About Becoming My Ex-Husband's Mistress - Chapter 183

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 183. Attempting Something Mad
Melissa continued through her sobs.
“While my brother-in-law was here, I noticed something odd and conducted my own investigation, which led me to uncover a clue.”
The conclusion was that my death stemmed entirely from Eclite’s actions.
“Count Veloda Genoma seemed very strange. So I pressed him about it, and it turned out that Prince Eclite had…”
Melissa swallowed her false tears.
“He forcibly violated my sister and threw her into the swamp to humiliate my brother-in-law.”
Luderne’s eyes widened.
Soon his jaw clenched tight, and a murderous gleam kindled in his gaze.
“Is that… true?”
“It could cause a conflict between nations, so Zerox told me to stay quiet for now. But she’s my sister. I can’t bear this situation—the anger is overwhelming.”
At those words, Luderne bolted upright from the bed.
In that instant, his body swayed violently.
As Luderne tumbled across the carpeted floor, Melissa let out a small shriek.
“Oh no! Brother-in-law, are you alright?”
“Ugh, damn it…! I’ll kill them all!”
His voice scraped out through agony, as if he might cough blood.
Unable to hold back tears, he struck the floor hard with his fist and wailed.
“Priscilla! Priscilla!”
Even as he cried out, he tried to rise. But his body simply refused to obey.
“Brother-in-law, wait just a moment. Let me fetch a medicine to clear the alcohol quickly.”
Melissa hurried out.
Lying there, Luderne watched her go and gritted his teeth. Thick tears streamed ceaselessly down his face.
“Forgive me, my lady. It’s all my fault. How can I ever atone for such a grave sin?”
He made no attempt to hide his anguished remorse.
A moment later, Melissa returned.
She held out a medicine bottle to Luderne.
“Brother-in-law, I brought this. It’s an excellent restorative—they say you can move immediately after drinking it. Now set your sorrow aside and recover quickly so we can avenge my sister’s suffering together.”
“Yes, I will. I’ll have my revenge no matter what.”
Luderne nodded and swallowed the contents of the medicine bottle Melissa gave him in one gulp. And the moment he tried to rise—
Doubt flickered in Luderne’s eyes.
“Cough!”
Dark red blood sprayed across the rug.
He could not rise. Paralyzed and collapsed, he could only roll his eyes to look at Melissa.
“Phew, now I can relax.”
Melissa brushed the hem of her dress with both hands as if she had never worried at all.
“Sister-in-law… my body won’t…”
“Oh my, did I forget to explain?”
Melissa continued with perfect composure.
“That’s something Zerox obtained specially—it lets only your soul move while you drink it. They call it extreme poison by another name. And about the truth regarding my sister? Well, I actually lied a bit. Because the real culprit is Count Veloda Genoma.”
Luderne’s eyes widened.
Melissa looked down at him with a contemptuous smile.
“I needed to coax that woman into giving me the key my brother-in-law left behind, but she wouldn’t budge—kept talking about chastity. So I tried using the curse magic I gave her, but it didn’t work as planned. When I finally found the key, I pushed her into the swamp.”
Melissa waved her hand as she watched Luderne’s eyes grow increasingly dim.
“Anyway, farewell. Thanks to you, I’ve become a saint. Once my brother-in-law dies, I’ll become queen, you know? A national hero who eliminated a dangerous element of the Arde Kingdom. Thank you. I owe it all to my brother-in-law and sister.”
Luderne clenched his teeth.
But there was nothing more he could do.
Unable to close his eyes against the weight of bitter regret, he simply grew cold.
Watching him, I wept uncontrollably.
Knowing the suffering he had endured, my heart felt as though it would tear apart.
I recalled the original story I had read.
Though I didn’t know how the two of them spent that night, there was an account that Melissa had poisoned Luderne when he lay helpless.
‘So this was the truth.’
My hatred for Melissa deepened.
And I despised myself for failing to recognize Luderne’s innocence.
Then the surroundings darkened and brightened once more.
Luderne’s funeral was being held in Wintem Territory.
Though it was a rainy day, there were remarkably many mourners.
Yet throughout the ceremony, one person caught my attention—someone weeping quietly in a corner.
It was Sir Jester.
I drew closer to him.
“If only I could have turned back time further!”
As the funeral ended, he wiped his tears away with his hands and headed somewhere.
He went to Wintem Castle.
Sir Jester climbed a spiral staircase deep within the castle, ascending higher and higher.
He arrived at a chamber.
When he unlocked the door with a key, a room with one wall concealed by a crimson curtain appeared.
Sir Jester locked the door behind him and drew back the crimson curtain as he spoke.
“Only three people knew of this place—His Highness, Lord Mohr, and myself. Now only two remain.”
At that moment, I truly gasped and covered my mouth with both hands.
Behind the crimson curtain hung a large portrait.
And the subject of that portrait was me.
I recalled the day Sir Jester had spoken nonsense at my home on Heril Island.
Everything he had said was there, rendered in paint.
Dressed in a crimson gown and wearing a tiara, with a melancholic air, I stood with my golden hair half-pinned and cascading long, bearing a serene smile.
My long, lush lashes and emerald-green eyes were depicted with exquisite detail, my gaze fixed straight ahead.
“Grand Duchess, I hoped you would come here and see this portrait that His Highness prepared so carefully…”
Sir Jester gazed at the portrait and released a heavy sigh.
“Instead, the Grand Duke went to your side. I never even got to see your true face.”
Sir Jester stared at the portrait for a long while, his expression vacant, before turning to leave.
From that moment, I understood.
Before the regression, I did not know him, but he had known me.
He returned to that same place the next day. And the day after that as well.
He came seeking the portrait every single day.
Then one day, he arrived carrying a bottle of liquor.
“You see, I greatly admire Luderne Wintem Grand Duke. And well, this is a secret, but I’ve felt something recently, you know?”
Then he fell silent.
“No, I don’t have the courage for this. I’ll tell you next time.”
Days passed swiftly once more.
Sir Jester’s visits continued without fail.
“If only I could turn back time.”
Each time he came, he spoke to the portrait—some days with jest, other days with lamentation.
And one day, he wept while calling out Luderne’s name.
After several years had passed in this manner, the room had become his bedroom.
Coming every day to gaze upon the portrait and sleep, it would not be an exaggeration to call it his personal chamber.
Of course, there was no bed. Only a single blanket he brought with him each time.
Occasionally, Brissel Mohr would visit and click his tongue at the sight of Sir Jester. Before leaving the room, he would gaze upon my portrait with a bitter expression.
Then came that fateful day.
Sir Jester, dressed properly in the robes of a Mage, entered pushing a trolley laden with countless items.
“I admired Luderne Wintem Grand Duke and yearned for him. And I also came to love you, whom Luderne Wintem Grand Duke loved.”
Having begun thus, he bowed respectfully toward the portrait.
“I know it would seem mad to say I fell in love merely from gazing upon a portrait. But the more I looked, the more I wished to see you alive. And His Highness as well.”
He methodically arranged the items from the trolley and began drawing an enormous magical circle upon the floor.
“You see, regression magic is my specialty. I’ve attempted regressions before, but only for brief spans of time. This time, however, I’ve conducted serious research. I’m about to attempt something mad.”
As he continued drawing the magical circle, he explained the theory of regression magic to my silent portrait.
“I concluded that even expending all my magical power would not suffice, so I devised a method to forcibly draw upon the power of others.”
Of course, other Mages would despise this if they knew, but Sir Jester reasoned that since most would lose their memories upon regression, they would never find out.
“If this succeeds and I regress while maintaining this state, magic will appear to vanish from the world. There will be a void in magic equal to the power consumed by the regression. But once that void is filled, the power will return. Until then, yes, it will be frustrating. Each time I try to remember the regression, backlash will occur. Yet theoretically, it is not utterly hopeless.”
His ensuing explanation was remarkable.
Among the components embedded within regression magic, at least one allows absolute memory of the past time, and he had designated me as that anchor.
“I will exert myself to the utmost, but I cannot know how far back I can regress. So I must stake everything upon you. Priscilla, I beg of you—do not die under any circumstances. If you do, we will find a way to save you regardless.”
Soon he began casting the spell.
Varied hues of light began swirling within the magical circle.
As he examined the vast magical circle, he drew forth a sharp dagger.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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