~Chapter 91~
Since they were already talking about it, the two went straight to the High Temple.
And once again, Laritte realized the power of the Claudius family.
“Wouldn’t it be better to cooperate quietly at this point?”
Dietrich had barged right into the main hall of the temple and made that suggestion without even twitching an eyebrow.
“For the sake of a long-term and harmonious relationship between Claudius and the High Temple.”
It was almost like a threat.
The Deputy High Priest, suddenly summoned because of Duke Claudius’s unannounced arrival, couldn’t hide his surprise.
“Why is the Duke’s family…?”
“Because Lady Ansie is my younger sister’s most precious friend,” Dietrich answered casually, as if stating an obvious fact.
“If Lady Ansie is dragged into such a ridiculous marriage, Eva will be very sad. And also…”
Dietrich’s voice dropped lower.
“I will be very displeased.”
The pressure felt like it was squeezing the Deputy High Priest’s throat.
More than anything, for Dietrich to directly say he would be “displeased” meant—
‘He must value Lady Ansie that much.’
The priest had thought she was just a nobody who happened to be friends with the Duke’s sister.
Cold sweat trickled down his back.
Dietrich shrugged lightly.
“I don’t like to see someone connected to our family suffering.”
Meanwhile, Laritte felt her heart warm.
“Connected to our family.”
That meant the Claudius siblings considered her that close.
But—
‘Now’s not the time to get emotional.’
She quickly calmed herself and spoke firmly.
“I want to check the marriage registration right now. Is that possible?”
After that—
Laritte accused Count Gusto’s family of forging official documents.
The marriage registration filed with the High Temple was missing the Noble Assembly chairman’s seal.
The Claudius family directly hired a famous team of lawyers to help with Laritte’s lawsuit.
The Emperor was furious.
“How dare they forge an official document that proves trust with the state!”
Official documents and taxes were matters under direct state authority.
Forging such a document was like openly disrespecting the Empire and the Imperial family.
Thanks to the Imperial anger and the skilled lawyers provided by Claudius, Laritte won a massive compensation.
Meanwhile, all of Count Gusto’s arranged marriages were canceled.
“You—you!” The Viscount Gusto shouted at his younger brother, veins bulging.
“You’ve ruined our whole family!”
The Lionel Count family had sent a letter breaking off their engagement, saying they couldn’t be tied to such an immoral house.
The Bossejour Marquis’s family also couldn’t escape punishment.
At first,
“I didn’t know. Count Gusto must have accessed the seal in secret. If I’d cooperated, I would have stamped both copies from the start.”
But then Count Gusto, blinded by rage, exploded.
“Who do you think paid off Sir Raul’s gambling debts?!”
And so, the two families dragged each other into a mud fight—both heading for ruin.
The Marquis of Bossejour, desperate, clung to Dietrich.
“You said you’d consider leniency!”
“Perhaps I did. That’s why I didn’t report the Bossejour family myself,” Dietrich replied with a smooth smile.
“Surely you didn’t expect me to silence Count Gusto as well?”
But that wasn’t all.
The biggest blow to Count Gusto’s family came when—
“This is the vote on permanently expelling the Gusto family from the Noble Assembly.”
Dietrich, who had taken over the empty chairman’s seat, decided to push through the expulsion.
“And the one who proposed the motion was me,” he said.
“It will be an anonymous vote, with no pressure whatsoever. Please vote according to your conscience.”
The results: 95 in favor, 1 against.
Of course, the single opposing vote came from Count Gusto’s family.
For a noble family, permanent expulsion from the Assembly was a massive disgrace.
The Assembly discussed major state affairs, and simply being part of it was recognition of a family’s legitimacy.
Expulsion was an official declaration: “This family can no longer be trusted.”
“This—this can’t be…!” Count Gusto raged when he saw the results, but there was no overturning them.
In an instant, he lost all influence. The once-arrogant noble ended in utter disgrace.
“Ha, that’s satisfying,” Evangeline laughed after hearing the whole story.
“That’s what happens when you mess with Lari. Honestly, I should’ve bashed their heads in.”
“Eva, watch your language,” Dietrich warned.
“What else should I call a head?” she shot back.
“Eva.”
“I mean, calling them ‘heads’ is too polite for people that disgusting.”
She kept grumbling, then glanced sideways at him.
“By the way, how come you took on the chairman’s seat?”
“Why? Is that strange?”
“Not strange, but… before, you said the Duke’s house shouldn’t take positions like that because too much power looks bad, right?”
Dietrich nodded. “True, I did.”
“So, what changed your mind?”
At that, Dietrich suddenly remembered Laritte at the High Temple.
Back then—
When they received the marriage registration without the chairman’s seal—
Plop.
A big tear fell onto the paper.
“Ah, sorry. I didn’t mean to…”
Laritte seemed more flustered than him.
She hurried to wipe her eyes, pressing her lips together to hold back the tears.
But once the dam broke, it wouldn’t stop.
She looked so alone.
Like she’d been left completely abandoned in this world.
“Lady Ansie.”
Before he knew it, Dietrich reached out and touched her shoulder.
She flinched slightly, then looked up at him.
“It’s alright,” Dietrich said gently, patting her shoulder.
“It’s alright…”
Tears streamed down her white cheeks as she covered her face and began sobbing uncontrollably.
That faint trembling of her thin shoulders still seemed to remain in his hand.
“….”
Dietrich looked at his palm, then clenched it slowly.
“Maybe I’ve just been thinking the wrong way until now.”
Through Laritte’s ordeal, he realized—
To protect someone precious, you couldn’t hold back.
And so, Dietrich decided he would greedily grasp everything within his reach.
The more he held, the easier it would be to protect Laritte.
