The Prince's Nanny, Her Specialty Is Assassination - Chapter 63

Chapter 63: The Intense Breakfast Gathering (2)

‘Something reeks.’

Just from the voice, the stench of trouble was overwhelming.

I slowly lifted my head.

The owner of the voice was a knight seated at a nearby table.

“Oh my, yes?”

Catherine answered in my place.

She had already hidden the bundle of food swiftly under the table.

Could it be that this woman was a thief or pickpocket in a past life?

I was entertaining a reasonable suspicion when—

“Am I right?”

The knight who had spoken to us sneered and turned to his companion across the table.

“Even if he’s a worthless imperial, he’s still called imperial family.”

He threw a vulgar joke our way with a sidelong glance.

“Dragging around two women like that. Looks like the young brat’s already developed a taste for pleasure.”

“You’re so naughty. Why say such things while we’re eating?”

The companion seated across from him only chuckled and shook his head.

“Oh my, what a sight. They’re disgusting to look at and even more disgusting to listen to.”

“…Catherine.”

Before I could step in, Catherine threw a bomb.

As expected, the knight jumped to his feet.

“What did you just say?”

“Oh my, was that out loud? I was talking to myself! I’m sorry!”

Catherine made a fuss and stood up, bowing deeply.

“Say that again. What did you say just now? ‘Disgusting to look at’?”

“Oh dear, I said I was sorry, didn’t I? Did you really take that one little comment to heart? Gosh, what a narrow-minded man!”

The knight’s face flushed red at Catherine’s words.

He raised his arm as if to strike her at any moment.

“They say servants take after their masters. Looks like your brat of a prince is just as brainless…”

“I believe the same could be said of you.”

“Huh? What did you say?”

The knight scowled at me, who had suddenly stepped in.

“You serve a prince too, don’t you?”

I pointed with my fork at the arm he had raised in the air.

“I’ll say this in advance. Don’t do anything that would disgrace your master.”

The knight seemed offended.

He twisted his lips in disbelief. “Are you giving me a sermon right now? Who do you think you’re dealing with…”

“Should I know? Even if I did, what I have to say wouldn’t change.”

“I’m a guard knight of His Highness the Second Prince! You lot, banished to the Third Prince’s palace, don’t even deserve to look me in the eye!”

Oh, a guard knight of the Second Prince.

Probably the replacement for the one who lost his arm and title.

Judging by how he’s acting, he must not know how his predecessor ended up that way.

“Catherine, are you done eating?”

“Oh, yes. I’ve finished.”

“Then let’s go. His Highness should be out soon.”

I deliberately ignored the knight and rose to my feet, and Catherine followed me.

The knight’s face turned black with rage from being completely ignored by two women.

“Stop right there!”

The knight shouted and chased after me.

The moment he grabbed my shoulder to turn me around—

Thud! Smack—

I struck his solar plexus and then slapped his cheek.

“Guh!”

The knight let out a choking sound and collapsed to the floor.

His companion jumped up in surprise.

“Hey!”

“A man of your stature should know better than to lay hands on a lady.” I looked down at him and murmured in a low voice, “And you call yourself a knight.”

“Gghhh—!”

The knight strained his throat and opened his mouth.

But no words came out.

A trickle of blood spilled from his lips.

‘I thought I held back, but maybe I hit too hard.’

Well, the blow to his chest probably hurt more than the slap.

As I was staring down at him in disbelief, his companion shouted at me while helping him up.

“What do you think you’re doing! That’s Prince Lloyd’s knight you just—”

“And knights are allowed to touch women without consent? Has Imperial chivalry died?”

I deliberately raised my voice so everyone in the dining hall turned to look.

“Even if this empire is liberal about sexuality, a man shouldn’t be laying hands on an unmarried woman.”

The servants and maids who were passing by stared at the knights and murmured among themselves.

Their gazes were full of contempt and disgust.

“I, uh… I apologize!”

Eventually, the knight’s companion blushed and carried him away.

The once-dead-silent dining hall erupted with noise again once they left.

“Nanny, are you alright?”

Catherine fussed over me.

“I’m fine.”

I brushed off the shoulder the knight had grabbed.

The more I thought about it, the more irritated I became.

Honestly, I wonder when these Imperial knights will stop their habit of laying hands on women.

“But how did you do that just now?”

“What do you mean?”

“That move earlier! Knocking his arm aside and then slapping him!”

Catherine stuck to my side, chattering.

“Teach me that move too! The one where you deflect and slap!”

“…If you hadn’t started the argument, none of this would’ve happened.”

“Come on, they were being rude to His Highness first!”

“Still, try to restrain yourself next time. I’d rather avoid noisy incidents like today.”

“Ehh? I don’t think you’re one to talk, Nanny!”

As we left the dining hall together, I heard the maids in the back eagerly spreading gossip.

Thanks to that, the very day of the breakfast gathering, the rumor that a guard knight of the Second Prince had been humiliated for harassing a handmaiden spread like wildfire through the palace.

***

“Your Majesty!”

It was near the end of the breakfast gathering.

An attendant ran in with an urgent expression.

“I beg your pardon, but this is a matter of urgency…”

He whispered something into the emperor’s ear.

Whatever he said, the emperor’s face turned stone cold.

“It’s a rare occasion, but we must end the breakfast here.”

The emperor emptied his glass and stood up.

“Your Majesty, what has happened?”

“Seems there’s been another monster rampage. The nobles’ meeting will be moved up.”

“Then this is serious, isn’t it?”

“Don’t worry, Empress. Monster appearances have become common these days.”

He waved his hand at the worried empress.

“Everyone, rise.”

At the emperor’s words, everyone present stood.

Thus, the intense breakfast gathering came to an end.

***

“No, a hunting competition all of a sudden?”

Catherine looked at me with a troubled expression.

The moment she heard the news Edwin brought back from the breakfast gathering, she began pacing around in agitation.

“His Highness Prince Edwin can’t shoot a bow, and he doesn’t know how to ride a horse either. What do we do?”

“What can we do when His Majesty has given the order? He said all the princes must attend, so Prince Edwin can’t be the only one to sit out.”

“Oh dear, this is serious.”

Catherine let out a deep sigh, as if the floor were collapsing beneath her.

“Why are you sighing like that?”

“Of course I’d sigh!”

She flopped down in a chair and pressed her forehead.

“If His Highness participates in the hunting competition, at least a third of the Third Prince’s palace budget will vanish.”

“It’s just a hunting trip.”

I picked up a piece of dried tropical fruit from the table and chewed on it.

It was part of the stash Catherine had snuck out of the Imperial Palace.

“Why would that require so much money?”

Catherine scolded me not to eat with my hands and handed me a small fork.

“I’ve heard that hunting competitions hosted by the Imperial Family are on a whole different scale.”

These events, held on the imperial hunting grounds, were not limited to the imperial family—they included nobles as well.

“This time, His Majesty ordered all three princes to participate, right? Then many nobles will join too.”

“So?”

“A hunting competition is also a stage to flaunt one’s wealth and honor. The more powerful the noble, the more extravagant everything from their horses to their riding outfits and the bows and arrows they use.”

I finally understood what Catherine was getting at.

“How absurd. It’s not supposed to be a place for showing off.”

“Unfortunately, that’s exactly what it is. Even the prey they hunt becomes part of the display.”

Catherine flailed her arms dramatically.

“Oh no, what should we do! His Highness doesn’t have proper hunting clothes or decent weapons! If we have to prepare everything anew, our budget will be stretched thin…”

In the middle of her rambling, Catherine suddenly clapped her hands.

“Wait, we have a bow and arrows!”

“You mean the ones gifted by the King of Adamant?”

“Yes! That one!”

That didn’t seem particularly suitable for hunting.

‘Just the appearance alone is too conspicuous.’

Well, if it’s a place to show off, maybe it doesn’t matter.

With a disapproving look, I chewed on the dried fruit.

“Sigh, but the biggest problem still remains.”

Why are there so many issues?

I frowned at Catherine’s complaint. “There’s another problem?”

“There are actually two major problems. One of them is…”

Catherine looked as if she were about to cry.

“We don’t have a horse!”

She flailed her arms as if galloping.

“There’s a carriage at the Prince’s palace.”

“A carriage horse and a hunting horse are completely different. And the horses we have at the Third Prince’s palace are practically mules.”

In short, they were companion horses unsuitable for a display of status.

“Then can’t we just borrow one?”

“Absolutely not! Horses are a measure of wealth! If word gets out that His Highness borrowed someone else’s horse, they’ll all laugh at him!”

Catherine clutched her head in despair.

“That’s right. Such a thing must never happen. His Highness riding a second-hand horse is simply unthinkable.”

“…Catherine.”

“If we want at least a fine horse, that’s one, two, three gold coins…”

She began mumbling to herself as if possessed.

Watching her pale face and twitching fingers was pitiful.

She looked ready to dig her own grave and jump in.

“Catherine, calm down.”

I gently took her hands and lowered them.

“I’ll figure something out about the horse.”