Chapter 118

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Translator: Harry Potta

Chapter: 118

Chapter Title: Chapter 13. Adultery Trial

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The week before Ludwig filed his lawsuit against Hilia.

The one who greeted Ludwig upon his return from his outing was Evangeline.

She interrogated him with a face frozen in icy coldness.

"Did you forget my words to stay put quietly? Where have you been?"

"Do I have to report my every destination to you?"

Evangeline slammed her palm against the railing of the spiral staircase ahead and shouted.

"I know you went to the Robiton residence, that's why I'm asking!"

The Robiton residence was the home of one of Ludwig's mistresses, whom he visited regularly.

Ludwig furrowed his brow.

"Are you delusional or something? Are you monitoring my every move?"

Even as he grew angry, he couldn't hide his somewhat smug attitude.

"I don't like women who are too clingy."

Evangeline shot back without hiding her disgust.

"Delusional? Don't talk like you're my husband or something."

Ludwig flinched at her cold tone.

It had been quite some time since the two had lived together like a married couple.

Even before Ludwig's engagement to Hilia, they had been lovers, and they had used the Delphin estate almost like a honeymoon home.

Naturally, Ludwig thought Evangeline was jealous right now.

But her attitude and reaction were different from what he expected.

"Then who else is there for you besides me? You're not the type to keep multiple lovers like Hilia, are you?"

Ludwig tried to demean Hilia while praising Evangeline, in his own way.

But to Evangeline, it sounded entirely different.

'There's no other man for you besides me.'

That's how it came across.

It was the most humiliating thing she could hear.

'I'm already annoyed that all the good men are around Hilia, and now this Ludwig creep is insulting me?'

Crown Prince Arpad. Aaron Muzen, who had become a Sword Master...

All of them rightfully belonged by the true heroine's side.

Evangeline felt like Hilia had stolen those men from her.

With Ludwig, whom she already disliked, coming back from some reckless outing and ruining her mood, her anger boiled over.

She completely ignored Ludwig and ordered the servants of the Grand Duke's estate, who were already all her people.

"Take Ludwig to his room."

"What..."

The smirk faded from Ludwig's lips as he tried to mock Evangeline. Servants with unfamiliar faces approached and grabbed his shoulders.

"The trial is tomorrow. Keep him under watch so he can't do anything foolish until then."

"Yes."

"Understood, miss."

Ludwig scoffed.

"You lot dare to lay hands on me...!"

That was when it happened. A white light emanated from the bodies of these strangers.

"W-What?!"

It was holy power.

Holy power was a force that repelled mana. Especially for the imperial family, who inherited mana from dragons, it had an even stronger repulsive effect.

Ludwig was horrified as powerful holy power enveloped him.

"My power! No way, holy power? Why would servants have holy power...?!"

He realized his physical abilities had dropped to the level of an ordinary person.

Evangeline glared coldly at Ludwig as he was dragged away.

Behind her approached a man with long black hair cascading over a white robe—Archbishop Pio.

Evangeline, who had been looking at Ludwig with contempt, completely changed her expression. She turned to Archbishop Pio with a warm, proud smile brimming with affection.

The news of the lawsuit and the charges Ludwig had claimed left me utterly dumbfounded.

"Adultery? I can't understand when Grand Duke Kielern became my husband."

I pointed to Arpad, who sat beside me with his legs crossed and radiating murderous intent.

"The only one who could put me on trial for adultery is right here."

The senior clerk from the tribunal, who had brought the complaint, trembled but explained in detail.

"To be more precise, during the engagement period, Your Highness violated the fidelity of the engagement's sacred vows by consorting with another, and thus we demand compensation for damages."

It was so absurd that laughter burst out of me.

As I couldn't hold back and laughed out loud, the clerk looked flustered.

He must think it strange for a noble lady to laugh when sued over a matter tied to her honor.

I wiped the tears from my eyes with my gloved fingers, still chuckling, and said,

"It was just too ridiculous and funny to hold in."

Then Arpad asked from beside me. His voice mixed with a grinding sound, making the clerk stiffen visibly.

"If you're suing because my wife committed adultery, there must be another man involved. Who does Ludwig claim it is? Perhaps me?"

"No, not at all..."

The clerk's uncomfortable gaze shifted to the corner.

There stood the imperial knights guarding me and Arpad.

Sir Beltein, standing among them, had turned pale as dirt. It was as expected.

'The rumors flying around lately made it all too obvious whom they pointed to.'

As everyone predicted, the clerk gave his answer.

"It is Sir Renus Beltein, the knight who escorted Her Highness from the ducal estate."

I still didn't lose my smile.

After all, yesterday when Ludwig came and caused a scene, he had whispered—just loud enough for me alone to hear—what was essentially a threat.

"Think carefully. If you come back to me now, I can forgive everything. But if you fight me to the end... you'll become an unchaste woman and lose everything."

He had openly told me what he planned to do.

Rumors of the trial spread like wildfire.

As soon as Ludwig formally filed the complaint, Espitola sent articles to every salon in the capital.

Since this time they weren't reporting false events, Espitola managed to recover some of its lost credibility.

Thanks to that, not only the nobles in the salons but also the gentry and commoners got wind of the rumors.

"Did you hear? The Grand Duke is... with the Crown Princess..."

"Wait, so those rumors were true?"

"Nah, weren't those just novel stories?"

"You're really behind on the news. Rumors are buzzing that 'The Lady Who Collects Knights' is actually based on a real person."

"What? You don't mean..."

Such scandals were the kind of gossip people loved to devour.

It was a delightful sport to drag down the highborn.

As Hilia's prestige had risen, so too had the number of those who envied her and took pleasure in tearing her down.

"Isn't it nothing special for pretentious noble ladies to have lovers?"

"But I'm disappointed. I was so thrilled hearing rumors of the Crown Prince and her being lovebirds..."

"Was that a lie too?"

"If it was, then the Crown Prince fell for her at first sight and even abducted her as his bride."

"Then the Crown Prince is the pitiful one. The bride he abducted might actually be unchaste."

"Watch your mouth!"

Debates raged everywhere.

Those who wanted to demean Hilia clashed with her defenders.

It didn't matter the place. Not only in salons full of nobles but also in the newly trendy coffee houses and even on the streets, arguments broke out.

Someone was deliberately stirring up fights and spreading them.

Thanks to that, on the day the formal trial opened at the imperial tribunal, the attention of the entire capital was focused there.

Hilia stepped into the tribunal, trampling over the countless gazes and rampant rumors.

"Your Highness..."

Annie's tearful voice came from behind me. Lady Muzen, the head maid, asked calmly.

"Are you really planning to enter alone? It will harm Your Highness's dignity."

I shook my head.

"Right now, it's better to seem pitiable than to show off my dignity."

At present, I was in the position of being suspected of infidelity.

It was best to keep my attire modest. Dressing extravagantly would only invite prejudice in their eyes.

A lavish woman was perfect fodder for accusations against an unchaste one.

I hadn't even put a single pin in my hair, let alone a tiara.

The only jewelry was the pearlescent necklace around my neck that caught the eye.

I smiled looking at it.

'Good. Preparations are complete.'

I planned to enter the tribunal alone, leaving even my maids behind.

That was when it happened. Someone grabbed my hand.

"Hilia."

I turned my head, and there was Arpad.

We had come to the tribunal together in the carriage.

"I'll enter alone."

He hadn't objected much to my declaration.

But seeing Arpad's attire now, I realized.

Until moments ago, his usual red cloak had hidden it, but now Arpad was dressed in simple black.

As if matching me. I shook my head.

"It's fine if I go alone."

Arpad didn't loosen his grip on my wrist and whispered low into my ear.

"I can't let you enter a place this insulting alone."

His words made my heart ache sweetly.