The Prince’s Nanny, Her Specialty Is Assassination - Chapter 158

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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 158. Preparation (3)

“I’m still considering it.”

Seiji frowned at my answer.

“The subjugation campaign is right around the corner and you’re still considering? Should I find you a mage I know?”

“If I use people under your name, I’ll be dragged to the execution ground before even going to the subjugation campaign.”

“Then what are you planning to do?”

The old sage crossed his arms with an exasperated expression.

“You’re not planning to go to the monster subjugation campaign without bringing a mage, are you? No matter how excellent you are, that’s too dangerous and reckless…”

“I have a plan, so you don’t need to worry.”

“Ah, I see. Well, the great Kayla would handle that much herself.”

Seiji stretched out long on his chair as if he expected that answer.

“So Edwin decided to participate as a member of the Gloria Knight Order after all?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

While the other two princes would lead noble private soldiers backed by their maternal relatives, Edwin decided to participate as a member of the Gloria Knight Order.

It was The Emperor’s command.

“Our Emperor is truly a peculiar person.”

Seiji kept tilting his head.

“He seems to not care about his own bloodline, but then he shows concern at crucial moments like this, so he doesn’t seem to be completely heartless.”

He squinted one eye as if he couldn’t understand at all.

“But why specifically the captain position of the 3rd Knight Order within the Gloria Knight Order? Is it because Edwin has been training with them continuously?”

“I requested it.”

“Ah, I see. You requested…”

Seiji looked at me with surprised eyes.

“What? Really? You directly petitioned The Emperor?”

“Not directly.”

I did find someone to act as a bridge and made the request.

I continued calmly.

“I asked Duke Crowner.”

“What? You made such a request to that man? No, more than that, that man actually granted such a request?”

“Yes, well.”

I recalled the last day I faced Duke Jerome Crowner.

– Well, well, who do we have here. Isn’t this The 3rd Prince’s caretaker.

He made an unpleasant expression upon seeing me suddenly visit the barracks.

It was the look one would give an uninvited guest sneaking into a banquet hall.

– What business brings The Caretaker all the way to the knight captain’s study.

– I came because I have a request.

– A request? What kind of request?

– Please allow Prince Edwin to participate in the subjugation campaign as a member of the Gloria Knight Order.

It was less than an hour after the joint subjugation operation was officially announced.

After hearing my words, Jerome just stared at me silently for a while.

– Do you think I’ll grant that request?

– Yes.

– Hah, on what grounds?

He frowned as if my confident attitude was unpleasant.

– Did you think I’d easily grant this request too since I allowed Prince Edwin to join the knight training? If so, you’re greatly mistaken. Now go back…

– I once saved The Empress’s life.

Jerome burst into hollow laughter as soon as he heard my words.

– Hahaha, so that’s how you’re going to play it? As for that matter, I believe our Emperor and Empress already rewarded you generously? Are you asking me to pay back with interest too?

– Duke, you would know better than anyone who attempted to poison The Empress.

It was a kind of gamble.

I decided to throw a bold hand this time.

– If you grant my request, I’ll tell you that person’s fatal weakness.

For a moment, it felt as if the temperature in the study had dropped.

Jerome glared at me with eyes filled with chilling hostility.

– What do you mean by that?

– Exactly what I said.

I replied in a respectful voice with my hands neatly clasped together.

– I’ll tell you a weakness so fatal that The 2nd Imperial Consort, no, the Redcliff Marquess’s Estate will never be able to recover.

– You’re not joking around with me right now, are you?

– Do I look like I’m playing around?

A long silence passed.

Eventually, all traces of amusement completely disappeared from Jerome’s face.

– What is this weakness?

– Didn’t I tell you? I’ll teach you if you grant my request.

As soon as I finished speaking, a familiar chill touched my neck.

Jerome was already pointing his sword at my neck.

It was a movement so fast and swift it was invisible to the eye.

– What if I need to hear it right here, right now?

– I can tell you right now.

I kept my gaze fixed on Jerome’s eyes as I added.

– If Duke grants my request first.

Jerome made a confused expression.

A normal person should be kneeling and crying desperately just from him drawing his sword.

As if he found it regrettable that I, a mere woman, didn’t even blink an eye.

– Looking at your eyes, it seems you won’t speak even if you die.

– You see well.

The sword disappeared back to its place.

Jerome slowly closed the distance between us.

– I thought you were strange from the first time I saw you.

The man, who was at least two heads taller than me, stared at me with threatening eyes.

– Rachel Brown Lordling. What exactly are you?

– Don’t you know well enough.

I slowly raised my head.

Before the blazing gaze of the Empire’s strongest knight, I replied briefly.

– I am Prince Edwin’s caretaker.

The Duke’s expression, which had been contorting at words that were no different from a self-introduction, was truly a sight to behold.

“Good heavens.”

After hearing my story, Seiji couldn’t close his mouth.

“So what you’re saying is, you threatened The Duke?”

“Threatened? I merely proposed a deal.”

“So, did you tell The Duke about The 2nd Empress’s weakness?”

“No.”

“I knew it!”

The old sage lightly struck the desk as if he expected this.

“Of course! There’s no way you’d obediently hand over such important information! Getting more than the fair price by any means is your specialty, isn’t it.”

I can’t tell if he’s praising me or being sarcastic.

What exactly does this old man think of me as a person.

“Still, I did reveal some facts.”

Revealing facts, not truth.

Planting doubt, not giving certainty.

“I told him that a strange noble frequently visits the 2nd Empress’s palace. And that I often saw that noble in the back alleys when I was young.”

Who wouldn’t feel uneasy hearing that a young noble who frequently visits the 2nd Imperial Consort’s Palace used to wander the back alleys reeking of blood?

Jerome also hardened his face coldly after hearing my words.

‘Jerome will soon find out that Ian is someone who gained noble status by earning The Marquis of Redcliff’s trust.’

So the arrow of suspicion will point not only at the 2nd Empress but also at Ian.

Just as I wanted.

“What? You often encountered him in the back alleys?”

Seiji looked worried.

“What if you also come under unnecessary suspicion after telling The Duke such things?”

“The Duke knows well that I’m a commoner who came from who knows where. He also knows well that I’m an adopted child of Brown County.”

If an adopted child of the count’s family tells stories from before the adoption, there would be no way to verify whether those words are true or false.

Even for the great Duke Crowner.

“Did The Duke believe your words?”

“Fortunately, he believed about half of it. Though he was angry.”

“Of course he’d be angry! It’s not proper information.”

I shrugged my shoulders.

“So I told him I’d reveal the 2nd Empress’s real weakness after the subjugation campaign ends.”

To prove the 2nd Empress’s weakness, I needed physical evidence, not just circumstantial evidence or hypotheses.

Unfortunately, that evidence wasn’t in my possession.

“Wait, but why specifically the captain position?”

Seiji asked back as if he couldn’t understand.

“You asked for Edwin to participate as a knight order member.”

“That must be The Emperor’s proposal.”

The Gloria Knight Order was an imperial knight order directly under The Emperor.

For Edwin to take the temporary captain position, The Emperor’s permission was required first.

Duke Crowner couldn’t assign such a position on his own authority.

‘Seeing that Duke Crowner also accepted The Emperor’s proposal, this must be a kind of pressure.’

A threatening expectation that since I’ve done this much, you must also provide compensation that meets my expectations.

Now that I think about it, it’s not me but Duke Crowner who’s doing the blackmailing.

“Huh.”

Seiji let out a deep sigh and stood up from his seat.

“The Duke who accepted your proposal, and The Emperor who issued an even more extreme decree. They’re all incomprehensible bunch.”

He muttered while frowning.

“Does The Emperor have more expectations for Edwin than we thought?”

“I wonder.”

I couldn’t guess either.

Why did The Emperor want to put a young prince who hasn’t even had his coming-of-age ceremony on the front lines as temporary captain?

‘What I can be certain of is that it’s not out of affection compared to the other princes.’

If he truly cherished and loved him, he wouldn’t have put young children at the forefront of a subjugation campaign in the first place.

‘Then The Emperor’s decision is…’

Is it whimsical consideration, or a special test just for Edwin?

Whatever The Emperor’s intentions, there was only one choice.

“We just need to do what we can do now.”

I picked up the medicine bottles placed on the desk one by one.

And I organized the bottles one by one into the basket I brought.

“While I’m away serving The Prince on the subjugation campaign, please take good care of Princess Emilia.”

“Huh? Why are you asking me to look after that furball’s safety? There are plenty of maids around. Aren’t there new maids who joined recently too?”

“…I don’t trust things I haven’t experienced myself.”

In that sense, Seiji was one of the people I could trust.

Even if his temperament was eccentric, he was a kind person with a conscience.

“Oh.”

I stood at the cabin’s doorway and looked back at Seiji.

“You mustn’t neglect your research on variant monsters either, understand?”

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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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