One of the guards was so stubborn that he had to bribe him with almost the price of a house in gold just to see his face for a moment.
Anyway, he was incredibly lucky.
He remained in the palace as a liaison between the regent and Jason.
When the rebellion did not go as planned, he hid himself faster than anyone else.
As a Valdinian living in Katzen, it was neither the first nor difficult thing for him to quietly step out and save himself.
So, while Jason and all his men were driven out of Valdina, only Raju was able to stay here.
"Madam, please take this. It's clean water and a blanket."
Even in prison, he was the first to look after his grieving lover.
"Oh my, oh my. How can such a beautiful person end up like this..."
A rough face, disheveled hair, a dirty dress.
It broke Raju's heart to see his beautiful and noble Catherine locked up like a sick bird in this shabby prison.
"Birna, apply this medicine. Your godfather brought it. If you don't cover it with a clean bandage, the wound will become infected."
When he saw the scars on Virna's back, he wished he had been hurt instead.
Raju turned around and looked at the Regent beyond the bars on the other side, gritting his teeth inwardly.
'You idiot, it's all your fault. You tried to start a rebellion, but you failed after using all your strength, both the strength you had and the strength you didn't have?'
Even the regent failed and dragged Jason into the same pit.
'You dare sell out His Highness the Grand Duke just to save your life?! It's not like you've done something stupid once or twice, but it's not enough to just get through the crisis right in front of you!'
It was unbearable to see the pathetic actions of the Regent, a noblewoman who had never fallen to the bottom, falling so completely.
If it were him, it would have been different.
If he had the status and power of Claudio, the ending would have been different.
The longstanding entitlement to the Regent, coupled with the worst consequences he had brought about, fueled a murderous animosity toward him.
So much so that he would kill the Regent here and now if he could.
'You damn Valdina royal family! You Joaquin too! Your niece bitch!'
But the first place the flame of anger that was now rising in his chest was directed was not the Regent.
It was Princess Medea.
'That wicked woman sold our Birna to save her life?"
Being kidnapped by rebels.
It is also a shame to have to bear the dishonor of having run away to save her life in front of the whole world.
It had to be that girl who cut the flesh with the blind sword.
Count Raju trembled. His selfish behavior of arbitrarily turning all the blame back on the other person was exactly like Birna's.
If he thinks about it calmly, he can see that none of this would have happened if they hadn't been after Medea in the first place, but if Raju had been a rational and reasonable person, he wouldn't have even set foot in this swamp.
'Birna, this father will surely repay your resentment. The Princess will never die a pretty death. That is, if you survive from here if you return to the empire.'
But now, rather than vowing revenge in the face of rising anger, saving the Duke's family's life took priority.
It doesn't matter whether the Regent is dead or alive.
But Catherine was his one and only love, and Birna was his own daughter.
Raju couldn't let him be locked up in this dirty prison and executed.
He had to get the mother and daughter out at all costs.
"...Simon."
Raju turned his head and approached Samon, handing him a small basket.
Inside were clean water, bread to satisfy hunger, medicine, and painkillers.
"Thank you, Uncle Raju."
Samon came closer to the bars. His eyes, shining in the darkness, looked like a cat's.
"It's fortunate that you are of sound mind."
Raju said with a sigh.
Neither the Regent, Catherine, nor Birna were in perfect condition.
No matter what Raju said, it seemed like they were out of their mind and couldn't hear anything.
Occasionally, they would just utter curses towards the King and Princess as if they were exploding.
As if he had been waiting for Raju's words, Samon opened his mouth.
"Yes, we can never fall like this. Uncle, please call the 4th Princess. She can get our family out."
Raju swallowed a sigh of relief.
Even though he failed in his rebellion and was imprisoned, it seemed that the little Duke was still able to read the situation, so Raju didn't invest in a completely losing hand.
"Yes, we found the right opponent but the 4th Princess won't move. She's not the type of person to complain to the King of Valdina for a little movement."
"... Even if I threaten to expose my relationship with her and her eccentricities?"
"How many men do you think have disappeared after making such ridiculous threats? The 4th Princess doesn't even blink an eye."
Samon could not deny the validity of Raju's point.
He chewed his lip.
Is there really no way? Should I just wait for execution like this?
"Unless a major weakness is discovered that cannot be compared to the bedroom situation."
"Yes?"
At that moment, Samon looked up at Raju's meaningful remark.
"What is that..."
"This uncle has already done it. I bribed the 4th Princess's maid and had her give the Princess a conceiving drug a while ago."
It was during this time that the delegation was in chaos as they fled the palace in shock at the rebellion. Samon was dazed for a moment, then understood Raju's words and asked again.
Pregnancy. Yes, that is definitely a big issue that the Fourth Princess cannot ignore.
"But even so, if the doctor examines her, he'll be found out."
Besides, the member of parliament accompanying this delegation had a reputation as a God. He would know that it was a fake pregnancy made with drugs.
"Don't worry. He will tell the Princess what we want. The grandson of the God is in my hands."
Raju's oily eyes sparkled.
He kidnapped the Emperor's grandson and blackmailed him.
When the life of his grandson, his only remaining blood relative, was put on the line after his son and daughter were put on the line, the Emperor had no choice but to submit to Raju's orders.
"I have already sent a message to the imperial family. The fourth Princess is pregnant with your child. The emperor will respond soon."
Perdiccas II would have also heard of Valdina's situation.
He cherishes the Fourth Princess the most, and behind her, he has the Consort and the Prince, so he cannot make his first grandson an illegitimate child.
"Uncle, thank you. I will never forget the favor you have shown me for my family."
Samon prostrated himself and thanked Raju.
While everyone else turned their backs on him, Raju was the first and only one to come to Claudio and risk his life to find a way out.
Even Samon, with his cold and selfish nature, couldn't help but be moved.
"We are already family. Don't say that in a formal manner."
Raju waved his hand.
His eyes flickered over Catherine and Birna, leaning against the bars of the wall.
"If you do, uncle, please tell the Holy Land about this. I hope that the Pope will bless the baby when it is born."
Raju understood what Samon meant.
The intention was to add one more device to prevent the Katzen Imperial Family from covering up the Princess's pregnancy.
"Indeed, you are very clever. Leave it to me."
Raju gave a compliment.
The eyes of the two men who were facing each other were shining black like the backs of cockroaches.
***
On the streets of Valdina, where the sun was shining brightly, more people than ever came out.
It was to welcome the King's triumphant.
"Long live Valdina! Long live His Majesty the King!"
Peleus, riding a white horse, approached at the head of the procession, followed by two hundred Agemas.
In the sunlight, Peleus's armor gleamed white along with his silver hair.
The light shining behind him felt like a divine halo.
"His Majesty, when did you become so handsome?"
People let out sighs of admiration, unable to even see the fierce sword he carried on his back.
"You cut down the enemies on the plains and ran the long way that would have taken months for us to stop the rebels."
"His Majesty is incomparable to that dirty scum who changes his life as if he were turning over his hand! If you see one, you know ten. Even if he becomes King, he's a man who tries to survive alone during a national crisis!"
"Tch, I can still hear the creepy words he said. He should be less crazy than he is. If that boulder has been able to enjoy himself with his head up until now, he should be grateful. How dare you look down on His Majesty!"
"Yes, yes. Who dares to steal His Majesty's throne? There is only one King of Valdina, His Majesty Peleus!"
As Medea had intended, the people continued to praise the King and criticize the regent.
Boom, boom!
The explosion of fireworks all over the streets and the magnificent music of the military band were reminiscent of a festival.
It was truly a long time since Valdina had been bustling with joy.
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