In the original work, Celeste was executed for the crime of patricide. In other words, she was accused of killing her family.
In the original story, Celeste was not only the heir of Count Louisette but also the last descendant of the Schwaben Duke, who was a distant relative, almost considered an outsider.
Despite not being a direct descendant of the Schwaben Duke, Celeste was designated as his last descendant due to a series of complicated familial connections spanning several generations.
Because the Schwaben Duke had no siblings and his father and grandfather were also descendants of concubines, the Schwaben family was indeed a prestigious lineage.
By tracing back through three generations to find distant cousins and determining the relationships between their children, Celeste Aisha Louisette was eventually recognized as the descendant.
As a result, she was set to become the most powerful woman in the country, inheriting all the wealth and titles of Count Louisette from her father’s side and the title of the Schwaben Duke from her mother’s side.
However, the male protagonist, Albrecht, discovered suspicious circumstances surrounding the death of the Schwaben Duke and uncovered evidence that Celeste had assassinated her relative.
Unsatisfied with just the title of the Countess, Celeste was swiftly executed by Albrecht, leaving her to possess me fortunately just before the Schwaben Duke’s death.
Fearing inevitable entanglements with the Schwaben family if I stayed in the capital, I used the excuse of needing care to retreat to this remote countryside cottage.
Little did I expect someone, likely the male protagonist, to track me down in this secluded village of Urentum and disrupt my peaceful solitude.
Oh dear.
I had no intention of sitting obediently as told. Though it probably wouldn’t make much of a difference, I refused to sit and went to the window, pulling the curtains open. The man, perhaps uncomfortable with my non-compliance, sat still with a furrowed brow.
He said we had a relationship of loathing with Celeste, assuming my temperament was foul. What does it matter if one is good-looking? Even with such a personality.
I returned to my seat after adjusting the curtains. As I deliberately pulled my chair further away from the man and sat down, I could feel his gaze following my every move.
A moment of silence passed. Given that the reason for my stubbornness was solid, I was determined not to speak until the man said something.
I had a plausible reason for deciding to endure this ordeal inexplicably. Thankfully, having knowledge of the future, I came here with confidence that I could avoid death to a certain extent, but just in case a situation like the present arose, I had set up some traps in this small cabin.
One of them was a hidden magic stone on the living room floor. If someone tried to harm me directly, I could use the power of magic to apprehend that person, giving me time to escape.
Glancing discreetly, I eyed the right corner of the living room. There were four magic stones beneath the floor. Uttering the appropriate activation spell would trap this man instantly.
Why did I flee here in this state? It’s not going to be easy.
The only thing I appreciated after possessing Celeste was her immense wealth. It allowed me to purchase these expensive magic stones in abundance.
Money truly is supreme!
Having lived without it in my past life, suddenly inheriting the wealth of a rich heiress felt nothing but satisfying and fulfilling, except for the fact that she was destined to perish.
So, I had to evade the planned death by all means necessary.
The locations where I had hidden the second and third magic stones were behind the pillar in the opposite corner of the living room and near the entrance floor, respectively.
And the last, fourth magic stone was located at…
Even amidst this suffocating silence, the man sat elegantly, gazing at me with a calm demeanor.
Unaware of the time bomb beneath his feet.
“Once again, it’s been a while, Viscount.”
Relaxing, the man finally spoke.
It was impeccable timing. If the man had continued staring at me, I might have unintentionally activated the fourth magic stone hidden under his feet.
“Do we… have we met before?”
Considering various circumstances, it was conceivable that this man was the protagonist. However, it needed to be confirmed if he was indeed the main character.
To speculate on his identity based on his reaction, I glanced at the man. At this time, there should be no connection between Celeste and the male protagonist, Karl Albrecht.
It was known that Celeste and Karl Albrecht would only come face to face after Duke Schwaben’s death. However, as I had possessed Celeste before Duke Schwaben’s demise, in reality, Duke Albrecht and Celeste should not have met.
Of course, the original script could change at any moment, like Celeste secretly giving birth to a child.
“Hah.”
The man chuckled.
For some reason, his expression was incredibly puzzled.
“Alright, I see you’re coming out like that. Yes, I understand…”
He muttered to himself with an even more displeased expression than when I called him Franz.
Judging by his response, it seemed that he had met Celeste before I possessed her. Could he be the male lead instead?
“Then, I will address you from now on as a public figure.”
The man straightened his slightly leaning body and placed his clasped hands on the table.
“I am here because I have received a royal decree to summon you to the capital immediately. Soon, an official royal knight order will be dispatched to escort you.”
“Me? Why me?”
Why was I being summoned to the capital? There was no reason for it. Moreover, the mention of being ‘escorted’ by a royal decree was confusing. It was hard to understand.
“Because you are suspected of murdering Duke Schwaben.”
Thud.
My heart sank.
What kind of nonsense was this?
I distinctly remembered fleeing to this place before Duke Schwaben’s death. Even more shocking was having the murder accusation pinned on me again.
“I can’t believe this. Something is wrong.”
They pushed back their chair by exerting force on their legs while seated.
Screech. A grating sound pierced their ears unpleasantly.
“T-That can’t be true. Accused of murdering Duke Schwaben.”
“It’s not confirmed. You’re merely a suspect.”
They felt the sharp gaze of the man scanning their entire being. Even though they had done nothing wrong, being stared at with such a terrifying expression made their fingertips tremble.
It seemed like there was no other choice. Now is the time, the fourth magic stone…!
“We need to go to the capital for further investigation…”
“Ugh!”
That was when it happened. The man, frozen in his seated position, upon hearing the sudden sound of a child crying from upstairs.
