The Prince's Nanny, Her Specialty Is Assassination - Chapter 56

Chapter 56: Adults and Children (1)

“So you’re saying that Duke Crowner is the son born from the previous Duke’s ex-wife having an affair with a commoner?”

It was a sentence that was hard to understand.

I thought for a long while before opening my mouth again.

“…Then Jerome isn’t even related to the former Duke by a single drop of blood?”

“Not exactly. The former Duke and his ex-wife were cousins.”

What a messed-up family tree.

When I frowned, Sage laughed as if he had expected it.

“The more prestigious the family, the stronger the obsession with pure blood.”

Sage shrugged and added, “That’s why there was a lot of gossip when the former Duke adopted him.”

“Was there really a need to adopt Jerome? There must have been other boys in the family.”

“There weren’t any. The Crowner family was already known for rarely having children.”

Still, to make the illegitimate child of an affair the heir of the family?

That wasn’t ‘noble’ behavior at all.

‘Didn’t the former Duke already have a daughter of his own blood?’

The current Empress, Melanie Crowner.

There was no law in the Empire that prohibited a woman from becoming the heir of a noble house.

‘There were even quite a few nobles who passed down their titles to their daughters.’

Besides, it wasn’t unusual for members of the imperial family to serve as heads of noble families.

“I just don’t understand.”

“Maybe it was because there weren’t any outstanding knights in the family at the time. After all, the Crowner family is a knightly family.”

Sage continued casually, “Jerome was a renowned mercenary in the Empire back then.”

So he had such a past.

No wonder he fought so roughly for a knight.

‘Maybe that’s why he’s so harsh even with kids.’

But I wasn’t interested in his tragic backstory.

“Not that, but do you know anything like a weakness? Something as fatal as possible.”

At my persistent questioning, Sage finally got annoyed. “Hey, even if I’m a sage, how would I know something even the head of an assassination squad doesn’t?”

That made sense.

I smacked my lips.

Then Sage suddenly let out a gasp like he’d remembered something.

“Oh, I just remembered something.”

“What is it?”

“Twelve years ago, I was invited to a banquet at the ducal estate.”

Sage nodded, narrowing his eyes and adding, “If I remember right, that banquet was to celebrate the birth of Jerome’s daughter.”

The prosperity of one’s bloodline was a duty of those with noble status.

It wasn’t uncommon for noble families to hold banquets to celebrate the birth of a child.

Of course, it was rare for a family to throw a month-long celebration for the birth of a daughter rather than a son.

“What’s with that face?”

“…What face?”

“You look completely disgusted. Did I say something wrong?”

“Oh, it’s not because of you.”

It was just revolting that someone who knew how to dote on his daughter could so thoughtlessly cut the arm of a child who only bore the name of assassin.

Very, very revolting.

‘Jerome’s daughter, huh.’

I looked up at the ceiling.

A daughter who resembled that monster.

I couldn’t quite picture it.

‘Poor girl. Why did she have to be born as Jerome’s daughter?’

If she looked like Jerome, she probably wouldn’t be considered pretty.

I prayed that her mother was a beauty, for the sake of the duke’s daughter.

“But why are you suddenly asking about the duke’s weakness?”

“…Because just giving him a taste of defeat wasn’t enough.”

At my reply, Sage suddenly brightened and stuck his face close to mine.

“What? You already clashed with him? How did it happen? Who won?”

I pushed his face away and got up from my seat.

“I’ll be going now.”

“Going to give him another blow? Maybe approach his daughter?”

Sage looked at me with eyes full of anticipation.

“No.”

But this time, I wouldn’t be able to meet his expectations.

“No matter what, I can’t use a child.”

I picked up the robe hanging by the door.

“Because I’m an adult, after all.”

“Hmph.”

Sage looked deflated.

He rested his chin on the table and chuckled.

“For an assassin, you sure have some weird principles. You’re still as strange as ever.”

“An assassin should have principles.”

If you just kill and use people without restraint, that’s not an assassin.

That’s just a murderer.

“Even assassins have professional ethics.”

“…You’re joking, right?”

I ignored Sage’s straight face and left the cabin.

Today, the sunlight felt especially blinding.

‘I wonder if he’s training well.’

As soon as I saw the young leaves glowing yellow under the sun, a certain child came to mind.

Edwin, who must be rolling around diligently right now… just thinking of that rascal made me chuckle.

To think I could laugh just from thinking about someone other than Ian.

It was truly a strange thing.

***

Under the shade of a tree near the training grounds.

Edwin stood side by side with Jerome.

Every time knights passed in front of them, they glanced sideways at the two.

And understandably so, it was an odd pairing.

The most insignificant prince of the imperial family and the most famous duke in the empire.

‘W-what should I do?’

But Edwin had no time to notice their gazes.

His hero was standing right beside him.

He couldn’t even dare to make eye contact with the duke and instead stared straight ahead.

“Yesterday was your first day of training, wasn’t it?”

“Yes.”

In terms of rank, the duke was equal to the prince.

Edwin answered the duke’s question like a soldier standing at attention.

Only then did he manage to properly look at Jerome for the first time.

Jerome, like the prince, was looking straight ahead, but he was completely different.

There was something he had that Edwin didn’t.

Presence.

Even just standing still, it emanated from him—something too overwhelming for the young prince.

Edwin quickly shrank back and lowered his head.

“I heard you endured it quite well for your first day. Have you trained separately before?”

“No, never…”

“Is that so. Then that’s impressive. You have talent.”

At the duke’s words, Edwin lifted his head with a jolt.

“R-really?”

“Those boys go through this training regularly, so it’s natural for them to endure it. But it was your first time, Your Highness.”

It felt different from Rachel’s praise.

A compliment from the idol he had always revered.

Edwin pursed his lips, trying not to show how elated he felt.

He didn’t want to give a light impression.

“And on that note.”

Jerome turned his head toward the prince.

“I’d like to offer you just a bit of guidance, Your Highness.”

“…Guidance?”

Edwin was flustered.

The greatest knight in the empire was offering to teach him.

He should’ve been thrilled to the point of bursting.

But Edwin couldn’t be completely happy.

Because it didn’t make sense.

“Um, why me…?”

“Because I see potential in you, Your Highness.”

Jerome gave the most trustworthy smile in the world.

“I’m not the type to stand by and watch talent go to waste.”

He said he had potential.

Edwin’s heart began to pound.

“Do I really have potential?”

At the prince’s question, Jerome replied with another question, “What do you think is necessary to become a knight, Your Highness?”

“…Pride and honor, perhaps?”

Edwin recalled the virtues of knighthood he had read in books.

Hearing his answer, Jerome let out a small chuckle as if finding him adorable.

“That’s not wrong, but those are things you uphold after becoming a knight.”

Jerome made a fist with one hand and continued, “What’s needed to become a knight is grit.”

He turned his gaze back toward the training grounds.

Knights with pained expressions were running.

“Innate talent is important, yes. But it’s effort that makes talent bloom, and it’s grit that sustains that effort.”

He looked back at Edwin.

“And Your Highness, you have outstanding grit.”

“Ah…”

Edwin let out a small gasp.

“And I have the ability to make Your Highness into the greatest knight of the empire, as long as you have grit.”

Jerome placed a hand on Edwin’s shoulder and added, “You’re not going to stay cooped up in the palace forever, are you, Your Highness?”

At that moment, the young prince’s small shoulders trembled slightly.

“I heard you’re set to leave for the Holy Kingdom after your coming-of-age ceremony. Is that true?”

“…Maybe.”

Jerome smiled faintly. “If it’s not Your Highness’s wish, I can personally appeal to His Majesty. Not even His Majesty can recklessly send away my student to the Holy Kingdom. Haha.”

Edwin looked at the hand resting on his shoulder.

A large, rough hand—the very hand he had once hoped would be extended to him.

“I’ll help Your Highness be able to choose anything you want.”

But perhaps because it was different from that small yet warm and coarse hand.

Right now, Edwin felt deeply uncomfortable with his touch.

“What do you say, Your Highness?”

Jerome urged him to answer.

And yet his expression was very relaxed.

As if he already knew what the prince would say.

“Um.”

But Jerome’s prediction was shattered then and there.

“I really appreciate the offer, but I think I need more time to consider becoming your student.”

The moment Edwin cautiously avoided his hand.

Jerome’s expression twisted ever so slightly.