Chapter Three: I... a nanny?! nanny?! (3)
(Anyone would know that that child is the third prince, Edwin.)
It was clear from his clothes adorned with ornaments and jewels that he was of imperial blood. Such obscene clothing is only worn by the imperial family.
(But why would they do this to the prince?)
Only then did Rachel notice the rude behavior of the boys surrounding him.
“Damn, really!”
An orange haired boy shouted and violently pushed the prince to the ground. Rachel narrowed her eyes. She didn't know much about children, but she knew very well the natures of young nobles at that age.
(He will start crying and calling his servants, most likely.)
She waited for the moment when the prince would collapse so that she could intervene smoothly. But his reaction was contrary to expectations.
"She's mine! Give her back, you crooks!"
The prince gallantly rushed towards them, even though they were at least twice his size. Although he fell to the dirt, which undoubtedly pained him, he showed no intention of giving up.
(He does have some nerve.)
But the orange boy was stubborn too, waving something above his head mockingly.
“Why doesn’t Your Highness come and collect it himself?”
Then Rachel realized that what he had in his hand was a piece of jewelry.
(bracelet?)
It was a bracelet studded with pearls and rubies, looking like it was made for a woman. It was not of a quality befitting the imperial family, which was why it seemed strangely familiar.
“Your Highness must keep his promises, especially since you are from the imperial family.”
The prince shouted: “I didn’t promise you anything at all!”
But the boy just smiled mockingly.
"We won it in a fair bet with Your Highness. And now you're trying to steal it like a rat?"
The prince's eyes twitched at the word “rat.”
“But you tricked me...!”
“We cheated on you? What a serious charge.”
The orange one said with fake wide eyes.
“How could lowly boys like us deceive His Highness? Right, Jill?”
Then a large boy came forward with slightly frightening features. He seemed like their leader.
“If you want it back so bad, let's bet again.”
Jill leaned down in front of the lying prince and grabbed his shoulder tightly.
“What will you bet on this time? With your hand, for example?”
He smiled maliciously, his eyes full of hatred. The scene was laughable to Rachel, these kids trying to act like bandits.
She sighed lightly and took a step forward. Since she decided to stay, she has to play her role well.
“Your Highness, what are you doing here?”
Everyone turned towards her immediately.
“…Rachel?”
The prince opened his eyes in surprise to see her.
Jill's face frowned at the appearance of an unwelcome intruder. He had heard that the Third Prince was so careless that the servants would not look for him even if he disappeared. The rumors seemed to be exaggerated.
Thinking she was just a maid, Gil clicked his tongue:
“Shit, you ruined our game. Let’s go.”
But Edwin clung to his sleeve.
"Give it back! Give me back my bracelet!"
Gil shook his arm violently to get rid of it, furrowing his brow. He couldn't bear to see this weak boy get a pampered life just because he was born of imperial blood.
“Wait a minute.”
Rachel called him in a calm voice.
“It seems that His Highness has something worth taking back from you.”
"What?"
His eyes widened in disbelief.
“Leave it now, while I still ask you nicely.”
She gave him a gentle smile, but her words were downright threatening. Because of her cute appearance, she never looked dangerous.
The boys exchanged nervous glances.
“Wouldn’t we be executed if it was discovered that we messed with the prince?”
“Don’t be afraid, all his maids are from lowly families. At worst, we silence them...”
Gil gritted his teeth at the whispers, then took confident steps towards her, smiling sarcastically. He seemed much taller and bigger than her, as if he were looking at her from above.
“Maid, we won this bracelet from His Highness fairly. But he tried to sneak into our rooms to get it back. Isn’t that outright theft?”
Rachel looked at the prince and saw him trembling with anger.
Jill smiled contemptuously.
(This is imperial blood? How ironic.)
But Rachel said softly, in her kindest voice:
“Then... let's bet you and me.”
"…What?"
“I say let's bet on this bracelet.”
Jill froze in surprise.
“If you won a bet, it's okay to lose it the same way, right?”
She smiled, showing her teeth.
Jill laughed in surprise. He knew that all the maids in the Third Prince Pavilion—even if they were nobles—came from lowly families. As for him, he was the youngest son of a count, a subordinate of the second prince, and an apprentice to the craftsman who made the emperor's carriage.
After exchanging glances with his companions, he finally said:
“Okay then. If Miss Maid insists.”
He looked at her with his shining eyes and then asked:
“But what would you bet on?”
She shrugged indifferently:
“My hand, if you want.”
"What?!"
Jill was surprised by her cold response.
(Huh… Even if she is a maid, she seems to have noble blood.)
Her confidence provoked him so much that he decided to kneel her as he had done to the prince.
Jill and Rachel sat facing each other, a wooden box between them, on which Jill roughly placed cups.
“The game is called Monty. Does a noble lady like you know it?”
Rachel narrowed her eyes.
(Monty.)
A simple gambling game with three cups and one ball. Famous throughout the continent.
“I know her.”
Jill had a distressed look on her face.
At that moment, Edwin pulled her sleeve from behind:
“What are you doing? Get up immediately!”
He said in a worried whisper, but she ignored him and stared fixedly at Jill.
“Don't you want this bracelet?”
The prince's voice whispered:
“N-No...it's not like that...”
“Then shut up.”
"But they'll cheat! They cheated on me too!"
"decent."
“What do you mean by okay?!”
Edwin did not understand her coldness. Even Jill himself did not understand the secret of her confidence.
At that moment, the boys behind Jill regained their courage and began to sneer:
"You've chosen the wrong opponent, Miss Maid. Jill is a good monty!"
"Really unfortunate. Even if you beg later, we won't have mercy on you!"
But Rachel, with her calm face, murmured:
“...really unfortunate.”
She seemed like she really meant it.
Gill placed the ball under the right cup, then turned it upside down.
“You have three tries. If you choose correctly twice, you win.”
“OK.”
Before she could complete her answer, he began moving the cups with amazing speed until they became mere shadows.
Then stop. He smiled and said:
“Which one is it?”
“Right.”
She answered immediately. There was silence.
Her face was impassive, but her confidence was unmistakable. Edwin swallowed nervously.
“Not bad, Miss Maid.”
Gill flipped the cup right...and the ball was already underneath him.
“If you get hit again, you win.”
Rachel looked at him coldly. Unconsciously, he shuddered slightly at the intensity of her eyes.