I Accidentally Saved The Male Lead’s Brother Chapter 147

After her conversation with Carcel, Charlotte found herself lost in deep thought.

I should’ve talked to that man a bit longer.

Lionel Wisner. At the time, his words were so absurd that she had ended their conversation quickly. But now, she regretted not digging deeper.

If Lionel truly was the illegitimate child of the Petrion family and the mastermind targeting Theo, there could have been so much information she might have extracted from him.

If only she had realized sooner how strange his remarks were.

As Charlotte mulled over the situation, another oddity from the ball came to mind.

The Emperor’s gaze was strange.

Instead of looking directly at people, his eyes seemed to be focused somewhere above, as if staring into empty space.

That description reminded her of what Carcel had said about Penelope when she was under the influence of the mind-control spell.

The Emperor, who had sent a personal invitation to Carcel and Charlotte for the New Year’s ball.
Penelope, who had attempted to restore Carcel’s memories and provoke his magical rampage.

Viscount Lister, who had fled the scene as though knowing what was about to happen.
And Lionel Wisner, who had approached Charlotte with ulterior motives.

The series of events aligned too perfectly to dismiss as coincidence.

What if Lionel also approached the Emperor and cast a mind-control spell on him?

And what if the Emperor was still under that spell?

Charlotte shuddered at the thought. Lionel’s intent with the Emperor could range from subtle manipulation to direct harm against Carcel.

For instance, what if the Emperor were convinced that Carcel Heinst was plotting treason?

This can’t happen.

Charlotte, alarmed, was about to seek out Carcel when Emma rushed into the room, her expression tense.

“My lady, someone from the temple is here.”

Emma’s stiff demeanor suggested that this wasn’t an ordinary visitor.

Charlotte quickly deduced who it was.

It must be the High Priestess, Teresa.

“Please escort them to the drawing room.”

“Yes, my lady.”

After Emma left, Charlotte straightened her clothes and made her way to the drawing room.

Inside, two figures with hoods drawn over their heads stood waiting. One was petite, likely Teresa, while the other was armed with a sword—her escort knight, it seemed.

“Sir Knight.”

Teresa removed her hood and gestured to her companion.

“Would you wait outside for a moment?”

“But, High Priestess—”

“This is the Heinst estate. There’s no danger here. Please, step outside.”

Charlotte also addressed Selene, who had accompanied her into the room.

“Selene, could you step out for a moment? Emma, you too.”

After a moment of hesitation, Selene followed the knight outside, leaving Charlotte and Teresa alone.

Charlotte poured tea for Teresa herself and greeted her warmly.

“It’s been a while, High Priestess. Have you been well?”

“As always. And you, Lady Charlotte? Has anything happened since we last spoke?”

Before Charlotte could reply, Teresa’s sharp gaze seemed to pierce through her.

“It seems you’ve been through something.”

Charlotte laughed awkwardly.

“There’s a lot to explain. Please, have some tea first.”

Although Teresa looked as though she wanted to press for answers immediately, she took a sip of her tea.

After some light conversation, Teresa brought the topic back around.

“What happened?”

“Well… I’ve used my powers a few more times.”

“Your powers? Even after I warned you?”

Charlotte lowered her teacup and smiled apologetically. She had no excuse.

“I didn’t have a choice. I was put in situations where I had to use them.”

“And now you’ve called for me, which means there’s been a consequence.”

“Yes.”

Charlotte clenched the hand that had once been stained with blood.

“After using my powers, I’ve coughed up blood. Twice.”

Teresa rose from her seat and moved to sit beside Charlotte. Placing a hand on Charlotte’s forehead, she conducted a quick examination.

“Did you consult a physician?”

“No, I didn’t tell anyone. It’s not something I could easily explain.”

“Have you experienced any other symptoms? Pain? Nausea?”

“None at all. Other than the blood, I feel fine.”

“That’s a relief. I’ll grant you another blessing.”

Just as before, a warm light emanated from Teresa’s hand, enveloping Charlotte in its gentle glow. The sensation was soothing, and Charlotte’s body instinctively relaxed.

“It’s dangerous. You must avoid using your powers from now on.”

The firmness in Teresa’s voice snapped Charlotte back to full awareness.

“But I can’t avoid it.”

“Why not? If there’s something I can help with, tell me.”

Charlotte hesitated. The situation was complicated, and the person in question wasn’t just anyone—it was the Emperor of the Empire.

Trust was scarce in these circumstances, and she wasn’t sure she could fully confide in Teresa, a third party.

Sensing her reluctance, Teresa placed a hand over her heart and spoke solemnly.

“Don’t worry, Lady Charlotte. I swear to the goddess that anything you tell me will remain confidential.”

“What does swearing to the goddess mean?”

Teresa smiled gently.

“An oath to the goddess binds any servant of the temple. Breaking it results in the gradual loss of divine power.”

“Why would you go that far for me?”

“I told you, I want to help.”

Charlotte searched Teresa’s eyes and found sincerity there.

Is it really safe to tell her?

Taking a deep breath, Charlotte decided to trust her.

“There’s someone under a mind-control spell.”

Teresa listened without surprise, her expression serious.

“I used my powers to break one spell, which caused me to cough up blood. But there’s another person who seems to be under a similar spell.”

“And you need to break this one too?”

“Yes. If I don’t, both I and the Duke could be in danger.”

“I see.”

“Can you help?”

Teresa’s response was surprisingly lighthearted.

“Yes, it’ll be challenging, but I can do it. It would be better for me to handle it than for you to strain yourself further.”

“But what if the person under the spell is…”

Charlotte hesitated. She swallowed hard and whispered the name.

“What if it’s the Emperor?”

For the first time, Teresa’s expression wavered.

“That would be more difficult.”

However, her resolve returned quickly, and she smiled reassuringly.

“But it’s not impossible. And it will be easier for me to meet the Emperor than for you.”

Charlotte was reminded of who Teresa truly was—the only High Priestess in the Empire, a figure equal in status to the Emperor himself.

****

After their conversation, Charlotte and Teresa went to see Carcel. He had been concerned about the arrival of someone from the temple but was visibly surprised to see Teresa.

Charlotte offered a brief explanation.

“I wanted to receive the High Priestess’s blessing before we proceeded with any plans.”

She made sure not to mention her episodes of coughing blood, and Teresa tactfully avoided bringing it up as well.

Charlotte then told Carcel about her suspicions regarding the Emperor.

“It seems likely that Viscount Lister and Lionel Wisner cast a spell on His Majesty as well.”

Carcel’s expression darkened.

“That would explain a lot. If that’s true, the situation is dire.”

“Yes. But the High Priestess says she can break the spell.”

“Is that true?” Carcel asked, turning to Teresa.

“Yes, though arranging an audience with the Emperor will be tricky.”

“Leave that to me.”

Carcel’s gaze hardened as he looked out the window.

“I’ll ensure we have an opportunity soon.”

***

“Quick, aren’t they?”

Viscount Lister muttered as he spotted soldiers in the distance. After narrowly escaping attention, he had finally returned to his territory, only to find it crawling with Heinst forces.

Now, even within his own domain, he couldn’t return to his manor and was forced to wander aimlessly.

Damn it. Where did it all go wrong?

He replayed the plan he had devised with Lionel Wisner.

It had been perfect. Revive Carcel Heinst’s most painful memories and force him into a magical rampage. The chaos would result in Carcel being branded a traitor, and the Heinst family would face annihilation.

Even Charlotte Lannia, now publicly recognized as Carcel’s fiancée, would be caught in the fallout.

Everything had been calculated.

So why—!

The answer was clear: Charlotte Lannia.

She had foiled his plans before, when he targeted Theo, and now she had interfered again.

Grinding his teeth in frustration, Viscount Lister realized there was nothing he could do but hide and wait for Lionel to contact him.

But just as he resolved to relocate, a voice called out behind him.

“Viscount Lister?”

A hand clamped down on his shoulder. He shrugged it off, only to find himself facing a Heinst knight who drew his sword without hesitation.

Lister conjured a fireball and hurled it, forcing the knight to dodge. Using the opportunity, Lister bolted.

Suddenly, a massive pillar of fire erupted in front of him, cutting off his escape.

Lister stumbled back in shock, only to hear a mocking voice behind him.

“In a hurry, are we?”

Turning around, he saw a young man with silver hair and violet eyes. The stranger juggled a fireball lazily in his palm, grinning wickedly.