A Fortune-telling Princess - Chapter 195

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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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Whoosh!
Patter, patter, patter, patter!
[Woof!]
Swish!
Patter, patter, patter, patter, patter!
[Woof, woof!]
What am I doing right now, you ask?
‘I suppose I’m giving my worn-out mind some semblance of peace.’
In other words, I was simply playing with King.
Had he sensed my gloomy mood?
When I used to play with Daive back in the Gracia Empire, he’d fetch the ball with the most bored expression imaginable, but today his responses were remarkably enthusiastic.
“King, sit.”
[Woof!]
“Paw.”
[Woof, woof!]
He sat down promptly at my command, and when I asked for his paw, he extended it without hesitation.
‘What a good boy.’
Yes, you are my sanctuary.
“Um… Camilla?”
“What?”
“Are you… alright?”
Dorman, who had been quietly observing from beside me, finally spoke up, unable to bear it any longer.
The sight of me playing with King while laughing vacantly made me look like someone who had lived through all of life’s trials.
“Dorman.”
“Yes!”
At my soft call, his voice snapped to attention without his realizing it.
Why did I feel more at ease when he was wielding his shoes and rampaging about?
“Shall we take a trip?”
“A, a trip?”
“I heard we own a villa in the distant Santono Region. Or perhaps we should go to the Gracia Empire instead? I’d like to see Daive again.”
[Woof?]
“Of course our King comes with us. Ah, is that not possible? Since we don’t know when we’ll return, must you stay here? Even so, you’re the family’s Shinsu.”
[Woof, woof!]
“Right, what does it matter? Let’s just go together.”
Watching Camilla laugh and roll across the dusty grass with King cradled in her arms, Dorman found himself swallowing hard involuntarily.
‘She’s lost it.’
She was laughing—laughing with genuine abandon—while looking at none other than herself.
In that moment, he became certain: Camilla had let go of some of her mental restraint.
‘Is this what they call burnout?’
Faced with this unprecedented situation, Dorman could only offer an awkward smile whenever his eyes met Camilla’s.
“Ugh.”
I was pacing back and forth, wondering what to do, when I suddenly jumped to my feet.
After setting King down on one side, I brushed the dirt from my clothes.
“Let’s go.”
“W-wait, are you actually going on a trip?”
“What are you talking about?”
“Huh?”
“I need to make money.”
“…Y-yes?”
“You go to the Cafe. I’m heading to the Trading Company.”
Regardless of how the world turns, I need to earn money, don’t I? Everything we do is to put food on the table. Even if the world falls apart, I still have my work to do.
“King, I’ll bring back plenty of money, so guard the house well.”
[Squeak!]
Leaving Dorman behind with a vacant expression, I said goodbye to King as well. Then I turned my head to look at Dorman again.
“Why do you have such a stupid look on your face?”
“W-well…”
“Tsk.”
Come to think of it, Manager Hyunseok looked exactly like that at first too. Whenever he saw me half-dazed from work suddenly snap back to life and get things done.
He thought I’d disappear for days, but the time was so short that he was actually taken aback.
‘What’s the big deal?’
After a brief recharge, it’s only natural to get moving again.
Childish whining becomes a habit. Only kids with someone willing to indulge them do that sort of thing.
“What are you doing? Aren’t you coming?”
“Ah, yes! Right! Let’s go!”
Watching Dorman hurry after me, I resumed walking as well, receiving King’s farewell as he squeaked and waved his front paws.
* * *
“This is the outfit I’m showcasing this time.”
“The color is quite unique.”
Jewela brought over a new clothing sample.
As always, I was very satisfied. I wanted to try it on immediately.
“Is this color even possible?”
Beyond the design itself, the color was absolutely captivating. It was a deep crimson with a lustrous sheen that prevented it from looking dull.
“It’s a color derived from a plant called ‘Ensho.’ Do you like it?”
“Yes, I love it.”
At my response, a faint smile played at the corners of Jewela’s lips.
Seeing that I approved meant this outfit would surely be a hit with people too. My eye for these things was always accurate.
“I’ll bring other designs soon.”
“Mm.”
“…? Why?”
When I fell silent for a moment, seemingly lost in thought, Jewela cast a puzzled look my way.
At her gaze, Camilla rose from her seat and retrieved something from her desk drawer.
“What is this?”
“Read it.”
Jewela quickly scanned through the documents Camilla handed her. It took only an instant for her expression to harden as she read.
“This is…!”
“Mantiz Bakes, your older brother. He was gambling.”
“…”
“Do you see the amount written there?”
What Camilla had given her was, in short, a debt document. A record of her older brother—the eldest son of the Bakes Family—borrowing money from a gambling den under the family’s name.
“Why under the family’s name? He has his own inherited wealth and business enterprises!”
Their father, Count Bakes, had long ago passed down considerable assets to Mantiz as the eldest son.
He had even entrusted him with several profitable business ventures, saying he needed to gain experience. So why was this debt written under the family’s name?
“He already squandered all of that long ago.”
“What?”
He had lost everything and only recently begun accumulating debts under the family’s name.
And the amount was staggering—enough to require the sale of most of the Bakes Family’s current assets to repay.
‘A son, indeed.’
This is precisely why one shouldn’t indulge the eldest son so carelessly. Ignorant of the world’s dangers, he commits such folly.
If he had merely squandered his inherited wealth, that would be one thing. But to borrow such enormous sums under the family’s name? Where did such audacity come from?
I could almost admire such recklessness.
An heir to the family who fears money so little—it’s already ruined.
‘Come to think of it, the eldest sons around me have all turned out quite well.’
Ludvil, Petro, Arsi…
‘Though there are always exceptions.’
Still, none of those three have gambling problems.
‘I suppose gambling addiction has no cure.’
People continue even when they know it’s wrong.
It’s all the more terrifying because it doesn’t merely destroy one’s own life—it drags the entire family down with it.
“But why do you have this?”
After staring at the documents for a long while, trembling slightly, Jewela let out a short sigh and placed the papers down on the table with a soft thud.
That Mantiz was deeply immersed in gambling was already something she knew all too well.
That day when Camilla had discovered her secret was also the day she had seized him as he tried to go to the gambling den against Father’s orders.
Of course, Father had blamed her entirely for what happened that day.
‘What were you doing in front of the Sorpel Princess! What will she think of Mantiz!’
‘But Father, Older Brother was trying to gamble again—’
‘What does that have to do with anything! How dare you try to lecture your older brother?’
‘…I apologize. I was shortsighted.’
‘Tsk.’
Not just she, but everyone in the household knew that Mantiz gambled.
However…
‘I didn’t know the debt was this massive.’
Jewela ground her teeth in frustration.
She wanted to rush over and grab him by the collar, shake him until his teeth rattled. What was he doing—the man who would have to lead the family forward from now on?
“How did you find out?”
“Your mother told me.”
“Mother?”
At Camilla’s somewhat indifferent response, Jewela’s eyes widened rapidly.
“Our mother directly told you that he was gambling?”
A woman who would leap from her bed in the middle of the night for her son—she revealed his shameful secret to someone else? That made no sense whatsoever.
“Not the current one.”
“What?”
“There are circumstances. Anyway, most of your family’s business ventures were about to be transferred, so I paid off the debt in your stead for now.”
Avoiding Jewela’s bewildered gaze, Camilla smoothly changed the subject.
“But here’s the thing. That’s not all of it.”
“Not all of it? There’s more?”
Jewela’s fists clenched. Just how much debt did he rack up?
“There are seven more places besides this one. This is the largest amount, but it’s still substantial. Your Older Brother has already far exceeded what he could handle.”
“Damn it…!”
Jewela swallowed back the curses threatening to spill out. This lunatic came home and had the audacity to eat meals and sleep peacefully as if nothing was wrong?
“I haven’t resolved those yet. I only put out the most urgent fires.”
“…Why did you?”
Jewela’s expression hardened further.
She didn’t want to owe Camilla a debt like this. It wasn’t because she disliked her as she once had.
“This isn’t something you need to concern yourself with.”
It was quite the opposite.
She wanted to become more equal to her. She wanted to be seen as someone she could rely on.
Only then could she continue to stay by her side.
An inexplicable sorrow washed over her, and she felt tears welling up—but Camilla’s next words made them vanish instantly.
“It’s not free.”
“What?”
“You know how much I hate wasting money.”
“Then….”
“I’m going to adjust the sales revenue ratio in my favor. Talk to Chris about the details.”
“That’s already something I proposed before. I said my share was too large.”
“And I refused it.”
“You….”
“I told you last time. Don’t diminish your own worth.”
Jewela had no words to offer.
While adjusting the ratio sounded reasonable, splitting the profits fifty-fifty from the start had been an incredibly favorable contract for her.
Opening the Dressing Room, managing it, handling promotion and distribution, sourcing raw materials—Camilla and the Ghost Merchant Guild handled everything.
All I did was conceive designs and create garments.
And now you’re telling me you’ll wrap up this situation by simply taking a slightly larger share?
Why on earth would I do that?
“Camilla, this is….”
Jewela shook her head vigorously, unable to accept the situation no matter how she thought about it, and Camilla clicked her tongue disapprovingly.
“Like I said before, I hate wasting money. I’m not a philanthropist.”
“Then why are you doing this much for me?”
“I’m investing in you. And—”
At the words that followed, Jewela’s eyes began to tremble wildly.
“Go ahead and cause some real trouble yourself.”
“Trou, trouble?”
“To that person you call your Older Brother.”
“What….”
Camilla met her gaze and curved her lips into a smile.
“Crush him.”

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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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