Chapter 30…
Father seemed desperate to send His Highness the Crown Prince away, but the prince appeared to be enjoying himself, watching Father struggle.
“Hm? You want to talk among family? But since you’re getting divorced, you won’t be family anymore. By the way, since when have the two of you been involved?”
The Crown Prince cut off Father’s attempt to speak and swiftly moved to the next question.
Father couldn’t argue back about not being family after the divorce and was forced to answer.
“While comforting Catherine, who was grieving for the late Lucio, things just… happened naturally. She was also distraught because Kevin had taken a mistress and no longer saw her as his wife.”
So they must have rehearsed that answer beforehand—Catherine even nodded along with Father’s words.
“Then, can you declare that the child named Marianna is not yours? You understand that lying to royalty is a punishable offense. Are you certain of your answer?”
Ah, I see.
As expected of His Highness the Crown Prince.
He had trapped Father neatly—either Father would be arrested for committing lese-majesty by lying to royalty, or charged with usurpation for trying to make Marianna inherit the count’s house while knowing she was his own child.
Either way, Father was finished.
Even though the crime of usurpation was heavier than a simple lie, once he divorced Mother and returned to his family home, he’d lose his noble status and likely be judged as a commoner. In any case, Father’s life as a noble was over.
“T-There’s no way Marianna could be my child! She’s Lucio’s child. Isn’t that right, Catherine?”
“Eh… um… that child is… Lord Descente’s.”
“Catherine!!!”
Father roared at Catherine.
“But lying to royalty is a crime, isn’t it? I don’t want to be punished for that.”
It wasn’t unreasonable for her to think that way.
However, by admitting Marianna was their child, she had just confessed that—knowing this—she had tried to let Marianna inherit the Carmine Count’s house.
In other words, she was confessing to conspiracy to usurpation, the same crime as Father’s.
Catherine, however, didn’t seem to realize that.
The Crown Prince looked pleased, likely satisfied that everything was proceeding as he intended.
Father’s face was full of despair, though he still refused to fully admit defeat.
“Your Highness… I—I didn’t know! I truly believed she was Lucio’s child, I swear it!”
The Crown Prince turned to Catherine, who still hadn’t grasped the situation, and said:
“Catherine, if you tell the truth, I’ll lessen your punishment. Did you ever have physical relations with Lucio?”
“No.”
“Did Descente know that?”
“Yes.”
This time, Father seemed to finally realize the end had come. He hung his head.
“Did you have any physical relationship with Kevin?”
“No.”
“And with Descente—when did that relationship begin?”
“Before I was engaged to Lord Lucio.”
So it was true after all.
“Then Marianna is undoubtedly the child of you two?”
“Yes.”
Catherine appeared to believe that honesty would earn her forgiveness—but she was mistaken.
“Then, Catherine, you shall be charged as an accomplice in the crime of usurpation. Still, I will show some leniency.”
“Usurpation…?”
It seemed that only then did Catherine finally understand what crime he was referring to.
