**Duke Raphael was in his office**

“I can’t believe this… I’ve returned again.”

Duke Raphael could hardly believe it.

He had clearly died after being struck by an arrow at Kristin’s mansion.

For him, this was his second death.

But unlike before, his return date wasn’t a year earlier—it was just one week earlier.

How could something like this happen, not just once but twice?

Unbeknownst to Kristin, Duke Raphael had already met with the Imperial Tribunal and the Emperor to uncover the person threatening her with ominous letters.

He had issued a stern warning, declaring he would not let the perpetrators go unpunished if they were caught.

Additionally, he had sent a letter to the Princess Rebella of the Praga Empire, apologizing for any perceived offenses.

Yet, Raphael could not fully trust Princess Rebella either. Even after sending the letter, he felt no sense of relief.

Ultimately, it seemed the letter wasn’t enough, as he had still met his death.

Duke Raphael reflected on the reasons for his demise at Kristin’s mansion.

No matter how much he thought about it, he hadn’t anticipated dying surrounded by nobles in such a public setting.

Looking back, he could only conclude that the Emperor had orchestrated his death at the mansion to crush Kristin Edith utterly.

In a gathering of nobles, the Emperor had turned Kristin into the immediate suspect in his murder, using it as a pretext to confiscate the diamond mine she owned.

If that weren’t the case, he could have simply ambushed the carriage and killed the duke without anyone knowing.

With the Emperor’s power, he could fabricate crimes and use Kristin’s banquet as an excuse to accuse her of plotting Duke Raphael’s death under the guise of hosting an event.
By destroying Kristin and Raphael, the Emperor would secure his position and appease Princess Rebella, whose pride had been deeply wounded.

This plan would have allowed the Emperor to eliminate Raphael and Kristin in one fell swoop.

Undoubtedly, the two had become obstacles the Emperor no longer wished to face.

Although he once was a figure willing to sacrifice everything for the empire, Duke Raphael realized how cold and ruthless Emperor Lucas Aedon was.

Raphael had heard from his father that Lucas Aedon had secured the throne by framing his own siblings.

Though his outward demeanor exuded a gentle smile and soft-spoken charm, he was a man who could stab anyone in the back without warning.

Recognizing this, Raphael realized the flaw in his original plan.

After meeting the Emperor and Princess Rebella, he mobilized his aides to investigate those linked to Kristin’s impending death. But no matter how hard they searched, no clues could be found.

Thus, from Raphael’s perspective, the Emperor became the prime suspect.

“Was it my mistake to underestimate Lucas Aedon? Could it be that he was the one who killed me?”

—

Duke Raphael paced around his office, deep in thought.

He would undoubtedly meet the same fate if things continued a week later.

His death might also lead to Kristin suffering further harm.

Duke Raphael resolved to do whatever it took to prevent such a future.

At that moment, there was a knock at the door.

“Your Grace, Lady Kristin Edith has arrived. She is currently waiting in the first-floor lobby.”

“What?”

‘Why would Kristin come here all of a sudden?’

Startled by the news of Kristin’s unexpected visit, Duke Raphael walked over to the window and looked outside.

Sure enough, he saw a carriage and driver from the Edith estate waiting outside.

“Send her in,” he said to his aide.

“Understood. I’ll bring her up immediately.”

—

Kristin had informed the aide of her arrival at Duke Raphael’s office and expressed her desire to meet with him.

Following the aide’s guidance, she was soon brought into his office.

“Kristin? What’s going on?”

Duke Raphael greeted her as if nothing unusual had happened.

But the moment Kristin saw his face, she collapsed to the floor, her knees giving out beneath her.

“You’re alive. Thank goodness,” she managed to say, her voice trembling.

“What?”

Duke Raphael couldn’t believe what he was hearing.

Her words suggested she knew about his death.

And as she continued, he began to understand why.

“You might find this hard to believe, but I must tell you everything. What I’m about to say might sound insane, but I can’t bear the burden of knowing it alone. If I do, you might end up… dying again, just like before.”

Kristin decided to reveal everything to Duke Raphael.

She explained that she had experienced a return to the past, how she had discovered the pocket watch through Cindy, and the incredible power it held to turn back time.

She detailed how, at first, the watch could only turn time back in minutes or hours, but after Raphael’s death, it could rewind a day, a week, a month, or even a year.

She resolved to tell him everything about the pocket watch.

She couldn’t stop his repeated deaths on her own.

She couldn’t let Duke Raphael face danger again.

“You said I might die again?” Raphael asked, his voice unsteady.

Hearing Kristin’s explanation, he froze, unable to process what she was saying.

He couldn’t believe his return to the past wasn’t a coincidence but somehow tied to Kristin’s pocket watch.

“At the Edith estate, you were struck by an arrow and passed away,” Kristin said.

“After that, I used this pocket watch to rewind time to when you were still alive. Although it hasn’t happened yet, I’m telling you all this because I strongly suspect that the Emperor is involved in your death.”

“Kristin, what are you saying? Are you saying that you also came back a week ago? What on earth is going on? I can’t understand any of this.”

Seeing the confusion on Raphael’s face, Kristin realized she needed to show him the power of the pocket watch.

—

Although Kristin had experienced returning to the past with the pocket watch, she knew this was Duke Raphael’s first time. No matter how much she explained, he was unlikely to fully understand right away.

“Here, Your Grace. Let me show you something.”

Kristin steadied herself and rose to her feet. She then poured tea into the cup the aide had prepared, filling it more than halfway.

Afterward, she checked the pocket watch.

She spoke again once she had set the teacup in front of herself and Duke Raphael,
“Now, observe and see what happens.”

Even as Kristin spoke, she silently prayed that the pocket watch’s power would work as Duke Raphael intended.

She desperately hoped Raphael wouldn’t be left confused when she rewound time by one minute, repeating his earlier words as if nothing had happened.

With a heart full of nervous anticipation, Kristin turned the pocket watch back by one minute.

In an instant, the tea cups in front of them disappeared, along with the tea Kristin had poured.

The cups and teapot returned to their original state, neatly arranged on the tray as the aide had prepared them.

“Kristin…”

“You saw it, didn’t you? I was so nervous that you might not be able to perceive the time reversal. I was worried you wouldn’t believe me. But even if that were the case, I would still do whatever it takes to save you, Your Grace. That’s why I turned back time.”

“If what you’re saying is true… does that mean you’ve also experienced returning to the past, Kristin?”