This was the third life now. 

He regretted turning back time so hastily before he could even uncover the people responsible for Lorelai’s death. Della, was it? He had to make sure Della would never get anywhere near Lorelai ever again. As for who ordered Della to do such a thing, he will have to carefully investigate the sales of Lethrindor to look for any suspicious movements.

He suspected that whoever poisoned the emperor in his first life also played a hand in Lorelai’s death in the second life. 

Lethrindor poison isn’t common. It’s a rare poison that came from outside the empire and was much too expensive for any ordinary people to get their hands on. In fact, it was nearly unheard of for people to die from Lethrindor poisoning within the Argent Empire. 

Lethrindor is also a highly desired poison due to the fact that it’s difficult to detect. It lacked odor and barely had any taste. The only issue is that it is dark in color so it is obvious if added to light colored drinks, but since Lethrindor poison is translucent, it doesn’t create any cloudiness when added to red wine. It also acted quickly, which makes the poisoning more apparent, and thus rendering it more risky than slow-acting poison. However, a fast-acting poison also makes it harder to administer an antidote in time to save the poisoning victim.

That’s another popular thing about Lethrindor poison. There isn’t a known antidote for it. If there was, Carlyle would have acquired them in bulks.

What should he do about Lorelai? He can’t let her become knight captain because that will result in her death. He can’t marry her because that too somehow leads to her death.

Carlyle made his way to his father’s office again, determined to make sure Lorelai’s application gets rejected. Once again, when he entered his father’s office, his father and brother looked like they were in the middle of a private conversation that he had rudely interrupted.

“Did I interrupt something?” Carlyle asked. He could see the paper applications strewn over his father’s desk, just like in his last life. 

Surely discussing the next knight captain of the second imperial knight squad didn’t warrant such seriousness?

“Well, I was discussing Theodore’s marriage.”

“Theodore’s getting married?” That was new. Theodore didn’t get married in his previous two lives. Well, the emperor did die on his next birthday, so that must have tossed a wrench in his plans.

It also explained the unexplained solemn expression Theodore had when Carlyle entered the office in his previous life.

“I said I’m not interested, Father.” Theodore retorted.

That also explained why Theodore didn’t get married.

“You’re twenty-one now. Even if you’re not interested in finding a wife, you should at least consider an engagement.” The emperor scolded the crown prince. 

Didn’t Lorelai mention something about becoming an empress? If Carlyle can’t marry Lorelai without her dying, then shouldn’t he at least help her fulfill some of her ambitions?

“Why don’t we select a few ladies from prominent families and invite them to live in the palace for a crown princess selection?” Carlyle proposed.

“What?” Theodore scowled at him. “What are you playing at?”

Carlyle felt a little guilty for pushing his brother into this agenda.

“No, that’s a brilliant idea!” The emperor laughed. “Theodore, you spent too much time indulging in parties and luxuries and not enough time around ladies. This is a great way to meet your potential marriage candidates!”

“Who should we choose?” The emperor continued. “Wait, I need to see a list of every eligible lady out there. How do I-”

“It’s simple, Father.” Carlyle smiled. “Invite them to your fiftieth birthday celebration and choose your candidates there.”

The emperor laughed with delight while Theodore looked uncomfortable like a cornered mouse. Carlyle shot him a look of apology for putting him in this situation.

In this life, the emperor didn’t hold a masquerade ball for his fiftieth birthday celebration. He chose to hold a normal ball instead, with an emphasis on the attendance of unmarried noblewomen. Words got out that the emperor is choosing a bride for the crown prince and girls flock to the capital. 

Lorelai Ashburn attended the celebration, much like in her previous lives, no doubt due to the influence of her friend, Geneva Winscroft. 

Seeing Lorelai this time was much more painful for Carlyle than last time. They were engaged in their previous life, but now he was throwing that away in hopes of securing her future and preventing a premature death.

Carlyle did his best to avoid everyone at the ball, but he also did try to observe the aristocratic women for his brother’s sake.

Geneva Winscroft was an ambitious woman, from what Carlyle could see. She was just like every other woman in the ballroom, falling over herself to get even the tiniest bit of Theodore’s affection. What was such a frivolous girl doing at Lorelai’s side? Could it be because Geneva was the only one with a high enough status to be Lorelai’s friend? 

Carlyle could only assume that Lorelai’s status scared away most of the lower ranking girls. On top of that, Lorelai’s many accomplishments makes her more intimidating.

Lorelai appeared bored. Of course she would be bored. She wasn’t that much interested in marrying for political alliance. The Ashburn Duchy was powerful on its own and didn't care for an alliance with the imperial family.

The next day, the emperor sent out the invitations to ten girls, all from powerful and noble families. Among the ten was Geneva Winscroft, from the venerable and long-standing Marquis house of Winscroft. Unsurprisingly, Lorelai Ashburn from the Ducal House of Ashburn was selected as well, along with her cousin Irene Ashburn from a side branch of the House of Ashburn.

For a brief period of time, Carlyle wondered if Lorelai was going to reject the invitation. He knew she didn’t care too much for his brother or for becoming a member of the imperial family. What had she said to him before?

I don’t care about marrying the crown prince, but I bet I would make a great empress if I did.

But Lorelai did choose to attend the crown princess selection as a candidate. From what he heard, Lorelai mostly entered to support Geneva and Irene. 

He felt very conflicted about the fact she entered the crown princess selection competition. On one hand, the love of his life is marrying another, his own brother in fact. On the other hand, if Lorelai becomes crown princess, her life might be safer than before. 

If she was murdered by one of Carlyle’s political enemies in his second life, then she would be spared from that happening again in this life. Or so he thought.

But that’s not what happened.

It did not take long for people to see that Lorelai was the most competent of the crown princess candidates. She was smart, capable, and dignified. The emperor also liked her the most. And Theodore…well, Theodore seemed to respect Lorelai a lot as well.

It was obvious that Lorelai was the most likely candidate to win. That was, until she was poisoned by Geneva Winscroft.

“What is the meaning of this?” The emperor roared at the trembling figure of Geneva Winscroft. “I invited you to my palace and gave you the opportunity to be considered as a potential crown princess candidate, yet you dare to murder another candidate?”

Another crown princess candidate spoke up in a horrified voice, “Wasn’t Lorelai your best friend? You would eliminate your best friend in order to marry the crown prince?”

Geneva was weeping as if she didn’t kill off her best friend in cold blood. “I didn’t mean to kill her! I gave her a light dose! It was only supposed to make her sick, not kill her!”

“Guards!” The emperor’s anger was palpable. It seemed like the emperor had truly come to see Lorelai as a daughter in the time she stayed there. “Drag Lady Winscroft to the dungeon.”

“What poison did she use?” Irene sobbed over the body of her cousin. 

Carlyle found the answer with a single look. Lethrindor. Lorelai had died the same way she did in her previous life.

Carlyle used mana to sneak into the dungeon to see Geneva.

“Where did you get that poison?” Carlyle demanded.

Wide-eyed and terrified, Geneva could only stare at him.

“I said, where did you get that poison?!” Carlyle raised his voice.

Geneva flinched. “I don’t know. I found the bottle in my room with a note that described what it was and how to use it.”

“And you decided to use it on your best friend?”

“I didn’t mean to kill her! She didn’t even want to marry the crown prince! I love Theodore! I would have made a worthy empress! If she hadn’t decided to enter the competition, I would be the top choice!”

Carlyle decided that Geneva must be delusional. Theodore barely even knew her before the competition and he barely even knew her now. Geneva killed Lorelai over her own petty jealousies. 

Carlyle leaned in close to her and whispered, “You know I can torture you over and over, right? You won’t even die from it because I’ll just heal you up afterward. Is that what you want?”

Geneva shrieked and started screaming for help.

“Tell me who gave you the poison!” Carlyle demanded.

“I’m telling you, I don’t know!”

She was useless. Carlyle used mana to wipe her memories of his short visit and teleported away just before her screaming attracted the guards.

He waited a little longer to see if he could gain any more information, but up to the moment Geneva Winscroft was beheaded for murder, she divulged nothing more.

They never caught who placed the poison in her room, but they confirmed the poison to be Lethrindor poison. It was another dead end. 

Disappointed, Carlyle turned back time again.