The Crown I Will Take From You - Chapter 185

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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 32

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The Continental Festival was a grand event celebrated by all, regardless of social status.

So today, even the Parthenon Temple where the distinguished guests were staying had opened its doors wide to welcome visitors.

This meant that the Claudio family could slip in here using the crowd as an excuse.

“My goodness, isn’t that Samon Claudio over there? How shameless.”

“His face is as thick as iron wire. Just how much did he dress up?”

Though they couldn’t avoid the glares of people with every step they took.

The evening wear that the Hoakin couple wore was not inferior to that of Kazen’s distinguished guests.

Virna also wore a lustrous sky-blue dress, though she had on a lovely cape buttoned up to her neck.

At least on the surface, they looked no different from the glorious days of the Regent’s era.

People cursed the Claudio family, wondering how much they had embezzled from Valdina to still afford such luxury.

But wealth and nobility ultimately come from life’s comforts.

If they had looked a little more closely, they would have noticed from the large, crude brooch on Hoakin’s chest alone how desperately this family was struggling.

“Shameless, petty scoundrels!”

In the confined space, they didn’t care that their unrestrained voices would reach the subjects of their criticism.

“All of Valdina’s suffering stems from those people. Ugh, ptui! It’s too disgusting to watch anymore!”

Some even spat and left their spots.

“….”

Catherine lifted her chin.

She tried to close her ears and pretend not to hear, but because she clenched her jaw, the large diamond earrings on her reddened ears trembled finely.

To recover their crumbling pride as uninvited guests, they had dressed even more lavishly.

Such ostentatious accessories, which she would have despised as vulgar during her days as the Duchess Claudio, had now become her only shield.

“Virna, don’t mind them. Pretend you can’t hear. They’re all just jealous of us. You know what mother means, right?”

“….”

“When that dance ends, we must go straight to Peleus. Mother will block the Agema, so you cling to Peleus. Remember what mother told you?”

“….”

“If crying doesn’t work, you must grab his legs. Even his trouser hem if necessary! That’s the only way we have a chance. Understand?”

Only then could they return to the royal palace using today’s recognition as an excuse, even after an ‘accident’ happened to Peleus.

‘It would be even better if he died.’

The pretense of the Emperor’s final mercy to the entire family after his death would become their shield.

“….”

“Virna? Are you listening to mother? Where are you looking?”

Catherine was startled to discover her daughter glaring at Medeia in the distance.

“You!”

She roughly grabbed her daughter’s arm and scolded her in a low voice.

“Have you forgotten where we are?! I told you to hide it no matter what today, that you absolutely must not be caught!”

“…I haven’t forgotten, so let go.”

Virna sharply brushed off her mother’s hand.

Though the distance was far, she could recognize her at a glance.

Silver hair like shattered moonlight, pale skin. Medeia at today’s Continental Festival looked much more beautiful than the Medeia in her memories.

Unlike herself, who had dried up like kindling from countless hardships and torment, that girl sparkled like a fairy.

Even without the bright chandelier lighting now, even without wearing a dress scattered with diamonds.

‘It was my place, it was my place! How dare that lowly girl….’

Her eyes were bloodshot from suppressing the anger she couldn’t show.

‘…Why is that person there!’

A man approached Medeia. Virna bit her lips as she immediately recognized him.

‘Jason….’

She couldn’t hear their conversation, but Jason’s yearning expression toward Medeia was visible even from here.

‘He threw me to those rebels without hesitation, but to that girl Medeia he’s so desperate….’

She felt both jealousy and hatred toward Jason simultaneously.

‘I want to tear both of them to shreds, no. I can’t, I must endure.’

As she tried to compose herself with her nails digging into her palms.

“Oh my, who is this? Isn’t this Lady Virna!”

A sharply bright voice reached Virna’s ears. Her face hardened as she faced the owner of the voice.

“Lady Aspasia….”

“Ah, I shouldn’t call you Lady anymore, should I? Your title was confiscated. Hmm. Virna? I’ll call you casually?”

Lady Aspasia’s mother, the Marchioness Aspasia, had competed with Catherine for the flower of high society.

Naturally, a rivalry formed between their daughters, Virna and the Marquis’s daughter as well.

“By the way, how does it feel to become like those foot mats you used to despise so much? Even so, His Majesty is too generous. Letting criminals who deserve to have their throats cut openly enjoy festivals.”

Of course, at that time it was a complete victory for Virna, who had the Regent as her father.

The Marquis’s daughter had not yet forgotten the humiliation she suffered from Virna during her days as Princess Claudio, who could make even flying birds fall.

“….”

“By the way, your dress is pretty. How did you manage to get something like this all the way to the strait? Your family’s capabilities are good? You’re still doing well even after that mess?”

“Thank you for… the compliment.”

Virna bit her lips and lowered her eyes with effort.

“Ahaha, did that sound like a compliment to you?”

‘Hmph, so this much doesn’t even sting?’

Seeing Virna unexpectedly respond meekly, Lady Aspasia secretly pouted.

“By the way, how did you hide those disgusting scars on your back? I can’t see any of them? So fascinating!”

Virna’s face turned pale as her weak spot was struck.

Malice flashed in the Marquis’s daughter’s eyes like a hunter spotting prey hit by an arrow.

“The sword completely slashed from shoulder to waist, didn’t it?”

“I, I, I….”

At the mocking question, Virna’s mask finally shattered completely.

The miserable feeling of being stripped naked and driven to the ground was unbearable.

“Tsk, the wound was so deep you’d have to live with that scar forever- Hey! Where are you going!”

As Virna ran off, Lady Aspasia grumbled.

“What rudeness, leaving while someone is talking. Does she still think she’s a princess? Don’t you think so, madam?”

“…Of course. She’s still immature, so please understand, Lady Marquis.”

‘You impudent little bitch, once I return to Valdina, I’ll skin you alive.’

Catherine was also very angry, but she reminded herself of the purpose of coming here today.

“Lady, where is your mother? Since we’ve met like this, I’d like to greet her together.”

‘I heard Medeia keeps Marchioness Aspasia close.’

Right now, returning to the Valdina royal family by any means was the top priority.

So she turned her steps toward the Marchioness, leaving behind her daughter who had run out of the banquet hall crying.

Hoakin was no different. He merely frowned slightly at the commotion Virna had caused, then turned back to continue his conversation.

He too seemed to have no intention of looking after his daughter.

“…Virna!”

But Raju was different.

Unable to leave Virna alone, he left even Catherine behind and quickly chased after her.

“Virna! Virna! Damn it, where did she go….”

Anxiously turning his head in rising worry, he soon found Virna crying while clinging to a pillar in the temple corridor.

Raju moved his steps.

“Sob, sob!”

“…Virna, are you okay?”

As the distance closed, the intermittent crying sounds reaching his ears tormented Raju’s heart.

“Sob, sob sob….”

Raju, who was approaching Virna, hesitated.

He had caught sight of red marks faintly visible on the back of the dress she was wearing.

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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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