Chapter 19
Chapter 19
Translation: godsn
"Huh? Where?"
"In the garden."
"The garden?"
Medeia froze.
The royal palace of Princess Valdina had a small attached garden.
Accessible only from inside, it could be considered the palace owner's purely private space.
"I never invited her, so what could have brought her here?"
Though Catherine had freely come and gone from the princess's palace under Medeia's trust, she had always maintained enough decorum to avoid giving others cause for criticism.
She wouldn't have forgotten proper etiquette.
Which meant the reason she was sitting in the garden now was—
She must have needed to be seen outside, even at the cost of being rude.
To show that the princess and the Duke's family remained as close as ever—so close that they could freely enter even the princess's private quarters.
Medeia silently turned her head toward the maid. The maid flinched in surprise.
"My apologies, Your Highness. I naturally assumed... that you had summoned her..."
The new maid looked on the verge of tears.
Even she thought the Duke's family had crossed the line with their impropriety.
"Of course there was no request for an audience?"
"N-no, Your Highness..."
By palace regulations, only direct members of the royal family could reside within the palace.
And to see them, anyone had to submit a formal request for an audience in advance.
The maid bit her lip.
"Your Highness, should I go and—"
"No. Leave it."
Let them strut about as they please.
Until their unchecked freedom ignites the fuse.
Medeia stepped into the garden.
The moment she saw the princess, Catherine sprang to her feet.
"You've come, Your Highness."
"Sister!"
From further away, Virna, who had been playing, spotted the princess and came running over with childlike innocence.
Behind the fluttering hem of her dress, broken flowers scattered in her wake.
Whether she had plundered them from the garden, the grass where she had been was now unsightly trampled.
"What brings you here, Aunt?"
Medeia's gaze lingered briefly on the discarded flowers before she nodded.
"You came too, Virna."
The princess's reply was as icy as ever. Catherine swallowed hard.
She's still angry.
After the princess had left in a rage last time, some time had passed, so she had hoped the anger might have subsided—but apparently not.
"Your Highness, please forgive our unworthy family."
Catherine approached Medeia with a sorrowful expression, her brows drooping as if weighed down.
"Every time I think of how deeply Your Highness—so full of kindness—must have been hurt, my heart feels as though it's being torn apart..."
Her eyes brimming with tears, she gestured to a maid behind her.
"I couldn't bear it, so I searched everywhere."
For what?
At her signal, the maid brought over a large velvet box.
"Wow..."
"Oh my, oh my..."
As Catherine's maid opened the box, gasps rippled through the onlookers.
A ruby bracelet and earrings. An emerald necklace... All the jewels Medeia had entrusted to her maids to sell were now gathered together, glittering brilliantly.
"How distressed you must have been. Don't worry. I've retrieved them all. As long as this aunt lives, Your Highness will never have reason to grieve."
Her tone carried weight.
The solemn vow from the beautiful noblewoman sounded more sincere than ever.
"......"
"Your Highness?"
Why isn't Medeia reacting?
Catherine grew impatient.
She had paid extra to buy back the jewels her maids had sold off and scattered.
Since rumors had already spread far and wide, she even had to deal with merchants who stubbornly refused to sell, hoping to profit from the price difference.
She had even dipped into the slush fund meant for the rebel army to repurchase Medeia's sold jewelry.
Now I'll have to replenish that money... What a headache.
Her plans had gone completely awry. But there was no helping it.
People are still gossiping that the princess is so desperate she's selling her jewels.
Worse, the spreading rumors had begun to subtly target the Duke's household.
What was Duke Claudio's family doing while their niece was being persecuted?
So to soothe the princess's heart and demonstrate the Duke's family's "sincerity," she had no choice but to return those damned jewels to their rightful place.
"......"
A faint smile flickered across the princess's face as she looked down at the jewel box.
"...How thoughtful of you, Aunt. I'm grateful for your consideration."
But that was all.
Under normal circumstances, she should have been moved to tears or thrown herself into Catherine's arms, but unexpectedly, the princess was far too composed.
Her attitude was as though she was merely retrieving what was rightfully hers.
Virna, watching from the side, was seething.
What does she think she is, reacting like that? She should be weeping with gratitude—it wouldn't even be enough!
Of course, I would never wear such tacky jewelry, but those gems are too good for Medeia!
"......!"
Virna opened her mouth to say something, but at the sharp glare from her mother, she pressed her lips shut.
Her twisted lips jutted out in a pout as she irritably tugged at her dress.
"Here, since it's your aunt's heartfelt gift, keep it safe."
As if oblivious to the silent exchange between Claudio and his daughter, Medeia calmly handed the jewel box to a maid.
Though inwardly vexed, Catherine was in no position to call her out. Swallowing her frustration, she forced herself to humor the princess.
"Your Highness, please trust this aunt of yours. The Claudios have always been on Your Highness's side."
"......."
At that moment, a faint flicker of mockery passed through Medeia's deep green eyes, but no one noticed.
"I'll trust you, then. So, Aunt."
The princess nodded.
"Yes, Your Highness."
"You must not betray my trust."
A strange heat simmered in the princess's gaze as she faced Catherine. Unconsciously, Catherine flinched.
"O-of course not."
In that moment, she failed to notice how her fingers clenched the fabric of her dress, creasing it violently in an attempt to mask her tension.
Tap. Tap. Tap.
Then, the sound of hurried footsteps echoed. A maid from the princess's palace approached and whispered to Medeia.
"Who?"
After a brief pause, the princess raised an eyebrow.
Soon after, measured footsteps followed, and someone entered the garden.
"I pay my respects to Her Highness the Crown Princess."
Catherine recognized the figure standing straight-backed in a pristine blue court robe.
She had no time to feel displeased at the interruption of her private audience with the princess.
That person is...
"I bring a message from Her Majesty the Queen Dowager."
It was a close attendant serving the Queen Dowager.
"Her Highness Princess Medeia is to come to the Queen Mother's Palace at once."
Only after delivering the message did the attendant turn slightly.
"Ah, the Duchess and Lady Virna are also present."
The attendant offered only the most perfunctory bow.
"Your Highness, please make haste."
Medeia nodded calmly.
With a worried expression, Catherine discreetly asked the attendant,
"Might I ask why Her Majesty the Queen Dowager has summoned our princess so suddenly?"
The Queen Dowager was someone who normally couldn't care less whether Medeia was alive or dead.
For her to summon the princess out of the blue was baffling—Catherine couldn't help but be unsettled.
"......."
When the Queen Dowager's attendant remained silent, Catherine subtly pressed a small pouch of gold coins into his hand.
"This is improper."
Though the attendant tried to refuse, Catherine persisted until he reluctantly accepted the bribe and whispered a clue.
"Head Maid Cuisine has visited Her Majesty the Queen Dowager. She brought accusations against Her Highness Medeia, and Her Majesty is in a foul mood."
The reactions of Catherine and Virna to this news were polar opposites.
Virna inwardly cheered.
The Head Maid went to Grandmother? Ahaha, Medeia's in for it again! Today's the day you'll be crying your eyes out!
Meanwhile, Catherine stiffened, her face paling in alarm.
"The Head Maid?"
I told her to wait for the right moment.
Going straight to the Queen Dowager meant she had bypassed both her and the ducal house.
Even after I made it so clear.
And now, while she was still cleaning up the mess the maid had caused, another incident had erupted. If this escalated further, her husband's fury would only grow.
Her own influence would shrink even more.
Cuisine, what are you thinking?
Displeasure flickered across her delicate features.
"Your Highness. Please prepare quickly. Her Majesty has already been waiting for some time."
The attendant urged Medeia again.
"I'll accompany her as well. I simply cannot rest easy sending the young princess alone."
At Catherine's words, the attendant nodded. His only duty was to bring the princess, after all.
"Your Highness. I won't let Mother scold you. Just trust this aunt of yours."
Perhaps mistaking Medeia's silence for fear, Catherine patted her back reassuringly.
"......."
Medeia merely gave an indifferent nod.