54 - The Crown I Will Take From You
Chapter 54
"How amusing."”
“What is?”
“Out of all those people at the banquet, not a single one sincerely tried to protect that little girl.”
The Princess didn't seem to expect anything either.
Despite looking as fragile as a baby bird in one's hand, ready to be crushed with the slightest pressure, she tried to face the massive boar-like figure charging at her all alone.
As if she knew that only he would save her.
The expectationless, dry eyes fixing her fan, lingering in his mind like a hangnail, was it because he saw his younger self again?
Gallo snorted. Far from sympathizing, he shuddered as if scared.
“What. So you feel sorry for the Princess? Hmph, you do know she planned that whole mess today, right?”
Indeed. Minister Etienne's bizarre behavior at today's banquet was no accident.
Nor was the involvement of Claudio's children.
“I now know who she used that impotence-inducing poisonous herb on. The Princess orchestrated everything!”
“Doesn't that make her pitiable?”
With so little in her hands, she squeezed out every last bit of strength to painstakingly lay her groundwork, making even the stoic Cesare feel sorry for her.
“Ha… Boss, I think we have very different points of sympathy. I'd understand if you said you fell for the Princess because she's pretty.”
Gallo shook his head, looking utterly bewildered.
“Anyway, try to hold back next time, even if you feel sorry for her. The Princess doesn't falter at all, even when she's alone. Because the Boss butted in, our Facade got called a doghouse by those stray dogs.”
“……”
Should he kill him?
Cesare's fingers twitched, betraying his inner turmoil.
“My lord, Regent Duke Claudio received the Sage's Book as an inheritance when he left the palace,”
Zeta reported, returning at the perfect moment.
“I tried to investigate further, but the knights suddenly returned…”
They had returned earlier than expected, preventing her from completing the search.
“Ah. The banquet ended early.”
“What happened?”
“Oh, something happened alright. Our lord, the noblest in the Empire, was treated like a clueless mutt– Ack!”
Gallo jumped back.
“I may not be able to hold my tongue sometimes, but! This is too much, Boss! Are you trying to kill your sworn brother like this?”
A silver dagger was embedded in the spot where Gallo had been standing moments before.
Right where his mouth was.
\ \ \
The next day, rain drizzled down.
“Did you hear? About what happened at the royal banquet yesterday?”
“About Count Etienne? Of course. I saw it with my own eyes!”
Despite the gloomy weather, the salon's atmosphere was as lively as a sunny day.
“Not only did he trample the Duke Claudio's daughter, but he also flirted with the Young Duke. Saying his face was pretty enough to serve him at night.”
“The Young Duke? So the rumors were true? The Minister is… you know?”
Not only was Etienne's hidden, secret perversion exposed, but he also, under the influence of drugs, harassed young nobles.
And the victims happened to be the Regent Duke's only son and daughter. How could this be?
“Hmm, the Duke himself sent a Communication device asking us to keep quiet about last night's events. How can you all be so loose-lipped here?”
The Regent Duke hurriedly tried to silence the people.
But it was too late.
“Hmph. Go out into the streets now. Everyone's talking about it. No matter how great the Regent Duke is, how can he find out who said it first?”
Because it was a banquet held in Medeia's name, they had invited twice as many people as usual.
No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't possibly shut the eyes and mouths of all those people.
The Minister's bizarre behavior spread throughout the capital before the day was even over.
“Hey, did you hear? At the banquet…”
“Oh my, yes!”
As soon as someone cautiously brought up the topic, others eagerly chimed in.
“They say he was so drunk and heavy that it took ten knights to finally pull him off.”
“Oh my goodness, the Claudio siblings must have suffered so much.”
“I know, right? The Ducal family must have spent a fortune to host that lavish banquet yesterday, and then the Minister, who they thought was an ally, caused such a mess, ruining the whole event…”
Wherever they went, they naturally heard stories about the Claudio siblings.
“Well, the Ducal family will be fine, though. Did you see the dress Duke Claudio's daughter wore yesterday? She had so many jewels dangling from her chest, you couldn't tell who the Princess was.”
And as the conversation deepened, their innermost thoughts would come out.
A noblewoman lowered her fan and whispered.
“Actually, isn't it inappropriate? Her Royal Highness the Princess is refraining from extravagance and luxury, yet she dresses up like a peacock, showing off…”
“They say that dress was originally made for Her Royal Highness the Princess, but she begged and took it.”
“Since her father hosted the banquet, his daughter must be similar. The Regent Duke doesn't need to be mindful of anyone in this country right now, does he?”
People sympathized with the Claudio siblings, who had been harmed by the Minister, but at the same time, they gloated over their embarrassment.
“Did you hear Duke Claudio's daughter screaming as she was being trampled? Oh my, I thought an wyvern had returned. She screamed so much at the people who were trying to help her.”
“I knew the Young Duke would be like this. His peers are going to the battlefield for the sake of the country, but he's just a Young Duke, flexing his muscles. He's so greasy that weirdos like that are drawn to him. See, the Minister doesn't even approach manly men like me.”
At a tea party, one reckless young lady even openly sneered.
“Oh my, Duke Claudio's daughter, are you feeling alright? If you had worn a lighter dress, you could have escaped faster.”
Thus, the criticism and contempt that had been directed at Medeia in her past life were now directed at the Claudio siblings.
They had used Medeia as a scapegoat and enjoyed the envy of being at the pinnacle of society for a long time.
So it was only natural that there would be plenty of people waiting for them to fall.
“Why is everything turning out like this!”
The Regent Duke was going crazy.
His children were the victims, so why was the blame being shifted to them?
“Your Excellency, it would be best to refrain from going out for now and assess the situation.”
At this rate, the rumors would only grow, so the Duke Claudio family refused all visitors and locked their doors tightly.
\ \ \
“Aaaaaah!”
Birna screamed, pounding her pillow.
“Haa, haaa…”
Her cheeks were flushed red. She was breathing heavily and her eyes were only focused on her desires.
Birna could easily guess what the Minister had eaten wrong.
The problem was, why…….
‘Why did that pig eat the wine Medeia was supposed to drink!’
Did he even steal the Princess's drink because he was so greedy!
To make matters worse, she was caught up in the mess when the crazy Minister charged in like a water buffalo.
Everyone saw the ridiculous sight of her slipping on the banquet hall floor with the Minister.
Even the miserable sight of her dress ruined, soaked in gooey cake and sticky champagne.
“I'm going to kill him!”
She felt like she was going crazy.
“Birna! Don't worry. I'm here, aren't I? Your mother will take care of everything.”
Catherine hugged her daughter, who was covered in blankets, and comforted her.
She sighed, wishing she had just changed her clothes as she had told her to, but her heart ached when she saw her daughter's tear-stained cheeks.
“How? Everyone saw my dress, sob, that miserable sight-! How am I going to get married. No one will propose to me.”
Birna cried out loud.
“It's all Medeia's fault. That girl ruined everything.”
Catherine gritted her teeth.
She was also a selfish member of the Claudio family to the core.
‘If only Medeia had obediently worn that dress…….’
Her daughter had been embarrassed in Medeia's place. Yet Medeia didn't even apologize, let alone ask about Birna's well-being.
Using her daughter to maintain her reputation as a noble Princess?
A chill ran through Catherine's beautiful face.
