TCIWTFY - Chapter 32

Valdina Prison.

Cuisine died after having the tendons in both hands severed and being whipped.

Marieu also received the same punishment, but she was still alive.

She heard footsteps on the wet floor. Marieu opened her eyes with difficulty.

"Who, who?"

Medea was standing behind the bars.

"It's been a while, Marieu."

"Wow, Her Royal Highness!"

Marieu was terrified.

She was even more scared because she saw right away how Cuisine died.

In her mind, Medea was already a huge and omnipotent axis of evil.

"Well. Your Highness. Help me. I'll do whatever you tell me. Please, save Marieu."

But at the same time, she was also a God. Medea is the only God who can save Marieu now.

"But I can't trust you anymore."

"I was wrong. I will never betray you again. Not again. I am your servant."

Marieu, desperately crawling on her elbows to reach the bars, buried her face in Medea's dress and begged.

"It's urgent."

Medea spoke quietly.

"What can't a person who is cornered do? It's a promise made in front of a cliff. If you leave that place, everything will be forgotten."

"No!"

Marieu flailed as if in a fit of rage. Why did she do that, why did she dare to climb over that wall?

"I am your eternal servant. Your Highness, for the sake of old times, please..."

At that time, a small bottle fell in Front of Marieu.

"It's called grass pea. It's a juice made from a plant that causes quadriplegia. It's so toxic that if you don't take the antidote regularly, your whole body will stiffen, even blocking your breathing, and you'll die."

Medea spoke softly.

"You never know, there will come a time when you want to forget today's oath."

"I, Your Highness..."

"Drink. Then I will save you. I will treat your hand and, of course, give you an antidote."

It was only then that Marieu realized.

Yes, there was no way the Princess would save her so easily.

She is a Princess who has gotten rid of the head maid with an innocent face that seems to know nothing, so what's the big deal about dealing with poisonous plants? 

"Can I trust you, Marieu?"

The Princess asked with a calm expression.

"..."

Marieu pulled out the stopper with trembling hands. Her tendons were injured and her hands kept falling apart. Tears and snot ran down her face, covered in blood and grime.

Medea watched the scene with cold eyes.

'Marieu is Samon's lover.'

So there is still something to use.

She is a pawn. The smallest and most insignificant piece in chess.

'But she's a good object to use as bait to seduce others and then throw away.'

Therefore, she must remain a pawn until she arrives at the edge of enemy territory and is about to transform.

Gulp. 

Marieu, who had swallowed the poison, raised her head.

"I am your servant. So please..."

"Yes, Marieu. I trust you."

The smile of the Princess who held her breath until the end was beautiful.

"Don't disappoint me again."

Marieu couldn't even breathe and kept shaking her head.

***

When the blue wind of reform blowing through the royal family died down, the Queen Mother summoned Medea.

"What do you want with your jewelry?"

The maid asked Medea, who was 

wearing a light blue dress.

"This is enough."

What Medea chose was a string necklace with a small pearl hanging from it.

"But isn't this too small? Your Highness, you are going to the Queen Mother, so we will decorate you beautifully."

Medea waved her hand.

The simpler and more shabby she dresses, the more likely she is to win the Queen Mother's sympathy.

Now the Queen Mother could no longer mistreat her like before, but she could not let down her guard even for a moment.

Medea stood up.

Although she had a simple demeanor, her posture was upright and her expression was bold, giving her the appearance of integrity.

"I will take care of you."

Madam Pinatelli, who had been waiting for Medea to finish dressing, stood up.

"The Queen Mother is sorry for what happened in the past. Your Highness, please understand."

On the way to the Queen Mother's Palace, Madam Pinatelli hinted.

"She is a lonely person. She is still in sorrow and treats Her Highness coldly, but Your Highness, the Princess, is actually the one who cares for and wants to protect Valdina's bloodline the most."

Medea knew that she was trying to warn her about the Regent and his wife.

"I know. I am mature enough to distinguish between sweet flattery and bitter medicine. So, I don't blame my grandmother."

Mrs. Pinatelli looked relieved.

Although she aimed for the position of head maid to avenge her family, her heart for the Queen mother was also sincere.

So she was worried that Medea might hate the Queen Mother.

"I can only admire Your Highness's generosity and understanding. Now, come in with me. The Queen is waiting."

As she entered the Queen Mother's Palace, she heard happy laughter coming from afar.

"Does grandma think I'm still a child?"

"You seem like a troublemaker."

"Birna just wants to be loved by my grandmother."

It was Birna's voice.

The Queen Mother drew her sword and the Duke Claudio left as if they were being kicked out of the palace.

They didn't know what to do due to the shame of being labeled as collateral.

But clever Catherine soon figured out the Queen Mother's intentions.

Rather, they took the initiative and eased their guard by letting go of the privileges they had enjoyed.

And day after day, she took Birna with her and visited the Queen Mother.

The Queen Mother was angry at first, but her granddaughter, whom she had always admired, came to her every day and started acting funny, so she gradually relaxed.

Claudio's mother and daughter did not stay at the palace any longer, but they would stay at the Queen's palace until the palace gates closed.

"Medea is coming soon, so get yourselves in order." 

"Ahaha! You can't leave me out! I want to stay too. I miss you too."

"Ugh, who's going to stop you?"

Birna's sonorous voice could be heard clearly even outside the door.

"I didn't know that Duke Claudio's daughter was still staying."

Madame Pinatelli looked at Medea.

"Why don't you stay away from Her Majesty the Queen at this point?"

Mada. Pinatelli, who hoped that the relationship between her two grandchildren would improve as soon as possible, was suspicious of Claudio's mother and daughter's intentions.

"See you, grandma."

Medea pushed open the door and entered.

Step by step. She was still disciplined and without hesitation.

"Yes."

The Queen Mother fixed her gaze.

Her granddaughter's manners, which she had not seen before because she was so angry, caught her eye.

Posture. Expression. Gait. Surprisingly, it was flawless.

The Queen Mother, who had spent her entire life in the palace, was very strict.

Even in her eyes, she couldn't find anything wrong with Medea right now.

"Sit down."

The Queen Mother personally served tea. Medea calmly drank her tea.

Even during the tea ceremony, the Queen Mother could not stop examining and evaluating her granddaughter one by one.

Still, there was nowhere to say a word.

Medea was so elegant that it made her feel sad that Medea was the daughter of a lowly dancer.

Medea lowered her eyes. She knew that the Queen Mother was observing her every move.

Still, she was confident.

'I'm so used to this now.'

In her last life, when she followed Jason to the Katzen Empire, countless people attacked her.

The rumor that she was a half-cursed Princess had already become known throughout the empire.

Medea's clumsy appearance, lacking any trace of royal dignity, supported the rumor.

It was only when she went to the Empire that she realized how foolish she had been.

She felt sorry for herself for not having learned anything under her uncle's protection.

At that time, she thought that was why Jason did not invite her to the palace.

Because he can't show off an Empress who is so lacking and deficient.

So she tried harder...

So as not to find a single flaw, she overhauled everything from start to finish. Bloody practice followed.

Medea did not want to embarrass her beloved husband.

The National Treasure, royal palace, and royal tomb. Even though she created everything that Jason enjoyed, she always felt proud of herself, like he was her debtor.

'It was a pointless thing to do."

Jason, who had stolen his wife's backbone. Instead of repaying the favor, took her place and gave it to Saint Rachel.

'It would have been better if I had hugged the children one more time during that time.'

What kind of cheap virginity would you offer to someone like Jason?

Even if he gave more love to her children, who wouldn't hurt if he put it in their eyes, it wasn't enough.

'Lian, Leah.'

This foolish mother's regret was more painful than the betrayal she suffered from her husband.

Green eyes twinkled for a moment. Soon it settled down deeply.

The years she endured were sad, but it doesn't seem like they were all useless.

Now that the opportunity has returned, the bleeding pains of the past life have now become Medea's weapons.

"You've learned the etiquette well."

The Queen Mother spoke coldly.

Madame Pinatelli relaxed. Considering the owner's nature, that was quite a compliment.

"It seems like only yesterday that even the etiquette teachers gave up and ran away, but when did you learn how to greet people so well? You tell me the secret too."

At that time, Birna intervened, snickering.

"Or have you been deliberately pretending to be a tomboy and hiding it all this time? There's no way things will get better like this overnight, but it's really amazing."

It was an unspoken reprimand asking if Catherine had deliberately kicked out the etiquette teacher she had given her and was trying to show off in front of the Queen Mother.

Medea responded calmly.

"The teacher my aunt sent me was definitely excellent, but she wasn't right for me. Because she was not a royal, but a person who specialized in the etiquette of nobles."

The etiquette of royalty and nobles must be completely different.

However, Catherine wanted Medea to grow up stupid, so she gave her a noble etiquette teacher and intentionally excluded her from royal education.

"That can't be possible. I also received education from her."

The Queen Mother glanced at Birna.

The second granddaughter's attitude towards her eldest granddaughter was very strange.

After what happened last time, Birna's brightness didn't seem as lovely as before.

Maybe that's why the reckless interruptions in conversations, harsh words, and busy-moving eyes began to irritate the Queen little by little.

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