The Crown I Will Take From You - Chapter 318

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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 165

“Your Majesty, how can you do this? Don’t you know better than anyone how sincere Catherine was to Your Majesty…!”

Even Count Montfort, who had always bowed to the Emperor’s every wish, could not bear such heartless treatment and raised his voice.

However, Juan, the Queen Mother’s son, was fortunately a bit more seasoned than his maternal grandfather.

“Father, I will only follow Father’s commands.”

Juan prostrated himself flat before the Emperor.

Even though he had just watched his mother being dragged from the tower,

his smooth face showed not a trace of resentment toward his father.

‘Father suspects me too. I can’t let myself be cast out as well.’

Thinking of his mother who would be imprisoned indefinitely in that cold, filthy prison made his heart feel like it would tear apart.

But for now, loosening his father’s guard came first.

‘When I become Emperor, I will surely compensate Mother for all this bitter suffering she endured.’

And revenge on those bastards who made Mother like this as well.

‘Then I’ll devour them all, bones and all. You too, Chezare, and that daughter of Valdina.’

“I also beg forgiveness for disturbing Father’s mood.”

Juan still appeared full of respect and love for his father.

“Are you truly saying you knew nothing at all?”

“I’m sorry, Father. There were many things Mother didn’t tell me…”

‘I can’t show a panicked appearance like at the banquet that day.’

From Juan’s position, he had to prove his innocence somehow and plan for what came next.

However, the problem was that this very appearance looked even more dangerous to Perdickas II.

“Withdraw.”

“Father, if I have somehow angered you, please forgive me—”

“Don’t make me say it twice.”

The 3rd Prince was ultimately sent away as if being chased out.

Perdickas II pressed his throbbing forehead.

“These children are all black-hearted, every one of them.”

Was it normal to react like that when his mother had become so miserable?

It only added credibility to the suspicion that all of 3rd Prince Juan’s words that had pleased the Emperor until now were not truth but flattery.

“Chezare, that bastard is too dangerous, and Juan, this one can no longer be trusted either…”

Perdickas II felt suffocated as if completely blocked up.

Seeing children whose intentions he couldn’t read, wrapped in layers of schemes, he absolutely couldn’t feel at ease.

Especially his antipathy toward Juan made Perdickas II even more furious.

“What good does it do to flatter with sweet words? Hiding his true feelings like that, who knows how he might place a knife behind my back.”

If Juan wasn’t his own child.

He couldn’t put a cuckoo on his imperial throne.

“It would be better to have everything revealed like Angelique, even if she says unpleasant things.”

At that moment, as if a light went on in his head, he remembered the daughter he had forgotten.

The child who had been arrogant and haughty, becoming a troublemaker at some point.

“Yes! Then I’ll disappear from Father’s sight! I’ll leave the imperial palace!”

“Aah! Do you really want to see me bite my tongue and die! Being tied to those beggars on paper is enough!”

However, that also meant her heart could be easily read.

Angelique hid nothing, and so was foolish enough to have her heart easily seen through.

She didn’t fear Perdickas II.

So she spoke carelessly. Unable to hold back, she threw tantrums as she pleased.

‘That’s why she even fell for the damned Valdina bastards’ tricks.’

However, the character flaws that had gotten Angelique banished now,

to the Emperor who was extremely wary of his remaining children’s inscrutability, actually became advantages instead.

Rather than his inscrutable sons, Perdickas II found himself missing his foolish daughter who was predictable and couldn’t escape the palm of his hand.

Briefly, enough to forget his existing resentment.

“Head Servant.”

The Emperor turned around.

“Tell Angelique to return to the capital.”

* * *

“Did you hear the news? The 4th Princess is returning from exile!”

“Of course! How much is the capital buzzing right now? His Majesty even ordered a new 4th Princess Palace to be built.”

Then a certain noblewoman shot back primly.

“Hmph, is the capital buzzing only because of the 4th Princess? It’s because the Queen Mother was moved to prison.”

“I thought the Queen Mother would somehow make a comeback, but looking at how things are going now, it seems difficult.”

Coincidentally, the 4th Princess’s return and the Queen Mother’s imprisonment happened around the same time.

Everywhere in Cazen, gossips couldn’t stop talking about this situation where the imperial consorts’ positions had been reversed in an instant.

“The Dowager Empress’s sister-in-law is meeting with vassals again. Perhaps the scattered 4th Princess faction will regroup.”

“Would Count Montfort—no, the Viscount he’s become now—just sit and watch that happen? Even now they say he’s clashing with the 3rd Prince faction’s vassals at every turn.”

As the 3rd Prince faction faced unexpected turmoil and the 4th Princess faction discovered new hope, they clashed fiercely, making Cazen’s capital more tumultuous than ever.

However, as if not included in that turbulence, only the 1st Prince’s separate palace remained quiet.

Saya asked cautiously.

“Then Your Highness, did the Queen Mother really… have an affair with that Duke?”

If that were true, it would make sense that Medeia had secretly summoned the Duke to Cazen during the Emperor’s birthday celebration.

“If that’s the case, this place Cazen isn’t much different from our Valdina.”

Saya recalled the previous case of Catherine Claudio, who had raised Virna, a bastard born from adultery, as the daughter of Prince Claudio’s house.

She had already witnessed firsthand how much ugly truth nobles hid behind their glamorous facades.

So she suspected this incident might be such a case as well.

“No. The Queen Mother is different from Aunt.”

Medeia shook her head.

“She has quite a bit of pride, so she wouldn’t do anything shameful to herself. Her self-respect is very strong.”

Juan was indeed Perdickas II’s legitimate son.

So the Queen Mother would have no choice but to burst with even more indignation.

Having been mercilessly dragged down from the sweet pinnacle of power she had enjoyed, all for something she didn’t even do.

“By now she would have roughly figured it out. How I moved my hand. And probably… she wants to kill.”

“You, Your Highness?”

“Me, and him too.”

Reunions don’t always contain only longing.

It was as Medeia expected.

Late at night, inside Cazen’s imperial prison shrouded in silent darkness.

The Queen Mother was gripped more by rage than by the joy of meeting an old love.

“…You shouldn’t have come!”

A secret visitor appeared in the prison where entry was strictly controlled under Perdickas II’s stern orders.

Just by risking his life to come here right under the Emperor’s nose, one could guess how specially he regarded the prisoner behind bars.

To him who had overcome difficult barriers and barely found the Queen Mother, she showed eyes of hatred, not joy.

“That day, wasn’t it enough to drop me into the abyss? Did you come again?”

Since it was a prison for royalty, it wasn’t as filthy and miserable as an ordinary prison.

Perhaps because of that, the Queen Mother’s face had only become more gaunt and pale.

But still, a prison. It was enough to tear the arrogant Queen Mother’s pride to shreds.

So when she saw the old acquaintance who had struggled to break through the barriers to find her, scowling came before gladness.

“…Catherine. It’s been twenty years. Twenty years since we met, and that’s all you have to say to me…?”

In Alfred’s eyes, disappointment had now spread beyond into lamentation.

“For the sake of a man who merely made you this miserable?”

“Exactly!”

The Queen Mother let out a suppressed shout.

“Why did you come at all! You said you’d never come again, so why did you come to push me to this cliff…”

“Why did you come, you ask.”

Alfred looked bewildered.

“Catherine, you called for me.”

“I called for you…?”

“You sent word first, so I—”

He couldn’t continue speaking.

The Queen Mother seemed not to hear even those words, letting out a hollow breath.

“…You set the trap quite well, Medeia. You’ve bound me up completely.”

Traces of the Red Fox Clan discovered in the traitorous maid’s room.

Evidence that would arouse the Emperor’s suspicion had piled up meticulously, leaving no room for error.

None of it could be cleanly resolved, so regaining the Emperor’s trust would be a distant prospect.

The Queen Mother gritted her teeth. Her bloodshot chin trembled violently.

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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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