The Crown I Will Take From You - Chapter 296
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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 143
As if he couldn’t hear her, he crumpled his massive body and buried his head even deeper into Medeia’s shoulder.
He looked like a large hunting dog that snuggled into its master’s embrace without considering its own size, so Medeia carefully extended her arm and patted his back again.
But his torso was so thick that she could only manage to pat his shoulder blade.
“Listen. You don’t need to worry about me so much. You don’t need to apologize either.”
Medeia whispered quietly to him.
“You do what you need to do. I’ll do what I need to do.”
‘To strike at the Third Prince, I’ll need to remove the Queen Mother first.’
As long as the Queen Mother’s protection exists, Third Prince Juan won’t fall.
“Are you listening?”
“…”
“Chezare?”
While Medeia was making plans for the future, Chezare held her even tighter instead of answering.
“If you’re feeling better now, then stop—”
“I don’t want to.”
In the distance, Medeia saw the palace servants who were about to enter the garden startle at the sight of Chezare and turn away, so she whispered softly, but the arms holding her showed no intention of letting go.
Sulkiness spread across his sculpted face.
When had she offered such calm and affectionate comfort, and what should he do about this lovely person who spoke so indifferently?
* * *
Meanwhile, after the Medeia couple left,
“Father, I will practice diligently and surely convey Father’s teachings to my brother.”
“…”
Perdickas did not answer.
His gaze was fixed on the Queen Mother, the Third Prince’s mother, beyond the Third Prince himself.
“Father?”
The Emperor took a step back from the Queen Mother. He didn’t forget to shake off Juan’s hand either.
The Queen Mother read the distrust that flashed in her husband’s bloodshot eyes and approached urgently.
“Third Prince. Do you intend to further disturb His Majesty’s heart with your lacking skills? Haven’t you learned from watching what the First Prince does?”
She scolded Juan while blocking the Emperor’s view.
Then she tried to divert the Emperor’s attention by bringing up Chezare’s presence again, but,
“…Queen Mother, now that I think about it, Count Montfort seems too young to lead the venerable Senate.”
Perdickas II suddenly made an unexpected remark.
“Father? What do you suddenly mean by that? Grandfather is also the same age as the other elders—”
The Queen Mother hurriedly cut off her son’s words.
“Of course, Your Majesty. Since Father has always been concerned about that point, he would be able to step down from his important position using Your Majesty’s wisdom as an excuse.”
The Queen Mother bit her cheek firmly.
‘The First Prince’s wife’s tongue is truly wicked.’
Not only had she turned the Emperor’s anger toward her husband into suspicion toward their mother and son with her three-inch tongue, but she had also broken the momentum of the Third Prince faction that had been advancing like splitting bamboo.
When the Queen Mother showed a submissive attitude, even if forced, the Emperor finally nodded with satisfaction.
‘I must withdraw before the fire spreads to Juan as well.’
“Then, we mother and son will withdraw now.”
“…Do so.”
Unlike when he had detained them just moments before, an order to leave was immediately issued.
It was proof that suspicion had taken root in Perdickas II’s heart.
As soon as they left the Imperial Palace, Juan asked as if he had been waiting.
“Why did you meekly accept Father’s whim? You know how much Grandfather has been looking forward to the chairman election day—”
“If I had done that, His Majesty would have suspected you and me as well. The moment we cross that line once, all the trust we’ve built up until now would disappear, and we too would be treated the same as Chezare.”
Perdickas II’s paranoia knows no reason or person.
While she had brought in others to sow discord and use them as shields, this was the first time she had been on the opposite side.
The Queen Mother nervously touched her neck. It felt stuffy as if her throat was completely blocked.
The effect of fawning by the Emperor’s side all day was nowhere to be found.
Not only had she lowered her tail to the detestable First Prince couple, but she had also lost the Senate chairman position that her father had been eagerly awaiting.
Rising with anger, the Queen Mother staggered while holding her forehead.
“Mother!”
“I’m fine. I was just dizzy for a moment.”
Juan looked at his mother with concern.
“It’s because you’ve been too stressed about Father and Chezare. That bastard Chezare instigated Father…”
He recalled the scene from earlier when Chezare had split his arrow in one shot and easily broken even the thick arrow shaft.
‘That inhuman bastard. I can’t let such a monster sit on the sacred imperial throne.’
Juan shuddered but twisted his expression.
“No. No.”
Then, the Queen Mother waved her hand.
“That’s not it…”
Juan looked curious about what she meant by “that’s not it.”
But instead of answering her precious son’s words, the Queen Mother thought quietly and then moved her steps somewhere.
“Moth… Ah. Your Majesty the Dowager Empress.”
Juan, who had been following his mother in confusion, quickly straightened his body and bowed slightly.
“Yes, Juan. It’s been a while.”
The Dowager Empress nodded somewhat indifferently.
She was even more fresh and beautiful under the sunlight.
She was so alluring that it was hard to believe she had a grown daughter, and her pale skin had a rosy complexion.
“You must have been on your way to see His Majesty, Dowager Empress?”
The Queen Mother spoke first. The Dowager Empress did not answer.
Recently, the Emperor had been noticeably calling for the Third Prince, so she was deliberately going to see the Emperor, worried that her banished daughter Angelique might be forgotten.
“The First Prince and his wife just left, so the timing isn’t good. You should withdraw and come another time. I’m saying this for your sake, Dowager Empress.”
“How would the Queen Mother know that?”
The Dowager Empress’s voice was quite sharp.
“Since His Majesty has been tired from teaching our Juan archery since early morning. Besides, won’t he naturally come looking for you in the evening anyway?”
It was a remark that belittled the Emperor’s favor that the Dowager Empress was proud of.
When the Queen Mother scratched her insides with an indifferent face, the Dowager Empress didn’t back down either.
“The Queen Mother should also be visited, but no matter how much I plead with His Majesty, he should listen. I told him he can’t always stay only in the Eastern Palace because others are watching…”
“It’s fine.”
The Queen Mother answered indifferently. Her tone was even more blunt than usual.
“Dowager Empress, continue to live receiving only affection like that. Since your daughter will never rule the Empire anyway, you should at least enjoy these sunny flower days.”
What was there to envy about a life of controlling an old man going mad with paranoia?
The thought that she would feel jealous was even naive.
The Queen Mother looked at the Dowager Empress who was burning with anger and recalled the always noble Empress.
“However, you should be prepared. The First Prince’s wife is quite clever. You’ll have to remain in this palace for a long time with His Majesty’s favor, but you can’t be pushed around by a child who just arrived. You haven’t forgotten how the Fourth Princess was treated in Valdina, have you, as her mother.”
“…”
The Queen Mother looked toward some distant, vast place as if she hadn’t seen the Dowager Empress clench her fists.
“Oh, is Angelique adapting well?”
“…”
“Since she’ll have to stay there for the rest of her life, she should give up her attachment to the palace and get her mind straight as soon as possible.”
The Queen Mother smiled slightly. It was the first gentle smile she had shown.
“Thank you. I’m so grateful for that concern that I don’t know what to do with myself. I’ll never forget the Queen Mother’s concern.”
The Dowager Empress left the place with a reddened face.
She was so angry that she forgot to receive Juan’s greeting as an elder and just turned around and left.
As if revealing her state of mind, the hem of her gorgeous dress rippled violently.
“Why did you say that much? What if the Dowager Empress gets angry and asks Father for Angelique’s return?”
Juan asked with slightly worried eyes.
Even though the Dowager Empress’s power has weakened, pillow talk still cannot be ignored.
“That’s enough. Even that fool knows how to read the room. Right now, with Angelique having been gone for so long from His Majesty’s heart, she knows that bringing up that child would make even her existing favor disappear, so how could she do such a thing.”
“…But this isn’t like you, Mother.”
Wasn’t the Queen Mother someone who found it utterly preposterous to even argue back against the Dowager Empress?
“Juan. Sometimes even the heavens must lower themselves to match the earth’s level.”
The Queen Mother smiled and spoke slowly as if teaching a child.
She raised her hand and pointed far away at the Dowager Empress, who had been huffing and walking away but suddenly stopped in her tracks.
Her index finger drew a straight line through the air. It was in the direction the Dowager Empress was looking.
There, in the garden, was an affectionate couple embracing each other.
The First Prince’s Wife could be seen nestled perfectly in her husband’s strong arms.
“She’s someone who will pluck flowers in my place, so I should show at least this much sincerity.”
Like the cold smile on her lips, the bright sky spread out in deep blue.
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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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