The Prince’s Nanny, Her Specialty Is Assassination - Chapter 76
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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 76. Paran’s Hunting Competition (5)
“Fortunately, it seems there are no objections.”
The Emperor slowly descended from the platform when no one raised any objections.
Then he grabbed Edwin’s shoulders and turned him around.
“Now, look closely.”
As countless gazes flew toward him all at once, the young prince’s body stiffened.
The Emperor whispered low into his youngest son’s ear.
“How they are looking at you.”
Edwin slowly raised his gaze that he had unconsciously lowered.
“How is it? Are you still afraid?”
Edwin blinked his large eyes.
Strangely, the ambiguous gazes mixed with admiration and expectation made his fear gradually fade away.
“Yes, when you become strong, you need not fear anything.”
The Emperor confirmed Edwin’s brightened complexion and let out a small laugh.
Then he signaled with his eyes to the scribe standing nearby.
“The winner of this hunting competition is His Highness the 3rd Prince, Edwin Anaxinianus Bentrum!”
As the scribe announced the name of the winner chosen by the Emperor, applause and cheers erupted from here and there.
For Edwin, this was the first applause he had ever received in his life.
The young prince looked down at his feet awkwardly to hide his embarrassment and shyness.
“Congratulations, Your Highness the 3rd Prince.”
“As expected, all of His Majesty the Emperor’s sons are exceptional…”
“I have been keeping an eye on Prince Edwin for some time…”
Then, like the applause, sweet words he had never heard before in his life poured down over his head.
Edwin found this situation unbearably awkward. He didn’t even know if he deserved such treatment.
Meanwhile, there were eyes watching the 3rd Prince closely.
“…He’s changed a little.”
The 1st Prince Adrian muttered quietly to himself while looking at his half-brother.
Then he immediately turned his head away as if uninterested.
The 2nd Prince Lloyd had long since stormed out of his seat, unable to contain his anger at having victory snatched away before his eyes.
Normally Helena would have stopped him, but this time she seemed angry too and left with him.
Whether fortunately or unfortunately, the Emperor seemed to pay no attention to them whatsoever.
“What’s wrong, Bri?”
“…It’s nothing.”
Bridget, the lordling of House Crowner, stared blankly at the 3rd Prince receiving all kinds of praise beside the Emperor, then turned her head away.
“Girl, I’m too tired and want to return to the mansion quickly.”
“Oh my, then go to the carriage first. Father must assist His Majesty the Emperor.”
As soon as the Duke’s permission was granted, Bridget rode away from the hunting grounds.
While glancing back toward Edwin at the last moment.
“Th, thank you.”
Edwin repeatedly expressed his gratitude to the group of nobles offering him congratulations.
The hunting competition, entangled with all kinds of conspiracies, schemes, and unexpected fortune, was passing by like that.
* * *
The hunting grounds immediately after the Imperial hunting competition ended were quiet.
In the hunting grounds that felt even desolate, there were only me and the 3rd Prince Edwin.
“Rachel, why did you tell me to stay…”
Edwin started to speak to me but stopped and stood there like someone entranced.
And for good reason, as the beasts loaded on the carts began to move their bodies one by one.
“Wh, what!”
Since the miracle of dead animals coming back to life couldn’t happen, it was more convincing to think they had been sleeping and just woke up.
“W, were they alive?”
Edwin looked back at me with his already large eyes opened even wider.
“Weren’t they really hunted?”
“…I thought Your Highness would dislike it, so I took precautions beforehand.”
In fact, all the arrows I used for hunting had blunt stone arrowheads.
I had applied a small amount of paralyzing poison to the tips of the arrowheads so that the beasts hit by arrows wouldn’t be seriously injured and would immediately faint.
“Whaaaat! Then you should have told me beforehand!”
Edwin complained in a whining voice, but as soon as he came to his senses, he smiled brightly while watching the beasts running away.
As if he was incredibly happy that the prey escaped safely.
“…”
I quietly gazed at Edwin’s profile.
That unfamiliar and strange sight, which couldn’t be found in the world I had spent my entire life in, wasn’t entirely unpleasant.
“…I’m glad they didn’t all die.”
Edwin, who had been watching the animals escape safely, slowly turned around.
“Rachel.”
The young prince looked straight at me.
With a clear face free of any worries or concerns.
“Thank you, truly.”
“…Pardon?”
“You’re really a good person.”
I was momentarily speechless.
I half-lowered my eyes at the prince’s words.
Did I really deserve to receive such gratitude?
Did I dare deserve to be called a good person?
‘When I had killed so many people?’
For any reason, an assassin could never be a good person.
Even if I had possessed another body, my essence hadn’t changed.
Even now, rather than feeling relieved watching the escaping beasts, I only thought it was a waste to miss all that meat and hide.
If it weren’t for Edwin, I would never have released them.
“…This is just for today.”
I continued in a stern voice.
“If there’s ever a need to hunt again, I’ll really kill them then. Of course, there won’t be any occasion for me to hunt in Your Highness’s place.”
Edwin pressed his lips together at my words.
“Sometimes it’s necessary to take lives decisively. Let’s say today was practice for that.”
At my firm tone, Edwin seemed to have resolved something and silently nodded his head.
“Then let’s go back.”
Rachel turned around without hesitation.
Edwin looked up at his caretaker’s face, which had suddenly hardened coldly, with a dejected expression.
‘Rachel is…’
She seemed like someone who wanted to prove that she wasn’t a good person.
It was something he couldn’t understand at all.
‘But.’
Except for Emma, Rachel was the only person who had been consistently kind to him from the beginning.
He didn’t know about others, but to Edwin, there was no one as good as her.
“Let’s go together, Rachel.”
Edwin hurried after his caretaker and gently grabbed her hand.
Rachel didn’t shake off his hand but silently held it even more firmly.
The young prince smiled softly at the warmth enveloping his hand.
‘She really is a good person.’
Thinking that his caretaker was definitely a good person.
* * *
“Prince Edwin! Caretaker!”
When we returned to the Prince’s Palace, all the maids welcomed us.
Especially Catherine, who was holding Emilia, brightened up and ran out to greet us.
“Did you catch a lot of…”
She approached the cargo cart with a face full of expectation, then closed her mouth.
Her pale-colored eyes were tinged with disappointment.
“Um, did you perhaps come back empty-handed?”
Catherine muttered “that can’t be right” and tilted her head in confusion.
“That’s strange. I definitely heard that Prince Edwin won the competition…”
“That’s correct.”
“Then why is there nothing here?”
“…I released them all.”
At my answer, Catherine’s eyes widened like a startled rabbit.
She looked back and forth between the empty cart and me, then let out a sigh.
“Aww, I was looking forward to feasting for once.”
The game that the prince brought back would usually have only the hide presented as tribute, while the meat would go to the attendants.
After all, the highest quality meat was already served to the royal family at every meal.
The maids who heard my conversation with Catherine also sighed deeply with dejected faces.
“Catherine, Catherine! What does releasing mean?”
Only Emilia chattered away, oblivious to the gloomy atmosphere.
“Well, it means he let them all go free.”
“Eh? Then Ria can’t eat meat? Waaah.”
When even his sister made a dejected expression, Edwin didn’t know what to do.
He looked extremely sorry upon hearing that the game he released could have become a feast for the attendants.
While the prince could eat meat anytime, the attendants couldn’t.
“Catherine.”
Just as the others were about to turn away with faces full of disappointment.
I stopped Catherine.
“Please take this.”
“What? No way…”
Catherine’s eyes widened even more when she saw the three gold coins I handed her.
They were gold coins that had been in the possessions of the assassin we caught at the hunting grounds.
“What are these gold coins for?”
“…Something like prize money. Use it for the maids’ meal expenses.”
“Really?”
At the mention of using it for meal expenses, Catherine’s face lit up.
She jumped up on the spot and hugged me tightly.
“Caretaker is the best!”
“Ugh, Catherine, if you suddenly hug me like that…”
“Everyone! His Highness is treating us to dinner tonight with his prize money! Get ready to eat until you burst!”
Prize money?
Edwin himself looked confused about what was happening, but the attendants all brightened up as soon as they heard Catherine’s words.
“Thank you, Prince Edwin!”
“Congratulations on winning the hunting competition!”
“Prince Edwin, you’re the best!”
Edwin was flustered seeing the attendants chanting his name.
He grabbed my sleeve and drooped both eyebrows.
“What’s all that about?”
“Just don’t say anything. It’s money that’s practically equivalent to Your Highness’s life anyway.”
“What?”
Edwin frowned at my answer.
However, he didn’t say anything more and smiled awkwardly at the attendants who were praising him.
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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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