45 - The Crown I Will Take From You
45
“So many things have happened around Your Highness lately. This aunt has been so worried, especially since you’ve even collapsed several times.”
She placed her hand elegantly on her chest, as if truly concerned.
“So, to ward off bad luck and celebrate Your Highness’s recovery, our Duke Claudio family has prepared a small banquet. Only for our Princess, Your Highness.”
‘There’s no way Medeia, starved for affection, would refuse this.’
Catherine was confident. She had already received permission from the Queen Dowager.
“Mother, we must show the world how much the royal family cares for Her Highness. Then no one will take Her Highness lightly.”
The quick-witted Catherine used her mother-in-law’s wariness against her.
‘……The second child is stepping up to care for Medeia like this? Was I wrong?’
The Queen Dowager was swayed by her sincerity, which seemed only to wish for her niece’s well-being.
Besides, their reasoning was valid. The Queen Dowager thought it was necessary to show Medeia’s status in the capital once again.
‘Was I too much? Perhaps these children aren’t dreaming such terrible dreams yet.’
Naturally, her wariness towards the second son’s couple lessened.
Having deceived even her fastidious mother-in-law, Catherine had nothing to hold her back.
‘From today, Medeia will be alone again. Monte will turn his back on the Princess, and Birna will once again monopolize the Queen Dowager’s love.’
She didn’t even notice the chilling gaze her niece was giving her, and inwardly rejoiced.
‘I remember very well the celebratory banquet you opened.’
Medeia bit her lip tightly.
Although the situation was much different from her past life, the banquet was held in the same way.
A banquet that had only remained as a nightmare in her past life.
Medeia wore the dress they had ‘gifted’ her and attended the banquet they had prepared.
The sparkling chandeliers, the champagne flowing like a waterfall, and the dress sprinkled with diamond dust—she thought it was all love and affection for her, and her heart swelled.
At that moment…
Someone sneered at Medeia, calling her a wicked woman who drained the blood of the people, and the mockery grew louder and louder.
Startled, Medeia stepped back, and then the dress she had stepped on was torn.
As if someone had deliberately made it tear easily.
In the midst of the cold sneers, no one stepped forward for Medeia.
She was too young to bear the loneliness of being abandoned alone in the crowd.
Medeia, not knowing what to do, was able to escape from the banquet hall with Catherine’s help, though belatedly.
Her dress was half-torn and her face was covered in tears.
After that day, Medeia lived only with minimal external activities and completely confined herself within the palace.
Rather than being ridiculed and despised by people, she wanted to protect at least her wounded pride by voluntarily not meeting anyone.
‘And Birna began to act as the Princess Regent in earnest.’
Seeing her aunt’s triumphant face, Medeia realized that she was plotting the same plan this time as well.
The Claudio mother and daughter had no idea that she was hearing all the details of the banquet’s progress from Mrs. Pinatelli.
Medeia pretended not to know anything about the banquet and deliberately raised her voice.
“The banquet is tonight? That’s a bit sudden. I haven’t heard anything about it.”
“Hmph, well, Your Highness always locks yourself in the palace because you hate crowded places.”
“Birna!”
Catherine gave her daughter a fierce look. Birna pouted and shut her mouth.
“The banquet is a surprise gift from our Duke Claudio family to Your Highness.”
Catherine gently stroked Medeia’s shoulder and winked at the Maids.
The Maids brought several boxes with large ribbons.
“Look here, we’ve prepared everything so that Your Highness won’t be uncomfortable. Here.”
Preparation. Medeia smiled faintly.
As expectation filled the Princess’s sparkling eyes, Catherine felt relieved.
Look at those moved eyes. She thinks our family is the only one who cares about her like this.
There was nothing to worry about after all.
Then they headed to the salon to prepare for the banquet.
Arriving there, Medeia turned to the Maids who had followed and said,
“Wait a moment. Mariu will help me today.”
Medeia pointed to Mariu.
“Yes, Your Highness.”
Mariu answered quietly with her head bowed.
Birna and Catherine, recognizing her face, exchanged glances for a moment.
They knew that Medeia had personally asked the Queen Dowager to take Mariu out of prison.
‘To forgive a Maid who betrayed her and keep her by her side again, how stupid is she?’
While sneering, they felt relieved.
The fact that the Princess was so weak to human affection was by no means a bad thing for them.
“Your Highness, then I’ll go ahead as I have preparations left. Birna will serve Your Highness with all her heart here.”
Catherine winked at her daughter.
‘Don’t forget, Birna. You must make Medeia wear that dress and bring her.’
‘I know, I know! You’re going to make my ears bleed.’
Birna nodded with a fed-up look, wondering how many times she had heard it since they left the Duke Claudio.
Catherine left, and the seamstresses in the salon helped Medeia dress up.
“You are beautiful, Princess.”
Her eyes sparkled even more with the touch of an expert.
Perhaps the clear eyes that could not be hidden by makeup made her look even more radiant.
The seamstresses moved busily for the climax.
“Princess, this is the dress prepared by Duchess Claudio.”
As the curtain was drawn, a silver dress sprinkled with diamond dust emitted a dazzling light that was blinding.
“Oh my!”
“So beautiful……”
Exclamations burst out from here and there.
“…It’s a gift from Mother to the Princess. She wants you to wear this to the banquet today.”
Birna added the explanation with an unwilling face.
“Hurry, hurry and put it on, Your Highness!”
Unable to take their eyes off the shining dress, the maids urged the Princess.
Birna, watching Medeia change into the dress, tried to think to herself.
‘It won’t suit her anyway. It’ll be as tacky and ridiculous as a duck wearing clothes.’
Clatter,
However, contrary to her expectations, the silver-haired girl reflected in the mirror looked as mysterious as a snow fairy.
The dress suited Medeia as if it had been tailored just for her.
The maids were in awe.
“It’s as if all the starlight in the world has been gathered and sprinkled on Your Highness. And the fit is perfect too.”
Of course. It was a perfect trap that Catherine had prepared for Medeia.
Medeia touched the cheap material of the rustling dress and swallowed a hollow laugh.
Instead of sparkling with generously sprinkled gem powder, the durability of the fabric was terrible.
If someone stepped on it or a little pressure was applied, it would not be able to withstand it and would tear easily.
“…It’s really… pretty, Your Highness.”
Birna bit her lip and forced out a compliment.
‘Why do I have to make her wear something so expensive and pretty when she’s going to be worthless anyway?’
How could such luxury be allowed to a lowly mixed-blood?
“Miss Birna, your dress has also been brought. You should get ready soon too.”
Birna looked back and forth between her sky-blue dress and Medeia’s diamond dress.
If she entered next to Medeia wearing that, she would look like a insignificant Maid.
‘Why should I be Medeia’s bridesmaid? What am I lacking!’
Just as Birna, unaware that Medeia’s dress was a tool containing her mother’s scheme, was about to leave her seat,
“No. I’ll wear that today. Mariu, bring that one I saw earlier.”
At Medeia’s signal, Mariu scurried to bring another dress.
It was a black satin dress made up of drapes without any special decoration.
The seamstress in the salon was anxious.
“How… Your Highness, please forgive us if we have upset you in any way due to our inadequacy.”
“Don’t worry, it’s not because of you.”
Medeia waved her hand.
“You’re going to wear that dress?”
Birna interjected.
“But this is a dress that Mother prepared for Your Highness by inquiring all the way to the Empire. It’s too precious to put it back in like this.”
Birna tried to make her wear the dress again by any means.
Apart from jealousy, she was reminded of her mother’s repeated instructions.
“My body isn’t the same as before after the fall from the horse. It’s pretty, but it’s too heavy, so I won’t be able to walk around properly.”
Medeia shook her head.
Even a slight annoyance could be seen in her frowning expression.
“But I can’t not show off Aunt’s gift, so what should I do……”
Medeia looked troubled.
“If that’s the case… Birna, would you like to wear it?”
“…Me?”
At that moment, Birna was tempted.
