Chapter 38

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Translator: Harry Potta

Chapter: 38

Chapter Title: The Crown I'll Snatch from You

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She was someone who had endured all sorts of hardships wandering the continent during her expedition days.

There had even been times when she had to procure food for the group in the middle of nowhere.

"Your Highness, this isn't edible. It's a poisonous herb called halus."

"Why not? It smells nice."

"It drives you mad slowly. It has no taste, so it induces madness silently, earning it the name 'Silent Killer.' Even just smelling it is lethal, so please stay away."

"If you really don't want to drink it, fine."

Medea looked bored, as if she felt no thrill from it.

"Your Highness."

At that moment, Neril entered through the door and bowed at the waist.

"Come in."

"Wowww..."

A small figure peeked out from behind her, curious black eyes sparkling.

"Huh! Mommy!"

A clear child's voice echoed through the quiet palace.

The round head looked around and spotted the person it sought, then darted over to the kneeling maid like a squirrel.

The child ran straight to her and hugged her neck.

"J-Jeremy... W-Why are you, why here...?"

Sise's maid still looked utterly bewildered. She couldn't collect her thoughts.

"Mommy called me to come see the palace. Pfft, even though you said absolutely no...?"

The child pouted her lips, then her eyes sparkled again.

"Don't worry, Mommy. The pretty big sister here said she'd keep it a secret. Grandma doesn't even know Jeremy's here! We promised to shh!"

As if to confirm, the child locked eyes with Neril, who nodded.

"This place is super shiny! There's tons of yummy food too. And good smells! But where's the princess? Does she really live here? Can I see her? Do her horns really stick out like this, super big? Mommy saw them!"

Once she reunited with her mother, questions poured out like a flood.

The maid panicked at first, then suddenly froze as realization dawned. She turned her head toward Medea with fearful eyes.

Medea rose and approached the child.

"Yeah. I really live here."

The child, nestled in the maid's arms, stared at Medea with wide eyes.

"Wow, you're the princess?"

"Yes."

"Wh-where are the horns?"

Medea bent down to the child's eye level.

"What do you think? Can you see them?"

"I can't see them. Not at all. They just sparkle like the moon."

Enchanted, the child reached out her chubby hand and grabbed a fistful of Medea's cascading hair.

Neril moved to intervene on reflex, but Medea raised a hand to stop her.

"It's fine."

Medea waited patiently until every strand of hair slipped through the wriggling fingers.

"Jeremy, right?"

"Yes!"

"Thirsty? Want some tea?"

The maid's bewildered eyes widened in horror at that moment.

"Yes! I'm thirsty."

Medea offered the child some tea—the very same brew the maid had prepared earlier and refused to drink.

"Can I drink it?"

"Of course."

Medea answered kindly.

"There's plenty more."

As the child, eyes full of anticipation, brought the cup to her lips...

"No!"

The maid roughly knocked the cup away.

Crash. The cup flew against the wall and shattered violently.

"P-Please forgive me."

Hiding the child in her arms, the maid dropped to her knees.

She bowed her head low.

"It was my fault. I'll tell you everything."

"M-Mommyyy!"

The sudden loud noise. The trembling felt in her embrace.

At her mother's unusual demeanor, the child finally burst into tears.

The maid, even more terrified, pulled the child tighter into her bosom to muffle the sobs.

"Jeremy."

Medea called the child's name softly. But the maid knew it was meant for her.

"...Y-Your Highness..."

The princess's gaze upon her was chillingly cold. A shiver crawled up the maid's back.

'Wh-what have I done...?'

She could hide no longer, nor pretend.

Unknowingly, her arms holding the child loosened.

"Waaah! Mommy, you're weird!"

Ignorant of her mother's terror, the child wailed. Then she ran to Medea, who had called her name moments ago, and clung to her.

"Jeremy! No...!"

The maid felt her heart drop. She couldn't wrench the child from the princess, so her hands and feet trembled helplessly.

"Don't cry."

Medea gently wiped the child's tears. At the warm touch on her cheek, the child hiccuped and stopped sobbing.

She took the tiny, reed-like hand in hers.

"...So small. And fragile."

"Your Highness, please..."

A pleading groan escaped the maid. She barely swallowed it back under Medea's icy gaze.

"I need to talk with your mommy, so wait until we're done, okay?"

"Hic. Sniff... Can I eat that while I wait?"

Tears still in her eyes, the child glanced at the cookies on the tea tray.

Medea smiled and handed her the entire tray. "Wowww," the child's mouth fell open in awe.

"Can I look around too, sniff?"

"Anywhere you like."

Medea signaled another maid, who led the child away.

"See you later, Mommy~"

Waving her chubby hand, the child vanished brightly, as if she had never cried—oblivious to her mother's face drowned in despair.

The maid crawled forward on her knees and clung to the hem of Medea's dress.

"Your Highness, I'll tell you everything. It was Duke Claudio. He gave Prime Minister Sise the tea laced with halus and told him to drink it. He th-threatened to kill me if I refused. I wanted to live... I was scared, so afraid..."

"Since when?"

"He first approached me three years ago. But I kept refusing..."

Three years. A hollow laugh escaped her.

Long before Medea had realized, they had already been moving.

"I have that child and my ailing old mother. My father passed early, so I'm the only one to care for her. If I'm gone... The threats were too frightening, I was so scared... Hic, sniff."

"Enough. How long ago did Sise first drink that tea?"

"It's been four months since I first served it to him..."

Four months.

Less than half a year, so the poisoning hadn't progressed too far yet.

If they stopped dosing him and nursed his body back, he could recover without issue. A fortunate turn, if it could be called that.

"That's all I know. I'll resign immediately and accept any punishment you decree. So please, Your Highness, have mercy on my child..."

Her heartbroken sobs wracked her chest. The maid's face was soaked with tears.

"I won't decide your punishment. Go to Sise and tell him yourself."

The maid looked up. Through tear-filled eyes, a thread of hope pierced her despair.

Did she think she could hide it from Sise? Or that she'd have a chance to scheme her way out midway?

"Your child will stay with me until then. Unlike your uncle, I won't threaten you with her life. You've already seen that."

Medea lifted the corner of her mouth.

"She won't be the one dying."

It was a ruthlessness unfit for her youthful face.

"Pl-please spare me. That child knows nothing..."

"Oh, that depends on you."

She patted the maid's shoulder.

"I'll make your son a page in my palace. He'll receive the education of the palace staff and grow up close to nobility."

She would keep him close and cherish him dearly.

As a leash to strangle the maid with, should she ever betray her again.

The maid before her understood the implication.

"...I-I'll do it. My body, my thoughts, everything—use them as Your Highness wills."

With a deep groan, the maid collapsed forward, bowing her head.

In the dead of night, the door to Medea's bedroom finally opened.

"Mommyy-!"

The maid, gripping the lively child's hand, shuffled out.

Mariyu stood silent, trembling wordlessly with fearful eyes.

Neril gestured for her to leave, then closed the door.

"..."

Medea sat gazing out the window into the pitch-black darkness.

Neril approached as usual and stood behind her.

"I've shown you an ugly side."

She had threatened a mother by holding her young child's life hostage. It must have been distasteful to Neril, with her proud knightly honor.

And hadn't she herself ordered Neril to bring the child?

Medea didn't deny it. There was no excuse to dress up her petty deeds.

"If it's too hard to watch, you can leave. I won't stop."

To punish beasts, she had to become one herself. By the time her revenge ended, her hands would be filthy with blood and filth.

That was fine. It was what she wanted.

"Your Highness."

Neril knelt on one knee.

"I swore an oath. To uphold anything you command."

"...Thank you."

Her final words were barely a whisper.

Late into the night, a night heron cried mournfully, ignorant of the hour.