A Fortune-telling Princess - Chapter 133

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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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“But why didn’t you pretend to know? You could have told Father.”
“And what would I gain from that?”
Camilla shook her head lightly.
“If you had directly harbored a grudge against me and orchestrated this, then naturally I would have acted accordingly.”
But that wasn’t the case, was it?
Of course, if I had suffered even minor damage back then, I wouldn’t have let it slide so easily now. I’m the type of person who always returns what I receive—quite the stickler for propriety, after all.
But thanks to Duke Escra, I hadn’t actually suffered any harm. I wasn’t injured, and I incurred no material losses.
“Besides, I don’t enjoy making unnecessary enemies.”
“For someone who says that, you certainly have quite a few people who hold grudges against you.”
“…You’ve misunderstood.”
Several individuals came to mind immediately, but Camilla deliberately feigned ignorance.
Watching her, Jainer, who had been laughing continuously, suddenly uttered something unexpected.
“I have one favor to ask.”
“A favor?”
A somewhat weary smile played at the corners of his mouth.
* * *
“Ugh! What in the world does this taste like?”
“Absolutely vile.”
“People actually eat this garbage?”
“Get the manager! Manager!”
The Dessert Cafe, usually bustling with customers, was remarkably quiet today.
Two customers who had just entered through the door fled back outside as if escaping.
All because of the men loudly shouting from where they sat near the entrance.
“Um, manager, those people are back again.”
“This is driving me insane! What’s wrong with them?”
“It’s been four days now that they’ve been like this.”
Five men had been coming to the shop for several days, continuously causing trouble.
They would order a few desserts, then loudly complain that they tasted awful, causing all the customers who came to the shop to flee.
“Huh? Manager!”
“Where are you going?”
Laila, who had been quietly observing the situation for some time, strode toward them. The other staff members tried to hurriedly stop her, but it was futile.
“What?”
“Are you the manager?”
At Laila’s appearance, the men’s expressions grew even more menacing, as if they intended to intimidate her.
“Is there a problem with the desserts?”
“There are far too many problems.”
“Is this what you’re selling for people to eat?”
“I sincerely apologize.”
Laila bowed respectfully.
“I will refund the full cost of all the desserts.”
“What did you say?”
“Is money all you need?”
“Damn it! Do you think we’re beggars!”
“You think we’re doing this for money!”
The men rose from their seats in unison, pressing Laila harder.
“Would you please leave now?”
But Laila didn’t bat an eye. Instead, she kept her smile intact and pointed toward the exit with her hand.
“The exit is that way. Next time, I’ll treat you to a more satisfying dessert.”
But Laila’s behavior seemed to irritate the men even more.
“Are you mocking us right now!”
The hand of the man standing closest suddenly shot up.
But Laila didn’t even close her eyes as the hand flew toward her face.
Camilla had told me before she left. To protect this shop well.
I didn’t want to show weakness for the sake of the friend who trusted me. If they hit, I’d take it; if they reported me, so be it.
The Guard wouldn’t even pretend to listen about shop disruptions, but if violence was added to the mix, wouldn’t things be different?
‘Was Chris right after all?’
Due to the continued disruptions, I visited Chris from the Ghost Merchant Guild yesterday to discuss it.
Before Camilla left for the Gracia Empire, she told me to discuss any problems at the shop with Chris.
And from him, I heard something unexpected.
‘Do you know the Dorald Dessert Shop?’
‘Dorald Dessert? Ah! That shop at the Shopping District Entrance?’
‘Exactly. Until recently, it was the largest and most profitable place in this area.’
‘Why is that?’
‘I heard their sales dropped significantly recently.’
‘Why would that… Ah! Could it be because of our shop?’
‘Yes, so the owner there seems to have harbored some resentment. Remember when the sanitation department suddenly came for an inspection?’
‘Yes, but there wasn’t anything serious, so they just left.’
‘The owner of Dorald Dessert Shop reported you. Hoping something would stick.’
‘My goodness…’
‘I suspect this incident is also related to them. Let me look into it.’
It seemed his words were true. Unless money was their goal, there was no reason for them to behave this way.
“Aaaahhh!”
“…!”
While I was momentarily lost in thought, a loud scream erupted from the man’s mouth.
The hand he had raised to commit violence was bent sharply in the opposite direction.
“What the hell. You bastard.”
Irritated words flowed from the mouth of the one who had seized and twisted the man’s hand. Relief washed over Laila’s face.
“Why are you causing trouble in someone else’s shop?”
“Arsian!”
With Arsian’s arrival, relief also appeared on the faces of the other staff members.
He always exuded an icy atmosphere as he sat nibbling on desserts, and while I usually found him terrifying, his appearance today was nothing short of a blessing.
“What the hell are these bastards doing?”
“The dessert doesn’t taste very good.”
“That’s a fair point.”
Laila let out a long, internal sigh at how he nodded in immediate understanding without the slightest hesitation.
She already knew full well that he despised sweet desserts more than death itself.
“But what’s the problem?”
“You keep coming here even though you hate it.”
“…What?”
Arsian’s face, which had been filled with irritation, froze over in an instant with a chilling coldness.
“You hate desserts… yet you come here every day?”
Like me?
Crack.
“Aaaahhhhh!”
The wrist of the man still held by Arsian made a sickening sound as it bent sharply in the opposite direction once more.
“You lot—what’s your relationship with Camilla?”
At his voice, dripping with lethal cold, even the other men nearby froze solid.
A terrible sense that something had gone wrong washed over me.
“I’m asking what your relationship is with that woman.”
“W-what do you mean, relationship!”
Camilla? Who the hell is that!
“You say the dessert tastes bad, so why do you keep coming here? You’re not coming to see her, are you?”
“N-no, that’s not it!”
“Or are you trying to boost sales and earn points when she’s not around?”
Like me?
Crack!
“Aaaahhhhh!”
Watching the men begin to break in a different way under Arsian’s grip, Laila felt her head throb again and pressed her fingers hard against her brow.
No, why was everything always centered around Camilla? Why did he think she was at the heart of everything!
‘What do I do now?’
Camilla isn’t even here, so how am I supposed to stop him?
Laila, who had been grateful for his arrival just moments ago, now sighed repeatedly.
Buzz— buzz—!
“…”
Beep.
“Ugh.”
But then it happened. Without anyone stopping him, Arsian suddenly released the man’s hand.
He pulled something from his pocket and quickly moved to another table, then very carefully set down what he was holding. It was a communication crystal.
「Arsian.」
The moment the connection was established, a very familiar voice flowed through.
At the sound of that voice, the desolate chill that had filled the cafe vanished in an instant.
“Camilla.”
As Arsian spoke her name, a warm breeze seemed to swirl momentarily around him.
「Picked up right away.」
“The communication crystal happened to be nearby.”
「At home, then.」
“Well… yes.”
Arsian’s gaze swept across the surroundings. A clear warning that he would not tolerate any disturbances from this point forward.
“Are you done with your urgent matters?”
「Yeah, almost.」
When she had last contacted me, she seemed frantically busy with something, so I hadn’t reached out to her since.
「Arsian.」
“Hmm?”
「Thank you.」
At her sudden words, Arsian fell silent for a moment.
“…For what?”
「Khan.」
「…」
「You’re not hurt anywhere, right?」
Arsian felt the concern in her voice, and the corners of his mouth lifted slightly.
‘…This man is smiling.’
‘S-so scary.’
Everyone gasped in shock at the sight.
“How did you know?”
「That’s not what matters right now… Arsian.」
“Tell me.”
「I’d prefer if you didn’t touch that place anymore.」
“…Did those things appear before you again? Were you threatened?”
「Absolutely not.」
“Then why?”
「Um… I don’t like seeing you hurt. I wish you’d stop doing dangerous things.」
“…”
Mom! He’s smiling again! I’m so scared!
Unlike the people gasping in alarm once more, the air around Arsian grew even warmer.
“Understood.”
「You promised.」
“Yeah, there’s nothing else-”
「Oh! Daive! Be careful or you’ll get hurt! Arsian, I’ll call you back.」
“Wait—!”
The connection cut off.
“….”
I stared at the communication orb for a moment, then settled myself directly in front of it.
Folding my arms, I kept my eyes fixed on the communication orb without wavering.
Everyone around me watched quietly as I did so.
Ten minutes passed, then twenty… and finally, unable to bear it any longer, Laila approached me.
“What are you doing?”
“Waiting.”
“Pardon?”
“I’m waiting.”
Surely not?
“She said she’d contact me again.”
“But that’s….”
It didn’t seem like she meant to contact him right away. Laila swallowed back her words.
She simply couldn’t bring herself to say it to him while he stared so intently at the communication orb.
Laila offered an awkward smile and quietly slipped away from the scene.
* * *
“Does it hurt?”
“No, I’m fine.”
Fine, when his skin was completely scraped away.
The child who had been playing with King had fallen and scraped both knees raw. Yet Daive didn’t cry—instead, he insisted he was fine and even seemed reluctant to show me the wounds.
Seeing the child so accustomed to enduring pain, my anger flared anew. My fury toward Sevine—that woman—bubbled up from deep within once more.
Should I go find her right now and shake her by the hair?
As I watched Daive depart with the Attendant to treat his wounds, I let out a short sigh.
My eyes caught sight of the communication orb I’d carelessly tossed aside.
‘Come to think of it, that was my first conversation with Arsian in so long—did I end it too quickly?’

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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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