The Prince’s Nanny, Her Specialty Is Assassination - Chapter 178
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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 178. Ambush (1)
“…Prince Edwin.”
I briefly bent my waist and covered my mouth with my hand.
Edwin was startled by my whisper and turned his head.
“Do you remember the first breakfast meeting you attended?”
“Uh, huh? Yeah, I remember.”
“This gathering is the same kind of place.”
Edwin stared at me blankly before nodding his head.
The boy still had a dejected expression on his face.
“Your Highness, sometimes it can be advantageous to remain unnoticed and inconspicuous.”
Edwin looked at me as if he didn’t understand what I meant.
“It’s no different from an opportunity where others don’t know about me, but I can get a good grasp of others.”
I gently patted Edwin’s back and straightened up again.
“So don’t be intimidated, just listen carefully. Your Highness has fulfilled your role as a prince sufficiently just by doing that.”
As soon as I finished speaking, Edwin slowly raised his head.
Fortunately, his complexion was much brighter than before.
“Prince Edwin.”
Just as I finished my whisper, Kaiden’s voice came flying over.
“Is there something wrong?”
“Oh, no!”
Edwin hurriedly shook his head.
“It’s nothing at all!”
“I see.”
Kaiden flashed a faint smile.
And the target of that smile was me, not Edwin.
‘Why is he grinning at me?’
Was he being wary in case we had shared some secret conversation he didn’t know about?
I completely ignored Kaiden’s gaze and lowered my eyes.
Fortunately, he also didn’t pursue Edwin any further.
“I’m saying this here and now, but from the Empire’s perspective, I’m no different from an outsider.”
Kaiden lightly swept back his bangs.
He frowned while looking at the red magic stone placed on the table.
“However, I don’t think I can turn a blind eye to those who released mutant monsters and turned an entire region into ruins.”
What favorability. It would be fortunate if we didn’t look like mortal enemies.
The ones who suffered the most from the monsters appearing everywhere were Adamant’s knights.
‘Since he has grievances against Ian, he would never even think of supporting the 2nd Prince’s side.’
It was truly fortunate for both me and Edwin.
Even if a situation came where I fell short of Kaiden’s expectations, even if our secret alliance known only to us two was broken, there would be no case where Adamant would support the 2nd Prince.
“So I want to inform you two in advance about the operation scheduled for tomorrow dawn.”
Kaiden looked back and forth between Edwin and the Duke as he spoke.
“I plan to put the 2nd Prince’s faction at the front of the subjugation forces as soon as day breaks. What do you all think?”
The roads were extremely slippery and dangerous due to the rain that fell all night.
Putting them at the front in a situation where no one knew what monsters might appear meant imposing much more risk on them.
‘I don’t know how many mutant monsters the 2nd Prince’s side has prepared.’
No matter how thoroughly they prepared, they wouldn’t be able to control all the monsters inhabiting such an extermination site.
‘It doesn’t seem like they could create that many mutant monsters either.’
It was work that required individually injecting divine power into the magic stones inside the monsters’ bodies to control them.
Unless they mobilized all the priests of the Holy Kingdom, there would be no way to handle a large number of monsters at once.
“I agree.”
“…Me too.”
Unlike Edwin who answered after hesitating briefly, Jerome answered immediately as if there was nothing to wait for, then spoke again.
“And there’s one thing I’d like to propose.”
“What is it?”
“I’d like to incorporate the subjugation force led by Prince Edwin into our side.”
What, suddenly?
Now you want to be on the same side as us?
‘No wait, this isn’t about taking sides, it’s just about keeping Edwin under him and using him.’
Did I unconsciously reveal killing intent?
Jerome turned his head toward me.
“What’s with those eyes? Do you have something to say?”
“…No, I apologize for my rudeness.”
Jerome stared at me with an unfavorable gaze for a long time.
Then he suddenly turned his gaze toward Edwin.
“What do you think, Your Highness?”
“Oh, I…”
Edwin hesitated to answer.
He couldn’t openly ask for my opinion either.
It was the first moment in a subjugation campaign where he had to make a decision alone.
“So I think…”
Just as Edwin was about to give his answer.
Boooooo—.
A sound that was troublesome to hear right now rang out.
At the majestic horn trumpet sound echoing through the air, Jerome rushed out of the tent.
“Monster, it’s a monster!”
“Everyone prepare for battle!”
Soon, shouts and screams began to mix together and be heard.
“Damn, did I have bad luck today? My armor never gets a day to dry from blood and sweat. I’ll go out first, Your Highness!”
“I’ll go check the border outpost.”
Oliver and Aurel also quickly ran out of the tent.
Thanks to that, only me, Edwin, and Kaiden remained inside.
“Two attacks in one day.”
Kaiden chuckled softly and picked up a large greatsword placed in one corner of the tent.
The pitch-black greatsword, as big as a small child’s body, was emanating a fierce aura resembling its owner.
“Quite intentional, wouldn’t you say?”
“Huh? Oh, that…”
Just as Edwin was about to respond to Kaiden’s words.
I felt an eerie presence from behind.
It felt like all the hair on my body was standing on end.
“Prince Edwin!”
Massive claws tore through the tent fabric and pierced through.
I embraced Edwin and rolled straight to the floor.
Kraaaang!
The monster roared loudly as if annoyed at missing its prey.
It was so loud it felt like my eardrums would tear.
“Prince Edwin, are you alri…”
For a moment, I felt like my breath froze cold.
Bright red blood was flowing from Edwin’s forehead.
‘Why?’
Did he hit his head wrong when we fell to the floor earlier?
Or did the monster’s claws graze him in that split second?
“Your Highness? Prince Edwin!”
I shook Edwin several times, but there wasn’t even a sign of him waking up.
“Damn it…!”
I held Edwin in my arms and stood up from my position.
No, I tried to stand up but failed.
Krwaaaang.
Because I saw five monsters that had rushed right up to my nose.
‘Damn, I’m too late.’
One arm was holding Edwin, so I couldn’t use it.
But I couldn’t handle all the monsters charging from the front and sides with just one arm holding a dagger.
‘I guess I have no choice but to sacrifice one arm.’
If I shove the arm holding the dagger into one of their mouths, I could probably take down at least one of them.
‘Then what’s next?’
What should I do after that?
After sacrificing my good arm, would I be able to protect Edwin?
As my mind became complicated, I felt dizzy.
Kraaaaa!
It was just as I was about to reflexively swing my dagger at the monster’s roar.
Suddenly, warm liquid splattered through my darkened vision.
It was the monsters’ blood.
“You always overdo it.”
The scent of jasmine spread through the fishy smell of blood.
I looked up while still holding Edwin.
“If you need help, you should at least call out.”
My vision had suddenly gone dark because of Kaiden’s cloak.
He was looking down at us with a smile.
“You almost missed your chance, didn’t you?”
I definitely saw him dealing with monsters coming from another direction.
When exactly did he come over here?
“Are you hurt anywhere?”
“…I’m not.”
I deliberately answered dryly to his inexplicably gentle question.
“But Prince Edwin is somewhat injured.”
“Oh my.”
Kaiden traced the wound on Edwin’s forehead with his fingertip.
“It’s not a wound from a monster. It looks like he hit a rock hard.”
“…A blessing in disguise.”
Along with my answer, I glanced at where Kaiden had originally been standing.
There, dozens of monster corpses were scattered miserably.
‘He took down all those in the blink of an eye and came to help me.’
I was grateful, but my petty pride was hurt for no reason.
‘If I had my original body, this wouldn’t have happened. How pitiful.’
I swallowed my bitterness and adjusted my hold on Edwin.
“You should take His Highness to a safe place.”
Kaiden’s eyes turned sharp.
Where his gaze was directed, there was a monster several times larger than the other monsters.
“Well, I should get going now.”
I was about to greet him but frowned instead.
The side of his torso was stained red as he ran like the wind.
‘Ah, he wasn’t wearing armor.’
Come to think of it, he had been dressed comfortably inside the encampment.
I watched Kaiden’s retreating figure.
Somehow, my chest felt uncomfortable.
“Prince Edwin! Sir Kayl!”
“Are you safe!”
But the uncomfortable feeling didn’t last long.
Knights from the 3rd Knight Order came running from afar.
“Please take care of Prince Edwin for a moment.”
I handed Edwin over to the knights and drew both daggers.
With the resolve to quickly end this unnecessarily chaotic battle.
* * *
The monsters’ untimely second attack was finished faster than expected.
They said it was possible because the attack location was the operations headquarters and the continent’s strongest knight and those called the Empire’s sword were together.
“The more I see, the more amazed I become.”
“Where on earth did you learn such dagger techniques?”
I put away my daggers, leaving the knights’ praise behind.
Fortunately, Edwin regained consciousness around the time the situation was ending.
“Sorry, Kayl.”
He was hanging his head like a dejected puppy again.
“Because I fainted…”
“It was an unavoidable situation. Please don’t dwell on it.”
I comforted the tearful Edwin and turned my head.
In the distance, I could see Kaiden talking with his subordinates.
‘Is he okay?’
Unlike when he was with us, Kaiden was wearing a pitch-black cloak.
As if he wanted to hide the wound on his side.
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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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