NDHNT 2

A Quick Return is Necessary for a Ruined Possession

 

Chapter 2

 

A week-long house arrest was imposed on me for causing a commotion at the party. It was thanks to Lucia, who stopped Ricardo just as he was about to draw his sword.

 

For a noble, missing the crown prince’s coronation was a great disgrace, but it was still better than being killed by the male lead right after possessing this body. In the original story, Leticia had grabbed Lucia’s hair and caused a scene, which got her thrown into prison.

 

“…Lucia defended me.”

 

I really like Lucia, but she’s an incurable pushover. Just seeing her take my side after getting slapped at the party proves it. In the original novel, she even visited Leticia, who had been sentenced to death for attempting to poison her, and prayed for her.

 

Isn’t that a bit excessive, even for a heroine? Of course, this time, her pushover nature saved my life.

 

“Oh, my dear Leticia… You’re so kind. But you don’t have to defend someone like that. You know she’s been looking down on you since you were children, right?”

 

Brenda spoke in a sympathetic tone as she pulled me into a tight embrace.

 

“Don’t you remember how she mocked your origins? How she ridiculed you for not being able to manifest divine power? And yet, instead of scolding her own daughter, her mother…”

 

Brenda gently stroked my hair. She had always pitied Leticia. She felt sorry that Leticia had been born from her mother’s affair, and that she couldn’t manifest divine power until adulthood. Because of that, she had indulged Leticia’s every wish. Leticia, who had no real friends, believed that at least Brenda was on her side.

 

“Do you know how much it hurt me every time I saw you being looked down on?”

 

“……”

 

“You are a lady of the noble Count Blanco family, protectors of the empire. The fact that you can’t summon divine beasts doesn’t change that. So always hold your head high.”

 

Brenda cupped my cheek and spoke warmly, as if she truly loved Leticia. But if that had been the case, she wouldn’t have abandoned Leticia in the end.

 

Brenda was the first to turn her back on Leticia when she was caught trying to poison Lucia. Because of Leticia’s downfall, Brenda’s husband, Carlos, had been able to take over as head of the family earlier than expected.

 

“…I understand.”

 

I smiled and wrapped my hand around Brenda’s. I knew she was someone I should keep my distance from first and foremost, but at the moment, I had no allies in this mansion. I had no choice.

 

“Next time you see her, make sure she can’t even open her mouth. Oh, by the way, how about getting a new dress?”

 

“Would Father allow it?”

 

In the original story, Leticia wasn’t the type of villainess who could indulge in luxury as she pleased. Her father, Fabian Blanco, didn’t abandon her despite her not being his biological daughter, but he never gave her enough money to live extravagantly, either. Brenda took full advantage of that.

 

“I’ve been saving up some money for my lovely niece. So don’t worry too much.”

 

Brenda whispered as if sharing a secret. But I knew the truth. Whenever Leticia bought a shabby dress, Brenda’s jewelry box would somehow gain a new ornament. And her husband and children were looking more well-groomed by the day.

 

…She’s beyond hopeless.

 

The worst reputation, a father too busy subjugating demonic beasts to even see my face, and an aunt who only pretended to be on my side while embezzling my allowance. As long as I didn’t attempt to poison Lucia, I wouldn’t be executed. But since I had already earned the crown prince’s ire, my life was bound to be miserable.

 

…I should regress.

 

I made up my mind. This life was hopeless—so I might as well give up on it.

 

 

—

 

How would I regress? Well, just because I possessed a villainess didn’t mean I gained the ability to turn back time. However, since I had read the original novel, I knew that the holy relic Estella was in the imperial palace, and I intended to use that information.

 

Estella was the name of the relic, but it was also the name of a saint who had served the god of order, Etas. It was said that she had been deeply loved by Etas and created the relic infused with divine power for future generations. Many had searched for it in vain, and it was only discovered when Leticia was imprisoned, waiting for her execution.

 

“It was in the garden. The sword that the goddess statue was holding—that was Estella. His Majesty was so devastated when he found out.”

 

In the original novel, it was none other than Lucia who told Leticia about it while she was locked up after her death sentence. Every day, Lucia came to visit the person who had tried to poison her and brought news from the outside world. Leticia had assumed that Lucia’s kindness was just a form of mockery.

 

She really was the ultimate pushover.

 

Still, that pushover behavior hadn’t been completely meaningless. In the end, villainess Leticia repented and accepted her death. Though, really, what good is regret when you’re already dying?

 

“…We’ve arrived, my lady.”

 

The hired carriage came to a stop a little distance from the imperial palace. Pulling my worn-out hood lower over my face, I stepped out.

 

Getting out of the mansion hadn’t been difficult. No one expected me to violate the crown prince’s direct house arrest order, not even my own family. And Brenda, my so-called guardian, was the person who wanted me to cause trouble the most. She might have even turned a blind eye on purpose.

 

“Keep the change.”

 

I took off an earring and pressed it into the coachman’s hand. It was an extravagant fare for a simple ride, but since I was planning to leave this world anyway, it didn’t matter.

 

“Thank you, my lady! Thank you!”

 

The coachman bowed deeply before turning his carriage around. I stood there, watching the rickety old vehicle disappear into the distance.

 

“……I didn’t expect you to come, brother.”

 

Ricardo Esteban, the protagonist of the coronation ceremony, smiled amiably as he adjusted his attire. His demeanor was entirely different from the previous day when he had drawn his sword against Leticia. The Grand Duke of the North, Adrian Lepinar, who had been looking out the window, turned his head toward the prince.

 

“Address me as Grand Duke, Your Highness.”

 

“That sounds too stiff. I don’t like it.”

 

“Then, perhaps uncle.”

 

“That sounds too old.”

 

Ricardo chuckled to himself as he threw out baseless remarks. Adrian, without replying, placed the cigar back in his mouth. Smoking in the presence of the prince was against court etiquette, but Ricardo did not seem to mind.

 

“Still, it’s a relief to breathe without that woman around.”

 

“……”

 

“You saw it yesterday too, didn’t you? That woman—what she did to Lucia….”

 

“Grand Duke.”

 

“You’re so particular.”

 

When Adrian corrected the form of address, Ricardo wrinkled his nose slightly and grumbled. His gaze shifted to the two men standing upright before him.

 

“Did you two see it?”

 

“Are you referring to Lady Blando?”

 

Adrian’s adjutant, Leonor Alfredo, adjusted his glasses as he asked. Lady Blando. At those words, Adrian’s brows knitted slightly, almost imperceptibly.

 

Though they shared no blood, she was an utterly different woman from the always composed and dignified Fabian Blando. Heavy, ill-suited makeup, a dress as gaudy as it was tasteless, and an expression twisted with rage she could not contain—all of it was a stark contrast. His adjutant seemed to share the sentiment, shrugging as he chuckled.

 

“Haha, she does seem… quite different from the Count.”

 

“It’s really hard to believe she’s Count Blando’s daughter. Brother—no, Grand Duke, you’ve met Count Fabian Blando, haven’t you?”

 

“I have, a few times at the border. He even helped retrieve my brother’s body.”

 

“Ah, that’s right.”

 

At Adrian’s brief response, Ricardo’s eyebrows curved slightly, as if feeling somewhat apologetic. Adrian, unfazed, turned his gaze back to the window.

 

Leticia Blando. Fabian Blando’s illegitimate child. The woman who caused a disturbance on the eve of the crown prince’s coronation by slapping the saintess. And then…

 

‘That moment, she….’

 

She had changed completely, as if she had become someone else. A moment ago, she had looked ready to tear the saintess’s hair out, yet suddenly, like an actress stepping offstage, the fierce expression had disappeared.

 

“Lucia is kind enough that she only put her under house arrest… but who knows when she’ll try something again? I’d like to assign a guard to Lucia.”

 

At the abrupt remark, Adrian turned his head. He noted that Ricardo’s gaze had landed on the brown-haired knight who had remained silent all this time. Taking a deep drag from his cigar, Adrian exhaled slowly.

 

“Choose from the palace knights.”

 

“There’s no one I can trust. Hmm… Was it Sir Dylan? Max Dylan, right?”

 

“Yes, Your Highness.”

 

The knight bowed his head as he answered. Ricardo smiled faintly, observing his sharp gaze and overly large frame.

 

“What do you think? Would you take on the role of guarding my beloved?”

 

“My apologies, but I serve Grand Duke Lepinar as my lord.”

 

“Hah, where did you even find such a knight?”

 

Ricardo smacked his lips at the Grand Duke’s loyal subordinate. Adrian spoke up.

 

“Max lacks the experience to be assigned as a bodyguard. He is still only eighteen.”

 

“…Not thirty-eight?”

 

“……”

 

“Ah, my mistake.”

 

Ricardo offered an awkward apology, but the knight stood unfazed. That was when Adrian’s brow furrowed.

 

A shadowy figure had crept in beneath the outer wall of the courtyard.