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Chapter 8
The Prince and the Nanny (2)
Where did people even get the idea that princes weren’t dirty?
Did that saying come from someone’s mouth, or from their ass? Was that why it made no sense?
I suddenly want to quit.
To think that on my second day as a nanny, I already wanted to resign.
As expected, I’m not suited for work involving children.
Keeping a blank expression, I spoke.
“No, Your Highness. You are dirty.”
At my single sentence, shock filled Edwin’s eyes.
“W-What did you say?”
“You smell too. Did you wash after going to the stables yesterday?”
“I-I did!”
This kid really wasn’t talented at lying.
Looking at his wavering gaze, I asked,
“Really? I can smell horse manure from the top of your head.”
“What? Horse manure?”
“Yes. Horse manure. A very awful smell.”
Edwin grabbed his hair and stared with his mouth open.
Apparently, hearing that his scalp smelled like dung was quite a shock.
But despite being shocked, he didn’t seem willing to wash again.
Then I’ll have to do it myself.
Reluctantly, I dipped my hand into the wash basin, intending to wash his face personally.
The water was freezing cold.
The weather had become warmer, but the mornings were still chilly. Why was the water this cold?
Did the prince order it?
Using ice-cold water in winter was something assassins did to sharpen their senses.
I don’t understand.
Then I noticed something strange about Edwin.
Avoiding my gaze, he kept glancing at someone else.
Hmm?
I quickly turned toward the maid who had brought the basin.
When our eyes met, she calmly smiled and lifted a towel.
“Would you like the towel?”
What kind of nonsense was this?
Does she really not know? Or is she pretending not to know?
As a nanny, this was something I had to address.
In a calm voice, I ordered the maid.
“The water is too cold for His Highness. Bring warm water.”
“Huh? That can’t be right. I brought warm water.”
“I put my finger in it just now. It was cold.”
“Then it must have cooled down.”
The maid replied with an annoyed expression.
“And didn’t His Highness say he had already finished washing? Do I really need to bring another basin?”
I frowned.
The prince’s nanny was making a request, yet a maid dared to argue back.
The hierarchy here is completely broken.
Meanwhile, the maid continued smiling at me.
“Nanny?”
Only then did I understand the meaning hidden in her eyes.
So what? What are you going to do about it? You don’t care about the prince either, do you?
She seemed firmly convinced that I was the same type of person she was.
Pathetic.
I smiled back at her.
Splash!
Without hesitation, I threw the prince’s wash water all over her.
“Aaaah!”
The maid screamed as freezing water drenched her.
The shrill cry woke Emilia, who rubbed her sleepy eyes.
“Mmm… What’s going on? Are you playing with water? Ria wants to play too.”
Even the cute words of the young princess failed to make anyone laugh.
The maid trembled while staring at me.
“W-What is the meaning of this…?”
“What do you think?”
Still smiling, I asked,
“Do you truly believe that the warm water you supposedly brought just moments ago could cool down this much in such a short time?”
The maid looked horrified.
“Do not make me repeat myself next time.”
I handed the basin back to her almost like I was throwing it.
“Bring another one. And this time, make sure it’s actually warm.”
“Y-Yes!”
The maid had no room to refuse.
With tears gathering in the corners of her eyes, she hurried out of the room.
I watched her retreating figure with disappointment.
Then I felt a burning gaze from below.
The owner of that gaze was Prince Edwin.
His mouth hung open as he stared at me blankly.
“What is it?”
At my question, Edwin silently studied me.
Judging by his reaction, he seemed slightly frightened by what I had done.
That was unexpected.
He always hissed like a stray kitten, so I thought he was fearless.
Turns out he’s only like that because he’s actually scared.
I bent down and brushed the wet bangs from his forehead.
“Your Highness, if something like this happens again, tell the head maid. Problems like this won’t be solved by staying silent.”
Edwin’s eyes widened.
After staring at me for a moment, he lowered his gaze.
“…What’s the point of telling that old witch? She’s always on the maids’ side.”
His voice sounded far too tired for a child his age.
“I’m sick of it.”
I narrowed my eyes as I looked at the top of his head.
Just what had happened to this child to make him wear such a dark expression?
No matter how neglected he is, he’s still the Emperor’s son.
Why did a prince born with the noblest blood look just like the children wandering the streets?
I couldn’t understand it at all.
“It wasn’t like this when Emma was here.”
At the familiar name, I paused.
Emma—the previous nanny who had supposedly recommended me.
Of all names, it had to be the same as hers.
Thinking of a certain woman, I asked casually,
“So did she quit?”
“No.”
Something about his cold tone made me look up.
Before I realized it, Edwin’s face was right in front of mine.
His blue eyes looked as though something inside them had shattered.
“She’s dead.”
For words coming from a child, they sounded far too real.
Yet his expression looked strangely calm.
As if he truly understood what death meant.
“Because of me.”
My mouth opened slightly in shock.
“I-I brought it!”
At that moment, the maid returned with another basin.
Steam rose gently from the water this time.
At least she understood words.
I held the basin out to him.
“Do it properly this time.”
The serious expression he had been wearing immediately disappeared as he frowned at the water.
Then he obediently dipped his hands into it.
For a moment, I thought he was finally cooperating.
I was wrong.
Splash, splash.
He was still doing that lazy cat-like washing.
…Apparently the water temperature had never been the problem.
He simply didn’t want to wash.
Unable to tolerate it any longer, I placed Emilia on the bed and rolled up my sleeves.
“W-What are you doing?!”
“Excuse me for a moment, Your Highness.”
Politely asking for permission, I grabbed the back of his neck.
“Let go! What are you— Pff! Pff!”
“You need to scrub! Scrub properly!”
“Mmph! Mmph!”
Without giving him a chance to speak, I rubbed his face with my palm.
“Since you’re already wet, I’ll wash your hair too.”
“Aaaagh!”
As a result, Edwin ended up thoroughly cleaned, including his hair.
But he looked utterly traumatized, as though he had been scammed.
“Neyche! Ria too! Ria wants to play with water too! Do it for me!”
Holding onto the little princess who clung to me, I handed Edwin a towel.
“Dry yourself.”
His face was filled with humiliation and resentment.
Grinding his teeth, Edwin glared at me.
As expected, from that moment on, he began disobeying me as though seeking revenge.
“Please wear these clothes.”
“No! I don’t like them!”
“Then what would you like to wear?”
“I’m wearing what I wore yesterday!”
He insisted on wearing the same clothes he had rolled around in at the stables with.
“…Please just wear these.”
“No! I said I don’t like them!”
“Then I’ll have someone bring different clothes—”
“I said I’m wearing yesterday’s!”
I wondered who he inherited that stubbornness from.
Clutching the dirty clothes, Edwin shook his head furiously.
No choice then.
I leaned toward his ear and whispered.
“If you refuse to change into clean clothes, I’ll run straight to the head maid and tell her everything that happened yesterday.”
“W-What?!”
“If that’s what you want.”
He shouted indignantly.
“You said you weren’t on that old witch’s side! Liar!”
“I never lied. As your nanny, I simply cannot allow Your Highness to wander around looking filthy.”
“Grrr!”
Just as Edwin was about to throw the clothes in frustration, the princess intervened.
“Big Brother, those clothes are prettier!”
At a single sentence from his little sister, Edwin finally gave in and changed into the new outfit.
He ignored everything I said, yet changed clothes the moment his sister spoke.
Apparently, he adored his younger sister far more than I had expected.
“Neyche.”
At that moment, Emilia, who was sitting quietly in my arms, whispered into my ear.
“Ria did a good job, so give me snacks!”
Well, whether it was fortunate or unfortunate that the little sister he cherished was surprisingly cunning, I couldn’t say.
* * *
I took the siblings downstairs to the dining hall after they finished getting ready.
The table was already covered with food.
What a feast.
White bread, an unfamiliar fish dish, roasted chicken, and colorful fruits.
It was a luxurious meal that commoners would rarely even see in their lives.
But the prince merely picked at his food before quickly putting down his fork.
“I’m done eating.”
Looking closer, I saw that his plate was piled high with vegetables.
“Food is precious. You should eat as much as you can while it’s available.”
After hearing my lecture, Edwin made a displeased face.
“Vegetables taste bad.”
Imagine eating food based on taste.
As long as it wasn’t rotten or poisoned, wasn’t that enough?
His picky eating seemed strange to me.
Personally, I didn’t care whether the prince starved to death or ate himself to death.
But I had a duty as his nanny.
To take good care of the prince.
“Then, Your Highness, would you like to make a bet with me?”
“A bet?”
Edwin frowned at the sudden proposal.
“Yes. How about a bet where the loser has to eat all the remaining vegetables?”
