The Crown I Will Take From You - Chapter 17

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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 17

“I would like you to create residential quarters for retired soldiers within the royal palace. They need a new foundation where they can stay and live with their families.”

“Pardon?”

Gilliphos questioned back, doubting his ears.

“Why are you surprised? You stopped my carriage to remind me of their existence, didn’t you?”

Medeia said with a faint smile. And she recalled.

In the future, there were retired soldiers among the rebel forces that would rise up in the capital.

‘They pinned the blame on Peleus who suppressed them. Calling him a king mad with slaughter who harmed both citizens and comrades.’

Medeia intended to keep them within the royal palace to oppose the rebel forces and eliminate their justification.

“…I thought Your Highness wouldn’t know since those who don’t welcome them are by your side.”

“I shouldn’t remain ignorant just because my eyes and ears were blocked. The royal family currently lacks resources, the nobles turn away saying there’s no profit, and the Regent rather seeks to fuel their resentment, so there’s no one but the Duke to entrust this matter to.”

Gilliphos’s eyelids trembled.

“Knowing this is a matter without resources or profit, why do you seek to proceed?”

“As you said, I am a princess of Valdina. I’m simply doing what I must do as a princess.”

Gilliphos was surprised that the princess properly understood Valdina’s current internal situation.

“I hope you won’t reject this saying it’s too late, Duke.”

“…”

In truth, the matter of the retired soldiers’ whereabouts was a problem that even Gilliphos hadn’t been able to properly address.

Most of them were poor commoners.

Finding them a livelihood was work that brought no honor but cost much money.

The anger of those abandoned by the royal family was growing, but retired Gilliphos couldn’t step forward to advocate for them.

So he could only provide one-time support covering basic necessities.

But the princess was volunteering to create housing for them?

“If funds are insufficient, please let me know through Neryl. I’ll help as much as I can.”

“Do you have any jewels left, Your Highness?”

Gilliphos indirectly pointed out Medeia’s difficult circumstances, alluding to the rumors about the princess circulating in society.

“That’s not for the Duke to worry about. You should first consider how to control the retired soldiers without causing disturbances.”

The princess’s point was sharp.

“…For such matters, the Prime Minister would be more useful.”

Sisear Emil Reges.

Valdina’s current young Prime Minister Sisear was a god of administrative processing.

When the existing old Prime Minister suddenly passed away and Sisear inherited the position, there were great concerns about whether he was too young.

However, watching him fiercely organize the chaotic state affairs, the concerns soon subsided.

There was even a joke that Valdina remained standing despite the princess causing chaos inside and ten years of war outside solely thanks to Sisear.

“But Count Sisear doesn’t care for the soldiers as much as the Duke does.”

Medeia pointed out calmly.

“Being someone who values efficiency, he would first consider whether there’s enough value in bringing retired soldiers who have outlived their usefulness into the royal palace.”

“Even if I move, that Sisear won’t permit it. If you say it’s Princess’s orders, he’ll resist even more. What will you do if the Prime Minister doesn’t approve this matter?”

Gilliphos asked again.

“As always, Count Sisear and I will find a way to compromise.”

Medeia placed the golden seal on the table.

Gilliphos couldn’t hold back and burst into laughter.

To speak of compromise while holding the king’s seal that the Prime Minister had no choice but to obey.

“Hah. The story about Your Highness raising his blood pressure wasn’t false.”

However, the light laughter quickly disappeared into his beard.

“Your Highness, do you trust me? What would you do if I took all of Your Highness’s entire fortune and ran off?”

Gilliphos was curious.

Where did this young princess’s boldness come from?

“Your Highness has no family or subordinates to recover your fortune. Ah, perhaps Neryl would be different. But that child is also hopeless with numbers…”

“No. I don’t trust anyone.”

Gilliphos’s provocation couldn’t break Medeia’s composure.

“But I trust the Duke’s sincerity toward the people.”

She tapped the pile of papers. Thud. Thud. The rough sound was deeper than ever.

“As long as their lives depend on this, you will carry out my request more faithfully than anyone else.”

“…”

“Am I mistaken?”

The Duke was momentarily speechless.

Tick-tock.

The clock’s second hand sounded unusually loud. Medeia waited quietly.

Eventually, the Duke shook his head.

“…You see correctly.”

The rough voice that seemed to drag along the floor was hoarse, as if it had been hiding in darkness for a long time.

“You’ve placed the most burdensome and difficult shackle of the people on me, so how could I escape?”

Wrinkled but still firm and large hands pulled the pile of documents Medeia had offered toward himself.

“Additional funds won’t be necessary. When the princess has stepped forward, a duke of this nation cannot remain idle.”

Instead of answering, Medeia nodded.

‘Good. I succeeded.’

He was someone who valued honor more than life. Having accepted the task, he would try to complete it no matter what interference he faced.

His persistence was something neither the Regent nor Sisear could match.

“Ah, and.”

Before leaving after finishing her business, Medeia added.

“There’s one thing I’d like to ask of you, Duke.”

As if it was a different matter from before, Medeia’s eyes changed slightly.

“Please find out if there’s anyone named Theo among the families of retired soldiers.”

Upon hearing Medeia’s words, a moment of doubt crossed Gilliphos’s face. However, he soon skillfully concealed his expression and asked Medeia.

“Is this person important to Your Highness?”

Medeia nodded.

“Very important.”

Memories from her previous life vividly came to mind.

Theo was the second-in-command of the rebel forces that would soon storm the royal palace and practically the brain who controlled them.

‘His father was a retired soldier.’

“You killed them! My father, my younger brother, all because of Valdina, because of you royals!”

She seemed to hear that blood-spitting cry in her ears.

However, at the last moment, Theo didn’t chase after the fleeing Medeia.

“Princess. I’m letting you go not because I forgive Valdina. It’s because it’s not… right.”

His roughly shaking gray-brown eyes and his voice cracking with complex emotions were still vivid.

The leader of the rebel forces, learning that Medeia had escaped, killed Theo by stabbing his heart in anger.

And around that time, Peleus, who had returned from the battlefield, suppressed the rebels and rescued Medeia.

The rebel forces without Theo couldn’t maintain their strength and collapsed.

Though it was partly because they were clumsily gathered with money from his uncle, it was proof that he had been the center holding people together.

“Yes, I must find him.”

Medeia answered calmly.

He was the person Medeia needed most to prevent the upcoming rebellion of the traitors and for what would come after.

Her eyes gleamed sharply.

* * *

“Your Highness!”

Neryl greeted Medeia as she came out after finishing her private meeting with Duke Gilliphos.

When the Duke didn’t follow her out, Neryl looked worried.

“Did things not go well?”

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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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