The Crown I Will Take From You - Chapter 36

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

Chapter 36

* * *

Valdina Administrative Palace.

“Count Sisear. Lady Claudio entered the palace again yesterday.”

At his aide’s report, Sisear pressed his tired eyes shut.

“The crocodile is eyeing its prey.”

Recently, various privileges of House Claudio had been revoked under the Queen Mother’s orders. The Duke’s wife was probably planning to coax the Princess into restoring those conveniences.

‘How long will she keep being played by them?’

Sisear sighed and rose from his seat.

“I should go to the Princess’s Palace. Prepare for departure.”

His aide hesitated.

“What are you doing?”

“Well… she’s already here.”

“Who?”

“The Princess is waiting for you.”

Sisear raised his eyebrows.

It was extremely rare for the Princess to come looking for him directly.

Only after Sisear actually found the Princess sitting in his office could he believe his aide’s words.

“Your Highness the Princess.”

“Count Sisear.”

Silver hair like fragments of shattered moonlight caught his eye first.

Then round eyes like those of a young deer, an incongruously strong gaze and a slightly raised chin. Even her small, red lips pressed together stubbornly.

‘I’ve been hearing that the Princess has changed a lot lately.’

While relieved that she still looked exactly like the familiar figure he knew, he somehow felt like sighing.

“Why have you come all the way here? If it’s about House Claudio, I’ll pretend I didn’t hear it.”

“Won’t you even offer me a cup of tea?”

Medeia asked calmly. She could understand his cold attitude of not welcoming her.

‘I was the same way, after all.’

Medeia didn’t like Sisear. No, she disliked him.

When her brother Peleus left the royal palace, he entrusted Valdina’s seal to Medeia and left state affairs to Sisear, the prime minister.

The purpose was to facilitate document processing by leaving final approval to Medeia and detailed management to Sisear, but reality worked in exactly the opposite way.

Sisear opposed Medeia’s handling of affairs at every turn.

“As you know, Medeia, your status is… not complete. So Sisear is showing that he cannot acknowledge you.”

“That’s right, sister. Unlike us who care for you, he doesn’t want to accept your very existence.”

With cunning instigation added, the one-sided misunderstanding became even more solid.

She thought she was being ignored despite being Valdina’s direct bloodline.

Eventually, when Medeia bypassed Sisear and stamped the seal to process documents without authorization, their relationship reached a breaking point.

“…Bring tea.”

“Yes, my lord.”

Sisear observed the Princess for a moment with the feeling of being a drenched horse.

From head to toe, she was exactly the immature Princess he knew. Yet something was different.

Her posture sitting proudly like the owner of this room was as natural as flowing water.

Her peaceful expression showed not even a ripple of disturbance, making her intentions completely unreadable.

A maid quietly entered and brewed tea.

Trickle, trickle, trickle—no conversation passed between them while the teapot poured tea.

The Princess, who had been lifting her teacup, paused for a moment.

Then she only smelled the fragrance before setting the cup down. Sisear frowned.

“Your Highness was the one who requested tea. If you have no intention of drinking it, I would be grateful if you would leave now. I apologize, but I am still quite busy with official duties.”

“…”

At her steady gaze, Sisear momentarily felt anger rising.

Though it was unlike him, he couldn’t bear it.

With those clear eyes, the Princess always stabbed them with a rusty blade through the worst choices.

“What is it this time? What did House Claudio ask for?”

He was sick of it. Deep regret showed through his monocle.

“Hah, Your Highness. Even beasts know to distinguish who their allies are. Do you know what effect Your Highness’s every word and action has on His Majesty?”

“…”

“That there are those who covet His Majesty’s empty throne, and furthermore Valdina itself? Who is behind the Regent—”

“I know. That the Kazen Empire is behind my uncle.”

The Princess answered for the first time.

“What you’re most concerned about right now is my uncle running wild under the Empire’s protection.”

Sisear hesitated.

“You… know? Then knowing that, you still…”

“Sisear, is that why you chose Facade?”

Medeia suddenly threw out a question.

“To bring in wolves to deal with lions simultaneously? Then I’m curious about something too.”

Just as he was surprised that the Princess had read his intentions, her question pressed in.

“What if the wolves don’t leave even after driving out the lions? What will you do then?”

“…Then, is there another way to suppress the Regent in the current situation with His Majesty absent?”

Sisear answered with the frustrated feeling of having his limbs bound.

He too had not failed to consider the Princess’s point. However, to avoid the worst outcome, he had to choose even a lesser evil.

“And I personally know Facade’s leader. He will not covet Valdina.”

“You trust the abyss’s arms dealer that even the Kazen Empire fears? That’s not like you.”

Neither statement was worthy of a prime minister who prided himself on iron-blooded reason.

‘Yes, you were weaker to sentiment than expected. That’s why I left you alone too.’

In truth, Medeia was no match at all for Sisear, who was skilled in politics.

He could have truly seized Medeia’s seal and made her a powerless puppet.

‘But even while clashing with me at every turn, you treated me as an equal.’

At least allowing her to maintain the minimum presence of being a princess.

‘Yes, you should stay as you are.’

Sisear was one of the few loyal retainers left in Valdina. Neither he nor Peleus needed to change.

Because Medeia could handle even the risks arising from their weaknesses.

“Not like me… Hah, since when has Your Highness been so wise?”

Sisear asked sarcastically.

“Then please tell me, how can we resolve this crisis?”

“…What’s most needed is regaining control of the Inner Palace.”

When an unexpectedly sound answer came, Sisear silently swallowed his breath in surprise.

“You know well.”

It was a statement tinged with sarcasm, as if asking whether someone who knew this had been acting that way all along.

The arrogant Princess who should have stormed out as usual instead asked him back.

“Sisear, then wouldn’t it be better to cut off the enemy’s arm rather than bringing in new weapons?”

“What are you saying now…”

“When the Royal Maid Supervisor changed from Quizin to Pinatelli, my uncle lost his left arm.”

The person involved in the incident that had turned the palace upside down recently acted as if it had nothing to do with her.

“Then if even the Minister breaks away from my uncle, it will be much easier for you to work.”

“…”

It took some time to understand what Medeia meant.

Sisear soon realized that the series of events following Medeia’s fall had precisely carved out one person and ended.

“Could it be that Your Highness was behind removing the former Maid Supervisor…?”

Instead of answering, Medeia smiled slightly.

“The Queen Mother sending out Prince Claudio and calling in Count Montega was also…”

“Sir. You already know the answer. Let’s stop this old-fashioned confirmation.”

A chill ran up Sisear’s spine.

The Princess collapsing from fever after guarding the chapel for five straight days wasn’t a coincidence?

The Queen Mother’s change in attitude, the replacement of the Royal Maid Supervisor with Lady Pinatelli—was all of this really her arrangement?

Could a person change this drastically?

“Were you hiding it, or have you changed?”

“Well. Let’s say I came to my senses. After wandering on the brink of death once, the world turns upside down, doesn’t it?”

“….”

A chilling sensation struck Sisear’s mind in an instant.

Was this something a mere awakened seventeen-year-old girl could accomplish?

A foolish puppet was troublesome enough, but the puppeteer pulling the strings was far more dangerous.

‘If her schemes are directed toward His Majesty, would my lord be able to handle it?’

Moreover, Peleus was surprisingly soft when it came to his younger sister. If Medeia truly set her sights on him, he was the type who would willingly take the blade even knowing it was coming.

‘Why did the Princess suddenly… change her approach?’

His sharp eyes narrowed as if trying to gauge Medeia’s intentions.

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