However, the Princess, who glanced down at the floor, snorted and left.
Etienne was embarrassed.
"Your Highness, Your Highness! Please listen to me! Please, please come back!"
He belatedly grabbed the bars and shouted, but only an echo remained in the cold prison.
***
On the way out of the prison where Etienne was imprisoned, Saya, who had accompanied Medea, tilted her head.
"Your Highness, why didn't you take that certificate with you? There are a lot of rumors that the minister amassed everything of value in the palace. If you had that money, you wouldn't be afraid even if the Duke came. Why..."
Saya, with an expression of incomprehension, stopped again.
"Shall I go and bring it back now?"
"There's no need for that. It's a trap."
"Yes?"
Medea kindly explained to the girl who opened her round eyes.
"Now that the minister has been arrested, everyone who knows him will be obsessed with finding the slush funds he hid. But if I were to use that, it would be like shouting to everyone to target me. More than anything, my uncle will be the first to come."
"Well, then you're giving him all your assets..."
"I have no choice but to be generous as he thinks that if he can return, he can take it back from me at any time."
"Oh my God."
Saya opened her mouth.
"Aren't he crazy? Say, please save my life, cry, cry, tremble, and relieve the poison at the same time?"
"Etienne is a cunning man. Even in the midst of this, he is trying to tie me up. He still feels comfortable in prison, so why don't you let him enjoy it more?"
"Sure. I really need to tell my friends."
Saya nodded solemnly.
***
Duke Claudio.
The Prince Regent looked down at the crisp certificate. It was a guarantee document proving the funds for 30 chests filled with gold coins.
After traveling around the capital until his feet swelled, he finally achieved the amount that Medea had requested.
In the meantime, he went to see Medea with the chest, but it was refused and he had to return.
"Uncle, what if you bring this back with me? Are you going to tell the whole world that I took a bribe to release the minister? How can someone who should know act so foolishly?"
The pitiful looks she gave him while rolling her eyes were a bonus.
'If I had shown the cart with the chest outside, I could have at least created a rumor that Medea is extravagant.'
The Prince Regent, whose intentions were revealed, had no choice but to nod.
"Someone told me to exchange the gold coins for a money changer's bearer certificate and bring it back."
Money changers were people who changed each currency circulating in trade.
Among them, those operating in the shadows mainly engaged in the smuggling trade, so they were skilled at secretly managing the funds.
Bearer certificates were often traded on the black market.
"Ha! How could a woman who only lived in the palace be so clear about it?"
Catherine answered with a frown.
"She must have heard it somewhere. Do you think the girl who openly asks for kickbacks didn't know this?"
The Prince Regent snorted.
"Anyway, I changed it into a deed as she asked, so now even Medea won't be able to find fault with it anymore. Madam, let's enter the palace quickly."
Catherine was also going to join him today.
"Medea, if she takes three inches of my mind again, you must step forward."
The Prince Regent, who had been swept away by Medea twice and returned empty-handed, did not want to repeat the same mistake.
"Of course, honey. I will drag the child out of trouble and make sure Medea signs the minister's petition."
The Prince Regent and his wife were fully prepared. He wasn't going to back down this time.
They got into the carriage with a strong desire to somehow coax and persuade Medea to put her seal on the document releasing Minister Etienne.
The Princess's palace.
"Your Highness. Duke Claudio has arrived."
Before the maid could say anything, the Duke and Duchess entered with great strides.
They were immersed in the idea of not getting caught up in Medea, so they didn't notice that the atmosphere in the Princess's palace was different from usual.
The attitude of the employees was also more solemn and angular than usual.
"Medea!"
"Uncle. Oh, my aunt is here too."
"I really need you now. I can't stand watching the poor minister any longer."
With his chest majestically stretched out, the Duke took out a golden certificate from his chest and placed it down.
"Seven thousand gold coins. The minister and his retainers gave all their family assets. It's an absurd amount, but you don't know how hard this uncle worked to somehow raise this money for you, Medea."
He gave a long speech about how hard he worked to raise this money.
Medea looked surprised after checking the certificate.
"Uncle, are you really going to give this to me?"
"Yes, it's yours now. Is there anything we can't do for you? Hurry and take it."
The Prince Regent's fingertips trembled a little as he handed over the certificate. His heart was bitter.
'I can't take this much money away from Medea, but I give it to her directly.'
But he tried to suppress the instinct to snatch the certificate from Medea's hand. Just take the money back.
However, If Etienne collapses like this, it would be like losing his only remaining arm.
The great disaster was just around the corner. Losing Etienne, along with the head maid, would cause a major setback to the great world.
"Now, hurry and take it. And just put your seal here."
Along with the deed, the Duke presented a petition.
"Etienne might die in prison if he continues like this. Do you know how much that cunning man is tormenting him?"
"That's right, Your Highness. This is truly urgent. I can't put it off any longer."
"Uncle, I..."
However, Medea did not accept the certificate and was in trouble. What else does this girl take so long to ask?
The Prince Regent had a gut.
Even after receiving this much money, do you still want more?
"Gosh. I don't know what to tell you two I didn't mean it when I said it. As a Princess, how could I ask for such a huge bribe, even for personal reasons, for Valdina's public affairs?"
At that time, Medea said, drooping her eyebrows.
"Because this matter is so serious, I was hoping that my uncle would change his mind. The minister's guilt is already clear. Testimonials are constantly coming out."
"It's a misunderstanding! There was some misunderstanding. Did Sissair say that? He was targeting Etienne. What can a man with his eyes closed say that he has blood on his hands?"
"So does that mean the remains found at the minister's private residence are also lies?"
When the Duke was left speechless by Medea's question, Catherine came forward.
"Her Royal Highness. In fact, there is an inside story to this incident that Your Highness does not know. You can't simply believe what you see. Political interests and conspiracies are lurking around."
She persuaded the Princess step by step with a soft voice.
"First of all, the Minister's life is urgent, so please stamp this release first, and we will explain it to you in detail. His life depends on the tip of your hand. No matter what, if VaIdina's loyalists die because of your hesitation, how will you bear the burden?"
At the same time, she subtly pointed out that as a Princess, she would be reprimanded later.
If it had been the previous Medea, she would have been impatient and obediently followed Catherine's orders.
But this is not the current Medea.
"No, aunt. Although I am still young and foolish, I am not ignorant of right and wrong. I really don't understand why my wise uncle supports this vicious man when Etienne's sins are so obvious."
Medea shook her head as if she couldn't understand.
As the Duke and Duchess of Regent approached her, the Princess took a step back.
It was a resolute attitude not to leave any room for harm.
'So this girl isn't going to get the seal now?'
The Prince Regent's face suddenly became ugly.
Obviously, she shamelessly asked for gold coins first, and now what?
He remembered the images of himself running around trying to meet the Princess's outrageous demands.
His mind was filled with anger and his judgment began to become clouded.
'No more.'
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