The Lady Only Deals With the Real Ones - Chapter 108

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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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Rosaline couldn’t believe what she had seen with her own eyes.

It had been so close. If she had just reached out her hand, she could have grabbed that bitch Elisha’s wrist and stabbed her heart.

She could have cut off the breath of that detestable thing!

But then, in an instant, her vision flashed with light.

“Huh, uh, my hand, my hand…!”

Her right hand, which had been gripping the broken glass, was severed clean off.

It was an unreal scene.

Rosaline’s body collapsed as she screamed, staring at the empty space where her right hand used to be.

“Aaaaah!”

Rosaline felt wronged. She felt so wronged she thought she might go mad.

The pain she was experiencing for the first time, the completely ruined plan, this situation where everyone was pointing fingers at her.

And.

“Why, why… why you instead of Uncle! Someone like you, making me like this…!”

The fact that it was Elisha, his granddaughter rather than Uncle himself, who had brought her down felt wrongful and miserable.

If she was destined to be defeated anyway.

Would it have been better if the person who appeared here had been Michele instead?

“Why can’t I do it! Why!”

Shortly before Michele disappeared.

News reached the Duke’s residence that his child, who had served as a knight in the military, had died in battle.

Michele was a Duke. He needed another heir to inherit his title.

Rosaline naturally thought it would be her, but the Duke declared he would not designate an heir.

“Please tell me, Uncle. Is there something I lack to succeed you?”

“What could you possibly lack, Rosaline Rionet. You’ve received the finest education since childhood, you’ve seen much so your discernment must be high, and everything within your reach was made just for you.”

“Then why on earth…!”

“That’s exactly why. That’s why you won’t do.”

Rosaline couldn’t understand her uncle’s words.

More precisely, she didn’t want to understand. She couldn’t accept it.

So destroying Michele and ascending to the dukedom became Rosaline’s life goal.

After bringing him to his knees, she wanted to thoroughly mock and ridicule him, saying his choice was wrong and she was right.

Rosaline lived solely for that purpose.

But…

‘Then, in the end… was Uncle right? Was I… was I wrong?’

Clutching her wrist where blood spurted like a fountain, Rosaline breathed roughly as she looked around.

Among the gazes of people looking at her like a bug, she saw familiar faces.

The Duke of Alchemiya shaking her head, the mage girl with one blackened hand.

Carlos being dragged away somewhere by the knights.

And.

‘Nicholas Raum.’

Even Nicholas, who was alive and well, with tear-stained but resolute eyes.

“Ha… haha…”

A hollow laugh escaped.

Rosaline grabbed the hem of Elisha’s dress with her remaining left hand.

“Tell me. Right now, tell me. Where is Uncle now?”

The knights hurriedly tried to make her let go, but Elisha stopped them with a light gesture.

Rosaline trembled as she looked up at Elisha.

Coincidentally, she was in a position of kneeling before her.

“This couldn’t have been something you did alone. Yes, it must be something Uncle ordered you, his granddaughter, to do. That’s right, it must be. He’s surely watching from somewhere, isn’t that right?”

Rosaline’s words became increasingly urgent.

“He must have considered me a worthy opponent. So he came to watch me fall. So tell me. Where is he?”

When Elisha gave no answer, Rosaline stammered with a haggard face.

“Surely, surely… he didn’t leave everything to you, as if I’m not even worth dealing with!”

Elisha’s lips slowly parted.

“Grandfather didn’t come.”

Thump.

It felt like her heart was sinking.

Rosaline tried to deny her words, but Elisha was faster to continue.

“You’ll never see Grandfather again. Just as it’s been until now… forever in the future.”

With eyes exactly like Uncle’s when he said “you won’t do,” Elisha whispered coldly.

“…You would end up like this.”

“You would end up like this!”

Why was it?

Somehow she felt like she was receiving back the words she had once said.

It was when she was trembling with inexplicable chills and shivers.

“Imprison the criminal.”

Thwack—

At the Captain of the Royal Knights’ words, a knight struck the back of Rosaline’s neck.

The last thing she saw before losing consciousness as she was dragged away limply was.

“…I, I can tell you everything! I’ll spill everything I know, so please, just spare my life…”

Hugo, who had been captured by the knights, seeing that she too had been arrested, showing relief instead of despair.

“…”

And Crodil staring at Elisha with sharp eyes.

*

Only silence lingered where Rosaline had disappeared.

But that was only for a moment.

As their shocked and stunned hearts settled, people began murmuring without anyone taking the lead.

“My goodness, my goodness. I never knew Rosaline was that kind of person…”

“If it weren’t for that appraiser young lady, it would have been a real disaster!”

“Wait, but didn’t Rosaline call that young lady her uncle’s granddaughter earlier? If Rosaline’s uncle is…?”

It was when all eyes focused on me.

Ahem, Count Hestian cleared his throat.

“An innocent person almost got falsely accused due to Rosaline’s schemes. I’ll apologize for the parts I misunderstood and discuss compensation. But…”

Despite being a member of the tea time, it was ridiculous how he was pretending to be uninvolved and trying to back out.

The Count, wiping cold sweat, glanced behind me.

“Didn’t this young lady say with her own mouth earlier that she entered the treasury? Is that alright?”

‘Ha.’

I knew who was behind me without looking. It was Crodil.

Count Hestian was now saying what Crodil wanted to say on his behalf.

‘Going to be nasty to the very end?’

But I was already fully prepared.

I smiled slightly as the sound of wheels rolling grew closer.

“That was something I requested, Count Hestian.”

“Who… Ah, Your Grace the Duke of Alchemiya?!”

The Duke of Alchemiya in a wheelchair was approaching.

Her expression was gentle, but an unmistakable strength could be glimpsed in her eyes.

Everyone bowed to her. Count Hestian, who had bowed along with them, stammered in confusion.

“A, a request? What do you mean by that…?”

“I believe everyone has heard that I am sponsoring Nicholas Raum, who is Rosaline Rionet’s ex-husband and a painter. But in that process… I heard a very terrible story about Rosaline, which everyone now knows.”

As if she didn’t want to think about it, the Duke of Alchemiya sighed.

“So I thought I should investigate. Though I have been in seclusion, I am still the Duke of Presrife. If there’s someone who would obviously bring harm to the Empire, shouldn’t I stop them with what little power I have?”

Though she seemed to humble herself, it was a statement that once again emphasized her status as a duke.

Count Hestian wilted and staggered like a diseased plant.

“However, as everyone knows, my body is weak so I couldn’t act directly. So my adopted daughter went through a lot of trouble.”

“A, adopted daughter, you said?”

“Yes. Elisha over there is my old friend’s granddaughter and the adopted daughter of this Duke of Alchemiya. She’s also a capable appraiser. Could there be anyone more suitable to help me?”

It was a famous story that everyone coveted the position of adopted child of the Duke of Alchemiya, who had no heir.

But that adopted daughter was that appraiser!

Everyone covered their mouths.

Of course, I was a little surprised too.

I was the Duke’s adopted daughter?

‘I did ask for help if something like this happened, but you didn’t need to go as far as calling me your adopted daughter…! You probably just said it to add credibility, right?’

Anyway, it was a story made up on the spot to fit the situation, but it was incredibly convincing.

I didn’t even need to add anything.

‘As expected, the Duke is truly a duke.’

Whether she knew my thoughts or not, the Duke of Alchemiya continued.

“The investigation revealed that Rosaline had even reached out to the treasures in the treasury. So thinking she might cause trouble today, I asked Her Highness Princess Katarina through my adopted daughter to let us examine the treasury.”

Lina, whose name was called, raised her head.

The Duke of Alchemiya gazed at her and smiled.

“I’m truly sorry that you’ve been put in a difficult position because of my request, Your Highness. You tried to protect me, who might be harmed since I’m still unfamiliar with society after my long seclusion, didn’t you? I don’t know how to repay such consideration.”

People murmured as if they understood.

“Ah, so that’s why…”

“Her Highness was trying to protect His Grace the Duke, who was the informant!”

“That’s why Elisha, who is the adopted daughter, didn’t reveal the reason for going to the treasury at first – because who knows what the mad Rosaline might do to His Grace!”

Lina’s complexion gradually returned to normal.

“…The Duke of Alchemiya has fulfilled her duty to the Empire, so consider that repayment enough. Don’t worry about it.”

“I am deeply grateful for your generous treatment.”

The Duke of Alchemiya, who smiled gently, extended her hand to me.

“Then may I return with my adopted daughter, Your Highness?”

The person the Duke of Alchemiya asked permission from was not Crodil.

It was the Princess. She acknowledged the Princess as the master of the Imperial Palace and honored her.

Lina, who had been touching her pendant, nodded with a dignified attitude.

“Yes, we’ll finish our conversation another time. Count Ailren, escort them with imperial courtesy.”

“I shall obey your command, Your Highness.”

I took the Duke of Alchemiya’s hand.

Her wrinkled hand was warm.

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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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