The crown i will claim — Chapter 20

OPERA HOUSE, DISTRICT 1, BALDINA

HOW WAS THE OPERA, YOUR HIGHNESS?

I REMEMBERED HOW MUCH YOU LIKED THIS PIECE...

...AND PUT TOGETHER A NEW ORCHESTRA AND CAST FOR THE PERFORMANCE.

DID YOU ENJOY IT?

AH... SO THE ENTIRE ORCHESTRA AND CAST WERE CHANGED.

NO WONDER IT FELT UNFAMILIAR. I COULDN'T REALLY FOCUS.

I-I SEE. IT SEEMS THE PERFORMANCE FELL SHORT AND HAS DISPLEASED YOUR HIGHNESS.

HOW INSOLENT. DOES SHE HAVE ANY IDEA HOW MUCH I SPENT TO STAGE THIS OPERA?!

IT'S... ENTIRELY MY FAULT. PLEASE FORGIVE ME.

HOWEVER,

I'M SURE YOU'LL ENJOY THE BANQUET TONIGHT, YOUR HIGHNESS.

A BANQUET?

YOU’VE BEEN THROUGH SO MUCH LATELY, EVEN COLLAPSING AT ONE POINT. I’VE BEEN QUITE WORRIED ABOUT YOU.

SO I PREPARED A SMALL BANQUET TO WARD OFF MISFORTUNE AND CELEBRATE YOUR RECOVERY.

IT’S JUST FOR YOU, YOUR HIGHNESS.

Episode 20

HAVE A LOOK, YOUR HIGHNESS.

WOW...!

I KNOW IT’S A BIT SUDDEN TO HAVE THE BANQUET TONIGHT,

BUT WE'VE PREPARED EVERYTHING TO ENSURE IT WON'T INCONVENIENCE YOU.

DRESSES, JEWELS... PLEASE FEEL FREE TO CHOOSE WHATEVER YOU LIKE.

GOODNESS... SHE PREPARED ALL THIS FOR MEDEA...?

THIS CAN’T HAVE BEEN EASY TO SET UP. YOU’VE CERTAINLY PUT IN A LOT OF EFFORT.

SIT

NOT AT ALL, YOUR HIGHNESS.

AS LONG AS YOU’RE PLEASED, THAT’S ALL I COULD ASK FOR.

WHAT'S WITH HER? SHE'S BEING TREATED WAY BETTER THAN SHE DESERVES, AND YET SHE'S STILL ACTING SO INDIFFERENTLY. HOW ANNOYING!

AND... WHILE WE'VE PREPARED MORE THAN ENOUGH OF EVERYTHING,

THERE IS ONE DRESS IN PARTICULAR THAT I TOOK EXTRA CARE IN SELECTING.

PLEASE TRY IT ON. I'M SURE NONE OF THE OTHERS WILL COMPARE.

NOW, I MUST GO AND SEE TO THE BANQUET PREPARATIONS.

VIRNA, ATTEND TO HER HIGHNESS WITH THE UTMOST CARE. UNDERSTOOD?

YES, MOTHER...

YOUR HIGHNESS, WE'LL ASSIST YOU WITH GETTING DRESSED.

NO, THAT WON'T BE NECESSARY.

MARIEU, ATTEND TO ME.

YES, YOUR HIGHNESS.

WHAT AN IDIOT. SHE CAN'T EVEN THROW OUT A MAID WHO BETRAYED HER.

EVEN IF SHE PUTS ON SOMETHING NICE, THERE'S NO WAY SHE CAN PULL IT OFF.

IT’S NOT LIKE SHE HAS THE LOOKS FOR A DRESS LIKE THAT ANYWAY.

OH MY...

YOU LOOK ABSOLUTELY STUNNING!

YOUR HIGHNESS, IT’S AS IF STARLIGHT HAS DESCENDED UPON YOU.

YOU LOOK AS RADIANT AS A FAIRY!

TH-THAT CAN'T BE.

THERE'S NO WAY...!

MY LADY,

THIS IS THE DRESS YOU'LL BE WEARING FOR TONIGHT'S BANQUET.

THEY EXPECT ME TO WEAR THAT?

IF I WALK IN BESIDE MEDEA IN THAT DRESS...

WHAT IS SHE WEARING? IT'S SO TACKY.

SHE LOOKS LIKE A MAID.

I'LL LOOK LIKE NOTHING MORE THAN HER ATTENDANT.

THAT LOWLY SCUM!!

I'M FAR ABOVE HER...!!

WHAT DO YOU THINK, VIRNA?

DOES THIS DRESS LOOK ALL RIGHT?

YES, MEDEA.

IT’S REALLY BEAUTIFUL.

OH MY, LOOK AT THAT SWAN. IT’S CRYSTAL, ISN’T IT?

EVEN THE CHAMPAGNE IS SHIMMERING. THEY MUST’VE DUSTED IT WITH GOLD.

THIS IS QUITE EXTRAVAGANT... DIDN’T THEY SAY THIS WAS A "SMALL" BANQUET?

THE VERY REASON FOR HOLDING THIS BANQUET IS QUESTIONABLE.

A “CELEBRATION OF RECOVERY”? ARE THEY NOT AWARE OF WHAT’S HAPPENING OUTSIDE?

THE COUNTRY IS AT WAR, AND THE STREETS ARE FILLED WITH PEOPLE STARVING TO DEATH...

THIS IS FAR TOO EXCESSIVE.

MARGRAVE MONTEGA, MEMBER OF THE ROYAL FAMILY

HAHA...

IT COULDN’T BE HELPED. MEDEA IS STILL YOUNG. SHE HAS A LONG WAY TO GO BEFORE SHE MATURES.

WITH THE ROYAL SEAL AND THE QUEEN DOWAGER'S PROTECTION, SHE HAS NOTHING TO FEAR.

STILL, IF WE INDULGE HER LIKE THIS, IT SHOULD KEEP HER QUIET FOR A WHILE.

HOW COULD WE POSSIBLY GO AGAINST THE WISHES OF ONE OF SUCH NOBLE BLOOD?

IT'S SOMETHING WE ACCEPTED THE MOMENT WE TOOK ON THE DUTY OF CARING FOR THE YOUNG PRINCESS.

I SEE...

ONCE MEDEA APPEARS IN THAT DRESS,

PERFECT.

EVERYTHING WILL FALL INTO PLACE JUST AS I PLANNED...!

ENTERING, HER HIGHNESS, PRINCESS MEDEA CASEY DE BALDINA,

AND LADY VIRNA ROBIN CLAUDIO!

WHAT? WHAT ON EARTH...?!

WHY IS SHE WEARING THAT DRESS?!