I Was Hired by the Black-Minded Prince for My Life's Ransom - Chapter 10

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Episode 10. Come to Your Senses!
A blade flashing before my eyes, the stench of blood, and—
Crash!
“Aaaah!”
The assailant and I collided head-on.
My vision spun wildly.
Not knowing which way was up or down, I clung to the attacker and tumbled across the ground several times.
In an instant, the blade drew closer to my face.
‘This is going to hurt…?’
I squeezed my eyes shut.
Bracing myself against the pain that was about to come.
But.
“…Huh?”
The pain I’d been waiting for never arrived.
There was no piercing sensation, no cutting sensation.
Instead, what I heard was ragged breathing and—
“Let go! I said let go!”
A voice sharp with frustration.
I cautiously opened one eye.
And stared blankly at the situation unfolding before me.
Yurian stood over the assailant, who was sprawled on the ground.
His face was composed and unruffled, as though nothing had happened.
He had both of the attacker’s wrists pinned in one hand, wrenched back behind their body.
“Ughhhh—!”
No matter how the assailant thrashed, Yurian’s frame didn’t budge an inch.
He even casually kicked the fallen blade away with the tip of his boot.
Tap. It clattered away.
The sword tumbled a good distance down the path.
Cream-colored eyes, serene and steady, turned toward me.
“Are you hurt?”
“I…”
No.
My pupils wavered uncontrollably.
I swallowed hard and brushed away the tears that had welled up.
‘What is this.’
Dirt caked across my clothes, skin scraped raw and bleeding, blood seeping from the wounds.
There was no way I could say I was fine.
I’d thrown myself at the assailant without time to think.
The reason was obvious.
‘Soul Servitude….’
I swallowed the lump in my throat.
I never knew it could be this terrifying.
My body had moved of its own accord, beyond my will or control.
I slowly lifted my head…then immediately looked back down.
“…Hic.”
Yurian was looking down at me.
With that same quiet, composed expression he always wore.
Alarm bells screamed in my mind.
‘Wait, wait. If he finds out about this…?’
A man like him could kill me on the spot.
All he’d need to do is manufacture a dangerous situation and step back; I’d throw myself into death without a second thought.
An oversight in the Contract I’d never anticipated.
Cold sweat slid down my skin.
‘I have to hide it.’
It was at that very moment—
[Hide what?]
Yurian’s voice resonated directly inside my ear.
“Aaaah!”
What is this…?!
I trembled violently and reflexively looked toward where Yurian stood.
“Your Highness…?”
But I hadn’t said a word. How could he possibly—
A chill ran down my spine.
‘He just heard my thoughts, didn’t he…?’
Please.
Tell me it wasn’t that.
Yet a low, languid voice answered at once.
[Yes.]
This is bad…!
I asked urgently.
“Since when, Your Highness?”
[Stay quiet. I can hear you even with your lips closed.]
Wait—how am I supposed to answer if I can’t speak?
[Yes. Exactly like that.]
A shudder ran through me.
I trembled, my whole body shaking with dread.
So this is what Holy Magic feels like—hearing voices without words being spoken?
[To be precise, it’s the power of the Contract. Holy Power alone cannot produce magical effects.]
I, I see….
It seemed he’d slipped that clause in somewhere without my noticing.
But when did he start listening? From the very beginning?
As I nervously bit my lip, he let out a soft laugh.
[Did you curse at me?]
No, of course not! It’s just—
[Then why are you shaking so?]
Well….
I swallowed hard.
Desperately, I conjured an excuse.
‘I was… I was very worried…’
About your safety, naturally.
‘I’m embarrassed that you heard all that.’
[…….]
I’d expected him to mock me or dismiss my concern, but instead Yurian fell silent.
[Worry.]
His voice soft.
[You were worried for me?]
There was something almost strange in his tone.
A flat voice that gave away nothing of his emotion.
My heart raced.
Was he angry?
Would he condemn me for daring to deceive him?
‘Yes. I was worried.’
I pushed down my anxiety and continued quickly.
‘I belong to the Third Prince now, Your Highness. I was terrified I might fail to protect you.’
So please, forgive me…!
I squeezed my eyes shut and pleaded silently.
This brief silence stretched like eternity.
After a moment,
[So that’s what you were thinking.]
Yurian finally spoke.
I cracked open one eye cautiously.
I wasn’t sure what to make of it.
Maybe I was reading too much into his tone, but it sounded almost… moved.
[That’s not bad.]
Really?
I swallowed.
[But Vanillin need not place herself in danger.]
‘But still….’
[As Vanillin herself said—]
He continued matter-of-factly.
“Vanillin is my person, after all.”
The same calm tone as always.
That was why it didn’t sound like a joke.
There was only a quiet certainty, as if he were simply stating a fact.
‘…oh.’
It had only been something I’d said to get out of the situation….
My person.
Those words stuck with me in a strange way.
My heart gave an odd flutter, so I nodded quickly.
‘Thank you….’
And I hurried to add:
‘If anything dangerous happens again, I’ll protect you then as well!’
After all, my body was going to throw itself into danger regardless, so it wasn’t exactly a lie….
I needed to win his trust as soon as possible, it seemed.
So that even if this weakness was exposed, I wouldn’t be put to death.
“I see.”
Yurian smiled softly, unaware of my true thoughts.
“I’ll be counting on it, then.”
Even from quite a distance away, I could clearly see his sacred eyes curving into gentle crescents as he smiled.
…Did I pull it off?
I think I did.
Thank goodness….
Worried the conversation might circle back, I quickly changed the subject.
‘But this intruder….’
“Well.”
Yurian’s response was lukewarm.
“I’ve never seen him before.”
…But why was this man glaring at Yurian so intensely?
I studied the intruder’s expression.
In those eyes lay hatred and rage with something unnatural about it, and….
‘Greed?’
Then the man thrashed again.
The intruder twisted violently, shrieking.
“Let go, Ozwald Yurian! You bastard, you…!”
The unnaturally formal way he spoke the full name, and—
“I’ll kill you!”
The way he was covered in blood, and had gotten deep into the Imperial Palace past the knights guarding the gates without a sound….
‘Could this be….’
No matter how I thought about it, the only explanation was that another royal had let him through.
Then came his unhurried answer.
“Your thinking is correct.”
‘Then….’
“It’s likely the Second Prince.”
Just as I’d suspected.
So this too was part of the Succession Struggle.
And he seemed to have anticipated this much, for his voice carried amusement as it reached my ears.
“I never expected things to go smoothly from the start.”
Was this the true face of the Imperial Household?
It seemed rather different from the beautiful tales I’d read in fairy tales.
‘Then what I need to do is….’
I bit my small lips firmly.
Looking around, I heard the murmur of people’s voices.
“What’s happened?”
“Where did this intruder come from….”
“Did you hear him say ‘enemy’ just now?”
“The Third Prince, Your Highness…?”
The members of the Diplomatic Delegation were whispering anxiously, and the atmosphere had grown strange.
“It’s fine.”
Yurian spoke calmly.
“The diplomatic matters are all concluded. He simply mistimed his strike.”
He was going to let it pass as is.
Certainly, from his perspective, that might be the best option.
…But.
‘I need to earn his trust.’
Before Yurian noticed the loopholes in the Contract.
‘The kind of thing the noble and righteous could never do—only Vanillin from the gutter could pull it off.’
I was grateful I’d worked under Dai.
Every dirty trick in existence was my specialty.
My heart hammered against my ribs.
Part of me wanted to run, to pretend none of this was happening….
‘But it’s too late.’
My paradise doesn’t lie in ignorance.
I opened my eyes slowly.
And then,
Crack!
“Please, come to your senses!”
“Gasp—?!”
I struck the assailant’s cheek with all my strength.
His head snapped to the side.
The hunting ground fell silent in an instant.
[Vanillin?]
Yurian called out to me as if asking what on earth I was doing.
The Diplomatic Delegation began murmuring among themselves.
“What is that maid doing?”
“Do they know each other?”
“Now that you mention it, she rushed in and stopped him right away.”
Good. I had their attention.
Now for the next part….
“Do you see who stands before you right now?!”
I seized his collar and pulled harder.
Hard enough that he couldn’t breathe, couldn’t speak.
The assailant thrashed in confusion.
“What are you—gack!”
“The Third Prince, Your Highness!”
I drew the words from my core and shouted them loud.
“The one who gave you money and medicine every time you were dying in the streets! Who held out his hand and told you to live like a human being!”
Of course, I’d made it all up just now.
But what mattered wasn’t the truth—it was the atmosphere.
“My goodness.”
“How shameless….”
By now, the entire Diplomatic Delegation was completely absorbed.
Deliberately, I lowered my voice.
“James… you know what this is.”
The Delegation leaned in, ears perked.
“How ungrateful—to attack your benefactor because of an enemy’s family.”
I hadn’t named him directly, but this much would be enough.
The man who killed this wretch’s parents was not Yurian, but another member of the royal family.
This story would spread from the Delegation’s lips to other kingdoms.
I closed my mouth and knelt before Yurian.
“Third Prince, Your Highness. I apologize.”
I bowed my head deeply.
“I leave his punishment to your judgment.”
“Mm.”
Yurian’s eyes narrowed as he smiled.
[You’ve done something amusing.]
He whispered Telepathy into my ear, his voice laced with delight.
Then he opened his mouth.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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