A Fortune-telling Princess - Chapter 197

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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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It was Camilla who had instructed me to keep the communication crystal connected.
Worried that something might go wrong, she had insisted on coming along, but I stubbornly refused, saying I would go alone—so she pressed the communication crystal firmly into my hand.
She made me promise to activate it the moment I stepped through the door, just in case.
“Me.”
「Yes.」
Jewela’s gaze swept across all four of them.
“…I’ll let go.”
There seemed to be no reason to hold on any longer.
“You… you help me. Help me sever it.”
Jewela declared firmly, her voice steady even as she fought back tears threatening to spill over.
“I want to break the bond. With all of you.”
“What are you saying right now!”
“What nonsense are you spouting!”
“Don’t you dare sever that!”
“She’s completely lost her mind!”
Only then did the four of them begin shouting again.
With faces full of anger and disbelief, they lunged to snatch the communication crystal from Jewela’s hands.
They had to salvage this situation at any cost!
「Everyone, quiet.」
“…!”
But in that moment, Camilla’s soft voice came through the crystal, and they all flinched.
Though her tone wasn’t loud, something about her words sent a chill down their spines, and they all instinctively fell silent.
「I’m sure you’re all aware of the authority granted to the three great houses that protect the Faebler Empire.」
“That, that’s—”
「Duke Sorpel, Sefra, and Jebillen. The three Grand Dukes and their direct descendants are permitted to execute summary judgment when witnessing unjust acts.」
There’s more after that—’provided it does not contradict the will of the Imperial Court’—and so forth, but regardless, every noble in Faebler knows this fact.
There was no one in that room bold enough to loudly protest that she didn’t share blood with a duke and therefore had no claim to be considered a direct descendant.
They simply wondered why she was bringing this up now.
「I intend to exercise that authority now.」
“What are you saying—”
「I will revoke the House of Bakes’ guardianship over Miss Jewela.」
“What, what?”
In that instant, the expressions of everyone in the room except Jewela went blank. Was she saying she would expel Jewela from their family?
“What are you saying! Who do you think you are to—”
“You should know well that you bear full responsibility for any summary judgment! We will lodge a formal protest immediately!”
「Of course I understand. With such great authority comes equally great responsibility for that decision.」
“If you understand, then how can you—”
「Why? Do you think I’m incapable of bearing it?」
“That…!”
Count Bakes’ words caught in his throat.
Regardless of her status as a Duke’s daughter, Camilla’s standing had become truly extraordinary—she was even being whispered about among the Empire’s citizens as a saint.
Now that it had been revealed she was the legitimate daughter of Duke Escra, the true power behind the Gracia Empire, was there anything she couldn’t accomplish?
“For your information, all the violence and verbal abuse you directed at Jewela just moments ago has been recorded in a crystal orb.”
“W-what do you mean!”
“Violence? That’s absurd!”
Kerin, who had been watching the family members shout with flushed faces, spoke in a trembling voice.
“Isn’t this actually a good thing?”
“What?”
“That woman! She doesn’t need to stay in our house anymore!”
“…!”
Count Bakes and his wife froze at Kerin’s words, spoken with barely contained rage.
Though they had rushed to Camilla’s side in panic just moments before, it seemed Kerin’s point wasn’t without merit.
Jewela had been increasingly at odds with them anyway, and her presence had grown ever more irritating.
They had continued to keep her only because she was known to be their biological daughter, but perhaps severing ties now wouldn’t be such a bad idea?
Of course, they would need to fabricate an appropriate explanation for the public about Jewela not being their true daughter and the reasons for the disownment, but such effort was trivial.
“Jewela.”
“…Yes.”
Having read the thoughts of these people—no, her former family—perfectly, Jewela’s expression grew even colder than before.
“Within fifteen minutes, your name will be erased from the Bakes Family register. Which means until then, you’re not Jewela, but Jewela Bakes, the Count’s daughter.”
Camilla paused briefly before a soft laugh escaped her.
At that laughter, the faces of the Bakes family hardened. Had she lost her mind? Was this situation amusing to her?
An ominous premonition washed over them.
“Your abilities have caught the Imperial Court’s attention, so they’ll soon grant you a peerage or arrange your adoption into another family to prevent you from naturalizing in a foreign land.”
Camilla continued speaking in a cheerful tone, as if singing.
Of course, regardless of that, my family will continue to protect you.
“You’ll continue living as a noblewoman, and I’ll be behind you. It would be a shame to end things here when you almost ended up shouldering the debts that woman incurred, wouldn’t it?”
Jewela’s eyes widened as she grasped what Camilla was saying.
“You….”
“So…..”
Camilla’s laughter deepened.
“Beat them to your heart’s content.”
With those words, the communication cut off abruptly.
All four people who had heard the entire conversation felt their expressions contort simultaneously.
“Debts?”
Was she referring to those documents scattered on the floor?
“Ha!”
Did she think they couldn’t repay such a pittance and would burden other families with it? What did she take him for!
“It seems the former… Miss Bakes lacks the ability to repay this, so I’ll need to transfer it to the Count. Please accept this.”
“What?”
At how easily Jewela had changed her form of address, Count Bakes’s expression grew even more sinister.
But the one who was most astonished right now was Jewela herself.
The relationship she had clung to so desperately left behind barely a shred of regret—almost laughably so.
Perhaps she had already erased them from her heart long ago without realizing it.
“I’ll give you one month to settle this.”
Jewela set down the documents she had brought before Count Bakes and Mantiz.
Count Bakes snatched them up eagerly and read through them rapidly. His expression, which had been twisted with malice, grew increasingly rigid.
“This… what is this…!”
He was shocked once by the staggering sum, and shocked again by his son’s name inscribed on the signature line.
And at the name of the person to whom the debt must be repaid, he could only stare with wide eyes, utterly speechless.
“You… you?”
The name written there was Jewela’s—the girl who had been his daughter mere moments ago.
The surname Bakes no longer appeared on her signature line.
“One month. As for the interest accrued during that time, consider it payment for raising me. If you calculate it, you’ll understand well enough. In fact, I’m the one at a loss.”
“You, you!”
“Hey!”
Mantiz stepped forward menacingly in place of Count Bakes, who was too flabbergasted to form coherent words.
“Look at this! How dare you demand money! What? You won’t take interest? Are you insane!”
As always, his hand shot up immediately.
Whoosh!
“…! What, what is this! Ahhhhh!”
But in that instant, something Jewela threw bound Mantiz completely immobile.
“Oh.”
It was the magical bracelet Camilla had lent her just in case. She had emphasized so much how precious it was and how special it was that she was lending it.
‘His boastful demeanor was rather endearing, though.’
“You, you! Release this at once! I really want to… ah, ahhhhh!”
As Jewela moved her hand the way Camilla had taught her, the magical bracelet binding him tightened further, inflicting pain upon Mantiz.
“What are you doing! Release him at once!”
“Mantiz! Good heavens! You, you! Mantiz is in pain! Why won’t you release him!”
Count Bakes and his wife shrieked at Jewela.
But Jewela paid them no mind and approached Mantiz.
“You! You damned…!”
Crack!
Silence fell over the room once more. The sound of a slap echoed particularly loudly through the space.
Not only Mantiz, who had taken the blow to his cheek, but everyone who had been shouting stood with their mouths agape.
Thud!
“Ugh!”
Jewela did not stop there—she kicked his shin with all her might.
Seizing his collar as he cried out in agony, Jewela unleashed all the anger she had accumulated.
“That damnable habit of yours.”
“Ugh… ugh.”
“Camilla told me there’s only one cure for men who gamble and chase women.”
Jewela paused for a moment, her cold gaze fixed on Mantiz’s hand.
“She said to cut off the wrist entirely.”
“W-what?”
Faced with Jewela’s icy stare that looked ready to sever his wrist on the spot, Mantiz forgot even the pain of his tightly bound body and hastily drew in a sharp breath.
“You have one month. If you don’t repay by then, I’ll be taking that worthless wrist as collateral.”
With those words, Jewela’s gaze swept across the four people she had once called family.
Unlike moments before, no one in the room dared open their mouth easily.
Her eyes finally turned toward Kerin, who looked somewhat frightened.
“I’m not accepting your reservations at the JL Shop anymore.”
“W-what are you talking about!”
As Jewela took a step toward her, Kerin flinched as if she might be struck again, but then suddenly shouted as if she’d never been afraid at all.
“Who do you think you are! I made that reservation!”
“It’s my shop.”
“So who do you… what?”
“As the owner, I’m refusing to sell you clothes. Is there a problem with that?”
Kerin’s eyes widened progressively. Did she just say…?
“…Your shop?”
Jewela was the owner of the JL Shop?
“Idiot.”
I made so many doll clothes for you when you were little, yet you never caught on.
‘Unnie! Unnie! The doll clothes are so pretty! I want to wear them too!’
‘I can’t make adult-sized ones yet.’
‘Then later! When you can make them, make mine too, okay?’
‘Alright.’
‘Wow! You’re the best, unnie!’
Feeling anew how meaningless the memories I alone cherished with family had become, I quietly turned away.
“Oh, what should I do?”
Then, as if suddenly remembering something, her gaze turned back to Mantiz.
More precisely, to the magical bracelet binding him.
“I didn’t learn how to remove that from Camilla.”
“That…!”
“I’ll come back for it later.”
With those words, Jewela leisurely left the room. Her footsteps were undoubtedly lighter than they had ever been.
Everyone could only watch her disappear with vacant expressions.

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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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