Chapter 31

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Translator: Harry Potta

Chapter: 31

Chapter Title: The Crown I'll Steal from You

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“So no matter who ends up taking the position of Royal Head Maid, these kinds of incidents will keep repeating. But if it's you, everyone will know I'm backing you up and back off. At the same time, they won't even dream of trying anything foolish.”

The Queen Dowager couldn't help but feel tense about Marchioness Pinatelli scurrying about everywhere like water seeping through cracks.

“You're the only one who can straighten out this mess. That's the only way I can rest easy.”

Could anyone receive such deep trust from another person?

Marchioness Pinatelli felt profound gratitude that the person in question was none other than the Queen Dowager herself.

'Purging the corrupt and depraved to set the royal household right—this is something I've longed for just as much as she has, for so long.'

At the same time, she felt a twinge of guilt for not being able to tell the Queen Dowager the full truth.

She bowed deeply at the waist.

“......I will do everything in my power not to disappoint Your Highness. I pledge my life to the task.”

“......Yes, I'll trust only in you.”

A wrinkled hand slowly patted her shoulder.

“Did you hear? The new Royal Head Maid has arrived.”

“Marchioness Pinatelli? She used to be the Queen Dowager's close attendant, right?”

The newly appointed Royal Head Maid was as soft as water yet utterly resolute.

She turned a blind eye no longer to the laziness and injustice rampant in the palace.

She excised every corner tainted by former Head Maid Quizin's influence, and a massive purge swept through the palace staff.

Having spent so many years in palace life, Marchioness Pinatelli knew the inner workings of the royal palace all too well.

She was especially zealous in rooting out the Regent Duke's spies planted everywhere.

With the Queen Dowager firmly backing her, no one could halt the new Head Maid's bold advances.

“The former Head Maid wasn't just guilty of embezzlement—she got booted for plotting against Princess Her Highness!”

Rumors also spread of the palace servants who had slacked off while Princess Lea lay collapsed recently being soundly whipped and expelled from the palace.

“Looks like the Queen Dowager does care for her granddaughter after all!”

The invisible hierarchy among the palace staff was gradually taking shape.

Princess Palace.

As the new Head Maid reformed the palace, changes reached the Princess Palace too.

“Arrange it like in the Queen Dowager's palace. Hang that curtain here.”

The new Head Maid had come to the Princess Palace herself to personally select placements for the furnishings. Not a single item or piece of furniture lacked antique elegance.

One by one, as it took shape, it finally began to look like a residence befitting royalty.

“Greetings to Princess Her Highness.”

Marchioness Pinatelli spotted Medea and bowed deeply.

It was the very picture of etiquette toward royalty, without a single flaw.

The Head Maid, leader of the palace staff, showed such utmost respect to the princess, so the others straightened their backs in kind.

'Marchioness Pinatelli is the Queen Dowager's person. For her to treat the princess like this must mean the Queen Dowager herself holds the princess in high regard.'

They could no longer ignore or belittle the princess.

No matter how much the Queen Dowager despised her granddaughter, the message was clear: she would never tolerate wicked hands reaching for her.

“Marchioness Pinatelli.”

Medea nodded in acknowledgment of the greeting.

“This place is thick with dust—it's hardly fit for Your Highness to stay here.”

“You've been overseeing everything yourself and must be exhausted, so why not join me for some fresh air? My garden may be small, but it's quite cozy.”

Marchioness Pinatelli did not refuse the princess's invitation.

“I am deeply moved by Your Highness's consideration.”

The two sat at the entrance to a secluded spot. A single ray of bright sunlight illuminated them.

A faint shadow fell over Medea's head. Marchioness Pinatelli smiled faintly.

“I'm simply astonished. Everything has unfolded exactly as Your Highness predicted...”

“......”

“Thank you. The reason I can be here is all thanks to Your Highness's grace.”

Instead of replying, Medea lifted her teacup.

The midnight conversation they'd shared sank beneath the rippling tea surface between them.

Marchioness Pinatelli understood the meaning and smiled silently in response.

“The palace is being set right again. You deserve much of the credit, Marchioness. The seal I placed has finally served its purpose.”

“What are you saying? I'm merely doing my duty. That wretch Quizin spread filth in so many places that it will take time, but...”

“I believe you'll handle it well.”

Medea reassured Marchioness Pinatelli. Then she casually brought up another topic.

“While looking into the whereabouts of my former maids, I learned something I wonder if I should tell you about.”

“Please speak. If it's about righting the wrongs in the royal household, what would I hesitate to do?”

Medea hesitated for a moment, lips twitching, before speaking.

“There are rumors that Lady Quizin... smuggled children out of the palace and sold them.”

Smuggled? Marchioness Pinatelli furrowed her brow.

“Are you saying Quizin was involved in human trafficking?”

“I don't know the details myself. When I tried to track down the maid who left the clue, even she had vanished...”

Medea lowered her lashes. Worry clouded her noble features.

“No matter their status, once they enter the palace, they are part of the royal household—subjects of Baldina. If it's true they were forcibly sold from this palace...”

Marchioness Pinatelli first reassured the princess.

“I understand Your Highness's concerns. I will look into it, so please don't worry.”

“I was hesitant to burden you with this so soon after your appointment, but hearing you say that puts my mind at ease.”

Even after the thorough investigation of Quizin, not a speck of evidence had surfaced about the filthy 'gifts' she'd sent to the minister.

It meant Etienne had hidden his perversions that well.

“The palace's internal affairs were overseen by the former Head Maid and the Interior Minister, so perhaps consult him? He might know something.”

Medea added,

“I hesitate because he might have been caught up in the Head Maid's schemes too.”

“I understand completely.”

Marchioness Pinatelli nodded.

Interior Minister's office. The minister slammed the newspaper down on his desk.

It was a follow-up article on former Head Maid Quizin.

“What a pathetic failure. So damn stupid.”

He clicked his tongue in disdain, scratching vigorously at his protruding belly.

When Quizin was imprisoned, he immediately feigned ignorance and looked out for himself.

“How was I supposed to know about that bitch acting on her own?”

“She did come by not long ago, promising more of those 'toys.' Probably stole one that day to link it to the princess and control me—since she had my weakness.”

He had convinced even the Regent Duke, who came demanding a report on the situation, and sent him away.

There was no evidence of his complicity anyway.

The Regent Duke left with a suspicious look.

Paranoid as he was, he wouldn't fully let go even if he didn't fully trust the minister's word.

In any case, Quizin's downfall had rippled significantly even to the minister.

Not only had the new Head Maid's purges cut off the bribes that had occasionally lined his pockets,

but more desperately,

Quizin's death meant the source of his pleasures had vanished.

'Quizin, that bitch, at least had talent. Her eye for picking them was impeccable.'

It felt like a waste, as if he'd snapped a convenient tool that would never come again.

As he smacked his lips alone, a servant announced a guest.

The minister shot to his feet.

“Come in, Marchioness Pinatelli!”

“A depraved wretch like that should have been booted out ages ago, of course!”

The minister pounded the table in feigned outrage, his raspy voice railing nonstop against former Head Maid Quizin to win Marchioness Pinatelli's favor.

“She tried to satisfy her greed and even went after Princess Her Highness in the end. The Queen Dowager was truly wise to deal with such scum immediately.”

His jowls shook with booming laughter, sending ripples through his belly fat.

But Marchioness Pinatelli stared at him impassively. The minister awkwardly stifled his laugh.

“Ahem!”

“Then I must be going. Please look into the matter I mentioned one more time.”

“Of course. Human trafficking? Even demons would shudder at Quizin's villainy. I will uncover every detail.”

Having gotten the response she wanted, Marchioness Pinatelli rose.

The minister rubbed his greasy hands and slyly asked,

“Now that we've become acquainted like this, I'd love to pay my respects to the Queen Dowager together sometime. When would be good?”

“Rather than us building rapport, I think focusing on the matters at hand would please Her Highness more.”

Marchioness Pinatelli's reply was icy.

“Then, if you'll excuse me.”

“......Yes. Take care.”

As she departed with impeccable courtesy, Count Etienne sneered, lips curling.

“Prissy old stick. Ptui!”

He spat out the tea he'd been sipping.

Pffft—the murky liquid splattered filthily across the table. His foxy-faced attendant approached with a handkerchief.

“What a pain. I hid it so carefully—how the hell did she sniff it out?”

With eyes on him now, he'd have to lay low on the toys for a while.

“Damn, bad luck! Even in death, she's a nuisance.”

Nothing was going his way. Irritated, he kicked the table.

Marchioness Pinatelli sent word that she had met with the minister.

'More cautious than I thought.'

Just look at how many of his enemies still hadn't uncovered his fatal flaw.

'Or maybe the minister hid it well.'

Either way, the dark secret he'd guarded for so long would soon come to light.

Medea turned.

“Neril, your friend Tom is from the streets, right?”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

“I have an errand for you.”

Neril received a parchment listing herbs and various ingredients.

She had severed the Regent Duke's left arm—next was the right.

'Interior Minister Etienne. You're after him.'

Once she finished off the last of them.