The Crown I Will Take From You - Chapter 248

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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 95

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The sailing ship that had spent ten days on the waves of the azure sea reached the shore.

“Boss, Your Majesty. This is the only inhabited place in this area.”

Garo spoke as he pulled down a parchment bearing Facade’s seal from the carrier pigeon.

As he said, they could see the entrance to a small village from the shabby pier.

“The village is small, but since it’s a place where rangers and hunters traveling to and from the Swamp of Gluttony stop by, it would be good to finish our supply preparations here.”

They would have preferred to make do with the supplies prepared on the ship, but fresh hay for the horses and clean drinking water were hard to replace.

“We need to move as quickly as possible.”

Chezare nodded as if agreeing with Medeia’s words.

“Garo, finish the supply preparations within half a day. We’ll enter the forest as soon as dawn breaks.”

“Got it, boss.”

Chezare turned around.

“From Eta to Kappa, stay here and guard the rear. Find a stronghold.”

“But Your Majesty—”

“We can’t take too many people to the gorge. It would draw attention.”

By now, the Holy Kingdom would have learned of Medeia’s absence as well. They wouldn’t just sit still and let the oracle’s sacrifice escape.

“Temples are spread everywhere.”

Chezare’s lips twisted as he stared at the shabby chapel roof rising above the village fence.

‘The Holy Kingdom will probably send the Temple Knights after me.’

Medeia also anticipated the Holy Kingdom’s reaction. Especially Rachel and High Priest Paulo would try to capture her by any means necessary.

It didn’t matter.

‘By the time the Temple Knights come storming here, I’ll be back in Valdina.’

With the evil dragon’s corpse in hand.

Thus, Medeia and Chezare’s group entered the village entrance.

This place, located in the harsh terrain at the edge of the Swamp of Gluttony, was closer to an abandoned village than a proper town.

Around the village, a fence made of sharp thorn bushes and black logs was haphazardly woven together,

and shabby iron scraps and sharp bone fragments were stuck throughout the fence.

“Your Majesty, the security is poor. Please be careful.”

Neryl straightened her back and whispered quietly.

Since it was such harsh terrain, they said no one voluntarily lived in this area.

Most were criminals fleeing pursuit, rangers and hunters who hunted magical beasts, or those with specific reasons to hide their identities.

Medeia simply nodded indifferently.

“It’s fine. And Neryl, you can’t call me that here anymore.”

“…Right, Neryl. If Lord Kensington knew you were this weak with irregularities, he wouldn’t covet you anymore. Young master, I’m naturally suited for this kind of thing, so just trust me.”

Tom interjected with a grin that brought his freckles together.

Wearing leather armor and a loose rope-bound hand axe at his waist, he looked exactly like a novice hunter.

Medeia was also disguised as a ranger.

‘A whip, crossbow, dagger… She’s prepared quite thoroughly.’

Chezare almost burst out laughing when he checked her outfit.

Under that thick robe, she looked twice her size from all the weapons she had equipped.

“Dea.”

Medeia looked at him when she heard him calling her.

With her thick hood, hair tied back invisibly, and cheeks slightly reddened by the dry sea breeze, she looked like a young squire who had just ventured outside to Chezare’s eyes.

It must have been her first sea voyage, and he felt pity that such a small frame had endured ten days on the rolling sea.

Though Medeia herself felt no particular emotion about it.

“Garo found us lodging, so rest there for a while. Once we leave here, it’ll be much harder than now.”

Chezare lightly tugged at the edge of Medeia’s hood.

Thanks to this, her head was buried even deeper into the hood, making Medeia frown.

When she raised her head again, Chezare had disappeared along with Terrence.

No one, not even Peleus, had dared to treat her so mischievously. They either admired Medeia or believed in her schemes and tried to help her.

But Chezare sometimes treated her like an immature child who still needed care. He was the only person who treated her that way.

“Wait here, okay? You can do that, right?”

When he patted her hand and coaxed her affectionately, or when he played childish pranks like now that even a ten-year-old wouldn’t do.

“Ha…!”

Medeia felt both flustered and a surge of emotion.

“Where are you going? The Pitch-Black Forest? More people going to their deaths.”

The innkeeper that Garo found was a middle-aged man with a bushy beard.

Like the greyish village, both the inn and its owner exuded a gloomy atmosphere.

His sunken eyes, haggard face, and long scar on his cheek suggested his harsh life.

“Innkeeper, isn’t that too harsh for big customers who paid extra for their rooms? If you can’t cheer us on, at least don’t curse us.”

“I could fill the entire pier with corpses of people who talked big like you and ended up dead.”

When Garo grumbled lightly, the innkeeper roughly slammed the stew bowl down on the table with a thud.

“Just last month, the evil dragon devastated the village. My son, my elderly mother, even my pregnant wife…”

His eyes wavered with despair and rage.

“They all died coughing up blood after inhaling that beast’s poison. From just one flap of its wings, just from entering that creature’s shadow!”

The innkeeper pointed at the grey sky and let out a scream-like sigh.

“Does this look like a place where life exists? Either way, wretches like us have nowhere else to go, so we remain. Everyone’s just living because they can’t die.”

His tone was filled with resignation.

“This is abandoned land. Even the Holy Kingdom doesn’t dare touch it. If you don’t want to be cursed, stop talking nonsense and hurry back.”

The innkeeper left only the food and walked away, as if his advice ended there.

“Tsk… What am I supposed to say to that…”

Garo scratched his head and glanced at Medeia.

He wondered if she might be upset after hearing the innkeeper’s curse-like words.

“Garo. Remember this well. Evil dragons are created from remnants left by primordial darkness, so entering their shadow allows dark energy to seep in.”

Though she could have been horrified by the innkeeper’s devastating experience with the evil dragon, she instead found clues in it.

“Your limbs become paralyzed and your senses dull, making it feel like you’ve been poisoned. So be especially careful not to step into its shadow. Tell the others too.”

And she handed over a parchment listing the supplies needed for the expedition.

Her characteristically calm expression was no different from when she was at Valdina Palace.

“Your Majesty, I mean, my lord, how do you know that?”

The evil dragon’s poison was something even Garo had only learned about after coming here.

“Did you think I jumped in here without any preparation?”

When Medeia slightly raised the corner of her mouth, Garo was unusually flustered.

“Let the horses rest and gather as much drinking water as possible. We’ll also get the necessary supplies and return, so we’ll see you in a bit.”

Medeia’s group instantly disappeared into the street. Garo made a disgruntled face.

“How is it that they always leave me with all the chores?!”

The village streets were indeed eerie. Even though it was daytime, the fog was so thick you couldn’t tell if the sun was shining.

Most shops had no vendors, let alone stalls, and their doors were locked shut.

“My lord, what are you looking for?”

“A general store.”

Medeia, who had been carefully examining the streets, entered an alley.

As they went through various side paths, they could encounter many more travelers on the roads than before.

After walking for some time, Medeia stopped in front of a dilapidated shop.

“Let’s go here. To avoid unnecessary trouble.”

Creeeeak.

The door opened with a creaking sound.

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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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