The Crown I Will Take From You - Chapter 306
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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 153
Meanwhile, the knight who left the tavern drew in a wet breath.
He staggered out of the tavern pretending to be drunk, then stopped walking when he reached the street next to the tavern.
“I’ve taken it.”
Then he spoke with a grimace toward the darkness of an alley without a single ray of light.
“I did as you ordered, so now please…”
“Since you might change your mind halfway through, we’ll keep your mother with us until the birthday celebration ends.”
“Didn’t you say I just needed to deliver the sword?!”
The knight rushed forward explosively. However, in a flash,
he was on the ground with his head trampled.
There were several hidden in the darkness, and they were strong.
Something was thrown in front of his face with a thud. It was cut hair.
“Do it properly, or next time you’ll see your mother’s finger.”
“Ugh—!”
The vivid anger in his bloodshot eyes and suppressed screams were buried in the darkness.
* * *
Crown Prince’s Palace.
“As I thought, I knew I’d seen it somewhere…”
Medeia, standing in Chezare’s space, reached her hand toward the table.
A piece of deer antler placed next to where the Empress’s ring hung.
Unlike the Investigator’s, this one was quite worn with handling.
Medeia examined the deer antler piece closely.
From its smooth surface yet crude shape, it seemed to have been carved directly by someone who wasn’t a professional.
“About that young man you asked me to investigate. He’s an investigator that Duke Eratosthenes keeps with him.”
Kensington, who had followed her in, answered instead.
“Eratosthenes?”
Chezare’s maternal grandfather?
“Yes. That’s correct.”
“…”
Kensington waited for his master’s next words.
However, Medeia stared down at the wooden piece for a while, then turned around.
“Did you find the person I mentioned?”
“Yes. We’ve located them. I’ve sent the foxes, so there should be contact soon.”
Medeia’s beautiful eyelashes blinked with satisfaction.
‘I expected it would take quite some time to find out, but this is surprising.’
What had taken several years in her past life was accelerated by using the power of the Red Foxes spread across the entire continent.
“Good. As soon as it’s confirmed, have them brought to Kazen.”
She turned and left Chezare’s space, heading toward Kensington.
“And about the Marquis’s ally who’s said to be by the Queen Mother’s side.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
<Among the close maids serving the Queen Mother, there’s one of my subordinates. Rather than a subordinate, she’s more like a sister I grew up with, someone I’ve been with since before creating the Red Foxes. She’s loyal enough to have remained for my revenge even after I left.>
<The Queen Mother still doesn’t know she’s your person?>
<Yes. We’ve been together since long before the Queen Mother entered the palace.>
“Does she still want to remain in the Kazen Royal Family?”
Following behind Medeia, Kensington swallowed a sigh.
“How could she? After seeing my downfall, she’s had enough of the royal family. How could she want to stay longer? However, she was waiting for the right moment and ended up staying this long.”
“Good. Then, I’d like to help that person.”
Medeia pointed to the table.
Kensington’s eyes fell on a longsword wrapped in long black cloth placed on the round table.
“This is…”
“The Queen Mother happened to invite me first.”
“Invite… you?”
Did I receive a report about the Western Palace holding a banquet?
To the hesitating Kensington, Medeia kindly provided the answer by twisting the sword’s hilt.
With a refreshing click, a small opening between the hilt parts opened wide.
Soon, crumpled parchment spilled out from within.
It was a secret letter with tiny writing densely packed on it.
“Menil brought it. It seems the Queen Mother’s target isn’t me this time.”
“How is targeting Your Highness’s subordinate not the same as targeting Your Highness, no matter how she pretends otherwise?”
Kensington let out a hollow laugh as if incredulous. His composed face turned red with anger.
How long had it been since the Dowager Empress incident? He wanted to immediately execute those who were constantly plotting wicked schemes against his master without rest.
“It’s fine, it’s not like we didn’t expect this, right?”
Medeia shrugged lightly.
“We happen to have something prepared for the Queen Mother too, so let’s try using it this time.”
Medeia raised the corners of her mouth.
“After all, the best policy for gifts is to give and receive them.”
* * *
Time flew by like an arrow.
The end of spring filled with flower scents had disappeared, and before long, lush greenery covered the Capital City.
Kazen Imperial Palace.
However, Perdickas II seemed completely unmoved by summer’s vibrant green and coldly threw down documents.
“These bastards dared to engage in such filthy collusion on my land.”
The report stated that Kazen’s nobles had avoided land taxes by registering their territories under commoners’ names in disguise.
Their shameless behavior was already spreading actively beyond Kazen’s Capital City to various parts of the Empire.
“And you idiots didn’t even notice until he brazenly found and brought this!”
And the one who brought ‘this’ was Chezare.
The Emperor, his pride wounded, instead lashed out at his vassals.
“You useless fools. My precious imperial funds that I put in your mouths are wasted.”
The vassals bowed their heads before the Emperor who was pressing his temples.
They held even their breath and cold sweat flowed down their backs.
The Imperial Overseer bowed his head deeply.
“We apologize. Most are great nobles who manage their territories exclusively, making inspection difficult without imperial command…”
He felt wronged too.
Great nobles were difficult for someone like him, an ordinary official, to even approach easily, so how could he know what they were doing behind those high walls?
“You bastard, just because you have a mouth doesn’t mean you should…!”
“Father, while it’s not a crime serious enough to take lives, it’s a good opportunity to fill Father’s treasury. There’s no need to eliminate many—just remove one as an example.”
Chezare spoke. His languid voice unusually carried a sense of vigor.
“Let this son handle Father’s burden. How about… the Duke of the North?”
A moderately large target, perfect for breaking a rising power and showing the Emperor’s strength.
However, those in the know clicked their tongues inwardly.
Of all the many high nobles in Kazen, why would the First Prince specifically target the Duke of the North?
After the recent incident at the Dowager Empress’s tea party where the Duke of North’s daughter insulted the First Prince’s Wife, he was clearly planning to exact proper payment.
Meanwhile, the Emperor’s frowning face relaxed slightly at Chezare’s words.
“…”
The Emperor’s aged voice, which should have been raging about his son’s impudence by now, was strangely absent.
The smile on his lips deepened.
Chezare knew that if it was something that could fill his father’s pockets, he wouldn’t mind even if it meant taking from his vassals.
‘No matter how much Father hates me, he won’t kick away profit himself.’
He alternated between whip and carrot, precariously crossing the line of what the Emperor could tolerate.
So he was confident that his father would move according to his will.
At that moment,
“The First Prince continues to overstep His Majesty’s authority. How dare you presume to arbitrarily oversee the punishment of a vassal’s private matters?”
A blade-like voice cut through the air.
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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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