Chapter 31
Everyone’s gaze turned toward that direction.
Suzanna’s face twisted completely when she saw Lila’s face.
But she soon regained her composure and spoke calmly.
“I apologize for my family’s troublesome eldest daughter for disturbing the atmosphere of the assembly.
She’s not in her right mind—please, feel free to take her away.”
“My mind is perfectly clear.
If anything, it’s that girl standing on the podium who’s not in her right mind.”
Lila declared this with eyes burning fiercely.
“She conspired with the Roten family, trying to use our family as their host!”
The moment the name Roten family was mentioned, shock rippled through the entire hall.
Suzanna quickly shot back.
“That’s my sister’s delusion! I apologize for failing to manage our household properly and—”
“I have evidence!”
Suzanna bit her lip, trying to stay composed and assess the situation.
That Lila had shaken off her pursuers and reached Eisadra Castle was unexpected, but any evidence she carried was probably just documents.
If that was all, then Suzanna and her mother had already tampered with information long ago—there was still a way out.
All she had to do was claim that her sister, blinded by greed for the family’s power, had acted recklessly.
Besides, the most important witness—their father—was already her and her mother’s puppet.
The head of the Behe family had always favored Suzanna and her mother, so he never doubted them.
Thanks to that, the poison they had slowly fed him over time had worked perfectly—
He was completely under suggestion and would never act in a way that harmed the two of them.
“I’m afraid the so-called evidence my paranoid sister brings up is probably just normal documents she’s twisting around.”
“No.”
Lila’s voice rang out, clear and sharp, as she faced forward.
“I’ll bring in a witness.”
“Y-you have no such authority! How dare you, in this sacred assembly—!”
But Suzanna’s frantic outburst was cut short the instant she saw the young man who appeared next.
He had the same features as the great patriarch Meitence Halr Loren, though he looked somewhat weary—
it was Silvan Halr Loren.
“I… unintentionally became involved in this matter… and have come as a witness.
This issue is separate from Nergal’s Trial, so I ask that you keep that in mind…”
“W-what…?”
“As a direct descendant, I’ll exercise my right of immunity to stand here without punishment.
Now, to get to the point…”
The participants of the assembly were in turmoil, yet none dared to speak.
No one had the courage to interrupt.
The entire hall had sunk into chaos.
It was understandable—unexpected words, unexpected people, everything was spiraling beyond anyone’s prediction.
Ignoring the surrounding tension, Silvan continued his slow explanation.
He explained that while traveling with his daughter for Nergal’s Trial, he had happened to meet Lila and accompanied her.
Then they had been attacked by assassins pursuing Lila.
He captured all of them alive and, although he hadn’t interrogated them yet,
he had already found evidence strongly suggesting they were agents of the Roten family.
When Silvan finished speaking, a chilling silence spread through the hall.
All eyes turned back to Suzanna.
Her face had turned pale as she stammered.
“T-this is a misunderstanding. I have nothing to do with—”
“Whether you’re involved or not, we’ll find out once we interrogate those involved.”
Lila’s voice rang out like thunder as she glared at her sister.
“You must have underestimated Halr Loren’s ‘skill in squeezing out the truth.’
That’s… quite the unbalanced judgment for someone supposedly sane, isn’t it?”
Suzanna’s face turned red and pale by turns—
Lila had thrown her own words right back at her.
Silvan, seemingly exhausted after his long explanation, let out a sigh and turned toward Meitence.
“The assassins are stored in my ‘pocket dimension’… I can hand them over immediately, Father.”
“Hmm.”
Meitence, who had been smiling faintly from afar as if it were all someone else’s problem, finally opened his mouth.
“Roten has been playing quite an amusing game of fire.
Let’s see… this could be a rather entertaining hand to play.”
“……”
“To think you’d bring me such a weapon. Not bad, Silvan.”
“I didn’t plan it—it just happened…”
“Sure, let’s say that.”
With a snap of Meitence’s fingers, black spiderweb-like threads instantly wrapped around Suzanna.
“Have the Black Moon Division move at once.
Bring in every single person involved.
If there’s even a single gap left open, there’ll be hell to pay.”
“As you command.”
Hidden agents of the Black Moon Division, Halr Loren’s secret intelligence force, answered in unison and vanished like shadows.
Suzanna, unable to resist, was dragged away with them.
From the second-floor balcony, I watched everything unfold beside Emil and couldn’t help but grin.
‘Suzanna’s mother won’t escape the Black Moon’s grasp either.
And the rest of the rotten roots connected to them will be pulled up with the vines.’
Emil, looking excited, turned to me.
“Grandfather must’ve been shocked too, right? I mean, the Roten family’s involvement and all.”
“Hmm… I actually think he already knew.”
“What?”
That’s how it was in the original story, too.
He was the type who always observed his opponents’ moves in advance and played his cards at the most effective moment.
There were countless enemies who thought everything was going according to their plan—
only to realize, too late, that they’d been under his watch the whole time.
‘Even in the original… once Lila was expelled and the Behe family went on a rampage, he crushed them instantly.’
Because of that, Lila couldn’t even find anyone left to take revenge on.
She had to swallow her hatred and ended up nurturing a grudge against the entire Halr Loren family.
Well… that future no longer exists anyway.
In any case, Grandfather must be secretly overjoyed right now.
The Roten family’s infiltrators had self-destructed in the most spectacular way possible within our territory—
He could use this blunder as a powerful diplomatic weapon.
Even the Imperial Palace, which had to mediate between noble houses, couldn’t ignore a scandal this large.
From Father’s perspective, this was just an accident,
but Grandfather would surely see it as a move from a grand design.
‘I even sent him a letter asking him to follow protocol.’
It was obvious that Father’s and my political positions had skyrocketed.
‘And the best part? I get to skip the annoying process.’
The Nergal’s Trial and all—
the assembly had already turned into a total mess.
Without giving the council members any reason to object,
I’d be heading straight to the main estate.
As expected, the assembly began to wrap up.
The presiding officer, wiping sweat from his forehead, spoke nervously.
“D-due to the urgency of recent events, we’ll postpone all non-critical matters to the next session.”
“What important issues remain to be addressed?”
Grandfather asked calmly.
The chairman bowed his head.
“We’ve already handled the morning’s key business…
The Behe family’s heir confirmation is nullified…
The only thing left is Nergal’s Trial.”
“Hmm.”
Grandfather’s crimson eyes turned toward me.
“We’ll handle it briefly. Bring Calmia Halr Loren forward.”
“Yes, sir.”
I winked at Emil and followed the attendant down to the first-floor stage.
“Normally, we’d proceed with Nergal’s Trial, but given the situation,
we’ll instead move to authorize your return to the main estate.”
I nodded lightly, trying not to show too much of my delight.
“However, since the trial is being skipped, the regulations make it difficult to send you directly to the main estate.
For fairness’ sake, considering the other heirs residing there…”
I already knew the rules, so it wasn’t surprising.
“You’ll undergo about three months of training before being transferred to the main estate…”
After all the time I’d spent grinding away in the Tower, three months would be nothing.
Or so I thought—until a sudden voice interrupted from behind me.
“Wait a moment.”
The unexpected voice echoed through the hall.
“Please skip that process and send Calmia Halr Loren directly to the main estate.
As heirs of the main line, I, Emil Halr Loren, and Ruska Halr Loren, give our approval.”
