The Prince's Nanny, Her Specialty Is Assassination - Chapter 81

Chapter 81: LOVE & POISON (5)

“Uh, uh, uh?”

Hearing the girl he liked call him handsome, his heart suddenly began to pound wildly.

“Th-that…”

Edwin stammered, covering his burning face with his arm.

“You’re saying… I’m handsome? Really?”

“Yes.”

Brigitte laughed playfully, as if his transparent reaction amused her.

“I’m serious. I think you’re even more beautiful than Her Highness the Second Consort, who is said to be the most beautiful in the Empire.”

“What? D-don’t joke like that.”

Should he be happy being told he was prettier than his enemy?

Edwin shivered slightly as he pictured the Second Consort.

Beautiful, yes, but the thought of her chillingly cold face only left him unsettled.

“Why? Do you dislike being told you’re as beautiful as Her Highness the Second Consort? It’s a tremendous compliment…”

“S-stop it already. And calling a man beautiful is a bit…”

As the two crouched before the flower bed, bickering back and forth, an unwelcome guest appeared.

Perhaps because the Second Consort’s name had been spoken aloud.

It was the Empire’s Second Prince, Lloyd.

“Brigitte!”

Lloyd approached quickly, delighted to see her.

Then he spotted Edwin crouched at her side, and his face soured.

“…You’ve been showing up often these days, Edwin.”

Seeing Edwin no longer cower at the mere sight of him, Lloyd raised an eyebrow.

“Irritating.”

Normally, Edwin would have stayed silent and endured. But today, for some reason, he didn’t want to let it slide.

Glancing at Brigitte beside him, Edwin slowly opened his mouth.

“…This is still part of the palace, so there’s no reason I shouldn’t be here.”

“What did you just say?”

Lloyd ground his teeth. Normally he would have punched that insolent face right away, but he couldn’t.

Not with Brigitte here.

In the end, Lloyd decided to ignore Edwin.

“Hey, Brigitte.”

He called out to her with a deliberately arrogant look.

“I told you, I’ve never permitted anyone but my father to use my name.”

“Ah, right. Lady Crowner.”

Though her cold reply should have dampened him, Lloyd immediately changed her title.

“Your birthday is coming soon, isn’t it? I heard the banquet will be held at the Empress’s Palace.”

“That’s correct.”

“Is there anything you want? Just say it. I can get you anything.”

Such words could only be spoken by a prince of the Empire.

Or more precisely, by a prince backed by the Marquis of Radcliffe, the wealthiest noble family in the Empire.

‘Compared to him…’

At his words, Edwin’s face darkened involuntarily. He had neither a rich maternal family nor any support worth boasting of.

“Well…”

Meanwhile, Brigitte fixed Lloyd with a bored look.

“As I’ve told you before, I can have anything I want already. I am hardly so needy as to require Your Highness Lloyd’s help.”

“But…”

“Ah, though there is one thing I would like to ask.”

Brigitte widened her eyes as she spoke.

“Could you stop following me around? Her Highness the Second Consort even passed a message to the Empress, saying you’ve been skipping lessons because you’re busy chasing after me, and it’s causing problems.”

“What…”

“But that isn’t my fault, is it? You’re the one following me around uninvited.”

Brigitte rose to her feet and met Lloyd’s gaze squarely. She gave the flustered prince a bright, cutting smile.

“So please restrain yourself. It’s exhausting to have a man I don’t care about tailing me all day.”

At her words, Lloyd’s face turned crimson. He clenched his fists tightly, at a loss, then turned his gaze to Edwin, and his face grew even redder.

“And what about that one?”

To be humiliated in front of the person he looked down on most only deepened his shame.

When their eyes met, Edwin quickly looked away, embarrassed, which only provoked Lloyd further.

“Why are you sticking with him?”

With a furrowed brow, Lloyd pressed on.

“Lady Crowner, do you even know what kind of person he is?”

Brigitte only stared at him silently.

Lloyd sneered. “Of course not. That brat’s nickname is the Shabby Prince.”

“Shabby?”

“That’s right. Did you know his mother was a princess of Lionel? The Emperor thought marrying her would benefit the Empire, but soon after, her country collapsed. Isn’t that ridiculous?”

From Lloyd’s mouth spilled all of Edwin’s disgraces.

From his parentage to his history, even to baseless rumors.

“In other words, he’s useless. That’s why he’s called the Shabby Prince.”

Edwin hung his head.

It was humiliating enough to have his weaknesses laid bare before Brigitte, but even worse that he could not deny a single word.

Whatever the case, Lloyd’s words were true.

“…I see.”

Brigitte, who had listened quietly until then, gave a short reply.

Then she added one more line, “So what?”

“What?”

That wasn’t the reaction he had expected. Lloyd frowned in confusion.

“Did you not understand what I said?”

“I understood. You mean I shouldn’t associate with someone who’s no help, correct?”

“Yes. That’s…”

“But that’s Your Highness Lloyd’s opinion.”

Brigitte answered proudly, her turquoise eyes shining brightly.

“Other people’s judgments don’t matter. I choose for myself who I will associate with.”

She gave a gentle smile to Lloyd, whose face had hardened.

“So I appreciate your concern, but I’d be grateful if you minded your own business in that regard.”

Edwin stared blankly at Brigitte standing in front of him. Her back was small and slender, yet at that moment it felt more reliable than anything else.

“You, how dare you…”

Lloyd trembled with a sense of betrayal as he began to speak.

“Your Highness!”

A servant of Lloyd’s came running from afar.

Seeing Edwin and Brigitte together, he hesitated for a moment before giving Edwin a slight nod.

Perhaps because Brigitte was there. Edwin’s eyes widened at the sight of the servant greeting him.

In the past, they would have treated him as if he didn’t exist. This was remarkable progress.

“What is it?”

“Her Highness the Second Consort urgently summons you.”

“What? Mother? Why?”

“I am not sure…”

Of all times.

Lloyd glanced resentfully at Brigitte, then glared at Edwin. He looked as though he regretted not humiliating him further in front of her.

“I have to go now. Then.”

“Take care.”

Lloyd barely acknowledged Brigitte’s farewell before turning his back.

As he disappeared into the distance with his servant, Brigitte spoke, “Men who are a nuisance are unbearable.”

It was a casual remark.

But Edwin felt a sting in his heart.

Because he thought Lloyd might not be the only man she found bothersome.

Hadn’t he too been following after Brigitte all this time?

‘Brigitte must be disappointed in me as well.’

Winning a single hunting competition wouldn’t suddenly transform the Shabby Prince into a prince on a white horse.

Edwin glanced at Brigitte and lowered his head.

If he were in her place, he too wouldn’t want to associate with a prince who had neither backing nor the Emperor’s favor.

“Prince Edwin.”

At Brigitte’s call, Edwin cautiously raised his head. She was gazing intently at him.

“My birthday banquet is a week from now. Will you come?”

“Uh, huh?”

Edwin, still crouched, widened his eyes. He had never expected her to bring up her birthday banquet at this moment.

He had even worried that Lloyd’s words would drive a wedge between them forever.

“Why no answer?”

“Uh, um, that’s…”

It was what he had wanted most, yet now that it was offered, he couldn’t even speak.

Brigitte, seeing him flustered, turned her head slightly. Her rosy cheeks were more deeply flushed than usual.

“Since it’s the palace, I can’t invite just anyone, and there aren’t many people I wish to invite anyway. I thought it would be nice if you came and filled the seat. If you don’t want to, you can decline…”

“No! I’d love to!”

Edwin jumped to his feet and grabbed her hand.

“I’ll come! I’ll definitely come!”

“Ah…”

Brigitte widened her eyes and looked at him.

Aside from her father, this was the first time a man had grabbed her wrist without permission. Yet strangely, she didn’t feel repulsed.

The place where Edwin’s hand touched seemed unusually warm.

“I’ll definitely be there!”

“…All right, but let go now.”

Edwin, shouting with joy, then realized his mistake. He saw the wrist in his grasp and quickly loosened his hold in a panic.

“S-sorry! Did I hurt you?”

“…I’m not that fragile.”

Brigitte gently rubbed her wrist, her brow faintly furrowed.

“Then I’ll take it that you’re coming.”

“Yes!”

“I should be going. I promised to have tea with Her Majesty the Empress. I’ll send the invitation to the Third Prince’s Palace before the day ends.”

At her words, Edwin nodded so hard his head seemed to buzz.

Brigitte watched him for a moment, then gave a polite bow before leaving.

“…Hehe.”

As soon as she disappeared, Edwin couldn’t help but smile.

His face shone brightly in the sunlight, a smile of genuine joy spreading across it.

It was so radiant that anyone who saw it would smile along with him.