Chapter 118

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Translator: Harry Potta

Chapter: 118

Chapter Title: The Crown I'll Steal from You

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"Look. They're searching for you, vowing to capture you and put you to death!"

Smoke was already rising here and there throughout the palace. It was proof that the rats the Regent Duke had unleashed first were carrying out their roles perfectly.

"Me?"

"Aren't you the only princess left in this kingdom now? Without you, they can establish a new dynasty. In the end, it's a battle over legitimacy."

His voice sounded gravely serious and chilling.

"If you're caught, this royal family will be in peril. Those ruthless rebels will take you hostage and use you to threaten your brother."

"......"

Gazing down at her confused green eyes, the Regent Duke gripped his niece's shoulders firmly with his thick hands, locking eyes with her.

"Medea, I know you misunderstand me. But I swore to your late father that no matter what, I would keep you safe."

Medea parted her lips hesitantly before finally replying.

"Th-then... what about you, Uncle?"

"I..."

The Regent Duke answered with resolute eyes, as if prepared for death.

"I must hold this place. With a nation still standing, we can deceive their eyes, can't we?"

The Regent Duke's gaze burned with grim determination, as if he wouldn't hesitate to sacrifice himself for his niece.

"Medea, hurry and flee. I've prepared an escape route so you can slip out of the palace safely, away from the bandits."

The Regent Duke nodded toward the knight standing behind his shoulders.

"My knight will protect you until you reach safety."

A sturdy knight clad in armor emblazoned with the Claudio Ducal House crest bowed to Medea.

"I shall stake my life to escort Your Highness to safety."

"......"

Yet the princess stood frozen in place, as if she hadn't even heard the knight's words.

Her slender shoulders trembled visibly.

"You're scared, aren't you? You never expected them to overrun the palace itself."

The Regent Duke emphasized once more, in a commanding tone, lest she entertain other thoughts.

"Do you intend to stay here and become their puppet? You won't hand over this nation that your brother defended with his life, will you?"

"......I understand, Uncle. I'll do as you say."

Medea nodded. Her shimmering green eyes brimmed with tears, ready to spill at the slightest touch.

Good. Perfect! The Regent Duke cheered inwardly and shot a subtle glance at the knight.

Take Medea out through the secret passage, then hand her over to the rebels. Don't forget my final instruction.

Understood, Your Excellency.

Remembering the Regent Duke's words from before entering the Princess Palace, the knight tensed slightly.

"Make sure the rebels carve a deep scar across that girl's face—her mouth, cheek, anywhere. Gouging out an eye wouldn't be bad either."

The Regent Duke had noticed Jason's unusually deep interest in Medea.

"Grand Duke Castulo will come to rescue Medea later. I need to nip it in the bud before his feelings deepen further."

The position of grand duchess had to belong to his daughter Birna.

The knight clicked his tongue at the Regent Duke's viciousness—not content with usurping his nephew's throne, he was now trying to ruin his niece's future as well—but nodded upon recalling the reward the duke had proposed.

"Then, Dea, you must survive no matter what."

The Regent Duke squeezed Medea's hand once more, letting out a voice thick with feigned emotion, then turned away.

"......"

Medea didn't budge until her uncle was out of sight.

The ducal knight urged her on.

"Your Highness, we must move quickly. Time is short."

"......I'm so worried about Uncle that I can't bring myself to leave."

To think she was fretting over the Regent Duke even now, oblivious that he was sending her to her doom. The knight tsked at the foolish, frail princess.

"Where are the others? What about Aunt? Samon and Birna? I can't flee and leave them behind."

With time of the essence, she was being stubborn, and the knight couldn't hold back his irritation.

"The three of them escaped first, so they're safe. His Excellency prioritized Your Highness's safety above all, so please, let's go."

"That's not true."

At that moment, the princess murmured softly through her pale lips.

"Birna is still inside the palace."

"Pardon?"

The knight doubted his ears.

Lady Birna Claudio, who should be safe at the ducal house by now—why would his lord's daughter be in the midst of this chaos?

"I called Birna here using Jason. Well, technically through a maid."

"Pardon?"

The moment the knight repeated himself, his vision went dark.

"Zeta."

Medea nodded toward Zeta, who appeared behind the collapsed knight.

Zeta swiftly hid the knight's body under a pile of bushes, stripped off his armor, and donned it herself—the armor bearing the Claudio Ducal House crest.

"Let's go to Birna."

Baldina Royal Palace, diplomatic delegation quarters.

"Leader, what's wrong?"

"We need to leave Baldina. A rebellion has broken out."

Count Kensington's face paled as he clutched the letter.

"They're marching north, shouting for the downfall of the royal family. They'll reach the capital soon."

There's no time. Can I even get the entire delegation out before then?

Count Kensington bit his lip. The delay in confirming the signal from the Red Fox Unit had been a fatal mistake, leaving him steeped in helplessness.

"Leader, why the rush? We should gather more information—"

Kensington could no longer hold back and shouted.

"This rebellion might be her scheme too!"

The hunting ground incident had gained them nothing against the Regent Duke, the Fourth Princess, and even Jason—only endangering their own positions.

For the sole reason that they threatened her, the princess had ensnared them like flies in a spider's web.

Even more astonishing was that no one—not even the pitifully exiled Grand Duke Castulo—had any inkling that the whole affair had been orchestrated by her hand.

She pulled off that mess with just a handful of wolves, and now a rebellion? Just how far does the princess plan to go this time, and who's her target?

A chill crept up his spine.

At that instant, a sharp realization pierced him.

If she could hide it from Baldina and Kazen's heavyweights without a sound, why reveal it to me?

The princess, who had silently struck the backs of Baldina and Kazen's three giants, wouldn't leave careless traces.

Thus, if Kensington had noticed her movements, it meant Medea had intended him to.

"You need a better master to serve."

"Leader?"

"Ha..."

Only then did Kensington grasp Medea's intentions and let out a hollow laugh.

The princess was seducing him. Abandon the pathetic, ungrateful lot and follow her instead.

"Never in my life have I faced such a courtship."

Even Perdiccas II, her liege, had never shown such 'devotion.'

He couldn't tell if he should be grateful for it or wary as a Kazen subject. She was truly one of a kind.

"......For now, inform the Fourth Princess and the delegation. Tell them to prepare to leave the capital quickly."

"And you, Leader? Aren't you coming?"

Umberto tilted his head, sensing the hesitation in Kensington's demeanor.

"For now."

A calm voice echoed through.

"I think I'll watch a bit longer. Escaping with my life won't be hard."

Kensington crossed his arms.

"We'll know soon enough."

This time, too, he might witness the puppets dancing on the stage the princess had set.