Now This Family Belongs to My Mother Chapter 4

“How dare you call the prophet a wanted criminal! What nonsense is this?”

 

Gale exploded in anger. However, Hubert smirked widely.

 

“Why do you think the prophet is a wanted criminal?”

 

I replied, “The old Frankish Royal family, the Belinach line, waged war against our Octavia Empire 200 years ago.”

 

“That’s true.”

 

“Since then, the Belinach royal family has been considered enemies of the empire, and a bounty was placed on them and their descendants. That bounty has yet to be lifted.” I looked straight at the so-called prophet. “You can’t legally buy anything from a wanted criminal. In fact, the criminal should be arrested and their possessions confiscated.”

 

At that, the prophet’s face turned pale.

 

“You’re right. We should arrest this prophet right now, shouldn’t we?” Hubert grinned as he spoke.

 

Gale, who had brought the wanted criminal into the salon, turned pale.

 

At that moment, Stella suddenly stood up from her seat. “But it’s true that this person is a prophet! And Tears of the Divine Beast is real! You can’t deny that he saved the sick in the slums, can you?”

 

Stella looked at me with a confident expression. Her eyes seemed to say: Let’s see how you dare respond to a noble’s words. But I had my trump card.

 

“That’s not true either.”

 

“How would you know that!” Stella glared at me.

 

Because I used to live in that very slum.

 

“I saw that so-called prophet ‘treating’ dying patients in the slums.”

 

At those words, Stella’s face stiffened.

 

“At first, they seemed to recover, but within days, every one of them died.”

 

“That’s…!”

 

It turns out that what the so-called prophet used was a hallucinogen that temporarily made them feel better. The bodies of the deceased contained traces of the hallucinogen.”

 

In truth, I had never seen it with my own eyes. But this was something that had actually happened in my previous life.

 

“Search the prophet now. You’ll find the hallucinogen on him.”

 

I didn’t have proof, but I was certain. A wanted criminal with no fixed residence would find it difficult to store such an important hallucinogen elsewhere. It was highly likely that he carried it himself.

 

“Search him immediately!”

 

Servants searched the prophet thoroughly and soon found a pouch of unidentified powder. The prophet’s face turned deathly pale. That reaction alone made it obvious what the powder was.

 

“T-This, this is…!”

 

As the trembling prophet stammered, someone walked forward with steady steps. It was Crown Prince Ludwig.

 

“At least it’s true that you’re a descendant of the Frankish Kingdom, right?” He smiled lazily and pointed his sword at the prophet.

 

The prophet collapsed to the floor, his tightly shut eyes snapping open. “N-No! I’m not a descendant of the Frankish Kingdom, nor am I a prophet! The Tears of the Divine Beast is fake too!” Then he turned to Gale, shouting with blame in his eyes. “I-I only pretend to be pretended to be a prophet because Lord Gale paid me! He said all I had to do was help him to be acknowledged as the successor in front of the public!”

 

“Y-You filthy liar!” Gale shouted furiously.

 

Crown Prince Ludwig gazed coldly at Gale. “Arrest this fraud who pretended to be a prophet, and investigate Lord Gale as his accomplice.”

 

“Yo-Your Highness! I swear I’m innocent!”

 

“If you’re innocent, the investigation will clear it up.”

 

Ludwig’s knights dragged the fraud away. As Ludwig turned to leave the salon, he suddenly stopped in front of me. His red eyes met mine, and my heart dropped.

 

In my past life, I had once been cut by this man’s sword. And at another time, he had saved my life. It was when I tried to steal the emperor’s divine beast, the unicorn’s horn, for Gale. I could still remember how much I had trembled then.

 

At that moment, Ludwig’s cold hand grabbed my chin and lifted it. My blue eyes locked with Ludwig’s red ones.

 

“!”

 

I couldn’t breathe.

 

A curve appeared on Ludwig’s lips. “Why are you trembling?”

 

“…”

 

“I haven’t done anything to you yet.” Then, with a laugh, he let go of my chin. “Later, just show up at the investigator’s office and explain how you figured out the fake prophet’s identity. There’s nothing to be afraid of.”

 

Ludwig passed by me with a lazy, leopard-like smile.

 

“Well then, I suppose today’s salon has come to an end.”

 

Claude, who had been quiet all along, stood with a sigh of disappointment. With him, the people in the salon began to leave one by one.

 

“Tsk, what a waste of time.”

 

“Staging a fake prophecy. Isn’t he ashamed?”

 

“No wonder he hasn’t been named the successor yet.”

 

Gale’s face turned bright red. He strode over to me and roughly grabbed me by the back of my neck.

 

“How dare you ruin my salon by meddling where you don’t belong! I’ll make sure you can never work again!”

 

I gasped for air, but then a loud voice rang out.

 

“What do you think you’re doing, Gale!”

 

It was Hubert.

 

“But Father, she ruined everything.”

 

“The one who ruined it is you! How dare you try to pull off such a lowly scam!”

 

Hubert pulled Gale’s hand away from me. Gale looked confused by it. It was because Hubert was never one to show concern for others. For him to intervene in a situation where a mere servant was being mistreated—it was surprising.

 

“Are you telling me you didn’t even know the story of the Belinach family, something even this servant is aware of?”

 

“That’s…” Gale couldn’t respond and lowered his head.

 

Then Hubert turned to me. “And who are you?”

 

Finally!

 

I clenched my fists. Then, I bowed politely and greeted him. “It’s a pleasure to meet you. My name is Epirosa Blanche.” As I bowed, I deliberately made sure the bracelet on my wrist was visible—It was a keepsake of my mother’s, bearing the Blanche family crest.

 

A heavy silence fell.

 

Blanche. No one had expected to hear that name from my lips.

 

“Raise your head.”

 

I tried my best not to show my nervousness as I lifted my head.

 

Hubert stared down at me with unreadable eyes. It was probably because I’m the child of the daughter he had abandoned.

 

Will he abandon me here as well and turn his back on me? For a man who had already discarded his daughter, it wouldn’t be surprising if he discarded his granddaughter too.

 

My mouth felt dry. It was then.

 

“Epirosa Blanche… You mean the daughter of Leonoe, the one exiled from the family?” Stella asked with a feigned surprise.

 

Stella had probably known all along. She was planning to bring me in and use me later. But my sudden appearance had thrown her plans into disarray.

 

Malice filled her eyes. I could read her thoughts. ‘I have to crush her somehow so she won’t catch grandfather’s attention.’ That must be what she was thinking. She was planning to make it so I had no one to rely on but her.

 

Hearing Stella’s words, Gale’s gaze turned nasty too. “A child of an exiled family dares to claim the name Blanche? How shameless. You should bear your lowborn father’s surname.”

 

Stella spoke as if she felt sorry for me. “You must have had such a hard life. Even working in a place like this. Let me help—”

 

“No.”

 

Hubert cut Stella off. Her eyes lit up with joy at that.

 

“The one who was exiled from the family was Leonoe, not her daughter.”

 

But Hubert’s next words crushed Stella’s hopes.

 

“And whether it’s a son or a daughter, if they wish to inherit this family, they can become a Blanche.”

 

My eyes widened. I thought the grand duke might show a little interest… But I never expected him to acknowledge me as a member of the family.

 

“But Father, this is—!”

 

“Are you questioning my decision right now?” Hubert glared at Gale.

 

Gale lowered his head. “No, Father.”

 

As Hubert clicked his tongue, Gale’s face turned ashen. Meanwhile, Stella bit her lip.

 

Unbothered, Hubert looked at me with intrigue. “You seem useful. Come with me to the Blanche estate.”

 

Though his tone was soft, it was a command. But I answered without hesitation.

 

“I can’t do that.”

 

“What?”

 

Hubert couldn’t hide his shock. He never expected a child to defy him.

 

If I follow too easily, I’ll only be seen as an easy target. I had to become someone not easily obtained—someone worth chasing.

 

With a tone of regret, I spoke. “I have to take care of my mom. She only has me.”

 

* * *

When Leonoe’s name was mentioned, a pained frown creased Hubert’s brow. She was his daughter who had left no matter how hard he tried to stop her. The same daughter who never came back no matter how much he begged her to return.

 

So my daughter was living with this little girl. And just like her mother, this girl rejected him too.

 

Hubert sighed. “If that’s the case, there’s nothing I can do.”

 

Hubert turned away. Gale and Stella followed him, smirking.

 

It was then.

 

“Your Excellency!”

 

Epirosa called after him. That made Hubert stop in his tracks.

 

The girl spoke to his broad back. “Some birds struggle a great deal before laying empty eggs. Please take good care of it.”

 

“!” Hubert flinched.

 

Birds struggle a great deal. Could it be that girl talking about the Phoenix?