A Fortune-telling Princess - Chapter 160

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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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I can’t exactly tell the owner who abandoned you that the dog you left behind has passed away and is still waiting at that house, can I?
[Woof! Pant pant!]
Nana, who had finished her meal, planted her rear firmly on the ground and gazed up at me with unwavering eyes, her tail wagging incessantly.
Like a child who has finished her food and holds out an empty bowl, seeking praise from her mother.
“….”
I slowly stroked Nana’s head. Watching her enjoy the touch with her eyes closed, a sigh escaped my lips unbidden.
“Do you still trust people?”
Even after being abandoned and dying like this?
Seeing how she willingly accepted the touch of human hands despite her suffering filled me with a profound sense of pity.
‘This is why I hate it.’
Young and innocent things.
They’re so foolish that I can’t bring myself to leave them alone.
“I’ll come back again.”
After stroking her head one last time, I turned back toward home.
* * *
“King.”
[Whine!]
“She doesn’t like him.”
[Whine?]
King tilted his head as if asking what I meant.
“She doesn’t want to come to our home.”
A week passed after that.
Every spare moment I had, I went to care for Nana, and I tried to bring her home entirely.
It would be far better for her here than to remain alone in that place.
I even got King’s permission. At first, he growled in refusal, but eventually he nodded with a reluctant expression.
But then….
‘Would you like to come to our home?’
The moment I asked her that, she immediately scurried inside and hid herself away.
[I’ve suggested it to her too, but she refuses. It seems she prefers this place.]
Laura shook her head with a disappointed expression, having apparently already tried to convince Nana to come with her.
‘Why would she prefer here? There’s no one around.’
[Several people saw Nana before and tried to give her food and take her away out of pity, but she ran away every single time. Then once those people disappeared, she would return to this spot.]
“…I’m telling you, she’s truly foolish.”
[Whine?]
“Not you.”
King licked my hand as if to comfort me as I sighed.
“Where is that dog anyway? Should I go bring her?”
“…!”
A voice suddenly reached my ears.
“Could you at least make some noise before entering?”
It was Duke Escra. Arms folded across his chest, he stood watching Camilla with an inscrutable gaze—though when he’d arrived, she couldn’t say.
“Come live at my estate, and I’ll let you keep dozens of dogs.”
…Was I a child? Was he seriously trying to bribe me with dogs?
Camilla regarded Duke Escra with a look of utter bewilderment before rising from her seat. She’d intended to feed Nana before heading to the Trading Company.
“I’ll let you keep a hundred.”
Enough. Did he plan to turn the entire house into a kennel?
Ignoring his continued absurdities, Camilla made her way directly to the Kitchen.
“Miss! Those are the ingredients for tonight’s dinner!”
“And?”
“…I prepared them for you to enjoy.”
“I’m not the one eating them.”
“You’re making dog food again?”
“Yes.”
The head chef wept inwardly as premium fish was once more transformed into dog food, but Camilla paid him no mind as she packed a meal and headed toward where Nana waited.
“Nana.”
[Woof!]
As always, Nana sat alone at the front of the house. At the sight of Camilla, the dog bounded over with joy, racing in circles around her.
“I brought something delicious today.”
[Pant, pant!]
Watching Nana’s tail wag with increasing fervor, Camilla offered a faint smile as she quickly unpacked the food and laid it out.
[….]
Yet Nana did not immediately pounce on the meal as usual. The dog’s gaze was fixed elsewhere.
Following that gaze, Camilla turned—and her expression stiffened. A woman, appearing to be in her mid-fifties, stood before them.
[Nana.]
[Woof! Woof!]
At the woman’s soft call, Nana bolted without hesitation, unable to contain the overwhelming joy as she raced circles around her.
The dog leaped to lick her face, rubbed against her legs, expressing pure elation with every fiber of her being.
[Yes… I missed you so much too.]
Tears streamed down the woman’s face as she held Nana close.
[Did you wait long?]
[Pant, pant!]
Nana licked away the woman’s tears, as if to say it was all right, that she was grateful she had returned.
A smile bloomed across the woman’s lips.
The woman’s form, cradling Nana, began to fade. Nana too grew translucent, dissolving alongside her.
“….”
Camilla watched in silence as the woman and Nana vanished.
Only after Nana had completely disappeared did a short sigh escape Camilla’s lips.
“At least eat before you go.”
The containers of food remained on the ground. A hollow ache settled in Camilla’s chest, drawing forth another long sigh.
So that was why Nana never left this place—she had been waiting for her master all along. How could she be so devoted to someone who had abandoned her?
So there was a shred of conscience after all? The fact that he came looking for her even in death proves it.
“Why on earth did Mother insist on scattering her ashes here of all places!”
“What can we do? It was Mother’s dying wish.”
Just then, the sound of voices drifted from somewhere nearby.
I turned to see a man and woman walking carefully, carrying something between them.
‘That…’
An urn. This world had cremation customs too.
Those without the means to donate to the Temple or the space to build a separate tomb would cremate their loved ones and scatter the ashes wherever they wished.
“It seems to be because of that dog. Mother wanted to take it with her until the very end, didn’t she?”
“How could I care for Mother and a dog at the same time when she could barely move!”
“Mother wanted to see it so badly before she passed…”
“That’s enough. Let’s scatter them and go. If someone sees us doing this in the house, we’ll never hear the end of it from the neighbors…!”
The man holding the urn froze. He had only just noticed Camilla standing in one corner of the house’s yard.
“Can I help you?”
The man asked while hastily hiding the urn behind his back. I gathered up the food that had been scattered on the ground.
“I saw a dog here once before. I came back after a long time, but I don’t see it anymore.”
“Ah…”
I said nothing more and moved on.
I couldn’t bring myself to blame them. Everyone had their own circumstances. I could only feel sorry for Nana and her owner.
‘Still, I suppose it’s a small mercy?’
That the one Nana had waited for so long hadn’t abandoned her directly.
I turned away from those bitter thoughts and headed home.
* * *
Woof woof! Bark bark! Yelp! Woof!
“Ugh… what is that noise?”
The next morning, I jolted awake at the strange commotion outside. Half-asleep, I stumbled out and wondered if I was still dreaming.
…What in the world? What is this chaos?
Bark bark! Woof woof!
Dozens of dogs were running about frantically in the Garden in front of my home.
“Young lady, you’re awake?”
As my mouth fell open in shock, a familiar voice reached my ears. It was Duke Escra.
“What do you think? My gift.”
“A gift?”
“You seemed to want to raise a dog. I went to the Shop early this morning and brought them back.”
“…”
“Should I have brought more?”
“…Duke.”
“What?”
“Return them at once!”

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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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