Flames roared and devoured an entire laboratory. Gradually, the fire crept to nearby areas. It was known that the blaze originated from an electrical short circuit.

A number of employees working for the Jessian Group were seen frantically evacuating. Their company building was located within the same complex as the laboratory, where cosmetic products were concocted.

"Miss Luine is still inside the lab! What do we do? How should we handle this?"

The company's employees were anxiously concerned about the welfare of Jessian Group's CEO—Luine Jessian. The thirty-three-year-old woman was trapped in the laboratory where she was conducting inspections and formulating the latest cosmetic products.

Currently, Luine was nearly losing consciousness amidst the intense heat of the surrounding flames.

"Am I going to die here? Damn it! Just when the Jessian Group is thriving. How dare the gods take my life before I finish my newest product," murmured Luine, her voice weakening.

Luine mustered a bitter smile. She had worked arduously to build the Jessian Group to the brink of destruction. Up to this point, her company was flourishing rapidly. Jessian Group had succeeded in becoming the world's leading company in various business sectors.

Luine was recognized as a business fanatic, which made many find her difficult to deal with. That is why her untimely death angered and frustrated her.

"I don't care! Even if I die, I want to be revived so that I can do business again. It'd be in vain to go to heaven without fully enjoying the fruits of my labor," whispered Luine as she lost consciousness.

***

A white coffin lay in the center of the Marquess of Navre's residence. Inside, the body of a young girl lay motionless. At either side of the coffin, her family wept for her departure.

The girl was Caerina Navre, the sole daughter of Marquess Navre, a noble who had fallen into bankruptcy. Caerina died after she consumed poison when her husband—Duke Heston Wadson, demanded she sign divorce papers.

"Caerina, my daughter... forgive your father and mother for not stopping you from marrying Duke Wadson," whispered Kledson—Caerina's father.

"Caerina, wake up, my dear... Mother can't bear losing you," Sara—her mother, was equally hysterical.

Meanwhile, Nathan, Caerina's older brother, remained silent in his sorrow. The three of them had been a treasured family to Caerina, yet they felt guilty for letting her bear all the burdens alone.

"I heard that woman was very cruel to Miss Brenda. She bullied the girl who saved Duke Wadson's life."

"Yes, I also heard the rumors. Look at her face, full of red spots. It gives me the creeps."

"And she died by suicide before she could sign the divorce papers. Maybe she was afraid of losing Duke Wadson's wealth. Her family became poor, so it doesn't surprise me she tried to cling to her marriage."

Whispers spread throughout the mourning room, painting Caerina as a wicked and greedy woman. Her family stayed silent, powerless against their words.

Then a startling miracle happened, catching everyone by surprise. Caerina suddenly jolted upright in her coffin.

"Aaahhh, it's hot!" she screamed, stunning everyone in the room.

Caerina's eyes darted around in confusion.

"Huh? It's not hot. Wasn't I just burning in a lab? How did the fire stop just like that? And where am I now?"

Caerina felt around her body, her gaze filled with confusion at the sight of the strangely dressed people around her.

"Who are you? And why are you wearing such odd clothes?"

Yes, it was Luine's soul now inhabiting Caerina's body. She had died in the flames of her company's laboratory.

"S-She's alive! The woman came back to life!"

"This is so strange. How can someone who committed suicide come back to life?"

The nobles attending the funeral scrambled out of the room in fear and shock at witnessing Caerina rise from the dead.

"My goodness, Caerina! My daughter, you are truly alive again?"

Caerina froze when a beautiful woman embraced her fearlessly. Kledson and Nathan shared a similar reaction.

"This is a miracle! This is truly a miracle. Caerina has come back to life; the gods have answered our prayers."

Suddenly, Caerina pushed Sara's embrace away.

"Wait a minute! You're saying my name is Caerina?"

The three of them nodded together.

"I am not Caerina! I am Luine. You must have the wrong person. Who is Caerina, and who are all of you?"

Once more, they were shocked by their daughter's questions.

"We are your parents, and he is your brother. Why don't you remember? My god, could this be because you have just returned from death?" Sara attempted to stay hopeful.

"Hah? I don't understand at all."

"Well, it's alright. You must be disoriented. Better take Caerina to her room now so she can rest," suggested Kledson.

Sara agreed, and they helped Caerina to her room. Meanwhile, Kledson and Nathan managed the unfolding chaos.

"I can't believe Caerina has come back," said Nathan.

"It might be a bit odd, but I am grateful she is back. Let's hope she doesn't become hysterical when she remembers how she died."

Caerina remained silent as one after another, servants came to tend to her. It had been two hours since her return from death. Fragments of the body's original owner's memory began to intertwine in her mind.

'So, this girl's name is Caerina Navre? I am now in another world. Just like the anime I used to watch. Died and then moved to another world. It makes no sense, yet I am truly experiencing it,' thought Caerina.

Caerina rose from her seat. She stood before the dressing mirror.

"Platinum blonde hair, emerald green eyes. If I look longer, this girl is actually quite pretty. Just a little makeup, though, and that acne on her face is a bit of a bother," Caerina mused.

Suddenly, she felt indignant, remembering what had befallen Caerina's body.

"Her husband, Heston brought a common woman back during a territory clean-up. Who would have thought Heston was having an affair? He didn't love Caerina at all. Instead, he looked at this kind girl with disdain."

"And even worse, that wench Brenda slandered Caerina. She made Caerina's reputation change to that of an evil woman in an instant."

Caerina exhaled harshly. The real Caerina's fate was truly miserable.

"He wanted to divorce Caerina to marry that common girl. Poor young girl's fate. She was only nineteen and had been married for just a year. Throughout their marriage, her husband never touched her. It's so sad when I think about it."

Caerina moved to the window, still discontented as she remarked on the life of the body she now occupied.

"Let's see, I'll make sure you all get what you deserve!"

For three days now, Luine had inhabited Caerina's body. Her altered demeanor raised eyebrows throughout the mansion. The typically sullen girl who would cast down her gaze when encountering others was now exuding warmth and flashing sweet smiles.

"What's with our daughter?" Sara whispered to Kledson.

Kledson shrugged. "I'm not sure. She seems like a totally different person."

However, this morning Caerina was visibly irritated in the dining room at breakfast. Her meal consisted solely of a piece of bread and a bowl of clear soup. No other food graced her plate.

"Father, Mother, why have I had nothing but bread and soup for the past three days? Aren't there any meats or seafood?" Caerina inquired.

"My child, have you forgotten? Our finances are in dire straits. We can't afford meat or luxury foods beyond bread and soup," Kledson explained.

"When we have a little extra money, I will buy you some meat. For now, just eat this to help you recover quickly," Sara said soothingly.

Caerina sighed deeply. She had no appetite at all. Meanwhile, Nathan was eating voraciously. Caerina shot Nathan a perplexed look, puzzled by the tastes of the mansion's residents.

"What is it? Why aren't you eating yours?" Nathan asked, disturbed by Caerina's gaze.

"Your appetite amazes me."

"A knight must eat well, for I expend energy cleansing the lands."

Caerina handed her bread and soup to Nathan.

"Then, take this. I'm not hungry. Now I must return to my room; there are tasks I need to attend to."

Everyone gaped at Caerina, baffled by the girl's thoughts.

Caerina lay back on her bed, her emerald eyes ceaselessly scanning the ceiling. The state of the Marquess Navre's residence was pitiful: cracked walls, a decaying garden, and a scant number of servants.

Since Caerina's 'resurrection,' Eusebio Empire had been abuzz. They were still discussing Caerina.

"Arghhhh! Damn it!" Caerina flung a pillow randomly.

"Why do I have to be in this poor girl's body?! Why aren't the gods fair to me? I worked so hard to make my company a leading one. Yet, at my peak, I die and end up trapped in the body of a destitute noble."

Caerina never ceased cursing the deity that sent her to this new world. She regretted many aspects of being trapped in the body of this feeble, impoverished, and cowardly girl.

"Well, I'll just have to live with it for now. First thing's first, I need to sort out my divorce from that scoundrel of a Duke. I won't hang on to a man who cheats with commoners," Caerina resolved.

Before taking any action, Caerina examined her acne-riddled face in the mirror.

"I need to get rid of these pimples to let my true beauty shine."

Caerina left her room and headed for the kitchen to gather ingredients needed to treat her acne.

"Your Grace the Duchess, I mean, Miss, what are you doing in here? You shouldn't be in the kitchen," said Gilma, the cook of the Marquess Navre's house.

"Gilma, I need some green tea. Do you have any?"

Gilma didn't respond immediately. She was puzzled by Caerina's sudden request for green tea.

"Yes, Miss. I do have some green tea in stock."

Caerina beamed. "Great! I'd like to take some of it, please."

Gilma promptly handed over the requested green tea. Whatever Caerina's purpose was, she had no clue.

"Thank you, Gilma. I'm sorry for interrupting your work."

Gilma stood frozen, blinking hard and deep in thought about the changes in Caerina.

"Is she truly Miss Caerina? Why does she act so differently since her return from the dead?"

Caerina commenced her first experiment in this foreign world, concocting a green tea facemask to alleviate her inflamed acne.

Periodically, Sara and Kledson peeked at their daughter's activities, once again questioning the transformation within Caerina. The once gloomy and morose girl had suddenly become cheerful and friendly.

"It's done! I've successfully made the facemask. Now it's time to apply it to my face," Caerina declared.

Before applying the mask, Caerina washed her face. Then she evenly spread the mask across her face, waiting just fifteen minutes for it to absorb before rinsing it off.

"Hopefully, this will swiftly banish the acne. It's so uncomfortable to have my face assaulted by pimples."

The next day, to Caerina’s surprise, a letter arrived from Duke Wadson's residence. Heston, still legally her husband, was requesting to see her. Without hesitation, Caerina prepared to visit her husband’s home.

"Will you be alright? Perhaps you shouldn't go there again," Sara said, deeply worried for Caerina.

"Indeed, you needn't exhaust yourself visiting that cad's home. He has caused you pain," Kledson chimed in with equal concern.

Nathan was silently watching Caerina, a worrisome look in his eyes.

"I must. There are matters I need to discuss with that scoundrel. If necessary, I'll beat him to a pulp."

"Beat him?"

Caerina offered an innocent smile. "Certainly, trash like Heston deserves a beating. Wouldn't you agree, Brother?" She shifted her gaze to Nathan.

Nathan gave a thumbs up. "Yes, you should definitely do that. Do you require my assistance?"

Nathan was infuriated by Heston's behavior. Knowing how much Caerina had loved that cheating scoundrel, he reconsidered his desire to thrash Heston.

"No need. I can manage on my own."

After bidding farewell, Caerina departed for Duke Wadson's residence. Although she didn't show it, Sara and Kledson remained concerned for their daughter.

"Should I secretly follow her?" Kledson said, eyes not leaving Caerina's departing carriage.

“No, Father. Caerina seems to have a plan. She's beginning to realize that her love for Duke Wadson has been a waste of time," Nathan remarked.

"Let's just pray. May Caerina return home safely and encounter no trouble at Duke Wadson's place," Sara added.

In the end, they had no choice but to let Caerina go alone to her husband's residence. They prayed she would not return to a place where she had been cast aside. Truly, they could not bear to see her hurt by the same man again. Once was enough; there would be no second chance.

Upon arrival at Duke Wadson's residence, Caerina was met by unpleasing glares from the mansion's inhabitants. Her reputation was already smeared. Somehow, not a single soul stood as Caerina’s defender.

Perhaps this was because Brenda was exceptionally adept at winning hearts, making Caerina seem villainous. Yet, the girl was merely a powerless figure. She endured all for love, only to be discarded in the end.

"Should I gouge out their eyes one by one?" Caerina muttered, seething.

As she stepped onto the mansion's front lawn, the Head Butler promptly escorted Caerina to Heston's chamber, as ordered by the house leader.

"Your Grace, Miss Caerina has been brought here."

'Miss Caerina?!' This took Caerina aback.

Her presence was utterly disregarded. Caerina struggled to suppress the urge to rage and ransack the Heston mansion.

"Bring her in," Heston commanded.

Caerina entered the room and regarded Heston with a frosty gaze. His features were passably attractive, but he was far from her type.

'Caerina, how foolish you are to love this man. He isn't even that handsome, and yet you nearly died refusing divorce from him. Let me teach you something, we women must value ourselves highly! Refuse to grovel to a man who looks like a beggar,' Caerina reflected inwardly.

She seated herself on a sofa while Heston closed his document and sat opposite her.

"What's it like to die?" Heston asked abruptly.

"A delight, sadly I couldn't drag you to hell with me," Caerina replied nonchalantly.

Heston was stunned by her bold retort. Additionally, Caerina no longer bowed her head when speaking with him.

"Really? Then that's a pity. I wonder why the gods chose to revive you. I believe their decision to be merciful was remarkably misguided."

Caerina sipped her tea, further irritating Heston as she appeared to disregard his presence.

"Pray to the gods for seven days and nights. Maybe they'll heed your plea and end my life again. Though, it seems they don't listen to the prayers of adulterous men, haha."

Her laughter was unrestrained, and she mocked Heston indirectly.

"Did you just laugh at me?"

"What do you think? Do I look like I'm crying or laughing?"

Heston sank deeper into surprise, puzzled by the change in Caerina. The original Caerina would have wept under his coercion and always spoken formally to him. However, the present Caerina's attitude had reversed from her past demeanor.

"It seems you've grown bolder since returning from the dead," Heston remarked, holding back anger.

"Yes, of course. I've faced death bravely, dealing with a mere mortal like you is nothing."

Heston regulated his breathing, even though he was seething inside. He had to maintain his dignity before Caerina.

"Whatever. I called you here today because I want you to sign our divorce papers. Our marriage was, after all, an imperial command," Heston stated.

"Oh, perhaps you're eager to marry Brenda as soon as possible? Please, tell me the truth. I don't mind whether you marry her or not," said Caerina calmly.

"At last, you understand. Quickly sign this."

Heston pressed Caerina, handing her the divorce documents. He seemed impatient to marry his mistress.

"Alright, I'll sign—but you must give me a divorce settlement."

"How much do you want?" Heston queried.

"One hundred thousand gold coins and an acre of vacant land."

Heston choked on hearing the settlement amount. "Are you joking?!"

Caerina smirked, knowing the Duke Wadson family was wealthy, she figured asking for that much wouldn't impoverish the Heston household.

"No, aren't you wealthy? That should be a trifling amount for you. If you refuse, then I won't sign the papers."

Heston massaged his temples with a sudden headache at the extravagant demand.

He sighed deeply, realizing he had to pay Caerina's price if he wished to marry Brenda soon.

"Fine, I'll pay you one hundred thousand gold coins plus an acre of vacant land. Are you satisfied now?!"

Caerina gave a thumbs-up. "Good! I expected as much, you’re so rich that you didn't need to negotiate the amount."

She signed her name on the divorce papers. With this, she was officially a divorcee today, an oddly satisfying development for Caerina. She wouldn't have to deal with the complexities of adultery or other matters related to Heston and Brenda.

"I've signed. Please send the money and the land deed to Marquess Navre’s residence," Caerina said.

"Yes, I'll have someone take it to Marquess Navre’s."

Caerina and Heston concluded their meeting. Now, Caerina planned to leave Duke Wadson's residence.

'With money and land, I can start a business anew. For now, I should observe and assess the state of the empire I reside in.'

At the corridor intersection, Caerina encountered Brenda and some servants who once attended to her. Brenda deliberately impeded Caerina’s path, seemingly eager to provoke.

"Your Grace the Duchess, ah should I call you Miss Caerina Navre? It seems the Duke has divorced you," said Brenda, feigning innocence.

"Yes, I am now Caerina Navre and no longer this residence’s lady. Congratulations, Brenda, your dream has finally come true."

Brenda was frozen, staring unblinkingly as Caerina stood her ground.

"Yes, I'll soon be Duchess. Poor you, to be a widow while still young," Brenda taunted.

"In my view, you are the pitiful one. It's sad to see a commoner dream so high and destroy another’s home. I admire your brazen nature. With just a bedroom frolic, you secured a nobleman."

Caerina's barb was sharp. Furthermore, she insulted Brenda openly. A rare sight indeed. This gentler, timider Caerina was now showcasing her bravest side.

"What did you just say? Have you lost your mind after coming back from the dead?!" Brenda fisted her hands, struggling to contain her blazing emotions.

"Is there something wrong with my words? At least now I can be thankful, though divorced, I still retain a noble title. Do show proper respect, commoner."

Brenda recoiled, as if crushed internally by Caerina's words. Caerina’s intimidation left Brenda speechless.

"You... you impoverished noble! What's there to be proud of in your destitute family?! Without the Duke, your family would be destitute in the streets—"

Slap!