The crown i will claim — Chapter 26

IT LOOKS LIKE MINISTER ETIENNE WAS TRULY DESPERATE.

TO THINK HE EVEN OFFERED UP HIS SLUSH FUND JUST TO SEEK YOUR HIGHNESS'S HELP...

CHANCELLOR SISAIRE MADE A POINT OF VISITING THE PRISON WHENEVER HE COULD, JUST TO GET UNDER HIS SKIN.

THIS IS ALL THE SLUSH FUND THAT GREEDY ETIENNE HAS AMASSED OVER THE YEARS.

I IMAGINE THERE ARE QUITE A FEW PEOPLE FRANTICALLY SEARCHING FOR IT BY NOW.

BUT, YOUR HIGHNESS, ISN'T THAT JUST A NOTEBOOK?

IT'S A MERCHANT GUILD DRAFT. IS THIS YOUR FIRST TIME SEEING ONE?

YES... IT DOESN'T LOOK ALL THAT SPECIAL, THOUGH.

THE NUMBER WRITTEN THERE REPRESENTS THE MONETARY VALUE.

TH-THAT'S A RIDICULOUS AMOUNT OF MONEY!

JUST HOW MANY CRIMES DID HE COMMIT?!

MINISTER ETIENNE IS ONE OF THE WEALTHIEST MEN IN THE KINGDOM.

SAYA, THAT'S ENOUGH.

HOW MANY ZEROS ARE THERE? ONE, TWO, THREE, FOUR...

BUT, YOUR HIGHNESS, IF YOU USE THIS DRAFT, YOU'LL BE MAKING YOURSELF A TARGET FOR EVERYONE.

DON'T WORRY. I KNOW THAT WELL ENOUGH.

THE PRICE FOR HIS SINS IS NOT MINE TO COLLECT. IT IS OWED TO THOSE WHO DIED BECAUSE OF HIM.

Episode 26

IT'S BEEN A LONG TIME SINCE WE'VE SPENT TIME TOGETHER LIKE THIS, MEDEA.

IT REALLY HAS, UNCLE.

I'VE MISSED THE TWO OF YOU DEARLY,

BUT YOU BOTH SEEMED SO BUSY LATELY THAT I COULDN'T BRING MYSELF TO SUMMON YOU.

AND WHOSE FAULT DO YOU THINK IT IS THAT I'VE BEEN RUNNING MYSELF RAGGED THIS WHOLE TIME?

YOU KNOW WHY, DON'T YOU?

I'VE BEEN BUSY TRYING TO SAVE A DEAR OLD FRIEND.

HERE, I’VE BROUGHT WHAT YOU ASKED FOR.

YOU HAVE NO IDEA HOW MUCH EFFORT YOUR UNCLE EXPENDED FOR THIS. EVEN MINISTER ETIENNE’S RETAINERS HANDED OVER THEIR ENTIRE FORTUNES.

WE COULDN’T BRING ALL 30 CHESTS HERE.

THE REST HAVE BEEN ENTRUSTED WITH THE MONEY CHANGERS, SO YOU MAY COLLECT THEM WHENEVER YOU WISH.

I TRUST YOU HAVE NO MORE COMPLAINTS NOW. GO ON AND PLACE YOUR SEAL ON THE PARDON.

YOU ACTUALLY MANAGED TO COME UP WITH ALL THIS MONEY.

JUST FOR MINISTER ETIENNE...

MEDEA...?

A PARDON?

WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT, JOAQUIN?

M-MOTHER?!

H-HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN STANDING THERE...?!

AND WHAT ARE ALL THESE GOLD COINS? WHAT PARDON ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?

Y-YOUR MAJESTY, THIS WAS SOMETHING PRINCESS MEDEA REQUESTED...

UNCLE, I'M SORRY.

I DIDN'T ACTUALLY MEAN IT. I JUST THOUGHT...

...THAT IF I DEMANDED THIS MUCH GOLD, EVEN YOU WOULD GIVE UP...

WHAT?

JUST WHAT WERE YOU TRYING TO MAKE HER DO IN EXCHANGE FOR THIS MANY CHESTS OF GOLD?!

A FULL PARDON FOR COUNT ETIENNE...?

ETIENNE'S CRIMES ARE UNDENIABLE. THE REMAINS OF DOZENS OF CHILDREN WERE FOUND IN HIS MANOR ALONE,

AND YET YOU WOULD TRY TO BUY MEDEA'S FAVOR TO SAVE SUCH A VILE MAN?

M-MOTHER, THIS IS ALL A MISUNDERSTANDING!

THERE'S MORE TO THIS MATTER THAN YOU REALIZE. CHANCELLOR SISAIRE HAS BEEN TARGETING ETIENNE FOR A LONG TIME.

IF YOU WOULD JUST GIVE ME A MOMENT, I CAN EXPLAIN EVERYTHING...

UNCLE, EVEN GRANDMOTHER SAID IT HERSELF. MINISTER ETIENNE'S CRIMES ARE UNDENIABLE.

YOU ALWAYS SAID I WAS CURSED AND FOOLISH, BUT EVEN I CAN UNDERSTAND THAT MUCH.

HOW COULD SOMEONE WHO HARMED SO MANY INNOCENT CHILDREN POSSIBLY BE A LOYAL SERVANT OF BALDINA?

I'VE ALWAYS GRANTED EVERY FAVOR YOU ASKED OF ME, UNCLE,

BUT I DON'T THINK I CAN DO IT THIS TIME. PLEASE DON'T RESENT ME FOR IT.

W-WHAT ARE YOU SAYING...?!

HOW UTTERLY DISGRACEFUL.

ONLY NOW DO I FINALLY REALIZE HOW YOU'VE BEEN TAKING ADVANTAGE OF MEDEA ALL THIS TIME!

YOU SCHEMING WRETCHES... YOU ARE THE TRUE TRAITORS TO BALDINA!!

MOTHER, IT'S ALL A MISUNDERSTANDING!

D-DEAR, LET'S LEAVE FOR NOW.

I CAN’T STAND THE SIGHT OF EITHER OF YOU. GET OUT!

MOTHER...!

GET OUT THIS INSTANT!

HOW COULD I HAVE FAILED TO SEE THE DARKNESS FESTERING WITHIN MY OWN CHILD...?

GRANDMOTHER, PERHAPS MINISTER ETIENNE SHOULD BE MOVED TO A MORE SECURE PRISON.

AND WHY IS THAT?

SIR SISAIRE MENTIONED THAT THE MINISTER HAS BEEN SECRETLY EXCHANGING MESSAGES WITH UNCLE EVEN FROM INSIDE THE PRISON,

AND THERE'S NO SHORTAGE OF PEOPLE TRYING TO VISIT HIM.

GRANDMOTHER, PLEASE TRY TO UNDERSTAND UNCLE.

AS THE MINISTER'S LONGTIME FRIEND, IT MUST HAVE BEEN DIFFICULT FOR HIM TO SIMPLY ABANDON HIM IN HIS TIME OF NEED.

DON’T WORRY, MEDEA. I WILL TAKE CARE OF IT.

FROM NOW ON, THIS’LL BE YOUR ROOM.

NO ONE WILL BE COMING HERE, SO ENJOY THE SOLITUDE.

W-WAIT!

DAMN IT, DO YOU REALLY THINK YOU’LL GET AWAY WITH LEAVING ME HERE LIKE THIS?!

IS ANYONE OUT THERE?!

?!!

KEGH!

W-WHAT THE-- KEGH... KLEGH!

MINISTER ETIENNE, YOU'VE CAUSED TOO MUCH TROUBLE THIS TIME.

DIE. IT'S THE ONLY WAY TO KEEP YOU QUIET.

KLEGH

KEGH

SO IT'S TO SILENCE ME... BUT WHO WOULD...?!

DON'T TELL ME IT'S CLAUDIO...?! THAT BASTARD IS TRYING TO KILL ME!

Y-YOUR HIGHNESS!

WHAT BRINGS YOU ALL THE WAY HERE...?

WHERE IS MINISTER ETIENNE?

TH-THIS WAY, YOUR HIGHNESS.

TSK.

GAHH!

MINISTER.

Y-YOUR HIGHNESS!

I'VE COME TO RETURN THIS. I'M AFRAID I CAN'T ACCEPT YOUR OFFER.

I'D PREFER IT IF YOU NEVER SEEK ME OUT AGAIN.

P-PLEASE, YOUR HIGHNESS! I HAVE SOMETHING TO TELL YOU!!

CLAUDIO JOAQUIN IS THE REAL THREAT TO BALDINA!

AREN'T YOU CURIOUS ABOUT THE UGLY TRUTH HE'S BEEN HIDING?!

THE UGLY TRUTH?

IT'S TREASON!

HE'S PREPARING A REBELLION.

AND...

...THE SIGNED DOCUMENT IS IN MY POSSESSION.

To be continued