The Prince's Nanny, Her Specialty Is Assassination - Chapter 71

Chapter 71: The Duke’s Daughter, Brigitte Crowner (3)

“What?”

Edwin’s eyes widened like a startled rabbit at my question.

“The Duke’s daughter? What are you suddenly talking about?”

“They say the young lady you are looking at right now is the Duke of Crowner’s daughter.”

“What―?”

Edwin let out a shrill scream.

And soon after, he bowed his head.

“So that’s why she was there…”

“Hm.”

It seems the two must have run into each other without me knowing.

It’s not common for a daughter to drop by her father’s workplace, but if Jerome is a doting father, I suppose it could happen.

‘But why didn’t he tell me?’

Just as I was about to press Edwin on why he hadn’t told me about such an important encounter.

The Duke’s daughter’s gaze was about to fall on Edwin when someone stepped between them.

The boy with the mischievous look—Second Prince Lloyd.

It was quite a distance, but their conversation was easy enough to overhear.

“It’s been a while, Brigitte?”

For the notorious troublemaking prince, that was quite the polite greeting.

But a crack formed on the beautiful face of the girl receiving it.

“With all due respect, Your Highness the Second Prince, my name is permitted only to my father.”

“Ah, sorry. Let me correct myself. Lady Crowner.”

It was extremely unsettling.

That ill-tempered Second Prince apologizing so easily?

His face was oddly flushed, giving the atmosphere a strange feeling.

‘Surely it’s not what I think, is it?’

Just as I was watching them suspiciously.

Lloyd awkwardly cleared his throat and continued, “Still, we’re going to be husband and wife anyway. Can’t you at least allow me your name?”

…One shock after another.

I never imagined the Second Prince would like the Duke’s daughter.

But no matter how I looked at it, his tone and expression could only be genuine.

‘But ‘husband and wife’?’

It didn’t seem like words that should come from the mouth of someone who hadn’t even had their coming-of-age yet.

Fortunately, the Duke’s daughter seemed to think the same as I did.

She snorted and replied coldly, “Your Highness and I, husband and wife? That is something I know nothing about.”

“Isn’t it obvious? I’ll be the next emperor. It’s only natural for you, the future empress, to be my wife.”

At the prince’s words, the Duke’s daughter’s brows twitched.

But her unease lasted only a moment, and she smiled as she retorted sharply, “Well. I have never doubted that I would become empress, but I have always doubted Your Highness’s ascension to the throne.”

“Don’t worry. You’ll be marrying me anyway. Surely marrying me is less disgraceful than marrying your cousin.”

Lloyd flashed a sly smile, pretending to be charming.

“Well. As the Duke’s daughter, I think having the Marquis’s family as in-laws is disgraceful enough.”

But it didn’t work on her.

With that jab at his lower status, Lloyd’s smile vanished.

“…You keep crossing the line because I’ve been nice to you.”

Anger glimmered in his blue eyes.

“You’d better take back what you just said.”

“I only spoke the truth, so I see no reason to take it back. Now then, I have someone else to greet, so excuse me.”

“You!”

Lloyd called after her, but she didn’t even acknowledge him.

He could only glare at her retreating figure with burning eyes.

Even as the Second Prince, he couldn’t force her to stop in front of the Duke of Crowner.

“…Hah?”

But within less than a minute, Lloyd’s face twisted even more.

Because, shockingly, the Duke’s daughter headed straight toward Edwin.

“I saw you yesterday, didn’t I?”

“Uh, uh…”

Edwin blushed as the Duke’s daughter approached him.

‘What the hell, this guy’s acting weird too?’

I swallowed uneasily, and then the young lady said, “Yesterday, I did not know you were the Third Prince and behaved discourteously. I am Brigitte Crowner, daughter of the Duke of Crowner.”

“Uh, um, how did you know I was the Third Prince?”

“I heard what the gathered nobles were saying. Did Your Highness not already notice that I was the Duke’s daughter?”

“Ah, no, I…”

Edwin stammered.

The young lady stared at him for a long moment, then changed the subject.

“Then do your best, Prince Edwin. I shall take my leave now.”

The Duke’s daughter disappeared back to where her father was.

After she left, I turned my head toward Edwin.

“Your Highness.”

“…Huh?”

He turned his head blankly at my call.

For some reason, I had the feeling my ominous premonition was about to come true.

“Don’t tell me you’ve fallen for the Duke’s daughter…”

I couldn’t finish the words I had half-jokingly begun.

Because I didn’t need to hear his answer to know what was in his heart.

‘Where, how, when did it even happen?’

I frowned as I looked into Edwin’s flushed face.

Then suddenly, a thought occurred to me.

‘Did I ever make that face in front of that bastard too?’

Unconsciously, I recalled the face of the man I once loved most in this world.

The face of the man I now hated so much it made me tremble.

‘…How pathetic.’

It had been a very long time since I fell in love with Ian Angel, the one who killed me.

By now, I couldn’t even remember the reason I came to love him.

‘How laughable.’

Yes, looking back, it truly was ridiculous.

That I once risked my life for him, when it was a feeling so easily forgotten now.

For some reason, my mouth tasted bitter.

‘Enough. Thinking about it just ruins my mood.’

I forced down the memories of the past that kept surfacing and lifted my head.

‘Tsk. The brat is already blinded by jealousy.’

Far away, I could see Lloyd glaring this way with all his might.

He must have been terribly humiliated that the Duke’s daughter ignored him and spoke first to Edwin instead. From him, I felt pure hostility and anger.

But it wasn’t just the Second Prince.

Other nobles too were watching with malicious curiosity, as if they hadn’t known Edwin was acquainted with the Duke’s daughter.

Edwin seemed to notice those gazes as well, for he shrank with a frightened look.

“Don’t be discouraged.”

“But…”

“Your Highness has no reason to be intimidated. Hold your head high.”

Edwin’s eyes widened.

“They are looking at you because right now, here, Your Highness shines brighter than anyone. So don’t worry.”

It wasn’t just flattery.

He truly was the most radiant among those gathered here.

He had inherited the stunning looks of the Third Empress, said to be a great beauty.

On him, the splendid riding attire and the sapphire brooch fixed at his shoulder suited perfectly.

Not a single element was lacking in beauty.

‘Catherine’s effort from dawn paid off.’

There was no trace of the shabby, dirty-haired prince in him now.

In fact, some of the nobles were showing interest in the clothes and accessories he was wearing.

Lloyd seemed to realize this too, his expression growing more resentful.

“And besides, Your Highness is the Third Prince of this country. There is no one you need fear.”

At my words, Edwin slowly raised his head. “Is that so…?”

“Yes. So hold your shoulders straight.”

Just as Edwin managed to straighten his hunched back, the herald’s booming voice rang across the hunting ground.

“His Imperial Majesty the Emperor approaches!”

At that moment, every gaze turned to one place.

Emperor Cavelius III had appeared.

“Her Imperial Majesty the Empress approaches!”

“His Highness the First Prince approaches!”

Behind him, the Empress and First Prince appeared together.

Draped in purple cloaks and mounted on horses, the two exuded dignity.

Waaaaah.

The Emperor, entering with dozens of attendants, passed right by Edwin amid the roaring cheers.

The nobles looked at the Emperor’s silent passing with faces that seemed to say, “of course.”

Everyone relaxed—until suddenly, the Emperor stopped his horse.

His head turned toward Edwin.

“What are you doing not coming forward, Edwin?”

At those few words, the rowdy venue fell silent.

In the heavy stillness, faint gasps could be heard.

“My God.”

“Unbelievable…”

Who was Emperor Cavelius III?

The cold-blooded man who killed all his siblings to ascend the throne.

The nobles, who knew this better than anyone, whispered among themselves.

“What in the world is this? Why would His Majesty speak to the Third Prince?”

“He never shows warmth even to the First Prince he supposedly favors…”

“Could it be the tide is turning now?”

“Don’t be ridiculous. You can’t say such things even as a joke. It’s chilling.”

To openly show interest in a prince in front of so many nobles.

And for that prince to be the long-neglected Third Prince.

Some dismissed it as nothing, but most were still unable to recover from the shock.

‘Damn it. So he thinks being Emperor makes everything acceptable.’

I glared at him fiercely, careful not to be noticed.

If the Emperor truly cared for Edwin, he shouldn’t have done that.

‘It only invites unnecessary attention.’

Why else would he act cold toward even the First Prince in public, if not to lower the opposition’s guard?

‘Thanks to him, we’re the ones in trouble now.’

The Second Prince’s faction would surely start watching us closely. Just the thought made me weary.

“Are you going to stay like that?”

“N-No.”

The sharp gazes grew even harsher as the Emperor exchanged words with Edwin.

From the Second Prince’s side came looks that were practically murderous.

“Your Highness, you must go at once.”

I lightly tapped the frozen Edwin’s arm.

Only then did he barely manage to move his reins.

The moment Edwin joined the Emperor’s procession, the nobles’ murmuring grew louder.

“What could this mean?”

“Could it be His Majesty is losing his mind early…?”

“We’ll see. For now…”

Speculation and slander filled the Imperial Hunting Competition.

“Then, let us begin.”

With the Emperor’s declaration, the curtain rose.

The curtain rose on the Imperial Hunting Competition, Edwin the Third Prince’s first time taking part.