A Fortune-telling Princess - Chapter 289

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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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‘There were quite a few who worked there, went unpaid, and were kicked out.’
The real problem was Wood—just as he always claimed, his circumstances were far from dire.
His assets were substantial. He owned not just the bakery but several other shops as well, and the income from them was considerable. There was absolutely no reason he couldn’t pay his workers.
He’d even been reported to the Guard Headquarters multiple times for sexually harassing female part-time employees.
But he always walked free due to lack of physical evidence and witnesses!
‘Despicable.’
In the end, only the part-time workers suffered—unpaid and falsely accused, they were driven away with scorn.
Worse, Wood himself would stalk part-time employees trying to find work elsewhere and harass them.
He spread rumors that they were extorting money by falsely accusing him of harassment, making it impossible for them to find employment for a time.
‘He really does have a talent for causing trouble.’
Meari was no different. She was owed over six months in back wages.
After confirming all this information, Camilla had gone to the bakery that day to bring Meari to her cafe.
She’d discovered Dorman heading toward Meari, who was being harassed, and instead brought her out of that shop herself.
“Six months’ worth.”
Camilla murmured quietly as she watched Meari diligently helping Laila.
“Should I use that method again?”
“That method?”
Reaper Habel threw her a puzzled look at the cryptic words, but Camilla simply smiled enigmatically.
“When there’s money to be collected, that method is the best.”
It seemed she’d need to contact someone in the Gracia Empire after all this time.
* * *
Pitter-patter.
Sitting at her desk reviewing documents, Camilla suppressed a laugh that threatened to escape as she watched a small ball roll toward her feet.
King had been circling around her, wanting to play. When she didn’t respond, he’d fetched a ball from somewhere and kept pushing it toward her.
“Not now. I’m busy.”
[Yip!]
‘Look at him.’
…Now he’s getting an attitude.
King, unable to play, vented his frustration by gnawing on a cushion nearby with his teeth.
Camilla chuckled and finally picked up the ball at her feet.
“Just a moment.”
[Yelp!]
At those words, King bounded over as if he’d never been upset, sitting down neatly in front of Camilla.
Camilla gently stroked King’s head for a moment, then tossed the ball to the side with a swift motion.
Dash-dash-dash-dash!
King darted after it in an instant, snatching the ball and returning.
This happened several times.
“This time I’ll throw it farther.”
Camilla hurled the ball toward the far corner of the room. King shot out after it like an arrow.
But moments later, King had no choice but to stop dead in his tracks.
“Hmm.”
Someone had snatched the ball away before King could reach the corner, moving with impressive speed.
[Kyuu! Kyuu kyuu!]
King squealed indignantly, demanding to know why his ball had been stolen from him.
[Grrr….]
The figure who had taken the ball watched King’s low growl in silence for a moment, then tossed it in another direction with a flick of the wrist.
As if waiting for exactly this moment, King bolted after it again.
Watching the creature’s antics, the figure let out a soft chuckle before finally approaching Camilla.
“Looks like my little brother was in the middle of playtime.”
“Stop calling him that.”
The man who approached with a gentle smile creasing the corners of his eyes was Jainer—the head of Khan, the assassination organization, and the eldest son of Duke Escra.
“What brings you here?”
“I came to report on the task you assigned me.”
“Already?”
To handle the matter of Wood, the bakery owner, Camilla had commissioned Khan—the very organization Jainer belonged to.
Just as she had done before with someone named Dorald, who had caused trouble at the cafe, she had asked them to do the same to Wood.
She believed that intimidation followed by voluntary payment was the most effective approach.
“I thought it would take at least two weeks.”
“The commission failed.”
“What?”
Camilla’s eyes widened slightly. She had not expected such an answer from Jainer.
“Failed?”
It wasn’t even murder—just a simple intimidation to extract payment. How could that possibly fail?
“What?”
Camilla’s gaze turned suspicious. Was this man’s competence really that questionable? How could he bungle such a trivial task?
“The matter was already resolved before I could handle it.”
Jainer, reading her every thought from her expression, let out a soft laugh.
“What do you mean?”
“This man Wood had already paid all the back wages before I arrived—not just to Meari, but to everyone else as well.”
“What?”
Camilla’s expression went blank. Meanwhile, Jainer’s smile deepened as he recalled the scene he had witnessed.
* * *
‘…What kind of situation is this?’
Jainer had received the commission from Camilla three days ago. Setting aside other urgent matters, he had moved personally to prioritize her task.
But when he went to find this man Wood to begin the commission, there was nothing he could do.
Someone else had already reached him first.
‘That woman….’
It was Meari—the very person at the center of this commission.
Whenever accepting a commission, the first priority was to gather all relevant information.
Jainer had already completed a thorough investigation of her. Recognizing the woman before his eyes was hardly difficult.
It wasn’t strange that Meari had come looking for Agency President Wood to collect her unpaid wages. However…
‘This is… unexpected.’
Jainer watched the situation unfold with keen interest. And for good reason—Agency President Wood was being thoroughly beaten.
By whom? By Meari herself.
“You said you didn’t have any money.”
“W-what are you talking about! That’s not true! If I had the money, I would’ve paid you right away…!”
Whoosh!
Smack!
“Ugh!”
It was a beautiful kick. The way she pivoted smoothly and struck Wood’s head with such precision was truly masterful. This wasn’t the work of an amateur.
‘Interesting.’
There was nothing about this in the investigation files.
“I’ve been holding back all this time because I thought you really didn’t have the money. How foolish of me to think you’d eventually pay up.”
“I… I really don’t have it…”
Crack!
“Camilla already told me everything. You have plenty of money.”
“Ugh…!”
“It’s not just about the money—I was afraid that if I quit here, I wouldn’t be able to find work anywhere else. That’s why I’ve been enduring this.”
Meari had heard the rumors too. People who left this place couldn’t find decent jobs for a long time. Apparently, it was because the Agency President deliberately sabotaged them.
‘So I’ve been holding back all this time.’
But now there was no reason to worry about that anymore, was there? She’d already found a good job.
“There’s no reason for me to tolerate this situation any longer.”
Despite her calm, measured tone, her hands showed absolutely no mercy.
It seemed she had accumulated quite a lot of frustration, because Agency President Wood continued to take a beating for quite some time after that.
Only after he retrieved the money he’d hidden in a corner of the shop and handed over all the back wages did he finally escape from Meari’s grasp.
“Pay all the back wages owed to the others immediately. I’ll be checking on it later.”
“That… that’s…”
“What? Are you saying you want me to visit again?”
Shake, shake, shake!
At the threat that she’d return if he didn’t settle all the back wages of the others who had quit, Agency President Wood shook his head vigorously.
“You won’t go around bragging about today, will you? It’s not exactly something to be proud of—getting beaten up by someone so young.”
“Ugh…!”
“You’re not answering?”
Nod, nod, nod!
The moment Meari’s gaze turned cold again, Agency President Wood nodded his head so frantically it looked like it might fall off.
‘Ha.’
Having witnessed the entire scene, Jainer barely suppressed an escaping laugh and quietly slipped away.
“He wasn’t the type to hand over money easily.”
“Well, he handed it over pretty easily.”
“Really?”
What on earth did she eat?
She was ranting and raving that she’d never give money and would prevent employment elsewhere, yet she just handed over the back wages? To others as well?
“….”
Watching Camilla tilt her head in confusion, Jainer offered a faint smile.
There seemed no need to explain everything that woman Meari had done.
It wasn’t as though it would cause Camilla any harm. She herself didn’t seem particularly eager to reveal it either.
“You certainly seem to attract interesting people around you.”
“What are you suddenly talking about?”
“Just saying.”
“…?”
Camilla’s eyes narrowed slightly. He seemed to be hiding something, but what? Since he was naturally such an enigmatic person, it was nearly impossible to figure out.
“How is Daive doing?”
“Of course he’s well.”
Though I’d spoken with him via communication stone just days ago, I habitually asked Jainer about Daive’s wellbeing.
“I heard he’s performing in a recital being held at the Academy.”
“A recital?”

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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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