When Estelle opened her eyes and noticed the shabby furniture, she looked around the room.
She was really back on Earth. But, she couldn’t figure out the current situation.
‘What’s going on?’
Estelle briefly scanned the room.
‘I’m in a mansion? And… Estelle’s body?’
Estelle peered into the room’s antique mirror and was astonished to see that she had returned to her body.
But soon after, she shook her head.
‘No, no. I’m a different person.’
Despite their resemblance, their predecessors are different.
‘How did I end up here? Is this a mistake?’
The devil did this, and obviously for nefarious purposes.
‘But why here?’
This wasn’t Estelle’s former mansion. The place was not well managed, so it appeared to be an unoccupied mansion or villa.
In the empire’s capital, there were often abandoned mansions. Nobles would generally choose this type of location to conduct heinous atrocities.
Estelle frowned because of her gut instincts. She was walking around when she heard a strange noise.
Grgrgr!
A beast began to growl and approached Estelle from the open door.
‘A beast? Ah, it’s begun.’
As Estelle frowned, a man and a girl trailed after the beast. The girl sneered,
“Look at that unlucky face. I’ve always wanted to kill you.”
The girl must’ve been in her late teens. She was an enchanting black-haired girl, and her ruby-like red eyes twinkled in the dim light. She was an outstanding beauty. If her appearance was compared to a gem, it would pale in comparison. She was like a lovely fairy of the night.
However, her remarks and attitude were contrary to her appearance.
“Then, Estelle, you will be the beast’s meal today, just like how that bitch died.”
Estelle remained silent. No, she couldn’t reply. Because she was far too perplexed to do so.
‘Jewell…Dejarnette?’
This girl was the priceless Lady Jewell of Duke Dejarnette, one of the six dukes that ruled over the Reinhardt Empire.
In Estelle’s previous life, she had a younger sister, Jewell, who followed her everywhere. However, she quickly became her enemy once she sacrificed Estelle to the devils on that day.
The devil’s words lingered on her mind.
[When you wake up, I’ll give you a special gift.]
Estelle cracked a grin.
‘So that’s what it meant by ‘gift’.’
It allowed her to confront one of her foes right away.
‘I’m not as excited or nervous as I thought I’d be.’
Estelle met her enemy, but her heart remained calm.
Well, enthusiasm could be felt only once the mind was sound.
For the past 600 years, Estelle’s mind began to get more damaged and torn, and she could no longer experience pure emotions such as passion or enthusiasm. Instead, it felt as though a drop of blood had fallen into an otherwise tranquil lake.
The only emotion Estelle felt was wrath.
She locked her gaze on Jewell.
“Wh-what?”
Jewell flinched as she caught Estelle’s gaze.
Jewell hadn’t noticed, but the one who occupied Estelle’s body had changed. This new Estelle would never quiver in terror.
“You, you, how dare you! What’s with that look?”
Jewell then shouted at the man in the black robe who was accompanying her.
“Kill her now! Hurry!”
“Alright.”
It seemed that the person in the black robe was the one who had summoned the beast from earlier.
‘Is he a black mage?’
Estelle gave a sly grin.
Black mage.
They were those who signed a contract with the devil and were able to use the power of darkness.
‘Jewell hated me, so she attempted to murder me using the black mage?’
Estelle could understand Jewell’s behavior, because this body was nearly identical to her former one.
She must’ve despised her that much.
‘It’s a given because she’s part of the original nobles. Especially one of the daughters of the six dukes, who treated a human lesser than they would an animal.’
Then, the black mage chanted a spell.
“Servants of darkness, I command you to tear up the food in front of you!”
Grrr!
The beast howled and dashed to Estelle.
Estelle, on the other hand, remained still.
She didn’t feel any fear, didn’t run away from it, and didn’t fight back. Because she didn’t have to. She only stared at the beast’s eyes.
The beast came to a standstill the minute she stared into its eyes.
“……!”
The black mage exclaimed,
“What are you doing? Come on!”
But then something even more unexpected happened.
The beast stepped back. It was an incredible sight.
“W-why?”
Estelle slowly approached the beast and caressed its cheek.
“Darkness is obedient to greater darkness. It won’t dare to touch me.”
“Wh-what are you talking about?!”
“That…”
Estelle pondered over her next words.
“I’m a greater darkness than you are.”
A black flower bloomed on Estelle’s temple.
“……!”
“You can’t even be compared to me.”
This black flower was a mark called the ‘Flower of Devil’ that only black mages who were most loved by the devil acquired.
The black mage’s face turned ghastly pale.
It wasn’t only that. The flower’s branches and stems stretched out as they spread throughout her face, her neck, and all over her body.
The black mage shuddered seeing the marks all over Estelle’s body.
“Th-that’s ridiculous! That’s the devil’s…! No, that many devils put their mark on you? Wh-what the hell!”
Estelle smiled.
She forgot how to smile, but since she felt compelled to do so now, Estelle clumsily lifted the corners of her lips.
“Nice to meet you, Jewell. I’ve missed you. A lot.”
[It’s your most desired gift, so please enjoy it as happily as you can.]
Ah.
Estelle nodded her head. It was, without a doubt, the best present.
Jewell, the lovely black-haired girl, recoiled in horror, but it was too late. The darkness had already engulfed her.
***
Black mages borrowed the power of the devil. The greater the devil loved them, the greater the power they could wield. Estelle was the most beloved human of all time since her birth.
Of course, that meant she could use dark magic anytime easily.
“Ah…ah…”
Jewell groaned in excruciating pain. The darkness Estelle conjured up, engulfed her whole body. She also cast a curse on her, causing her to feel more pain. Estelle didn’t allow her to die, either, so Jewell was unable to face death and was struggling in pain.
“Pl…please…”
‘Do you want me to save you? Or do you want me to kill you?’
Jewell pleaded incessantly in agony, but Estelle simply ignored her.
‘I’m not as satisfied as I thought I’d be.’
Estelle pondered for a moment. She imagined this moment countless times while she suffered in Gehenna, but it wasn’t as fulfilling as she hoped it would be.
‘Why?’
Estelle sighed and inquired softly,
“Is it hard to endure?”
Jewell’s eyes trembled.
“It’s only been half an hour. Is it hard?”
‘I had to suffer for 600 years because of you.’
“Pl-please don’t kill me.”
“Why would I?”
Estelle turned her back.
“Why would I let you live?”
Jewell’s eyes were in despair. Estelle spoke softly,
“There’s a reason I can’t spare you. Do you want to know why?”
Estelle recalled her memories as a saint. She remembered the moments while she was being enveloped by darkness distinctly.
It was Jewell’s excited face that was instilled in her mind.
“N-no way! Y-you…”
Estelle spoke softly.
“You understand why I can’t spare your life? Then choose. Whether to face a very painful end or a clean death.”
Jewell was in despair. It was unbelievable, but Jewell realized that the woman in front of her would not let her go if she was who she guessed it was.
“If you want to die a clean death, give your body to me. Then, I’ll bring you straight to rest in peace.”
“……!”
Jewell opened her eyes wide. She would notice Estelle’s intentions soon.
“G-give my body?”
“Yes, I’ll be you now.”
“……!”
“You, the immature daughter of Duke Dejarnette, and the prince’s fiancée.”
The Dejarnette duchy was regarded as the most powerful family in the empire. Revenge would be easy for her in the future if she became Jewell.
‘In fact, even now, I can do anything to take the lives of my enemies. But that would be too easy.’
Estelle thought it would be too pleasant for them if she just got her revenge by killing them. Seeing Jewell dying such a quick death didn’t give her enough gratification, either.
‘I didn’t come back from Gehenna for such an easy revenge.’
She hoped for a greater revenge.
‘I will take everything my enemies have, trample them down, and destroy them. I will let them have the worst end in despair and pain after dropping them into the abyss.’
To do so, it was necessary to seize the power of Duke Dejarnette, the empire’s supreme power.
Estelle said,
“Now, tell me when you make up your mind. The later the decision is made, the longer the pain will be.”
Jewell’s eyes shook endlessly.
Realizing there was no hope, Jewell said in tears,
“Please kill me… I’ll sacrifice myself.”
Estelle asked back,
“I’ll ask again. Are you sure?”
“…Yes.”
Estelle smiled coldly and ‘declared’,
“I’ve heard your wish, and the contract has been made. You will be relieved of this pain.”
Soon after, Estelle’s soul entered Jewell’s body.
Estelle’s body was burned alongside Jewell’s soul.
“Agghh!”
She disappeared with a gruesome scream.
“Oh no,”
Estelle muttered.
“She fell into Gehenna.”
She could hear devils screaming with joy after getting a new “toy.”
‘I didn’t do it. She went to Gehenna because of the sins she accumulated in her life.’
After Estelle erased the traces of the spell, the barrier was lifted.
Then, she heard a frantic voice calling for her.
“My lady! Are you here?”
It was Duke Dejarnette’s knight.
Jewell had run away from the knights and sneaked away into this mansion to hide her terrible wrongdoings.
The knights waited for Jewell in their promised place, but because she did not return, they went on a search.
“Ah… there was an accident in this abandoned mansion. A-a wild beast appeared.”
“A wild beast?! Are you alright?”
“Yes… Fortunately, it disappeared without hurting me, I was so scared. Hehe.”
Estelle, who was in Jewell’s body, trembled.
She had used another black magic spell. With it, she was able to imitate the habits of the previous owner of the body.
“Oh my! I’m sorry, we shouldn’t have left you. Please punish us!”
“Let us report this to Duke Dejarnette.”
The knights were as white as sheets around Estelle, no, Jewell.
‘This is just the beginning.’
From now on, she will become Jewell and take possession of the duchy, the empire’s most powerful family.
Why?
To destroy everything her enemies have and drop them into the abyss. She recalled her enemies:
Her father, Duke Wellington; her sister, Franda; her friend, Marriott; and her fiancé, Radit.
Her enemies were spread evenly among the five of the six dukes that ruled the empire.
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There was also one more enemy in the Dejarnette duchy, where Estelle currently dwelled. Therefore, she will use their possessions to her advantage and use their power to bring down her enemies.
Estelle’s heart raced simply from imagining it.
She remembered the words that the devil whispered:
[Your enemies are having the best time of their lives because of your sacrifice.]