A Fortune-telling Princess - Chapter 120

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter. House Escra
“Welcome home, my lord.”
Numerous servants had gathered before the Duke’s Mansion to greet Duke Escra upon his return home after so long.
A woman in her mid-thirties approached first, offering a warm greeting. Her smile appeared genuinely kind.
“You must have worked so hard overseeing the coronation ceremony.”
Who was she?
Camilla, descending from the carriage, observed the woman standing beside Duke Escra for a moment.
She had heard the Duchess had died long ago—so who was this woman?
“She is Lady Sebinne, the governess.”
Count Alton, noticing Camilla’s confusion, quietly informed her of the woman’s identity.
“A governess?”
Given how young she appeared, she certainly couldn’t be Duke Escra’s governess.
“She cares for the young master Daive, the second son.”
Camilla regarded her with renewed interest. Was it customary for a child’s governess to be so familiar with the head of the household?
Unlike the other servants, who appeared visibly tense at Duke Escra’s arrival, she maintained a remarkably composed demeanor.
“She has known Kaise since childhood, and she was the closest friend of the late lady of the house.”
At his continued explanation, Camilla nodded silently.
‘That child…’
Her gaze soon shifted to another figure.
A boy who appeared to be around ten years old stared intently at Duke Escra. His distinctly pale complexion caught her eye immediately.
He repeatedly opened and closed his mouth while gazing at Duke Escra, as though desperate to speak with him.
‘Red eyes.’
Upon noting the color of his irises, Camilla had a rough idea of who the child was.
“That is young master Daive. The one I mentioned just a moment ago…”
Count Alton, who had continued observing her from Camilla’s side, briefly informed her of the boy’s name and station.
Footsteps approached.
“Father.”
As Duke Escra drew near, the boy bowed with a somewhat stiffened expression, his gesture perfectly respectful.
“Nothing troublesome occurred, I trust.”
“No, sir.”
The boy answered lightly, but the moment their eyes met, he hastily lowered his gaze to avoid the contact.
Just moments before, he had clearly wished to converse with him, yet now, face to face, he could scarcely maintain eye contact.
“Of course not. The young master has been conducting himself most diligently.”
Lady Sebinne then interjected, continuing the conversation smoothly.
“He reads extensively and never misses his lessons. His tutors speak very highly of him.”
As she gently placed a hand upon the boy’s shoulder, Daive, who had flinched momentarily, quickly nodded in agreement.
“Please, come inside and rest, my lord. You must be quite exhausted.”
At her words, Duke Escra began to move, but soon he halted once more, his gaze turning backward.
In that moment, his eyes met Camilla’s.
“Rest now.”
He turned on his heel immediately after uttering those brief words.
‘Wow.’
For a greeting to offer a daughter visiting home for the first time, it was far from warm—downright icy, in fact. But I chose not to dwell on it. After all, you can’t be disappointed if you never had expectations to begin with.
Yet the reactions around me were peculiar. Everyone lined up in front of the mansion stared at me with expressions of mild surprise.
“The Duke isn’t typically one for such courteous greetings.”
I’d heard he was infamous for his vile temperament. Was I really supposed to be impressed by something so trivial?
At Count Alton’s words, Camilla shook her head slightly. Now that I thought about it, the greeting he’d offered his son moments earlier had been equally awkward.
‘Nothing much happened, or rather, nothing much would have happened, he said.’
Was he trying to start a conversation or end one?
As Camilla clicked her tongue repeatedly, the child came into view again. Daive was staring at her with eyes wide as saucers.
The boy seemed equally astonished that his father had shown even a moment of interest and concern toward someone.
‘Looking more closely, he’s actually quite adorable with that clever little—’
Whoosh!
‘Oh?’
The moment our eyes met, the child whipped his head away. Like father, like son—he certainly had a temperament of his own.
‘Fine! Whatever!’
I don’t like children anyway. Not bothered in the slightest! Rio is far, far more adorable than this!
Camilla decided to pay the boy no further attention.
“I shall escort you to your room.”
As if having received prior instructions, Count Alton himself—not a mere servant—led her into the mansion. At this, the onlookers’ expressions shifted to one of bewilderment once more.
Come to think of it, I’d seen him cast magic before. Under Duke Escra, he’d never deign to perform such menial tasks—he was far too important for that.
“I have not yet informed the household staff about you, Miss Camilla. I thought it best to spare you the inconvenience for now.”
“I see.”
It was what Camilla had hoped for as well. There was no need to broadcast the fact that she carried the blood of Duke Escra to the outside world.
Red eyes were uncommon enough, but they weren’t a trait exclusive to the Ersha Family either.
To be honest, I was beginning to regret coming here. I’d felt compelled to tie up some loose ends before returning home, but…
Perhaps this was a mistake. Why had I chased after that cold, arrogant man all the way here, hoping to find closure?
“Shall we proceed, Miss Camilla?”
“Yes.”
Camilla lifted her gaze to briefly survey the mansion where she would be staying for some time, then quietly followed Count Alton.
* * *
[Are you alright?]
Zeno, who had witnessed everything unfold beside Camilla, asked with concern.
“What could possibly be wrong?”
[Right, it’s nothing serious. So what if the father you’re meeting for the first time is an amnesiac who didn’t even know he had a daughter? That’s hardly a big deal.]
“…Could you just be quiet for a moment?”
With Dorman having fallen silent out of consideration for her lately, this man—no, this ghost—was driving me absolutely mad.
[But did you see it earlier?]
“See what?”
[The female ghost. She seemed absolutely anguished.]
Ah, that person. How pitiful.
“Perhaps she’ll become this young master’s mother.”
[Mother? But she looked incredibly young?]
“It seems the Duke is a thief without a shred of conscience.”
[Hey, he’s still your father.]
Among those who had come to greet us earlier, there was a ghost mixed in. The Female Ghost, who appeared to be in her early twenties, couldn’t take her eyes off Daive.
“What’s so sorrowful about her?”
[Should I go ask her?]
“Zeno.”
[Hm?]
“Are you bored?”
[…Yeah.]
“If you’re bored, go visit the Training Ground.”
Camilla waved her hand dismissively—why should she provide such service when there was no profit in it?—and gazed out the window.
Today, like always, the sky was cloudless and clear, yet the view beyond the glass was utterly desolate.
The Garden, overgrown only with trees that thrived even in cold seasons, was almost too barren to deserve the name.
Well, that made sense—the weather had been that way all this time.
‘Other noble families probably aren’t much different, are they?’
A Greenhouse would have been the only solution, but now that the weather had improved, wouldn’t everyone show greater interest in decorating their gardens?
“Hmm.”
Perhaps a garden business could actually be quite profitable…
“What am I doing right now?”
Thinking about making money at a time like this? Ravi had once teased me about becoming obsessed with profit, and now I had no real defense against it.
“Miss.”
After a moment, Dorman approached, having been watching my expression intently.
“It’s six o’clock. They said dinner will be ready then, so you should come down to the Dining Hall.”
He seemed to have been conversing with the other servants earlier and picked up on the household’s daily routine.
Though he occasionally caught me off guard in annoying ways, I had to admit he was rather diligent in his duties as an Attendant, all for my sake.
Camilla rose from her seat without a word.
“Are you still upset?”
Dorman asked carefully, following close behind me.
“I’m not angry at you.”
“That’s not true. You keep treating me coldly.”
“I’m always cold to you.”
“….”
“It’s just venting.”
“Venting?”
“Yeah, because you’re the easiest target.”
“Wow….”
What? You should have treated me better then. Think about everything you’ve done to me all this time!
Leaving Dorman behind as he pleaded with his eyes, Camilla quickly stepped into the Dining Hall.
“Welcome.”
A few Maidservants approached and greeted her.
“You’ve arrived?”
Then she could see the figure of her governess, Lady Sebinne.
And the child seated at the table, Daive, glanced at her, but when their eyes met, he quickly turned his head away.
“Please sit here.”
Following the waiting Maidservant’s guidance, Camilla sat across from the child. Immediately, food was laid out on the table.
“Where is Father?”
The child asked urgently when food appeared right away without Duke Escra arriving.
“The Duke is occupied with duties, so he’ll be taking a simple meal in his Study.”
At the Maidservant’s words, disappointment flickered across the child’s face. But when his eyes met hers again, he quickly erased that expression.
‘Little one, really….’
Does he get scolded if he shows his emotions?
Watching the child constantly try to hide his expression, Camilla shook her head lightly. So the household was strict about child-rearing, it seemed.
“Then enjoy your meal.”
The food tasted decent. I was rather impressed with myself for being able to eat well even in such circumstances.
Yes, starving wouldn’t improve my mood anyway.
As I tore a piece of bread and brought it to my mouth, my gaze drifted toward the child.
The child, eating with proper posture, was deeply focused on his food, unaware of my attention.
Yet something about the child’s face seemed peculiar. It was a very subtle reaction, but my eyes—which were particularly adept at reading expressions—caught it clearly.
Observing the child more carefully, I soon discovered the reason.
‘He doesn’t like carrots.’
Every time the child ate a carrot, he furrowed his brow slightly.
‘I absolutely hated carrots when I was young too.’
I didn’t particularly enjoy them even as an adult.
What era was this, forcing children to eat things they disliked just to meet nutritional needs? Food was abundant enough.
Of course, in this current age, it was only right to eat whatever was available….
‘Isn’t there quite a lot?’

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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