The Crown I Will Take From You - Chapter 55
—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————
Chapter 55
“It doesn’t matter. There’s no suitable marriage partner for you in this narrow Valdina anyway. Our daughter must meet a more remarkable man. Young and capable… a great one who puts the Empire under his feet…”
Catherine stroked Virna’s hair. Then she muttered meaningfully.
“This mother will make Medeia pay the price for tormenting you. Don’t worry.”
Virna hesitated.
‘Should I tell mother that I used drugs on that bitch Medeia that day?’
However, she kept her mouth shut until the end.
How could the Minister be certain that his fit was because of her drug? It could have been because that pig ate something else.
“Shila, erase everything about that day from your mind. We know nothing. Understand?”
After her mother left, Virna sternly warned Shila once more to keep quiet.
All she could do now was hide the source as much as possible.
* * *
Count Etienne’s Estate.
The Minister couldn’t care about public opinion like the Regent did. No, it would be more accurate to say he didn’t have the capacity to.
“Why! Why is this happening!”
After returning from the banquet, a serious problem had occurred in one part of his body.
“Hmm… It seems someone used a hallucinogenic drug. But the toxicity in those components didn’t agree with the Minister’s body and caused side effects.”
“Who the hell did this?! Can it be treated? Give me medicine quickly.”
The court physician who carefully examined the Minister’s condition looked troubled.
“The thing is, hallucinogenic drugs are tricky to handle for side effects, and especially since the affected area is what it is…”
He said that using strong medicine would more likely result in complete impotence.
“What do you mean? So you can’t treat it?”
“Even if we manage to treat it with difficulty, infertility will be unavoidable.”
The physician broke into a cold sweat, saying he must be prepared for either impotence or infertility.
“You should prepare to adopt an heir.”
At this bolt from the blue, Minister Etienne flew into a rage.
“This Lark Etienne! A virile man among men like me, impotent? Infertile? Stop spouting such nonsense!”
But other physicians brought from everywhere gave the same diagnosis.
His condition even worsened from trying various treatments and examinations due to the Minister’s desperation.
The pain became so severe that even the slightest touch would make him scream.
“Who exactly? Which bastard did this to me?”
At first he thought the purpose was to humiliate him, but the mastermind was aiming for something bigger.
Given his nature, he had no interest in relationships with women, but still Etienne had a vague pride that he would someday continue his lineage through a woman.
So now that this pride was shattered, Etienne was consumed by unprecedented anger and inferiority complex.
“…They know me very well.”
Who exactly was this person who understood even his psychological weak points in such detail?
The Minister bit his lips with vicious eyes.
“Investigate everything. Don’t miss even a single rat that was crawling around the banquet hall that day!”
No matter how hard Virna tried, her opponent was the Minister of the Royal Household who controlled the Inner Palace.
“So it was Virna Claudio?”
Tracing back step by step, he learned who had administered the drug at the banquet that day.
Princess Claudia’s maid had handed over the drug, and a palace servant had brought the drugged cup to the banquet hall and lingered near the Princess.
“Master, then it seems the Princess was targeting Princess Medeia. She held a grudge after being criticized because of the Princess that day.”
“…”
“Master?”
“You’re still in that pathetic state because you only see what’s visible and believe so easily, you fool.”
The toad’s eyes glinted as he pondered deeply.
“The Princess is always a good excuse. What if the Regent actually had his daughter target me?”
“What? But… why would the Regent target you, Master? You two are on the same side.”
“Because I tried to let go of his hand.”
He recalled how he had recently joined hands with Maid Supervisor Quizin and stabbed the Regent in the back.
Joaquin Claudio, that petty man never forgets even the smallest things.
“If he’s going to play it this way, I have my own ideas. Does he think I’ll just take it lying down?”
The paper crumpled in his thick grip.
“Send this to Prince Claudio’s estate!”
* * *
The commotion at the royal banquet instantly put Valdina’s two most solid families in the spotlight of gossip.
But between the two, anyone could see that Prince Claudio’s family suffered greater damage.
Because the beautiful Virna siblings with bright futures had more to lose than the already notorious Minister.
If it had been anyone else, he would have gouged out the eyes and carved the flesh of whoever trampled his daughter and molested his son, but the Regent couldn’t do that this time.
Because his opponent was Etienne, Minister of the Royal Household, his most important right hand.
“This is evidence that the drug Miss Virna used that day is identical to the drug detected in our master’s body.”
However, the Regent didn’t know that instead of being able to negotiate this matter favorably and extract something from the Minister, he wouldn’t even be able to open his mouth.
“Our master asked whether the young lady’s actions were the Prince’s will.”
Because he learned that the origin of this commotion stemmed from the drug his daughter Virna had used.
“Does the Minister suspect me? Am I crazy enough to drag even my own children into the gutter!”
The Regent clutched the evidence and contorted his face.
“Of course not. But regardless, it’s a clear fact that our master suffered fatal aftereffects from the young lady’s actions.”
The Minister’s attendant, Umberto, bowed with extreme courtesy.
“He said he hopes the Prince’s family will take ‘responsibility’ in some way.”
“This kind of responsibility is absolutely unacceptable!”
The Regent trembled and threw the letter the Minister had sent.
“I need to see him directly.”
The Regent immediately went to Count Etienne’s estate.
“I apologize. Due to aftereffects, our master’s condition is poor and he absolutely cannot meet with guests.”
Only after repeating the obvious rejection for several hours did the Minister finally agree to meet the Regent.
“What brings the Prince here? I already conveyed everything I had to say in my letter.”
Claudio was burning with anger inside, but he endured it and presented the gifts he had prepared.
Precious artifacts the Minister had coveted and various medicines for health, enough to fill a carriage.
He even included a treasure inherited from the late King.
Though it pained him, Etienne, the head of the Royal Household, was essential to his ambitions.
‘The Maid Supervisor has already changed, so I can’t lose Etienne too.’
“The Count’s family isn’t lacking in medicine money.”
Even at the Minister’s curt response, he forced a smile.
“I brought this as small compensation for the trouble my daughter caused. And this is the Philosopher’s Scroll I received from the late King when I left the palace.”
“The Philosopher’s Scroll…!”
The Minister’s eyes widened slightly at the sight of the chest wrapped multiple times in black velvet cloth, then narrowed again.
“This is too precious a treasure to accept readily…”
“Precious? I’d like to give you the Philosopher’s Stone if I could. Someday when that day comes, I might be able to do so.”
The Regent’s flattery intended to move the Minister only made him uncomfortable instead.
‘Right, this Joaquin fellow is aiming for the throne.’
If he helped make him King, what would remain for himself? What could he enjoy with his aged, dead lower body?
“Forget the gifts, Prince. Do you know what happened to me because of the drug your daughter administered?”
When the Minister coldly pushed away the chest, the Regent’s eyebrows twitched.
‘I even offered the Philosopher’s Scroll and he’s still talking about that?’
“The physician says I’ll never be able to father children again. The Etienne Count family line will be cut off. Joaquin, how will you compensate for this?”
The attendant’s words were true.
The Regent felt as if his vision was going dark.
“That’s just one physician’s opinion. They say you need to see many doctors for illness-“
“Several have already come and gone. If I wasn’t certain, I wouldn’t have brought this up with the Prince.”
“….”
“Now give me an answer. Since it’s something your daughter caused, shouldn’t she be the one to clean it up?”
The Regent stiffened completely.
“I don’t understand what you mean.”
“You can’t really be ignorant, can you? I’m saying Princess Claudia should take responsibility for Count Etienne’s family.”
“That’s insane! I cannot allow it!”
He cut her off immediately in shock.
—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————