The Prince’s Nanny, Her Specialty Is Assassination - Chapter 44

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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 44. The First Test (4)

Assassins belonging to Breath of the Angel learn early on how to distinguish between those who lie and those who tell the truth.

So I could tell at a glance that Seiji was telling the truth.

“At my age, you see. You can tell just by looking at their eyes. Whether this guy will amount to something or not.”

The old sage’s grayish eyes turned toward me.

“That kid was someone who would have amounted to something. That’s why it’s such a shame.”

Someone who would amount to something. So what was I supposed to do about it?

‘It was a life that went wrong from the moment I was born anyway.’

I stood up from my seat without saying anything.

Hypocrisy was disgusting, but sincere sympathy like that was even harder to bear.

It felt like standing barefoot on a bed of heated gravel.

“Let’s not dawdle here and leave quickly. We need to depart before the sun sets.”

“Hey, what’s the rush! I need to pack my things and distribute medicine too!”

“Medicine? But Leo said he can’t make it anymore…”

At the mention of medicine, Edwin turned around with gleaming eyes.

“It’s not a complete cure. But if administered little by little over a long period, it can stop the disease’s progression. Though scars will remain.”

The reason for administering the medicine gradually over a long period instead of all at once was simple.

It would look suspicious if all the villagers showed improvement at the same time.

“I’ll handle distributing the medicine myself. Old man, just hurry up and get ready to go.”

Just then, Leo appeared from inside the cabin with bandages wrapped around his arm.

Thanks to Seiji applying medicine before it was too late, the poison that had spread through the boy’s body had long been neutralized.

“And you, come talk with me for a moment.”

Leo grabbed Edwin’s wrist with a stern expression.

“What, aren’t you going to restrain him?”

Seiji looked at me standing still with strange eyes.

“He didn’t go very far, so there’s no need.”

“You’re really peculiar. You’re probably the only attendant who lets a prince roam free.”

Seiji chuckled at my response.

As if he had guessed my identity. Though that probably wasn’t the case.

“Stop talking nonsense and pack your things. Before I knock you out and drag you along.”

“Oh my, how scary. You’re quite fierce despite your appearance. I wonder if I’ll survive following you.”

“Should I just take your head along?”

“Alright, alright! I’ll pack quickly, won’t I!”

I glared at the grumbling Seiji and turned my head.

Through the half-open door, I could see the two boys standing face to face.

* * *

“You’re crazy!”

Leo shouted without warning.

“Who told you to do such a crazy thing? If you died trying to save me, what would I do! Live with guilt for the rest of my life?”

“No, I…”

“What if the monster had killed us both!”

“But we didn’t die!”

Wasn’t it enough that we survived? Why was he angry?

Edwin raised his voice in response to Leo’s accusations.

“If I hadn’t done that, we both would have died!”

“Even if you did that, if we’d been unlucky, we both would have died! If I hadn’t sent a rescue request to that woman who came with you! If that woman had arrived just a little later! If my master had found me just a little later, we all would have died!”

Edwin was about to retort but then let his eyebrows droop.

Tears were forming in the corners of Leo’s eyes, who was much bigger than him.

“Who asked you to save me? If you die, I’ll sleep soundly for the rest of my life!”

“Uh, are you crying?”

“Who’s crying! Damn it, this is so frustrating!”

Leo shouted angrily and turned his head away.

After staring into the distance silently for a while, he spoke again.

“…Hey.”

Edwin waited for Leo’s words with wide eyes.

“…Thanks.”

It was a rough expression of gratitude.

Edwin opened his mouth in surprise.

He couldn’t believe that the boy who had been scolding him just moments ago was now saying thank you.

“Huh?”

“What do you mean ‘huh’! I’m alive thanks to you, so I’m saying thanks! I should at least show some manners!”

Leo’s ears, with his head turned away, were burning bright red.

Whether from embarrassment or anger.

“Anyway, if it weren’t for you, I would have almost gone to the afterlife! Thank you!”

“…Really?”

“Of course it’s real! Would it be fake?”

Leo whipped his head around to look at Edwin.

His face was as red as his ears as he raised his voice.

“And stop making that stupid expression! It makes me look like I’m bullying you!”

“Hey, stupid! I’m not stupid!”

“I’m not saying you’re stupid, I’m saying don’t make expressions that look stupid!”

“That’s the same thing! And you should open your eyes prettier! You look fierce!”

The two boys bickered for a while before getting tired and breathing heavily.

Leo was the first to speak again.

“Whatever, just take this!”

Edwin tilted his head at the pouch he held out.

“What’s this?”

“The magic stones you mined today. Take them.”

“What?”

The pouch was heavy enough to require both hands to hold properly.

This amount seemed to be more than half of the magic stones the two had mined today.

Edwin looked at Leo with bewildered eyes.

“You want me to take all of this? Is that okay?”

“Well, you mined them, so you should take them. Who else would?”

Leo waved his hand and added,

“They’re worthless objects in this village anyway. It would be good for these stones if you take them outside and put them to good use.”

Edwin reluctantly accepted the pouch.

“…Th, thanks.”

The prince, who had quietly muttered his thanks, suddenly pressed his lips together.

“Um, Leo.”

Leo quietly looked at the prince who had called his name for the first time.

“What?”

“Well, you know.”

Edwin hesitated for a moment, then carefully opened his mouth.

“Do you want to come with me?”

Leo paused at the sudden proposal.

After thinking for a moment, he asked back,

“You mean come with you to the Imperial Capital?”

“What, you knew?”

Edwin opened his mouth in surprise.

“That I’m a prince?”

“I found out just a moment ago. The old sage told me while he was treating my wound.”

Leo held out his right arm wrapped in bandages.

Edwin’s face darkened when he saw the injured arm.

“…I see, then you probably don’t want to come with me.”

“What? Why would you think that?”

“Well, you don’t seem to like people of high status very much…”

When Edwin spoke in a shrinking voice, Leo responded as if he found it absurd.

“What? What does that matter? Whether you’re royalty or whatever, the fact that you’re the guy who saved me doesn’t change. Why would I hate you?”

Leo frowned and pretended to glare at Edwin.

“Are you going to pretend that me protecting you from the monster never happened just because I’m of lower status than you?”

“What? How could you say something so ridiculous! If it weren’t for you, I would have died long ago!”

“It’s the same thing.”

Edwin let out a short sigh and closed his mouth.

Seeing this, Leo let out an incredulous chuckle.

“Honestly, it would be great if all nobles and royalty were like you. But they’re not, right? Even I can see you’re an oddball.”

“Oddball?”

“It means you’re different from others, unique. In a good way.”

Oddball, different from others, a unique person.

For Edwin, it was the first time he’d ever heard such words. But it didn’t feel bad at all.

In fact, he rather liked this first nickname he’d ever received.

“So you’re coming with me, right?”

“No, I’m not going.”

Edwin’s face fell at the firm rejection.

“Why?”

“Why, you ask. You told me the reason yourself.”

“…I did?”

“Yeah, you said I need to live because I’m essential to this village.”

Leo shrugged his shoulders.

“I think you’re right. If both the old sage and I leave, this village will fall apart.”

For the first time, he showed a mischievous smile on his usually stoic face.

“So go with the old sage and do your best together.”

Leo placed his hand on Edwin’s shoulder, who was much smaller than him.

“So that someday I can come visit you on my own.”

* * *

Getting out of Ruxen Village wasn’t difficult.

As Seiji had said, it was possible because the gatekeepers’ perception was terribly poor.

In addition, it was also thanks to the prejudice that clerics would never lie.

“Your Highness, I think it would be better if you got inside the carriage. It’s dangerous because it’s dark.”

“My master snores too loudly for me to sleep.”

Edwin complained that the inside of the carriage was too noisy and came out to the driver’s seat to sit next to me.

The reason was that Seiji’s snoring had transcended human limits.

“Should I tie him to the back and drag him along?”

“…That’s a joke, right?”

“I’m always serious.”

Edwin made a disgusted expression at my answer and shook his head.

“Hey, there’s something I want to ask you.”

The boy fidgeted with his two hands placed on his knees.

Then he asked his question with a deliberately serious expression.

“What would I need to do for Leo to be able to come visit me?”

Leo. He’s calling him by name so familiarly.

Well, there’s no bond quite like the one between people who’ve overcome hardships together.

“Didn’t that boy refuse Your Highness’s offer to come to the Imperial Palace together?”

I asked back in an indifferent voice.

“But why are you asking about such things?”

“Just, I’m curious.”

It was a truly simple and clear reason.

I also thought for a moment and gave a simple answer that suited him.

“If you want a way for that boy to come visit Your Highness directly, there’s only one method.”

“What is it?”

“Get rid of the Plague Village.”

At my answer, Edwin suddenly let out a shrill cry.

“It can’t disappear! That’s Leo’s hometown!”

“Your Highness, that’s not his hometown. No, it’s not anyone’s hometown.”

“Why?”

Edwin frowned at my words.

“Isn’t the place where you’re born and raised your hometown?”

“Your Highness, a prison cannot be a hometown.”

Yes, that place was a prison.

Because no one was living there of their own will.

“Hmm.”

Edwin seemed to ponder my words, then asked again.

“Then how would we get rid of the Plague Village?”

“…Why are you asking about that too?”

“No, just. I’m curious.”

Why does he keep saying he’s just curious? He’s curious about many things.

I glanced at the boy who was being evasive with his answer.

“There are two ways to eliminate the Plague Village.”

First, distribute medicine to cure the plague.

Second, have The Emperor of the Empire freely release the Plague Village patients.

“But both are realistically impossible methods.”

“What? Why?”

I gave a firm answer to the prince who asked back in an innocent voice.

“Because doing so would either start a war or cause riots.”

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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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