The Prince’s Nanny, Her Specialty Is Assassination - Chapter 263

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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 263. Acceleration Ignition (4)

“Your Highness.”

On the way back from the Gloria Knight Order to the 3rd Prince’s Palace.

I called out to Edwin, who was walking ahead without saying a word.

“Prince Edwin.”

But no matter how many times I called, Edwin didn’t respond.

As if he couldn’t hear my voice at all.

“Prince Edwin!”

In the end, I committed the outrageous act of overtaking a member of the royal family.

“…What is it, all of a sudden.”

It felt exactly like we had returned to when we first met.

Edwin avoided my gaze and asked back in a sullen voice.

“You should know that blocking the path of royalty is not proper etiquette…”

“Why are you avoiding me?”

“When did I ever.”

“Haven’t you been constantly avoiding me at the Prince’s Palace as well?”

“I never did that.”

“You’ve been leaving your meals unfinished, and I heard you’ve been distant with Princess Emilia too.”

“I left my meals because I had no appetite. As for Emilia, I’ve been busy lately…”

“Prince Edwin.”

I bent my waist slightly forward.

In the past, I had to bend my knees completely to match Edwin’s eye level.

Now, just bending this much was enough to meet his eyes. Somehow, it felt strange.

“Please look at me properly.”

“…I don’t want to. Why are you suddenly acting like this? Just hurry back to the palace.”

“Do you no longer need me, Your Highness? If so, then there’s no reason for me to stay by your side anymore.”

“What? What kind of nonsense is that…”

Suddenly, Edwin’s head turned toward me.

The boy who faced me with a bewildered expression bit his lips when our eyes met.

“It’s been a while.”

“…We’ve been living together in the palace this whole time, so what do you mean it’s been a while.”

“I mean you looking at me properly, Your Highness.”

When I smiled broadly, Edwin pulled back his chin and pouted his lips.

“It’s just that we happened to run into each other less often. When did I ever not look at you properly…”

“Please speak honestly.”

The exact time Edwin started avoiding everyone with a worried expression was right after the announcement that Adrian would be appointed as Crown Prince.

“Are you upset that Prince Adrian became Crown Prince?”

“What? That can’t be!”

Edwin raised his voice as if the idea was absurd.

“There’s no one more suited for the Crown Prince position than Brother Adrian. So what reason would I have to be upset?”

“Then why have you been avoiding everyone?”

“I told you, I never did that…”

“No, you did.”

I could tell even from a distance.

That Edwin’s face was filled with worry as he avoided me.

“You’ve been walking around with your head down like a criminal, doing nothing but sighing.”

“No! I never did that! Why do you keep saying I…”

“I’m asking just in case.”

I looked Edwin straight in the eyes and asked.

“You’re not feeling guilty about not becoming Crown Prince, are you?”

Edwin didn’t answer.

He just stood frozen with his already large eyes opened even wider.

‘I seem to have hit the mark.’

He was always the type to blame himself when things went wrong.

He was probably thinking that he had caused trouble for those who helped him by failing to become Crown Prince.

“Prince Edwin.”

I placed my hand on Edwin’s head as he looked down at his feet with his head lowered.

“Not becoming Crown Prince is not Your Highness’s fault. If we must assign blame, it would all be mine.”

I was the one who stepped forward, promising to help Edwin achieve his dream of becoming Emperor.

I was the one who gave Edwin hope. Yet I failed to place him on the Crown Prince’s throne, so all responsibility lay with me.

‘Honestly, if we had just a little more time, Edwin would have been the one to become Crown Prince.’

Though the Imperial Palace was keeping it quiet, I already knew that The Emperor had nearly been poisoned.

‘As expected, there’s nothing wrong with being cautious in matters.’

Lili, the magic doll who had been disguised as a chamber maid in the 2nd Empress’s Palace.

Originally, I planned to hand over the evidence of the 2nd Empress’s misconduct that Lili had collected to The Empress, then immediately return her to her original owner, Somnia.

‘But thanks to not immediately returning Lili to Somnia, I learned about The Emperor’s condition.’

Due to the sudden preparations for the Crown Prince investiture ceremony, all the chamber maids from the 2nd Empress’s Palace were summoned to The Empress’s Palace. Lili was one of them.

‘Though it unintentionally resulted in planting a spy in The Empress’s Palace.’

Working in The Empress’s Palace chambers, Lili performed the same duties she had done in the 2nd Empress’s Palace. Thanks to this, I was able to hear about the secret conversation between The Empress and the Imperial Palace’s head attendant, and even learned about The Emperor’s physical condition.

‘If there hadn’t been the assassination attempt on The Emperor, he would have been more cautious about appointing a Crown Prince.’

Edwin still had a hidden card that even he didn’t know about.

‘I was planning to wait for the right time to reveal the relationship between Edwin and Kaiden, but now that’s gone down the drain.’

If it were revealed that Edwin, who seemed to have no backing, had an uncle who was the founding king of Adamant, the tide would obviously turn in our favor.

‘Of course, I couldn’t ignore the possibility that The Emperor might make unreasonable demands of Adamant using that as an excuse.’

But The Emperor’s health deteriorated rapidly after ingesting poison, and he hastily designated a successor, throwing all my plans into chaos.

“I’m sorry. It would have been better if I had strategized more skillfully. It’s due to my lack of ability. So Prince Edwin shouldn’t blame himself…”

“Why would that be Rachel’s fault? Don’t say such things! And I don’t covet the Crown Prince position! I mean it!”

Edwin suddenly raised his voice.

I found his seemingly angry appearance puzzling.

“But didn’t Your Highness say you wanted to become Emperor?”

I asked back, blinking slowly.

“If you don’t become Crown Prince, the possibility of becoming Emperor becomes very low. Are you saying that’s still okay?”

“Rachel, my dream was never to become Emperor from the beginning.”

Edwin’s dream.

I stared at Edwin blankly.

Only then did I gradually recall the reason why he had wanted to become Emperor.

‘Rachel said she would let me have choices. But just because I’m good at swordsmanship and know many things, does that mean I can achieve my dream?’

Even that day, Edwin had said that simply becoming strong wouldn’t be enough to achieve his dream.

‘I want to continue living happily in this Imperial Palace with Rachel, Catherine, and Emilia.’

The dream of protecting all his people while becoming happy together with them.

Edwin’s dream was never about becoming Emperor, but about becoming happy together with everyone.

“But, but…”

Edwin’s voice retreated inward again.

He clenched both fists tightly and furrowed his brow.

“If I don’t become Crown Prince, I can’t achieve that dream. Because I’m a prince.”

It was customary for imperial princes who failed to become Crown Prince to be exiled. Their fate was to go to the Holy Kingdom to become clerics or be demoted to nobility by inheriting titles from their mother’s side.

“I’m truly happy that Brother Adrian became Crown Prince. I’m confident I can congratulate him with a happier heart than anyone else on his investiture day.”

Edwin’s voice trembled precariously.

At that very moment, tears began falling endlessly from the young prince’s large eyes.

“But if I’m no longer a prince, if I become a child with nothing, I won’t be able to protect everyone. Not Emilia, not Rachel, not Catherine, not Master Sage…”

Having more to protect means having more to lose.

It was a truth of the world too burdensome for a young prince to bear.

“I’m scared, Rachel.”

His overly honest confession was painful.

Edwin wiped away the tears that kept flowing with the back of his hand.

“I don’t want to be separated from everyone. I don’t want to be separated from Rachel.”

Edwin was the one crying, so why did my eyes sting too?

I looked at Edwin while feeling something stuck in my chest.

“But how can someone like me with no power stay with everyone? I have no idea what to do.”

His tear-filled voice was utterly heartbreaking.

In the end, Edwin gave up trying to speak and stood there crying his heart out.

“…Prince Edwin.”

I pulled Edwin into a tight embrace with both arms.

I’d always thought I had no talent for comforting others, but in this moment I knew what to do.

“…Rachel?”

Edwin stopped crying in surprise when I suddenly hugged him.

He looked up at me with his tear-stained face.

“Didn’t I tell you before?”

I looked down at Edwin and lifted the corners of my mouth.

“That no matter what happens, I’ll stay by your side.”

Until you no longer need me.

Until you can stand on your own without me.

“So please don’t cry. Even if you don’t become crown prince, there are countless ways for us to be together.”

“…Rachel.”

“Are you feeling a bit calmer now?”

“Yeah, you know. I really…”

Edwin nodded and murmured with his eyes half-closed.

“I think I’m lucky to have met Rachel in this life.”

Just then, a warm breeze blew from the distance.

Edwin, who had completely stopped crying, silently took my hand and walked.

Toward the 3rd Prince’s Palace, where everyone was and where he needed to return.

* * *

“Is Ria pretty? Really pretty?”

The crown prince investiture ceremony was two days away.

Emilia, who would formally attend an official event, seemed pleased with her newly tailored dress and asked everyone she met if she looked pretty.

“You are beautiful.”

“Kyaa, what should I do! So cute! Princess Emilia!”

Emilia only showed a satisfied expression after hearing praise from the attendants.

[Kids are really exhausting. Where does such a tiny thing get all that energy from?]

Saylus, who always had to guard from within the Princess’s shadow, complained into my mind as if tired.

[By the way, you’ve been in a strangely foul mood since yesterday…]

After complaining for a while, Saylus asked me in an ominous voice.

[Don’t tell me that black-haired bastard is also attending the investiture ceremony?]

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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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