CH 97

Sigh. 

At Dietrich’s indifferent words, the guards who had grabbed my wrists flinched and lowered their arms. It was a little pitiful to see them hide their hands behind their back. 

“Dietrich, I’m all right.” 

“It’s not all right.”

He groaned with annoyance, pulling me away from the guards. No matter how crappy the situation was, even if they felt like wanting to turn everything upside down, it was no way to solve the situation. 

“I want to go home.” 

“Let’s go. There’s no need for us to listen to the words of these bastards.” 

“But that means I can only go home when the succession is approved.”

“............”

Dietrich who had been poised to storm out of the meeting room right this instant, stood still. 

“If I endure I little, it will all end. Anyway, there is no evidence.”

I raised my arm and brushed his fringe covering his forehead. 

“Because I didn’t do it.”

“Ha.”

Although he didn’t agree with me, in the end, Dietrich didn’t stop the guards from coming for me. 

“I’m all right.”

He was probably thinking I’m just saying it to reassure him because his aura was still boiling like a soup in a cauldron. 

“Please follow me.”

I eventually followed the guards with stamping footsteps out of the room. 

“We will do our best to avoid any inconveniences as much as possible. Please understand.”

The guards tied my wrists with a string and continuously murmured their apologies. 

‘They must be scared of Dietrich.’

Perhaps because of his murderous attitude, the emperor’s guards couldn’t treat me so carelessly.

‘But well, this is good enough, I guess.’

The temporary prison in which the emperor detained me was even more luxurious compared to the basement in Lagrange where Derek imprisoned me. 

‘Please, I hope you stay calm.’

I looked around the prison, apart from the bars in front of the door, it didn’t look that much different from an imperial bedroom. 

‘I guess they’re giving me special treatment because I’m a noble.’

Dietrich, grinding his teeth as he calls for Baal, was much scarier than a prison sentence. 

‘Don’t make any scene, please.’ 

────── 〔✿〕──────

It wasn’t until Anissa had disappeared from the meeting room did the people found out how much the Grand Duke of Lagrange had been ‘letting them off.’ 

“Interesting.” 

Bang!

Dietrich shut the heavy door tightly almost as if it would be demolished before turning around. 

“How very interesting.”

He walked briskly toward the round table, murmuring those words with a face devoid of expression.

“I guess you really wanted to drag on that meeting.” 

Some nobles cowered at Dietrich’s slow remarks. He continued with a somewhat fishy smile.

“You don’t have anywhere to go anyway, so let’s proceed.”

“That’s not possible, Duke Lagrange.” 

Without fail, Duke Euclid stepped in. He shook his head and looked at the emperor.

“Until the truth of the crime that was committed by Anissa Lagrange is uncovered, we cannot grant approval to the Duke’s succession. This is the position of the House of the Lords, Your Majesty.”

“Crime?”

At the Duke’s words, Dietrich crookedly raised the corners of his lips, finding them absurd. He clenched one of his fists and gnashed his teeth violently. 

“Count.” 

He gestured at the timid Count Hilbert instead of the duke. The Count, startled by the intensity of someone who was much younger than him, answered immediately with a ‘yes, yes!’

“If Lagrange had wanted to harm your wife, do you think it would just end with a scratch?”

“Even if it’s the Lagrange, did you think it wouldn’t be a big incident if you mistreated the Countess?!” 

Dietrich roughly moved his arm as if he would grab the collar of the Duke who had answered instead of the Count. 

“How d-dare you use violence!”

The startled duke had shouted, but Dietrich only straightened up his collar. As if the duke had never flinched, he cleared his throat. 

“If I kill Dorothea Hilbert right here, what sanctions can you impose on me?” 

“What crude thing are you saying right now! Do not forget you are in the presence of Her Majesty, Grand Duke!”

“Do you think you could touch the ends of my hair with that lousy, dreadful spark that can’t even be used to kindle a fire?” 

At Dietrich’s sharp words, the duke shut his mouth as if he had swallowed a handful of honey.

Dietrich, who looked on coldly at his flushed red face, slowly added.

“So, if you don’t want to see me overturn this round table and change this generation head of nobles,” he impudently gestured with his chin to the emperor and continued, “it would be in your best interest to start the meeting.” 

“I did make a promise with her ladyship, so I’ll proceed with the meeting right away.”

The emperor nodded at Dietrich’s sharp gaze. As she sat on the seat for the emperor at the round table, the duke raised his voice without losing. 

“No, Your Majesty! The House of the Lords decided to defer!” 

“If I follow the will of the nobility, I would become an emperor who could not even keep a promise to a mere girl. Are you painting me to be that kind of person, Duke?” 

Her resolve was firm. Euclid glared between Dietrich and the Emperor, pressing on his forehead. 

“Then please forbid the Grand Duke of Lagrange from threatening me with his ability. I won’t be able to concentrate on the meeting for fear of his violence.”

“Very well. Is that understood?” 

Dietrich nodded briefly at the emperor’s question. 

‘If you can’t use your ability, you’re nothing but an ordinary knight.’ Expressing such obvious thoughts, the duke had sent a servant with a restraining instrument as if he had prepared in advance. 

“It might be uncomfortable but be patient.” 

The emperor glanced at Dietrich’s wrists with heavy handcuffs, then raised her hand. 

“We will now begin the meeting for the Grand Duke’s succession approval. At the same time, all of the House of the Lords have gathered.” 

She continued, slowly surveying the seated nobles. There were eight southern nobles, four western nobles, and two central nobles. 

“There is only one noble from the North, the Duke of Lagrange. Before we begin, I would like to tell you that the Valliere Royal Family has already authorized the succession of Dietrich Benoit-Louis Honore Lagrange.”  

“With the approval of Her Majesty, we only need the approval of the majority of the nobility heads.” Count Hilbert nodded his head as if responding to the emperor’s words then promptly closed his mouth again at the harsh gaze of Duke Euclid. 

“All members of the southern nobility will oppose it.” 

The duke gritted his teeth and threw a temper. Dietrich grinned, showing off his handcuffed wrists. 

“Without hearing the justification?”

“What is there to do if I hear it? It must have been a blood-stained succession anyway! It is your barbaric way to start off by killing your siblings and your father, isn’t it?!” 

“No, you got it wrong. Most of my siblings are alive. The one who killed Derek Lagrange isn’t me either.” 

Duke Euclid’s jaw dropped open in disbelief at Dietrich’s reply. 

“That’s impossible!”

“The Grand Duke’s words are true, Duke. It’s already confirmed.” 

“The only excuse you probably had for dragging on the succession’s approval was my bloody-mindedness.” 

Dietrich smiled leisurely and stared at the pale Duke. 

The corners of his mouth had been raised, however, it did not reach his eyes that were so cold-blooded. The Duke clenched his fist, feeling as if his life would be short-lived. 

“You’re free to babble on one more time.”

“He a-attacked Hermann. Your Majesty, the Grand Duke of Lagrange almost killed my only son!”

“The civil war between Lagrange and Euclid lasted long enough to accompany the history of the empire. The lives of the Lagranges which you took wouldn’t have been easy either.” 

The Duke of Euclid tried his best to ignore Dietrich’s words and clung to the emperor. 

“My only son is still a child!”

“Hmm? Isn’t Hermann the same age as the Grand Duke?” 

However, even the emperor didn’t extend him a helping hand. Unable to control the atmosphere, the duke chewed on his lips and loosened the tie on his neck. 

“I see. We just learned what we didn’t know about the Grand Duke of Lagrange. I need more time to think before we cast our votes, Your Majesty.” 

Since they couldn’t stop the succession, it seemed that their strategy now was to buy more time. 

The duke looked at the southern nobles one by one and prompted for a response. 

“Yes, yes! I think we need to think about it more, Your Majesty! Hic!” 

Dietrich silently glanced at the nobles who opened their mouths one by one. It was to memorize all the faces of those who helped increase Anissa’s detention time. 

“Hm. You can allow them that much, can you Grand Duke?” 

Dietrich smiled picturesquely and nodded his head at the emperor’s question. 

“I didn’t realize you were all so thoughtful.” 

“Thank you for your permission. We will now have a separate meeting.” 

Even though he was restrained so that he could not use his ability, his eyes were still screaming for blood the nobles trembled and tried to put as much distance as they could from Dietrich. 

“No, do it where I can see you.”

Dietrich tapped the round table with his finger and opened his mouth. 

“You might have questions.”

Because I will see for myself how long this damned meeting will take.