The scene
“What are you doing? Take her now!”
Emilia stared at the teacup and then at Lloyd with eyes full of disgust.
Edwin, feeling anxious, urged her:
“Emilia, our second brother apologizes to you. Take it quickly.”
"no!"
"Emilia! Come quickly!"
"No!"
"Emilia! Listen to me!"
“Ooof!”
Emilia groaned, filled with annoyance. She hates the person standing in front of her, her second brother. He was the one who ordered her to be tied a short while ago, and he was the one who directed his arrow at her. However, under the pressure of Edwin, she had no choice but to respond. She reluctantly extended her hand.
Then Lloyd smiled broadly.
“Yes, gifts should be received with the hands.”
machine gun—
He tilted the cup and poured the tea directly onto her outstretched hand.
“Waaah!”
“Emilia!”
Edwin quickly snatched her into his embrace, examining her hand eagerly. Fortunately, the tea had cooled, and she was unharmed.
“Ha-ha-ha!”
Lloyd burst out laughing loudly as he watched the scene.
"Are you really scared? Do you think I'll hurt a worthless little girl?"
But Edwin knew him, and he knew he could do it.
"It's okay... It's okay... You're not hurt. Emilia's fine."
He was trying to convince himself, panting and holding back his tears.
Suddenly he felt a warm liquid pouring over his head. He looked up and saw Lloyd turning the teapot over him.
"Didn't I tell you to stay out of my sight? How can someone like you be a prince like me?"
Lloyd's voice was full of disdain.
To him, Edwin was nothing but an empty shell, a mere half-brother with only imperial blood in common.
But in his mind the face of his old nanny came back, the one who had dared to scream at him one day in defense of Edwin.
“I never understood... Why are you protecting him? What do they like about him when he has nothing?”
Lloyd clenched his teeth in anger, and said coldly:
“This is your last chance, remember it.”
He threw the empty jug to one of his servants, then turned to go. But he only got two steps away before—
“You villain! Apologize to my brother!”
Emilia, with childish stubbornness, sank her teeth into his leg with all her might.
“Ahh! You naughty—!”
He lost his nerve and kicked her with his other leg, causing her to hit the ground.
At that moment, when he saw his sister being kicked before his eyes, Edwin's pupils constricted as if a thread inside him had suddenly been cut. The image of Emma, with her calm smile, flashed in his mind.
He screamed with all his might and pounced on Lloyd.
“Ahh—!”
“Ugh!”
He knocked his second brother to the ground and attacked him with random punches.
It was a real fight. Edwin was crying and screaming:
"What's my fault—! Why are you treating us like this!"
“You bastard—!”
“And my sister! She didn’t do anything, why did you hurt her! Why!”
He was releasing all his pent-up anger. His successive punches seemed to terrify Lloyd for a moment.
But it didn't last long. Edwin, who had no training, could not defeat the second prince, who was refined by the best teachers.
Lloyd grabbed his arm and easily flipped him over, then slapped his face so hard that blood dripped from his lip.
"foolish."
He stared into his eyes madly and said:
“I will show you how weak and miserable you are.”
He grabbed Edwin's collar and raised his fist high:
“One or two punches are not enough.”
And before he came down -
“Stop.”
His fist froze in the air. There was a hand holding her tightly.
He raised his eyes and saw a woman he had never seen before. She was dressed as a maid, but she dared to grab a prince's arm. He tried to free himself with an angry voice:
“Let go of my hand!”
But he was surprised that his arm did not move. What is this power?
He had trained for a long time, stronger than all of his peers, but for his hand to be grabbed so easily?!
He shouted in amazement:
“Who are you? Do you know who I am?!”
But she didn't answer him. She just stared into his eyes with a cold look, and squeezed his wrist more.
Confrontation
"Princess Emilia! Oh my God!"
Catherine screamed as she saw her on the ground.
As for me, I quickly reassured her, then turned my gaze to the second prince, who was giving me looks as if they were going to kill me. I knew his identity immediately: the Second Prince, Lloyd of Catalonian Ventrum, son of the Second Empress Helena Radcliffe.
He did not resemble the Emperor except in the color of his hair and eyes, but his face was not devoid of the famous beauty of his mother. However, behind that beauty, there was boundless arrogance, supported by the Radcliffe family's wealth.
At that moment, two of his guard knights rushed towards us. As soon as one of them saw me, he grabbed his sword and shouted:
"You bastard! Release His Highness immediately! How dare you touch the prince!"
I immediately released his wrist, and Lloyd staggered back toward his knights.
“Slut—!”
“Your Highness! Are you okay?!”
But I ignored them, and hurried to support Edwin and lift him off the ground. He was covered in dirt and his tears were mixed with his blood.
“Are you okay?”
He looked at me with wide eyes in surprise.
“K-How… did you get there?”
“Kneel down and apologize to His Highness immediately!”
The knight growled as he pointed his sword at me. Knight threatens a defenseless woman? What honor is there in that?
I composed myself and bowed slightly and said coldly:
“I apologize. I am the Third Prince’s governess, and I could not stand idly by. I beg your forgiveness.”
The knight was confused by the speed of my apology. As for Lloyd, he smiled maliciously and said:
“So you are the new nanny who replaced that rude old woman?”
I didn't answer. I stared at him silently.
“Ridiculous. The sire is worth nothing but the title of miserable prince, while his governess holds her head high!”
Then he looked contemptuously at Edwin, trembling beside me.
“If you wanted a dog that would bark at you, you should have chosen one that was stronger and smarter.”
He turned his eyes to me again.
“But since I cannot punish the prince himself, I will punish his dog.”
He pointed to his knight:
“This nanny touched Amir’s body and pushed him. A grave crime. Cut off her hand.”
“Your command, Your Highness!”
The knight advanced with steady steps.
“My nanny!”
Catherine screamed in horror.
Even Edwin, recovering from his shock, tried to put up a barrier in front of me, but he was easily pushed aside.
When the knight tried to catch me, I suddenly fell to the ground and embraced Edwin.
“You insolent person!”
The crowd was confused.
I shouted loudly:
"Prince Lloyd! A knight dares to push a prince to the ground! A great crime! Cut off his hand as an insult to the imperial family!"
The knight froze in shock, his eyes moving between me and the fallen Edwin.
It works.
I smiled secretly, as I felt a heavy shadow approaching from behind the bush.
The Emperor's banner flutters in the wind. It's getting close.