An Ode to Divorce - Chapter 10

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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#10

‘…Tsk, Gert wouldn’t fall for those words, would he?’

Tarnishing Gert’s reputation wasn’t my intention, but it was true that I had a hand in it anyway.

No matter how cleverly Berta had orchestrated things, if Gert started investigating, the fact that I had drugged Eurich would be exposed immediately.

If that happened, suspicion would definitely fall on what my intentions were, and that wouldn’t be good for me.

‘I need to redirect the arrows aimed at me back toward Eurich as much as possible.’

Just as I was choosing words on the tip of my tongue to refute—

“Whether it was someone’s intention or not, the fact that you said those words remains unchanged! If you’re a hero too, you should take responsibility for what you said.”

Someone was stepping forward to criticize Eurich in my place!

I looked at the person with gratitude. But as soon as I recognized who it was, my face contorted horribly.

The one criticizing Eurich was none other than Gert’s uncle and Eurich’s father, Stello.

Stello scolded Eurich with an unexpectedly stern attitude.

“Ever since you were young, how many times have I told you until my mouth was dry! But you haven’t listened to a single word I said!”

Learning that the person helping me was Stello made me feel more uncomfortable than grateful.

‘…He wasn’t originally this kind of person.’

Judging from his reaction when news of Gert’s death arrived, he didn’t seem loyal enough to Gert or Alkides to rage like this.

Rather, I got the impression that he cherished Eurich very much.

But the current Stello clearly showed genuine displeasure with Eurich.

After grumbling for a while, Stello raised his voice with veins bulging in his neck.

“My lord. We cannot keep such an inadequate son in the household. That bastard is a disgrace to Lübenhartz!”

“Father!”

‘He’s saying to expel him from the household?’

I was shocked.

And for good reason—being expelled from the household meant being excluded from the succession line entirely.

Eurich was even second in the line of succession!

‘…No, things can’t flow that easily.’

Stello was Eurich’s father. He couldn’t genuinely want to expel Eurich.

‘Is he trying to soften Gert’s anger by criticizing Eurich first himself? Hmm… that makes sense.’

Moreover, if his uncle Stello took such a humble stance, Gert would have no choice but to save face for him.

Thinking about it that way, all of Stello’s behavior made sense.

‘Wow… he’s quite the actor.’

He could step on stage right now. As someone from the same entertainment industry, I was impressed enough to admire him.

Stello, upgraded from a snake to a cunning serpent with five hundred coils, bowed his head to his nephew Gert and said:

“This is all my fault for raising Eurich poorly.”

“Not at all. Uncle, you know your duty well, don’t you? How could this be your fault? When father brought me, a bastard, and declared he would make me the next duke, I know very well how much you welcomed me.”

Sure enough, Gert comforted Stello with a much softer attitude than before.

His anger toward Eurich had long since disappeared. Stello’s scheme had clearly worked!

‘…This is troublesome.’

Of course, I had sufficiently anticipated that Eurich might not be punished immediately. After all, they had years of accumulated history together.

But the problem was that Eurich’s silver tongue had made me the target of Gert’s suspicion!

‘Gert needs to suspect and keep Eurich in check for a while, but if he forgives Eurich like this… won’t I be the only one under suspicion for no reason?’

How could I turn this situation around again?

My mind raced.

‘Should I just confess first that what I gave Eurich was a truth serum?’

“In any case, since uncle says so…”

‘Then Gert would know that everything Eurich said was sincere… Huh?’

“…I will.”

I was lost in thought and didn’t properly hear what Gert said.

‘What did he say in the middle? Don’t tell me Gert said he would forgive Eurich?’

But my doubt didn’t last long. Gert pronounced his verdict properly once more.

“I, Gerhardt Alkides von Lübenhartz, head of the Lübenhartz household, command that from today, Eurich shall be expelled from Lübenhartz!”

“What?”

At this shocking statement, I opened my eyes wide.

Even though Stello had brought up expulsion, I never thought Gert would actually kick Eurich out so immediately!

***

“To so easily throw away twenty years of friendship we shared! Is this truly your heart, Gert!”

Unable to accept Gert’s expulsion decree, Eurich approached Gert with determined steps, his face flushed red.

Clang! Clang clang!

But numerous spears poured out in unison, blocking his path. They were Lübenhartz soldiers.

Trapped by spears surrounding him like a prison, Eurich’s body had no choice but to stop, unable to advance further. Eurich shook off the soldiers’ hands restraining him and shouted.

“Let go!”

“It would be better if you came along quietly.”

Hilias emerged through the soldiers and spoke calmly. Beneath his always composed gaze, uncharacteristic of his nineteen years, lay contempt for Eurich.

“If we are insufficient to restrain you, His Highness will step forward personally. Wouldn’t it be better to leave on your own feet now?”

Through the soldiers, Eurich’s and Gert’s eyes met.

Beast-like blue eyes whose thoughts were completely impossible to fathom.

Only then did Eurich realize that just as he had never once considered Gert a true friend, Gert felt the same way.

‘Is this really how it ends?’

Eurich couldn’t accept it.

What he had committed was merely a slip of the tongue at most.

If he was expelled for a slip of the tongue, it would set a precedent that others could be expelled at the head’s whim.

That would be unacceptable for the branch families.

Naturally, the branch families should desperately try to prevent this, but everyone present was just staying quiet.

‘Cowards!’

Even though Gert was so easily taking away their rights, they just sat with their hands folded, nodding like tamed dogs!

As soon as they met Eurich’s resentful gaze, people hurriedly averted their eyes without exception. Their reluctance to get involved was clearly evident.

‘If only father hadn’t said to expel me from the household, it wouldn’t have come to this!’

Eurich glared at his young siblings standing behind their father, paralyzed with fear.

In the end, father was abandoning him to save the other three!

Even while being dragged out of the Banquet Hall surrounded by soldiers, Eurich ground his teeth, glaring at those in the hall with venomous eyes.

***

With Eurich being dragged away, my birthday banquet ended in a completely chaotic atmosphere.

Only after sending all the guests away with smiling faces could I return to my bedroom and stretch out my legs.

“I feel like I can live again…”

Lying face down on the bed in a dress covered with dangling jewels made everything feel bothersome.

From before my regression until now, too many things had happened.

As soon as I fell from this room, I returned to a year ago, told Gert I wanted a divorce, and exposed Eurich’s true feelings…

‘Come to think of it, everything went exactly as I wanted, so why does the aftertaste feel so unpleasant?’

This was all because of Stello’s reaction.

When Gert declared he would expel Eurich, I clearly saw Stello’s expression.

No matter how good an actor someone is, they can’t act even the split second of receiving a shock.

‘Did he really want to expel Eurich? But why on earth?’

Did he use Eurich as a sacrificial pawn for his other children? Even if Eurich disappeared, the inheritance rights would still belong to his children.

But even so, I couldn’t understand how they could abandon the eldest son Eurich so decisively like that.

They could have at least tried to say a word or two in his defense.

‘It’s as if they think Gert would kill them all if they took Eurich’s side even for a moment.’

But Gert isn’t the type to kill people on a whim based on his mood. He’s not the kind of person who holds grudges long enough to continuously torment someone just because they fell out of his favor once.

People are just getting scared and fearful on their own because of his reputation for killing countless monsters, but the Gert I know is quite generous.

There must be some circumstances I don’t know about.

‘What do I care! Once I get divorced, I won’t be part of the Rubenherts family anymore!’

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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