The Prince’s Nanny, Her Specialty Is Assassination - Chapter 316
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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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Side Story 2. The Princess’s First Love (2)
“I almost didn’t recognize you.”
Human growth, indeed.
Leo, whom I met after a long time, had grown much taller than me.
‘I think we used to be around the same eye level before.’
When I first saw him in Luksen, he still looked like a young child.
Leo’s frame, which I had already thought was sturdy, had become much more solid and robust. If I had seen him on the street, I would have thought he was a knight aspirant.
“Master said the same thing. I don’t think I’ve changed much from before though.”
“Not changed much, my foot. You at least had some cute charm before, but now you’re nothing but a dark beast.”
“A beast? Master, you really have no filter when talking to your disciple.”
“You only call me Master when it suits you, don’t you? Hmph, while I was away, you went and took some other fool as your master without permission.”
“No, that’s…”
Leo frowned with a troubled expression.
“It’s not like you could teach me swordsmanship as well, Master.”
Swordsmanship. How interesting.
Perhaps sensing my stare, Leo began explaining with a sigh in his voice.
“I merely learned some martial arts bit by bit from mercenaries who came to Luksen, just by watching and listening. I’ve never once thought of anyone other than Elder Seiji as my master.”
“Don’t make me laugh! You’re saying that level of skill came from just begging for scraps? If you’re going to lie, at least make it believable!”
Seiji clung to me and pointed accusingly at Leo.
Thanks to that, Emilia’s cheek, which had been nestled in his arms, got squished between us.
“Listen here, Rachel. On the way here, we were attacked by bandits, and this guy swept away the entire bandit group all by himself! And then he lies saying he’s never properly learned swordsmanship…”
I let out a light sigh and gently pushed Seiji away with one hand.
“If you want to brag about your disciple, I’d prefer you do it somewhere else.”
“Hey, that’s not all! When I went to Luksen, do you know what this guy did to me? His swordsmanship master, that mercenary, looked down on me and oppressed me so much, but he didn’t even take my side…”
Leo jumped at Seiji’s words.
“He never looked down on you or oppressed you, Master. He just naturally has a blunt way of speaking.”
“Then you should have told him not to! Your one and only master was being treated like some old fool by a wandering mercenary he’d never met, and you just stood there listening!”
He glared at the speechless Leo and turned away.
“Right, the old saying is true. There’s no point in raising a black-haired beast!”
Leo looked at Seiji with an incredulous expression, then turned his head to me.
Seeing his eyes that seemed to plead for help, I spoke in a nonchalant voice.
“He’s just feeling hurt that you became closer to someone other than him, so please pay more attention to him from now on. They say people get hurt over many things as they age.”
“Hey! Rachel!”
I ignored Seiji’s outburst and continued.
“Anyway, welcome. Prince Edwin will be delighted when he sees you…”
Before I could finish speaking, I felt small hands tugging at my clothes.
“What’s wrong, Princess Emilia?”
Emilia, who had been in Seiji’s arms, was now standing on the ground.
The child was hiding behind me, only peeking her head out.
“Who is he?”
Emilia was looking at Leo with bright, wide eyes.
“Ah, I haven’t introduced him to Your Highness. This person’s name is Leo. He’s Seiji’s disciple and also acquainted with Prince Edwin.”
“So he’s Brother Edwin’s friend?”
This time Leo answered instead.
He knelt on one knee to match Emilia’s eye level.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Princess Emilia.”
He was someone who had always taken care of others in Luksen.
Leo greeted the princess with an incredibly gentle smile on his face.
“I’ve heard much about you from Master Seiji.”
“You heard a lot about me?”
Emilia gripped my skirt with both hands and blinked her large eyes rapidly.
“What kind of stories?”
“Stories about how there’s an incredibly beautiful princess with a kind heart in the Imperial Palace. Seeing you in person like this, it seems Master Seiji’s words were true.”
Leo smiled and gently patted the princess’s head.
As anyone would instinctively do when seeing something cute.
“Kyaaa!”
Suddenly, startled Emilia let out a small scream, swatted his hand away, and completely hid behind me.
“Ah, I…”
Leo seemed surprised by Emilia’s reaction too.
He looked between me and the princess, not knowing what to do.
“You must not carelessly touch a member of the royal family.”
As I expected, Leo wasn’t yet familiar with imperial etiquette.
“Ah, sorry, I’m sorry.”
Leo was visibly flustered and kept apologizing.
“I, I didn’t mean to do that. I just remembered the other children in the village. I’m sorry, I didn’t know it was disrespectful behavior toward the princess…”
I looked at Leo’s pale face and glanced away.
Emilia was holding onto my waist and not moving at all.
“Princess Emilia, what shall we do with this person? He carelessly touched Your Highness’s body, so shouldn’t we give him appropriate punishment?”
The young princess’s fingers twitched at my words.
From her expression, it seemed she didn’t really want to punish Leo either.
“However.”
I gently rubbed the princess’s hands wrapped around my waist.
“Since he says he committed this act because he doesn’t yet know imperial etiquette, how about Your Highness forgives him this once with your ocean-like grace?”
Emilia quickly nodded at my words.
“Princess Emilia says she will forgive you this time.”
“Ah, thank you, Princess Emilia.”
Leo’s complexion finally returned to normal.
I looked back and forth between him and Emilia, then checked the time.
“It will be quite a while before Prince Edwin finishes knight training and returns. Since you both must be tired from coming from Luksen, let’s rest until dinner time.”
When I nodded slightly, the nearby maids approached.
They guided Leo and Seiji to the guest rooms attached to the Prince’s Palace.
“Princess Emilia.”
“…”
“Princess Emilia?”
Even then, I didn’t know.
Emilia’s expression as she couldn’t take her eyes off Leo walking away.
* * *
“Master!”
Edwin came running straight from the Knights upon hearing that Seiji, who had gone to Luksen, had returned.
“Huh?”
Then he spotted Leo sitting beside Seiji and stopped in his tracks.
“It’s been a while.”
Leo slowly stood up from his seat.
He raised his hand toward Edwin, who was staring at him blankly.
“Ah, right.”
Then, as if realizing his mistake, he frowned and let out an awkward laugh.
“I forgot that I should use formal speech now. It’s been a while, Crown Prince…”
“Leo!”
Edwin rushed to Leo before he could finish speaking.
“Formal speech, what! Just talk like you used to!”
“No, let go of this a bit….”
“I missed you! How have you been?”
“What’s with all this embarrassing stuff between men….”
Leo scolded Edwin who was hugging him tightly, but didn’t push him away. Rather, he seemed secretly pleased by his warm welcome.
“By the way, if you were coming this time, you should have told me in advance! Then I would have at least gone out to meet you.”
“…Why go that far.”
“That far? You’re my only friend, so of course I should do at least that much.”
“Only friend? Haven’t you made any other friends all this time?”
“Ah, no, that’s….”
“I thought you had grown tremendously after becoming Crown Prince. But it seems you’re the same now as you were then, Edwin.”
“What? Isn’t that a bit too harsh? I’ve put in so much effort….”
Meanwhile, Seiji, who had been listening to their conversation the whole time, spoke with an indifferent expression.
“Prince Edwin, it seems you’re not very happy to see this old man.”
“Oh no, that can’t be! You know how much I’ve been waiting for you, Master!”
Edwin quickly changed his stance and turned toward Seiji.
He straightened his posture and looked at his teacher with brightly shining, intelligent eyes.
“So how did things go with the mana stone mine in Luksen?”
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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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