The Crown I Will Take From You - Chapter 236

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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 83

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The day of the memorial service had dawned.

The Second Temple was bustling with crowds.

Nobles’ carriages continued to arrive. The common people also formed long lines around the temple to watch the ceremony.

Once a year, this memorial service held by the Holy Kingdom on an auspicious day was not simply an event to comfort the souls of the dead.

According to doctrine, this day was also a righteous day of judgment to reveal and cleanse the sins of the living.

Those who had taken the lives of others in war and those who bore such sins all came to the temple. They offered incense of repentance at the temple and sought the goddess’s forgiveness.

The memorial service was held in the widest central corridor of the Second Temple. The high arched ceiling added to its grandeur.

The Second Temple opened all the windows of the corridor so that even the commoners outside the corridor could watch the ceremony.

Among the countless attendees seated inside and outside the corridor, there was someone who immediately drew people’s attention.

“What face does that bastard have coming here? Right? To pray for the souls of his father who was beaten to death and his mother who bore a cuckoo’s child?”

“Good grief, what are you saying? This memorial service wasn’t made to honor those kinds of people, was it?! It’ll bring bad luck! Get lost!”

It was Samon Claudio.

Under the blade-like gazes that wouldn’t let up and the unrestrained colorful criticism, the ugly secrets of the Claudio family burst forth.

An ordinary person would have left their seat out of shame alone.

However, Samon steadfastly held his position as if he couldn’t hear anything.

The chatter of such lowly things could no longer shake him at all.

Mariyu was also beside him.

Today, she who had taken on the long-awaited role of accuser appeared more modest than ever before.

With her red hair neatly pinned up and wearing a plain white dress, she didn’t even have the usual earrings or accessories.

With her makeup-free face and downcast eyes, Mariyu looked like an ordinary and obedient woman.

‘She needs to look innocent since she has to accuse her master.’

Samon’s lips curled up with satisfaction as he glanced at Mariyu’s appearance, which was heavily influenced by his input.

Boom. Boom. Boom.

Meanwhile, the solemn drumbeats announcing the start of the memorial service rang out.

Then the priests beside the altar struck thin bronze metal plates.

Kwaewoong-

A heavy and deep resonance echoed through the corridor.

Simultaneously, Paollo and the Temple Knights entered, parting the crowd.

‘Hmm, hmm! At least I can show off the prestige of this Holy Kingdom before leaving.’

Since today was the day they presided over, Paollo’s shoulders were filled with strength.

“Saint, please come this way.”

Among the High Priest and Temple Knights, Saint Rachel, who would lead today’s memorial ceremony, appeared.

She wore a cream-colored priest’s robe with a golden decorative belt tied around her slender waist, and wore a laurel crown on her abundant blonde hair.

Her attire evoked a scene from Old Testament mythology where a god embraces and comforts the souls of humans sacrificed to demons.

“O Goddess, grant rest to the souls of the dead and illuminate the path of repentance for the living.”

Exclamations burst from the crowd at the holiness as if they had witnessed the goddess herself.

“Grant them rest!”

“Cleanse the sins of this land!”

Starting with someone’s lead chant, reverence for the goddess echoed throughout.

Boom. Boom.

Along with the regularly ringing drumbeats, the corridor quickly became bustling.

In that movement bordering on commotion.

The saint’s gaze brushed past Samon as she walked among the believers with a benevolent smile.

Samon nodded his head.

Without even realizing that Mariyu had noticed the secret glances exchanged between them.

Soon, watching Rachel’s back as she walked peacefully toward the altar after passing him, Samon muttered.

“Mariyu. You haven’t forgotten about today, have you?”

He didn’t care that Mariyu flinched at the grip strength that squeezed her hand as if it would crush it.

Samon disciplined Mariyu once more.

“Don’t panic no matter what happens. You just do your part and step back. Everything else will flow naturally after that.”

After Mariyu confessed that she had eliminated the 4th Princess’s child on Medeia’s orders, the crowd would be shocked.

Then the saint would step forward and raise the judgment stand, saying she would verify the truth in the goddess’s name.

Of course, Samon hadn’t heard the detailed plan from Rachel.

But he could tell what she was aiming for.

‘She plans to make Medeia an apostle judged under the laws of the old religion.’

On a continent where the old religion was still dominant, the temple’s judgment would be sufficient to destroy the trust and legitimacy the princess had built.

‘How is she planning to handle the judgment stand- no, what do I have to worry about? It’s not something I planned.’

He had merely made a deal with the saint.

He knew he was being used as a mere chess piece, but he didn’t care.

The saint would destroy Medeia through him, and he would escape from this disgusting crippled state in return.

‘Soon, Medeia.’

Medeia was even his enemy.

If Rachel would tear apart his cousin sister whom he wanted to chew to death in his place, nothing could be better.

“Yes. I will, darling.”

Only after hearing Mariyu’s confirmation did Samon release her hand.

“There’s no need to be nervous.”

With his mood somewhat softened, he tried to reassure her by patting Mariyu’s shoulder.

“We just need to open the floodgates. You know? It’s all for the future of you and our children. We can’t keep dancing in that snake-like woman’s palm forever.”

However, Mariyu seemed unable to hide her nervousness and took out a water bottle from her bosom.

Samon turned his head to stare ahead.

‘Peleus, even if that sister you cherish so much faces persecution from the whole world for going against god, will you be able to protect her?’

From where he was now, the imperial family’s VIP seating at the very front was obscured by guards and numerous nobles, showing only a glimpse of Medeia’s silver hair.

‘I will survive once again. No matter how much you all try to kill me, you’ve all failed!’

Even as he ground his teeth, a contradictory bloody smile appeared on Samon’s lips.

‘If I can’t do it, my son will, and if he can’t, my grandson will target Valdina for generations to come.’

“Darling, here.”

Samon gulped down the water bottle Mariyu offered. The ice-cold water seemed to soothe his burning insides.

Meanwhile, Rachel, having finished preparing for the dedication ceremony, stood before the altar.

She began to pray while holding a wet olive branch dipped in holy water. Then she lit the end of the branch and cried out.

“O God, forgive us foolish ones who have forgotten the goddess’s teachings.”

Against the backdrop of smoke spreading with the burning flames, she turned to face the crowd.

“Today we have gathered here to comfort the souls of those who have departed. However, the goddess must simultaneously establish justice on this land and resolve the grudges of the dead so that the continent may….”

Samon could notice the saint’s gaze turning toward him once again.

A little later, when the dedication ceremony ended, Mariyu would expose Medeia’s crimes.

Right now, Rachel was laying the groundwork for that moment.

So that when Mariyu accused her former master Medeia, that action could be accepted as justice.

Their gazes crossed again.

As if telling him to proceed as planned, the saint smiled slightly.

Samon also returned a secretive yet gentle smile.

‘Once my legs are healed, it wouldn’t be bad to side with the saint either.’

Even so, he suddenly thought.

The saint was a woman far from his taste, but when had he ever seduced his former wife, the 4th Princess, because she was his type?

‘What’s important is that woman’s background. Even if she’s an illegitimate child whose origins can’t be revealed, if she’s of the saint’s bloodline, her value changes.’

Like the conqueror feared by the entire continent, the 1st Prince of Kazen.

Perhaps, just as Perdickas II had, he too might benefit from an exceptional son.

“Father! I did it, I’ve avenged even our grandparents’ grudges! I am now the Emperor of Valdina!”

His imaginary son cried out to him.

It was when Samon was drawing in his mind a future that Rachel would have despised as that of a crazy bastard if she had known.

“Darling.”

At that moment, Mariyu called to him from beside him.

Perhaps her tension had eased, as her voice was as sweet as usual.

“You look like you’re in a good mood.”

“Hm?”

When Samon responded absentmindedly, Mariyu spoke again softly.

“I guess you’ve gotten cozy with the Saint this time.”

“What?”

“Are you planning to become the Saint’s dog and serve her at night this time? Just like you did with the Empire’s 4th Princess?”

Samon turned to look at Mariyu in shock.

A subtle madness flowed in her pale, strangely colored eyes.

Mariyu didn’t lower her voice at all, so much so that the people nearby were startled and looked over.

“That’s, what, you right now-“

Samon was about to ask if she had forgotten where they were.

“Why? It’s not like I’m saying something untrue. Is there anyone here who doesn’t know that you crawled into the 4th Princess’s bed and barely escaped execution?”

Mariyu’s mouth was faster than Samon could grab her wrist.

“But what can you do, Samon? Now you can’t even act like a breeding stallion anymore. I got rid of all your seed long ago.”

“What did you, do…?”

Samon came to his senses as if he’d been doused with cold water.

At the thunderbolt news Mariyu had dropped, he momentarily forgot that this was a temple and all the schemes he’d made with Saint Rachel.

“You heard me.”

Mariyu looked down mockingly at Samon’s lower body.

“I’ve been feeding you plenty of the strongest infertility drugs. Darling, all your seed has dried up and is completely useless now.”

Ahaha. Mariyu burst into lovely laughter that contradicted her words.

“I was so moved that you never suspected the food I gave you and always finished it cleanly. One bite, one bite, you ate so deliciously without knowing your lineage was being cut off!”

The meals from the past several months flashed through Samon’s mind.

Including Mariyu’s ‘devotion’ in preparing every single meal without fail.

Rage surged through Samon to the top of his head.

Infertility – all the fresh branches of the future he had been dreaming of just moments ago were broken and fell to the ground.

“Father! I did it, I’ve avenged even our grandparents’ grudge! I am now the Emperor of Valdina!”

“Samon, forgive me. I was wrong. I’m begging like this, please, please… Right? We’re blood-related cousins…”

“So you won in the end. Just spare Dea. I’ll quietly pass the throne to your son.”

Now it had become something too much even to imagine.

A child who would take revenge on those damned siblings in place of Samon Claudio would never exist.

“You crazy bitch-!”

Because of Mariyu, that stupid and foolish girl!

“You’re insane, completely mad! Do you know what you’ve done?!”

“Did you think I’d be fine after you abandoned me when I got pregnant and even killed the child?”

Mariyu giggled.

Having finally removed her long-worn mask and revealed her true self, her face was twisted with revenge and madness.

“Before and forever, your only child is our baby. Our poor baby that you killed with your own hands before it could even see the light!”

“You stupid bitch…!”

Samon raised his hand to slap Mariyu’s cheek.

But his arm stiffened and wouldn’t move as he wanted.

“You, you…”

“The effects are finally kicking in.”

Mariyu muttered triumphantly.

“Darling, here.”

He remembered the water he had thoughtlessly accepted and swallowed earlier.

‘It was poisoned.’

With this belated realization, Samon failed to see the blade glinting in Mariyu’s hand.

Actually, even if he had seen it, he wouldn’t have been able to dodge with his poison-affected body.

Stab.

The chilling sound of flesh being cut echoed through the temple.

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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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