The Crown I Will Take From You - Chapter 6

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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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Chapter 6

“There is. The current king’s only sister, who is said to be so consumed by curses that she even devoured her own parents.”

“Curses?”

“Was it 10 years ago? The former king and queen died while coming to see their young daughter. The king died, and the war they had already won turned to nothing. Everyone was making a fuss for a while, saying it was all because of the Princess.”

The man snorted.

Though Valdina had a reputation as a small but valiant military force, it seemed their intelligence wasn’t particularly outstanding.

Seeing how they made such a fuss over one little child.

“Do you believe that?”

“Well, not really, but the timing was too coincidental.”

Garo shrugged his shoulders.

“I thought fools only existed in Valdina.”

“That’s too harsh.”

Garo placed his hand on his chest as if hurt and put on an act.

“Curses…”

A silhouette reflected on the glass window.

The shadow with its back to the sunlight stretched long across the floor.

“They talk so much when they’ve never even seen a real curse.”

The edge of the shadow trembled finely.

“Your Highness, no, Boss. I—”

Garo’s lips, which had been curved in a smile, hardened like a statue.

The man lowered his head. His fingertips were dyed pale blue.

“Your Highness, what should we do?”

Three years ago, Chezare, the First Prince of the Kazen Empire, massacred the Kiqueg Tribe, a tribe on the empire’s periphery.

He had been in the process of annexing the large and small kingdoms that invaded the empire’s southern border.

“These Kiqueg bastards, they’re completely insane. They captured people indiscriminately and offered them as sacrifices to summon some unheard-of evil god. What’s more, these bastards roasted and ate the sacrifices after the ritual! Saying they had to properly absorb their resentment.”

There was no mercy left for those who had lost even the minimum dignity as human beings.

“Burn them all.”

Dark red blood was smeared all over the silver swords and shields.

The power of the evil god that the Kiqueg people blindly believed in could not avoid spears and swords.

Fields, villages, temples.

Flames soared from every place where murder and cannibalism had been practiced like eating meals.

“Ahhh! You dark and evil one! Even demons wouldn’t be more wicked than you! The great primordial darkness will not forgive you! Are you not afraid!”

The one called the Tribal Chief shouted with bloodshot eyes.

“I’m not a dark and evil one, I’m Chezare. Tell your god not to forget the name of this land’s master.”

Chezare snorted from atop his prancing horse.

His words, placing even Kiqueg’s evil god beneath him, were extremely arrogant.

But no one could deny it.

That this boy, as majestic as the sun, would become the master of this vast empire.

“Chezare! The blood in your body will grow cold and blue like your eyes, and your heart will harden and blacken like your hair. Even if your brilliant talent and ambition fulfill all desires and cut down all enemies.”

The black smoke raised by the Tribal Chief wrapped around Chezare like a whip.

“You won’t be able to stop your withering flesh!”

“Your Highness!”

And when Chezare awakened, the chief’s curse had been realized.

The sword that had cut down enemies faster than the wind became slow. His beast-like instincts became noticeably dull.

Sometimes, when seizures that made him cough up blood occurred, his entire body would harden like stone and he would lose consciousness.

When the third seizure occurred, Chezare finally had to acknowledge it.

That some change had occurred to him since the day he massacred the Kiqueg people.

The Court Physician said:

“Your Highness’s body is becoming petrified. At this rate, you have at most 3 years.”

But he didn’t believe it.

He sought out the most skilled physician on the continent.

“A disease where the entire body slowly grows cold and hardens… Forgive me, even I, who am called a divine healer, have never heard or seen such a thing.”

Everyone shook their heads in dismay.

Chezare went to the Holy Kingdom.

And he sought out the priests who showed the most powerful holy power.

“It’s a very terrible curse. I can feel the primordial darkness from Your Highness.”

“I’m sorry. Even if you kill me and start a war with the Holy Kingdom, it’s impossible. The dimensions are different. No matter how powerful the holy force, it cannot work against primordial things.”

Since this was an answer obtained with a sword pointed at the Pope’s chin, it couldn’t be a lie.

While searching everywhere for a way to eliminate the primordial darkness, the Kiqueg curse progressed slowly but steadily.

“Long live the First Prince!”

Another seizure occurred during the triumphal ceremony upon his return.

“Your Highness!”

Rumors spread throughout the empire that the First Prince had a terminal illness from an endemic disease contracted during the war.

The Emperor suspected his son’s intentions, wondering if it might be another scheme.

His brothers rejoiced at the downfall of their strongest competitor.

“Pathetic.”

A curse should at least be like this.

It had to be enough to bring down the endlessly soaring sky to dare call it by such a name.

“Actually, that’s true. There’s a reason why Valdina is still in this state despite having those excellent cavalry.”

Garo’s face returned to being lively again as if nothing had happened.

“Anyway, it seems the Princess, who was hated both inside and outside, has awakened this time. The momentum is good, but can she really suppress the Maid Supervisor to the end?”

Mischievous playfulness rippled over Garo’s brown eyes.

“Boss, should we also keep an eye on the Princess’s Palace? We finally have some interesting entertainment.”

“Are you that idle?”

A cold question. Garo unconsciously hunched his shoulders.

“I suppose you found the priestess?”

“Ah, still tracking her. But the last place she stopped was definitely here in Valdina. The trail went cold near the border.”

When all methods to remove the curse had failed, one priest left a word:

“If it’s a priestess of the Shadean Tribe… she might know a way to eliminate the primordial darkness. They say they can read ancient texts written in primordial light.”

This must be what grasping at straws feels like.

But it was the only remaining possibility.

Chezare traveled the continent disguised as a weapons merchant to find the Shadean priestess.

“That’s all?”

“That’s too much. Do you think it’s easy to find traces of people who disappeared after being wiped out long ago? Even the Pope and the previous Emperor gave up after failing to find them.”

Garo’s cheek puffed out.

“Your tongue is long.”

“Damn it, I’ve combed through every inch from the Valdina border without missing anything, so she’s definitely inside this royal castle! I can stake my neck on it. Satisfied?”

He shouted loudly. Chezare’s eyes narrowed as if finding it noisy.

“You’d better be right. Otherwise.”

Keep your neck clean. Chezare’s eyes glinted coldly.

“Ah, I got it! I said I got it!”

At the ominous threat, Garo stood up from his seat as if being chased.

“And Boss, you know you’re entering the palace this week, right? Don’t forget the mask when you leave.”

Garo tapped the table as he left. On the round table was a silver half-mask.

“Even if it’s bothersome, you can’t forget it. If Sisear finds out Boss’s identity, old friendship or not, he’ll try to split us in half.”

Chezare glanced down at the mask.

“Do you hate covering your face that much?”

“…”

When the silver iron plate was put on, he would no longer be the First Prince of Kazen who made the entire continent tense, but just a mercenary of the weapons merchant Facade.

While feeling a trace of freedom, why was it that he didn’t find it pleasant?

“Boss, you actually think your looks are the best, right? You should be proud, but you hate having it covered by a mask—”

“Too long. As always.”

“Tsk, I’m leaving! I said I’m going! Ack!”

Garo, having finished his last words, hastily shut the door. With his tongue tucked safely between his well-shaped lips.

A well-honed dagger flew through the air and embedded itself in the closed door. It was at the exact height where Garo’s mouth had been moments before.

The remaining dagger in Chezare’s fingertips spun in an elegant arc.

* * *

Princess’s Palace.

“So you’re telling me you just stood there and watched the Princess leave?”

A woman’s shout echoed thunderously throughout the palace.

“Well, she suddenly rushed out so—”

The maids stood in a row with their heads bowed, listening to her tantrum.

Her blazing crimson hair looked like burning twigs on a branch due to her heavily frowning, delicate features.

Mariyu. She was Medeia’s closest maid.

Whether it was because of her latest fashionable dress with a tightly fitted bodice, she looked more like a noble lady who had just returned from a ball rather than a princess’s maid.

‘How much I’ve been looking forward to meeting him again! If she’s injured, she should be lying down and resting, so why is she getting up again!’

Recalling the Princess’s foolish face made her anger boil over even more.

“I told you to keep track of where I go and report back, didn’t I!”

Her malicious hand repeatedly struck the cheek of the maid with her head bowed.

“Huh?! Do you all want to get kicked out?! Get! Your! Act! Together!”

The biggest reason Mariyu could act so tyrannically was because she was the daughter of the wet nurse who had raised the Princess.

When the wet nurse was on her deathbed and asked her to take care of her daughter, the Princess shed tears and said Mariyu was like her own sister, even personally closing the wet nurse’s eyes.

“What should we do? If something happened to the Princess, and they find out we all left our posts—”

“Shut your mouth!”

Unable to contain her temper, she was about to grab and throw another vase.

“Princess Your Highness—!”

A maid with a flushed face saw an approaching figure and hurriedly called out.

“Your Highness, where have you been! The weather is so cold!”

Then Mariyu, realizing the Princess had arrived, changed her expression and turned around. She took quick steps running toward the Princess, but stopped and opened her eyes wide at the bewildering sight.

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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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