The Crown I Will Take From You - Chapter 327

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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 174

‘Was this Chezare’s line in the sand?’

He was an arrogant person who had never once been anyone’s puppet, nor ever considered becoming one.

So she knew he would feel aversion to being used as a chess piece to orchestrate dramatic situations.

It wasn’t that she hadn’t anticipated this reaction,

‘But I didn’t think he would cut us off so cleanly without any lingering attachment.’

Me, us.

“….”

Somehow, she felt heartbroken.

Perhaps she had vaguely believed that he would understand.

She had hoped in vain.

He had always acted as if he could read her mind, whatever it was, whenever it was, so this time too.

“…You said all I had to do was stay by your side.”

Alone in the vast bedroom, aimless words slipped out.

The sound was too quiet for anyone behind the door to hear.

“You don’t have to love me.”

“Dea, just stay here. By my side.”

“I wanted to give back to you….”

So I did what I do best.

Since I couldn’t give you affection, I thought I could give you a crown instead,

Then I thought I wouldn’t have to feel sorry about your heart that I couldn’t return.

But if you despise me like this,

What am I supposed to do now?

Medeia clenched her fists.

Realizing her eyes were growing hot without her knowing, she let out a hollow laugh.

“When did I become so weak?”

What’s so important about him being disappointed?

“You’re the one who forced something I didn’t even want into my hands.”

Medeia wiped away her tears.

She lifted her chin and glared at the tightly closed door once more.

The tsunami that had been swaying in her green eyes was soon swallowed by dark magic and forcibly calmed.

It was when she fell asleep while resentfully glaring at the door that wouldn’t open, as if it were Chezare himself.

“Ah!”

Medeia gripped the sheets and snapped her eyes open.

She had dreamed an ominous dream of a golden tower filled with crimson flames collapsing over Chezare.

The air was cold, and the sky outside the window was still dark.

“Neigh!”

It was then.

At the sound of horse neighing from somewhere, Medeia approached the window as if enchanted.

Torches were lit throughout the courtyard.

And she could see Garo and the mercenaries of Facade filling the courtyard, along with the First Prince’s army in black armor.

“…Did you pack?….”

“Now…, …until.”

Fragmented murmurs reached Medeia at the window.

The horses were loaded with weapons and provisions. They seemed ready to depart somewhere.

“…Chezare.”

When she spotted the black horse at the very front, Medeia hastily threw on a robe and rushed down to the courtyard.

“Chezare!”

Among the knights, Chezare looked up.

He jumped down from his black horse and walked toward Medeia, then immediately frowned.

“I said not to wake her, who—”

“Are you leaving?”

Medeia cut off his words and asked incoherently.

“Where to?”

Chezare hesitated for a moment.

However, perhaps reading the impatient look on her face, he obediently answered.

“…The Golden Tower, we found the Black Mages’ stronghold. They’re constantly moving, so we need to act before the coordinates change. We have to leave now.”

The Golden Tower.

For a moment, Medeia’s shoulders trembled.

It was because she remembered the ominous dream she had just had.

“Where? Where is the Golden Tower?”

“….”

This time he didn’t answer. Medeia realized why.

“Are you worried I’ll interfere again?”

“We’ll return immediately after striking their main base. It won’t take long.”

Though it was meant to reassure Medeia, his intention not to bring her along on this mission was clear.

From behind, Terrence’s voice could be heard urging him that the teleportation formation was complete.

Chezare looked down at Medeia for a moment.

His golden gaze passed over her cheeks and lips, pale in the night air, as if caressing her.

“…I’m sorry for being selfish, Dea.”

With a brief apology, he leaned down to kiss her cheek but stopped and pulled back.

As if he realized that even that kiss would be selfishly imposing his will.

Instead, he draped his coat over Medeia’s shoulders and left.

With purple markings indicating mana activation, everyone in the courtyard soon disappeared without a trace.

Medeia clutched the sleeve of his coat draped over her shoulders.

I should have apologized too.

I should have held onto him and admitted that I wanted it too.

Or at least

“I should have said goodbye.”

Belated regret circled the courtyard like a late-lit fire.

* * *

The northern border of Cazen.

“Boss, didn’t you tell Her Highness about the Black Mages beforehand?”

Garo, who had gotten off the warp formation, asked while staggering.

“If Her Highness knew, there’s no way she wouldn’t have come along. I thought it was strange.”

Terrence was about to chime in when he noticed Chezare sliding a dagger between his fingers and closed his mouth.

“This mission is too dangerous. How could I bring Dea all the way here knowing what might happen?”

Chezare said while looking up at the snow-covered mountain ranges in the darkness.

As the crown prince position, independence, his disappointment in Medeia, and the future he dreamed of with her all mixed together, he felt confused.

Chezare’s blueprint, which had never once been disturbed, was now being completely shaken by the single existence called Medeia.

The news about the Black Mages that came then cleanly organized his thoughts.

‘The most important thing is Dea’s safety.’

Medeia hadn’t changed, and he wouldn’t try to change her either.

Separate from feeling a little heartbroken about a heart that wouldn’t return.

‘Whether it’s Cazen or anywhere else, I just need to eliminate all the dangers.’

So that she won’t throw herself away anymore.

“These bastards… where exactly are they hiding?”

Garo surveyed beyond the mountain range with binoculars.

With the prepared amount of mana, they could only transport their party as far as the Cazen border.

“From here on, there’s a barrier that triggers alarms if magic is used.”

Terrence removed the trap with his sharp rapier.

“These are very old ancient things. They’ve hidden the location in layers upon layers. Where in this mountain range could they have concealed that entrance…”

He swallowed a sigh.

Looking at the dense and treacherous mountain terrain, he couldn’t see how they would be able to find the Golden Tower.

Whether they could discover the darkness that had been quietly growing its power across the continent beyond those ice walls was still unknown.

* * *

Kazen Imperial Palace, the tower where the Queen Consort is imprisoned.

“These damned bastards…!”

The Queen Consort exploded in fury.

Before her lay scattered napkins covered in tiny writing.

Count Montfort, her father, had delivered news under the pretense of bringing food to his daughter.

On the napkins was written in detail how her son Juan had been chased by a mutant beast during the hunting competition, and why he had earned the hatred of his father, Perdickas II.

“These devil-like creatures made me into this state, and now they’re targeting my son too!”

The Queen Consort trembled with rage.

However, she was currently trapped alone in the tower. It was difficult to plot anything, so she simply couldn’t move a muscle.

When she heard that Juan had immediately fallen ill after returning from the Abyss, even though it was only for a few days, her heart felt like it would tear apart.

“Sob, how frightened that tender child must have been…”

Thinking of the culprit who had made her and her son like this made her grind her teeth.

Moreover, the ears she had planted in the Imperial Palace told her that Perdickas II had tried to pass the crown prince position to that bastard Chezare, only to be refused.

“Ahhh! Why! Why does everything go to that bastard!”

She tore at her hair with rising indignation.

Rage surged toward First Prince Chezare, who was climbing the stairs one by one after burying her and her son in the mud.

“I should have killed him, I should have moved earlier…”

That’s when it happened.

Step. Step. Polished shoes came to a stop in front of her as she muttered with bloodshot eyes.

“Why are you here…”

“A common enemy brings opponents together, they say.”

The Queen Consort looked up and discovered the owner of the shoes, then frowned.

“According to my secret investigation, he left Kazen last night with his subordinates.”

A smooth voice echoed through the empty prison.

“Your Majesty the Queen Consort. If I told you I have a clever plan to eliminate the First Prince, would you cooperate with me?”

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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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