The Prince’s Nanny, Her Specialty Is Assassination - Chapter 147
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 147. The Prophet and the Guardian (5)
“Alright, let’s get going…”
“Johannes, sir.”
Just then, a voice like scraping metal rang out.
The owner of the voice was a mysterious man who always followed behind Johan.
Unlike Johan, the slum dwellers feared this man with his house-sized frame and blunt manner of speaking. Of course, the biggest reason was the massive greatsword strapped to his back.
“We cannot afford to delay any longer.”
The man wore a dark reddish-brown hood so worn it looked brown, and made clanking sounds with every movement. It seemed to be the sound of glimpses of silver armor visible between the hood clashing together.
“It’s fine, Karl. Those guys can’t catch us anyway.”
Johan looked at the man following behind him, Karl, and smiled brightly.
“Even if they do chase us, you’ll protect me, won’t you.”
He winked at Karl.
“My guardian is the finest knight there is. Isn’t that right?”
Karl looked at Johan, who was grinning playfully at him, and let out a deep sigh.
“How did I end up serving such a reckless young master…”
“Haha, isn’t this all God’s will?”
Johan, no, Johannes laughed cheerfully and walked toward where the girl was.
“Come on, let’s go.”
Walking majestically through the middle of the slum with the midday sun at his back, there was somehow a sacred aura emanating from him.
* * *
“They came faster than I expected.”
I leaned against the bed and unfolded the letter.
It had only been a few days since I sent a letter to the Golden Goose Guild asking them to investigate the candidate Holy Emperor.
The reply Somnia sent contained very detailed personal information about the candidate Holy Emperor.
It was hard to believe this was investigated in such a short time.
‘Johannes Mylo.’
I stared intently at the name written on the first line of the letter.
‘He’s nineteen years old this year, and was unanimously elected as the youngest Holy Emperor candidate in history.’
The candidate Holy Emperor, Johannes, was born in the Leon Kingdom from the most prestigious family of holy knights.
With such sacred origins, he graduated at the top of his class from the most famous theological school in the Holy Kingdom and was immediately called to serve as high cleric in various kingdoms.
His innate divine power was so strong and vast that he could handle most disasters or incurable diseases single-handedly, so his popularity was inevitable.
‘He was appointed as candidate Holy Emperor immediately upon returning to the Leon Kingdom at eighteen, but…’
I frowned as I read the following sentence.
“Currently missing, and wanted by the Holy Kingdom?”
What on earth does this mean.
It was already absurd that a candidate Holy Emperor had gone missing, but for the Holy Kingdom to issue a wanted notice.
‘But why?’
I couldn’t understand it.
Those wanted by the Holy Kingdom were usually those who had committed blasphemy.
Most of them were those who had committed minor crimes like denying the Holy Kingdom’s doctrine or being disrespectful to clerics.
‘So you’re saying this Johannes fellow committed such crimes?’
It didn’t make sense.
How could someone who denies the Holy Kingdom’s doctrine be appointed to the position of candidate Holy Emperor in the first place.
Besides, even if a candidate Holy Emperor was disrespectful to other clerics, as long as he didn’t kill or injure them, it couldn’t even be considered a wrongdoing.
‘The Holy Kingdom has a much more rigid caste system than the outside world.’
The social hierarchy within the Holy Kingdom was stricter than the outside world with its royalty and nobility.
The Holy Emperor was an existence equivalent to a god, and the candidate Holy Emperor was revered as a being just as noble as the Holy Emperor, being destined to become the next god.
‘But the Holy Kingdom issued a wanted notice for such a person.’
It was truly strange.
I raised one eyebrow and turned the page.
Fortunately, another page contained the information I wanted.
‘Currently presumed to be wandering the continent with one holy knight, serving the lower classes.’
Johannes’s guardian, that is, the holy knight protecting him, was one of the top skilled fighters in the Holy Kingdom and had such good instincts that he had evaded all pursuers who had followed them so far.
‘He has extensive experience escorting pilgrimages and is naturally suspicious, making tracking impossible. Currently only tracking his approximate location.’
In the end, it meant directly finding the candidate Holy Emperor was impossible.
I wondered just how amazing a holy knight he was traveling with for such words to come from the mouth of the Golden Goose Guild master, who claimed nothing was impossible.
‘And the last place Johannes’s party was spotted was…’
A slum near the Mondragón Mountains.
I squinted and stared quietly at the letter.
‘The Mondragón Mountains aren’t far from the Empire.’
I didn’t know where the candidate Holy Emperor Johannes’s next destination was, but if it was near the Empire, it was dangerous.
It would be terrible if he was spotted by other clerics from the Holy Kingdom or captured by the mercenary group hired by the Marquis of Redcliff.
‘But the fact that the Holy Kingdom issued a wanted notice means the relationship between the current Holy Emperor and Johannes isn’t very good…’
The reason the Marquis of Redcliff was looking for Johannes might simply be to gain the trust of the future Holy Emperor, but it could also be the opposite.
‘If the successor dies, the Holy Emperor’s term is extended until another qualified successor is selected.’
It was just speculation, but Johannes seemed to be a cleric who truly practiced God’s will, which was rare these days.
Despite having the great position of future Holy Emperor, he was bestowing divine power on the lower classes without expecting any compensation.
‘He has completely opposite tendencies from the current Holy Emperor.’
A lazy, selfish, and greedy old man versus a passionate, honest, and devoted young man.
Which of the two would be easier to handle? The answer was obvious.
‘Then the reason the Marquis of Redcliff is looking for Johannes is…’
To remove an obstacle.
To gain even a slightly advantageous position in the imperial succession issue, it would be better to have someone susceptible to threats or persuasion in the Holy Emperor’s seat.
‘It wouldn’t be easy to manipulate a young cleric with his head screwed on straight.’
Perhaps the Holy Kingdom had also promised something to the Marquis of Redcliff.
On the condition of eliminating Johannes.
‘The Holy Kingdom has many unsavory aspects too. Both the mutant monster issue and matters regarding imperial succession.’
I still had no way of knowing specifically how the collusion between the Holy Kingdom and the Marquis of Redcliff was carried out. However, one thing was certain: regardless of their motives, the two were in some kind of cooperative relationship.
Crackle.
I threw Somnia’s letter into the fireplace.
The high-quality stationery then crumbled to ash while spreading a pleasant fragrance.
‘Johannes is an absolutely necessary piece.’
To make Edwin emperor, or if not that, at least to prevent the other princes from becoming emperor.
But I couldn’t personally track down Johannes, nor could I entrust the task to others like everyone else.
‘It seems like everyone else has pretty much given up on the pursuit anyway.’
Hadn’t the Breath of Angels organization members I personally sent to hell also failed to find Johannes’s party.
‘Then indeed.’
I clenched my fist while looking at the crimson flickering flames.
“…Is there no choice but to call that bastard?”
Unlike Seiji or Somnia, a connection from the past I never wanted to encounter until the end.
It seemed I would have to meet that person after all.
“No, no.”
After pondering for a long time, I shook my head like a madman.
“It’s best not to associate with that crazy bastard if possible. I’ll have to find Johannes through other means.”
Calling that damned bastard should only be for truly unavoidable circumstances.
If my life wasn’t in danger, I should never even think of him.
I tried to erase the name of that person from my mind.
Though it was of little use.
* * *
Kieeeeeek!
The beast-shaped monster with its feet bound by chains made an eerily disturbing sound.
Even in its restrained state, it violently shook its head and tail, threatening the knights around it.
“Your Highness, now!”
The 3rd Prince Edwin leaped upward at the shout from the knight beside him.
The sharp blade crushed the monster’s teeth and immediately pierced through its head.
Uwaaaaaaah―
Cheers erupted from among the knights.
Edwin also confirmed that his strike had landed properly and tried to raise his sword in joy.
But then he lost his balance, stepped on the monster’s bodily fluids, and slipped.
“Uh, uhh?”
The knights couldn’t help but laugh at the sight of Edwin flailing on the ground, covered in translucent fluids.
“Wahaha, Your Highness! Your finishing moves are still clumsy!”
“Hey, stop laughing and help him up! He can’t get up!”
The polite and gentle knights grabbed Edwin’s arms and helped him to his feet, while the mischievous knights gave him applause and jeers.
“Well done, Your Highness! Though, when doing your victory ceremony, it might be better to check your footing first.”
“Stop teasing him, you insolent fools. This is why the 1st Knight Order still calls you savages.”
Edwin sat down among the knights with both cheeks flushed red.
While the knights of the 3rd Knight Order chatted amongst themselves, he wiped himself down with an old towel.
‘Monsters, monsters indeed.’
Edwin quietly caught his breath and fell into thought.
The young prince’s small head was filled with complex thoughts.
– It’s not certain yet, but it seems they’re planning to conscript a large-scale monster subjugation coalition army soon.
The Caretaker, Rachel, had spoken to him in a very matter-of-fact tone.
– The Emperor seems to be planning to have all the princes participate in the campaign.
That meant the subjugation war would essentially serve as an important gateway for selecting the crown prince material.
‘Could I accomplish such a great task?’
He had learned to some extent how to deal with monsters during the knight order’s joint training camp.
Though all he could manage was directly stabbing a sword into the vital points of half-dead monsters like now.
Deep worry appeared on the young prince’s innocent face.
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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