TCNS 02

Chapter 2: Me, a Nanny? A Nanny?! (2)

I had lived a life with no connection to children whatsoever. My head was so muddled with confusion that I was starting to feel dizzy.

‘Well, if she got in here by recommendation, she must be a noblewoman.’

I formed my first hypothesis about Rachel Brown, but then I immediately dismissed it. As far as I knew, there was no noble family in the Empire with the surname ‘Brown.’ After all, ‘Brown’ was a surname that commoners might use. A noble’s name was supposed to be beautifully pronounced and carry grandeur.

‘Or maybe she’s a young lady from a family of little importance.’

This woman likely fell into the latter category. No matter how distinguished the maid’s family was, a noblewoman wouldn’t wear clothes as worn out as these.

Just then, a sharp headache struck, as if it had been waiting for this moment. A chillingly familiar voice echoed in my ears.

“Then take this chance to think long and hard about it. Why I’m doing this.”

The presence of ‘him,’ whom I had forgotten, came back to life vividly.

“In the afterlife.”

It felt like swallowing a piece of burning coal; the center of my chest began to burn. As if the damned flames that had consumed me were now burning my heart.

“…Ian.”

I hadn’t meant to call his name. I shouldn’t have spoken aloud the name of the bastard who killed me. The flames that had been burning in my chest spread to my eyes, and tears trickled down my flushed cheeks.

“Achel, are you crying? Are you hurt?”

Then, the furball—no, the child called Princess Emilia—hugged my knee.

“Achel, don’t be hurt! Waaah!”

“Wait, wait…”

The princess suddenly started crying loudly, following my tears. I was at a loss, staring at the princess as she wept. Helplessly, I rested my hand gently on Emilia’s tangled hair.

It had been so long since I’d comforted a child like this that I felt flustered.

“…Please, stop crying.”

I cautiously stroked her soft, fluffy hair. I wasn’t sure if this would work, but thankfully, it seemed to. Emilia quickly stopped crying as I patted her head.

“Mm, then Achel, you’re not going to cry anymore, right?”

“Yes. I won’t cry anymore.”

“Then Lia won’t cry either!”

The princess wiped her tears with determination and pursed her lips tightly. Somehow, seeing her like this cleared my mind.

Yes. Now that I had died and come back to life, what mattered wasn’t petty emotions. I clenched my fists and recalled what he had said.

“Burn it. Leave not even ashes.”

Ian wished for me to leave nothing behind. But contrary to his desire, my soul had returned, borrowing another’s body to live again.

‘Wait for me, Ian.’

I grit my teeth, picturing the face of my lover who had stabbed me in the back.

‘Whatever the reason.’

The only fate for a traitor was death. I thought of the organization’s unyielding rule as I ground my teeth.

‘I will never forgive you.’

On the day I awoke in the body of an imperial nanny rather than the head of the continent’s greatest assassins, I vowed that I would live this second life solely for revenge.

***

“Achel, Achel.”

As I was silently burning with vengeance, Emilia tugged at my skirt, whining.

“Brother ran away. Find him.”

Brother? Oh, right, the head maid had told me to find ‘Prince Edwin.’

“You mean Prince Edwin, yes?”

I remembered the child’s status as a princess and adjusted my speech accordingly.

“Yes! Brother’s name is Edwin!”

As I nodded at Emilia’s words, I frowned slightly.

‘Wait, why am I just standing here?’

Escaping the palace wasn’t hard for me. I knew more than five secret exits from the palace right now.

‘But even if I leave immediately, I can’t be sure I’ll find Ian.’

I didn’t know how much time had passed since I died, and I had no money at all. Leaving without a plan would be foolish.

‘I’m not in the same trained body as before, and if I move recklessly, it’s no wonder I’d die a second time.’

I looked at Emilia, the young princess in front of me, and made a decision. For now, I’d have to live as this ridiculous ‘nanny.’ With a resolute expression, I threw open the door.

This was the moment my new life truly began.

***

Finding the prince was easier than expected. That was because Emilia knew where he was.

“Are you sure he’s really there?”

“Yes! Brother always plays over there!”

Seeing Emilia toddling behind me, I eventually picked her up in one arm and walked quickly.

‘Why is she so light?’

The princess was so light she felt like she would fly away if the wind blew too hard, and her crown of golden curls smelled faintly sweet.

‘Honestly, she’s more like cotton candy than a furball.’

The princess, who was like cotton candy, wrapped her arms around my neck, giggling in delight.

“Achel, we’re so high!”

I wasn’t sure what was so amusing. Emilia played with my hair as we went, but I just kept walking.

‘Come to think of it, what was Edwin like again?’

Though I had been in and out of the palace countless times before my death, it was my first time in the Third Prince’s quarters.

‘And for a prince’s palace…’

The palace, surrounded by arched corridors, was—how should I put it—large, but devoid of content.

‘It’s barren.’

It was a desolate place, to say the least.

‘Ah, now I remember.’

Looking at the empty palace reminded me of some information about the Third Prince.

Edwin Anaxinian Ventrume, the Third Prince of the Ventrume Empire.

‘A forsaken child, really.’

Prince Edwin was the only son of Emperor Cavelius III and the Third Empress, Edith Lionel. However, the Third Empress Edith had passed away three years ago. They said she died from excessive bleeding during childbirth, likely dying right after giving birth to Emilia, leaving nothing behind for her children.

‘Not that she had much choice.’

As a foreigner, she had no significant support within the Empire. She was practically sold off as a hostage, so how could she have any backing here?

‘And the Kingdom of Lionel was probably too busy dealing with its own issues to worry about her.’

The Third Prince Edwin and the First Princess Emilia were insignificant existences, their presence gradually fading from the palace, as if they’d never existed in the first place.

That’s all I knew about Prince Edwin.

‘No wonder my memory was hazy. He was such an insignificant presence.’

It was always hardest for servants serving powerless masters. If I stayed here, it was clear I’d face hardships.

‘I’d better escape as soon as possible.’

I had reached the rear garden of the annex before I knew it, lost in my thoughts.

‘Hmm, something’s strange.’

No matter how much I looked, there was no sign of the prince. I frowned, scanning the area, then closed my eyes. To catch even the slightest movement, I focused all my senses.

Then, I sensed a commotion outside the garden wall. I quickly moved towards it.

“This is…”

At the corner of the annex garden, a small hole was hidden, poorly covered with shrubs. But my eyes couldn’t be deceived. When I cleared the bushes, a small hole in the wall appeared. The grass around it was pressed flat, likely from a small animal or child passing through.

If the prince, who should have been in the garden, wasn’t here, it meant he must have escaped through this hole.

‘I have no choice.’

I set Emilia down on the ground.

“Achel?”

“Your Highness, please stay right here. Do you understand?”

“Stay?”

Emilia fidgeted with her fingers, looking troubled.

“Lia is hungry.”

Come to think of it, she had been saying she was hungry since we first met. I was also troubled, but there was no other option. I couldn’t take the young princess outside with me carelessly. Besides, if it became known that the prince had left his palace without an attendant, there would be a huge commotion.

I had to find the prince and bring him back quickly.

“I’ll be right back. Please wait just a moment.”

“Okay. Come back soon, okay?”

I nodded lightly in response and took a deep breath. Then, in one swift movement, I jumped over the wall.

“Achel! That’s amazing!”

I heard Emilia’s exclamation from beyond the wall. Thankfully, this new body wasn’t too bad in terms of physical ability. Just as I was dusting off my hands and getting ready to turn around, I felt it—a gaze. It was subtle but persistent.

There was no malice in it, but it wasn’t exactly a pleasant gaze either. I quickly turned my head. But the gaze had vanished without a trace.

‘Was it my imagination?’

I narrowed my eyes and was about to step in the direction where I had sensed the gaze when suddenly, I heard a scream.

“Give it back!”

It was a child’s voice, almost like a cry.

***

The source of the commotion was the imperial stables near the Third Prince’s palace.

“Give it back! I said give it back!”

Under the wooden roof of one of the barns, about twenty steps away, a group of large boys had surrounded a small child.

“Give it back!”

“Giiiive it baaack~”

The boys seemed to find teasing the smaller child amusing. Judging by their clothes, they didn’t appear to be of low status.

‘They’re big, but their faces are young. They all look like nobles… maybe they’re pages?’

While pondering the identity of the boys, I caught a glimpse of someone distinctly out of place among them.

‘Found him.’

Prince Edwin.

It was the very boy I was looking for.