The Crown I Will Take From You - Chapter 198

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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 45

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“We have arrived, Miss.”

Raju’s house was located not far from the Claudio estate.

‘He lived in such… a nice place?’

Virna tried to hide her surprised expression as she entered the building with its classical architectural style.

‘I heard he had a lot of money, but I didn’t know it was still this much…’

After passing through the massive gold-leafed entrance, an ornate indoor fountain spouting magnificent streams of water greeted Virna.

“Shall we show you to your room first, Miss?”

Virna looked puzzled at the secretary’s words.

“I have… a room?”

“Of course. The master has been so thoughtfully attentive.”

The room she was guided to by the secretary was filled with natural light streaming through large windows.

Virna’s eyes widened as she saw the interior that looked like a small nation’s princess’s room had been transplanted there, the colorful jewelry laid out on the vanity, and the dressing room full of the latest fashionable clothing.

“Th-this is…”

“Miss, these are the new dresses from this season. Would you like to try one on?”

No sooner had she let out a quiet gasp than maids appeared beside Virna and dressed her up splendidly.

Like the puffy dress, Virna’s heart also began to flutter little by little.

“Everything belongs to you, Miss. Would you like something to drink? Shall I call the chef?”

The servants of Raju’s estate, including the secretary, treated Virna like a princess.

Even when she was Princess Claudia, she hadn’t enjoyed such luxury.

Moreover, during chaotic times like now, she thought of herself as less than a roadside pebble kicked by her parents’ feet…

“…It’s so wonderful.”

Virna, who had been maintaining her composure while pretending to be aloof, jumped onto the high, soft bed once the maids withdrew.

She even forgot the anger she felt when she was recently forced to give up her room to Mariyu.

“Mine. Completely mine. No one can take it away.”

Muttering this, Virna rubbed herself against the soft yet rustling bedding. Her eyes slowly closed in the coziness.

The fact that this was the house of her godfather, whom she found disgusting to look at, didn’t matter at all now.

Rather, Virna smacked her lips in regret.

‘If I had known it would be like this, I shouldn’t have despised my godfather so much. Then I could have enjoyed this luxury much earlier.’

After lying on the soft bed and being attended to by the maids, Virna took a nap and then leisurely explored the estate.

“Just where does Godfather Raju’s money come from?”

Could it really be this luxurious?

She had heard that even when her family completely collapsed, Raju had provided capital for the smuggling business.

“Although it’s under a borrowed name, the real owner of this estate is naturally our Count.”

There was also the maids’ casual boasting.

‘Even though he naturalized to Kazen, how can a Valdinian accumulate so much wealth in a foreign country?’

The more she confirmed his wealth, the more her curiosity grew.

Wanting to know that secret, Virna finally found a clue that would reveal the answer.

“Miss, this is the master’s private chamber, so no one except the master can enter. How about I show you the glass greenhouse in the garden instead?”

The secretary, who never refused anything, couldn’t hide his troubled expression when she requested access to the secluded room on the third floor.

“Didn’t you hear that my godfather said to grant whatever I ask?”

Having fully enjoyed the leisure she had forgotten for a while and recovered her energy, Virna made a stern threat to the secretary.

This was contrary to Raju’s good intentions of tearing down all walls to win his daughter’s heart.

“B-but…”

Virna was almost certain.

‘The secret must be here. Hmph, if there’s something like that, he should come to us right away and offer it. His origins are so lowly, he keeps it to himself.’

“Fine. I just wanted to look around, but what’s so great that you’re acting so pretentious? I’ll just go home, so call a carriage.”

When Virna sulked, the secretary stamped his feet anxiously.

‘If Miss doesn’t visit here again, the master will be angry with me.’

“Th-then just for a moment? But you absolutely must not tell the master.”

“I understand, so bring me some water. I’m thirsty.”

After getting rid of the secretary, the small room she entered was a perfect secret chamber without a single window.

“What? There’s nothing special here.”

She was pouting when she suddenly brightened and felt around under the desk drawer.

“Father’s desk had something around here… Oh!”

There really was a small device in a similar place. When she opened it, a black safe hidden under the desk revealed itself.

“Ouch, there’s protective magic on it? How annoying. How am I supposed to open this- Huh?”

Virna got irritated when she was pricked by a sharp burr while handling the safe’s lock.

But surprisingly, the safe door suddenly opened smoothly.

“What, even opening it feels unpleasant…”

Unaware that the safe had recognized Raju’s bloodline and opened, Virna examined the interior.

Inside the safe was only one black book with gold leaf inscriptions.

“300,000 bushels of grain harvested from northern territories, 500,000 gold from salt sales profits in southern territories, 100,000 gold in funding support according to secret agreement with Duke of Anspiras…”

The recorded details were extraordinary.

“This looks like a ledger…”

On the first page was a memo written as if scrawled by someone.

[This ledger contains my personal private assets. I entrust this to my always prudent and loyal retainer Roberto Raju, so guard it with your life.

-Alkethas]

No matter how foolish she was, she couldn’t not recognize the name written at the end.

Virna’s face turned pale as she quickly put the ledger back in place as if she had seen something she shouldn’t have.

Then she pretended to know nothing, closed the safe again, tidied up around the drawer, and immediately left the room.

“Miss! Are you coming out already?”

“Oh, there wasn’t much to see anyway? I’m hungry. Tea would be better. Just show me to the dining room.”

Virna waved her hand dismissively at the secretary who was offering her the water he had brought.

“Yes. Of course. I’ll have them prepare the desserts you like, Miss.”

The secretary smiled while watching Virna’s mood. It seemed fortunate that she had forgotten all her morning gloom while being absorbed in touring the estate.

In reality, Virna had long forgotten the morning’s farce.

She still hadn’t emerged from the shock of discovering the ledger hidden in Raju’s private chamber.

‘So my godfather was the manager of Emperor Kazen’s inheritance…’

Alcetas II had died young.

But seeing that his private assets never surfaced…

It seemed Raju had secretly swallowed up those assets.

The never-ending source of wealth was precisely that ledger.

‘Does Jason, does Duke Castulo know about this?’

Well, if they knew, they would try to devour Raju for embezzling their father’s assets.

While she found her godfather contemptible for stealing others’ money while acting generous as if giving away his own, she felt vindicated as if she had gotten proxy revenge on Jason.

‘You treated me like baggage, serves you right. Jason.’

Virna decided to keep her mouth shut for now.

The Former Emperor’s assets.

It was too big a fire for her to handle, and she had no intention whatsoever of seeking justice for Jason, who had abandoned her on some battlefield and fled.

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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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