26 - The Crown I Will Take From You
Chapter 26
Queen Dowager sternly silenced those who had been present that day.
Thus, the story of that day, which could be considered a disgrace to the royal family, did not spread.
However, when the Princess suddenly knelt and prayed in front of the royal chapel for hours, people could guess that something big had happened.
Sturdy Maids stood guard to the east, west, south, and north of the Princess.
They kept a sharp eye out for anyone approaching the Princess or offering her water or snacks.
And soon after it was known that they were Queen Dowager's Maids, people thought,
'Ah. The Princess is being scolded again.'
To punish her so publicly, she must have really fallen out of favor.
How much did Queen Dowager hate her eldest granddaughter?
"Has it been half a day already?"
"Queen Dowager told her to kneel until the Goddess gives a Revelation."
"Revelation? It would be easier to wait for lightning to strike from a clear sky."
"She just means she'll keep her rolling until she feels better."
Near the royal chapel, one could often see people who had come to see Medeia.
A Princess of the nation was being punished in front of everyone.
Medeia knew that Queen Dowager had calculated even the shame and humiliation that a young girl who had not yet made her debutante would feel.
'I can't give in now.'
If she gave in, Queen Dowager would soon forget her.
She would be swayed by the sweet words of the Claudio family and end up helping them without even realizing it.
'This incident will drive a wedge between them.'
Making Queen Dowager doubt the loyalty of her second son, whom she trusted more than anyone.
That was the final fruit of this incident that Medeia had planned.
The sun set, and night fell.
It was autumn, when the daily temperature range was large, and a chilly wind blew.
It was past midnight. All the onlookers had long gone home.
Medeia was now wearing only a muslin dress.
The thin fabric was of no help in warding off the cold.
"It's too cold. You came out without any preparation. Please, let her put this on."
Neril pleaded, holding a blanket, but Queen Dowager's Maids shook their heads.
"Queen Dowager has not permitted it. She told us to tell Princess that if she sincerely begs the Goddess for forgiveness, she will consider the punishment as if it never happened."
"This is really too much-"
"Neril."
Medeia stopped Neril, who was about to protest.
Even with her bloodless, pale face, her eyes were clear.
"Don't make my saving you futile."
"Your Highness..."
"Go back. Don't come until I call you."
Neril had already displeased Queen Dowager once by defending her.
She wouldn't tolerate it a second time, even for the sake of appearances, so it was better to hide her from Queen Dowager's sight altogether.
"Do as I say. If you trust me."
At the resolute words, Neril bit her lip and had to step back.
'This, too, must be Your Highness's arrangement. Just as Your Highness used the Head Maid and Mariu's schemes.'
She couldn't bear to leave easily.
The young Princess sitting alone in front of the vast chapel looked small and lonely.
Moonlight shone on Medeia's pale face as she prayed to the statue.
'If the merciful Goddess truly exists.'
Neril prayed earnestly.
'Please, watch over our Princess.'
It was a long time before Neril left her place.
As the night deepened, even the Maids on guard dozed off.
Only Medeia looked up at the Goddess with clear eyes.
Unlike Neril, there was not a shred of resentment or bitterness in her green eyes.
The Goddess had given her the opportunity to avenge her enemies, what more could she ask for?
Everything was going according to her plan.
How much time had passed?
Medeia, exhausted by the cold and fatigue, closed her eyes for a moment.
At that moment, light emanating from the fingertips of the Goddess statue in front of Medeia wrapped around her like wings.
\ \ \
The chapel was bathed in the scorching sun.
Medeia was still in the same place, enduring the searing sunlight with her whole body.
Her complexion was so pale that she looked as if she would collapse at any moment, and her lips were parched. No one could help but feel sympathy.
"Ha, still being stubborn?"
Queen Dowager snorted.
She, too, knew that the punishment she had given was unreasonable. So she left room for retreat.
"Until she realizes what she has done wrong, no one is to give this child a single drop of water. Do you understand?"
In other words, if Medeia came to her first and begged for forgiveness, she would forgive her, unable to resist.
So, if she came crying and begging after a day or so, she would have pretended to give in, but...
"It's already been three days, Your Highness..."
"I know, it's been three days!"
She didn't expect her to hold out this long.
Rumors had spread widely throughout the palace that Queen Dowager had given the Princess a severe punishment.
Now, even among the palace staff, there were whispers about what the Princess had done wrong to be kept standing for so long.
"She's trying to pull her reckless antics on me too. She's trying to get the better of this old woman."
Queen Dowager pursed her lips into a straight line and said,
"Pinatelli, make sure no one approaches that girl. Even if she hasn't realized what she did wrong yet, she'll know by the time this old woman is in her coffin!"
"Your Highness..."
Queen Dowager flared up at Mrs. Pinatelli's gaze.
"Why are you acting like this too? Don't disappoint me."
"...Yes."
Mrs. Pinatelli lowered her head, hiding her pity.
\ \ *
Cesare visited the palace again.
"The room has changed."
It was a different location than before.
Since the exploration had been completed with the previous conversation, the agreement was reached quickly.
Facade was allowed to stay on Baldina's land for money.
Ciseo eventually agreed to the astronomical sum that could easily put out the kingdom's urgent fire.
His desired rear support was rejected.
However, the request to publicly expose Facade until the imperial delegation left was accepted.
That was a more successful result than Ciseo had expected.
As an arms dealer operating in the shadows, Facade was famous for rarely showing his face.
'Just the 'performance' that we and Facade are exchanging something will make the empire nervous. They won't be able to run wild as they usually do.'
"Do it that way."
It was the point where the agreement was roughly finalized.
Something caught Cesare's eye.
He could see the white end of the palace through the window. And quite close by, there was the chapel.
It was a position where he could see the Princess kneeling in front of the statue.
He could guess why the location had changed today.
"Ciseo."
Cesare suddenly asked Ciseo, who was ignoring Gallo's words about how expensive they were.
"Are you worried about the Princess?"
"Ha. Pointless."
The words stopped as if he didn't even feel the need to continue.
However, the original him wouldn't have retorted so quickly even if he had been poked like this.
The Princess and Ciseo?
Cesare's eyes narrowed slightly for a moment and then quickly returned to normal.
"Anyway, rumors have spread throughout the royal palace. Brother, it's been three days already, right?"
Gallo clapped his hands.
"I thought only the Kazen Imperial Family was ruthless, but Baldina is no joke either. Queen Dowager must really hate her granddaughter?"
He was excited when an interesting topic came up after the boring agreement. His bronze face gleamed.
"But the Princess has some backbone. I didn't think she'd last this long."
Ciseo frowned at Gallo's words.
It was because he couldn't understand the Princess, who was ignoring the clear escape route that Queen Dowager had left.
"Backbone, what backbone, she's just foolish. She'll only be hated more for being stubborn."
At that time, a chuckle was heard.
"Boss, why are you laughing?"
"Who knows? Maybe that's what she's aiming for."
Cesare had experienced countless schemes and traps in the Imperial Family and was skilled at resolving situations by using people's emotions.
Whenever the Emperor was wary of him and tried to tighten the leash, Cesare rather incited his father.
When hatred is excessive, forgiveness also deepens.
It seemed that the young Princess, who had crushed the Head Maid's ambitious plot, was also aiming for that gap.
Ciseo raised his eyebrows as if asking what he meant. Cesare shrugged and turned his head.
The Princess, still sitting in front of the chapel, came into view through the car window.
