I’ll Be the Heroine’s Competent Divorce Partner - Chapter 145

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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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Chapter 145

 

The shocked representative’s mouth fell wide open.

 

“Y-Your Highness the Crown Prince?!”

 

“That’s correct. Furthermore, since I, who currently holds governing authority, have permitted Marquis Lucerno’s inquiry, I inform you that this inquiry is lawful.”

 

I sent a grateful glance to Joshua and opened my mouth again.

 

“Food poisoning usually occurs due to toxins in food or hygiene problems in the kitchen.”

 

“Th-then it could be a hygiene problem…”

 

“No, it has been confirmed that there were no hygiene problems in the kitchen.”

 

When I answered decisively, the representative who had been frantically trying to make excuses shut his lips tight like a clam.

 

I continued speaking calmly.

 

“To get straight to the point, this food poisoning was caused by toxins from sprouted potatoes. However, when I personally checked at the time, there were no sprouts on the potatoes at all. They were in perfectly fine condition.”

 

Having drawn that line, I tilted my head curiously.

 

“So where on earth did those toxins come from?”

 

“W-we don’t know how we could…”

 

The representative first tried to make excuses.

 

But I had no intention of listening to the representative’s rambling words.

 

“Representative. Were they really potatoes?”

 

At that direct question, the representative’s shoulders stiffened with a start.

 

As if there was something weighing on his mind.

 

‘Good, then.’

 

It seemed worth stirring things up a bit.

 

With that judgment, I boldly opened my mouth.

 

“Upon investigation, I found there are potato variants. A subspecies of potato where the potato toxins remain strongly not just in the sprouts but in the fruit itself.”

 

“…”

 

At the same time, I saw it.

 

The expression completely disappearing from the representative’s face.

 

But from that behavior of trying not to show any expression, I gained an even stronger conviction.

 

‘He’s definitely hiding something.’

 

Otherwise, there would be no reason to hide his emotions so unnaturally.

 

With that judgment, I provoked him again.

 

“I suspect that the potatoes supplied by Pandev Food Suppliers this time were that crop.”

 

The agitated representative raised his voice.

 

“D-do you have evidence?!”

 

Hmm, asking for evidence first?

 

Usually, if someone were truly wronged, they would protest first saying ‘I never did such a thing.’

 

I smiled with my eyes.

 

“There’s no physical evidence. But there is circumstantial evidence.”

 

“Circumstantial evidence, what do you mean!”

 

“First, the amount of poison detected in the stew. The amount of poison itself far exceeded what could typically be detected from sprouted potatoes. And second.”

 

I opened the handbag I was carrying.

 

I took out a document folder and handed it to the representative.

 

“Second is a specific business partner that Pandev is currently dealing with.”

 

Those documents were transaction records of Pandev Food Supplies that I had asked Count Disraeli to investigate.

 

Among them, there was one suspicious transaction.

 

And that was.

 

“You recently began doing business with the Laventess Ducal House quite suddenly.”

 

“What’s the problem with that?”

 

The representative glared at me with extremely wary eyes.

 

My smile deepened a little more.

 

“No, that itself isn’t really a problem. However, I did find it rather puzzling.”

 

“What do you mean?”

 

“Until I left the family, the Laventess Ducal House’s food supplier wasn’t Pandev.”

 

At the same time, my eyes flashed sharply.

 

“But right after I proposed the pilot policy, the supplier changed to Pandev.”

 

“Th-that’s…”

 

“Also, the fact that my Elder Brother and I don’t get along well is already widely known.”

 

The representative’s gaze wavered violently.

 

It was because he realized the situation wasn’t looking very good.

 

At the same time, Joshua joined the conversation.

 

“Although you may not have known this, representative, that potato subspecies is a crop that the Imperial Family has banned from circulation in the Empire. It’s because that subspecies caused major problems in the past.”

 

“…”

 

The representative gulped down dry saliva.

 

He tried to stay calm somehow, but couldn’t stop his fingertips from trembling finely.

 

“Actually, since it’s a crop that’s very difficult for ordinary people to obtain, I thought Pandev probably wasn’t the one who initiated this. But if you continue to choose the path of silence.”

 

Joshua paused briefly and curved his eyes into crescents.

 

“Well, that’s fine. I’ll think of it as you demonstrating a spirit of sacrifice for others.”

 

“…”

 

“All the crimes were committed by Pandev. That’s how we’ll conclude this.”

 

I was inwardly very surprised.

 

Wow, Joshua can speak so caustically too.

 

Since he had always been so gentle with me, I had no idea…

 

And that causticism had a tremendous effect on the representative.

 

“N-no!”

 

The terrified representative opened his mouth.

 

“I’ll tell you everything! Th-the truth is…”

 

15. The Truth Revealed

 

The representative eventually confessed the entire truth.

 

That David had procured those crops for him, and he had delivered them according to his orders.

 

Furthermore, in exchange for supplying the crops, a deal with Laventess had been established, and the trade route for this childcare facility had also been opened up by the Laventess side.

 

‘He told me it would simply be handled as food poisoning due to poor hygiene management, so there was absolutely nothing to worry about.’

 

Meanwhile, Joshua, who heard that testimony, was greatly enraged.

 

‘No matter how bad his relationship with Elodie is, how could he go so far as to harm innocent children?!’

 

That was right.

 

Although David’s original intention was probably simply to sabotage Elodie,

 

the ones who actually suffered harm were innocent children.

 

Because of the poison in these crops, many of the children had to be hospitalized at the Medical Center for a long time.

 

‘To recklessly bring in such dangerous crops, what is this!’

 

Joshua, who was usually gentle, was so enraged.

 

Rumors spread that even the servants coming and going from the Crown Prince’s palace were being careful lately.

 

‘Moreover, Marquis Lucerno’s policy is clearly a national pilot policy that passed through the Noble Council. To sabotage it out of resentment…’

 

Joshua even summoned David directly.

 

Looking straight into David’s eyes, he asked clearly and distinctly.

 

‘The Laventess Ducal House must be confident they can take responsibility for this incident, right?’

 

‘We, we really don’t know anything about this. That food supplier is just trying to frame us…’

 

David desperately tried to make excuses, but Joshua’s anger was too fierce.

 

‘There are transaction records and even leftover crops from the delivery were discovered! And yet you’re still acting like this?!’

 

Also, the media couldn’t remain silent about this incident.

 

Wasn’t it that a great noble house like the Laventess Ducal Family had sabotaged a national policy to interfere with their own younger sister?

 

It was even an incident where innocent children were harmed.

 

Therefore, the media began reporting extensively on this matter.

 

【The food poisoning incident at Jong-il Childcare Facility was actually Laventess’s conspiracy?!】

 

【Harm to innocent children, who will take responsibility.】

 

【Duke Laventess, “This is slander against me”… desperately denies the charges.】

 

Day after day, huge articles appeared on the front page of newspapers.

 

The Empire’s citizens’ attention was entirely focused on this incident.

 

And so, finally.

 

【Duke Laventess Decided to Stand Criminal Trial!】

 

It was decided that David would personally stand trial.

 

Moreover, those who confirmed that article couldn’t hide their surprised expressions.

 

“My goodness, just how many times is His Grace going to stand in court?”

 

“The previous divorce lawsuit was civil, but this case is a criminal matter.”

 

“My word, he keeps bringing shame to his family.”

 

High-class clubs frequented by gentlemen.

 

Tea rooms where Noble Ladies gathered.

 

Even tavern bars where commoners had a drink.

 

This incident became a hot topic across all social classes.

 

“Could it be because he held a grudge against Marquis Lucerno?”

 

“That’s probably it. There was the previous divorce lawsuit, and I heard Duke Laventess opposed this childcare policy too.”

 

“That’s right. If this policy fails, it would deal a blow to Marquis Lucerno.”

 

While people were whispering like this.

 

David urgently met with Marquis Bartsen.

 

“Come now, they’re just commoner children, aren’t they?”

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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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