A Fortune-telling Princess - Chapter 241

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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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“….”
Arsian’s gaze turned toward Duke Escra, whose indifferent eyes were fixed upon him.
Unlike what Camilla knew, Arsian had visited the Sorpel Household before.
On the very day he heard that she was ill.
“Camilla is sick?”
“Yes, though it hasn’t been made public.”
“What’s wrong with her!”
“I’m not sure, but the entire household seems to be on high alert. It looks like people were even sent urgently from the Gracia Empire… Where are you going? There’s no point in going now—”
It was quite late, but such considerations never crossed his mind. Before he knew it, he was inside Camilla’s Room.
Seeing her breathing with a fevered, labored breath, Arsian took a step forward.
Swoosh.
But in that instant, a blade pressed against his throat forced him to halt.
“You’re quite the habitual offender.”
It was Duke Escra.
“….”
Arsian regarded him in silence for a moment, then took another step.
“That’s far enough.”
Yet the blade at his throat showed no intention of moving. Even in the darkness, the sharpness of the steel remained fully visible.
“Do not come any closer to my daughter.”
A voice as cold as the blade pressed against his neck followed.
“I do not approve of you being at that child’s side.”
It had been that way from the first moment they met.
That viscous darkness emanating from deep within him. Arsian possessed such a thing.
That darkness seemed as though it could consume Camilla at any moment.
‘A dangerous man.’
Even accounting for that, was there any need to keep him at Camilla’s side?
Just look at this moment. He faces a Master’s blade without a single change in expression—could such a man truly make Camilla happy—
Thud.
“…!”
In that instant, his blade bit into Arsian’s throat. Arsian had simply continued forward.
Duke Escra hastily withdrew his sword.
“I share that sentiment.”
Even as blood trickled from the wound, his gaze remained fixed solely upon Camilla from beginning to end.
“I understand it better than anyone.”
That she was far too good for him.
Because of that, even while being with Camilla, he was sometimes seized by fear.
The thought that Camilla might be wounded because of him sent chills down his spine.
“But I cannot possibly let her go.”
That selfish heart—knowing he should release her, yet unwilling to do so.
“….”
In the end, Arsian withdrew the hand he had extended toward Camilla.
After gazing at her for a long moment, he turned and bowed with utmost respect toward Duke Escra.
Then, as quietly as he had arrived, he vanished from sight.
The fact that Dorman was startled upon seeing blood scattered across the floor the next day was hardly a matter of consequence.
“Arsian?”
Lost in thought for a moment, Arsian straightened at the sound of Camilla’s voice, bowing at the waist.
Watching her call out his name with that small mouth, her eyes blinking rapidly, I found myself unable to suppress a smile.
His hand hesitated for a moment before reaching toward Camilla’s head, yet ultimately it did not make contact.
Her luminous eyes were filled with bewilderment, but just as he was about to withdraw his hand and pretend nothing had happened—
She grabbed it.
“Arsian?”
Camilla had swiftly seized him. Her crimson eyes fixed upon his face as she asked intently.
“Is something wrong?”
“…No.”
“Really?”
“Yes.”
“No one’s been bothering you?”
At this final question, Arsian burst into genuine laughter.
[Who would bother whom?]
[Is she serious? That girl still hasn’t fully recovered, has she?]
[Lord Arsian is hardly the sort to be troubled by anyone.]
[Camilla does have her oddly misguided moments.]
The spirits lingering nearby murmured in bewilderment, but Camilla paid them no mind.
“There’s nothing like that.”
“Then that’s settled.”
After tilting her head a few times, Camilla finally released Arsian’s hand.
She then began patting his solid shoulders, and despite her affectionate manner, her following words were decidedly ominous.
“If anyone bothers you, tell me.”
“And if I do?”
“I’ll make sure to exact proper vengeance.”
“Vengeance?”
“I’m quite skilled at repaying debts, you know.”
Arsian acknowledged her words with a chuckle, his shoulders shaking with mirth.
“…That’s reassuring.”
His gaze naturally drifted toward Duke Escra.
The moment their eyes met, a rare playful smile crossed Arsian’s lips.
“About this wound on my neck.”
“Yes?”
“The truth is, I didn’t get it from training—”
“Say, would you care for some tea?”
At that moment, Duke Escra, who had been sitting quietly in the background, suddenly called out to Arsian.
“I don’t particularly care for tea.”
“There’s juice too, juice as well.”
Duke Escra’s voice as he spoke through gritted teeth was quite menacing. But when Camilla looked at him with confusion, he relaxed his expression as if nothing had happened.
“I don’t particularly care for juice either-”
“Just bring water then.”
As Duke Escra stood up, saying he would fetch the water himself, Camilla cast him a look wondering what was wrong with him.
Arsian, observing the two of them, could only smile silently.
* * *
“Yaaawn….”
As I read through the documents, I let out a long yawn.
Was it because my body had grown smaller? I couldn’t understand why I felt so drowsy all the time. Especially when looking at documents packed with text like these.
‘I need to finish all of this today.’
Having been away from the Trading Company for a while, the backlog of documents was enormous.
In the end, I asked Chris, who had been diligently managing the Trading Company in my stead, to send the documents to my home. And what arrived was a mountain of papers….
“Yaaawn….”
The intervals between my yawns grew progressively shorter. I tried to force my blurring eyes to focus, but it was of little use.
“Camilla?”
“…Hm?”
My response to Arsian’s call came a beat too late.
“Why don’t you rest for a bit? It’s not urgent anyway.”
“I can’t.”
I shook my head vigorously as if to shake off the sleep.
I was already sleeping in too late these days and causing trouble for everyone around me—I absolutely wouldn’t let it affect my business as well.
“If you just had some coffee-”
“I can’t.”
This time, Arsian shook his head firmly.
“It’s not good for children.”
For that very reason, I myself didn’t sell coffee to children at the Cafe I operated.
Arsian handed me a cup of warm milk instead of coffee.
“I don’t want it. I’m going to have coffee.”
“What would you do if Rio wanted to drink coffee? Could you give it to him?”
Wow, this cunning bastard!
I tried to argue that the situation was different, but it didn’t work at all. Finally, I surrendered and took the cup of milk from him.
“This will just make me even more drowsy.”
“I’ll wake you up.”
A sweet fragrance wafted from the milk—perhaps honey had been added.
After hesitating for a moment, the “young” me couldn’t resist and gulped it down. Arsian watched with a very pleased expression.
“I’m going to work again.”
“Okay.”
“I’ll finish everything today!”
“Good.”
I set down the empty cup with a sharp tap and seized the documents again, rekindling my resolve.
“….”
But that determination didn’t last long.
“If you’re tired, just sleep.”
“I’m not tired….”
My eyes kept drooping, as if my energy had been completely drained from playing with Daive all afternoon.
White was paper, black was text.
‘This transaction… the profit….’
Slowly.
My body gradually tilted sideways in the chair.
Just as I was about to slip from the seat, swift hands caught me—Arsian, who had been watching me intently.
Soft breathing.
Arsian carefully lifted me into his arms as I fell into deep sleep.
He laid me on the bed and tucked the blanket around me with meticulous care, a faint smile playing at his lips.
His gaze, which had been gently stroking my hair, slowly turned backward.
Someone had arrived at some point and was staring at them intently.
“Are you about to draw your sword again?”
“No. You should have been more cunning about it.”
Duke Escra released a silent sigh.
“I told you I don’t like you being next to my daughter.”
“I’m aware.”
“Then why do you keep being beside her?”
What if he actually develops feelings for her?
‘Or has he already?’
Perhaps everyone already knows. If even someone like him, who hasn’t seen them often, could tell.
‘This displeases me.’
That girl Camilla, prickly as she is, showed a peculiar softness whenever she dealt with Arsian.
Her face would wear a faint smile at the mere mention of his name.
What irritated him most was that Camilla herself seemed largely unaware of this fact.

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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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