Chapter 65: Meaningless

『What do I do...?』

Katherine now had the power to potentially ruin Cedric's reputation in Gladius City and within the Royal Council.

What made it even more certain was that she had Vritra backing her, and he had nearly as much influence as King Felmus.

"I..."

She was unsure of what to say in that moment.

How would this decision impact her life moving forward?

What would it mean for Cedric?

What would happen to her children?

There was so much she hadn't had time to think through, and she suspected Vritra had planned this all along.

He had placed her in a difficult situation.

If she didn't reveal the information right now and decided to take time to think about it, it wouldn't matter. The nobles would quickly side with Cedric no matter what.

It was a simple strategy that Vritra had used, so simple that anyone hearing the story would easily figure out his motive.

The young, cunning lord had trapped Katherine in a dark, narrow tunnel. If she moved forward, she'd reach the light, but if she hesitated or turned back, there would be no return... only days of endless darkness and regret.

Katherine gathered her strength and looked at Cedric, whose hand was still gripped by Vritra. Cedric's expression almost seemed to warn her──if she spoke, she would suffer the consequences.

But Vritra's face was calm, as if silently assuring her that nothing bad would happen if she spoke from her heart.

Somehow, this devil had become her guardian angel.

In Duranzia, women didn't have many rights, especially those who hadn't been born into the upper class.

Yet here she was, with the power to bring down a man.

Her own husband...

But he was also the man she never would have married if he hadn't destroyed her life in the first place.

Vritra's words were beginning to make sense.

She was a beautiful woman, but one who had been loved in all the wrong ways. Now, the young lord was offering her the chance to ruin everything she always had for a chance at a better life... something she always wanted.

The choice was hers.

"I'll talk..."

This was all everyone needed to hear.

The tension in the room immediately shot up to the maximum, and Vritra finally released Cedric so they could all listen to what Katherine had to say.

However, it still looked like Cedric wanted to speak.

Before a word could leave his mouth, Vritra glared at him with blood-red eyes, making his thoughts clear.

"If you take so much as a step, or even try to interrupt her... I'll disregard the rules of Saint Melcius's [Conditional Magic] and rip your heart out of your chest. Trust me when I say I have nothing to lose."

Those words, colder than the steel of an assassin's blade, left Cedric as silent as a grave.

The hall was also quiet, with only Katherine left to speak.

"My husband, Cedric Kupertine Bluesteel, is responsible for the long forgotten Aldwyn Scandal."

A loud gasp filled the hall, instantly bringing back memories of the long-forgotten financial scandal involving House Aldwyn.

Marquis Kris furiously pointed at Katherine, causing her to tremble as if she were about to collapse.

The nobles began to whisper harshly about her again, staring at her like she was some sort of disease.

『N-, No... it's happening again, just because I'm a woman. Because I have no rights, I'm being forced into this again. I read that document, and everything in it is correct. Shouldn't my words and God Vritra's be enough?! When my family was accused of a financial scandal, there was no evidence at all, but they still hanged my sister! And Cedric, this is all your fault!

You're... you're a monster!』

Katherine took a few unsteady steps back, her knees growing weaker with each one.

The thick scroll slipped from her hands as she clutched her head, breathing heavily.

『I've had enough of this-, THIS──! Achk!』

This was her breaking point.

But Kris wanted to break her more... so she would know her place as a woman in this world.

"And let's say they somehow bring real evidence, like court records and trustworthy witnesses. So what? It's not like that's a big deal, right?

"Just look at God Vritra—he's raped countless women and killed even more, but we still let him walk freely in our streets and ally with our suzerain nation because we respect him as an ancient god. Power is power, after all. You nobles wouldn't change your mind about Lord Cedric over something so ridiculously meaningless.

"It's not like he committed treason or anything... that would be a whole different story. Right, my princess?"

Marquis Kris glanced at the frustrated princess, smiling just as smugly as Vritra. He had singlehandedly swayed the nobles' support back in Cedric's favor, and the princess was about to help him solidify that backing.

"Yes..." Princess Luciana mumbled.

"Yes, what, my princess? I can't hear you..."

The smile on Kris' face grew even more.

"The Aldwyn Scandal is meaningless..."

Princess Luciana tightened her fists and gritted her teeth.

Marquis Kris didn't care for that.

"YOU SEE?! IT'S MEANINGLESS! Even the wonderful princess of our great nation agrees!"

The nobleman clapped, and soon the nobles joined him.

To Katherine, this was the greatest insult.

『Meaningless? My sister died... and that's meaningless to you?! My family went through constant abuse from society, and that means nothing?! I had to stop my father from trying to kill himself several times—does that count as nothing too?! You nobles of Duranzia...』

Tears streamed down her pale cheeks.

Just when the typically graceful noblewoman was on the verge of losing her mind and screaming at the top of her lungs, Vritra finally spoke up.

"But who says I don't have concrete evidence?"

The hall immediately went silent again.

Cedric remained silent──for now, he was going to let Kris handle everything.

... Mhm-mmm~

Lord Kris chuckled.

"Don't you understand, God Vritra? These people don't care about your so-called 'concrete evidence.' You might as well say they've already forgiven Marquis Cedric... or better yet, they were never against him in the first place. Only an ungrateful pig would be, and apparently, that's his wife, Lady Katherine."

"Hey, trust me when I say you'll definitely want to see this fascinating evidence I have."

That was Vritra's response.