The Crown I Will Take From You - Chapter 289

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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 136

“Well, Eleanor… So Her Majesty the Empress… ever since the Empress learned of the Former Empress and His Majesty’s affair, she had long since lost all will to live.”

Lady Tolin was somewhat surprised by the young princess consort who had dared to ask a question no one else could, but she answered honestly.

The relationship between the 1st Prince, his adoptive mother, and his birth mother that no one could easily speak of.

“People say Her Majesty the Empress’s death was because of His Highness Chezare, but it’s actually the opposite. His Highness actually delayed Her Majesty the Empress’s decision.”

The Former Empress was an ambitious woman.

Her relationship with her brother-in-law, Perdickas II, stemmed from cold calculation rather than emotion.

No matter who the father was, if the child born from her womb ascended to the throne, her power would not crumble.

However, before Perdickas II even ascended to the throne, she died of puerperal fever shortly after giving birth to Chezare.

Compared to the grand ambitions she had dreamed of, it was a sudden and futile death that even she could not have anticipated.

“Empress, please take care of this child. You can cherish each other like a real mother and son.”

Perdicas packaged it as something for the wife he had betrayed countless times.

The piercing cries of a child echoing through the Empress’s Palace. Beside it was Eleanor, lost in a daze.

No one cared for the child.

Unless it was murderous intent hoping the child would just die, no one paid any attention to the baby.

One day, two days. It was when the vigorous crying of the child began to grow faint.

The child who had eaten nothing weakly vomited white bile. Eleanor looked down at the child with emotionless eyes.

Despite being a newborn, Eleanor could see traces of her husband in the distinct features.

The beauty of the Former Empress, praised as the century’s greatest beauty on the continent, was also completely melted into the child. Eleanor let out a hollow laugh.

“Their traces are completely embedded in you.”

She reached out her hand. Her hand, dried up like a tree branch, stretched toward the child’s neck.

At that moment, the child’s tiny fingers grasped Eleanor’s index finger.

The child’s golden eyes clearly recognized Eleanor.

She hesitated upon seeing herself reflected in those clear eyes.

Because she realized that being a pitiful life tossed around by them was no different for herself and the child.

At that moment, her desire to kill the child disappeared.

“But she could never love His Highness Chezare either.”

Because as the child grew, he increasingly resembled his parents.

“Keeping His Highness alive—that was the greatest affection the Empress could bestow.”

Lady Tollin gripped her handkerchief tightly.

“And His Highness Chezare… His Highness understood that too. Far, far too early.”

She was the person who witnessed firsthand the first moment when the innocent boy’s eyes, sparkling with love and affection, dimmed.

The moment when expectations of people disappeared and he realized the cold reality that he could rely on no one came to him far too early.

“…”

“He is a lonely person. People say His Highness is heartless and ruthless, but no one knows how vast his affection truly is.”

At least he was different from his father, Perdicas.

Chezare understood his adoptive mother who could not love him, and yet still considered her family.

“After Her Majesty passed away like that… His Highness Chezare used all his strength to protect us. Even though his own power was unstable right after his triumph.”

A member of the imperial family, especially an empress’s suicide, was a disgraceful matter.

Perdickas II felt that his wife had tried to point out his flaws through her death. And that anger extended to the Empress’s maids and even her father’s baron house.

When everyone was keeping quiet about Eleanor’s death while protecting themselves, only Chezare did not turn away.

He defiantly had the Empress’s body interred in the sanctuary and held a grand state funeral.

He rescued the Empress’s maids who were on the verge of execution, and even protected the Empress’s father and Eratosthenes’ disciples, standing against the Emperor’s wrath.

“Even though he incurred His Majesty’s anger and the Crown Prince’s faction fiercely opposed it, His Highness never bent his will until the end.”

Even though the triumph he had risked his life to achieve came to nothing, Chezare did not back down.

As if it were his duty to give Eleanor, who had endured being a bastard’s child all her life, her due.

“Those His Highness considered family pushed him away, while those who wanted to use His Highness obsessed over his bloodline. The capricious His Majesty became increasingly wary of his son as His Highness matured.”

In a growing environment where there was nowhere to place his heart, with constant threats of assassination targeting his life.

Chezare becoming cold toward people was an all too natural progression.

But Lady Tollin still could not erase the lingering image of the boy who once craved affection.

Even Eleanor, his adoptive mother whom he considered his only family, could never fully accept him in the end.

The warmth Chezare had offered was never returned by anyone.

“…”

Wrinkled hands grasped Medeia’s hands.

The world was shocked to see the ruthless 1st Prince freely showering affection on his consort, but only Lady Tollin was completely overjoyed.

“But now that His Highness finally has true family, nothing could make me happier.”

Because now, in any storm of this world, he would no longer be alone.

* * *

Darkness was settling dimly.

Medeia looked up at the sky. The first day since arriving in Kazen was ending like any other day.

“Your Highness. His Lordship said his work would run late and his return would be delayed, so please retire to bed first.”

Even when night had completely covered the world in black, Chezare had not yet returned.

The bed for two was so large and wide that it would overflow even if Medeia lay alone and rolled around on it.

“But now that His Highness finally has true family, nothing could make me happier.”

Toward the old lady who could not hide her joy and relief, Medeia could not bring herself to say it.

That this marriage was not real, and that she too was someone who would have to leave his side someday.

When you cross this ice wall that others cannot easily approach, you finally learn. The Chezare Kazen the world speaks of is not a heartless, ruthless monster.

Rather, he strives to maintain his own goodness.

He repays grudges tenfold, but he also gives his all to repay the kindness he receives by the same measure.

Just as he fulfilled his duty as a son to his adoptive mother who harbored mixed feelings of love and hate toward him, Chezare also gave his heart to Medeia, who had saved him from his time-limited fate.

But this affectionate man would not receive his love in return.

Medeia could neither love him nor stay by his side for a lifetime.

Though she was not unaware of this fact, she had never felt as selfish as she did today.

“His Highness is a lonely person.”

Medeia’s memories from three years ago came back hazily.

His figure facing Kazen in her place during the confrontation with the 4th Princess,

And finding her when she had hidden in the hunting grounds.

Chezare had been there throughout the times when Medeia had struggled.

When she felt most alone,

At the very moment when she could trust no one in the world and repeated to herself that only she could bear this burden.

“Is that why you didn’t abandon me?”

In Medeia, who had nowhere to belong,

Perhaps he had seen his own childhood self who had been unwanted.

The cold wind blowing through the glass window scattered Medeia’s hair.

Kazen’s night wind was much colder than Valdina’s. It wasn’t just because of the temperature.

The ruthless coldness of this land, which had been painfully lonely and harsh, remained vivid in Medeia’s memory.

How long had he, that boy who was still young then, endured alone in this desolate place?

Medeia unconsciously rose from her seat and paced by the window.

All that could be seen beyond the window was black darkness. Chezare had not yet returned.

Somehow she felt unbearably empty.

Medeia wandered aimlessly around the bedroom and unconsciously stepped into Chezare’s space.

Several items on the desk looked familiar.

The dagger he used to spin in his hands or throw to Garo. The tie pin attached to his smooth clothes. The sachet emanating musk.

Within arm’s reach, the things he used daily were carelessly scattered about.

They were all the finest quality, gleaming. Like new things, cold as if no one’s hands had touched them.

Then Medeia paused at something that caught her casual glance.

It was a small ring hanging on a necklace chain.

“…Eleanor.”

Medeia read the name engraved on the ring.

It had belonged to the dead Empress.

The only trace left behind in the room of a man who places no meaning on material possessions.

And it was placed within arm’s reach, where he could touch it anytime.

‘This must be his way of remembering Mother.’

Medeia carefully set the ring back down.

Even after I leave, will Chezare remember me like this?

Will something touched by my hands remain somewhere in this cold and indifferent space?

She didn’t want to leave scars in his heart like the dead empress had.

“….”

Even so, Medeia swallowed a silent sigh as she became aware of her contradictory self—hoping that someday, even just occasionally, her image would cross through his memories.

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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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