The second prince
“You insolent bastard.”
Lloyd, the second prince of the empire, recalled the events of that day.
“Does that worthless bastard dare to oppose me?”
He hated his half-brother, the Third Prince.
“I hate everything about Him.”
His unnecessarily handsome face, his arrogant and weak manner, all disgusted him.
Only his cowardice and quick cunning made him bearable.
So, it was fun to see him crawling humiliated in front of him just by scaring him a little.
But every now and then, Edwin dared to anger him deeply.
As he did today.
“A weak man clinging to pride? How ironic.”
His outburst was laughable, trying to climb over him just because he had been hit.
A scene that inspires pity and contempt.
Then remember it.
That woman.
Edwin's new nanny.
"to stop."
For the first time in a long time, Lloyd felt afraid.
In those mysterious green eyes, there was a gleam that clearly said that she would cut off his arm without hesitation if he did not stop.
A woman who does not see any fear in Amir.
“Just like that disgusting old woman.”
He conjured the face of the former nanny, who had passed away from this world.
She was polite, obedient, and shy. But when it came to Edwin, she lost all her composure.
Perhaps that is what hastened her death.
“Was her name Rachel Brown?”
He gritted his teeth, remembering.
I swear that woman will meet the same fate one day.
Second Empress
“What are you thinking about so deeply, Lloyd?”
A woman sitting across from him raised his voice.
Her golden hair, her pale pink dress, and her sunset-colored eyes... she was a beauty like flames.
A woman as charming as fire, beautiful enough to enchant, dangerous enough to burn everything around her.
Helena Radcliffe. Second Empress of the Empire, and mother of Lloyd.
She said coldly, turning her silver cup:
“I heard what happened in the garden. You got into trouble again with that idiot.”
He lowered his head slightly: “Mom, he was the one who started—”
“Are you arguing with your mother?”
“But his nanny is the one—”
Slap!
She slapped him before he could finish. He wasn't surprised, he seemed used to it. He put his head back in place as if nothing had happened.
“Did I give you permission to oppose me?”
With a cold look, she added:
"Stop talking nonsense about the nanny! That idiot was obsessed with his previous nanny too. He forced me to get rid of that old woman myself, and now he's clinging to another one?"
Lloyd hung his head silently.
She continued sharply: “I met with His Majesty today. He said in front of the Adamant King that you were unable to control yourself.”
Then she shouted: “You have brought shame upon yourself before the Emperor! And you claim that you will become the next Emperor?!”
She called him the next emperor, certain that he would inherit the throne, even though he had not yet obtained the title of Crown Prince.
“...I apologize,” he said weakly.
She hit the table with her fist: “How did I give birth to an idiot like you—! Your eldest brother was summoned by His Majesty again today and received praise! He is only fifteen and is developing diplomatic strategies!”
The comparisons began that have not stopped since his birth.
She shouted nervously: “At least you are better at swordplay! I asked you to practice more, but you skipped your lessons again? Instead of gaining glory, you drag your shame before His Majesty?”
She knew well the cruelty of the Emperor, the one who slaughtered all his brothers to seize the throne.
Then she leaned towards him, her eyes burning:
“Lloyd, it doesn’t matter if you kill cats or servants. Those are trivial matters. The important thing is that you become emperor.”
She grabbed his shoulders, and he barely reached her chest:
“Swear to me, Lloyd. I swear that you will never again do anything to make him fall from His Majesty’s eyes.”
He looked at her blankly, then lowered his head:
“…yes, mom.”
He answered obediently, but his eyes were empty.
Resignation
“M-Nanny, what is this?!”
“You see.”
Catherine rubbed her eyes, reading the paper again, and when she confirmed that it was a resignation letter, she shouted:
“Resignation?! Nanny, are you leaving work?!”
"Yes."
“Why? Why?!”
“Work is not for me.”
Catherine gasped in confusion: “When are you leaving then? You brought it so quickly...”
“In a week.”
"week?!"
I held her hands and pleaded with me: “Can’t you back out? It’s only been a month! How can you leave so quickly?”
I said calmly: “Because it has been a whole month. Neither short nor long. It is the best time to leave before things get complicated.”
The nanny's wages were higher than I expected, and with the gold I had saved, I was confident that I would not starve outside the palace.
“But the decision is surprising...”
“Not surprising. I was thinking about it from the beginning.”
I closed my eyes for a moment. I remembered the voice that haunts me every night:
“Think carefully about why I do what I do.”
The dark field, the poison spreading through my body, the smell of burning... are all still stuck in my memory.
I have one thing to do. Revenge.
That is the sole purpose of my life.
So there was no longer room for King Adamant with his suspicious smile, nor for the two little princes who were attached to me, nor even for Catherine with her pure smile.
Catherine sighed sadly: “If you are so determined, I will not stop you. I wish we could work together for a long time.”
I smiled faintly: “Someone like you will find a better nanny.”
“But she won’t be like you,” she said bitterly. “No one is as strange and sweet as you are.”
A cold smile appeared on my lips: “Why do you add the word (strange)?”
“Because you are not ordinary. Who else would dare to stand in front of the Second Prince with such fortitude?”
She trembled as if she was remembering that day, and said: “I still shudder every time I remember the situation.”
I answered her calmly: “I wouldn’t do anything that would make me lose my arm.”
“Oh! If His Majesty had not intervened at the right moment, you would now be without an arm!”
I was silent and did not deny it.
Indeed, his appearance was a coincidence at the right time.
The fact that I was the only one who felt his presence was another blessing.
“He came at the right time, so things were resolved.”
Catherine sighed: “I don’t know if you are brave or reckless.”
I turned to leave the office, but she called me seriously:
“Nanny... How will you tell Their Highnesses?”
"with what?"
“That you are leaving.”
I paused for a moment, then said coldly: “Should I worry about what comes after I leave?”
Catherine remained silent, her lips trembling.
I left it there and went out.
In the corridor, I noticed the hem of a golden dress disappearing around the corner with a clear flickering.
I stopped for a while, then moved on.
One week left. Then, I will leave this place.
The shock of the two princes
"Brother! Brother! Wake up!"
Emilia shook her brother vigorously as he lay on the bed.
Despite the bruise on her shoulder, she was energetic.
"I wake up-!"
“Emilia, I’m tired,” he said tiredly.
"No! Get up!"
At her constant urging, Edwin sat up, frowning. He had been exhausted since yesterday, and his mood had worsened.
He said angrily: “What’s going on?”
“A terrible thing happened!”
“Horrible?”
“Achille said she wouldn't be our nanny anymore!”
The prince's eyes widened upon hearing his sister's words.