The Crown I Will Take From You - Chapter 171
—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————
Part 2, Chapter 18
“Jason, you must go to Valdina.”
That my uncle intended to use me as a rival to the 1st Prince and a shield for the 3rd Prince.
Even his beloved 4th Princess and all the other insignificant children had long been weeded out by the 1st Prince’s hand.
Faced with his eldest son’s overwhelming dominance that had swiftly secured the succession, Perdickas II, rather than repenting his mistakes, sought ways to somehow bring down his child.
That was Jason.
“There’s something you must do at Valdina’s imperial proclamation ceremony. Chezare and his damned subordinates will try to interfere, but you must succeed.”
His plan was to pit Jason against his eldest son, exhaust both their strength, then easily topple the weakened victor.
The 3rd Prince was the Emperor’s only remaining stronghold.
I know. If there had been another alternative, the Emperor would never have chosen me.
Even now, the Emperor’s closest aide, the Head Servant, accompanied Jason.
It meant he didn’t trust Jason and wanted him to serve thoroughly as nothing more than a tool.
I too would be discarded like a hunting dog that had outlived its usefulness once I brought down the 1st Prince.
Though I gritted my teeth at the pettiness, he had no other choice.
‘I must become poison if necessary. This is the only stepping stone I can climb.’
Pretending not to notice the rotting desire and distrust, Jason took Perdickas II’s hand and came here to Valdina.
“I too had no choice. Your Majesty, please withdraw your anger.”
Jason, who had already anticipated the cold reception in the banquet hall, spoke his prepared words.
“Since my lord and uncle, His Majesty the Emperor of Kazen, has appointed me as an official diplomatic mission, I have no choice but to follow that responsibility.”
Jason presented the Emperor’s edict first.
So that everyone could see the Emperor’s seal appointing him as Kazen’s representative.
The Valdinians frowned.
Kazen’s Emperor also knew what his nephew Jason had done. He had even confiscated his nephew’s territory to cover the compensation.
Yet he was sending that very person as an envoy to Valdina again?
Wasn’t this meant to pour cold water on Valdina’s celebration?
“….”
Jason lifted his chin.
‘Since the Emperor has given me full authority, they have no choice but to accept me.’
As a newly born empire taking its first steps, they couldn’t immediately confront Kazen.
Moreover, he was the only Kazen royal in this diplomatic mission. Even if it was just a shell, the value of that bloodline didn’t disappear.
So they could neither kill nor expel him, only watch.
Just like three years ago, when Valdina had no choice but to let me live and leave.
Seeing Peleus’s stern face and the Agema’s faces unable to contain their anger, a base satisfaction bloomed within him.
All the hardships he’d endured in the North and the humiliation of being used as his uncle’s puppet no longer felt painful.
‘…Where is she?’
In his elevated mood, Jason unconsciously searched for that heartless and cold Princess.
He wanted to know what expression she was making while looking at him now.
However, his red eyes couldn’t easily find Medeia. Jason bit his lips and shook off the rising disappointment.
‘This isn’t the time. Have I forgotten why I came here?’
He wasn’t the only clown to take the stage today.
Jason, having regained his composure, gave a slight signal toward the back.
Those who received the signal split to both sides like a parting sea, finally revealing those who had been hidden among the diplomatic mission members.
“Claudio, how dare you scum show your faces in Valdina!”
Gilliphos’s thunderous roar of anger echoed throughout.
People could soon recognize the father and son with faded silver hair standing on Jason’s side.
Dozens of eyes instantly swept over the father and son’s entire bodies.
Samon was somewhat thinner, but his ashen hair and cunning eyes remained the same. However, his father Hoakin had aged remarkably in three years.
Deep wrinkles etched across his face, and his remaining eye trembled violently as if convulsing.
In his hunched posture, there was no trace of the once all-powerful Prince Claudio who could make flying birds fall.
The luxurious formal wear he’d donned to maintain his pride didn’t suit him at all, making him look even more pitiful.
“Oh my goodness… Even though his son is still the consort of a Kazen Princess, how did he end up like that….”
Foreigners who remembered his glory days were either shocked or clicked their tongues.
Count Raju was also with the Claudio father and son.
Still maintaining his red suit and mustache, he appeared more corpulent yet colder than before.
Catherine and Virna, having neither titles nor positions, couldn’t even qualify to attend the celebration.
At best, Samon could enter as Jason’s aide, and Hoakin barely managed to get in as Raju’s attendant.
“Filthy bastards! You damned creatures bound for hell!”
Someone else, unable to contain their anger, splashed champagne on them.
Pie filling thrown by someone was smeared all over Hoakin’s chest.
Despite dressing up for the banquet, Samon’s group quickly became dirty.
Samon knelt before Peleus. His murky blue eyes gleamed with cunning light.
“Samon Claudio, bearing shame, begs forgiveness from my cousin brother. I committed an unforgivable sin through a moment of foolish judgment.”
With a mournful expression, he bowed his head deeply. Red wine someone had splashed stained his faded silver hair.
The wine flowing down his gaunt cheeks looked like tears of blood.
“That, that shameless bastard-!”
Even amid the Valdinians’ hatred that seemed ready to devour him, he didn’t stop. Rather, he shouted loudly as if for everyone in the banquet hall to hear.
“If you graciously accept our family again, I will devote my remaining life to Valdina’s prosperity. Your Majesty, please remember our blood ties and show us mercy.”
His voice sounded grave and desperate.
To someone who didn’t know better, Samon’s words made it sound as if Peleus had arbitrarily expelled his uncle’s family.
“Sob, Peleus, no, Your, Your Majesty. Please forgive this uncle. This uncle was wrong….”
Hoakin, who had been watching for an opportunity, collapsed beside his son and burst into tears.
Crawling on his knees, he reached out toward Peleus.
“I left my lifelong hometown, sob, and couldn’t even attend my mother’s deathbed. How much longer can this old uncle live? Even if I die, I want to die beside my mother. Your Majesty, I beg you like this, please forgive me….”
The Claudio father and son wailed and caused a commotion.
“These shameless traitors forget the grace of being spared and spout nonsense! Don’t even dream of crawling back into Valdina!”
The enraged Gilliphos reached for his mace.
These were the vermin that had eaten away at this country. He should have smashed those useless heads long ago!
“Samon, what is the meaning of this? To commit such discourtesy before royalty and distinguished guests without even telling me…!”
Jason spoke in a displeased voice.
But this wasn’t to reprimand Samon, but to draw a line that the Claudio father and son’s unexpected actions had nothing to do with him.
“Take them away.”
Peleus gave the order in an emotionless voice. It was a cold tone as if Hoakin’s desperate pleas hadn’t reached him at all.
“Your Majesty. Am I not your uncle? The blood flowing in this body also flows in Your Majesty, sob, how can you be so heartless…. Must I truly die for you to feel satisfied- Gack!”
Finally, it was the moment when the sobbing Hoakin drew a dagger and tried to bring it to his throat.
—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————