The Crown I Will Take From You - Chapter 178

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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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Part 2, Chapter 25

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Meanwhile, the Claudio father and son and Count Laju, who had left Jason’s office, headed toward the center of District B.

A splendid two-story house welcomed them. It was a mansion they had purchased during their stay in Elamuz.

How could they, who had been expelled from Valdina and had all their assets confiscated, afford such luxury? Furthermore, how could they provide funding to Jason?

The answer lay in the business they had secretly undertaken.

During the heyday of the Claudio ducal house when even birds would fall from the sky, Samon had entered the smuggling business by mimicking the money laundering processes and routes he had used to embezzle money from the Valdina Royal Family.

At the time, Claudio was penniless with all his assets confiscated, but Laju had provided the initial funding.

Laju had once been in charge of the former Emperor’s slush funds during the reign of the late Emperor of Kazen.

When the former Emperor died and the emperor changed, he manipulated the books to hide the source of the slush funds.

He used the money he had embezzled at that time to help Claudio’s restoration.

Though overshadowed by the brilliance of the Medeia siblings, Samon Claudio also possessed a clever mind and keen instincts.

The smuggling business that started with Laju’s help quickly grew in scale.

Though it was an underground business where they could neither reclaim their identity nor openly display their wealth, it was at least better than falling into complete destitution.

After all, they needed money to reclaim both the name and position that had been taken from them.

As soon as the Claudio father and son entered, Catherine, who had been waiting, came running over.

Unlike her husband who had aged terribly, Catherine was still beautiful. Her skin was still radiant, and her dress was of the latest fashion.

However, she couldn’t help the fact that her expression easily became distorted, perhaps due to stress.

“Honey, how did it go?”

Catherine couldn’t hide her impatient expression. She had been anxiously waiting for news until the father and son arrived.

“I’m tired, so later.”

“How did it turn out? Was it successful or did it fail? And what’s this about the goddess statue bleeding?”

Catherine asked, saying that was all anyone was talking about on the streets.

Hoakin, who didn’t want to reveal that they had gained nothing despite causing such an ugly scene at the banquet hall, snapped irritably.

“Ah, I said I’d tell you later! Can’t you see we’re exhausted right now? Do you absolutely have to hear an answer just to satisfy yourself?”

“Why are you suddenly getting angry?”

“Instead of comforting someone who’s been working outside, tsk… Count Laju, let’s go upstairs. We need to discuss countermeasures!”

Hoakin, who had been bowing and scraping to everyone he’d met, raised his voice at his own wife.

“…”

Without realizing that a thread of mirage-like anger was rising in Laju’s eyes.

“Samon, at least you tell me. Did that bastard Peleus accept us? Can we return to Valdina? Hm?”

“I’ll tell you later too, Mother.”

Even Samon gently pushed Catherine aside and walked away with heavy steps.

“I have no idea what’s going on. On the streets, they’re even saying the goddess was suddenly disappointed with this saint… And what’s this about Kazen’s 1st Prince…”

Catherine sat down as if collapsing, holding her forehead.

“They say the High Priest criticized Medeia, and if we’ve offended that girl, sigh, the backlash might come to us too.”

Since she hadn’t even been able to enter the banquet hall, Catherine could only guess at the situation from what people were saying.

“Mom, what are you so curious about? So what if we offend Medeia? Is she the emperor or something?”

Just then, Virna, with her arms crossed, snapped at her mother as if she found her pathetic.

“After being deceived by Medeia and ending up in that state, you want to go crawling back under that bitch again? Don’t you have any pride, Mom?”

“Yes, do you think this mother has any feelings left? Don’t you understand even after what the Dowager Empress did to us?”

The Dowager Empress, mother of 4th Princess Angelique, was Samon Claudio’s mother-in-law.

She absolutely despised the Claudio family.

“My precious daughter is rotting away in exile for the crime of handing over the Shadernian Islands, while those worms who saved their lives thanks to Angelique are living in leisure. Do you think I’ll let that stand?”

Angelique couldn’t bear her situation of being cast out from her father’s sight.

Having received only love from birth, she had neither the means to recover his favor nor the perseverance to escape from her sharply declining circumstances.

Eventually, she was semi-forcibly made to leave the imperial palace.

“Your Majesty. Now that Angelique has left, it’s so lonely. I’d like to keep those mother and daughter by my side and treat them like daughters. Would that be alright? After all, we’re now family connected as one.”

“Of course. Do as you wish, my dear.”

Since the Emperor had spared the Claudio family, the Dowager Empress couldn’t go against him.

But she could take out her anger. Of course, without needing the consent of the parties involved.

The Virna mother and daughter entered the imperial palace as the Dowager Empress’s conversation partners. And they suffered all kinds of harassment.

Making them do menial work worse than servants was routine, and whenever the Dowager Empress met with guests, she played nasty ‘pranks’ on the mother and daughter.

Through long years of imperial court intrigue, the Dowager Empress knew well how to drain people both physically and mentally.

Both Catherine and Virna were nobles who had grown up preciously without ever getting their hands wet.

But no one tried to protect the two mother and daughter against the empress most beloved by the Emperor.

Even Count Laju could only look with pitying eyes at the two mother and daughter who cried every night.

In the midst of this, Valdina declared itself an empire.

So they barely escaped from the vicious Dowager Empress using the task that Perdickas II had given to Claudio as an excuse…!

“We have to go to Valdina even if we have to beg and plead! So you’re saying you’ll live like this forever?!”

Catherine beat her chest as if frustrated.

Virna hesitated for a moment but soon became stubborn.

“I still don’t want to. She’s the one who made me like this! What will she say when she sees what I’ve become!”

Virna shouted while roughly rubbing her hands that had become rough from menial work.

The hangnails around her fingernails from frequent contact with water stood up white as if representing her anger.

“You…”

“Mom, I might really kill Medeia if I see her. I want to stab that bitch to death with a knife or whatever I can get my hands on.”

Virna burned with hatred toward Medeia every moment she opened her eyes.

Coexistence under the same sky was impossible.

While she was bowing and scraping to the Dowager Empress like a slave, Medeia had even become an empress beyond being a princess.

While Valdina was riding high on success, the Claudio family had fallen into an endless abyss.

Now in this abyss where there was nowhere left to fall, Virna was consumed by jealousy and hatred.

She wanted to tear Medeia, who had dropped her into this place, to shreds.

“You foolish thing… Sigh, fine. Fine.”

Catherine sighed at the vivid hatred showing in Virna’s eyes.

Virna was a daughter so precious she wouldn’t hurt even if put in her eyes. Catherine wanted her daughter to live with her head held high proudly wherever she went.

But her daughter’s lovely arrogance was no longer lovely or pitiful after the Claudio ducal house had fallen to rock bottom.

She now regretted raising her as a half-wit who only had pride left and tried to ignore what situation she was in.

Why, when had it become like this?

Catherine felt suffocated and frustrated as if a black curtain had been drawn over their future.

Meanwhile, leaving the mother and daughter behind, the Claudio father and son and Count Laju went upstairs.

“Father, please go in and rest. I have something left to discuss with Uncle Laju.”

Just as they were about to enter the study, Samon blocked Hoakin’s way.

“What discussion? If we’re making plans, the father should also be present. Since Claudio is the protagonist-“

“…Father, I said go rest.”

Samon looked at his father with irritation. Hoakin’s pride was hurt by the clear dismissal.

But now it was his son who led the family.

The smuggling business, politics with the royals – everything was in his son’s hands, so he couldn’t go against his mood.

Hoakin laughed loudly for no reason and patted his son’s shoulder.

“…I understand. Haha, indeed only my son thinks of me. Your father… Well then, I’ll be going.”

It was pathetic how he vented all his irritation on his wife while groveling before his son who held the real power.

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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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