The Prince's Nanny, Her Specialty Is Assassination - Chapter 93

Chapter 93: Founding Festival Preparations (4)

“Hmmm.”

Sitting at the farthest end of the table, she had been shrinking her shoulders and keeping her eyes down since the meeting began, trying her best not to draw attention.

“Come to think of it, the Third Prince’s Palace has never hosted guests before, has it?”

“Th-that’s correct, Your Majesty the Empress.”

“Then, how about using this opportunity to receive an important guest of the Empire? It’ll be a good experience for the young prince as well.”

Catherine’s expression showed obvious panic. She hadn’t expected the Empress to single her out.

“B-but, Your Majesty, isn’t this the Kingdom of Adamant’s first official visit to the Empire? Shouldn’t a guest of such importance be received in the Imperial Palace? First impressions are important….”

“You’re right. But since this is the first time we’re hosting so many delegations, the scale is enormous. The envoys from the Khan Empire are already set to stay in the Imperial Palace. We’ll exceed our capacity otherwise.”

At the Empress’s response, Catherine’s eyes trembled.

‘What should I do? Even if he’s supposed to be handsome….’

The young King of Adamant was famous not just for his striking looks but also for his unpredictable temperament.

Rumor had it that he was a bloodthirsty war fanatic—a man who had staged a rebellion at a young age, founded a kingdom, and expanded his territory through sheer force.

‘That aide who came to the palace last time seemed decent enough, though….’

Catherine thought hard, then hesitantly lifted her head.

‘Ah, I shouldn’t have done that.’

Everyone in the meeting room was already looking at her.

They clearly hoped the Third Prince’s Palace would take on the troublesome guest.

“…If the Kingdom of Adamant agrees to it.”

Unable to bear the pressure any longer, Catherine lowered her head.

“The Third Prince’s Palace will receive the delegation from the Kingdom of Adamant.”

***

After returning from the Empress’s Palace, Catherine clung to Emilia, sobbing.

It had already been three hours.

“I, I can’t believe I accepted that suggestion!”

“For someone who used to swoon over how handsome the King of Adamant is, your reaction sure changed fast.”

“Admiring someone’s face and actually serving them are two completely different things!”

“Then you could’ve refused,” I replied as I folded Edwin’s clothes. “Was it because it was a request from Her Majesty the Empress that you couldn’t say no?”

“Of course!”

Catherine sniffled and rubbed her face against Emilia’s hair.

“And everyone kept glaring at me like, ‘You do it,’ so how was I supposed to refuse on the spot?”

Her tears and snot soaked the young prince’s hair.

Emilia looked at me awkwardly.

“Achel, Catherine keeps crying. What should I do?”

“Just leave her be. Adults stop on their own eventually.”

At my words, Catherine wailed louder.

“Nanny, you’re so mean! You’re heartless!”

“Mm, adults are pitiful.”

“That’s right, Your Highness! You’re the only one who takes pity on poor Catherine!”

“But Catherine, you’re an adult, so stop crying now.”

“Ugh, I don’t want to cry, but the tears keep coming! We’re already short-handed, and now they’re telling us to host the Kingdom of Adamant without sending any extra help. What are we supposed to do….”

She’d be better off using that time to start preparing to welcome the guests.

Well, she’d figure it out herself.

After finishing up the folding, I opened the door.

“There’s only a week left. You’d better work hard if you don’t want to give anyone an excuse to criticize you, Head Maid.”

At my words, Catherine abruptly stopped crying and reached out to me.

“Nanny! You’ll help me too, right? Right?”

“I have to attend to His Highness, so excuse me.”

Leaving Catherine’s desperate cries behind, I stepped out of the room.

‘The Founding Festival already, huh.’

It didn’t feel like much time had passed since I’d woken up in the Imperial Palace.

‘I was hoping to find a lead on the organization before the festival.’

Some time ago, I’d paid five nomas to an informant from the back alleys to investigate Ian Angel. But unfortunately, there were no results.

‘They said he vanished completely after the day I died? That doesn’t make sense.’

Ian Angel had disappeared without a trace after the day Kyla Angel died.

Even the informant had written back saying it was the first time he’d ever encountered something like this and that he couldn’t continue the investigation any further.

‘But I can’t give up.’

If he’s alive, I’ll find him.

And if he’s dead, I’ll find his body.

I tightened my grip on Edwin’s folded clothes.

‘…Time really flies.’

Through the window, the bright green of early summer dazzled my eyes.

Before I knew it, summer had come.

***

A week passed in the blink of an eye.

During that time, Edwin and I focused on evasive training.

Once the delegation from the Kingdom of Adamant arrived, there’d be no time for practice.

‘Not bad.’

I crossed my arms as I recalled Edwin’s movements during training.

Unlike before, his motions were quick and light.

At times like that, his smaller build actually worked to his advantage.

‘His stamina’s improved a lot too. And his appetite’s gotten better.’

His increased appetite was likely thanks to the intensity of training.

The one suffering most from that was none other than Catherine.

“Nanny, you really have foresight.”

Sitting beside me, Catherine was hemming the trousers Edwin would wear for the Founding Festival.

She bit off the thread with a laugh.

“You told the tailor to leave extra length at the bottom, remember? Thanks to that, we only have to adjust the hem now. What a relief.”

By principle, a imperial’s ceremonial clothes were always made to fit perfectly.

It was considered proper and dignified that way.

“Princess Emilia should hurry up and grow too. I thought she’d gotten taller, but her size hasn’t changed at all.”

“Growth rates differ from person to person.”

“That’s true. Prince Edwin hardly grew last year, but this year he’s shot up every month. It’s amazing.”

Because of that, I had asked the tailor to leave extra fabric in all of Edwin’s sleeves and pant legs.

As Catherine said, his growth rate was extraordinary.

“When I first met His Highness, he only came up to my waist, but now the top of his head reaches my shoulder. Can you believe that?”

“He’s growing. It’s natural.”

“Still, he used to be so small I worried he’d never grow.”

“That was what was strange.”

“Right.”

Catherine held up Edwin’s pants and smiled.

“I wonder if my little brothers have grown this much too.”

“You have siblings?”

“I have six. Four younger brothers and two younger sisters.”

Without being asked, she went on about her family.

“My sisters are responsible and sharp, but my brothers? They’re hopeless. Always causing trouble. You wouldn’t believe it. One time, one of them disappeared all day, and the whole family went searching for him, only to find him asleep in someone else’s cowshed with a calf. Can you believe that?”

Maybe just thinking of them made her happy. Catherine’s face lit up as she talked about her siblings.

“Then why don’t you go home to visit? You even gave up your last vacation.”

“Huh?”

“It’s odd that someone who loves her siblings so much doesn’t go home.”

Catherine let out a small sound of surprise and shook her head. “I’m the only one earning money. My father doesn’t work.”

“Your mother?”

“My mother’s sick. She’s bedridden most of the time. But my siblings take good care of her, so I’m not too worried.”

The younger ones took care of their mother, while Catherine earned the medicine money. That seemed to be the unspoken arrangement in her family.

“And, well, I’ve got a bit of a temper, you know?”

Catherine tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear and smiled.

She tried to sound casual, but it was a faintly pained smile.

“When I go home, I end up fighting with my father every day, and it just makes things worse for my siblings. It’s better if I don’t go.”

I looked at Catherine silently.

She clenched her fist and smiled as if to say not to worry.

“Don’t worry! We write letters often, and when I get married, I’ll bring my mother and siblings to the capital. For now, I’m just grateful that we’re all doing okay.”

“Your siblings are lucky, Catherine.”

“Huh?”

“To have someone like you as their sister.”

For a moment, her eyes wavered.

Then the awkward, fleeting smile on her lips bloomed into a bright one.

“My goodness, hearing that from you makes me feel like I’m floating.”

“I didn’t say it to flatter you. I simply meant what I said.”

“Sure, sure.”

Catherine chuckled and tilted her head.

“By the way, Nanny, are you close with your family?”

Family.

I lowered my gaze.

If family meant only those tied by blood, then I had none.

‘I used to have something like one, though.’

When I was little, there was Emma. Later, there were my comrades.

And up until my death, I had thought Ian was like family.

‘But he betrayed me in the end.’

Maybe that’s why true family can’t be made with strangers.

Maybe Ian and I had never been meant to stay together.

“I love you, Kyla.”

A voice from the past echoed in my mind.

A bitter taste filled my mouth.

It burned all the way down, sharp enough to make me frown.