The Prince’s Nanny, Her Specialty Is Assassination - Chapter 177

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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 177. Trap (8)

“His Majesty is now…”

Jerome furrowed his brow.

He glared at the red magic stone in Kaiden’s hand.

“Are you saying that the sudden increase in monster numbers is connected to the Holy Kingdom?”

“Then what does the Duke think about what happened today?”

Kaiden quietly set down the magic stone and looked at Jerome.

“The Duke must have hunted monsters to the point of being sick of it. Do you think the behavior of those creatures we saw today was normal?”

“Normal or not, it doesn’t make sense from the start. The idea that divine power dwells in monsters’ bodies…”

“Isn’t there evidence?”

The red magic stone that came from the mutant monster’s body.

The magic stone placed on the table emitted a faint light.

“The Duke must have recognized at a glance that this isn’t fake.”

Jerome didn’t answer.

He just crossed his arms and let out a contemplative hum.

“Your Highness, if I may be so bold, could I offer a word?”

Then Aurel stepped forward with a respectful attitude.

When Kaiden nodded, he immediately continued speaking.

“Generally, it’s said that divine power and magic power cannot coexist, but that’s not true.”

Magic power and divine power were forces that dwelt in all living beings.

It was simply a matter of proportion.

“People with high divine power find it relatively difficult to draw out magic power, and people with high magic power find it difficult to draw out the force of divine power. The idea that the two are completely opposed is just a convenient interpretation.”

Hmm, exactly what Seiji had said.

Edwin seemed to have the same thought as me, showing a face that found nothing particularly new about it.

“And forces with the same nature tend to attract and combine with each other. The fact that this magic stone wasn’t destroyed when divine power was infused into it follows the same principle.”

The divine power remaining inside the magic stone absorbed the divine power injected from outside.

Thanks to this, the mutant monster’s magic stone wasn’t destroyed.

“As you know, monsters generally have low intelligence. Except for a few species that hunt in packs.”

The centipede-type monsters that attacked the subjugation force during the day were among those with very low intelligence. For such creatures to target and attack only specific groups was virtually impossible.

“But the monsters recently discovered exhibiting strange behavior all carry magic stones imbued with divine power.”

Excessively violent, excessively numerous, and excessively cunning monsters.

All such creatures were uniformly under the influence of divine power.

“No, then are you saying the Holy Kingdom’s clerics controlled the monsters?”

Jerome wore an expression of disbelief.

‘That’s understandable.’

Monster extermination was one of the main duties of the clerics and holy knights of Leon Kingdom.

It was unbelievable that clerics who should exterminate monsters harmful to people would control monsters to attack people.

“Even if that were true, what reason would the Holy Kingdom have for doing such a thing?”

“Isn’t the reason obvious?”

Aurel raised one eyebrow.

“Depending on who becomes the next Emperor, the Holy Kingdom’s future for decades will also be determined.”

Just as the Holy Kingdom exercised great influence in deciding the Empire’s Emperor, the Empire also had the greatest contribution to the Holy Kingdom’s financial situation.

“The Bentrum Empire has the most Leon Temples of any nation on the continent.”

In other words, it was as if the Bentrum Empire was feeding the Holy Kingdom.

There were even rumors that the temple donations collected throughout the Empire far exceeded the Holy Kingdom’s annual operating budget.

“So from the Holy Kingdom’s perspective, wouldn’t they be pleased if someone likely to implement generous policies toward the Holy Kingdom ascended to the next Emperor’s throne?”

“…So the Holy Kingdom controlled monsters to target us?”

“More precisely.”

Aurel’s gaze turned toward Edwin.

“They targeted the 3rd Prince. The monsters precisely targeted the rear of the Empire’s subjugation force.”

Edwin flinched and pressed closer to my side.

He reflexively grabbed my sleeve, then carefully let go.

“Well.”

Aurel shrugged and added a comment.

“They probably didn’t expect the 1st Prince to get caught up in it too.”

Jerome frowned with his arms crossed.

He also glanced at Edwin before speaking again.

“Fine, whatever the case, I understand that the Holy Kingdom did this to the succession candidates for their own benefit.”

Jerome turned his head toward Kaiden.

“But why are you revealing this fact only to us?”

“Well.”

Kaiden smiled slightly at his question.

“Because only the people gathered here are innocent.”

“…Are you saying…”

Jerome’s face hardened.

“That the 2nd Prince is involved in this matter?”

“Well, isn’t the Prince still young?”

The candle illuminating the tent flickered.

The shadows cast on Kaiden’s face shifted subtly.

“If there’s involvement, it would be with those who support him from behind.”

The Marquis of Redcliff.

If we’re talking about someone who supports the 2nd Prince from behind, there was no one else.

“…Do you have evidence?”

“What would you do if I said I did?”

Kaiden and Jerome’s gazes clashed in mid-air.

A heavy, heated silence flowed.

“…This concerns the Empire’s future.”

Jerome’s voice became much lower than before.

He had a much calmer expression than earlier.

“If Your Majesty helps for the Empire’s sake, House Crowner will not forget that kindness.”

When did this handsome bandit-looking fellow learn such aristocratic lady speech patterns?

I lowered my eyes, suppressing the urge to sneer.

‘Such threats from that build don’t suit him.’

He said he wouldn’t forget the kindness if help was given, but it should be interpreted the opposite way.

‘He means that if everything known isn’t revealed, he’ll make Adamant Kingdom an enemy in the name of his house.’

Though Jerome wasn’t the Emperor, he was the head of the Empire’s greatest house and the supreme commander of the Imperial army.

If Adamant ever needed to negotiate with the Empire later, he was one of the few key figures who could make things difficult for Adamant.

“Such burdensome kindness.”

Meanwhile, despite hearing the threat, the gentle smile didn’t fade from Kaiden’s face.

His thoroughly relaxed demeanor made even me find him annoying.

“I’ll just tell you what we’ve discovered: the Holy Kingdom deliberately created mutant monsters. And the reason mutant monsters could rampage near the Empire’s borders was because of mercenaries someone hired.”

“Mercenaries? Did you just say mercenaries?”

“Yes.”

Kaiden raised one corner of his mouth in a crooked smile.

For a moment, his golden gaze briefly touched in my direction.

“And according to my reliable source, those mercenaries were hired by the Marquis of Redcliff.”

“These crazy…”

Jerome clenched his fists tightly with his eyes wide open.

It was infuriating enough that the Marquis of Redcliff had insulted the Imperial family, but he had nearly lost his nephew to their scheme.

“These crazy bastards that deserve to die!”

So it wasn’t surprising that the Duke was raging to this extent.

“That old fox Howard has finally lost his mind! To put his grandson on the throne, he’s pulling this ridiculous stunt…!”

Crash—a shattering sound filled the tent.

Jerome looked ready to draw his sword at any moment.

“I’m going to storm into the Second Prince’s quarters right now and cut off his head…”

Jerome, who had been trembling with barely contained rage, finally managed to continue speaking.

“…I’d love to cut off his head right now, but since I can’t, it’s truly regrettable.”

Hmm, not bad.

Despite his simple-minded, hot-tempered nature, he could still make rational judgments—it seemed he hadn’t earned his ducal title for nothing.

‘If internal strife broke out in a place like this, we could all end up dead.’

This was a gathering of private soldiers supporting different princes.

Even the slightest trigger could instantly transform this subjugation campaign into a civil war for the imperial succession.

“Isn’t the best revenge to first obtain what your opponent desires most?”

After all, everyone gathered here was aiming for the same thing—the crown prince’s position.

So the best way to get revenge on the Marquis of Redcliff was to prevent the Second Prince from ascending to the crown prince’s position.

“According to other intelligence, House Redcliff is currently pursuing the Prophet.”

Kaiden looked at Jerome with a sly smile.

“Of course, that’s something you’re well aware of, Your Grace.”

Jerome was visibly flustered by the king’s words.

He glanced nervously in our direction, cleared his throat awkwardly, and turned his head away.

‘So the First Prince’s faction was also searching for the Holy See’s successor.’

That made sense.

Even after becoming crown prince, to safely become emperor, one needed the consent of the Elder Council Chairman, the Supreme Commander, and the Holy See.

‘Since the Marquis of Redcliff and Duke Crowner each hold one position, the biggest variable is ultimately the next Holy See leader.’

The current Holy See leader was a greedy and pathetic old man with little time left in his term.

Such a person was easy to manipulate and exploit, but the next Holy See leader would be different.

‘Since he’s said to have strong divine power and an upright character, everyone’s desperately trying to win him over to their side in advance.’

I glanced down at Edwin.

The boy had been hanging his head low for some time now.

As if just following the conversation in this room was overwhelming enough.

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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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