The Prince’s Nanny, Her Specialty Is Assassination - Chapter 266

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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 266. Bloody Feast (3)

The boundary between the night sky and buildings was orange.

A faint but acrid smell brushed past my nose.

Why is it that ominous premonitions never once prove wrong?

“Rachel, doesn’t the sky seem suddenly brighter? And there are black birds flying in the sky!”

Emilia pointed at the clumps of ash floating through the air.

To the child’s innocent eyes, everything seemed like a curious daily occurrence that was just a little different from usual.

‘How could this happen…’

Watching the flames rising in the distance made my head spin.

Meanwhile, my instincts warned me. The one who committed this absurd act might be someone close to me.

‘Could this be Ian’s doing?’

Neither Kaiden, nor Somnia, nor even I could find where Ian was hiding until the end. So we thought he might have left the Empire, that he might have completely fled.

‘I never dreamed he would commit such a reckless act as attacking the Imperial Capital.’

No, it might be too early to make such assertions.

It might not be Ian but some other hostile force staging a rebellion.

‘But the only rebellious forces would be the nobles supporting the 2nd Prince.’

Now that the House of Redcliff was completely ruined, could they dare to commit such a bold act against the Emperor and Duke Crowner?

‘Whoever did this, it’s far too abnormal.’

While the Imperial Capital being attacked was itself an impossible occurrence, it was also strange that the knights guarding the outside didn’t notice while things escalated this far.

‘Moreover, the magic circles supposedly installed throughout the Imperial Capital didn’t activate either.’

What on earth was going on?

I frowned and called for Saylus.

‘Saylus.’

But strangely, Saylus didn’t respond.

‘Saylus, answer me.’

I called once more, but Saylus still didn’t respond.

Just as irritation was rising from my impatience, Saylus’s voice echoed in my head.

[…do. Strange…]

‘What are you saying? Speak clearly, Saylus.’

[Gone… How… happened.]

Not only was Saylus’s voice echoing in my head faint, but it was also cutting in and out, making it impossible to understand what he was saying.

‘What? Saylus, I can’t hear you! I said I can’t hear you!’

Even the faintly audible voice was completely cut off.

I quickly checked the shadow cast beneath my feet.

The shadow that should contain Saylus wasn’t rippling as usual.

‘Come to think of it, Saylus’s mana…’

I couldn’t feel Saylus’s mana that should be connected to me at all.

‘What is this…’

As I was panicking at this unexpected situation, Emilia tugged at my collar.

“Rachel, why did you suddenly stop? Ria wants to go quickly.”

When I looked down, I saw large, innocent eyes that knew nothing.

I felt something deep in my chest suddenly sink with a thud.

“I’m sorry, Princess Emilia.”

After hesitating, I barely managed to open my lips.

“There’s something I left behind, so could we perhaps return to the banquet hall for a moment…”

“Then let’s tell Catherine to bring it when she comes. Ria has to go quickly.”

Emilia suddenly rummaged through a pocket attached inside her skirt and pulled something out. What the child took out was chocolate cookies wrapped in a handkerchief.

“Ria ate them all by herself last time and Grandfather was really sad. So I promised to bring these to Grandfather. Catherine said if she’s late, all the chocolate will melt, so if I’m going to give them to Grandfather, I should hurry.”

The chocolate embedded in the cookies was already slightly melted.

The handkerchief wrapping the cookies had sticky stains from the melted chocolate.

Those stains looked just like human bloodstains.

‘Wait.’

I hastily turned my head.

The flames weren’t spreading inside the Imperial Capital but were spreading outward along the walls.

The flames spreading with the wind were also racing madly toward the 3rd Prince’s Palace.

‘Old man Seiji.’

The outer walls of the Prince’s Palace buildings were made of stone, so they wouldn’t catch fire quickly. But the cabin where Seiji always stayed would obviously burn down quickly if the flames reached it.

‘The doll maids are guarding the Prince’s Palace, so there shouldn’t be any major problems, but…’

What if it wasn’t just those flames heading toward the 3rd Prince’s Palace?

What if some kind of enemies hidden in the hot, acrid smoke were also heading there?

‘The fact that I can’t feel Saylus’s mana means the mana between this place and the outside has been cut off.’

That meant it was impossible to enter the Imperial Capital from outside using teleportation magic, or for people inside the Imperial Capital to use magic to move outside.

‘…That means we can’t expect help from outside no matter what.’

I lightly grasped the blue brooch I received from Kaiden.

Fortunately, I could freely use the mana I possessed. Seeing the thread-like mana being drawn from my fingertips gave me a little relief.

‘But taking Emilia to the 3rd Prince’s Palace in this situation is dangerous.’

Damn it, if Saylus were fine, I could have left Emilia with him and run off.

‘Of all times, it had to be now.’

Looking around, I couldn’t see any knights who should be patrolling at this hour. Except for the flames visible from the direction of the palace gate and small death cries, silence flowed around us.

‘If I leave Emilia at the banquet hall now…’

It wasn’t a good plan. If I left her, I’d be late.

I tightened my arms holding Emilia.

‘No matter how fast a person’s feet are, they can’t run faster than spreading flames.’

Just like how the flames were diligently racing toward the 3rd Prince’s Palace even during this moment of my deliberation.

“…Princess Emilia.”

A moment that felt like a thousand years passed.

I finally finished deliberating and opened my mouth heavily.

“There might be a fire at the 3rd Prince’s Palace.”

Emilia got excited at the mention of fire and made a fuss.

“Whaaaat? There’s a fire? Then what do we do? What about Grandfather? What about the maid sisters?”

“So, I’m going to go rescue them now.”

I said while looking into Emilia’s small face.

“But to escort Princess Emilia to the banquet hall first and then go…”

“Then we’ll be late! Ria will go too!”

Did she read my mind?

Emilia puffed air from her cute nose and gripped my collar tightly.

“Scary and dangerous things might happen. Would you still be okay with that?”

“Ria is okay! Ria isn’t scared at all when she’s with Rachel!”

Perhaps Emilia was born with more imperial material than Edwin. Seeing her bravely step forward at this moment when even I was hesitating.

‘Though it might just be because she’s a young child.’

People see as much as they know, and fear as much as they see.

She would have realized that the world is a scary place, not as bright and beautiful as one might think.

‘…Still.’

Even if she didn’t know the ways of the world, even if she had no fear because she was just a young child.

Still, I found the kid who said she’d enter danger with me admirable.

“Understood. Hold on tight.”

I held Emilia tightly and ran straight toward the 3rd Prince’s Palace.

It was my first time running at full speed while carrying a child. The closer we got to the 3rd Prince’s Palace, the higher the temperature touching my skin seemed to become.

“Eek.”

Emilia, who was apparently more scared than expected, suddenly squeezed her eyes shut.

I held Emilia tightly in my arms and whispered softly.

“Princess Emilia, please don’t worry too much. I’ll just take the people and get out quickly.”

“Mm-hmm.”

Someone would surely criticize me harshly for taking a young princess into the flames. But leaving a young child behind in this situation would be even more dangerous.

‘And there are doll maids at the Prince’s Palace too.’

If necessary, I could leave Emilia with the dolls and move around.

‘No matter what happens, I will definitely protect Emilia with my own hands.’

How long had I been running after steeling my resolve once more?

I finally arrived at the 3rd Prince’s Palace with Emilia.

As expected, the place was already engulfed in flames.

“Caretaker.”

One of the palace maids ran toward me tearfully as soon as she saw me.

Not everyone had managed to escape safely, as many faces were missing.

My heart felt heavy, but there was no time to indulge in sentimentality.

“What are you doing? Evacuate quickly!”

“But there are still maids who haven’t escaped…”

The maid continued tearfully.

“And Elder Seiji too, the elder hasn’t come out yet. He moved the unconscious maids from the kitchen outside and suddenly went back in. The flames spread to the cabin and vegetable garden first, and he said he would put them out alone…”

Really, as if he wasn’t the world’s most stubborn person.

That damn old fool, what’s so important about a mere cabin and vegetable garden.

“Amy! Becca! Cecil! Daisy!”

I called the names of the doll maids.

They lined up sharply on both sides at my call.

They all had ash powder on their clothes and faces, probably from helping with the evacuation until just now.

“No matter what happens, protect Princess Emilia, understood?”

The doll maids nodded with their characteristic expressionless faces.

Perhaps because of the emergency situation, they seemed to have given up pretending to be human.

“What? No! Ria wants to stay with Rachel!”

Meanwhile, Emilia began struggling when she realized I was leaving her behind.

“Please wait here, Your Highness.”

I handed Ria over to Cecil and smiled.

“I’ll return with Elder Seiji shortly.”

“Rachel! Racheeeel!”

Emilia called my name with all her might.

But I didn’t look back.

If I did, my reluctance to jump into those flames would only grow stronger.

Crack, crack.

As soon as I entered the building, I heard the sound of wooden interior walls burning above my head. But I didn’t hesitate and went deeper inside.

“Seiji! Seige Ril!”

To save a life whose debt I had not yet fully repaid.

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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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