I Was Hired by the Dark Prince for My Life's Worth - 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 reek of blood, and—
Crash!
“Ahhh!”
The assailant and I collided head-on.
My vision spun dizzyingly.
Not knowing which way was sky and which was earth, I grappled with the assailant and tumbled across the ground in a blur of motion.
In an instant, the blade drew closer to my eyes.
‘This is going to hurt…?’
I squeezed my eyes shut.
Bracing my body against the pain I knew was coming.
But.
“…Huh?”
The expected pain never arrived.
No piercing sensation. No blade slicing through skin.
Instead, what reached me was the sound of ragged breathing, and—
“Let go! I said let go!”
A desperate cry torn from the assailant’s throat.
I opened one eye cautiously.
And stared blankly at the scene before me.
Yuri An stood above the assailant, who was still on the ground.
His face was composed and unruffled, as if nothing had happened.
He held both of the assailant’s wrists pinned in a single hand, wrenching them up behind his back.
“Ugh—!”
Despite the assailant’s thrashing, Yuri An’s frame remained perfectly still.
He even casually flicked the fallen blade away with the tip of his boot.
Tap. Clatter, clatter….
The sword skittered far across the floor.
Those pale cream-colored eyes turned toward me.
“Are you unharmed?”
“I….”
No.
My eyes began to tremble uncontrollably.

I swallowed hard and wiped away the tears that had gathered.
‘What is this.’
Dirt caked across my clothes, skin raw and bleeding in several places, blood oozing steadily from the wounds.
There was no way I could say I was fine.
Without time to think, I’d thrown myself at the assailant.
The reason was clear enough.
‘Soul Subjugation….’
I swallowed the tears in my throat.
I had no idea something like this could be so terrifying.
My body moved of its own will, regardless of what my mind wanted.
I slowly lifted my head… and immediately dropped my gaze again.
“…Hic.”
Yuri An was looking down at me.
With that same quiet, composed expression he always wore.
An alarm bell shrieked inside my head.
‘W-wait. If he finds out about this…?’
At this rate, that man could kill me on the spot.
All he’d have to do is create a dangerous situation, and I’d throw myself into death’s embrace without a second thought.
An unforeseen loophole in the Contract.
Cold sweat began to trickle down my spine.
‘I have to hide it.’
The moment that thought crossed my mind—
[Hide what?]
Yuri An’s voice sounded directly inside my ear.
“Ahhh!”
What is this…?!
I trembled violently and instinctively looked toward where Yuri An stood.
“Your Highness…?”
I hadn’t said a word. How could he…?
A chill raced down my spine.
‘He just heard my thoughts, didn’t he…?’
Please.
Tell me he didn’t.
But his low, languid voice answered at once.
[Yes.]
I was ruined.
I asked urgently.
“How long have you been able to do that?”
[Be quiet. I can hear you even without moving your lips.]
Wait—how am I supposed to answer if I don’t open my mouth?
[Like that. Exactly like that.]
A shudder ran through me.
Goosebumps bloomed across my skin as I trembled.
Words without speech, voices without breath—was this what Holy Magic truly was?
[To be precise, it’s the power of the Contract. Holy Power alone cannot produce magical effects.]
I, I see….
Somehow I’d missed noticing that clause when I signed.
But when exactly did he start listening?
As I nervously chewed my lower lip, he let out a soft laugh.
[Did you curse at me?]
No! It’s nothing like that….
[Then why are you shaking?]
Well, you see….
My breath caught.
I swallowed hard and scrambled desperately for an excuse.
‘I was… I was so worried…’
About your safety, of course.
‘It’s just a bit embarrassing that you heard all that.’
[…….]
I expected him to mock me, to dismiss my words as foolish. Instead, Yuri An fell silent.
[Worried.]
His voice was soft.
[You worried about me?]
There was something oddly new in his tone.
An emotionless, measured voice that gave nothing away.
My heart began to race.
Was he angry?
Would he accuse me of trying to deceive him?
‘Yes, I was worried.’
I pushed past my anxiety and hurried on.
‘I belong to the Third Prince now, after all. I was terrified I might fail to protect you!’
Please, just let this go…!
I clenched my eyes shut and silently pleaded.
The silence that followed stretched like an eternity.
After a moment had passed,
[So that’s what you were thinking.]
Yuri An finally spoke.
I cracked open one eye cautiously.
I couldn’t quite say.
Perhaps I was reading too much into it, but his tone seemed almost… touched.
[That’s not so bad.]
Really…?
I swallowed hard.
[But there’s no need for Vanilla to be put in danger.]
‘That’s true, but….’
[As Vanilla herself said—]
He continued smoothly.
“Vanilla is my person.”
The same measured tone as always.
That’s why it didn’t sound like a joke.
There was a quiet certainty to it, as if he were simply stating a fact.
‘…oh.’
It had been nothing more than something I’d said to deflect the situation….
My person.
The words clung to my ears in the strangest way.
My heart fluttered without reason, and I quickly nodded.
‘Thank you….’
And I hurried to add more.
‘If danger ever threatens again, I’ll protect you!’
My body would throw itself into danger regardless, so it wasn’t exactly a lie….
I needed to earn his trust as quickly as possible.
Before this weakness of mine was exposed and got me killed.
“That’s good.”
Yuri An smiled gently, unaware of my true thoughts.
“I’m looking forward to it.”
Even from quite a distance, I could clearly see how his holy eyes curved softly as they crinkled at the corners.
…Did he buy it?
I think he did.
Thank goodness….
Afraid the conversation might circle back to me, I quickly changed the subject.
‘But this mysterious assailant….’
“I’m not sure.”
Yuri An’s response was lukewarm.
“I’ve never seen him before.”
…But why was this person staring at Yuri An with such intensity?
I studied the assailant’s face.
What lay behind those eyes was hatred and fury tinged with something unnatural, and….
‘Greed?’
Then the man began to thrash again.
The assailant twisted and writhed, bellowing.
“Let go, Oswald Yuri An! That monster… killed our parents…!”
The way he said the full name, so unnaturally,
“I’ll kill you!”
And the fact that despite being soaked in blood, he’d slipped deep into the Imperial Palace, passed the guards at every door, and entered without raising any alarm….
‘This is….’
No matter how I thought about it, there was no other explanation: another member of the Imperial Family must have opened the way for him.
Then came a leisurely answer.
“Your thinking is correct.”
‘Then….’
“It’s likely the Second Prince.”
As I suspected.
So this too was part of the Succession War.
And it seemed he’d anticipated this might happen, because his voice carried an undertone of amusement.
“I never expected things to proceed smoothly from the start.”
Is this what the Imperial Family truly is?
It seemed different from the beautiful stories I’d read in fairytales.
‘Then what I need to do is….’
I bit my small lips firmly.
As I looked around, I heard murmuring voices.
“What’s happening?”
“Who is this stranger…?”
“Did he just say enemy?”
“That Third Prince Your Highness…?”
The Diplomatic Delegation began whispering anxiously, and the atmosphere had grown tense.
“It’s fine.”
Yuri An spoke calmly.
“The negotiations are complete. He simply mistimed his strike.”
It meant he was going to let this pass.
Certainly, from his position, it might be the best option.
…But.
‘I need to gain his trust.’
Before Yuri An notices the loopholes in the Contract.
‘Something only Vanilla from the gutter can do—something the proud could never accomplish.’
I was grateful I’d worked under Dai.
Every dirty deed in existence was my specialty.
My heart hammered against my ribs.
In truth, I wanted to pretend I knew nothing of this and run, but….
‘It’s already too late.’
My paradise doesn’t lie there.
I opened my eyes slowly.
And then,
Crack—!
“Please, snap out of it!”
“Gack—?!”
I slapped the stranger’s cheek with all my strength.
His head snapped to the side.
The hunting ground fell silent in an instant.
[Vanilla?]
Yuri An called to me as if asking what I was doing.
The Diplomatic Delegation began murmuring among themselves.
“What is that maid doing?”
“Are they acquainted?”
“Now that you mention it, she did rush in and stop him right away.”
Good. I had their attention.
So next was….
“Do you see who stands before your eyes now?!”
I gripped his collar tighter and dragged him forward.
So he couldn’t breathe, couldn’t speak a word.
The stranger flailed in panic.
“What are you—gack!”
“The Third Prince, Your Highness!”
I drew the words up from my core and shouted them loud and clear.
“Every time you were dying in the gutter, he gave you money and medicine! He extended his hand so you could live like a human being!”
Of course, I’d invented it all just now.
But what mattered wasn’t the truth—it was the atmosphere.
“Good heavens.”
“What shamelessness….”
By now, the Diplomatic Delegation was completely absorbed.
I deliberately lowered my voice.
“James… you know.”
The Delegation leaned in, ears perked.
“How ungrateful it is to attack a benefactor because he’s the enemy’s kin.”
I didn’t speak his name outright, but this much would be enough.
The man who killed this wretch’s parents was not Yuri An, but another member of the Imperial Family.
This would spread from the Delegation’s lips to other kingdoms.
I closed my mouth and knelt before Yuri An.
“Third Prince, Your Highness, I apologize.”
I lowered my head deeply.
“I place his punishment in your hands.”
“Hm.”
Yuri An narrowed his eyes and smiled.
[You’ve done something amusing.]
He whispered Telepathic Communication to my ear alone, his tone delighted.
And 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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