CH 13

Brandon, who thought the on-edge Callie was nervous because of the early night, smiled leisurely and approached her. 

“My lady, why are you looking so nervous?”

“Because it’s an important moment.”

“Haha, you, too, have high expectations for the first night, right?”

“I think it would be more accurate to say I’m worried than expectant.”

“There’s nothing to worry about. I’ll take the lead. Just enjoy yourself.”

“It’s not easy.”

How can I be comfortable when I know someone–maybe you–wants to kill me?

Brandon, who had been watching Callie, shifted his gaze to the wine sitting quietly on the table.

“Would you like some wine?”

“…”

Brandon’s offer made her stiffen. Callie swallowed dryly, sensing the impending danger.

“Two cups. Eagle and peacock patterns.”

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“Because it was the first night, the servants must have packed it. The bride has a peacock pattern, right?”

Brandon lifted the wine bottle and started pouring it into the wine glass with the peacock design.

I can’t drink from that glass.

Following him with sharp eyes, Callie casually suggested so that Brandon wouldn’t notice, “Do we really need to drink according to the assigned pattern? I like eagles more than peacocks, so let’s exchange.”

If he were the culprit who killed Callie, he’d never agree to it.

Callie asked for a glass change, watching Brandon’s reaction.

The man never showed his true feelings on his face, so his expression didn’t change in response to her proposal. 

Brandon refused and said, “There’s a saying that if a newlywed couple drinks wine the patterned glasses–the eagle for the groom and peacock for the bride–they will live happily ever after. So let’s drink it from the designated glasses.”

So, he refused my request. Is it because the bride’s cup is poisoned? And you’re making me drink from that glass?

Callie’s expression darkened.

“Do you think we can be happy with that superstition? We didn’t even marry out of love.”

“You never know. As the old saying goes, if you share wine in glasses with eagle and peacock patterns, that will really happen.”

That’s just an excuse for why he didn’t want to change.

“It’s not like you to believe that, Brandon.”

Then she took the bottle of wine and brought it to her mouth before pouring some into the eagle-patterned glass.

Brandon gasped as he watched Callie swiftly take the groom’s wine glass.

“How about some wine from the groom’s glass?” She put the glass down from her mouth and said, “It doesn’t taste good in my mouth. Maybe it’s because I don’t like wine. Drink, Sir Brandon.”

As expected, there’s nothing wrong with the groom’s cup. That’s why Brandon refused the bride’s glass.

Then, would he drink from the bride’s glass?

Callie pointed to the peacock wine glass and offered it to Brandon.

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Brandon’s gaze shifted to it. Then, after quietly looking down at the glass, he raised his head and spoke as if he had just remembered.

“Oh! Before the wedding, my friend Sir Howard gave me some wine to drink with the bride tonight. He says it’s very good wine, so let’s try it.”

“I’m fine.”

“Apparently, this wine is suitable for a bride on her first night. Aren’t you curious about how it tastes? Wait a minute. I’ll go and get it.”

Even though Callie refused and said she was fine, Brandon insisted.

Callie couldn’t stop her doubts.

“Is it in the wine cellar? Then, I’ll have a servant bring it to us.” Callie asked the servant to do it, as she had done in her previous life.

“No. It’s complicated to explain what kind of wine it is, so I’ll get it myself.”

He’s going to get the wine himself? 

It was even more suspicious when he insisted on going himself instead of asking a servant to do this.

“…Then, do so.”

“Wait a minute, I’ll get it right away.”

Brandon left to retrieve the wine gifted to him.

The bedroom door he left was slightly ajar, as in the previous life.

Did he intentionally not close that door all the way?

With so much tension in her body, Callie stared at the door.

And soon, she heard a knock.

“My lady, it is me.”

Callie jumped at the familiar voice, paused, and let out a sigh of relief.

“Come in, Lisa.”

After looking out the door, Lisa came inside and lowered her voice, “My lady, Sir Brandon seemed to be going down to the cellar where he kept the wine.”

“There wasn’t anyone else in the hallway?”

“Yes. I didn’t see anyone.”

Saw no one…?

When I faced my death in my previous life, I saw eyes watching me die through the gap in the door.

Who was that?

“Oh, and did you see Sir Howard giving Sir Brandon wine before the wedding?”

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“As milady told me, I followed Sir Brandon and saw him before the wedding. A man named Sir Howard congratulated him, but he didn’t give him anything.”

So it was a lie that the wine was from Sir Howard.

After all, the culprit must be Sir Brandon.

I doubted him but still hoped he wasn’t it.

A disappointed Callie stared blankly into the air. 

Lisa, who didn’t know what was happening, was worried and frustrated with her.

“Milady, why are you like that? Why did you ask me to keep an eye on Sir Brandon? Why did you tell me to look out for suspicious people around the bedroom?”

“…”

Despite Lisa’s concerns, Callie just sat there blankly and did not respond.

What should I do now?

I already changed my wine glass tonight to avoid dying.

But then… What should I do next?

Brandon was the most suspicious, but Callie hadn’t found conclusive evidence.

The only person on her side in this spacious mansion was Lisa, whom she had brought with her when she got married.

“My lady, tell me what’s going on.”

Would Lisa believe me if I told her I had been killed in my previous life and returned to the day I first met Brandon?

“Ahh, I’m dying of boredom. Is it because you hate marrying Sir Brandon?”

“No.”

“Then, are you nervous about the first night? If that’s the case, just leave it to Sir Brandon. The rumors about him… no, never mind. In any case, he will guide you well.”

Lisa was going to say that she was a rumored playboy but quickly changed her words.

“It’s not like that.”

“Then, what is it?”

“Even if I told you, you wouldn’t believe me.”

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“Why won’t I? I believe everything you say. So, don’t struggle alone and confide in me. Who knows, maybe I can help?”

Callie stared intently at Lisa.

Even if I tell you, you won’t believe it… Still, I wanted to tell anyone about this frustrating feeling.

“Lisa, you may find it hard to believe.”

Lisa’s eyes widened as Callie began to tell her what had happened, but Lisa focused on her words.

“This isn’t the first time I’ve lived this life. I’ve already been through this situation once.”

“…Yes?”

“The night of my wedding, someone killed me. My life ended so painfully, but when I woke up after losing my life, I was back to the day I first met Sir Brandon.”

Callie told Lisa all the unbelievable things that had happened to her.

Lisa looked surprised at first but sighed in disbelief by the time Callie had finished telling her story.

“So, what you mean is that you thought you were dead, but you came back alive? How long ago were you married?”

“You don’t believe me? But it’s true.”

“Ahh, milady. What kind of nonsense is that? Did you hate this marriage so much? So much that you even imagined that?”

Haa, I knew you wouldn’t believe me.

I wouldn’t have believed it if I hadn’t experienced it myself.

“You don’t believe me.”

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“Who would believe you died but woke up and came back in time? I wouldn’t believe it even if the best mage in Irze said it.”

“Yeah, that might be hard to believe… But wait, what did you say? Mage…?”

“Yeah. Even the most famous mage in Irze doesn’t have that ability.”

If it’s the mage… Will they believe me?

Have they ever seen someone like Callie who died and returned to the past? Since they’re a mage, they might have heard of such a thing or met such a person.

“Lisa, who’s the most famous mage in Irze?”

“Hmm, it’s definitely Anton Jenkin. They say he does all kinds of magic.”

“Where can I meet that person?”

“Huh? Will you meet him? Milady, do you really believe you went back in time? How would that even happen? You must have been under a lot of stress while getting married. You’ll be fine again soon.”

Lisa, who didn’t believe her at all, comforted her lady since she was worried she might have a nervous breakdown.

Still, Callie couldn’t stay like this without doing anything.

“Lisa, where does the mage live?”

“I don’t know much, but magic shows are mainly held in Vihiru. Aunt Noah once said she wanted to go to Vihiru to see the show.”

“Hmm, Vihiru, Vihiru… I wish I could go there and meet him.”

As she heard Callie mutter to herself, Lisa opened her mouth as if an idea suddenly came to mind.