A Fortune-telling Princess - Chapter 165

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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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Habel let out a short sigh as Camilla carefully examined me, checking if any more blood had dripped down.
“I can’t do any more.”
“Why not? Come on, let’s just draw a little more, okay?”
Fearing he might flee, Camilla gripped Habel’s arm even more tightly.
“Just a moment….”
Then, Camilla’s eyes suddenly turned toward Dorman, who stood quietly to the side.
“You were a Reaper too, weren’t you?”
“W-well, yes?”
“Then you’d have the same abilities, right?”
“No!”
“No?”
“My blood has no such abilities whatsoever! As you know, I was fired from that job!”
“Tch.”
How disappointing. Truly useless after all.
Watching Camilla click her tongue briefly before grabbing Habel again, Dorman released a continuous sigh of relief.
It was the first moment he felt grateful for having been expelled from the administrative position long ago.
“Every time you draw blood, I’ll grant you whatever you want—one wish at a time.”
“Whatever I want?”
“That’s right! Just like back when Jihyun’s Grandmother was in charge, I’ll absolutely help convince stubborn ghosts who refuse to leave this world!”
Habel’s expression brightened momentarily at Camilla’s enticing offer, but he soon shook his head firmly.
“A Reaper’s blood is not a power to be used carelessly.”
“A power?”
I only asked to draw some blood, but his words sound so grandiose.
“The more it’s used, the greater the burden that returns to me.”
“A burden?”
I nodded.
“Ah.”
Upon hearing those words, my eyes widened slightly. Then I carefully released Habel’s arm, which I had been gripping so tightly.
“I’m sorry.”
At my apology, surprise now flickered across Habel’s face. He never expected to hear an apology from me.
“I didn’t know.”
Had I known, I wouldn’t have pestered him so thoughtlessly. I absolutely despised sacrificing myself for others.
Of course I had no intention of forcing others to do things I disliked.
“Could it be….”
Did I cause him physical strain by getting blood on him just now?
I quickly examined Habel’s complexion.
“What are you doing?”
“Hold still. Are you hurt anywhere?”
“…No.”
“Really? Then that’s a relief… Why? What’s with that look in your eyes?”
Do I look like I worry about others?
“Then why did you use it on me if it’s such a burden?”
Camilla gazed anew at her own hand, still stained with Habel’s blood.
This uncomfortable feeling wouldn’t go away! I didn’t want to receive help while burdening others like this.
“Dorman ordered me to.”
“That’s exactly why I’m asking why you did it.”
“I just told you—Dorman ordered me to.”
“Well….”
What is this? This circular conversation that goes nowhere?
“Is that all?”
“What else do you need?”
“….”
Sorry. I shouldn’t have asked something so pointless.
‘There’s definitely something more to this.’
Dorman must have some kind of leverage over him. There’s no other reason he’d go this far.
‘He’s not even your concern anymore.’
Habel’s expression—as if questioning why any other reason was needed when Dorman had ordered it, his gaze almost pitying—left Camilla speechless for a long moment.
I couldn’t understand what this blind devotion even was.
“I took the liberty of asking him. Those men might target you, after all.”
Only then did Dorman chime in with a gentle smile.
“Well, either way, thank you.”
I’d gained a remarkably powerful safeguard, so there was no reason to complain.
Though it felt slightly burdensome, Camilla decided to graciously accept their goodwill.
“Would you like some tea?”
After giving such a precious gift, it felt wrong to just send them off.
After donating blood, you’re supposed to eat or drink something anyway. I should at least offer them tea before they leave, right?
“No need.”
But Habel immediately shook his head. Then he looked at her with an expression of utter disbelief, as if questioning why he would drink something like that with her.
Ugh, this rude bastard!
“Do you think I have as much free time as you—”
“Busy? There are cookies too. Why not have some before you go?”
“I’m not busy. I’ll take some.”
“…Hey.”
What’s with this sudden change in attitude!
At Dorman’s words, Habel immediately lowered his tail and even bowed his head as if moved to tears, leaving Camilla utterly flabbergasted.
I really want to know what his weakness is.
‘Should I blackmail Dorman to find out?’
Why he becomes so helpless only around you.
After spending time with Habel over tea, Camilla soon hurried to prepare for her outing.
“You’re heading to the Trading Company, aren’t you?”
“Yes, Chris specifically asked me to come today.”
“Is something the matter?”
“We have a visitor coming.”
It was apparently quite an important guest, so Chris had requested that I, as the owner of the Trading Company, make an appearance.
Click.
“I should hurry then…?”
“Going out?”
Just as I finished preparing and reached for the door, I paused upon seeing who stood before me.
It was Duke Escra. Behind him, Count Alton wore that familiar gentle smile.
“Yes, I have some business at the Trading Company that needs attending to.”
“Seems you’re quite busy.”
“What brings you here?”
Both of them together, no less?
Instead of answering my question, Duke Escra simply gazed at me in silence for a moment.
His stare left me somewhat bewildered. Did he have something urgent to say? The atmosphere felt different from usual.
“I’m leaving.”
“Leaving? Where to?”
“Home.”
“Pardon?”
“I said—going home.”
“…You’re returning?”
“Yes.”
“When?”
“Now.”
“Right now?”
So suddenly? I found myself momentarily at a loss for words. He’d ignored me when I told him to go before, so why the abrupt change now?
“Is something wrong?”
Had some urgent matter arisen in the Gracia Empire? There was no other reason for such a sudden departure.
“Not particularly.”
“Then why….”
“Why? Are you lonely now that I’m actually leaving?”
“Yes.”
“….”
He, who had asked so playfully, fell silent.
“Must you really leave right this instant?”
Duke Escra’s eyes widened slightly, as though my answer had been entirely unexpected.
What? Why? Even a dog one has lived with grows lonely when it suddenly leaves the house.
‘Hmm, perhaps comparing myself to a dog was a bit much?’
Regardless, now that he mentioned leaving, my heart felt strangely unsettled.
“You’re certain there’s truly nothing wrong?”
“As you said, I can’t leave my position vacant for too long.”
“Is that really all?”
“Yes.”
When I pressed him about being so busy, he sang songs about having free time. And now, suddenly? What on earth was going on?
Even under Camilla’s gaze, filled with bewilderment, he offered no further explanation. He simply continued to stare at her intently.
“I’ve confirmed it.”
After a long pause, he let out a soft chuckle and uttered those cryptic words.
“Confirmed what?”
What confirmation?
“Take care of yourself.”
“Are you really leaving right now?”
In one smooth motion—
“Oh…!”
Instead of answering, his large hand gently ruffled Camilla’s hair.
The tenderness of that gesture caught her off guard, and for a moment, confusion flickered across her eyes.
Something felt strange. There was an odd, tingling sensation in her chest.
“See you again.”
With only that brief farewell, he turned and walked away.
As she stood there in a daze watching him go, Count Alton approached and offered his greeting.
“It’s truly a shame to see you depart so suddenly.”
“There’s nothing urgent happening back there, is there?”
“No, nothing urgent. However, the moment I return, sleep will be impossible. The work has accumulated like mountains.”
I knew it would be like this.
“Then why did you come in the first place?”
Camilla knew firsthand how Duke Escra was drowning in work.
When he was in the Gracia Empire, he spent most of his days in the Study.
So why would someone so busy make the effort to come all this way?
‘He said he came to take me with him.’
But judging from his actions and tone, it seemed like nothing more than a jest.
The fact that he was leaving so abruptly proved it. Wasn’t this evidence that taking me with him was never his true purpose?
“He wanted to confirm something directly.”
“Confirm what…?”
“And now that confirmation is complete.”
Duke Escra had said the same thing earlier, but I still had no idea what he’d confirmed.
Count Alton, seeing her bewildered expression, seemed to have no intention of explaining either, merely offering a gentle smile.
“We’ll see each other again, won’t we? In the Gracia Empire.”
“Perhaps.”
“Camilla’s Room is being maintained immaculately at all times. It will be ready for your use whenever you return. That room sincerely hopes to welcome its mistress home soon.”
After offering a final bow, he hurried to follow Duke Escra, who was already walking ahead.
“…”
Camilla watched the two figures depart with such haste, her gaze lingering in a daze.
As Duke Escra didn’t even glance back once, a faint smile finally graced Camilla’s lips.
“Just like when he arrived.”
His arrival had been abrupt, and his departure was equally unexpected. The way he left so coolly without any warning felt entirely characteristic of him.
* * *
“Are you disappointed?”
“Not particularly.”
“Are you truly content to return like this?”
Duke Escra’s footsteps, which had been leading the way, came to an abrupt halt.
“Bringing her back was never the objective in the first place.”
“That’s true enough.”
A short sigh escaped Count Alton’s lips repeatedly. Even now, thinking back to that incident, his palms grew clammy.
‘I was a fool to submit that report as it was.’
Following the initial cursory investigation, the comprehensive second inquiry into everything concerning Camilla had only been completed recently.
Count Alton, who had submitted every detail of that report without omission, could not forget the look in Duke Escra’s eyes that day.
‘It was the first time I’d ever seen him so furious.’
Though he always appeared irritable and displeased, genuine anger from him was extraordinarily rare. One might say he showed indifference and apathy toward all worldly matters.
Yet the Duke Escra who read Camilla’s report that day was utterly unlike his usual self.
With his hands withdrawn from all affairs, lost in profound contemplation throughout the day, no one dared approach him easily.
‘I’d never seen him blame himself before either.’
Duke Escra was precisely the sort who didn’t even know the word self-reproach. Yet for the first time, he blamed himself and raged.
And days later, when he began packing to see Camilla at once, Count Alton had to exert considerable effort to dissuade him.
So after coming here in such roundabout fashion and lingering about Camilla’s surroundings, I thought he was living at leisure—but then…
‘That must be the cause of it, surely?’

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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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