"Indeed, the foresight of the rich Emperor will brighten the future of our couple."
The Emperor squeezed the staff tightly with his trembling hands.
"The lord of this empire himself protects my wife, and what greater gift can there be for celebration than this? This foolish son, he did not even realize the affection of the Emperor and showed his disrespectful side."
Cesare laughed lazily and scratched the insides of the Emperor and the Empress at the same time.
The Emperor was distressed that he could not regain his guardianship and privileges because of his illness.
The Empress was also pained by the fact that this would be a shield for others that would not allow her to touch the First Princess.
Soon, a firm hand grabbed Medea's hand and dragged her slightly.
"If you do, my wife and I will go out now. Your Majesty, please be strong. If you want to protect my wife and protect this land, you must be in good health forever."
He didn't forget to express his gratitude slowly as if he were taking medicine.
"The one who can't distinguish between heaven and earth because of the width of his wife's dress, is going to catch the eyes of the people and stare at this throne. I don't want to see it, so go away!"
Perdiccas II shouted, and at the same time spoke coldly to Medea.
"It's a privilege that I have granted, but I won't sit idly by beyond your fraction. Don't get me wrong, not everyone who stands by the Prince's side becomes an Empress."
His voice was so sinister that it froze his bones.
It was tantamount to declaring that there was no need to make the First Prince the Crown Prince.
The faces of Empress and Juan were
filled with unbearable joy.
"How dare I peek at that lofty position. It's just the delusion of a few fools."
Medea bowed respectfully.
Medea, who had been standing stiffly claiming her privileges, bent down at this moment, and the Emperor's anger boiled over.
Moreover, a 'fool'.
'Are you insulting me?'
"Even though I know the order given by the Most High, there are only those who want to put their own greed ahead of His Majesty's prestige."
As if she could not see the Emperor's face redden again, Medea's words were calmly finished.
"The master of the lofty Katzen must see through all these intentions, right?"
"..."
The Emperor stopped at that.
It was as if someone had stuck a cold knife into his head, which was full of anger toward his eldest son and his wife.
Medea swallowed her laughter silently.
'The only thing more frightening than anger is suspicion.'
Did the Empress, the owner of the Inner Palace, forget about the privileges her husband had given to the Princess of Valdina?
Or did she know that and still dare to test the Emperor's authority?
'A single drop of doubt is enough.'
She knew that the Emperor's paranoia would spread it uncontrollably and dye his head black.
Perdiccas II hates Medea and Cesare to the point of hatred.
Fortunately, this hatred has become the perfect smokescreen to hide Medea's plan at this moment.
Led out of the imperial palace by Cesare's hand, Medea's face was still expressionless.
"The Emperor has a deep hatred and an inferiority complex for Cesare."
If his son had died, he would have become a painful thorn in his heart that could not be pulled out, but since he came back to life in the end, it seems to have stimulated his inferiority complex even more.
"The Crown Prince won't come into my hands easily."
Then the goal was clear.
The third Prince, who is now the most powerful in the position, must be overthrown.
Medea was lost in thought when Cesare stopped.
Suddenly, she felt the strength of his grip.
"..."
"What's wrong?"
He looked up at Cesare's face, but he didn't look at Medea.
Strangely, her gaze drifted. Just like averting her eyes.
"I made you listen to dirty words."
He said quietly.
It seemed that the only thing that was slowly raising the medicine in front of the Emperor was his appearance.
She could feel his emotions in his voice, which was low and harsh, as if it were locked.
"It's the first time you've set foot in the Imperial Palace of Katzen, and you've seen and heard the ugliest things first."
His hand brushed along Medea's silvery hair.
His fingers glided along the pinna, and then he smoothed her soft and fragile earlobe.
As if to wash away his father's rant that had reached her ear a while ago.
His fingertips, as if he were carefully touching something lovely, felt like he was apologizing.
"...It won't happen again."
Medea, feeling the faint hint of flesh in his voice, shook her head.
"You know it's still too early."
She's grateful that Cesare protected her in front of the Emperor.
It wasn't like he was to show his teeth to his father as soon as he touched Medea, as he had done before.
'Cesare. You have to be yourself."
He was detached from everything, had no regrets about emotions or people, and was able to maintain his superiority until now.
Then the stuttering-like man laughed uncontrollably.
The sighs that burst out from between his well-shaped lips seemed to show his humanity.
"It can't be like that."
The hand that was painting the pinna fell off.
His arms rested on Medea's shoulders, and Medea was trapped in them.
"Dea. I can't do that when it comes to you."
Before Medea could stiffen herself, Cesare buried his head in her arms.
His fine-grained black hair tickled her throat.
He can't stand the thought of thorns that are so used to being so special that he touches the flesh between his words.
He's endured enough until it falls completely into his hands, and he can swallow any insult at the moment, and he doesn't want to put up with it anymore.
He wants to go on a rampage like a mad dog, just because they touched her.
"I always laughed at those who were dominated by reason because of their emotions, and now I am doing that contemptible thing."
Cesare swallowed the words he hadn't finished.
He felt like he was going to lose his leisure and get confused. He couldn't allow himself to do that.
Then, he straightened. It was because he felt a small hand wrapped around his back.
"It wasn't unexpected, and it's not your fault."
"..."
Having to deal with useless hatred unilaterally was enough for Medea.
Today, having experienced the Emperor's unprovoked anger and verbal abuse, it is not difficult to imagine the days of a young boy who must have grown up listening to it.
She doesn't dare to sympathize with that.
'I know what it's like to be unwelcome.'
She knows how sad and miserable it is to have nothing to attach his heart to in this splendid and vast imperial palace.
"Cesare, you can't choose your bloodline."
Even though the world and everyone pointed fingers at him, she knows that it was his struggle to survive.
"If it's a sin to do your best to survive, then it's better to be evil as if you're proud of it."
So at least as much as she does, she'll tell him again and again that he's not wrong.
"..."
Cesare looked up.
Maybe it's because he looks like a lost child for the first time.
Medea, involuntarily reaching out and wrapping her hands around his cheeks.
Before she could lift her tiptoe because she was not tall, he bent down and lowered himself.
Medea touched his ear with her hand, just as Cesare had done.
His ears were cold, and they were surprisingly soft.
'I hope you don't get hurt either. I just want to erase it like this.'
Medea's unconscious wish.
And the wind led her to kiss Cesare's cheek lightly.
It was a comforting kiss.
"...This."
Soon, she was surprised by her own impulse, and her cheeks turned red, but she couldn't stop.
At that moment, her waist was pulled sharply. She was embraced as if she were being pulled into his arms.
The pounding of his heart penetrated Medea's chest.
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