The Lady Only Deals With the Real Ones - Chapter 116

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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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After finishing the appraisal, I moved to the separate room.

It was to write up the appraisal results as a witness.

There were three people in the separate room besides me.

Lina, Ailren, and.

“In any case, now that the young lady has come, we can breathe a sigh of relief. She’s a talent personally recommended by a Cardinal, isn’t she? Isn’t that right, Lina?”

Crodil.

Lina didn’t answer, but Crodil spoke with a smooth smile.

“Still, since that young lady is your friend, Lina, you must feel somewhat at ease. Since you’re the one responsible for the treasury, you must be troubled by this unprecedented theft case.”

“….”

“Well, it probably won’t be much help in the investigation. To think that the young lady who was involved in the tiara theft case would become the savior of the tablet theft case, truly the world is full of surprises….”

“Please be careful with your choice of words.”

Lina’s voice, sharp enough to freeze the air, cut off his words.

“Involved? She was falsely accused by former Viscount Rosaline’s schemes. Young lady? She’s an official appraiser dispatched by the Temple to help the Imperial Family.”

“…What?”

“I’m telling you not to be rude. To someone who came representing the Temple.”

Lina’s words didn’t end there.

“As you said, I am the one responsible for the theft case. Strictly speaking, the Regent King has nothing to do with this matter. So why are you staying here?”

“Lina, you’re the one who can’t watch your words. How dare you…!”

“This is an official setting. Use proper titles, ‘Regent King’ Crodil.”

Lina spoke coldly and turned her head.

Veins bulged on Crodil’s neck, but Lina’s words were not wrong.

Crodil glanced at Ailren, who was nodding in agreement with Lina’s words, and seemed to realize he might be kicked out if things went badly.

His face, which had turned red and blue, soon regained its original color.

“Haa… The Empire’s national treasure has disappeared, how could I, as Regent King, just sit and watch? I thought I might be able to help, so I joined, but what should I do if you put up such walls, hmm?”

Crodil smiled his usual fake smile and tried to appease Lina.

Though his momentum had somewhat diminished, he still treated Lina as if she were a subordinate.

Knowing this, Lina didn’t answer and just stared at Crodil.

“Besides, I also came because I have business with that young la… no, the appraiser.”

“What business?”

“Well, as you said, to discuss compensation plans for someone who was ‘falsely accused.’ Wasn’t there a Nobility Council meeting this morning? You couldn’t attend because you were busy with the theft case.”

I, who had been writing the appraisal report, looked up.

Crodil’s gaze turned to me.

“So… you’re actually a Rionet? The granddaughter of former Duke Michele?”

“Yes.”

“From the first time I saw you, I thought you resembled someone I knew. But to think it was former Duke Michele.”

‘Lies.’

Resemble what?

Just looking at his face made me feel sick, but I squeezed out as much composure as I could.

Crodil, who had been staring at my expressionless face, rested his chin on his hand.

“Let me inform you that the titles and properties of all related parties, including former Viscount Rosaline and former Count Hugo, have been confiscated. There are no other heirs in the Rionet Family either.”

The fact that there were no other heirs was something I already knew.

‘Rosaline didn’t allow Hugo to marry. In case Hugo might gain legitimacy.’

It was to completely block him from having other ideas.

Rosaline also had no children, and she had eliminated all other possible family members a few years ago.

‘She probably planned to enjoy power until the very end, using adopted son and daughter candidates as excuses to give them titles if they obeyed well.’

The complete opposite of the Duke of Alchemiya.

Rosaline had even recognized her own biological children as competitors and cut them off at the root.

“So naturally, a legitimate family member should inherit the title and property. But oh my, I overlooked one fact.”

The corners of Crodil’s mouth moved smoothly.

“That former Duke Michele was excommunicated from the family.”

“Yes. Grandfather excommunicated himself when he was the family head. He also returned his ducal title.”

Excommunication within a family is done by the family council.

Even if the family elders agreed, the final decision rests with the family head.

So Grandfather had stamped his seal on the document excommunicating himself.

‘Rosaline might have stolen the seal and stamped it, or it might have been something he was forced to do after falling into a trap.’

I had asked Hugo, but he said he didn’t know the situation well at that time.

All he knew was that the excommunication document was left on Grandfather’s desk, and Grandfather had disappeared.

‘But regardless of the truth, it appears that Grandfather excommunicated himself.’

If I spoke without evidence, I would definitely be caught on a technicality, so I decided to only state clear facts.

Crodil’s mouth corners rose even higher.

“Right, so you have nothing….”

“But I wasn’t excommunicated.”

Crodil’s rising mouth corners stopped abruptly.

I put down the pen I had been using to write the appraisal report.

“To be precise, my mother, Princess ‘Beatrix Rionet,’ was not excommunicated.”

I turned on the switch of the magic pen, and Hugo’s and my voices flowed out.

「You’re not on the family tree, but your mother, Princess Beatrix, who is my cousin sister, is still on the family tree.」

「Is that possible? Grandfather was excommunicated.」

「Uncle was excommunicated shortly after news came that sister and her husband had died on the battlefield… You can’t excommunicate someone who’s already dead.」

It was one of the pieces of information I had coaxed out when Hugo came to the pawnshop.

I looked straight at Crodil and said.

“I am not only Grandfather’s granddaughter, but also Princess Beatrix’s daughter. So I have legitimate qualifications as an heir.”

Crodil’s facial muscles trembled.

He barely managed to say.

“…Ha, you’re being unreasonable. Didn’t former Count Hugo say? That you’re not on the Rionet family tree.”

“Not being on the family tree doesn’t mean I can’t become a Rionet.”

I recalled the inheritance laws I had researched meticulously during the first three days after my regression.

“Customarily, qualifications are granted when all other heirs agree. But as the Regent King said, the valid Rionet heirs besides me are Hugo and Rosaline….”

I spoke clearly.

“Hugo called Princess Beatrix my ‘mother,’ and Rosaline called former Duke Michele my ‘grandfather’ in front of everyone yesterday. Both of them acknowledged it. That I am a Rionet.”

Seeing Crodil’s face contort, my research had been worthwhile.

“Can the words of criminals be used as evidence? And Princess Beatrix is dead, as you said. How can you prove that you’re the biological daughter Princess Beatrix bore?”

“What on earth!”

Lina was shocked.

Calling it proof, it was no different from doubting my bloodline.

However, I calmly countered.

“Yes. As you said, it would be difficult to prove. Mother has passed away, and Grandfather is excommunicated, so he would have no say in family matters.”

When I readily agreed, Crodil raised his eyebrows as if wondering what I was talking about.

But I wasn’t intimidated.

‘This was my plan.’

I had made the first move by revealing my qualifications but saying they were difficult to prove.

To conduct a formal verification, we would have had to bring Grandfather from the hospital.

Looking at Crodil’s expression now, his intentions were obvious.

‘Crodil brought up inheritance and such to draw out Grandfather. He probably hoped I would be blinded by gold and honor. But that’s not my goal.’

I couldn’t fall for Crodil’s scheme.

‘According to Hugo, Princess Beatrix was pregnant when she went to war. I would have been born on the battlefield, so there wouldn’t be proper birth certificates. I can’t give him room to find fault with that.’

I composed my expression and spoke with a smile.

“Since this is a matter involving complicated family affairs, and the granting of confiscated titles is the exclusive authority of ‘His Majesty the Emperor,’ I understand that it would be difficult for ‘His Highness the Regent King’ to make such a decision. I can only apologize for causing you concern.”

Excommunication is a family matter, and granting confiscated titles is the Emperor’s authority.

So it’s not something for you, Crodil, to interfere with.

Having hidden such intentions within polite words, I watched as Crodil’s expression gradually hardened.

‘There’s nothing much to receive in terms of property anyway. Hugo is penniless, and I’ve already taken most of Rosaline’s slush funds through The Forest of Cologne auction.’

“I desire neither property nor title. What I want is…”

Then what remains?

“The ownership rights to the Rionet Duchy’s premium mana stone mine that is currently depleted. Please give me just that one thing.”

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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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