The Prince’s Nanny, Her Specialty Is Assassination - Chapter 73

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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 73. The Paran Hunting Competition (2)

“A person…?”

Edwin trembled as he looked at the person who had fallen from the tree.

“An assassin.”

“What, an assassin?”

Edwin’s eyes were stained with shock at the word assassin.

No matter how naive the boy was, he would understand what it meant for there to be an assassin here.

The fact that someone had sent a person to kill him was bound to be shocking.

‘Tsk, how long has it been since they sent an assassin to the Prince’s Palace.’

And now they’re trying to pull this nonsense again.

I clicked my tongue as I pulled Edwin, who was hiding behind me, into one arm.

‘Well, it’s not like I didn’t expect this.’

A hunting competition—what a perfect opportunity.

It would be hard to find a better stage for eliminating bothersome political enemies.

While holding Edwin with one arm, I pulled out the arrow lodged in the assassin’s shoulder with my other hand.

“Ugh.”

From the groaning sound, it seemed he wasn’t dead but had fainted.

He must have hit his head somewhere when he fell from the tree.

Just in case, I tied up his limbs and hid him in the thicket.

“Your Highness.”

Meanwhile, Edwin was fidgeting with his fingers anxiously while keeping his gaze fixed on me.

The boy quickly raised his head at my call.

“Y-yes?”

His face, already pale as if dusted with flour, had turned even more ghastly white.

“It seems there are dangerous beasts in the area.”

“Beasts?”

Edwin tilted his head.

He was looking at me with very worried eyes.

“But the knights said they wouldn’t release overly dangerous beasts like bears or lions for the hunting competition…”

“They might have wandered in naturally from elsewhere.”

I managed to pry Edwin off, who was clinging like a leech and wouldn’t let go.

Then I knelt down to match his eye level.

“I’ll go take a look, so stay right here and don’t move.”

“B-but…”

“Ah, the one I tied up with rope won’t wake up for half a day. You don’t need to be afraid.”

Edwin slowly nodded instead of answering.

I smoothed Edwin’s hair once before standing up.

“Then I’ll be back soon. If you’re scared, stay on the horse. He’s a clever fellow despite being timid, so he’ll find his way if danger approaches.”

“R-Rachel!”

As I mounted my horse to head deeper into the forest, Edwin called out to stop me.

“You really have to come back soon, okay?”

I nodded lightly at his worried plea.

Then I spurred the horse’s flanks.

The fierce black horse immediately galloped into the thicket.

‘How dare they.’

I gritted my teeth while keeping my body low.

‘How dare they try to touch what I’m protecting right in front of me?’

I shook the reins even more violently.

I had no intention of forgiving those who tried to harm the prince inside the Imperial Palace.

However, this time I intended to uncover the real mastermind behind the attempts to kill Edwin.

* * *

Swoosh, thud.

“Damn it! Another miss!”

The 2nd Prince Lloyd threw a tantrum as he watched the rabbit escape his arrow.

He was already annoyed that the number of prey had noticeably decreased since earlier.

His arrow accuracy was also getting worse as time passed, which made him extremely angry.

“Your Highness, perhaps we should try going somewhere else…”

“Didn’t we already look around everywhere else!”

“There are still places left…”

“Shut up!”

Lloyd huffed and ignored his subordinate’s advice.

He knew there were still hunting ground areas he hadn’t visited.

However, Count Crowner and the 1st Prince Adrian were hunting together in that area.

‘I refuse to go near them and get compared.’

His half-brother Adrian was sickly, so his swordsmanship skills hardly improved, but his archery had been superior to Lloyd’s since childhood. This fact constantly irritated Lloyd.

“Your Highness, then shall we return to where His Majesty the Emperor is…”

“Ugh, this guy and that guy are all so noisy!”

Lloyd exploded in anger at the nagging that was bothering his ears.

He suddenly grabbed the reins and galloped alone into the forest.

“L-Lloyd, Your Highness! It’s dangerous to go alone!”

His retainers belatedly tried to stop him and followed, but the prince’s horse was already far ahead.

“Your Highness, Lloyd, Your Highness!”

“Haha, serves you right! Try to follow me if you can, you idiots!”

Lloyd grinned wickedly as the voices of his retainers following him grew more distant.

How long had he been riding?

When he could no longer sense anyone chasing him, Lloyd slowed down.

“Tch, I don’t see a single beast here either.”

Lloyd frowned with a displeased expression.

He looked around to see if there was any decent prey, but he couldn’t even see animal tracks.

“How boring.”

Just as Lloyd was grumbling and about to turn his horse around.

“I wonder when he’ll come back.”

A very familiar voice came from a little distance away.

Lloyd quietly guided his horse slowly through the thicket.

A familiar silhouette came into view through the leaves.

It was the 3rd Prince Edwin.

“Ha!”

Lloyd involuntarily let out a hollow laugh.

The cart of his eyesore half-brother was full of all kinds of game.

Of course, it was less than the number of beasts he had hunted, but this was Edwin.

Until recently, this boy who was called the worthless prince and had never even properly held a bow had achieved such results. It was completely unbelievable.

‘How the hell did that little brat manage this?’

Lloyd glared at Edwin as if he wanted to devour him.

He was mounted on his horse, guarding the cart alone.

Not a single attendant was visible.

‘Hmm, is he alone?’

There was no way he could have hunted all those beasts by himself, so an attendant must have temporarily left.

At that moment, Lloyd’s hands tensed up.

‘How dare he talk to my fiancée without knowing his place.’

He suddenly recalled the scene just before the competition when Edwin was casually conversing with Bridget.

Even Bridget, who had completely ignored him, had actually spoken to that guy first.

Lloyd bit his lip.

Creak.

The 2nd Prince quietly raised the bow he was holding in his hand.

His arrowhead was aimed at his half-brother visible in the distance.

“…Ugh.”

But despite drawing the arrow without hesitation, Lloyd’s arrow tip was trembling mercilessly.

No matter how wicked his intentions, he was still just a child.

Just as Lloyd was hesitating to release his grip, feeling pangs of conscience.

Screech.

A large bird flew in front of the 2nd Prince’s eyes.

“Gasp!”

Startled, Lloyd released the bowstring.

Unfortunately, it was before he had lowered the arrow.

The arrow that flew in an instant grazed Edwin’s cheek.

“Ahhh!”

Edwin screamed in shock at the arrow that came out of nowhere.

The horse carrying him was also startled by the scream.

“No, stop!”

Edwin frantically grabbed the reins of the horse that suddenly began bucking and running wild.

But the horse had already lost its reason and was simply charging forward.

“Whoa!”

All the young prince could do on the madly galloping horse was tense his entire body to avoid falling off.

‘Rachel…!’

The wind stinging his wounded cheek was sharp.

Edwin squeezed his eyes shut, remembering The Caretaker’s request to stay in place.

Unfortunately, it seemed he wouldn’t be able to keep Rachel’s request.

And so, the horse carrying the young prince galloped toward the darkness of the forest.

Toward the endless darkness.

* * *

“Stop right there!”

The group of assassins who had tried to attack Edwin seemed determined to escape the hunting grounds entirely.

Well, for an assassin, nothing was more dangerous than having their identity exposed than failing an assassination.

Normally they would have eliminated both Edwin and me together before their identity was discovered, but this was the Imperial Hunting Grounds.

If they killed anyone other than their target and the situation escalated, there was a risk that not only they but also whoever ordered the assassination could be traced.

‘After all, assassination is supposed to be a careful and secretive operation.’

It must never be seen or known.

That was the basic principle of assassins.

‘By the way, those guys seem to have considerable skill. They’re much higher level than the previous ones.’

I recalled the assassin brothers who had secretly infiltrated the 3rd Prince’s Palace before.

Those two were pathetically weak.

‘But.’

I aimed my arrow once more from atop the galloping horse.

My target was the leg of the closest assassin.

“Argh!”

One assassin hit by the arrow finally fell from the tree and rolled on the ground.

Judging by how the presence of the remaining assassins moved away without hesitation, they had apparently decided to abandon the fallen one.

“They should have stopped when I told them to.”

The fallen assassin got up from his spot, limping while clutching his arrow-struck leg.

He was glaring at me as if he wanted to kill me.

“Oh, how scary.”

I muttered in a flat voice.

“Do you think I’ll run away in fear if you glare at me like that?”

“…Damn it, what are you!”

“That’s what I should be asking.”

I nocked another arrow to the bowstring.

As the arrow aimed at him with a creaking sound, the assassin’s eyes wavered slightly.

“It would be better to confess obediently while I’m giving you a chance.”

I showed my teeth in a grin to the guy who was frozen in place, unable to move.

“Who sent you to kill the 3rd Prince.”

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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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