The Pirate King's Daughter - Chapter 72

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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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Chapter 72
There was no way I could tell the truth as it was.
“We’re currently heading back to our homeland. There are some terrible people there who stole our place, and I wanted to know if we could defeat them safely.”
At my question, the Fortune Teller closed her eyes and brought her hand to the Crystal Ball.
Then, after a moment,
“Cough!”
Her eyes flew open suddenly, and she began coughing up blood!
“Grandmother!”
Crash—the chair toppled over, and I rushed to the Fortune Teller, pressing a cloth to her mouth before speaking.
“Please wait a moment. My friend is a doctor, so I’ll fetch him right away.”
“It’s fine. I expected as much, but quite a bit came up.”
The Fortune Teller gripped my arm with her wrinkled hand.
“Is it normal for you to cough up blood when you’re reading fortunes?”
“Of course not. If it were, this old woman would never have survived this long.”
“Then why…?”
“It’s the price of glimpsing a destiny one should never see. Now sit down. Your life is far too complicated—you’ll have to interpret the reading yourself.”
I was worried whether she was truly all right, but her calm, matter-of-fact reaction suggested she’d anticipated this all along, so I took my seat.
‘Perian is outside anyway.’
If something seems wrong, I can call him right away.
“Are you alive, girl?”
Her sudden question followed, dispelling my anxiety.
“Isn’t it obvious that I’m living?”
“That’s strange. It feels as though you’ve died several times already.”
“…!”
That’s right. I’ve died a total of four times.
In the original story, in South Korea, and twice in this life.
Lucas had given me one more chance remaining.
“I don’t care about my own life. I’m curious whether we can defeat those people in my homeland, and if possible, I’d like to know how.”
The Fortune Teller, who had been studying me intently, opened her mouth slowly.
“You’re planning to run away while saving those bastards.”
Of course—that’s the only way I can save the world, the people, and myself.
“What I see and your life are very different. It feels as though something is obscuring my vision and manipulating it. I cannot give you the answer you seek.”
Even Lucas, a higher being, entrusted me with a task, so it can’t be helped.
As my shoulders sagged in defeat, the Fortune Teller spoke.
“If I may offer you one piece of advice, just for you—I’d recommend fleeing from those bastards immediately.”
“I can’t do that right now.”
“I know. But ignore that reason and run anyway. That’s the only way you’ll have any chance of prolonging your life.”
So she was saying that if I let the world collapse, at least I could survive until then.
“I appreciate your concern, but I can’t do as you suggest.”
I still have one more death left to spare.
I had no righteous sense of sacrifice for others, but my conscience wasn’t so lacking that I could claim the three lives given to me for their sake as my own.
“Just as I thought. Why do stubborn fools like you keep showing up?”
“There are things worth hearing. What about my financial fortune?”
My second concern.
“Money flows abundantly in your destiny. But there must be something else truly troubling you right now, isn’t there?”
“Me?”
Aside from those two things, there was nothing else.
At my confused response, the Fortune Teller smiled meaningfully.
“Which man will you choose?”
The conversation had suddenly shifted from a fantasy about saving the world to a romance.
“…I’m not sure what you mean.”
“It’s not like they can hear us out there. Why hide it?”
“I have no interest in men.”
“No interest, yet you’d throw away your life for one. In all my years of fortune-telling, I’ve never seen anyone bound by fate to four men.”
This grandmother was trying to turn me into a philanderer.
“That’s not it. And why four? There’s definitely one who absolutely doesn’t count.”
“Oho, so you’ve already gotten somewhere with three of them.”
My face flushed crimson at her teasing grin.
“Not at all.”
Honestly, I’d been deliberately avoiding thinking about that area. Anyway, we’d be parting ways right before heading to the Empire.
“It wouldn’t be so bad to keep all of them around.”
“That’s ethically rather questionable.”
“They’re all mad anyway. Even if jealousy drives them wild, a little affection will make them give you everything.”
“No, I’m telling you—I have no intention of being involved with any man. And that goes doubly for my companions.”
If I were to pursue romance at all, it would be after settling down.
“There’s one who’s unusually strongly connected to you. Does that one occupy your heart in some special way?”
“That’s not it…”
“You’ve already gotten progress with someone else, yet here you are pretending to be innocent.”
“Artificial Respiration doesn’t count as getting progress with someone!”
She spoke as though my life were brimming with romance, but reducing mouth-to-mouth resuscitation to a romantic encounter felt terribly unfair to me.
“No wonder those poor fools are burning up inside, with you playing innocent like that.”
If I kept talking, I’d get pulled deeper into this.
“I think I’ve heard enough.”
“Yes, go on avoiding it. That’s how you’ll survive. Those men will struggle all they like, but they won’t be able to save you.”
“As I said, I’m fine.”
“They’re the ones who aren’t fine. Better they think you ran away than that you died because of them.”
“…”
Kies had bothered me a little, if I’m being honest.
Since learning about his past confinement, he’d become sensitive about anything involving me.
‘If I suddenly disappeared, he’d worry terribly.’
Still, once he learned the full truth, he’d choose to return to the Empire rather than search for me.
“Do you have any other questions?”
“No. I think I’ve learned enough. How much do I owe you?”
“Consider it even. I didn’t read properly anyway. It’s time for me to retire.”
“That’s impossible.”
I pulled three Silver Coins from my pocket and placed them on the table.
“You should leave. My patience is wearing thin.”
The moment the Fortune Teller finished speaking, the curtain was drawn back and four people came rushing in.
“Tatiana, we need to find an Inn before it gets any later.”
At Kies’s words, the Fortune Teller clicked her tongue.
“That’s a terribly unconvincing excuse.”
“…It’s not like that.”
Though he denied it, no one seemed to believe him.
“Oh, I nearly forgot something important. That thing around your neck.”
The Fortune Teller pointed at my neck.
“I don’t know what it is, but it seems like something no human was meant to bear.”
I hadn’t expected her to mention the Necklace.
Since Pudding remained quiet, it didn’t seem to be demonic.
“Is there a way to remove it?”
“No. It’s a cruel destiny. You appear blessed, having received much from the divine, but you bear trials equally great.”
This is frustrating. I could get answers if only I could meet Lucas.
“And you’ve ended up with four men to boot…”
“Well! We should be getting on our way.”
I quickly wrapped up the conversation, cutting off the Fortune Teller’s superfluous remarks, and ushered the main group toward the door.
“Remember what I said. Just keep doing what you’ve been doing.”
Keep avoiding, she’d advised, and with that, I left the Fortune Teller’s house.
* * *
Seafaring is an adventure beyond prediction.
Even I, who knew the original story, found it no exception.
But today’s difficulties had a different texture than usual.
“I am Dallas, an advisor to His Majesty the King.”
A man with a somewhat cold but intelligent air introduced himself with a slight smile.
“I’m Tatiana.”
I kept my introduction simple to hide my tension.
‘Where in the world did those people go this morning?’
The ones who always ate on schedule had skipped breakfast and left before I even woke up.
“It is a great honor to meet the Pirate King. I hope you’ll forgive me for this sudden, unannounced visit, as it seems you’ll be departing soon.”
Pirate King, he says—they’re just thieves, aren’t they?
Even if pirates did establish their own nation, would a nobleman really be so courteous to a pirate?
“May I ask the reason you’ve sought me out?”
“His Majesty has invited the Jellyfish Pirate Group to the Royal Palace. He wishes for you to stay for several days and join the banquet held in honor of the Pirate King.”
“We…”
I was about to refuse outright when Pudding, hiding his form, suddenly flew up in front of my face.
“Let’s go! Come on, let’s go. Tatiana, I want to see the Royal Palace. Hmm? Let’s sleep somewhere nice. Every day in the Captain’s Quarters, inns, and this pirate nonsense—”
As I started to speak, the advisor’s silhouette became visible beyond Pudding’s transparent form, patiently waiting.
“Ahem!”
“Ack!”
I caught Pudding by pretending to cough and placed him on my lap.
“I’m sorry, but as you can see, I’m not feeling well, so the banquet would be difficult. And as you’ve guessed, we’re planning to depart soon anyway.”
“No! Tatiana, please. It’s my wish. Let’s just be comfortable until we leave.”
When were you ever uncomfortable?
As I silenced Pudding, a tentacle wrapped around my wrist.
“I’ll assign a Royal Palace physician to attend to you. I’ll also see to it that your voyage preparations don’t fall behind schedule.”
I could feel his determination to take me to the palace no matter what.
But this was the Royal Palace itself—it sounded tedious and exhausting.
“I’m sorry…”
Just as I was about to refuse again.

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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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