Avoiding Suspicions

If my predictions are right, then Lucian Kingston is going to die in about a week from now.

And how do I know that.

As I was scanning myself, or the body of Lucian in the mirror, I noticed a dark stain on his wrist.

The exact plot of this event came to my mind at once.

Lucian was typical character of arrogant noble who mocks the protagonist at the start and challenges him to a match.

Defeated in this duel and humiliated beyond comprehension, he plotted against the protagonist and his friends during a dungeon exploration class in the later half of their first year.

The plan was quite brutal as it was to wipe them all out at once.

He tried using the forbidden technique of reviving the dead, on a higher class monster.

The technique was forbidden in the first place, was due to it's consequences on the user.

You have to give a portion of your own life force in order to revive a dead being.

And the stronger the dead being the more amount of life force you need.

Moreover failure in the revival process led to certain death after a period of time.

This was the reason, Lucian died after failing to revive the monster.

After his death, investigations led to the truth to be revealed to everyone.

Truly died like a third rate villain.

Judging by the size of the stain on my wrist, I can roughly say that, the dungeon exploration class was over a few days ago.

So, it wouldn't be hard to say that I have just a few days to live from now onwards.

It was a logical conclusion on my end considering that this world and myself are real.

And as far as I remember the story, there was absolutely no way of surviving from this.

...

Shit.

Just thinking about dying again with the sheer amount of pain it would cause is scaring the shit out of me.

Now, what the hell should I do?

As I was trying to remember any method to get out of this mess, a knock was heard on the door.

Caught up in this predicament, I totally forgot about one important thing about this type of situation.

Most of the web novels I have read so far, depicts that even if the actions and reactions of the protagonist after transmigration is completely different from that of the owner of the body, evn after their family members notices, there is not much retaliation.

However, this novel is a bit different.

There is this concept of possession greatly feared in the society, in which the possessed ones are most often hung to death.

Well, basically, what I am saying is, I can't act any different from that of Lucian's usual behaviour, because if I do, I would be executed on the spot, in suspicion of being possessed by a spirit.

It's not like I would have to completely copy his behaviour, but little changes can't be noticed that much.

As I was processing these thoughts the knocks repeated, with a soft voice coming from the outside.

"Young master."

This must be Lucian's personal maid.

"Come in.", I responded.

A name surfaced in my memory.

Elara Wynn.

Lucian Kingston's personal maid. She had served him since childhood, always calm, efficient, and indifferent to his arrogance. Though she was just a servant, her presence had always been constant in his life.

I took a steady breath, suppressing the rising anxiety.

"Come in," I responded, keeping my tone measured.

The door opened without hesitation, and in stepped a young woman dressed in a crisp black and white uniform.

She had long, dark brown hair neatly tied back, and sharp amber eyes that held no warmth—only quiet scrutiny.

Elara's sharp amber eyes flicked over me, assessing. Though she kept her expression neutral, I could tell she was studying me more closely than usual.

"Young Master," she said, bowing slightly. "His Grace has summoned you to his office."

I felt my body tense.

The Duke.

Lucian's father.

I knew very little about him, only that he was a man of absolute authority—one who tolerated no weakness and no failure. His presence in the novel was brief, a looming shadow of power that Lucian both feared and sought to impress.

And now, I was being summoned to explain the injuries that nearly killed me.

In the original story, this moment was never shown. The focus had shifted back to the protagonist after Lucian's failed scheme. Which meant—

I had no idea what to say.

What was the Duke's temperament? Would he be furious? Disappointed? Suspicious?

One wrong answer, and I might not even make it out of that room alive.

I forced myself to stand, ignoring the deep, lingering pain in my body. My wounds from the dungeon hadn't fully healed, and the dark stain on my wrist throbbed, a constant reminder of my dwindling time.

Still, I couldn't afford to show weakness.

Elara stepped forward, wordlessly offering an arm for support. I hesitated. Would Lucian have accepted help? No, probably not. Gritting my teeth, I waved her off and started toward the door myself.

If I was going to survive this, I had to act like Lucian Kingston.

Arrogant. Confident. Unshaken.

Even as I walked toward my possible execution.

***

There was not much information about the Kingston dukedom, except it was once a great house.

And one more thing I have noticed from the story is that, the members of this house doesn't care much for Lucian.

There was no mention of the other members of this family except in the later parts of the story during the war.

But, I don't have to deal with them much, because, after this meeting is over, I plan to return to the academy dorms right away.

Lucian was most likely brought to the mansion, considering his injuries.

But, I have a lot of thing to do for my survival and various other things, so I can't stay here.

I had already wrapped a piece of cloth around my wrist to hide the black stain of the curse.

The halls of the Kingston estate were as grand as I expected. Dark marble floors, towering pillars, and thick red carpets—it was the kind of place designed to suffocate you with its sheer presence.

Elara led the way, her steps precise and silent. She didn't speak, and I didn't try to start a conversation.

I needed to focus.

The Duke wouldn't summon me just to exchange pleasantries. He would want an explanation.

I already had my story ready.

I couldn't mention anything about curses or forbidden techniques. That would only raise suspicions.

Instead, I would stick to a believable excuse.

I was reckless. Overconfident. I fought a high-class monster alone and paid the price for it.

It was the truth—just not the whole truth.

Finally, we stopped before a large wooden door. Elara knocked once.

"Enter."

At the deep voice from inside, she opened the door and stepped aside, allowing me to walk in.

I swallowed the urge to hesitate and stepped forward.

The office was vast but dimly lit. Bookshelves lined the walls, filled with thick tomes. A large desk sat at the center, and behind it—

The Duke of Kingston.

He was a man with an imposing presence, dressed in a black high-collared coat. His golden eyes—similar to Lucian's—held no warmth as they settled on me.

Beside him, standing in the shadows, was another figure. A man in a hooded robe.

I resisted the urge to frown. Who the hell was that?

The Duke set down his pen and clasped his hands together.

"Lucian," he said. "I assume you know why you are here."

I met his gaze. "Yes, Father."

His expression remained unreadable. "Then explain yourself."

I took a measured breath, keeping my voice steady.

"I was caught off guard," I said.

The Duke's gaze sharpened. "Elaborate."

"During the dungeon exploration, I attempted to take down a high-class monster alone," I continued. "It was reckless, but I was confident in my strength." I paused for effect. "I underestimated it."

Silence filled the room.

The hooded man hummed in amusement. "Underestimated? That is quite the understatement, Young Master."

I ignored him, keeping my attention on the Duke.

The older man remained still, fingers steepled. His golden eyes bore into me, searching for weakness, for a lie.

"Arrogance is a Kingston trait," he finally said, his tone unreadable. "But even arrogance has its limits."

I held my ground. "I will recover."

The Duke sighed, shaking his head. "Reckless and foolish. You are fortunate to be alive."

He leaned back in his chair. "This incident has already been reported by the Academy. Do not make a habit of such failures, Lucian."

His voice turned cold. "Next time, there will be consequences."

I lowered my head slightly in acknowledgment. "Understood."

The Duke studied me for a moment longer before waving a dismissive hand. "Leave. Return to the Academy immediately. I have no time for your foolishness."

I turned on my heel, forcing myself to move with confidence, even as my body ached with every step.

I had survived this encounter.

But the real battle was only beginning.

The curse on my wrist was still there, a constant reminder.

I had one week left.

And I needed to find a way to break it—before it was too late.

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A/N :

Please comment down your thoughts and suggestions.

Next : Delay Of Death

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