CH 98

Henry Euclid. 

The head of the prestigious Dukedom of Euclid, and the father of the Hermann Euclid, the knight favored by the sun god. He glanced back at his wife and chewed his lips anxiously.

“Henry, your lips will be hurt.”

“I’m fine.” 

He sighed as he shook Dona’s hand, who was worried about him. 

‘I can’t believe he’s able to endure the restraints this much.’ 

Not only the west but the central region as well, which survived and parasitized the mines of Lagrange, would not dare to rebel against Lagrange. 

It was even difficult for the southern nobles to oppose the legitimate succession without reason. 

‘That was why I tried to delay the meeting and drag it on by coming up with lame excuses.’ 

One week. 

Exactly, a week has passed by. 

‘I thought he’d give up due to not being able to endure the suffocation!’

For people like Hermann and Dietrich who freely used their powers, restraints that inhibit their ability was not just simple handcuffs. 

It would have been suffocating as if someone were strangling them, however, the deathly pale young Grand Duke of Lagrange endured silently without showing any difficulty. 

‘Tough bastard.’ 

He was the first man in the world who was tougher than his son. He clicked his tongue and glared at Dietrich who was resting his chin on the round table. 

“So, is your discussion over?”

“No, not yet, Your Majesty.”

Even the emperor, who knew Euclid’s situation, couldn’t stand the tedious wait and grew angry. 

In order to get as much time as possible, Henry exchanged useless chatter with the noble sitting next to him. 

‘I can’t let that bastard become a grand duke before Hermann.’

He was arrogant like an aristocrat, and he knew himself. 

‘If he starts a rose war while I’m still seated as the grand duke, there would be no victory.’

He himself used to use the power of the sun in his own efficient way but compared to Dietrich, who had Baal, the king of the shadow demons as his subordinate, it was an ordinary ability. 

He knew very well that if there was someone in Euclid who could stand up against Dietrich, it was his son, Hermann. 

‘Damn it! Of all people to be absent, it had to be the High Priest!’

At the news of Derek Lagrange’s death, Euclid had been in a hurry to prepare for Hermann’s succession. 

He had to obtain the emperor’s approval, and the majority of the House of Lords were southern nobles so there was no need to worry about that. 

However, Euclid was traditionally blessed with a High Priest who often leaves the temple under the pretext of taking care of the world for the succession. 

“.....Has the High Priest not yet returned?”

About the time he asked his attendant regarding the whereabouts of the High Priest as he chewed on his lips anxiously, a servant knocked on the door of the meeting room. 

“A letter of correspondence has arrived for Duke Euclid.” 

[Father, the High Priest Adelberg has arrived at the Euclid territory. I’m rushing down there as well.

-Hermann]

‘It’s done.’

The duke rose from his seat with a broad smile. When he clapped his palms, the nobles who had been half-dozing off straightened their postures. 

“Your Majesty, on behalf of the southern territories, I’d like to make a suggestion.”

“What is it? I’ll listen to anything just to end this tedious, boring meeting that isn’t a meeting at all.” 

The emperor spoke slowly like a lion who already had its fill and stared at Henry. 

‘After seeing the Lagrange brother and sister in real life, her attitude strangely changed.’

The duke bowed politely even as he presumptuously thought it was high time to change the emperor. 

“Your majesty, of course, is well aware that Euclid and Lagrange are families with a unique history.” 

“That’s right.” 

“Watching the generation of Lagrange change also made me think a lot.” 

Henry continued, putting away his son’s correspondence in his arms. 

“It is a struggle to lead a large family with an aging body, Your Majesty.”

“Hmm?”

“Please allow my son, Hermann Euclid, to lead this empire with his longtime comrade-in-arms and friend, Grand Duke Dietrich.”

“Comrade-in-arms?”

Dietrich smirked in his seat as if Henry was saying a joke. However, he didn’t particularly object.

Henry added urgently with a sigh of relief. 

“Hermann will definitely be of help to the Empire of Bernoulli.”

“Sir Hermann has an outstanding ability, I know that for a fact.” 

The emperor nodded briefly, recognizing the duke’s intentions. 

“Ah, that’s a good suggestion!”

“Of course, of course. There’s no other person better suited for the duke’s position than young master Hermann.” 

As if they had been waiting, the southern nobles began to write their consent forms. 

Several western nobles rushed at a different speed when the Lagrange succession was approved, but Dietrich only glanced at them with indifferent eyes. 

“Is it done?” 

Dietrich asked softly, fiddling with the handcuffs on his wrist. Henry nodded as he was getting ready to leave in a hurry for Hermann’s succession ceremony. 

“That’s right. As a representative of the southern nobles, I formally recognize your title as the Grand Duke. However.”

“However?”

“As the meeting had been prolonged, we had been unable to finish our investigation into Anissa Lagrange’s case. I’m afraid you won’t be able to go back right away.” 

Dietrich could not return to the North first to prepare for the war. Henry kept him in check tenaciously with a nasty smile. 

“Who exactly is the villain here?”

Dietrich murmured quietly looking at Henry who was triumphantly smiling at him with a stiff face. 

He soon opened his mouth as he crookedly tilted his head. 

“Either way, my succession is now over.” 

“Grand Duke,  as I said, your powers are dangerous so I am unable to release you. It’s the same of Lady Anissa–”

“Release me?” 

Crack. 

“You? Release me?” 

Henry, who had repeatedly said that Anissa and Dietrich could not be released, opened his mouth in astonishment at the broken handcuffs in Dietrich’s hands. 

A solid handcuff that was made by master craftsmen by tapping the iron ten thousand times and then turned into an artifact by high-ranking wizards was fruitlessly ruined in his grasp. 

“How c-could you! With just your bare hands?!”

‘He shouldn’t have been able to use his ability!

“I’m not a worthless vermin who can’t do anything without his powers like your son.” 

After throwing the broken handcuffs to the ground as if they were children’s toys, Dietrich ignored the pale white duke and summoned Baal. 

“How’s the condition of Veronica and the kids.” 

“They are all right. Amon will be explaining the situation.” 

Baal, who had crawled out of the shadows, bowed only to Dietrich as if the human emperor was invisible. 

“What kind of safety measures have you placed here for you to be able to use your ability?!” 

Dietrich turned his back towards the nobles who were shouting and protesting and headed for the door. 

He smirked at the nobles who were afraid that he would attack them and so they shrieked and retreated, then he spoke. 

“May I leave now, Your Majesty?”

“...Very well.” 

If she didn’t allow him, he would have overturned the round table and it would have been a disaster, so how could she stop him? 

The emperor had sensed that Dietrich’s patience has reached its limit. 

“You may leave.” 

He nodded briefly at the emperor and then promptly left the room. His destination had already been set a week ago. 

────── 〔✿〕──────

Bang!

“Dietrich?” 

Crash, bang!

‘At this rate, the room’s going to be destroyed!’ 

I stared blankly at the door that had flown and sprang up from my seat. 

“Y-you don’t have the key?” 

“Yeah.” 

‘Don’t you usually get the key by threatening a guard rather than breaking a prison just like this?

Did his original character setup include this ignorant strength? I glanced at the dented iron bars with a reluctant gaze. 

Dietrich, who had suddenly appeared in front of me, suddenly grabbed me. 

“Let’s go.”

“Huh? Right now?”

“Yes.” 

He didn’t seem to have any injuries, but the tired expression on his face didn’t look too good. I spoke with both of my hands pressed on my chest, pounding in surprise. 

“...How did the meeting go?”

“It’s over.”

“Did you eat properly? You don’t look good.”

Dietrich raised his eyebrow as if my question was annoying, then he started walking. 

“For now, let’s get out first.”

“Is everything really over? Did it get found out that I’m not the criminal?” 

“You don’t have to know that.” 

As I had expected, it didn’t seem to be finished properly.

“What do you mean I don’t have to know? Are we really going like this? Did I become a criminal?”

“Anissa.”

Dietrich gritted his teeth with a face that showed clear signs of holding back his anger. I was a little scared so I mumbled as if to make an excuse.

“I mean, I also need to know what happened.” 

“I have poured all of my life’s worth of patience here in this place. If you have any questions, ask them when we get home.” 

I was discouraged by Dietrich’s cold words, but I couldn’t hold back the faint laughter that came out. 

“Why are you laughing?”

“Because I like it that we’re going home.”

Now, I had a home to go back to. 

There were people waiting for me to return to that house, and the fact that I was returning together with Dietrich tickled my heart. 

And so, I forgot about the situation and smiled. 

Without even noticing what kind of shadow was cast upon us.