The Prince’s Nanny, Her Specialty Is Assassination - Chapter 241

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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 241. Karma (5)

“Is that so.”

The marquis’s punishment was decided earlier than I expected.

I asked while continuing to braid Emilia’s hair.

“What happened to the others?”

“Well…”

Just as Catherine was about to continue speaking.

“Execution? What’s execution, Rachel?”

Emilia showed interest in a word she was hearing for the first time.

She pressed her nose against my chin area like a puppy and kept asking.

“Rachel, what’s execution? Hm? What is execution?”

I could only speak after barely succeeding in braiding all of the constantly moving princess’s hair.

“Execution means killing a criminal…”

Just as I was about to explain the definition of execution, Catherine quickly interrupted.

“It’s a word that means punishment given to someone who did wrong, Princess.”

“Ooh, so you mean the Marquis of Redcliff did something wrong and is getting punished?”

“That’s right, our Princess Emilia is so smart!”

Catherine agreed with Emilia’s words.

Then she took Emilia from my arms and handed the child to Amy, the maid who was waiting behind us.

“Princess, they say chocolate cookies were made with the cacao beans His Majesty bestowed upon you. Shall we go taste them?”

“What! Really! I want to go!”

Emilia’s eyes lit up at the mention of chocolate cookies, and she disappeared like the wind with the maid.

“Hah.”

Catherine let out a deep sigh.

She only opened her mouth again after confirming that the princess had completely disappeared from view.

“The 2nd Imperial Consort will soon be stripped of her imperial consort title and confined to the southern villa managed by the imperial family.”

Considering the Emperor’s temperament, it was a lenient punishment.

I thought he would take everything away and leave her on the streets.

‘No, if he did that, he would lose all trust from the Elder Council nobles.’

From the Emperor’s perspective, just taking the Marquis of Redcliff’s life was already shouldering quite a considerable risk.

“What about the 2nd Prince?”

“Prince Lloyd has been stripped of his succession rights.”

Catherine hesitated for a moment before continuing.

“Still, since Prince Lloyd hasn’t had his coming-of-age ceremony yet and is of imperial blood, the order was given for him to remain in confinement at the Second Prince’s Palace for now.”

Catherine added with a worried expression.

“After his coming-of-age ceremony, he’s scheduled to leave for an administrative position in His Majesty’s direct territories located in the Eastern Empire or the western archipelago.”

There was only one imperial direct territory located in the western archipelago.

The words sounded fancy, but going there was essentially the same as going into exile.

‘It’s a harsh island with nothing but flocks of seagulls.’

It was over two months’ distance from the Imperial Capital, and it was the first place to be devastated when pirates harboring grudges against the Empire attacked.

Even the nearest territory or village required half a day’s journey by boat, making it essentially a natural prison.

‘I should take back what I said about it being a lenient punishment.’

Would he really want to send his own blood to such a harsh place that would make one beg to be killed instead?

‘Perhaps the Emperor also secretly thinks the 2nd Prince isn’t his blood.’

Still, from my perspective, it was fortunate.

Somehow, I was able to defeat them so easily without directly clashing with the Redcliff Marquess’s family.

“I really didn’t expect that Redcliff Marquess’s family to end so easily.”

“It’s thanks to Catherine’s hard work.”

“Wh-what?”

I had only intended to give praise.

But somehow Catherine’s face immediately turned pale.

“Of, of course I also have responsibility for what happened to the marquess’s family, right? B-but it’s not like I wanted to do that, it was unavoidable to protect Prince Edwin and Princess Emilia, no, honestly I didn’t know the marquis would end up like that…”

Her voice trembled slightly.

Only after seeing Catherine’s restless face could I understand what she was thinking.

“Catherine, don’t tell me you’re feeling guilt about that bastard being executed?”

“I can’t say I have no responsibility. I did go around spreading bad stories about the marquess’s family…”

Catherine seemed to find it difficult to bear the fact that she had directly spread rumors about the 2nd Imperial Consort and used Countess Katarina.

“Catherine.”

I got up from the bed and stood in front of Catherine.

“The Marquis of Redcliff being executed isn’t because of you, but because of the wrongs he committed.”

“But…”

“If you commit a crime, you should be punished.”

The reason the Marquis of Redcliff had lived safely until now was because no one dared to think of exposing his crimes.

“The princes’ lives were in danger because of the marquis. Not only that, the entire continent almost became dangerous because of what he did in collaboration with the Previous Emperor.”

“I know, I do know that, but…”

“Rather, I think it’s fortunate that this matter was concluded with just the Marquis of Redcliff’s life.”

I walked to the window and looked outside.

The banquet celebrating the subjugation war had ended, but the King of Adamant and his knights were still staying at the Prince’s Palace.

“Your Majesty, wouldn’t it be better if you swing it like this?”

“That’s a good idea, but in actual combat…”

I could see two people in the backyard putting their heads together and talking.

It was Edwin and Kaiden.

“…I protected what I wanted to protect, so I won’t have any guilt.”

Yes, I have no regrets.

I learned from a very young age that to gain something, you must always give up or sacrifice something.

“Still, if you continue to feel bad about it.”

I turned my head toward Catherine.

“You may blame me.”

It was an obvious fact.

I had used Catherine for my own purposes.

Although she had agreed to help put Edwin on the throne, her participation in this operation was almost forced.

“I was the one who trusted your abilities and entrusted you with this, and I was also the one who made it impossible for you to refuse…”

“What are you saying right now, Caretaker!”

Then, Catherine shouted with an angry face.

It was a strong and resolute voice that was hard to believe came from her thin frame.

“My decision to help you was entirely my own choice!”

Catherine strode toward me.

Then she struck her chest with her palm and shouted.

“So my guilt is also my share! You don’t need to take responsibility for my feelings too!”

It was such an unexpectedly intense reaction that I was even a bit flustered.

I looked at Catherine with blank eyes.

“So please don’t say things that make everything your fault or responsibility!”

Catherine’s eyebrows rose on both sides.

She seemed to catch her breath for a moment, then added in a calmed voice.

“I’m not someone you need to take responsibility for, but a comrade who shares the same goals.”

Comrade, she said.

I looked at Catherine with wide eyes.

She was already showing me a smiling face as she extended her fist toward me.

“We overcame difficulties together. This is to celebrate.”

“…Where did you learn something like this?”

“The knights of the 3rd Knight Order often did it amongst themselves? She said it was like a ritual they performed whenever they were in sync.”

I stared at her delicate outstretched fist for a long moment, then chuckled softly.

And I lightly bumped my own clenched fist against hers.

“I’m not sure when we went from friends to comrades.”

“Oh my goodness! The Caretaker thought of me as a friend too? I had no idea! What should I do! I should call the other maids and throw a party or something…”

“What’s the big deal about that? Please don’t do that.”

“Why not! Let’s have a drinking party like we did when the hunting competition ended! Please?”

“A drinking party on the day we eliminated a political enemy? You have a bolder side than you appear to have, Catherine.”

“Ah, why do you say it like that? Now I feel bad again…”

Catherine drooped her shoulders with a dejected expression.

“Even though the Marquis of Redcliff was a bad person, he was still a father and grandfather to his family, so I feel terrible knowing he’s going to die like that.”

If the world had only people like Catherine, would it be a more livable place?

I glanced at Catherine’s sad profile and smiled bitterly to myself.

Then I ended up making direct eye contact with someone watching us from outside the window.

‘After dinner time.’

Kaiden looked at me and moved his lips silently.

‘To your chamber.’

It was a meaningful statement.

The young king smiled with satisfaction when he saw my flustered expression.

Then he put an arm around Edwin’s shoulder and walked into the shade.

“Will you really show me around the Adamantite Mines later?”

“Of course. When the opportunity arises, I’ll send you a formal invitation.”

The sight of these two people with such different atmospheres looked quite affectionate. They looked more like family than the blood-related families within the Imperial Capital.

* * *

“I didn’t realize that ‘to your chamber’ meant you would come visit me directly.”

A man with a massive build stood in front of my quarters.

The man, Kaiden, twisted up one corner of his mouth in a crooked smile as soon as he saw me.

“You’ve visited the chamber where I stay before, but I don’t think I’ve ever visited the chamber where you stay.”

“Is that so.”

“Yes, and I have something urgent to discuss with you.”

Kaiden leaned one arm against the doorframe and lowered his head.

“So may I come in.”

Because of this, a pitch-black shadow fell over my body.

“Rachel.”

The man with eyes like molten gold smiled a smile full of schemes.

While calling the name I bore in this lifetime.

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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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