36 - The Crown I Will Take From You
Chapter 36
Baldina Administrative Palace.
"Siseo (Lord), Duchess Claudio entered the Royal Palace again yesterday."
At his aide's report, Siseo pressed his tired eyes.
"The crocodile is eyeing its prey."
Recently, under the Queen Dowager's orders, several privileges of Duke Claudio have been revoked. The Duchess probably intends to coax the Princess to bring back those favors.
'How long will I be played by them?'
Siseo sighed and rose from his seat.
"I must go to the Royal Palace. Prepare."
The aide hesitated.
"What are you doing?"
"That's... she's already here."
"Who?"
"The Princess is waiting."
Siseo raised his eyebrows.
It was extremely rare for the Princess to visit him directly.
Siseo could only believe his aide's words after he actually found the Princess sitting in his office.
"Your Highness."
"Siseo (Lord)."
Silver hair, like fragments of shattered moonlight, caught his eye first.
Followed by round eyes like a young deer, an incongruously strong gaze, and a slightly raised chin. And small, red lips stubbornly pursed.
'I've heard stories that the Princess has changed a lot lately.'
He was relieved that she was still the familiar figure he knew, but somehow, he sighed.
"Why have you come all the way here? If it's about Duke Claudio, I'll pretend I didn't hear it."
"Aren't you even going to offer me a cup of tea?"
Medeia asked calmly. She could understand his cold attitude, which didn't welcome her.
'I was the same.'
Medeia didn't like Siseo. No, she hated him.
Her brother, Peleus, left the Royal Palace, entrusting the Seal of Baldina to Medeia, and the state affairs to the Minister, Siseo.
The purpose was to streamline the paperwork by having Medeia give the final approval and Siseo handle the detailed management, but in reality, it worked exactly the opposite.
Siseo opposed Medeia's handling of affairs at every turn.
"You know, Medeia, your status is... not complete. So Siseo is showing that he can't acknowledge you."
"That's right, sister. He's different from us, who care about you. He doesn't even want to accept your existence itself."
As subtle discord was added, the one-sided misunderstanding became more entrenched.
She thought she was being ignored even though she was a direct descendant of Baldina.
Eventually, when Medeia stamped documents without going through Siseo, their relationship spiraled into catastrophe.
"...Bring tea."
"Yes, sir."
Siseo looked at the Princess with the feeling of becoming a broken-down horse for a moment.
From head to toe, she was the same immature Princess he knew. But something was different.
The way she sat regally, like the owner of this room, was as natural as flowing water.
There wasn't even a ripple of wavering in her calm expression, so he couldn't read her intentions at all.
The Maid quietly entered and brewed tea.
While the kettle poured tea, no conversation took place.
The Princess, who was holding the teacup, paused for a moment.
Then, she only smelled it and put the cup down. Siseo frowned.
"You were the one who asked for tea, Your Highness. If you don't intend to drink it, I would appreciate it if you could leave. I'm sorry, but I'm still very busy."
"..."
At her unwavering gaze, Siseo felt a surge of anger.
It was unlike him, but he couldn't bear it.
With those clear eyes, the Princess always stabbed them with rusty knives with the worst choices.
"What is it this time? What did Duke Claudio ask for?"
He was sick of it. Regret was deeply etched over his monocle.
"Ha, Your Highness. Even beasts know who is on their side. Do you know what impact your words and actions have on your lord?"
"..."
"There are those who are aiming for His Majesty's vacant seat, and even Baldina itself? Who is behind the Regent Duke-"
"I know. The Kazen Empire is behind my uncle."
The Princess answered for the first time.
"What you're most worried about right now is my uncle running rampant under the protection of the Empire, right?"
Siseo paused.
"You know... that? Then knowing that..."
"Siseo, is that why you chose Facade?"
Medeia suddenly asked.
"To bring in a wolf to face a lion at the same time? Then I have a question too."
He was surprised that the Princess had read his intentions, but her question was thrust forward.
"What if the wolf doesn't leave even after the lion is driven out? What will you do then?"
"...Then, is there any other way to suppress the Regent Duke in the current situation where His Majesty is absent?"
Siseo answered with a feeling of being tied up.
He, too, had considered the Princess's point. However, to avoid the worst, he had to choose the second worst.
"And, I know the leader of Facade personally. He will not covet Baldina."
"You trust a weapon dealer in the abyss that even the Kazen Empire is wary of? That's unlike you."
Neither was a statement befitting a minister who prided himself on his iron-blooded reason.
'Yes, you were more vulnerable to emotions than I thought. That's why you left me alone.'
In fact, Medeia was no match for Siseo, who was skilled in politics.
He could have taken Medeia's Seal and made her a powerless puppet.
'But you clashed with me on everything, yet you treated me as an equal.'
At least, she was able to maintain the minimum presence of being a Princess.
'Yes, you should stay that way.'
Siseo is one of the few loyalists left in Baldina. Neither he nor Peleus needs to change.
Medeia can handle the risks that arise from their weaknesses.
"Unlike me...? Ha, since when has Your Highness been so enlightened?"
Siseo asked sarcastically.
"Then tell me, how can we resolve this difficult situation?"
"...The most important thing is to regain control of the Inner Palace."
When an answer he hadn't even expected flew back, Siseo gasped silently.
"You know it well."
It was a statement that felt like sarcasm, as if to say, 'Did someone who knew that act like this until now?'
The arrogant Princess, who should have stormed out as usual, instead questioned him.
"Siseo, isn't it better to cut off the enemy's arm than to bring in new weapons?"
"What are you..."
"My uncle lost his left arm when the Head Maid of the Royal Palace was changed from Cuisine to Pinatelli."
She had a relaxed attitude, as if she wasn't the one who had turned the Royal Palace upside down a while ago.
"Then, if even the Minister is separated from my uncle, it will be much easier for you to work."
"..."
It took Siseo a little while to understand what Medeia meant.
Siseo soon realized that the series of events that had occurred after Medeia's fall from the horse had ended with cutting out exactly one person.
"Could it be that the one behind getting rid of the former Head Maid... was Your Highness?"
Medeia smiled instead of answering.
"The Queen Dowager sending out Duke Claudio and bringing in Marquis Montega..."
"Lord. You already know the answer. Let's stop with our stale confirmations."
A chill ran down Siseo's spine.
Was it not a coincidence that the Princess, who had been guarding the chapel for five days and collapsed with a fever?
Was it all really her arrangement that the Queen Dowager changed her attitude and the Head Maid of the Royal Palace was replaced by Mrs. Pinatelli?
How can a person change so much?
"Were you hiding it, or have you changed?"
"Well, let's just say I came to my senses. They say the world turns upside down after wandering on the brink of death once."
"..."
A chilling sensation struck Siseo's head in an instant.
Is this something that a seventeen-year-old girl who has just Awakened can do?
A dull puppet is a headache, but a puppeteer who controls the strings is more dangerous.
'If her schemes are directed at His Majesty, can our lord handle it?'
Besides, Peleus is surprisingly lenient towards his younger sister. If Medeia sincerely aims for him, he is the type of person who would willingly take the knife even knowing it.
'Why did the Princess suddenly... change her stance?'
His delicate eyes narrowed as if to gauge Medeia's intentions.
