"An ominous sign... What do you mean by that?"
It wasn't the Speaker of the Council who responded to the question.
The man sitting next to him answered.
"Do you perhaps remember the prophecy left by the first head of the family?"
"......!"
At the words 'the first head of the family's prophecy,' the elders' eyes widened.
'The first head of the family's prophecy' was one of the first head of the family's legacies kept deep within Rodbel's vault, and only the Council and the head of the family could read it.
The air grew stiff.
The Speaker of the Council closed his eyes with a troubled expression.
The man raised his voice.
"I'm talking about the prophecy that the first head of the family left with his last strength just before he died after defeating the evil god!"
"......I know, but what does that have to do with now?"
At someone's words, the man glared.
"Don't you remember what was written in the last paragraph of that prophecy?"
At his words, someone groaned and muttered.
"'In the distant future, a black destroyer who will destroy Rodbel will be born in Rodbel.'"
"And the next chapter."
The Speaker of the Council opened his eyes and continued.
"Destroy the destroyer before it truly opens its eyes."
"......Does the Speaker mean that the bastard is the destroyer in the prophecy?"
"We can't be sure that he isn't."
"......"
"Isn't that speculation? It was unusual, but that bastard couldn't possibly have that much power."
"Who was the one who assassinated the first head of the family? Wasn't it the bastard! Also, the first head of the family told us to reject all bastards born in the future and then died. What does that mean?"
His gaze turned to the Duke.
His eyes held a faint reproach and resentment.
"From the beginning, a bastard should never have been born..."
"What's the use of talking about the past!"
"......"
An uncomfortable silence fell again.
As no one readily spoke, Gaspal slowly rose from his seat.
Thud.
A chair was dragged, and attention was focused.
He spread his arms as if he were preaching salvation and said solemnly.
"However, all of this is just speculation, and it is still too early to be sure that the bastard is the destroyer in the prophecy."
His gaze turned to the Duke.
To the ice-cold human who couldn't possibly know what he was thinking.
Gaspal smiled and announced as if notifying him.
"So, how about we strip the bastard of his direct line status, limit his range of activities, and watch him, Head of the Family?"
"Ohh."
"As expected of the Speaker."
"A wise decision."
As if they had planned it, exclamations burst out from around him.
"I also think the same as the Speaker. It's better to kill the potential bud completely."
"How about confining him to the tower instead?"
"That's a good idea too!"
"After all, he's just a bastard, so no one will look for him!"
The atmosphere quickly heated up.
Before he knew it, the elders, swept up in the current, were discussing how to more effectively seal 'Lucia Rodbel.'
Gaspal smiled as he looked at those who were following his lead.
He turned to the Duke and asked for his opinion.
"The elders' opinions are like this, what do you think, Head of the Family?"
Although he asked in a relaxed tone, his hand hidden under the table was full of strength.
It was a question, but he was already sure of the Duke's answer.
'He'll abandon him.'
There was no reason to protect the bastard even while going against the Council's opinion.
'This is the first step.'
In fact, Gaspal didn't care whether Lucia was the destroyer or not.
No, he didn't even believe in the contents of the prophecy in the first place.
That's because the story that the first head of the family wasn't in his right mind due to the aftereffects after sealing the evil god had been passed down in whispers.
A destroyer who would destroy Rodbel, and so on.
'There's no way that's possible.'
Moreover, Lucia is just an insignificant bastard.
There's no way that just that bastard can harm Rodbel.
More than anything...
'It wasn't an easy task.'
The fact that a strange wind was blowing from the sword was actually something that Gaspal had tampered with in advance.
It would have been impossible if he didn't have the position of Speaker of the Council.
In fact, this plan was very risky.
Nevertheless, the reason why he forcibly proceeded with the plan was.
'It will be the first step to increasing the power of the Council.'
If the Head of the Family follows the Council's decision, that alone will be a force.
'To think that the bastard would be used like this.'
Gaspal suppressed his smile.
The Duke's work so far was like a fortress built solidly and perfectly.
No matter how much he tried to find a gap, he couldn't find one.
However, Gaspal managed to find a gap between the solid walls.
That is the bastard, Lucia Rodbel.
'I don't know what he was thinking when he sent the bastard to the direct line test...'
That small and trivial mistake will later become a huge trap that will catch his ankle!
Gaspal held back his desire to laugh out loud and instead looked at the Duke with a soft smile.
Just as everyone was focused on the Duke, his lips slowly parted.
Between them.
"It seems that the Council is very free."
A flat voice with no inflection flowed out.
"To have the mind to get worked up over such nonsense."
Coldly refined purple eyes scanned the Council with contempt.
"Wh, what does that mean...!"
"What prophecy? Is there anyone who doesn't know that the first head of the family wasn't in his right mind before he died?"
"Heoeoeoe..."
"Wh, what kind of..."
"E, even if you're the Head of the Family, I can't accept insulting the founder!"
"What are you going to do if you can't accept it? Are you going to try to bring me down? By cooperating like this?"
"......Th, that's...!"
In an instant, the conference hall was filled with chaos.
Gaspal watched the atmosphere in the conference hall, which was tangled in turbulence, with a bewildered gaze.
'What, what is this...'
He didn't think that the Duke would easily accept it, but he didn't think that he would confront them like this.
The elders, pressed by his momentum, let out uncomfortable groans, but could no longer assert their claims.
'No. It can't be...!'
At this rate, the momentum he had built up will be broken.
Gaspal quickly sent a look to the person sitting next to him.
He was the one who had been leading the atmosphere since the beginning of the meeting.
The man, noticing the gaze from above, stood up from his seat and shouted at the Duke.
"Even if you are the Head of the Family, I cannot tolerate such insulting words and actions. Are you ignoring the Council, Head of the Family?"
At his provocative attitude, the elders swallowed a gasp. At the same time, they stared at the Duke with subtle eyes.
Their gazes shone sharply.
The Duke coldly stared at them.
The gazes of individuals and forces collided.
It was a symbiotic relationship, but in reality, they were desperate to devour each other.
What help would this relationship be?
The Duke thought so and said coldly.
"I want to ask. Since when has the Head of the Family been reading the Council's mood and making statements? Also, since when has the Council had a personality and felt insulted?"
"......!!"
The elders' faces turned red in an instant at the Duke's more blatant disregard than before.
The face of the man who protested on behalf of Gaspal was no different.
He quickly retorted.
"Wh, what on earth are you saying! The Council has been supporting Rodbel since the first generation-"
"To be precise, it's a vassal family that has grown its power while being protected by Rodbel."
"Keueut, that is..."
The man's lips were tightly closed at the truth that he couldn't possibly refute.
The Duke's purple gaze leisurely swept over the round table.
The ones who had been shouting confidently until just now flinched and turned their heads when the Duke's gaze turned to them.
Gaspal glared at the elders, who had become timid.
'You weaklings!'
In that instant, Gaspal also met the Duke's eyes.
Gaspal bit his lip tightly at the knife-like gaze that seemed to tear him apart mercilessly until the bones underneath were exposed.
The Duke stared at Gaspal quietly, then suddenly laughed derisively.
"......!"
It was a clear ridicule.
Gaspal's face became hot with shame and anger.
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