The Crown I Will Take From You - Chapter 321

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————

Part 2, Chapter 168

* * *

Central Temple.

Pope Benedict, who had entered his office, removed his miter.

Cold sweat that had flowed down his forehead seeped into his white beard.

“The Oracle Chamber is sealed and difficult to stay in for long periods. Yet you’ve been there for so long… Your Holiness, are you aware that you’ve been going there too frequently lately?”

High Priest Anastasia, who had followed behind, draped a thick blanket over the Pope’s shoulders.

Then, hesitating as she moved her lips, she asked carefully.

“By any chance, is this related to sending the Captain of the Temple Knights outside the Holy Kingdom?”

The Pope remained silent for a while without answering.

Then finally, he quietly nodded his head.

“…It’s just that there’s something that keeps bothering me.”

The Pope muttered as he slowly sat down in his chair.

“In the history of the continent, has the Goddess ever given two messages in one oracle…”

The second oracle that appeared with a time gap after the first oracle to make Medeia the bride of the Evil Dragon.

‘Moreover, I learned today that the bottom of the stone tablet is cracked very slightly.’

That fact kept lingering in his mind like a thorn.

So he had Captain of the Temple Knights Leonor secretly investigate whether there were such precedents.

At the ancient sanctuary where the oracle was carved, the place where the stone tablet now in the Oracle Chamber was first moved from.

“But isn’t it too much to have only Count Theodor accompany him instead of the entire Temple Knights? With just two people, it will take a long time.”

“This is something no one should know about.”

The Pope’s sigh flowed low.

“If it becomes known that we’re doubting the Goddess’s words, the entire Old Church could be shaken.”

Deep fatigue settled on his wrinkled face.

He pulled the blanket closer as he concluded.

“Leave this matter to me and go bring the agenda items. I was in the Oracle Chamber too long today, so work must have piled up.”

But Anastasia shook her head.

“Your Holiness, it’s time for you to sleep. If you overwork yourself like this, you won’t be able to endure it.”

She knew better than anyone how much burden the Pope was currently carrying.

After it was revealed that Rachel was a False Saint, he had worked hard to weed out corrupt priests on a large scale and revive the temple that had become complacent.

Though it was a short time, countless people had been replaced.

However, not everyone welcomed the wind of reform that had permeated the temple.

The common believers welcomed the purified temple.

But conversely, the dissatisfaction of nobles and priests was growing day by day.

“In that case… wouldn’t it be better to advance Rachel’s execution and show it to the world? Then Lady Medeia would also withdraw her anger and return to us again…”

“It’s not anger that will subside with just that much.”

Pope Benedict shook his head.

The choice of the proxy not to return to the temple stemmed from very long ago.

From when they pushed her into the oracle, blinded by greed and glory.

“Then what should we do? Even among the high priests, voices of anxiety are growing daily, wondering if the Saint has abandoned the Old Church entirely.”

“Well. Even this old man doesn’t know. You should go to sleep now.”

Left alone, the Pope couldn’t fall asleep late into the night.

“Still, there’s no choice. I can only do my best to protect the Old Church during my tenure.”

Even if the Goddess shows the end of this faith, he must live without a single shame as Her servant until that final day.

“I must do what I can.”

Benedict knelt while grasping his rosary.

The statue of the Goddess placed in the prayer alcove prepared in one corner of the Pope’s room looked down at him.

‘I don’t know how far this old body will allow me to go, but-‘

Knock knock.

Just then, there was a sound of knocking on the door.

“High Priest Baoro? What brings you here at this late hour?”

“I’m sorry, Your Holiness. I know it’s rude, but…”

Paollo’s face was flushed red and he was even panting. There was even a strong smell of alcohol. The Pope swallowed a silent sigh.

“High Priest, do not forget your duty. This is the last advice I can give you.”

“I know, Your Holiness. What sin I have committed.”

Paollo answered urgently.

“That’s why I came. I want to make a confession. I want to confess all the rudeness and sins I committed against Saint Medeia and be reborn as clean as new.”

“…”

The Pope quietly gazed at Paollo as if gauging his sincerity.

“It’s true, Your Holiness.”

“If it’s confession, you could do it in the confessional after dawn tomorrow.”

“But then there will be people…”

Paollo trailed off and fidgeted.

“I’m sorry. If my confession becomes known… my dignity as a High Priest…”

In other words, he was embarrassed about being caught making confession.

Since he still couldn’t cast off worldly vanity, how effective would that confession be?

However, seeing Paollo’s trembling hands and the teardrops falling between his beard, the Pope had no choice but to swallow his sigh.

“…I understand. Please come in.”

The room was still cluttered with traces of prayer.

The Pope turned his back to Paollo, who was entering hesitantly, and opened the drawer of the altar.

“There should be a new stole here…”

A shadow briefly fell over his hands as he opened the altar drawer while kneeling.

“High Priest Baoro?”

“Your Holiness, I’m sorry. But,”

He raised his head.

Paollo’s mouth, shedding tears, was strangely twisted.

“This is all for the temple and the Goddess. I can no longer stand to watch Your Holiness’s blind state.”

Clatter.

An empty bottle fell to the floor.

* * *

1st Prince Cazen’s Palace.

The vassals of the 1st Prince’s faction gathered in the long oval conference room.

At the head of the conference table sat the 1st Prince couple, Chezare and Medeia.

“Alfred, so Prince Calais eventually returned to his home country.”

“Seeing how the ship departed right at dawn the day after he came out of the tower, it seems Count Montfort, the Queen Mother’s father, had some influence.”

“Duke Dong also rose from his sickbed when news of his granddaughter the 4th Princess’s repatriation spread. Though he hasn’t recovered enough to move around yet.”

Reports from the 1st Prince faction’s vassals continued.

“There’s considerable internal resistance to appointing Countess Olkein Delgano, the Dowager Empress’s sister-in-law, as Maid Supervisor and replacing the Queen Mother’s people in the inner palace. They’re also saying that the recent demotion of Count Beaumont, husband of Countess Beaumont who is the Dowager Empress’s close associate, for corruption was also the 3rd Prince faction’s doing.”

The Queen Mother and Dowager Empress, along with their children the 3rd Prince and 4th Princess, were clashing.

The 4th Princess faction, as if bursting with anger accumulated from being miserably suppressed, took this opportunity to attack the 3rd Prince faction indiscriminately.

The 3rd Prince faction, who had no intention of meekly handing over leadership despite the Queen Mother’s downfall, was also counterattacking with equal intensity.

“Thanks to that, our side is passing through relatively peacefully.”

Since the Queen Mother was confined in the tower, the 3rd Prince’s side seemed to have decided to focus on somehow protecting the power they would lose as a result,

rather than pursuing the cause.

“The imperial palace is in chaos because of the two factions, but this is the first time we’ve been so leisurely.”

A 1st Prince’s retainer finished his report with a grin, then immediately added.

“And there were those within the 3rd Prince faction who expressed their desire to join our side.”

As the Queen Mother’s rescue seemed distant, those who wanted to abandon the sinking ship first appeared.

What was surprising was that the ship they wanted to transfer to was the 1st Prince’s, whom they had always feared greatly and never even glanced at.

“…”

Medeia, listening to the report, remained expressionless.

‘How can Her Majesty remain so composed?’

They clicked their tongues in amazement.

The retainers of the First Prince’s faction inwardly breathed sighs of relief.

Despite once being shunned by all the imperial consorts and ignored by everyone, the name most frequently mentioned in Kazen’s social circles now was the First Prince’s Wife, Medeia.

“Your Majesty, do you perhaps have any other insights?”

The cautious voice and the retainer’s bowing posture were quite respectful.

With the management of secret funds already in the First Prince’s Wife’s hands, she had now clearly demonstrated her capabilities as well.

Her coldly composed face seemed like the other side of a kingmaker, leaving no reason not to bow one’s head before her.

“Thanks to Your Majesty, our First Prince’s faction’s position has become even more solid.”

“Once the Third Prince falls as well, the crown prince position will surely belong to our lord!”

Excited praise spread throughout the meeting hall like wildfire.

“Premature expectations are still forbidden. We have a fatal weakness that prevents the crown prince position from falling into our hands.”

At that moment, Duke Leniar’s grave voice cut through the rising hopeful atmosphere.

“When His Majesty despises the First Prince so much, would he willingly hand over the position?”

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————