Chapter 92

Evangeline nodded.

“Hmm, if that’s what you think….”

For a moment, the only sound that could be heard was the crunching of cookies.

Then, reaching for another cookie from the plate, Evangeline muttered dissatisfiedly,

“Speaking of which, I heard High Priest Evans completely washed his hands of this matter?”

“…….”

A deep crease slowly formed on Dietrich’s forehead.

That was exactly what had happened.

Isaac had slipped away like a loach.

There was a principle that priests should not interfere in disputes between nobles, uphold their faith, and protect the secrets of those who came to confession.

On top of that, he claimed that he had not known the documents had been submitted incorrectly.

“I never personally checked the marriage registration form. I merely received a report that the registration form had been submitted.”

A deep shadow fell across his refined face.

“I’m truly sorry. I should have checked it more carefully….”

The temple had also actively protected Isaac.

If this incident became Isaac’s fault, then it would effectively become the temple’s fault as well.

Of course, their efforts had not been entirely fruitless.

A complaint had also been submitted to the Grand Temple, and the Grand Temple restored the rules to how they had originally been.

They returned to the old system in which the document was always shown to the person concerned when they came to verify it.

But still….

‘Something about it really bothers me.’

After thinking about Isaac’s way of handling the situation for a moment, Evangeline shook her head and got to her feet.

‘Forget it. There’s no point thinking about it, is there?’

Just as it was impossible for Evangeline to understand Seraphina even if she died and came back to life, Isaac was the same.

Their very ways of thinking were simply too different.

‘He’s been like that since he was young.’

To put it nicely, he was rational.

To put it a little more honestly, he was excessively inhuman.

‘He used to calmly read books right in front of me while I was crying.’

No matter how important studying was, if a child was crying right in front of you, you would at least spare her a glance.

But back then, Isaac had treated Evangeline almost as though she did not exist.

Meanwhile, Dietrich looked at his younger sister in bewilderment.

“Where are you going?”

“Hm? Obviously, to Larit’s house.”

Evangeline narrowed her eyes as if wondering why he was asking something so obvious.

“Today is a happy day, isn’t it? We’re going to celebrate together.”

“…….”

Dietrich suddenly stopped.

To be honest,

‘……I do want to see Lady Ancy’s face at least once.’

Since the day they had gone to the Grand Temple together, he could count on one hand the number of times he had properly spoken with Larit.

Larit had been busy with the lawsuit and everything else.

Dietrich, for his part, had devoted all his attention to taking over the position of chairman and driving the Count of Gusto’s family out.

Meanwhile, Evangeline seemed to stare intently at Dietrich.

“Why? You want to come with me? Hmm?”

She asked him with a sly smile.

“……Stop saying pointless things and just go and come back.”

Feeling as though she had hit the nail on the head, Dietrich gave her a half-hearted scolding.

Then Evangeline’s expression became unusually serious.

“Brother, maybe you need to be a little more honest?”

She offered him that advice.

“…….”

For a moment, Dietrich was rendered speechless.

Normally, he would have scolded her, saying something like, ‘How dare you act so cheeky?’

But this time….

His lips were firmly sealed, as if they had been glued together.

“Then I’ll be going.”

Evangeline gave him a sweet smile, then added as though she had just remembered something.

“Oh, right. I’m taking a bottle of champagne from the wine cellar, okay?”

With that,

Evangeline left the room with light steps.

Left alone, Dietrich quietly mulled over Evangeline’s words.

“Being honest…… might be necessary, huh.”

For some reason, those words struck him right in the heart.

Chapter 7. Claudius’s Maple

The Claudius Duchy.

The center of the North, the heart of the northern region, and the city ruled by Claudius, the only ducal family in the Empire.

Built upon immense wealth, the city was so developed that it was in no way inferior to the Imperial Capital.

It was affectionately known as the “Sapphire of the North,” a nickname derived from the distinctive blue eyes of the Claudius ducal family.

And in the ducal residence, the main house of the Claudius family, I was……

“Haaa…….”

I was soaking my body in hot water, letting out a languid sigh.

“How is the water temperature?”

The maid attending to my bath asked politely.

I gave her a beaming smile with my eyes.

“It’s perfect.”

“I’m glad to hear that. Would you like a massage?”

“I’d appreciate that.”

When I nodded, the maid took my hand and helped me stand.

Splash―!

Hot water poured from my body.

The maid skillfully wrapped my long hair in a towel and guided me to a long massage table.

When I lay down on it, cool scented oil pleasantly poured over my bare back.

Then she began rubbing my back with practiced hands.

“Haaaaaaa…….”

Another blissful sigh escaped me.

As I surrendered myself to the maid’s massage, I once again thought about why I was receiving such extravagant treatment at the Claudius ducal residence.

It was not long after Gregory’s matter had been settled.

I had been deep in thought.

‘Come to think of it, I owe the Claudius ducal family quite a lot this time.’

From having the marriage registration document verified at the Great Temple to the legal team the ducal family had provided me with.

Honestly, without the help of the Claudiuses, it would have been extremely difficult for me to overcome this ordeal on my own.

“How am I supposed to repay this debt…….”

I unconsciously muttered to myself in a small voice.

Then.

“A debt?”

The young lady, who had been happily picking up canapés topped with cheese and fruit while sipping champagne, suddenly leaned her head right in front of me.

“What debt?”

“Ah, well.”

I smiled awkwardly.

“You and the Duke helped me a great deal in settling Gregory’s matter this time. I’d like to repay you somehow, even if only a little……”

“Oh, come on. Between us, what’s there to repay?”

The young lady waved her hand lightly.

“You just have to keep having fun with me from now on…… Ah, right.”

The young lady suddenly widened her eyes and looked at me.

“Then, do you want to come down to the duchy with me?”

“The duchy?”

“Yes. It’s almost harvest season, after all. It’s about time I went down to the duchy to check on the crops.”

The young lady continued in an excited voice.

“We went sightseeing around Viscounty Ansi last time, didn’t we? So this time, let’s go have fun at the duchy together, okay?”

“What? But you said you need to check on the harvest……”

“Come on, even if I’m busy, you don’t think I can’t make time to play with Lari, do you?”

After clicking her tongue pointedly, the young lady soon clasped both hands over her chest, her eyes sparkling with delight.

“The two of us can visit delicious restaurants, go to pretty coffeehouses, visit the villa…… It sounds like it’ll be so much fun, don’t you think?”

It was practically a case of, ‘The answer is already decided, so you just have to say it’…….

I cautiously asked,

“Still, shouldn’t the Duke give his permission?”

“Oh, what are you talking about? I’m the daughter of House Claudius. I can invite one guest to my home whenever I want, you know?”

The young lady boldly thumped her chest, then curled up the corners of her lips into a sly smile and added,

“Besides, my brother would never refuse.”

Just as the young lady had said.

After coming down to the duchy, I ended up enjoying a truly luxurious life……

“……Lady.”

“…….”

“Lady Ansi!”

Hmm?

I abruptly lifted my eyelids.

Apparently, I had dozed off while receiving my massage.

The maid bowed her head.

“The massage is finished. I’ll help you wash off.”

“Thank you.”

After thoroughly washing off the scented oil,

I changed into a comfortable indoor dress and stepped outside.

The young lady, who had finished her massage before me, was waiting for me while sipping a cold glass of juice.

“What took you so long?”

The young lady hurried over to me, pouting her lips as she complained.