Chapter 60: The Emperor's Call (1)
Since the day I decided to stay here as governess, I have been adding a tiny amount of poison to Edwin and Leah's food on a regular basis. The goal was to accustom their bodies and build their immunity to the poisoning.
An attempt to spread poison could occur at any moment.
A few days ago, I began increasing the quality and quantity of toxins in Edwin's food. He clutched his chest and stared at me with eyes full of reproach. I felt a little sorry, but I had no help;
That's pretty much all I can teach him myself.
I cannot teach a prince the arts of killing, but I can teach him how to survive it. That was one of the few things I could give Edwin.
I said in a calm tone, as if I was asking about the flavor of the dish:
“Scorpion venom affects the nerves, and taking a lethal dose of it could kill a healthy man within two hours. How do you feel now?
Despite his wheezing breath, he opened his mouth stubbornly:
“...I'm not breathing well.”
Compared to the first time he swallowed poison and was unable to even speak out of fear—this was remarkable progress.
“That's normal,” I said.
Because the amount was so small, the effect would not last long. As his breathing gradually returned, I did not forget to leave him a will:
“Remember the taste of poison and the feeling of poisoning in your body. “This remembering may save your life one day.”
His eyes trembled with tears, and a look of someone on the verge of crying appeared on his face, then he gulped down the water from the cup placed on the desk in one go.
“How could tasteless food be so bad?”
“That's what toxins are like. “If it always tasted bitter, everyone would discover it at the first sip.”
Yes; The real danger of poison lies in its deception.
“You're sweet poison, Kayla.”
Without permission, the words of the man who killed me crept into my head. At the time I had thought it was a trite sentimental metaphor, but I now realized it was a statement of truth: just as I had been sweet poison to him, Ian had become sweet poison to me.
“Hey, are you okay?”
Edwin pulled me out of the remnants of the past, calling me while looking at me with concern:
“Are you okay?”
"What do you mean?"
“You don't look so good.”
"I?"
"Yes." He furrowed his eyebrows. “Aren't you sick?”
Did my face look so uncomfortable? I shook my head, dismissing the image of Ian that was pressing on me:
“Never. “I just wandered off a little.”
“And what were you thinking?”
“...in the one who hit me on the back and ran away—no, he stabbed me in the back and ran away.”
To be precise: that bastard who stuck the dagger in my back and then fled.
Now that I thought, I remembered my last goal that I had almost forgotten.
I was so busy with nanny duties, fulfilling my promise to Emma, that I almost forgot why I came back to life in the first place.
It's time for me to leave the palace.
It seems that I will soon have to start collecting information about the organization and about Ian.
As soon as Edwin came out with the empty plates—
Until Catherine's voice rang out from afar as she ran: “Nanny! Nanny!”
Behind her, Sage walks sullenly, carrying Leia on his back.
She said, panting: “Did you hear the news?”
“What news?”
“Next month the Adamant King will visit the Imperial Palace again!”
Next month...then it's the date of the Founding Festival.
Kayden Lam.
I regained the image of the young king who had once smiled so meaningfully: a cunning man; His smile at me, the smell of the soap I used before I died, the gift he suddenly sent Edwin—a bow and arrows to wish him well—everything about him aroused suspicion.
“You mean Kayden L Adamant, King of Adamant?” Sage asked, calming Leia who was complaining. The one who brought down the royal house of Lionel and established his kingdom.”
“Do you know anything about him?” I asked.
“No personal knowledge, but he is too famous to be known. This is one of the axioms of the news.”
Catherine shook her head in agreement: “That's right.” Even here in the empire, children's story books inspired by his heroism are selling like crazy!
Children's stories? Who would make a man like this the hero of children's stories? What was the writer thinking?
“Leah loves stories!” Leah exclaimed, pulling Sage’s hair.
“Your Highness,” I said, “not fairy tales, but heroic biographies.”
She replied with a frown: “Mmm, it doesn’t matter!” I want to read! Read to me!”
Catherine was confused: “Oh my God, what should I do? This book is not found in the prince’s library.”
“In another library?”
“Most likely not. Because it is for children and praises the king of another country, it is most likely that he was not acquired here.”
Leah's features almost turned into tears: "Leah wants a story...!"
I preceded her tears and said: “I will buy it for you, Your Highness.”
"truly?"
"Yes. Anyway, I'll be out soon. And when I do I'll bring you that story you want—don't cry.”
She beamed: “Oh hello! Achille, I love you!”
“I love you too, Your Highness.”
“Get the book quickly!”
I hugged her as she extended her arms to me, and I exhaled: It seems that I have to move forward my departure date sooner than I had planned.
Finally... today.
Edwin pressed his chest to hide his palpitations.
Today he was supposed to have his first private sword lesson from Philip—if all had gone well.
“You are still very active,” Emperor Cavellius III said as he appeared before the Knights of the Third Unit as they descended from the mountain.
“C-Your Majesty!”
The commander, Duke Jerome Crowner, accompanied him.
“Hail our master!”
As knights who had sworn direct loyalty to the emperor, their salute was different: they knelt in perfect order.
Only one person was left standing awkwardly.
The Emperor gave him a cold look and said: “It has been a while, Edwin.”
“A-Dad... I salute you.”
He lowered his head in front of the man who had brought him into this world—and at the same time the person he was most embarrassed about.
The Emperor scanned his figure from head to toe: “You look better than before.”
What does he mean by that? Edwin bit his lip, and the Emperor added: “Since we have met after a long absence, let us have tea.”
"…Sorry?"
The Emperor left his bewildered son and turned to Jerome: “Is this suite a reception room?”
“Come to my office. "I'll direct the tea to be prepared."
“Grateful to you.”
Then the Emperor turned to leave. As Edwin stood watching him in amazement, he turned to him and said: “Why are you standing like that? Do you hate to have tea with your father?
“N-No, never!”
He ran after him, and curious looks followed them into the building.
Whispers leaked among the knights:
“Who called His Highness the Third Prince the ‘Shabby Prince’?”
“Yes, who is he?” to advance; "He will be reprimanded now."
"So the rumors weren't accurate, huh?"
“Father and son sharing a cup of tea—common.”
“But His Majesty himself coming must have a reason, right?”
Philip stood silent. He knows that the Emperor does not move without a calculated motive; Even if the meeting was for tea with his son, some calculation must be made.
He looked at Edwin's back as he followed his father—the back of an ordinary little boy, without any intimidation that attracted the attention of the Emperor.
However…
No one knows how fate will change, and the Emperor himself came to him.
“It has been a long time since we sat face to face,” said the Emperor, sitting across from him.
"I-I'm sorry," Edwin said stammering.
“No need to apologise. I myself did not look for you.”
The conversation between father and son was not at all warm.
“How is the training? Can you afford it?
“…It was difficult at first, but now it’s fine.”
"good. "That's reassuring."
The Emperor sipped his tea quietly, then asked after a short silence:
“Why?”
"Sorry?"
“I ask you: Why did you suddenly decide to join the knight training?”
He turned his cup between his fingers and stared at Edwin.
“You're not the type to do something like that.”
“Well… I…”
Cold sweat froze on Edwin's back: What should I answer?
"Are you trying now—anymore—to 'play' the part of the prince?" said the Emperor coldly.
“N-no, that's not what...”
The Emperor did not show any emotion. When he saw that he was unable to answer, he tilted his head slightly:
“I met your nanny again. “She is a bold woman.”
Edwin's face turned pale when he heard the word "nanny."
“The previous nanny also came directly to me. "You seem to be lucky with the people around you."
As soon as Edwin remembered that passing, his face turned pale.
“She said you wanted to become strong,” said the Emperor. Is that true?