Chapter 118 - North Korean rabbit

Chapter 118

Chapter 13. The Adultery Trial

The week before Ludwig filed a lawsuit against Hilia.

It was Evangeline who greeted Ludwig upon his return from an outing.

Her expression was cold and rigid as she interrogated him.

"Did you forget what I said about staying put? Where have you been?"

"Must I report my every destination to you?"

Evangeline struck the spiral staircase railing with her palm and shouted.

"I know you went to Loviton Street, and I'm asking you about it!"

Loviton Street was where one of Ludwig's regular mistresses lived.

Ludwig frowned.

"Are you paranoid? Are you having my every move watched?"

Though angry, he did not hide a somewhat smug attitude as he spoke.

"I'm not fond of overly obsessive women."

Evangeline retorted without concealing her disgust.

"Paranoid? Don't speak as if you were my husband."

At her cold tone, Ludwig flinched.

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

They had been lovers even before Ludwig was engaged to Hilia, and they had used Delphin almost like a newlywed home.

Naturally, Ludwig thought Evangeline was jealous now.

But Evangeline's attitude and reaction were different from what he expected.

"Then who else do you have besides me? It's not like you have multiple lovers like Hilia does."

Ludwig spoke, belittling Hilia in his own way and praising Evangeline.

But to Evangeline, it sounded completely different.

'You couldn't possibly have another man besides me.'

That's how it sounded.

To Evangeline, it was an utterly humiliating statement.

'It's already irritating that decent men are by Hilia's side, and now this Ludwig dares to insult me?'

Crown Prince Arpad. Aaron Müzen, who became a Sword Master….

They are all men who rightfully belong by the true heroine's side.

Evangeline felt that Hilia had stolen those men from her.

Already displeased with Ludwig, her anger boiled over when he acted out of turn and provoked her.

She ignored Ludwig outright and gave orders to the grand ducal residence's servants, who were already filled with her own people.

"Take Ludwig to his room."

"What…."

The smile vanished from Ludwig's lips as he was about to mock Evangeline. Servants with unfamiliar faces approached and seized his shoulders.

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

"Yes."

"Understood, my lady."

Ludwig snorted.

"How dare you lowlifes…!"

That was when it happened. A white light emanated from the bodies of the unfamiliar men.

"What, what is this?!"

It was divine power.

Divine power was a force that repelled magical power. Especially, divine power exerted an even stronger repulsive force against the imperial family members who possessed magical power inherited from dragons.

Surrounded by powerful divine power, Ludwig was horrified.

"My power! Could it be, divine power? Why would a mere servant have divine power…?!"

He realized his physical abilities had dropped to a level almost no different from an ordinary person's.

Evangeline glared coldly at Ludwig as he was dragged away.

From behind her, a man with long black hair draped over a white robe, Archbishop Bio, approached Evangeline's side.

Evangeline, who had been looking at Ludwig with contempt, completely changed her expression. She turned to Archbishop Bio with a face full of affectionate and proud smiles.

* * *

Hearing the news of the lawsuit and the charges Ludwig claimed was absurd.

"Adultery? I fail to understand when Grand Duke Kieln became my husband."

I pointed to Arpad, who was sitting beside me, crossing his legs and exuding murderous intent.

"The only person who could bring me to trial on adultery charges is right here."

The senior clerk from the court who brought the indictment, though trembling, explained in detail.

"To be more precise, the lawsuit alleges that during the engagement period, Your Highness committed adultery with another, thereby violating the fidelity of the engagement, and demands compensation for damages."

It was so absurd that laughter burst out.

When I couldn't hold back and laughed aloud, the clerk seemed flustered.

It must have looked strange to be sued over a matter directly related to a noblewoman's honor and to be laughing.

Wiping the tears that had welled in the corners of my eyes with a gloved finger, I said,

"It's so preposterous and funny I couldn't help it."

Then Arpad asked from beside me. The sound of grinding teeth was mixed in, and I saw the clerk stiffen.

"If he sued on the grounds that my wife committed adultery, there must be a male counterpart. Who did Ludwig say it was? Was it me, by any chance?"

"That is not the case…."

The clerk's uncomfortable gaze turned toward a corner.

There, the imperial knights guarding Arpad and me were gathered.

Among them, Lord Beltain's complexion turned ashen. I had expected this.

'The rumors circulating lately pointed too clearly at someone.'

As everyone predicted, the clerk gave his answer.

"It is Sir Renus Beltain, the knight who escorted Your Highness from the ducal residence."

I still did not lose my smile.

Because yesterday, when Ludwig came and caused a scene, there was a whisper—no, a threat—meant only for my ears.

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

He had essentially told me outright what he was going to do.

* * *

Rumors about the trial spread quickly.

<Espitola> sent out articles to all the salons in the capital as soon as Ludwig formally filed the lawsuit.

This time, since they were not incorrectly reporting an event that hadn't happened, Espitola was able to recover some of the trust it had lost.

Thanks to this, not only the nobles in the salons but also the gentry and commoners were able to hear the related rumors.

"Did you hear the rumor? The Grand Duke is suing the Crown Princess…."

"Wait, so that rumor was true?"

"Ah, isn't that just a story from a novel?"

"You're really slow with the news. The rumor that 'the noblewoman who collects knights' has a real-life model has been spreading thickly."

"What? Then you don't mean…?"

Such scandals were the gossip people loved to sink their teeth into the most.

A delightful sport of dragging the noble down to the mud.

As Hilia's authority had risen, many also took pleasure in envying and pulling her down.

"Isn't it rather unremarkable for high-and-mighty noblewomen to have lovers?"

"But I'm disappointed. I was so thrilled hearing the rumors that His Highness the Crown Prince and she were a lovebird couple…."

"Is all that false too?"

"It can't be, since His Highness the Crown Prince fell in love at first sight and even performed a marriage of abduction."

"Then His Highness the Crown Prince is just pitiful. It means the bride he went so far as to abduct might actually be unchaste."

"Don't speak carelessly!"

Arguments erupted from all sides.

Those who wanted to belittle Hilia and those who took her side engaged in disputes.

The location didn't matter. Not only in the salons where nobles gathered, but also in the coffee houses that had recently become fashionable, and even on the streets, arguments broke out.

There were also active movements by someone intentionally instigating fights and spreading them.

Thanks to this, on the day the trial was formally opened at the imperial palace court, the attention of the entire capital was focused there.

Hilia entered the court, stepping over this immense attention and the rampant groundless rumors.

* * *

"Your Highness…."

I heard Ani sniffling behind me. The Head Lady-in-Waiting, the Duchess of Müzen, calmly asked,

"Do you truly intend to enter alone? It will damage Your Highness's dignity."

I shook my head.

"Right now, gaining sympathy is better than displaying my dignity."

My current situation was one of being suspected of infidelity.

It was better to dress as modestly as possible. If I dressed lavishly, it would be easy for them to impose prejudice.

A luxurious woman was one of the perfect accusations to pin on an unchaste woman.

I didn't even wear a single hairpin in my hair, let alone a tiara.

The only noticeable piece of jewelry was the amethyst necklace hanging around my neck.

Looking at it, I smiled.

'Good. The preparations are complete.'

I planned to enter the court alone, leaving even my ladies-in-waiting behind.

That was when someone grabbed my hand and pulled.

"Hilia."

Turning my head, Arpad was there.

We had ridden in the carriage together to the court.

"I will enter alone."

Arpad hadn't particularly opposed my insistence.

But looking at Arpad's attire now, I realized.

Until a moment ago, he was wearing his usual red cloak, so I hadn't noticed, but now Arpad was dressed in simple black attire.

As if matching me. I shook my head.

"I alone am sufficient."

Arpad did not loosen his grip on my wrist and whispered in a low voice by my ear.

"I cannot let you enter this insulting place alone."

Somehow, it was a statement that made my heart ache.