The Prince’s Nanny, Her Specialty Is Assassination - Chapter 17

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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 17. One Who Does Not Forget Kindness (3)

“You, youuuu!”

The Housekeeper let out a shriek and lunged at Rachel.

“It was you! It was you! You damn b—!”

She swung her hand wide toward Rachel’s cheek once again.

But this time, she couldn’t even graze a strand of her hair.

Because Rachel had instantly caught her wrist mid-air.

“Housekeeper.”

At the low voice, the Housekeeper flinched once more.

“I think tolerating rudeness once is quite enough.”

Rachel smiled at her, baring her teeth.

“Don’t you think so?”

It was a smile sharp enough to be chilling.

Like the fangs of a beast of prey.

Seeing such a smile from The Caretaker, the Housekeeper clutched her wrist and staggered backward.

“Well then, Housekeeper.”

Rachel continued speaking with a smiling face as she looked at the Housekeeper.

“The way out is this way.”

Once again, her directions were nothing short of perfectly courteous.

* * *

“Countess.”

Countess Pailin Katarina left the 3rd Prince’s Palace with her knight.

The knight following behind her quietly spoke up.

“What shall we do about the Housekeeper?”

It was truly a respectful tone.

Though the content of the words was not particularly respectful.

“Just leave her be.”

“But…”

“For that woman, returning to her original position is a greater punishment than death. There’s no need to create unnecessary trouble.”

Disguising it as a suspicious death would also be quite bothersome.

Besides, that woman might be useful again someday.

‘Lowly creatures backed into a corner will do anything.’

Pailin covered her raised lips with her fan.

“Instead, make sure to silence her properly.”

She commanded her knight in a firm voice.

“This matter must not reach the ears of the 2nd Imperial Consort, let alone the Empress or other nobles.”

If this matter reached their ears, not only herself but even the 2nd Empress would become the subject of gossip.

The fact that she was the 2nd Empress’s right hand was known to everyone.

“Really, I’m so embarrassed I can’t even lift my head.”

In any case, the Housekeeper was someone Pailin had personally chosen.

For such a person to not only commit corruption but to get caught doing it.

It truly could not be anything but shameful.

Pailin clicked her tongue in annoyance.

“This is why stupid ones are more irritating than quick-witted ones.”

“Understood. Then shall we plant someone else in the 3rd Prince’s Palace?”

“Someone else?”

Pailin scoffed at her knight’s words.

At one time, she thought the 3rd Prince might become a troublesome figure, but he wasn’t.

A timid child who had nothing but his bloodline.

That was all the current 3rd Prince was.

Even today, when told she had come, didn’t he make excuses about being sick and refuse to send down his caretaker?

He was a prince who hadn’t changed one bit from then to now.

“Forget it. It’s time to stop paying attention to that worthless prince.”

She smiled while recalling the face of that always bothersome old caretaker.

“With the troublesome Mrs. Conrad dead and gone, there’s no one left to fill the prince with false hopes, is there?”

“Understood.”

“Oh, right.”

Then, Pailin stopped as if remembering something important.

“Did you find that maid?”

“I apologize. We couldn’t find her.”

At her question, the knight bowed his head apologetically.

“You couldn’t find her?”

“Yes. We searched for a woman matching the description given by the servant who saw that maid directly, but couldn’t find her.”

Pailin frowned.

The mysterious maid who had delivered the Housekeeper’s ledger to The Count’s Family.

That woman had delivered the ledger to Pailin through a servant.

Along with a note saying she couldn’t stand by and watch the Housekeeper who had betrayed her.

At first she was suspicious, but the handwriting in the ledger was identical to the Housekeeper’s.

There was no room for doubt.

‘Considering she said it was for my sake, she must either know me well or wanted to gain my trust instead of the Housekeeper.’

But contrary to Pailin’s speculation, the maid did not reveal herself.

As if she didn’t want her identity to be discovered.

‘If she wanted a reward, she would have delivered it to me directly. Or she would have appeared before me today.’

The more she thought about it, the less she understood.

What reason could she have had for exposing the Housekeeper’s corruption and causing her to be driven out?

“Shall we expand the search area?”

“Ha, you want to search the entire Imperial Palace? Forget it.”

Pailin casually fiddled with her fingertips as if it didn’t matter.

“Are there only one or two women with black hair wearing maid uniforms in the Imperial Palace to begin with?”

The knight silently bowed his head at his mistress’s words.

“Besides, she was wearing a hood pulled down low. How could we find her when we don’t even know what her face looks like?”

“I apologize.”

She boarded the carriage, leaving behind the knight who was bowing to her.

“Return to the count’s estate.”

“Are you leaving without seeing the 2nd Imperial Consort?”

“Forget it. I’ll see her in two days anyway.”

She recalled the banquet that would be held at the Redcliff Marquess’s Estate in two days.

Since it was a celebration for her newly born nephew’s birthday, the 2nd Empress would surely attend.

It wouldn’t be too late to tell her about today’s events then.

‘There are stories that sound trivial when heard at the right moment.’

How should she tell the story this time to please her mood?

Pailin sighed, thinking of the 2nd Empress’s unpredictable temperament.

“I’m tired. Depart immediately.”

“Yes, my lady.”

Thus the carriage carrying Countess Katrina leisurely departed from the Prince’s Palace.

As if nothing had happened here at all.

* * *

“This is absolutely ridiculous.”

“What do you mean?”

“Why on earth did I! Why did someone like that become the Housekeeper—?”

Catherine, who had become the new housekeeper of the 3rd Prince’s Palace, raised both hands above her head and shouted.

“I’m just a mere baron’s daughter! Why! Why! Why did His Highness appoint me as housekeeper!”

“His Highness already told you. It’s because you’re the most trustworthy maid.”

“To be precise, he said it was because he liked how well you cook stew.”

“More precisely, Her Majesty the Empress, who heard about the former housekeeper’s misdeeds, highly valued your loyalty to His Highness.”

The ears of the Imperial Palace were terrifying, so even though the housekeeper had walked out on her own, the reason she was driven away had already spread throughout the entire Imperial Palace.

That news had coincidentally reached the Empress’s Palace as well.

There must be a clear reason why the Empress, who had no interest in the 3rd Prince, went out of her way to appoint a housekeeper.

‘Countess Katrina is the 2nd Empress’s right hand. Now that the confidant that woman planted in the 3rd Prince’s Palace is gone, it’s her turn.’

Currently, the forces actually competing for the throne were divided into two factions.

The faction supporting the 1st Prince, born of the Empress, and the faction supporting the 2nd Prince, born of the 2nd Empress.

Given the situation, the relationship between the Empress and the 2nd Empress was naturally bound to be that of mortal enemies.

‘Moreover, the relationship between the Empress’s family and the 2nd Empress’s family hasn’t been good since long ago.’

She might not want the 2nd Empress’s influence reaching the 3rd Prince’s Palace anymore.

I looked at Catherine, who was still making a tearful face, and tilted my head.

‘Well, I don’t really understand why the Empress specifically put Catherine in the housekeeper position either.’

If she wanted to monitor in place of the 2nd Empress, it would have made sense to send a new person.

But the Empress specifically appointed Catherine, who had defied her direct superior’s orders and cooked stew for the Prince, as housekeeper.

It was incomprehensible.

“Caretaker, when will you return my maid uniform that you borrowed last time?”

“Ah.”

Right, I had forgotten about that.

“Caretaker?”

“…Well, I lost the clothes.”

“What? The maid uniform?”

Actually, it was closer to throwing it away than losing it, but it couldn’t be helped.

“I’m sorry. I’ll buy you new clothes.”

“It’s fine. Where would you get the money, Caretaker?”

Catherine looked at the dress I was wearing with pitying eyes and sighed.

“Anyway, the housekeeper can’t wear that maid uniform. As soon as I get my salary, I’ll have to get a new dress tailored first.”

Unlike ordinary maids, the housekeeper of each palace had to have dignified clothing befitting their role as the face representing the palace.

With their own money, of course.

“Still, there’s one good thing about becoming housekeeper. The troublesome people left on their own.”

After Catherine became housekeeper, there was naturally a turnover among the maids of the 3rd Prince’s Palace.

Perhaps it was because the former housekeeper was driven away for disgraceful reasons.

Most of the main building maids, worried they might also be driven away for being involved in that incident, quit their jobs and left on their own.

Thanks to that, the annex maids who had worked with Catherine were able to move into the main building.

It was a good thing. Originally, the work done by the main building maids had been the annex maids’ responsibility anyway.

In any case, the 3rd Prince’s Palace returned to its usual daily routine.

No, it was an even more peaceful daily routine than usual.

‘They’re playing well.’

I turned my attention to the Prince and Princess while keeping Catherine, who was chattering away by herself, standing beside me.

The kids running around under the warm spring sunlight looked just like puppies.

It was while I was watching them play that I unconsciously brushed my hair back.

Something dark came off on my fingers.

Even though more than a week had passed since ‘that day,’ soot still came off my hair.

I thought it was only on the clothes I borrowed from Catherine.

I was irritably shaking my hair when it happened.

“Caretaker! Are you listening to me?”

“Yes.”

“What did I just say?”

“Actually, I wasn’t listening.”

Unable to withstand Catherine’s deadly glare, I asked.

“What did you say?”

“You know, I heard this from the servants working in the Imperial Palace.”

Catherine lowered her voice like someone revealing a major secret.

“The most famous person on the continent is currently staying at the Imperial Palace.”

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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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