The Prince's Nanny, Her Specialty Is Assassination - Chapter 90

Chapter 90: Founding Festival Preparations (1)

“Prince Lloyd is an Imperial Prince of the Empire. The only match befitting his rank would be another prince, and aside from Prince Adrian, there is only him.”

At Feline’s words, Helena furrowed her brows.

‘Edwin.’

She didn’t like the idea of parading that worthless prince in front of everyone. But as a foil to highlight Lloyd’s honor, there could be no better opponent.

After a moment of thought, Helena let a pleasant smile spread across her lips.

“Not a bad idea.”

It wouldn’t be a bad opportunity to make the Third Prince realize his place.

If he were humiliated in front of all, compared to Lloyd, he would never again dare lift his head.

“I shall petition His Majesty.”

Her beautiful lips curled up into a crooked smile.

***

“I greet you, Father.”

Edwin bowed his head and rolled his eyes.

Summoned suddenly by the Emperor, he had hurried to the audience chamber, only to be bewildered. For the Second Consort and Lloyd were also present.

“Yes, Edwin.”

The Emperor smiled lightly at Edwin, who stood before him with both hands respectfully clasped.

“You know the Founding Festival will soon be held, don’t you?”

“Yes.”

“Envoys from every nation will be coming.”

He swirled the cup in his hand casually.

“At that time, how about performing a sword dance with Lloyd?”

“A sword dance?”

Edwin was startled. short while since he had begun secretly learning swordsmanship from Philip.

“Yes, Lloyd wishes to perform it with you.”

“B-but if it is to be performed before the envoys, then surely it should be Brother Adrian…”

“Adrian has no interest in swordsmanship, you see.”

At the Emperor’s words, Edwin, looking troubled, unconsciously turned his eyes toward Lloyd.

The moment their eyes met, Lloyd sneered quietly at him. As if certain Edwin could not refuse the Emperor’s proposal.

At that, the Second Consort Helena spoke up with a smile.

“This Founding Festival will be celebrated on a grand scale. This year, envoys will even come from Adamant, with whom we have newly formed an alliance. More than ever, this is a significant occasion, so shouldn’t the princes of the Empire show their excellence to the world?”

Her overly affected voice was enough to raise goosebumps.

Edwin couldn’t even show his distaste and only fumbled awkwardly.

“Unless, of course, you have something else prepared?”

“N-no, I do not.”

At Edwin’s answer, Helena smiled radiantly like a blooming flower.

“Then the answer is decided.”

Pressed by Helena and under the Emperor’s expectant gaze, Edwin at last nodded his head.

“I look forward to it.”

The Emperor seemed pleased by his response. Looking between his two sons, he smiled broadly.

“Both of you, do your best.”

“Yes, Father.”

Both the Second Prince Lloyd and the Third Prince Edwin answered in unison.

In the Emperor’s eyes, as he looked at them, flickered an amused light.

***

Creak.

As soon as Edwin left the audience chamber, he halted his steps.

The Second Consort and Lloyd, who had gone out ahead of him, were waiting.

“…Then, I shall take my leave first.”

He bowed politely, intending to leave as quickly as possible. But the Second Consort’s voice stopped him.

“How are you finding the knights’ training, Edwin?”

At her words, Edwin stiffened.

“Why so startled?”

Helena continued with a mocking tone, “Did you think I wouldn’t know? As an elder of the Imperial Family, wouldn’t it be wrong if I didn’t know even a prince’s daily affairs?”

“Well…”

“I hear you are enduring harsh training among the Third Unit Knights. It must be difficult.”

Thankfully, it seemed she didn’t know that Sir Philip was instructing him in swordsmanship.

With a faint look of relief, Edwin answered politely, “…Thanks to your concern, I am training without issue.”

“That’s fortunate. Soon, you will need to practice the sword dance with Lloyd as well. It would be troublesome if the difference in skill were too great.”

Heh.

Lloyd, standing behind her, smirked without a word.

But Edwin only bowed his head silently, showing no reaction.

“Hmph.”

Helena snorted at Edwin, then began to walk away. But after a few steps, she paused, and with a sneer, left him with one last remark.

“And what is that appearance? You look like you have a sack thrown over you. Can it be that the tailor of the Third Prince’s Palace does not even know how to take his master’s measurements properly?”

She looked down at the crown of Edwin’s head with contempt in her eyes.

“As a prince, you should refrain from such undignified behavior.”

“…I will be careful.”

As soon as Edwin finished his answer, the hem of the Second Consort’s skirt flared as she turned away.

Lloyd, following behind, deliberately bumped Edwin’s shoulder as he passed.

There was no apology.

“……”

Edwin quietly watched the two of them disappear down the corridor.

The eyes that had always been filled with fear now glowed faintly with resolve.

***

“I dodged them all!”

Having evaded every flying wooden dagger, Edwin cheered with delight.

He came running toward me with a face full of joy, only to be struck on the forehead by the last dagger that flew his way.

“Ugh!”

Edwin clutched his forehead and crouched down, protesting in an aggrieved voice.

“Rachel, that’s too much! How could you throw another one so suddenly!”

“One must never let their guard down.”

“You clearly aimed for me to get hit this time!”

“You should have anticipated that much.”

At my words, Edwin huffed in frustration. Even so, he kept rubbing his forehead over and over with his palm.

‘Impressive.’

It was exactly the seventh day of training to dodge projectiles in the rear garden of the Third Prince’s Palace.

Honestly, I hadn’t intended to teach Edwin directly, but after the hunting competition incident and the poisoning attempt in the Empress’s Palace, my mind had changed.

‘There is no guarantee Edwin will not face an assassination attempt.’

Training to adapt to poison was still ongoing.

The problem was that assassination didn’t only come in the form of poison.

‘If he can at least dodge sudden projectiles, most assassination attempts can be prevented.’

Even within a short time, Edwin’s evasive training had produced remarkable results.

‘He isn’t dodging by instinct. He saw and avoided every flying dagger.’

I recalled Edwin’s movements earlier.

‘It isn’t just that he’s agile.’

His dynamic vision, the ability to discern the trajectory of incoming weapons, was Edwin’s greatest strength.

Perhaps he really did have a talent for martial arts.

‘I recall Ian also had an excellent eye for reading attacks.’

Without meaning to, I thought of Ian.

Among the assassins trained in the organization, he had been the one who grew the fastest.

‘His talent was unmatched even within the organization.’

But Edwin was showing far greater aptitude than Ian had at that age.

‘Could it be, this boy as well…’

I gazed silently at Edwin, still sitting on the grass clutching his forehead and sniffling.

‘Is he also a genius, like Ian?’

As I thought of Ian, I swallowed a bitter laugh.

Perhaps it was because of the years spent together, but memories of Ian would rise up from the smallest things.

Even though I wished I could cut out all those memories.

“How did you even learn all this, Rachel?”

When I turned my gaze at the sound of his voice, Edwin was squinting up at me.

“Archery is one thing, but why would a noble lady learn such things? Brigitte doesn’t seem to know how to do this.”

“…I taught myself.”

“What? Why?”

“…Because I was bored.”

Of course, I could never tell him about my previous life.

Hearing my answer, Edwin made a dumbfounded face. But he didn’t seem inclined to press further.

“Wow, you must have been really bored.”

Just then, a maid approached from afar.

“Your Highness, someone has come from the Second Prince’s Palace.”

“Already?”

At the maid’s words, Edwin’s eyes widened. He quickly rose to his feet and brushed himself off.

There was a strange light of anticipation in his eyes as he looked at me.

And with good reason.

“It seems they have found your sword dance master.”

“So it seems.”

During the Founding Festival, the two princes would perform a sword dance before the foreign envoys.

Though it sounded grand, in truth, it was nothing more than a public contest to compare who was the better swordsman.

‘Though the Second Consort proposed it, the Emperor surely knew this as well when he approved it.’

After all, the sword dance was a form of swordsmanship.

‘Then today, I shall see the Second Prince’s level.’

After dismissing the maid, I returned to the room with Edwin.

It was time to prepare to head to the Second Prince’s Palace together.