The Strongest Daughter-In-Law Of The Black Lion Family [EN]: Chapter 129

#129.

“!”

Ella froze, her mouth agape at the unexpected question.

Hisscliffe was half-convinced his hunch was right, judging by her reaction alone.

In truth, he had read the Ebensev Scripture quite a few times. As Yanou had said, they didn’t lend the scripture to outsiders, but the Paige family wasn’t just anyone.

From long ago, the Paige family had secretly sponsored the Ludem Temple.

It was thanks to the Paige family that the Ebensev narrative, treated as heresy, had been preserved.

Paige hadn’t outwardly shown their support for Ebensev all this time.

Because the continent was at peace under the Hebel Treaty.

With Hebel ostracizing the Ludem Temple, which housed the Ebensev Scripture, openly supporting them was out of the question.

Furthermore, even with the Hebel Treaty now nullified, openly supporting heresy wouldn’t be beneficial, so they had kept it hidden.

That was why it had taken Ella so long to discover the existence of Dane Village.

Considering their tacit alliance, it was only natural that Yanou was amiable towards him.

The Ebensev narrative was the story of Ebensev, the sister who envied Saint Larien, betraying her and being punished.

The story of Ebensev turned to stone.

The Ludem Temple recorded that this stone was related to the thirteenth relic.

That relic was none other than the Opal of Emptiness.

The relic left behind by the Divine Beast before its departure.

It was said that on the day Saint Larien fell from grace and was banished from Hebel, the Divine Beast sacrificed Ebensev to create the relic.

Unlike other relics, it was an independent relic that didn’t resonate with the Guardians.

The only record of its whereabouts was the Ebensev Scripture.

Of course, its meaning was so profound that no one had yet discovered the relic.

In this situation, why was Chelsia searching for the legendary relic?

Hisscliffe muttered, looking at Ella, who had turned pale.

“That’s the face of someone wondering how I knew.”

“…….”

“The Ebensev Scripture is familiar to me. It’s written in an ancient language, and interpretations vary among scholars, but they all agree that it holds the secret to the ‘Opal of Emptiness’.”

Hisscliffe took a step closer to Ella.

“How about it? Are you feeling a little more inclined to ask me for help now?”

Her face contorted as she looked at him, smiling leisurely.

“Did you realize I was going to Dane Village that day and figure it out?”

“Roughly? Actually, I had been suspecting it for a while.”

‘For a while’ must have meant when they encountered each other in the North last time.

“Does the Paige family head know about this? Don’t tell me that’s why the negotiation site is the old ruins of the Ludem Temple…….”

“Don’t worry about that. My father doesn’t know. I didn’t expect the old ruins of the Ludem Temple to be chosen as the negotiation site either.”

Hisscliffe quickly denied, trying to reassure her.

But it was difficult to dispel Ella’s suspicion with just that. Ella rebuked him with a colder face than ever before.

“I appreciate the offer, but I have no intention of accepting Paige’s help.”

She was about to turn away coldly when Hisscliffe said from behind.

“I thought you were smarter, but you’re acting more emotionally than I thought.”

“What do you mean?”

“I know well enough that you dislike me. But.”

Hisscliffe blocked Ella’s path and said.

“You know better than anyone that there’s no one more suitable for this than me.”

“…….”

“Are you the type to let your ego get in the way when doing your master’s work?”

“I’m……!”

Ella was about to protest when.

“Young master, are you there?”

Ludy’s voice was heard from afar. It was too late to run away now.

“Hide.”

Hisscliffe said, pointing to the inside of his coat.

Even if she was small, she wasn’t small enough to fit completely inside his coat.

Ella involuntarily gave him a look of disdain. Hisscliffe sighed and explained.

“Transform into your beast form.”

“Ah.”

* * *

At the long negotiation table, the Paige family, representatives of the Northern nobles, and the Javis family sat facing each other.

Sitting next to Zerachiel, I scanned the beast-people opposite me.

‘Huh, Hisscliffe isn’t here?’

Seeing that his seat was empty, it seemed he had decided to skip out again, even after agreeing to attend.

Considering he skipped the negotiation last time to tail Ella, it seemed like it was for a similar reason this time.

Since Ella wasn’t there either, it seemed likely that the two of them were together.

‘I need to corner Ella and ask her about it sometime,’ I resolved.

Just then, I felt a lingering gaze on me and turned my head to see a strange man.

The middle-aged man with long, silver hair was looking me up and down, whispering something to the aide standing next to him.

Moreover, my mother was next to him, her head bowed with an anxious expression.

She was even wearing a hood, as if she had been instructed to dramatically reveal her identity.

But thanks to her warning, I had already told Zachary and Zerachiel about the other party’s identity.

Zachary didn’t seem too surprised to hear that I was Sarvan’s illegitimate child.

‘I knew it. Devvon had been grinning too much throughout the negotiation. He must have made some kind of deal with the Sarvan family head.’

Rather, he looked relieved to know the Paige family head’s scheme.

Of course, with the sudden revelation of my birth secret, the Javis Castle had unexpectedly taken on an additional agenda in this negotiation.

Zerachiel, who had already heard the story of the Sarvan family from me, said calmly.

‘Looking back, it was suspicious from the start that the Sarvan family, who wouldn’t even talk to someone from the South, came to the negotiation table. They probably came because of that.’

‘Obviously. Even if she’s an illegitimate child, she’s still a direct descendant, so they’re trying to defend against the collateral line before they can cause trouble. Devvon must have been the one whispering in his ear. Otherwise, would that guy have dared to come to this place?’

I didn’t know this, but the Sarvan family head was a homebody who didn’t step foot outside his territory.

Well, there was no reason to go far when he was living comfortably in his mansion, lacking nothing.

The Paige family head was quite impressive to have brought that heavy-bottomed man all the way here.

‘It’s become complicated because all the Sarvan family heirs have died. If they bring up the beast-people law, it’s only a matter of time before Chelsia is registered.’

‘Seeing that they brought all the Northern nobles, they must be planning to finalize it at this negotiation. This has become troublesome.’

I heard that if all the heirs of a noble family died, even an illegitimate child would have priority in succession.

In the past, there were cases where heirs were killed for this reason. As befitting a world of the survival of the fittest, the illegitimate child who became the heir was actually treated well.

‘Anyway, the more I learn, the more hopeless and barbaric this world is.’

In the end, if it was confirmed that I was from the North, I would become a member of Sarvan regardless of my marital status.

If it was finalized at this negotiation, as Zachary said, I would be stuck in the North. There was even a risk of being forcibly repatriated due to the heir issue.

Zachary and Zerachiel discussed my next steps in detail after that. They wanted to find a way to counterattack since they knew how Paige would come out.

Zachary was ready to wage war rather than send me away.

Of course, I didn’t think this situation was so bad.

‘You know, there’s a saying that if you can’t avoid it, enjoy it. There’s also a way to use the other party’s scheme against them.’

‘How so?’

‘The Nabi gang. Circumstantially, they must be among the Northerners. If I pretend to be on the North’s side and have a tearful family reunion at this opportunity, it will be easier to find them.’

‘If you’re trying to become bait yourself, I reject it.’

Zachary frowned without even listening properly, but I wasn’t just any white ferret who would back down.

‘Hey! I’m the best at using my head in Javis. Originally, a double spy is the best for this kind of thing. If you add a little acting, you’ll really fool them completely?’