A Saint Who Was Adopted by the Grand Duke

Chapter 160: Downfall, Windfall (XIV)

Deheen looked at the round table behind the emperor.

The base of the table was made of huge stones. Along with the chairs, it was covered with vines, making it look like part of the garden.

“Have you thought about it? Duke Brions… Hudson?”

Deheen casually greeted the emperor, who had received an explanation of the general situation a day ago.

Hudson, which Deheen had just mentioned, was the first name of the Duke of Brions.

Since there was only one grand ducal family, Deheen was often called by his first name for convenience, but the heads of the three ducal families were usually addressed by their family names.

However, Deheen dared to call the Duke of Brions ‘Hudson’.

There was an indication of his will to bring down the Duke of Brions without fail.

The emperor quickly recognized Deheen’s intentions and nodded.

“I’ve made up my mind in general, but I’ll still listen to the opinions of other family heads before making a final decision.”

Deheen had already figured that it would be difficult for the emperor to make up his mind right away, so he nodded and sat down in the chair.

Just in time, the heads of the Duchy of Visiel and the Duchy of Verand also arrived.

Carter, the head of Visiel, escorted Elise, the head of Verand.

“It’s been a while, Your Majesty.”

The two paid their respects to the emperor and sat down.

“To think that Grand Duke Deheen himself called a meeting. I was surprised because it’s the first time.”

Elise’s smile at Deheen softened the atmosphere.

“Thank you all for coming despite your busy schedule. I am especially grateful to His Majesty.”

A few meaningless greetings of courtesy to each other came and went.

Carter, who thought that this was enough, asked.

“So, what’s the matter?”

After exchanging glances with the emperor, Deheen took the initiative and got the discussion going.

“I’m sure you’ve noticed there’s someone who is not here.”

When Deheen got right to the point, Carter and Elise’s eyes changed.

“I want to expel the Duke of Brions from the four great families.”

The emperor, who knew the contents, listened calmly, but the other two family heads were greatly shocked by the words.

The four great families of the Austin Empire were very symbolic and boasted a long history.

Their expressions changed into one of seriousness as they wondered if they could sever the tradition at will.

“Suddenly, this… What happened?”

“I heard that the temple has been quite noisy lately. But I couldn’t find out the details. Does it have anything to do with it?”

Deheen slowly explained everything that had happened so that Carter and Elise could understand.

The most recent attempt by Duke Brions to kidnap Esther.

And how Rabienne murdered the previous saint and pretended to be the current saint.

In the end, it was concluded that the current epidemic spreading in the empire was because the Brions family hid the truth.

“Because of this epidemic, all the territories have suffered tremendous damage. A lot of people died too. But to think this was because of the Brions family…”

“Duke Verand, the same goes for our territory. Had it not been for the support sent by Grand Duke, half of the population might have been reduced.”

Upon learning the truth, Elise and Carter were stunned and cursed the Brions family.

“Anyway, it’s all a big deal, so I don’t know where to start.”

“It’s surprising that the Grand Duke adopted a child, but it turns out the child was a saint… Did you really bring her in without knowing?”

Elise, who could not hide her surprise the whole time, stared at Deheen and asked.

“Not at all. It hasn’t been long since I found out… Esther is actually the child of our family.”

Deheen was frank with everyone about Catherine.

It was because it was something that Duke Brions had to reveal if he tried to claim parental rights.

There was silence for a moment.

Since the emperor was hearing this for the first time today, he also had a complicated expression.

“The child is the daughter of her Grand Duchess’ sister. Isn’t it a surprisingly frightening coincidence?”

“I wouldn’t have believed it if I hadn’t found the necklace and witnesses. And… Hudson will probably try to claim that he is my daughter’s father.”

It was the primary reason Deheen called the meeting in a hurry.

Deheen also made Albert and Lucifer, whom he had brought in as witnesses, confess everything they had done in front of them.

“At first, I thought the expulsion was a bit harsh, but after hearing it, it is more serious than I imagined.”

“Yes. There is sufficient justification.”

Carter and Elise listened to what the witnesses had to say and nodded.

“I, Elise, represent the Duke of Verand and agree to this proposal.”

When Elise took the lead, Carter also raised his hand, not to be outdone.

“Carter de Visiel. Likewise, on behalf of the family, I agree to expel Duke Brions.”

When things went as intended, a thin smile appeared on Deheen’s lips.

Now that everyone had expressed their opinions, the emperor, who had been observing the whole time, parted his heavy lips.

“I was really worried when I heard about this from Lord Deheen yesterday.”

As the emperor, he wanted to solve it in a way that would not affect the empire as much as possible.

However, Duke Brions had already accumulated so many inexcusable sins that he could not be saved.

“I also agree to expel the Duchy of Brions from the four great families. Also, judging by the gravity of the crime, the crimes of Lord Hudson will be covered in a public trial.”

As even the emperor hardened his heart, opinions came together without difficulty.

Crossing his long legs, Deheen said with a satisfied expression.

“Thank you, Your Majesty. It will surely be a decision that will benefit the future of the empire.”

“I hope so.”

In light of history, the Duchy of Brions was unmistakably a heroic family.

In recognition of its contribution, unlike other families, it received an award whereby a saint would appear every three generations.

However, if it was expelled from the four great families, the promise to the first saint would be broken, so its honor would fall doubly.

That’s why, even though the emperor knew that this was the right decision, he couldn’t help but feel distraught, fearing that it would leave a stain on the history of the empire.

“I have a meeting scheduled with Hudson in a few hours. We better catch him then.”

The military power of the Brions family was very weak compared to Tersia.

Even so, if Hudson chose to futilely revolt, it would be a great trouble.

It would be better for them to seize him during the private meeting with the emperor today.

“Yes. We have to tie him up in the imperial palace and hit his place right away.”

Deheen’s knights could move at any time, but misunderstandings could spread in the empire, so it was decided they would mobilize the imperial knights.

“Okay, now that the decision has been made, let’s all put our seals on these documents.”

The emperor beckoned, and his secretary, Gordon, placed a piece of paper in front of each of them.

It was a document prepared last night for this situation.

“Since the majority of the heads of the four great families agreed, it means that according to your wishes, the Duchy of Brions will be expelled from the four great families.”

While Deheen, Carter, and Elise stamped their seals, the emperor looked around the garden and muttered in a forlorn tone.

“You may not know this, but this is the same round table that determined the imperial family and four great families when the empire was first born.”

“Oh my goodness. The hidden place is inside the Imperial Palace?”

With eyes of surprise, Elise took in the garden and the round table again.

In every history book, the date when the first saint, the emperor, and the first heads of the four great families made a promise was written.

However, the place was kept secret and many scholars were curious.

“Yes. We are changing the history of the empire in the place where it was first engraved.”

When all the documents were sealed, the documents floated in the air and gathered in the middle of the round table.

In addition, something like a silvery thread wrapped around the papers.

“Just now… Did you see it?”

“Duke Elise, I saw it too.”

Elise and Carter, as well as Deheen, doubted their eyes for a moment, but the silver thread quickly disappeared.

“It’s not surprising. Traces of the first saint still remain here and there in this garden.”

The emperor smiled in amusement at the reaction of the heads of the great households and returned to the round table.

And as if nothing had happened, he picked up the papers in the middle of the table.

“With this, the expulsion of the Duchy of Brions has become clear.”

The end of the Brions family, which boasted a long history and produced the most saints, was nearing.

—

Afterwards…

The four simply drank tea and waited for Hudson to come.

And at the appointed time, the secretary delivered the news.

“Your Majesty, Duke Brions has arrived. We are taking him to the drawing room first.”

The resolute Emperor nodded and alternately met the gazes of the other three.

“Then let’s all go together.”

★★★

As it was the promised day with the emperor, Hudson was waiting in the drawing room without any doubt.

“Is His Majesty somewhere else?”

“Yes. He has another meeting this morning. He should be here soon.”

Hudson took the secretary’s word for granted. He looked at the mirror on the wall, and adjusted his clothes.

“Everything will be all right.”

It had already been three days since he came to the capital. All this time, he hadn’t been waiting without doing anything.

He fabricated the scenario by manipulating what had happened with Catherine so that he could claim parental rights over Esther.

“Anyway, as long as Catherine isn’t here, it will be all based on my word. Eh, I should have brought Lucifer too.”

He belatedly regretted that he left Lucifer behind, so he sent someone back to the mansion, but he was told that Deheen had already taken him.

Regardless, Hudson believed that everything would work out the way he wanted even without Lucifer.

Just like that, he waited.

Gordon, who assisted the emperor right next to him, came to pick up Hudson.

“His Majesty wants me to take Your Grace to his office. Please follow me.”

“Okay.”

As Hudson left the drawing room and headed for the office, he couldn’t help but feel uncomfortable.

The Imperial Palace was no different from when he visited before, but it was an intuition that even he himself could not understand.

Even the escorts he brought with him were made to leave when entering the main palace where the office was located.

“If I remember correctly, they used to be able to enter with me.”

“It has recently changed. For more thorough protection of His Majesty.”

“…Is that so.”

He felt a sense of strangeness, but couldn’t pinpoint anything. Just like that, he passed through several doors towards the office.

“Your Grace, we will keep the sword for you while you’re inside.”

All that was left was to open the final door, and Gordon reached out to Hudson.

“Even the sword?”

Hudson frowned.

After being forced to leave his escorts, he was worried about parting with his sword, but he accepted it because he had come to ask for a favor.

“Here it is.”

And the door to the office opened.

Before he could even glance inside, someone’s hand landed on his back and pushed him into the office.

“……?”

That moment…

The red eyes of Hudson, who was about to shout ‘What are you doing!?’, were filled with astonishment.

‘Why are the three of them gathered here?’

Quickly shaking his head, Hudson decided that it was definitely strange and turned around to run away.

However, the door had already been firmly closed. No matter how much he turned the doorknob, it was in vain. The door never opened.

Ame: BOOM!

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