“What’s a time stone?”
“In simple terms, it’s a stone that can turn back time. However, in exchange, the time stone consumes a person’s life energy.”
“…….”
“Will you give your body to us?”
“Yes, I will.”
“Laila.”
“It’s not much different from cremation anyway.”
In fact, I prefer it more.
Laila swallowed some of her true feelings, which she had intentionally kept from Sion.
One of the wills she had intended to leave before her death was to have her body cremated.
The reason was simple.
She wanted the body with Hildegarde’s blood to disappear from this world as quickly as possible.
‘No remains left, huh…’
Laila started to lift the corners of her mouth but then stopped.
How would Sion react if he knew how much she hated her own body?
He wouldn’t be pleased.
After all, Sion loved her, even though she herself could not…
Sion loved Laila, who could only pity herself.
He still loves her.
“Then I will transfer the duchess’s soul immediately.”
“…….”
“And once again, I will say this: after the transfer, the duchess will awaken in a different body, not her current one.”
“Yes.”
“We cannot determine exactly which body the duchess will awaken in. However, it will be a healthy body of a woman similar in age to the duchess, with a lifespan of at least 50 more years.”
Laila nodded quietly.
She wasn’t as nervous as she thought she would be. Instead, she felt a sense of anticipation.
“Do you have any more questions?”
Laila shook her head slowly.
“No.”
“Then, please, you two, make contact with each other.”
Iodal said to Laila and Sion, who stood side by side. Sion reached out and took Laila’s hand.
Iodal placed his hands over theirs.
“I will begin the ritual.”
☪︎ ִ ࣪𖤐 𐦍 ☾𖤓 ☪︎ ִ ࣪𖤐 𐦍 ☾𖤓
“Madam, a letter has arrived.”
Cecile received the letter silently and tore it open.
Moments later, Cecile abruptly stood up from her seat.
“Prepare the carriage. Also, bring my coat.”
“Yes?”
“Hurry.”
At Cecile’s urging, the maid nodded quickly and hurried out of the study.
Cecile reviewed the letter once more.
A small smile spread across her face.
“Laila, truly…”
After a short while, Cecile stopped smiling, and the office door that had been closed opened again.
“Madam, the carriage is ready. Your coat is here as well.”
“Thank you. Also, let the count know that I will be away for about half a month when he returns.”
“Pardon? Ah, yes. Understood.”
The maid who was helping Cecile with her coat hesitated and then asked quietly.
“What should I say if someone asks where you are going?”
“Hmm….”
Cecile, adjusting her coat carefully, paused and then answered.
“Just tell them I’m going to pick up a friend.”
- Duchess of Axid
“Have you heard the news?”
“What news?”
“They say the Duchess of Axid has finally died!”
“Oh my…”
“They say the Duke and the ailing Duchess left the castle together, but only the Duke returned after a few months.”
“Tsk, tsk… Duke Axid has become so pitiful.”
In a lively party hall, a man clicked his tongue upon hearing the tragic news.
At that moment:
“Did you say the Duke of Axid is pitiful? You only know one thing and don’t know the other.”
“Who’s that!”
“Isn’t that Baron Ruimer?”
The man who recognized the newcomer immediately asked.
“So what do you mean by knowing one thing and not the other? What does that mean?”
“You’ll no longer feel sorry for the Duke of Axid after you hear my story.”
“What is it? Tell me quickly.”
“It’s true that the Duke of Axid left with his wife and returned alone. But shortly after, he welcomed a new Duchess.”
“What?”
“Wait, I haven’t heard that the Duke of Axid remarried…”
“Of course you haven’t heard. He must have skipped the ceremony and quietly handled the paperwork. Why would he make a fuss about remarrying immediately after his wife’s death? It’s not something to be proud of.”
“Ah, I see…”
“I only found out from someone working at the Duke’s residence.”
“Oh! The Duke of Axid was so shameless he didn’t even respect his late wife!”
At that moment:
“Ah, discussing stories that only two people know and three do not.”
“Viscount Lumorumo?”
“Let me reveal the truth. The Duke of Axid has not forgotten his deceased wife. He still loves and misses her.”
“But the remarriage… Ah, so the rumor about his remarriage is false?”
“What? I definitely heard it from a relative of one of his employees…”
“No, the rumor isn’t false. There is definitely a new Duchess at the Duke’s residence.”
“See! I told you!”
Baron Ruimer raised his voice. The man standing next to him tilted his head.
“So what’s the conclusion? He still loves and misses his late wife but has remarried?”
“Do you know what color the eyes of the current Duchess are?”
“No.”
“They’re green.”
“Why is that?”
“Because the eyes of the deceased Duchess were also green.”
“Well… it could be a coincidence. My cousin’s distant relative has green eyes too.”
“My first love’s eyes were green as well.”
“Hmm, that’s a rather uninteresting story.”
“Keep listening, you impatient people.”
Viscount Lumorumo, shaking his head at the conversation, continued:
“Does anyone know the name of the current Duchess at the Duke of Axid’s residence?”
“Would anyone know? I only just learned that there is a Duchess here.”
“…I don’t know either. Do tell.”
“The name of the Duchess is…”
Viscount Lumorumo’s eyes gleamed as he spoke.
“It’s Laila.”
“Laila? …Gasp!”
“It’s exactly the same name as the late Duchess?”
“Hey, Viscount Lumorumo. Is that really true?”
“It’s true. I assure you. My cousin happened to visit the Duke of Axid’s residence recently as a guest. That cousin sent me a letter.”
Viscount Lumorumo lowered his voice.
“The letter mentioned that the Duke of Axid clearly referred to the current Duchess as Laila.”
“Oh my…”
“If even the names are the same, then it can’t be a coincidence.”
“So, the Duke of Axid…”
The four men gathered at the table began to whisper among themselves.
And not far from where the men were gathered.
A woman who had been eavesdropping eventually left the party.
A few hours later.
The woman’s carriage arrived in front of an opulent mansion.
Carefully holding her voluminous skirt to avoid stepping on it, the woman walked briskly up to the mansion.
She soon burst into the luxurious bedroom on the second floor.
“My beautiful older sister, who, despite your stunning looks, remains unmarried because you’re too picky about men!”
“What! Are you crazy?”
A young woman who was lying on the bed and receiving a facial massage from a maid jumped up.
The woman was, as described, extraordinarily beautiful. Her lush pink hair cascaded over her shoulders.
After dismissing the maid from the bedroom, the woman crossed her arms and glared at her sister.
“What is it? Why did you suddenly show up without any notice?”
“My old sister, who scolds me for visiting.”
“Can’t you speak properly? And I’m not old! I’m only twenty-six!”
“Others at twenty-six already have two children.”
“Did you have a fight with your husband or something? Not my concern. Leave right now. Take your frustration out elsewhere.”
The woman sitting on the bed threw a pillow at her sister.
The intruding woman easily dodged the pillow and spoke.
“Are you going to keep avoiding marriage? At this rate, Father will collapse.”
“Why do you care? There aren’t any men I’m interested in. Should I marry just any man? Then I’d collapse.”
“Sister…”
“And didn’t I tell you to leave? Didn’t you hear me?”
“I heard that Duke Axid has gone mad.”
I am kind of disappointed that Laila’s body had to be switched with a healthy body. I didn’t quite understand what her sister meant before with her new name, but now it makes sense. I thought she meant her appearance changed and they just swapped her out with the original maid while fooling the maid’s family.
I don’t like the body switching because of the rumors and remarrying thing. I know it’s for the plot, but it’s still disappointing in a way.
Ikr. I hate that they had to switch her body too.