27 - The Crown I Will Take From You
Chapter 27
She seemed weak, staggering, and barely supporting herself by bracing her arm on the floor.
‘Even a newborn foal would have more strength than that.’
Unlike his useful mind, his body was useless. A look of disdain flashed across his Golden eyes.
To be in that state after only three days, he would have already died on the battlefield and become fertilizer in a pile of corpses.
Just then, something caught his eye on the fence of the chapel courtyard.
A lump like a wild boar was waddling along.
Cesare, who had trained his Sense of energy, could hear their conversation.
“You must not approach.”
“Come on. It’ll only be a moment!”
“Minister! What is this rudeness?”
While the maids who were blocking him were being dealt with by the servants, the Princess was left defenseless.
With an agility that didn’t match his obese frame, the lump moved quickly.
The Princess didn’t seem to hear anything and remained still.
“Oooong~”
The thing that found the Princess snorted.
Cesare felt strangely unpleasant.
Under his outstretched index finger, a couple of small pebbles disappeared from a flowerpot by the window.
“Ah!”
The lump screamed as it was struck in the calf.
The massive impact, as if a fierce rock had rolled over him, made him buckle at the knees and fall.
“Minister, are you alright?”
“An attack! Someone is trying to assassinate me!”
Unlike the fussing owner, the servants were embarrassed because they couldn’t find any traces of an attack.
“…….”
“What’s wrong?”
Ciseo got up when he heard the commotion.
The remaining pebbles under his hand rolled back into the flowerpot with a tap.
“Nothing.”
Cesare turned away with his usual languid look.
\ \ \
Swish. Swish.
By the time the three of them were done, a heavy rain was falling.
Ciseo left first due to an urgent report from the battlefield, and the other two were about to leave the Royal Palace.
“Did the sky break? It’s pouring like crazy.”
Gallo grumbled.
“Boss, wait here for a second. I’ll go get the carriage.”
“It’s okay. Let’s go together.”
“No, Boss, you stay here. I’ll be right back.”
Afraid that he might follow, he disappeared into the rain in an instant.
Even Gallo, who was always cheeky and unaffected even when hit by countless daggers, sometimes treated Cesare like the First Prince like that.
As if even a raindrop was unacceptable for the precious person who would sit on the throne.
Even though it might no longer be Cesare’s.
“…….”
It felt like bitter water was rising from within.
Cesare forgot Gallo’s request and walked alone in the rain.
He didn’t bother to throw away the umbrella that Gallo had shoved between his arms.
Pitter-patter. The sound of rain filled the world.
Then, his steps stopped.
Golden eyes behind the silver mask found a figure kneeling under the statue.
The pouring rain was soaking the girl from head to toe.
Rainwater flowed endlessly down her pale face.
The Princess was staggering but never collapsing. Veins stood out on the back of her hand that was bracing against the ground.
Her clenched teeth burst, and blood splattered.
Soon, the blood mixed with the rainwater, and pink droplets fell onto the white stone.
Thanks to Gallo’s constant chatter beside him, Cesare now knew the little Princess quite well.
“Cesare. Are you really of my blood?”
The Princess’s unfortunate fate, threatened even by her blood relatives in a world full of enemies, somehow felt like a familiar déjà vu.
“I won’t lose. I will survive.”
Someone’s old memories were superimposed on the image of the girl standing alone.
“Heup!”
The Princess’s arm, bracing against the white stone, buckled.
As her body fell forward, Cesare took a step closer. Ridiculously, he wasn’t even aware of it himself.
He could see the Princess gritting her teeth.
She strained her arms to lift her body. The bulging veins showed her will to never collapse.
Then, the Princess raised her head.
Her wet eyes found Mrs. Pinatelli standing behind the chapel, and she lowered her head again.
Cesare took a step back. He saw the smile on the Princess’s lips.
“She’s putting on an interesting play.”
A belated laugh burst out.
Even he, who had noticed the Princess’s plan, had stepped forward, so how much more would others?
Cesare had to admit that the Princess’s trick was excellent at eliciting people’s sympathy.
Medeia had no idea that someone was watching her and laughing.
That was because she was doing everything she could to not lose her mind in the pouring rain.
‘Not yet, not yet. Hold on a little longer.’
At some point, the world became quiet.
The sound of rain hitting her ears stopped. Medeia was startled and raised her head.
What was blocking the pouring rain was a large black umbrella in front of her.
‘……Who?’
She looked around.
But she couldn’t find anyone in the empty courtyard of the chapel.
\ \ \
Grand Royal Dowager Palace.
The Queen Dowager’s expression was not good after hearing Mrs. Pinatelli’s report.
“Who did she take after to be so venomous?”
At least it was certain that she didn’t take after her son.
“I wonder what she wants that she’s being so stubborn. Why is she causing such a fuss by creating unnecessary trouble?”
The Queen Dowager shuddered.
Mrs. Pinatelli wiped her hands with a cloth soaked in warm water and said.
“Your Majesty, do you remember the Maid who offered to take the Princess’s punishment at that time?”
“Are you talking about that insolent thing who dared to interfere?”
“Yes. That Maid named Neril is the reason why Her Highness clashed with the Head Maid. The Head Maid almost killed the child, and Her Highness, who was angry, had them whipped together.”
The Queen Dowager frowned.
“Ha. How can a Princess make such a simple match with a subordinate?”
Pretending not to notice the wrinkled hand wearing the ring pausing, Mrs. Pinatelli continued softly.
“But Your Majesty, it turns out that child is from the Late King’s Royal Guard.”
“For the Princess, that Maid is like the only trace the Late King left behind. My guess is that the reason she’s holding out like that isn’t to oppose Your Majesty, but to protect that child.”
She also added that the Princess had prevented Neril from leaving the Royal Palace.
“So that no one can easily touch her. The Late King’s memories are like Your Majesty’s reverse scale, so Your Majesty can’t back down either.”
“…….”
The Queen Dowager was silent for a while.
Her eldest son, who had left so suddenly, was always like a nail stuck in her heart.
It hurts when you pull it out, and it hurts even when you leave it alone.
That’s why she hated and resented her granddaughter even more…….
“Hmph. Johan was the supreme ruler of this country. But the only trace he left behind is that Maid? That doesn’t make any sense.”
She was still blunt, but her voice was much softer than before.
“That may be so for the Queen Dowager. But you know, for the Princess, there’s nowhere to turn to.”
Even when she didn’t take the Princess’s hand, Mrs. Pinatelli was concerned about her.
Perhaps it was because she had personally experienced how ruthless the world was when her family fell and she became an orphan all alone.
“I wandered for a long time after my husband left as well. But I was an adult at that time, and I had Your Majesty.”
“…….”
“Unfortunately, the Princess wasn’t so lucky. How can I fathom the feelings of losing both of her parents, who were like the sky, overnight at such a young age?”
“Are you trying to blame me now?”
The Queen Dowager asked, glaring at her. But the anger had faded.
“Of course not. But Your Majesty, if I may be so bold, may I say one more thing?”
Mrs. Pinatelli spoke with a cautious yet careful expression.
Her face, devoid of laughter, was quite solemn. The Queen Dowager nodded.
“Isn’t it strange that the Head Maid has been trying to harm the Princess so repeatedly? It seems like there’s another reason to bring down the Princess, rather than simply holding a grudge because of the whipping……”
“…….”
“I suspect there’s another reason why she needs to bring down the Princess.”
“……Well, it was strange from the beginning that she came to me, claiming it was for Medeia’s sake. Even though she was close friends with Catherine.”
Now that the immediate hatred and anger had subsided, she became suspicious of the Head Maid’s intention to make a fuss and escalate the situation by coming to her.
“So……. Knowing that you would be angry, I moved first. I will gladly accept Your Majesty’s scolding.”
Mrs. Pinatelli handed over a stack of documents and asked for forgiveness.
Soon after.
“Cuisine, that damn thing!”
The table in the Grand Royal Dowager Palace shook violently.
