Chapter 5

Those were her last words—her final testament. 

And with that, Cecenia died. 

‘I regret not killing my sister back then.’ 

A single tear fell from Cecenia’s eyes. 

That was her last memory. 

Her husband, the emperor, looked at her with relief. 

Her sister, Elzer, smirked at her. 

Ian, standing behind her sister—the man who had an affair with her sister—had told her, “Since you won’t be able to kill them anyway, just send them far away.” That same Ian, the only friend she had. 

‘Love… really is cursed…’ 

And so, Cecenia’s life came to an end. 

‘But I will live again.’ 

— 

“Gasp…” 

When Cecenia opened her eyes again, her body was whole. She had not been stabbed, nor was she in pain. 

“I’m back.” 

She let out a small chuckle, as if she had always known she would return. Clenching and unclenching her fists, she walked toward a mirror. It was her own reflection, but one thing was different—she was wearing a necklace she had never seen before. 

A pocket watch—slightly thick. When she opened it, there was an hourglass inside. 

‘Our family’s secret relic.’ 

The Vestel family carried a dreadful curse. Not even her father, the Marquis of Vestel, knew of it. It was an ancient tale—a curse placed upon those who wished for death, ensuring they could never die by their own will. 

What kind of curse was it? Were there any side effects? None of that had ever been revealed. Cecenia had only learned of it just before her death, as if fate itself did not want her to die. 

“I would have died anyway, even without this.” 

They would have found a way to kill her no matter what. The game had been played with her life as the wager, but there had never been any other choice besides death. 

As she consoled herself, Cecenia ran a hand through her hair. When she touched her cheek, she felt the warmth of her skin. 

“I’m really alive.” 

At that moment, the door opened, and someone entered. 

“Ah.” 

“My lady, did you oversleep again today?” 

“…I just woke up, so I suppose you could say that.” 

Acting as if everything were normal, as if she had always existed in this time, Cecenia glanced around. 

“Ah, I see.” 

She was being called ‘my lady.’ And this place—no matter how she looked at it—was the Vestel Marquisate. It was her room, the one she had lived in before she got married. 

‘Time has turned back… quite far back.’ 

Cecenia shook her head, trying to grasp the situation. The woman in the room urged her on. 

“Hurry and get up. If you keep lazing around, His Lordship will scold you again.” 

“Ah… Father is here?” 

“Of course. Are you still feeling dazed from drinking wine at the coming-of-age ceremony yesterday?” 

Cecenia had confirmed that she had returned due to the family’s curse, but she still didn’t know the exact time period or if this was truly reality. 

Then, as she was trying to figure it out, she realized who was speaking to her. 

It was Lisbet, the daughter of her nanny, who had grown up alongside her as both a friend and a maid. 

But two months before everything had happened to Cecenia, Lisbet had died in a mysterious accident. Other than Ian, she was the only person Cecenia had ever opened her heart to. Lisbet had left saying she would visit her mother—and never returned. 

Remembering this, Cecenia stared at Lisbet. If this wasn’t a dream, then had she returned to before Lisbet’s death? Had she really regressed? Otherwise, why would Lisbet be here? 

Her doubts grew stronger with each passing moment. 

“Lisbet… are you okay?” 

“Of course.” 

“Really… You’re not sick or anything?” 

“My lady, did you have a bad dream? You’re acting strange today. Almost as if you’ve regressed or something.” 

Cecenia’s face turned pale. 

“Regressed…?” 

“Yes, like turning back time. Why are you asking so many questions, as if you’ve experienced it?” 

Lisbet smiled as she spoke, but Cecenia felt as if something sharp had stabbed her chest. 

‘It is regression… but why would Lisbet use such an uncommon word?’ 

Something felt off. The word ‘regression’ perfectly explained her situation, yet it left a strange feeling in her heart. 

“My lady?” 

“Huh?” 

“You seem the same as always, but something feels different today.” 

“I suppose so. Even I think I’m acting strange. Lisbet, you mentioned my coming-of-age ceremony was yesterday. What do you mean by that?” 

“I mean that you turned twenty yesterday and now you’re one day older!” 

Lisbet’s bright smile made Cecenia blink in confusion. 

It had been five years since she had turned twenty. At nineteen, she got engaged to the crown prince. At twenty, her father was considering who would inherit the family. At twenty-one, she had taken over most of the family’s affairs. At twenty-two, she married the crown prince. At twenty-three, he became emperor. And at twenty-five, she died. 

‘A five-year grace period has been given to me.’ 

“This isn’t a dream, is it?” 

“Are you hoping it is? I understand—aging is always sad. But I get it.” 

Lisbet, always so cheerful, smiled at Cecenia, making her heart ache. 

‘It really seems like I’ve returned, Lisbet. I lost you before, but here, you’re alive.’ 

At that moment, Cecenia was happier than she had ever been. 

“Yes, aging is sad. But right now, I feel good.” 

“Do you?” 

“I should get ready and see my father.” 

Cecenia smiled more brightly than ever as she looked at Lisbet. 

‘I will give her everything she wants.’ 

Her sister had always wanted everything Cecenia had. So this time, she vowed to give Elzer all the filth she desired. 

Even if the people who betrayed her in the past were different now, the time she had lived through remained the same. 

And so, Cecenia headed toward her father, back when she was still a naive nineteen-year-old. 

—