Chapter 58
Chapter 58
Translation: godsn
Contrary to the Minister's desperate plea, far from being delivered to Duke Claudio, the used paper was crumpled up and swiftly tossed into the fireplace when no one was looking.
Having disposed of the letter, Umberto wore a relieved expression.
Then, with perfect composure, he rejoined the chaotic scene.
"Hurry up and destroy them!"
"Stop tearing the documents and do something useful!"
"Cease all movement—! Anyone who moves from this moment onward will be considered an accomplice. All of you are to be taken to the royal palace!"
Amid the pandemonium of the standoff between the Royal Knights and Count Etienne's men, Umberto silently slipped away without a sound.
Because Umberto had so casually chewed up and spat out the letter, the news from the Count's estate reached the Regent much later than it should have.
"Your Grace, the Royal Knights stormed in and arrested Minister Etienne!"
By the time the report came, the Royal Knights had already swept through the Count's estate.
"What? On what grounds?"
The Regent's face flushed red as he learned the charges against the Minister. Of all things, to be caught because of his damned toys?
"Damn it all, Etienne! If I let you indulge in your filthy hobbies, you should have at least cleaned up after yourself properly!"
Crash! The decorative item the Regent hurled shattered to pieces.
Had the Minister been standing before him, grinding him to dust wouldn't have been enough to quell his fury.
But this disaster wasn't solely the Minister's fault.
"They discovered traces of the Minister's slush fund flowing into the Black Eye Merchant Guild during their investigation. As they dug deeper, they uncovered the trafficking of children. If we had known from the start, we could have stopped it..."
"Damn it all to hell!"
The Regent's temples throbbed as he realized that if they hadn't turned a blind eye to the Minister's dealings out of petty rivalry, they could have easily covered it up.
"This isn't the time for infighting. We need to see the Minister immediately. Where was he taken?"
"The situation is dire. The Minister was immediately transported and isolated. Even we can't easily gain access. It seems Siseo has prepared thoroughly this time."
Samon reported. He, too, had sent his men to gather information as soon as he heard the news.
Each charge hanging around the Minister's neck was heavier than the last.
"Violation of military law? That bastard Siseo has played us!"
Even if the first two charges could be dismissed as personal eccentricities, selling citizens to another nation was an act that could be construed as treason against the royal family.
And worse—they were actually preparing for a rebellion. They had been secretly raising a rebel army to storm the royal castle.
"Siseo is combing through the Minister's estate and continuing the investigation. Father, there's no chance our plans will be uncovered, is there?"
"For now, everyone has scattered and gone into hiding. They'll remain on standby until we reestablish contact."
But dragging this out would only make things worse. They needed to get the Minister out of prison as quickly as possible.
"What's the situation in the royal palace?"
"Pinatelli, that woman, has purged the palace so thoroughly that barely any of our contacts remain inside. The Minister's side is in complete disarray, unsure of what to do."
The Regent's face twisted in displeasure. Deep, indelible wrinkles formed between his brows.
"That cunning bastard Siseo won't let this opportunity slip through his fingers. What do we do...?"
Then, Samon curled his lips into a sly smirk.
"But... we still have Medeia, don't we?"
The ripple effect of Siseo drawing his sword was immense.
In wartime, even the smallest piece of intelligence could determine victory or defeat—and smuggling dozens of people out of the royal palace was an unforgivable crime.
From the highest-ranking officials to the lowest, those who had aided or turned a blind eye—ministers, nobles, and merchants alike—were rounded up one after another.
Naturally, most of them were part of Duke Claudio's faction.
With Etienne's fate hanging by a thread like a candle in the wind, Duke Claudio turned to the savior he always relied on.
"Your Highness, Duke Claudio has arrived."
"Medeia! A disaster has struck!"
With tears in his eyes, Claudio exaggeratedly dramatized the situation.
In short, Minister Etienne was innocent, having fallen victim to a vicious trap set by his enemies.
All his crimes, he claimed, were fabrications.
"Now, here—stamp your royal seal, won't you? Only then can we help this poor, righteous man. Your seal will be his salvation."
Ah, Uncle.
Medeia had once genuinely respected him.
There was a time when she believed those glossy words of his were convictions and truths.
But now, after living through a tumultuous past life and returning, she could see right through the essence of her uncle—no, the Regent.
Claudio is nothing but a smooth-talking fool.
With an indifferent expression, Medeia looked down at the stiff parchment the Regent had handed her.
"What is this?"
"A pardon for the innocent. They, too, are citizens of Valdina. As a princess, would you really turn away your own people? Acting in the king's stead does not mean such callousness. In Pelleus's absence, you must show mercy—"
"Uncle." Medeia cut him off, covering the parchment he had passed to her. "Slush funds, military code violations—those complicated matters are beyond me. But I've learned something recently."
She waved her hand, the one adorned with the signet ring, right in front of Claudio.
"The former Head Maid Cuisine, Minister Etienne, even the maids who spent their lives tending to me—they all lined their pockets. And yet, after all I've done to help and save them, I have nothing left to show for it."
"As you said, Uncle, with this seal, I can do anything. To think they'd try to take this precious, formidable power from me without paying a single price... Ha! Just how foolish must I have looked all this time?"
She turned away coldly.
"Leave, Uncle. And if they wish to reclaim their positions through you, let them know this—Medeia no longer doles out cheap sympathy and mercy."
"M-Medeia? What do you—"
The Regent had prepared an arsenal of arguments to persuade her, but this was beyond anything he had ever anticipated.
They said Medeia had changed after her fall from the horse—is she truly mad now?
Struggling to mask his bewilderment, he forced out a question.
"H-how much do you need?"
"Who knows? Those who offer help don't set prices for secret favors. That's for the one asking."
As she spoke, Medeia idly stroked the jewelry box placed beside the table.
"I hear these days, even gold ingots are stored in chests like these..."
It was a blatant demand—gold in exchange for her silence. The Regent was speechless.
"...Then... how many chests would you...?"
Instead of answering, Medeia picked up the pen resting on the table.
When the Regent saw the number, he shot up from his seat in shock.
"Thirty chests?! That's outrageous!"
This greedy little wench—has she nothing but avarice in her belly?!
But if he wanted to bury this scandal, he needed Medeia's cooperation.
Suppressing his fury, the Regent forced an awkward smile.
"Ahem, I understand your meaning, but confiscated assets may not amount to much. Don't set your hopes too high."
"Ahaha."
Medeia let out a derisive snort.
Had her laughter not carried an eerie innocence, Claudio might have realized she was mocking him outright.
"Uncle, their wealth is mine—no, it belongs to Valdina. If my brother returns, Etienne won't just lose his position—he'll lose his head. And yet, I am willing to cover for him. How could any price be too high?"
She enunciated every word of the last sentence with deliberate emphasis.
"......"
"But thirty chests is too much! No matter how noble or wealthy a minister may be—"
"Ha, Uncle. Must I show you the evidence myself? Exactly how much he embezzled?"
"......"
The Regent abandoned persuasion and tried at least to negotiate the bribe down—but even that failed.
The gentle, soft-spoken princess was gone. Facing her now was like dealing with a loan shark.
She wasn't like this before... Could it be Cuisine's doing?
She had been forced to sell her own jewels for money—no wonder she was seething.
"A-alright. Very well... Your Highness."
Cursing the dead Cuisine under his breath, the Regent nodded.
Medeia, as if she hadn't just been ice-cold, smiled warmly and patted his arm affectionately.
"Uncle, now that we've settled this, do your best to squeeze every last coin out of Etienne. You are on my side, aren't you?"
In the end, Duke Claudio returned empty-handed, having gained nothing.