52 - The Crown I Will Take From You
Chapter 52
Unlike Birna's wishes, the leader did not antagonize the Princess. Instead, he bowed first to greet her.
"Facade greets Baldina's valiant Princess."
"Welcome to Baldina."
As Medeia slightly nodded to acknowledge his greeting, Gallo suddenly winked.
"Please, call me Gallo. I'm a rough guy, so I don't have a last name."
"Yes, Sir Gallo."
"Haha. You can call me comfortably."
His protruding cheekbones shone slickly in the light of the chandelier.
Even with his innocent gesture, Medeia calmly responded with a smile as usual.
The leader of Facade coming to her and greeting her first was certainly a way to build her prestige.
However, knowing that they had been wandering the streets of Baldina, Medeia could not let her guard down.
Appropriate conversation and exploration that hinted at their friendly relationship were exchanged.
Medeia felt that Gallo seemed to be conscious of the reaction of the mercenary behind him throughout the conversation.
'Achares... was it?'
Then, she glanced and inadvertently met the mercenary's eyes.
He did not avoid Medeia's gaze, but rather raised the corner of his lips.
It was strange. His subordinate was bolder than the leader.
"The Saint Esther's Spear that embroidered the sky earlier was amazing. I've traveled all over the continent, but it was the first time I've seen such a clear blessing of victory."
Gallo rubbed his hands together and flattered her.
"So, the news of victory will soon be delivered to Baldina-"
"Wasn't it too coincidental to be a coincidence?"
An unexpected question intervened. Medeia turned her head.
"It burned brightly and disappeared shortly, matching the time and occasion. Since when has the will of God taken care of human affairs so thoroughly?"
"Achares, what are you talking about? Your Highness, I'm sorry. This friend of mine is usually good at making useless jokes."
Seeing Gallo turning around to his mercenary with a flustered face, she could tell the source of the question.
As one of the top mercenaries in Facade, he may have noticed the traces of the white light bomb she used.
"Sir, it's okay."
Medeia decided to play dumb.
"Faithful Baldinians dare not lie in the name of God, but I cannot expect such faith from Facade, who does not hesitate to commit blasphemy. I fully understand."
"......"
Gallo became speechless. The mercenary, even after being rebuked, asked with interest.
"So, Your Highness is faithful?"
"Of course."
Medeia answered without avoiding the mercenary's eyes.
"If I didn't believe in the Goddess's mercy, I wouldn't have overlooked your impudence."
Cesare held back his laughter as he watched the Princess, who calmly rebuked him with an innocent face.
The person who used the Goddess statue to turn the Queen Dowager's heart and fed the Regent Duke a fake Icon was now calling herself faithful?
"Achares, please show some respect to the Princess..."
Gallo poked Cesare's side with a troubled face during their conversation.
Did the master forget that he was disguised as a mere mercenary? The other party is the Princess of this country!
Then, after hearing the Princess's reply,
'You? Impudence? Ugh, our boss is not someone who would hear such words...?'
Gallo became speechless again with his face beaten.
"-What is this!"
At that time, the banquet hall became very noisy.
Finally! A glint flashed in her green eyes.
The three turned their heads.
"Minister Etienne, what is this!"
"Huh, huh, huh..."
There, Minister Etienne was panting and knocking down an old nobleman while being naked.
\ \ \
One hour before, Count Etienne's situation.
"Maggot? Cuisine, is this mocking me?"
The anger he felt when he first heard the Princess's words had grown like a snowball.
The lost anger suddenly soared explosively.
Crash-!
"Claudio, you were treating me like that too? You thought you could control me as you pleased because you caught my weakness? Ha!"
The anger of the poison toad extended to Duke Claudio, the owner of Cuisine.
The Minister was well aware of his hideous appearance and eccentricity.
Rather, he enjoyed those eyes that could not hide their disgust even while bowing down in front of him, those troubled faces.
However, the fact that even Duke Claudio, who understood his eccentricity and reached out his hand first, was like that left a deep scar on the Minister's pride.
As Duke Claudio's handsome face came to mind, his fever rose even higher.
"The Princess, the Regent Duke, they're all the same kind. Do they think the blood of royalty is gold or something? If it weren't for that, they'd be groveling before me..."
The Minister's true feelings, which he had been hiding well, were revealed one by one.
The role of the Scented candle that Umberto had been making him inhale was significant, but it was also due to the effect of the drug that Birna had mixed into Medeia's wine.
"Why is the room so hot, Umberto! Umberto!"
The servant who was supposed to bring the wine was still nowhere to be seen. He tried to quench his burning throat, but the bottle was empty.
Are even insignificant servants trying to ignore him now?
"These guys all think I'm a fool!"
He jumped up from his seat.
His whole body felt like it was expanding hotly.
The cravat that tightened his neck and the tight formal dress were suffocatingly uncomfortable, so Etienne threw off his clothes one by one.
After getting rid of all the cumbersome things, he grabbed the doorknob that Umberto had opened and pulled it open.
As he left the room, which was filled with the stench of strong liquor and foul sweat, the cool air that rushed in welcomed him.
In the distance, he could see the banquet hall with golden lights leaking out.
"Oh, I wondered why this guy was skipping to the side instead of staying with his master... I need to show him what's what-"
Suddenly, the sound of music from the banquet hall reached the Minister's ears.
The beautiful melody flowing through his ears and the sound of people laughing and chatting. Even the sweet scent carried by the wind,
It was as if the cold corridor where the Minister was standing was telling him.
No matter how much you struggle, you will not be able to set foot in that bright and cheerful place.
A blue fire soared from the Minister's eyes.
"Do you think there's a place in Baldina that I can't go?!"
Etienne strode towards the golden light.
\ \ \
An old nobleman who found him standing tall at the entrance of the banquet hall was speechless.
His face was flushed red, and he was sweating profusely with all his outer garments thrown off.
As he took a step closer, the stench of strong liquor stung his nose.
"Minister Etienne? What's wrong with your appearance..."
"Who is this old man? Go make a coffin and get in!"
The old nobleman was upset, but seeing that the Minister did not recognize him, he thought he was heavily drunk.
"Listen, Minister. I don't know what's going on, but let's move to another place first. There are noble ladies and young ladies here, so this appearance is not appropriate-"
The old nobleman tried to appease the Minister with good intentions and tried to get him out.
He had no idea how his words would sound to the Minister in a hallucinating state.
[Where do you think you're sticking your nose in, you dirty maggot? You trash!]
"Trash? This walking corpse dares!"
The moment the old nobleman endured his disgust and grabbed his thick arm, which was glistening with sweat, he saw stars in his eyes.
The Minister had struck his chin.
As a roar echoed at the entrance of the banquet hall, people's attention was drawn.
"What's going on? What happened?"
"Wait a minute, isn't that... Count Etienne, the Minister? What's wrong with him?"
"Minister, excuse me for a moment."
The palace people who rushed over in a hurry lifted the fallen old nobleman and grabbed Etienne's arms.
"Let go! Won't you let go?! Do you know who I am! You guys! Won't you let go?!"
Etienne struggled violently.
The palace people could not handle him as he had lost his reason on top of his heavy body.
People screamed at the precarious sight of them shaking together like a lump.
Etienne raised his head at the sharp noise that hit his ears.
Hundreds of eyes. The painfully shining light of the chandelier.
"Huh, huh, huh..."
It seemed like everyone was laughing at him. Even the giggling sound that seemed to be heard somewhere.
Medeia came into the Minister's view as he looked around.
People tend to find the easiest target to vent their anger on. Someone who is easy to deal with, weak, and doesn't need to worry about retaliation.
"You... You-!"
The young Princess was just that kind of target for the Minister.
"Kyaaak-!"
"Your Highness is in danger!"
The Minister screamed and ran.
