The Crown I Will Take From You - Chapter 110

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 110

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The assembly hall of Valdina Palace.

An unprecedentedly long line stretched in front of the white marble building.

They were all citizens who had gathered to see Medeia.

How much they had grieved and worried when they heard the news that the Princess who had protected this country against Kazen had disappeared, chased by a pack of wolves.

But recently, she had returned alive and safely to the royal palace.

With grateful and overwhelming hearts, everyone had made up their minds to cross the high palace walls and come to this assembly hall today.

Bringing gifts to pray for the Princess’s good fortune and health, from personally dried medicinal herbs they had prepared after hearing rumors that she was injured at the hunting grounds, to embroidered wrapping cloths they had carefully stitched while praying for Medeia’s safe return.

“Next, please come forward!”

Inside the assembly hall, a woman in shabby clothes wearing an apron stood nervously on the red carpet.

When her turn came, the woman walked forward tensely and carefully set down the wooden basket she had been holding.

“Y-Your Highness ordered that relief supplies be distributed starting from the outskirts of District 4. Thanks to that, my children didn’t have to go hungry.”

The woman bowed deeply to express her gratitude and held out the wooden basket.

“My humble circumstances leave me with nothing proper to offer Your Highness, which is shameful… but I simply couldn’t just stand by and do nothing…”

When she lifted the cloth covering the basket, fluffy chicks poked out their tiny beaks.

Medeia looked back and forth between the woman’s appearance and the chicks.

Chicks weren’t particularly expensive livestock.

But for struggling citizens, they were precious assets that could be raised into chickens and used for both food and income.

Seeing that there were only three of them, she could guess how difficult it must have been for the woman to give them up.

“The chicks are really cute. But if I take them like this, they’ll probably become food for the cats I keep in the palace. What should we do…”

Medeia pretended to think for a moment, then clapped her hands.

“How about this? That basket is truly exquisite. I’ll accept your heart through that. Take the chicks back and raise them into chickens.”

When Medeia gestured to Neryl, she quickly took only the basket and put the chicks in a sturdy wooden box to return them.

“Thank you. Your Highness is… truly the light of Valdina.”

The woman’s face was filled with emotion.

She realized that the Princess was saving face for someone like her, a mere ignorant person, while also considering her circumstances.

Medeia warmly welcomed each citizen who came to find her at the assembly hall and asked about their hardships.

“Th-thank you, Your Highness. And I’m sorry, Your Highness…”

The citizens felt both gratitude and guilt simultaneously at the fact that this country’s one and only Princess personally bent down to meet them at eye level.

Despite bearing the stigma of bleeding the people dry, the young Princess didn’t hesitate to risk her life to open a path for their survival.

And she had even been threatened with her life by her vicious uncle.

The pitiful fate of the young Princess, who had never known peaceful days, also touched their hearts.

“Your Highness, you must never fall to someone like the Regent!”

“Goddess, please protect Princess from the clutches of those pig-like villains!”

Their speech was rough, and their gifts were modest.

But the Princess nodded with a smile, as if she understood their hearts that had done their best.

Moved by her generous spirit, they praised the Princess even more and raised their voices in criticism of the Regent.

‘To think the day would come when my uncle’s and my positions would be reversed. How amusing.’

Medeia’s green eyes took on a cold light as she maintained her smile until all the citizens who had come for an audience had left.

From the moment she returned, the people’s thoughts about the Princess had changed.

Now, wherever you went in the royal palace, you could hear praise for Medeia and shouts condemning the Regent.

‘I wonder if my uncle can endure this change?’

Medeia recalled the Regent’s appearance on the day she returned, when he had submitted to the Queen Mother’s order to have Samon flogged.

More precisely, his fist that had trembled as he hid it under his sleeve.

‘He’s not the type to just accept this. He’ll probably try to change this situation.’

To make Medeia the villainess again, and himself the hero again.

But with his impoverished imagination, he would only be able to find one solution.

‘That would probably be…’

Just then, magnificently blooming flower clusters filled Medeia’s vision.

A fragrant floral scent tickled her nose.

The soft and beautiful pink rose buds were dazzling to the eyes.

“Princess.”

The voice of the last remaining visitor rang in Medeia’s ears.

On the red carpet, Jason stood smiling while holding a gorgeous bouquet.

“May I also request an audience?”

Handsome appearance, rich voice, elegant refinement.

It was the perfect image of royalty, where not a speck of flaw could easily be found.

“…What brings Duke here?”

“I heard that I could see the Princess if I came here, so I took the liberty of visiting. Since everyone is offering heartfelt gifts, I couldn’t come empty-handed…”

Jason lightly touched his bangs and gave an embarrassed smile.

The sight of a handsome man holding a bouquet while looking shy captivated the attention of the nearby maids.

Jason took another step closer to Medeia.

“I hope it pleases you.”

Though he spoke humbly, Medeia, who had lived a lifetime with him, noticed that he was feeling confident.

“Neryl.”

When Medeia gestured with her chin, Neryl stepped forward, took the bouquet instead, and stepped back.

Jason’s picture-perfect expression stiffened slightly.

He hadn’t expected that she wouldn’t even touch the flowers he had given her.

“I’m so relieved that you’re safe. I was really worried.”

However, Jason quickly regained his composure.

“You don’t know how much I regretted it that day when the Princess disappeared. If I had been a little more careful, you wouldn’t have had to go through such hardship…”

A voice filled with sorrow and sincere concern in his eyes.

Jason in her previous life had been like this too.

It was an affection that seemed to quench the thirst of Medeia, who was starved for affection.

Back then, she had been so desperate for this that she had lost her mind. Foolishly and pathetically.

“Why would Duke Castulo say that?”

Medeia’s questioning voice was quite gentle. Jason thought he had found a way to penetrate the Princess’s heart.

‘She’s hurt that the Regent she trusted tried to kill her.’

“Princess, I understand. We are truly alike. I too have been betrayed by the family member I trusted most.”

Even while speaking words to comfort the Princess, joy surged from deep within Jason’s heart.

He was pleased by the fact that he and the beautiful girl before him had something in common.

“Medeia, please call me Jason. We can become friends who understand each other’s pain.”

When Jason took another step closer as if drawn by something.

“…Duke Castulo, I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

A voice that was cold rather than moved poured down on Jason like ice water.

The Princess’s face showed clear bewilderment.

Her indifferent gaze that seemed to say ‘what does that have to do with me’ felt like it was clawing at Jason’s heart.

“It’s Duke’s freedom to seek friends in such a charitable manner.”

After a moment that seemed to cut through the air, a low voice continued.

“My brother, who is both the family member I trust most and His Majesty the King of Valdina, has never once betrayed me.”

The Princess smiled slightly.

“He is neither an incompetent person full of ambition without ability, nor a hypocrite who parasitizes off others, nor a beast who harms his own blood.”

Was the vivid emotion that flashed through her beautiful eyes hatred or mockery?

It passed so quickly that Jason couldn’t be sure.

“So please don’t try to link you and me as the same type with words like ‘I understand.'”

Having finished speaking, the Princess left immediately.

“…”

Jason’s fingertips trembled as he was left alone.

Even though the words clearly weren’t aimed at him, each word the Princess spoke hurt as if it had mercilessly struck his cheek and back.

“Ugh….”

Suddenly, Jason staggered as he clutched his chest, feeling intense pain near his heart.

The pain of unknown origin didn’t stop for a while, as if its sole purpose was to torment him.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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