The Prince's Nanny, Her Specialty Is Assassination - Chapter 102

Chapter 102: Guest of the Prince’s Palace (5)

“What are you doing there…?”

Unlike Edwin, who froze in surprise, Kayden gently set the princess down on the floor and greeted him.

“Good morning, Your Highness the Third Prince.”

“Ah, well….”

Edwin couldn’t find the right words and eventually gave the same greeting back.

“Good morning, Your Majesty.”

“Lia wants to ride again! Ride again!”

Emilia tugged at his sleeve, whining to be lifted once more.

“Lia, come here!”

Edwin pulled his sister toward him and hid her behind his back.

‘What do I do now?’

He recalled the Emperor’s words—be sure to treat their guest well.

‘And Teacher said that if I properly entertain the delegation, Father will acknowledge my diplomatic skills….’

He’d also said that diplomacy was like making friends.

But for a young prince who still struggled to make friends his own age, befriending the king of another nation seemed like an impossible task.

‘But who would’ve thought Emilia would do something like this….’

While Edwin was agonizing over how to apologize for his sister’s behavior, Kayden suddenly spoke, “It seems the painter’s skill wasn’t very good.”

The King of Adamant’s words came out of nowhere.

Edwin widened his eyes and looked at him.

“It would’ve been better if it had been painted with more life and beauty.”

Kayden’s gaze remained fixed on the portrait hanging on the wall, the portrait of the Third Consort.

Edwin stared blankly at the man gazing at his mother’s portrait.

“Now that I look closely, the brushwork seems rather crude.”

“Ah….”

Was it?

Edwin tilted his head slightly.

He didn’t know much about art, and he’d never really looked closely at his mother’s portrait before. Naturally, he couldn’t tell whether the brushwork was delicate or not.

“Your Highnesses,” Kayden spoke again, his tone quiet but clear. “You both resemble Her Majesty the Third Consort greatly.”

“Ah, people say that often. I’m not sure myself though….”

Unconsciously, Edwin fiddled with the pearl bracelet around his wrist.

“That bracelet,” Kayden said, narrowing his brow slightly as soon as he saw it. “Is it yours, Your Highness?”

“Yes. It’s a keepsake left behind by my former nanny.”

“…A keepsake?”

“Yes.”

Kayden’s expression turned faintly complicated at the prince’s answer.

Edwin glanced up at the man towering over him.

‘Why does he look like that?’

The young prince thought that the emotion shadowing Kayden’s otherwise stoic face looked strangely close to sorrow, though he had no idea why.

“Um….”

Edwin tried to say something, but Kayden spoke first.

“I must’ve just woken up hungry. When do you usually have your meals?”

“Oh! You must be hungry! I’ll tell the servants right away. The food will be ready soon.”

“I’d appreciate that.”

“Yes!”

Pulling along Emilia, who was stubbornly refusing to leave, Edwin hurried out of the drawing room.

“……”

Left alone, Kayden slowly turned his head. Looking up at the portrait, he murmured quietly, “I warned you, didn’t I, sister?”

His voice was low and cold.

“Don’t live your life being kind.”

The last princess of the Kingdom of Lionel, Edith Lionel.

The only one among Kayden’s half-siblings who had ever been kind to him. So foolishly gentle that she’d allowed herself to be sold off to the Empire as a political hostage.

“You didn’t come here just to die and end up framed on a wall, did you?”

Kayden stared at Edith’s portrait in silence.

Of course, it didn’t answer.

“…With your personality, leaving those little ones behind, you must’ve died regretting it.”

He frowned at the faintly smiling face in the painting.

“What difference did that smile ever make? Foolish sister.”

The young king of Adamant clicked his tongue coldly and turned away, leaving behind the lifeless portrait without a trace of hesitation.

***

The dining room of the Third Prince’s Palace was far more lavish than usual. The maids carried dishes with stiff, nervous expressions.

‘They all look too tense.’

Well, it made sense. It was the first official meal being served to the royal guest visiting the palace.

‘Not that I’m any better, I suppose.’

I glanced at the beads of sweat forming on the back of Edwin’s neck and sighed quietly. The silver cutlery in his trembling hands kept slipping against the plate.

‘He’s being unnecessarily nervous.’

The young prince was glancing up occasionally, trying to think of what to say first. But Kayden, oblivious or simply unconcerned, continued eating in silence.

‘Huh. For all his roughness, his table manners are impeccable.’

Kayden’s movements were neat and graceful, with not a single mistake in form.

Despite being of common birth, he didn’t appear unrefined at all. Every motion—his knife work, the pace at which he ate—was so precise that it was hard to believe he hadn’t been trained from youth.

‘Well, I suppose a king can’t afford to look uncivilized. He must’ve hired a proper etiquette teacher after ascending the throne.’

There was no other way someone could learn to cut so elegantly….

Clink.

The sharp sound of metal hitting a plate snapped me out of my thoughts.

Kayden had lightly tapped his fork against his dish. His golden eyes were fixed on me.

‘Is it really such a crime to look at someone eating?’

Instead of looking away, I met his gaze head-on. Between us, invisible sparks seemed to flash in the air.

“Your Highness Edwin.”

At that moment, Kayden turned his eyes away from me and spoke.

“May I make a request?”

His expression was surprisingly gentle for such a serious tone.

“A request? To me?”

Edwin looked up with wide eyes, still struggling with the stubborn piece of meat on his plate.

“What is it…?”

“I’d like to tour the Imperial Palace. Would Your Highness be willing to guide me?”

I hadn’t known that the so-called God of War had such a quaint hobby as sightseeing. I looked at him skeptically.

“Of course, I’d love to….”

Edwin started to nod, but suddenly frowned. Unfortunately, his schedule was packed today. As soon as breakfast ended, he was supposed to join his sword dance practice.

“You seem busy.”

Kayden smiled faintly, noticing Edwin’s hesitation.

“In that case, could I perhaps borrow someone trustworthy in your stead?”

The grand banquet marking the founding festival was still two days away. For the envoys, who had nothing to do but wait, the long hours must’ve been terribly dull.

“Ah, then the head maid….”

“The head maid? You mean the lady who guided me yesterday? I heard she’s not feeling well. Wouldn’t it be better to send someone else?”

“The head maid… Catherine is sick?”

Edwin turned toward me with a puzzled expression.

‘Of course he’d find it strange. Catherine’s perfectly fine right now, tending to Emilia’s meal.’

I gave Edwin a subtle look. Though he seemed doubtful, he nodded slightly and changed the subject.

“Then I’ll assign another maid to you….”

“If you don’t mind, Your Highness.”

Kayden put down his utensils and leaned back in his chair. He smiled faintly, not at the prince, but at me.

“I’d like to ask the lady behind you to be my guide.”

What did he just say?

I stared at Kayden, my eyes narrowing in disbelief. But that little brat—no, Edwin—readily accepted his suggestion without even asking for my opinion.

“Ah, Rachel’s trustworthy. She’ll guide you well.”

Shouldn’t he at least ask why I was being chosen? The ease with which he handed me over made me feel oddly betrayed.

“Then I’ll be in your care, Lady Brown.”

Kayden smiled at me with that same infuriatingly polite mask.

‘I’d really like to open up that head of his and see what’s inside.’

I stared back at him for a moment, then lowered my head slightly.

“…It’s an honor to serve you, Your Majesty.”

Once again, I cursed my fate of always having to bow when told to.

***

Being the center of attention in broad daylight was exhausting. But today, I had no choice but to endure it.

All because of the man walking behind me, looking around like a child at a fair.

“So that’s the famous King of Adamant?”

“They call him the God of War, but he doesn’t look it.”

“And that woman beside him… who is she?”

The gazes of everyone in the Imperial Palace were glued to Kayden.

It was only natural. The founding king of Adamant was striding through the palace itself.

“That building over there is the Empress’s Palace. And next to it is the First Prince’s residence.”

I deliberately faced forward, continuing my explanation without glancing back.

After last night, the last thing I wanted was more casual talk with this man.

“And this, as you probably know, is the Central Garden. It’s the largest among the palace gardens. The buildings to the east are the Second Consort’s Palace and the Second Prince’s residence.”

“I see. Then what’s that one?”

Kayden pointed toward a building draped in a fluttering silk banner, the quarters of the Gloria Knights.