

“You can’t kill her.”

At her words, he let out a long sigh and ruffled his hair. Meanwhile, Rania, who had fallen to the floor, screamed as she struggled to get her body up.

“The Duchess is fake. She’s not real…!”

The corners of Cassian’s lips twisted up as the tip of his sword was aimed at Rania’s neck. He stared at her and asked in a furious voice.

“Should I keep her alive?”

Elysia added, squeezing Cassian’s arm and tightening her hand.

“Cassian.”

Eventually, he pushed the sword back into the scabbard and took a step back. Elysia approached Rania and responded to her words a moment ago.

“He knows, that I’m not the original owner of this body.”

The amber eyes shook.

She gave a seductive smile, and Rania’s stroked her cheek.

“And, Elysia is now my name.”

I am the real one now. You are just Rania Aiden.