Until The Real One Shows Up​

“Your Highness! Your Highness!”

Olivia hurried into Louis’ bedroom.

“The Prince…!”

But her expression hardened instantly upon seeing Anastasia standing guard beside the bed where Louis lay.

Olivia marched over to Anastasia.

“Why is Your Majesty here—”

Slap!

An abrupt slap cut off Olivia’s words. Anastasia’s face blazed with anger as she struck Olivia across the cheek.

“You…!”

Olivia gaped at Anastasia, her eyes wide with astonishment.

“…What are you doing, Your Majesty?”

“I believe that’s what I should be asking.”

Anastasia’s voice dripped with cold anger, a tone Olivia had never heard from her since her return to the palace. It was surprisingly icy.

“The Prince collapsed before me. Concerned, I called for the court doctor, thinking his condition had worsened.”

Silence hung heavy between them.

“Do you know what they told me?”

Anastasia continued, her voice laced with restrained fury.

“I was informed that this six-year-old child has been overworked.”

Each word Anastasia spoke seemed to resonate with seething anger.

Anastasia fixed Olivia with a hard stare before ordering.

“You’re dismissed. Leave my palace immediately.”

“Your Majesty, you can’t do this!”

“Why not? I have every right to do so. I am Prince Louis’s guardian.”

While Olivia raged with anger, Anastasia remained calm throughout the exchange. To be precise, her anger was so consuming that it left no room for outward displays.

“I can’t believe I trusted you with the care of the Prince. I’m seething with anger.”

“Why are you blaming me for this?”

Olivia trembled as if claiming innocence and making an absurd argument.

“I believe Your Majesty is ultimately responsible for this.”

“Oh, indeed. Then it’s also my fault to have appointed you as the prince’s caretaker.”

“Wh–What?”

“It’s remarkable how the young lady feels no remorse in this situation, isn’t it?”

“Why should I feel guilty?” Olivia argued in a bewildered voice. “It was Your Majesty’s mistake. Why blame me?”

“A mistake? Mine?”

“Yes! This happened because Your Majesty, the Empress, visited the Imperial Palace every day for senseless playtime.”

“What?”

“Because of that, His Highness, the Crown Prince, didn’t have enough time to study, so he stayed up all night.”

“…he stayed up all night?” Anastasia was once again appalled by what she heard.

“You’re insane. You knew about this, yet you did nothing?”

“…”

“And is the young lady really his nanny? Aren’t you ashamed, as the aunt of the Crown Prince?”

“It’s what His Highness wanted.”

“Stop making excuses for the Prince. How dare you use the Prince’s title with that selfish mouth,” Anastasia snapped, frustrated at Olivia’s bold refusal to admit fault.

“Even if I visit the palace every day, it’s only for an hour. Does it make sense that a 6-year-old child doesn’t have enough time to study after playing for just an hour? Isn’t he old enough to run around and play freely?” Anastasia argued.

“His Highness is not an ordinary six-year-old child.”

“So what if he’s not a normal six-year-old kid?” Anastasia challenged, her lips curling in frustration.

“What?”

“…”

“What is it? Spit it out,” she demanded, already anticipating Olivia’s rebuttal.

‘She wants to say that he is the heir to the throne in the future, so he is different from other children.’ 

But uttering such words aloud would amount to treason. She pressured Olivia to speak up.

“Why can’t you speak? I asked how the prince was different from other six-year-olds. Answer me right now,” she demanded.

“…that’s…” Olivia hesitated, her expression betraying embarrassment.

Anastasia continued to glare at Olivia, urging her to respond.

“…he is a royal family member,” Olivia eventually admitted, retreating slightly. “Of course, he can’t have the same life as the aristocrats and the commoners.”

“I don’t understand why the young lady’s saying that. Even so, it’s an issue for adults. Why should a 6-year-old’s life be different?” Anastasia challenged.

“…”

“You can’t answer, can you? You’ve never been asked by His Majesty to educate him so strictly,” Anastasia pressed, her tone suspicious.

“Don’t tell me there’s an impure motive behind this, right?”

“If you mean anything impure…”

“Well, you would know better,” Anastasia retorted sarcastically, prompting Olivia to grit her teeth.

“Anyway, I can no longer entrust the Prince’s education to someone with such ideas.”

“My role as his nanny was bestowed upon me by the Emperor himself. No matter how much Her Majesty…!”

“I’ll report it, so don’t worry about that.”

“Then who will take care of the prince?” Olivia asked, bewildered.

“Is the Empress going to do it?”

“That’s a good idea,” Anastasia responded as if she had found a solution.

“I can bring him to the palace and care for him there. It’s not like there’s no one there, and the Empress’ Palace isn’t so small that it can’t accommodate a single child,” Anastasia suggested, arching her eyebrows.

“But it doesn’t seem to matter to you anyway.”

“I’m his aunt.”

“You’re the Prince’s aunt, what do you mean?” Anastasia continued, frowning.

“I don’t think you realize the gravity of this situation, but allowing him to study late into the night is nothing short of abuse. How is it that not one of the many palace attendants intervened to stop him?” No matter how much they followed Olivia from Schweig Island, they had gone too far. She was so furious that she couldn’t forgive herself for not noticing it.

“What sin have I committed to warrant calling it abuse, Your Majesty?” Olivia questioned defiantly, showing no remorse whatsoever.

Anastasia regarded Olivia with a mixture of disbelief and amazement. 

“I have raised the Crown Prince as my child for the past three years. Is being a mother my sin?” 

“‘Being a mother’?” Anastasia paused, completely caught off guard.

When the woman whom she thought would promptly retort remained quiet, Olivia faltered and glanced nervously at Anastasia.

Anastasia solemnly asked Olivia. “Can you swear that your ‘being a mother’ is sincere, without a speck of dust?” she challenged.

“…”

“Really?”

“I doubt it, don’t you?”

“Then it would be more suitable for you.” 

It was the same answer as before. Olivia, trembling, dared to ask, “Are you going to separate me from His Highness?” 

“I never said that. However, your approach to his education is highly inappropriate, rendering you unsuitable as his caregiver,” Anastasia explained with a nonchalant gesture. “As his aunt, you’re welcome to visit him anytime.” 

“Your Majesty the Empress!” Olivia protested. 

“I believe you’ve grasped the situation. It’s time for you to prepare to leave. I expect you to be gone by day’s end,” Anastasia concluded, her cold gaze urging Olivia to depart promptly.

Olivia protested the situation with a hint of disbelief. “Won’t you ask the Prince for his opinion?” she called out, her voice trembling. It was her final attempt at reinforcement. 

“His Highness wouldn’t want me to stop being his caregiver. Your Majesty, you’re so quick to…” 

“What…” Louis’s faint voice suddenly interrupted them. 

Both Olivia, who was raising her voice, and Anastasia, who was listening quietly, turned their heads toward the bed with surprise. 

“What are you talking about?” Louis, now awake, opened his eyes and gazed at Anastasia and Olivia with a confused expression. 

“Prince, when did you wake up?” Anastasia inquired. 

“Your Highness the Crown Prince!” Olivia exclaimed, throwing herself onto Louis’ bedside. “Please help me. Her Majesty is planning to evict me from the palace. She’s attempting to separate me from Your Highness!”

“Your Majesty the Empress…” Louis shifted his gaze from the panicked Olivia holding him to Anastasia. “Is what Olivia said true?” 

“Yes, it’s true,” Anastasia confirmed quietly. “According to the palace doctor, Louis collapsed from overwork. I can no longer keep Olivia as your nanny, especially considering her role in allowing this situation to escalate.”

“…” 

“So, I will take care of you until I find a new nanny.” 

She hesitated for a moment before asking, “What do you think, Louis?”

The question was left without additional elaboration. Louis took a moment to quickly grasp the situation. 

“I…” Louis, who was expected to respond promptly, surprisingly broke his silence after a prolonged pause. 

Anastasia closed her eyes with a calm demeanor, while Olivia, tearful and clinging to Louis, watched him with hopeful eyes. 

Then, Louis gave an unexpected response that left everyone astonished. 

“I will follow the Empress’ decision.”