The Prince’s Nanny, Her Specialty Is Assassination - Chapter 262

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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 262. Accelerated Ignition (3)

“Adrian, what do you mean by that all of a sudden…?”

Even Empress Melanie, who rarely showed signs of being flustered, seemed surprised by her son’s sudden declaration. She turned to look at the Emperor and hurriedly made excuses.

“I apologize, Your Majesty. The Prince hasn’t fully recovered his strength yet, so he seems to be saying things he doesn’t mean. I’m sorry for causing you concern…”

“It’s fine, so stop, Empress.”

The Emperor, Cabellius III, spoke while half-leaning against the headboard of the bed.

“You said you don’t want to become Crown Prince?”

He quietly gazed at his eldest son.

Prince Adrian, who bore a striking resemblance to the Empress rather than himself, stood quietly with his eyes downcast.

“Adrian.”

“…Yes, Your Imperial Majesty.”

“Tell me your reason.”

The Emperor spoke calmly to Adrian, who was still only looking at his feet.

“Is there a reason you don’t want to become Crown Prince?”

“…I am someone who lacks the qualifications to become Crown Prince.”

“You are the Emperor’s son and the legitimate heir born from the Empress’s womb. So why do you think you lack qualifications?”

“I was taught that an Emperor should be well-versed in learning, skilled in swordsmanship and strategy, and be someone who knows how to care for and protect the nation and its people.”

Adrian continued speaking with his eyes downcast.

His long, slender fingertips were trembling very finely.

“I have never once in my life cared for or protected anyone. Someone else has always been the one caring for and protecting me.”

Being physically weak is not a sin. No one blames the ailing Prince.

But someone who can barely manage their own body can never protect others either.

“I experienced it firsthand during the subjugation campaign. What kind of person I am, what category of person I belong to.”

“…Adrian.”

“The first monster I saw in my life was so enormous, disgusting, and terrifying. It was on a completely different level from the pictures I’d seen in books.”

Even so, he had tried to fight against his fear.

But his body wouldn’t follow, and since his body wouldn’t follow, his mental strength didn’t follow either, and then he got injured and ended up receiving help from others until the very end.

“If it weren’t for my uncle, Count Crowner, I might have died there.”

“Saying you might have died. You shouldn’t speak such words, Adrian.”

“I apologize, Your Imperial Mother.”

Adrian immediately apologized but quickly added more words.

“But that was the reality.”

“Adrian…!”

“How can someone who is incompetent and powerless on the battlefield become Crown Prince? How can they become Emperor?”

Adrian slowly raised his gaze.

He met eyes with the Emperor who was looking at him and spoke matter-of-factly.

“Of course, even with poor health, even with a naturally frail constitution, one could become stronger than anyone else. People with strong willpower like Your Imperial Majesty can do that. But I cannot.”

“Then.”

The Emperor, who had been silently listening to Adrian’s words, opened his mouth.

“What kind of person are you?”

“…Just someone who wants to live reading the books I love and studying ancient things.”

Adrian responded calmly to the Emperor’s question.

“I don’t want to shed blood, nor do I want to make others shed blood. I don’t want to use others, nor do I want to use myself as bait for some purpose.”

The young Prince cast a resentful look.

“Even if someone tried to poison me, I don’t want to live a life where I hide that fact and pretend nothing happened while thinking about what comes next.”

“…Haha.”

The Emperor let out a light laugh.

“The 1st Prince has grown up too. He already knows how to mock his father.”

“I’m not mocking you…!”

“Don’t worry, I understand what you mean.”

“Then…”

“But the outcome won’t change. You are the only one who will become Crown Prince of this nation.”

“Your Imperial Majesty!”

Adrian raised his voice as if frustrated.

But the Emperor waved his hand as if he wouldn’t listen anymore.

“Now withdraw.”

“I’m not Your Imperial Majesty’s only child! There’s Edwin too! That child wanted to become Crown Prince! That child has more than enough qualifications! He achieved remarkable feats during the subjugation campaign…!”

“Adrian.”

Suddenly, a voice so cold it made one’s shoulders tremble echoed through the bedchamber.

The Emperor’s chilling gaze above his expressionless face turned toward his son.

“I told you to withdraw.”

The Emperor’s presence, which could make even the nobles of the Senate shut their mouths tight, was too much for young Adrian to handle.

“Adrian, follow me. Come with this mother.”

Finally, unable to watch any longer, Melanie rose from her seat to handle the situation.

She wrapped her arms around the frozen Adrian as if embracing him and left the Emperor’s bedchamber.

“Adrian.”

Melanie only spoke after walking until the Emperor’s bedchamber was far behind them.

“Why on earth did you do that?”

Behind the secluded corridor columns where even attendants don’t pass.

She placed Adrian in front of her and asked.

“Saying you don’t want to become Crown Prince. How could you say such things so suddenly? How could you say such things without even consulting with this mother?”

“I apologize, Your Imperial Mother. But…”

“The investiture ceremony is just three days away. The preparations for the investiture ceremony are already well underway. Everyone from the ducal houses is rejoicing.”

Now that the Redcliff family was in crisis, this was the perfect opportunity to further solidify the power of the Imperial family and the ducal houses.

Adrian’s investiture as Crown Prince was the fuse and detonator for that opportunity.

“You’re not a child anymore, and as a Prince of the Empire, it’s not like you don’t understand the current political situation, so how could you make such a reckless statement?”

Adrian’s lips twitched.

His face looked like he had many things he wanted to say.

“…I apologize. I think I was being reckless.”

But unfortunately, what came from the Prince’s mouth were not the words he wanted to say, but the words he had to say.

“…You’ve been a sensitive and delicate child since you were young, Adrian.”

Empress Melanie quietly embraced Adrian, who had a dejected expression.

“I’m sorry for placing such a heavy burden on you. But those who would wear the crown must always bear its weight.”

Therefore, Adrian had duties to bear from the moment he was born as the Emperor’s legitimate heir, from the moment he inherited the bloodline of the House of Crowner.

“Don’t worry. Even when you become Crown Prince, even when you become Emperor, this mother and the Crowner family will always be on your side.”

Adrian’s eyes wavered at the Empress’s words.

He swallowed several times as if trying to swallow something, then buried his head in his mother’s embrace. Without saying a word until the very end.

* * *

“Prince Edwin told you to only assist Princess Emilia?”

It was a sentence I couldn’t understand even as I heard it.

‘I did think he seemed to avoid making eye contact with me and has been avoiding me lately.’

I asked Catherine back with a frown on my face.

“What on earth does that mean?”

“I don’t know why he suddenly made such a request, or rather, gave such an order either. He barely eats any of his meals these days, and he tries to stay only at the 3rd Knight Squadron barracks all day, saying he’s training…”

Catherine seemed just as confused as she let out deep sighs.

“He even declared that he won’t attend Seiji’s lessons for the time being…”

“What? He said he won’t attend lessons? Why?”

“He didn’t explain in detail. He only said ‘because I no longer feel the need to attend them.'”

How absurd. Because he no longer feels the need to attend them?

What kind of useless thoughts is he having in that little head of his again?

“Right, Brother Edwin is acting strange.”

At that moment, Emilia, who was sitting in a chair changing the clothes of her beloved doll, spoke up.

“These days he doesn’t play with Ria much either. Papa says he can’t play because he’s sick too. That’s why Ria kept going to visit Brother Adrian.”

I had wondered where she kept going with her maids in tow.

I never dreamed she had been continuously visiting the 1st Prince’s Palace.

“But you know what. Brother Adrian was acting strange lately too. Ria had to call him at least twice before he’d answer, and he kept coughing, and then he threw up red sauce…”

Emilia suddenly looked startled and pretended to cover her mouth with her small hands.

“Eek, Brother Adrian said this was a secret but Ria almost told!”

“Don’t worry, Your Highness. I didn’t hear anything.”

I stroked Emilia’s head while lost in thought.

‘Did he cough up blood again?’

The lie about throwing up red sauce would have worked on young Emilia.

But even so, seeing how he asked her to keep it secret, it seemed he still hadn’t informed the adults in the Imperial Palace about his condition.

‘He looked unwell during the subjugation campaign too. He still hasn’t revealed it. What is he trying to do?’

Now that Adrian had already become Crown Prince, whatever the reason didn’t matter.

But I was worried about how long a child could endure.

‘Enduring anything only makes it worse.’

Yes, enduring anything becomes poison.

Catherine blinked as she watched me suddenly rise from my seat.

“Caretaker? Where are you going?”

“I’m going to the Knight Order. If he keeps enduring, it’ll only get worse.”

“Uh, but Prince Edwin said he didn’t need an escort…”

“An escort? What are you talking about? Since when have I done escort work?”

I smiled at Catherine, who looked confused.

“Today I’m simply going out as His Highness’s caretaker to meet him.”

* * *

“Prince Edwin, are you planning to train until late evening again today?”

“Yeah, let me borrow the training grounds. Sorry.”

Edwin gave an awkward smile and apology to Gloria’s knights.

He swung his wooden sword without even thinking to wipe away the sweat dripping down.

No, he tried to swing it.

“But, um, that caretaker of yours is here?”

If only his caretaker, Rachel Brown, hadn’t suddenly appeared at the training grounds.

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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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