Chapter 31: A wish and a promise (2)
“I'll use the second wish right now.”
Emma took my hand, her look full of sorrow.
She looked up at me—I was much taller than her—and a forced smile spread across her face.
“If the work you are doing becomes too much for you, come back at any time. "Kayla, you know this, right?"
Even though she knew I couldn't go back...she said those words.
“We are not of the same blood, but we are still a family.”
Yes, it was my only “family.”
The only person I saw was a family.
Emma patted me on the shoulder and smiled playfully.
“I will grant the last wish. Who knows, you might just disappear again without a word.”
She caught sight of the setting sun, then turned suddenly in astonishment.
“Oh my God, it's getting late.”
As she was about to run home, she turned to me.
“Kayla, are you staying for dinner? “I made your favorite stew.”
That day—when the twilight was prettier than usual—
I cried for the first and last time because of her words.
“Kayla, what's wrong? Are you hurt? Why are you crying suddenly?
I couldn't stop myself.
Because—knowing that I was a killing machine—she said something in passing like, “Stay for dinner.”
Because I knew for sure that I, like Kayla Angel, would never be able to stay by her side again.
This is the fate of those who live by taking lives.
Those who walk at night cannot live with the people of the day.
They are only allowed to intersect for a fleeting moment, like the meeting of night and day.
Before sunset was complete, I parted with her.
I had to return to the world I belonged to before night fell.
“To use the last wish like this... you have become shrewd in my absence.”
It was funny.
It was as if she had saved that last wish knowing that this moment would come.
«……»
I clenched my fists.
Honestly, I could have ignored a dead person's request.
It was not even a wish of her own.
Why should I waste my time for a child who is not related to me?
"the curse."
But no—that's not the case anymore.
Edun, Emilia—they are no longer “people I have nothing to do with.”
This is how it turned out in the end.
“All you have to do is protect me!” You are my nanny!”
“Leah loves Achill!”
When I closed my eyes to calm my tangled thoughts, I remembered the question the princess had asked not long ago:
“Achel, what are you afraid of?”
What am I afraid of?
"Who is this."
When I opened my eyes again, Idon was in front of me.
Burning with fever, he has lost the people dearest to him.
“In the end, the scariest thing is…”
People's feelings toward each other.
Emotions that are not controlled by reason.
“…Huh.”
I exhaled hollowly.
However—a promise is a promise.
If Emma's last wish is for the Third Prince to be happy—
I looked silently at Edun, still holding my hand like a lifeline.
“If that's all there is...”
I will fulfill that wish.
Even if it means postponing my revenge.
“Nanny, is that true?”
Catherine jumped out of her seat at my words.
"truly?" Her eyes sparkled with joy.
“You're really not going to quit your job as a nanny?”
“I told you I wouldn't.”
"Oh, my God! What a relief!
Katherine ran around the office and hugged me tightly.
It was so sudden I couldn't avoid it.
I froze for a moment before scowling and pushing her away.
“You're choking me.”
“Oh, sorry!”
She quickly let go of me and extended her right hand.
“Let us work well together.”
I hesitated for a moment, then shook her hand.
“But, Nanny, didn't you say you had something important to do? Is he okay now? I asked anxiously as we shook hands. “You didn't give him up for this job, did you?”
“Not that.”
I wasn't going to give up the search for Ian just because I would continue as a nanny.
Rather, I decided to change my approach.
I will make this place a base, and start collecting information from outside.
That seemed the safest way to confront Ian.
“Even Ian would have to risk it if he tried to sneak into the palace himself.”
And while I was thinking that I would have to go out soon to find out about Ian—
“By the way, have you told Their Highnesses?”
“I told them what?”
“You're not leaving.”
“Should I say it outright?”
"naturally! They still think you're leaving!
I was the one who said he was leaving, and now I came back and said I wouldn't—it was embarrassing.
“Even Prince Idun thinks so because Princess Emilia told him!”
Just the other day, after he had fully recovered from his cold, Edun was completely ignoring me.
As if he had nothing to say to the one who would soon be leaving.
“Then, Catherine, why don't you tell them yourself?”
Catherine raised an eyebrow at my statement. “Oh Murabba, what did you say to me last time?”
"What did you say?"
“You said that you are a person who takes full responsibility for his actions! So I finish what I started properly.”
Even seeing my displeasure, Katherine did not back down.
“You were the one who told Princess Emilia that you were leaving, so take care of it yourself. concept?"
“But—”
“Come on, go and preach to them!” Go, nanny!”
I ended up being thrown outside by Katherine.
I felt a little regret that I had released her from the warehouse that day.
As usual, Edun was doing his best to ignore me today.
—or perhaps it's more accurate that he was trying hard not to ignore me.
He sat in the middle of the back garden, deliberately away from me.
“Brother, can Leah play with Achill too?”
"no."
Idun was braiding shamrocks to make a crown for his sister.
Emilia frowned as she stared at his hands. «Why? Leah wants to play with Achill too.”
“She's leaving tomorrow anyway. Why would you want to play with someone like her?
At his words, Emilia's features visibly broke.
"Don't worry. You have me, don't you? “You don’t need one like her.”
“But brother, you are weak.”
"…What?"
“It's reality.”
The little princess continued, not realizing the shape of Edun's face at that moment.
She is young but smarter than her peers.
It just lacks the correct expression.
“My brother always gets defeated by the bad guys. But Achill always saves Leah.”
That night when the storm raged, and even when the Second Demon Prince attacked—
It was not the prince who saved the princess.
“And my brother is always sick. Weaker than Leia. "You can't protect Leah."
There was no malice in her words.
She was just stating the facts.
But that was enough to shatter Idun's already weak pride.
“Waah—!”
“Your Highness!”
I rushed over from where I had been watching from a distance.
Because suddenly Edun pushed Emilia's shoulder.
She bounced back and fell flat on the grass.
“Hawaaah—!” Achill—! My brother pushed me!”
I quickly lifted the princess and looked at Idun.
This is the first time he has treated his sister roughly.
Usually they would share even a bean—so what happens now?
“Your Highness, what do you—”
But I didn't finish.
Because tears were falling from Edun's eyes.
“I… I don’t need one like you either—!”
His reddened face twisted as he bit his lip.
As soon as our eyes met, he threw the crown in his hand at me.
“I don't need one like you either—!”
After he shouted that, he turned and ran away.
Really... is it possible for the little prince to throw a plant in someone's face and then run away without apologizing?
“Fuck...”
I swallowed the leaves that entered my mouth and frowned.
Meanwhile, Emilia's crying increased in terror at her brother's words.
“Waaah—!” My brother said he didn't need me—! Leah hates him—!”
“Nanny, what's going on—!”
Perhaps thanks to the princess's booming voice, Catherine rushed out of the office.
"nothing. "Attend to Her Highness for a moment."
"What? If it's nothing, why are you crying like that?
I handed Emilia to Catherine and fixed my shoes.
"nanny?"
“I'll go get him.”
"What? Who are you bringing?
Who else is the cranky little prince?
I didn't bother to answer and took off running.
"nanny! Wait! Where are you going?
“To bring His Highness, of course—!”
“No, wait, rather 'chasing him'—my Lord, what shall I say! "I mean 'holding him,' certainly holding him—"
I left Catherine's anxious chatter behind me as I ran.
To catch the little prince who has not yet learned how to deal with his tantrums properly.