The Prince's Nanny, Her Specialty Is Assassination - Chapter 119

Chapter 119: Her Children (2)

“I’m sorry.”

Edwin placed one hand on the headstone and forced a smile.

“A lot has happened.”

Edwin went on talking to himself for a long time.

From trivial daily things, to how the previous head maid was driven out, to Catherine becoming the new head maid, to going to the plague village and facing monsters for the first time, to taking Sage as his teacher, to training with the Gloria Knights, to winning the hunting competition, and even to what he did during the founding festival.

“…A lot of it was hard, but a lot of it was fun too. It’s all thanks to you, Emma. You made a wish for me.”

Facing the name carved into the headstone, Edwin smiled brightly.

“I’m really happy. Thank you, Emma.”

Why does he look like he’s crying even while he smiles?

“Ah, and there’s someone I want to introduce.”

Edwin suddenly pointed at me.

“This is Rachel Brown, my new nanny. She came in as your replacement, and her personality is weird, and she talks coldly, and she doesn’t resemble you at all, but….”

He flicked a glance at me, then continued in a small but clear voice, “She’s a really good person. So I wanted to introduce her to you someday, Emma.”

At Edwin’s words, I lowered my eyes.

It wasn’t like when I thought of Ian. My chest felt tight.

It felt like my heart was sunk deep in cold water.

“Achel, what’s wrong with Brother? Why’s he talking to a rock?”

Meanwhile, Emilia seemed to find Edwin’s monologue strange.

Frowning, she looked at her brother.

“And Brother, that’s not Emma. Why do you keep calling a rock Emma?”

At his sister’s words, Edwin slowly rose.

He quickly wiped his face with his sleeve, then smiled.

“It’s like a letter I’m sending to Emma. If I talk to this stone, Emma can hear it.”

“Whaaat? Really?”

“Yeah. So if you’ve got something you want to say to Emma, Lia, you can say it too.”

“I will! I will!”

Emilia stomped her feet, then climbed down from my arms and pressed herself against the headstone.

“Emma, I miss you! When are you coming back! Hurry up and come play with Lia!”

She seemed to think Emma was inside the headstone.

“Hurry up and come so we can all play together! It’ll be super fun if Lia and Brother and Achel and Catherine and Grandpa all play tag! And Lia has a friend now too! It’s the King! Let’s play with him too, okay!”

Emilia smacked the headstone with her small hand, like she was slapping someone on the shoulder.

“Brother, do you think Lia talked loud enough? What if Emma can’t hear Lia….”

When Emilia turned her head toward Edwin, she looked startled.

“Brother? Are you crying?”

“…I’m not crying.” Edwin shook his head with his head bowed low.

Emilia shoved her head under his face and frowned. “No, you are! You’re crying! Why are you crying? Did Lia say something sad?”

“No, no. I’m really not.”

“Then why….”

Hug.

Emilia stopped mid-sentence and lifted her head.

Edwin also turned his tear-soaked face to the side.

“Hello, Madam Conrad.”

I spoke as I wrapped both arms around the prince and princess’s shoulders.

“It’s an honor to meet you for the first time. I’m Rachel Brown, Their Highnesses’ nanny.”

In truth, it wasn’t the first time.

I knew the woman sleeping beneath this headstone better than anyone.

But meeting her as “Rachel Brown,” not Kyla, was the first, so it wasn’t exactly a lie.

“I heard you wished for Their Highnesses’ happiness.”

You probably don’t know.

That the wish I tucked into the bracelet I gave you circled around and reached me in the end.

“…Just as you hoped, I’ll work for Their Highnesses’ happiness too.”

Yeah, I can do anything.

For you, who taught an orphan who didn’t even know her parents’ faces what human affection is.

For you, who still looked at me with loving eyes even though I made my living by killing.

‘Even if I don’t know why you left me, lying to me as you did.’

I remembered the day Emma left, leaving only the words that I should never look for her again.

‘Still, you were my only family.’

It was Emma who planted in me the belief that you could become family even without blood.

Even if that belief led me to the hasty judgment that I could become family with Ian too.

‘But that wasn’t your fault.’

How could I blame the only person who gave me unconditional love?

Thanks to you, even while working as an assassin, I managed to keep at least a thin shred of humanity.

‘Some people called it hypocrisy.’

Some asked how I could love people while killing for a living.

How could I cherish people when I knew human life was worth less than a fly?

My answer was always the same.

‘Because that’s why they’re precious, and why I can’t help but love them.’

Only humans could give unconditional love, to the point of sacrificing their lives for someone else, despite having lives worth less than a fly.

At least, that was true as far as I knew.

“So don’t worry too much.”

I held the two children tightly in my arms and spoke.

Toward the name Emma engraved on the headstone.

“I, Rachel Brown, will fulfill the responsibility entrusted to me as their nanny.”

Maybe this second life isn’t only a chance for revenge, but also a chance to stand proudly before you.

‘If the day ever comes when we meet again.’

That I didn’t live by killing, but by protecting the children you left behind.

That I’ll be able to lift my head high and smile as I say it before you.

“Hey, it’s stifling! Let go before you talk! Why are you suddenly hugging me like this….”

“Mmm, Lia likes it! Lia likes it when Achel hugs Lia!”

I smiled as I looked down at Edwin, squirming in my arms like he was uncomfortable, and Emilia, who was simply bright and cheerful.

The midday sunlight was dazzlingly brilliant, and the warmth of the two children was far too soft.

So much so that I almost forgot we were in a cemetery.

***

“Hm?”

Maybe I was tired from visiting the temple.

After putting the prince and princess to bed early and returning to my room, I immediately frowned.

A faint light was leaking from under the bed.

‘I hid the communication orb I got from the King of Adamant under there.’

I quickly locked the door and pulled the orb out from under the bed.

The orb was glowing faintly and vibrating gently.

‘Each communication orb seemed to have a different way of operating, didn’t it?’

After thinking for a while, I tapped the orb with my finger without thinking.

A translucent window appeared over the sphere.

[It’s been a while, Lady Rachel Brown.]

Beyond the window sat a man with a familiar face.

Kayden Ram waved with a sly smile, black hair and unreadable golden eyes.

[Have you been well?]

It’s not like he’s genuinely curious.

Keeping my face blank, I gave a small nod.

“It’s a pleasure to see you, Your Majesty.”

[I’m not a fan of stiff greetings like that.]

“…Have you been well too, Your Majesty?”

[Quick on your feet.]

Kayden let out a small laugh and rested his chin on his hand.

[Me? I’ve been well. Same as always.]

As the founding king of the Adamant Kingdom, he could be buried in work to the point of collapse, but he says he’s been well.

Well, if you can hunt monsters every day and still be alive and kicking, I guess that counts as doing well.

“I’m glad to hear it. But why did you contact me so suddenly?”

[What, do we need a reason to talk?]

“We’re even less the kind of people who talk without a reason.”

Why would the king of a country and a prince’s nanny exchange messages for no reason at all?

It’s not like we’re secret lovers or anything.

[That’s disappointing.]

“If you just wanted to test whether the orb works, it seems to be working fine, so you can end the call now….”

[Hey, Lady Brown.]

Kayden asked with a displeased look.

[Do you know roughly how far it is between the kingdom and the Empire?]

“I’ve heard it takes about fifteen days by horse.”

[That’s at full speed. It’s a pretty long distance, isn’t it?]

It is, without a doubt.

I waited for him to continue.

[Then you can roughly imagine how much mana it takes to communicate across that distance, too, right?]

“…Not really.”

[It takes the mana of five mages to activate the communication orb you’ve got. If we end the call this quickly, isn’t that a loss?]

That’s strange. If that’s the case, wouldn’t it be better to end it quickly?

When I frowned in silence, Kayden crossed his arms.

A faint irritation settled over his handsome face.

[And the reason I contacted you first is because you showed absolutely no sign of contacting me.]

Was I supposed to contact him first?

But I still don’t have any solid information about the organization.

‘I don’t get it.’

Watching Kayden sulk like that, I almost sighed.

I couldn’t even begin to guess why the King of Adamant was annoyed.

“I’m sorry. I still haven’t found proper evidence of which person in the Imperial family is directly connected to Breath of the Angel.”

I apologized honestly, but Kayden’s response was lukewarm.

He stared at me with a sullen expression, then slowly opened his mouth.

[…Lady Brown.]

Kayden continued in a serious voice.

[Do people often tell you you’re oblivious?]