A fortune-telling princess Chapter 117

“Arrghhh!”

“You can keep silent if you want.”

“I… I really don’t know anything!”

Duke Escra, his hand firmly gripping the assassin’s, intertwined his fingers as though holding hands.

Crunch!

“Aargh! Stop…! Just kill me already!”

“Of course, you’ll die.”

“Ugh…”

“The only question is whether it will be quick or not. So talk.”

Duke Escra’s cold eyes met the assassin’s trembling gaze.

“Tell me, and I’ll make it quick.”

“I… I really don’t know anything!”

“Tsk.”

Stepping back, the Duke calmly unbuttoned his sleeves and rolled them up before seizing the man by the hair and yanking his head up.

“You must not want to die that badly.”

“Aaghh!”

“Still clinging to life, I see.”

The man’s renewed screams filled the chamber, his torment reflected in the Duke’s glowing eyes, which were sharp and predatory. Yet his lips curved into an unsettling smile.

He’s completely lost it.

Watching the scene from the corner, Count Alton let out a long sigh.

It had been a while since he’d seen his master this unhinged. The question was whether to intervene or let him vent.

He knows, Alton thought grimly.

Assassins like this man—low-ranking operatives—rarely knew anything of their handlers or employers. That lack of knowledge made them perfect pawns for carrying out secretive missions.

And yet here he is.

Duke Escra, well aware of this, was nonetheless pouring his frustration into the interrogation.

“Speak up, and I’ll let you die painlessly.”

“Aaargh!”

The screams seemed unlikely to stop anytime soon.

****

In the Marquis’ Office

“What did you just say?”

“The royal family is involved now!”

Marquis Gaviel leapt to his feet, his face pale.

“Why would the royals get involved?”

As if the destruction of several hidden assassin strongholds wasn’t already disastrous enough. The Sorpel family had begun aggressively tracking down the masterminds behind the attacks on Camilla.

“The Gracian Empire formally requested their cooperation.”

“Gracia requested it?”

Gaviel’s jaw dropped. The report stated that the attack on Camilla Sorpel was being framed as an attempt to sabotage the two nations’ relationship, sparking a formal request for justice.

“They insist the instigators be brought to justice.”

“And when did Gracia start caring about foreign delegations?”

“They’ve offered full cooperation in the investigation.”

Bang!

Marquis Gaviel slammed his desk in frustration, overwhelmed by the escalating situation.

With both nations actively seeking answers, even the most well-hidden networks could be uncovered. And if the ringleaders were caught, his name could surface at any moment.

“Damn it all!”

The Marquis paced his office, anxiety written all over his face. Finally, he stopped, his voice low and trembling.

“I need to act first.”

“Pardon?”

“Lure the leaders out and eliminate them.”

“Lure them? But how…?”

“Use a new job as bait! Do whatever it takes to bring them into the open. Quickly!”

“Understood.”

***

The Revelation

“So… let me get this straight.”

Camilla paused, her gaze fixed on Duke Escra as she processed his words.

“This ring is yours?”

“Yes.”

“And you’re saying you gave it to my mother?”

“Correct.”

Camilla pinched the bridge of her nose, trying to suppress the pounding in her head.

“Do you understand what that means?”

“I do.”

“You’re…”

She struggled to get the words out.

“My father?”

“Seems likely.”

“Seems likely”? That’s it?

Camilla stared at him, stunned by his nonchalance.

“…Seriously?”

He nodded as if they were discussing the weather.

What is this nonsense?

Taking a deep breath to calm her nerves, Camilla continued.

“As you can see, this is a very ordinary ring. You could find dozens like it at any jewelry shop—a simple  Ruby ring.”

Her tone was sharp, almost accusatory. She was grasping at straws, trying to deny what she’d just heard.

“Let me see it.”

“What?”

“The ring. Hand it over.”

Hesitantly, she slid the ring off her finger and placed it in his outstretched hand.

The Duke infused it with his energy, and the reaction was immediate.

Sizzle!

The  Ruby glowed brilliantly, leaving behind a scorched mark on the desk in the shape of a rose—the crest of the Escra family.

“This ring is an old family relic. It bears the Escra crest.”

Camilla’s jaw dropped, but she quickly tried to regain her composure.

“My mother must have lied. Maybe she just found it somewhere and made up the story…”

“Your eyes.”

Camilla froze as the Duke interrupted her.

“The crimson hue. It’s a distinct trait of the Escra bloodline.”

She stared at him, her face pale.

“And yet, not everyone with red eyes is related to you, are they?” she countered weakly.

“That’s true. But don’t you think it’s a bit much to dismiss this as mere coincidence?”

She clenched her fists, her mind racing.

This can’t be happening. Can it?

The evidence was overwhelming. Her silence spoke volumes.

 

Camilla shot to her feet, anger bubbling just beneath the surface.

“So what?”

Her voice trembled with barely contained fury.

“You’re saying you’re my father?”

Her tone was laced with disbelief and bitterness.

“I suppose that’s what it means,” he said, his tone maddeningly calm.

“…Unbelievable.”

She laughed bitterly, the sound sharp and cold.

“Seventeen years. I’m seventeen years old. What have you been doing all this time?”

Her words were laced with venom, but the Duke remained silent.

“You didn’t even try to find me, did you? With all your resources, you could’ve done so easily if you’d wanted to.”

She placed the ring back on the desk with a sharp clink.

“Take it. It belongs to you, doesn’t it?”

Without waiting for a response, she turned and stormed toward the door.

“Camilla, wait—” Count Alton called after her.

“Is there more to say?”

Camilla stopped but didn’t turn around.

“You’ve been kind to me, Count. But if it’s all the same to you, I’d rather leave now.”

“Please, calm down and….”

“Why? To have some teary father-daughter reunion?”

She sneered, her voice dripping with sarcasm.

“This is ridiculous.”

Her voice cracked slightly, betraying her true emotions, but she didn’t stop.

With one last glare at Duke Escra, she walked out, slamming the door behind her.

****

Collapsing into her chair, Camilla let out a shaky breath.

Her mind was spinning, and her chest felt tight. She had kept up her facade in front of the Duke, but now her composure was crumbling.

“…He’s my father?”

The thought felt surreal.

What if I’d never found that ring? Or never come to Gracia? Would I have gone my whole life not knowing?

A knock at the door broke her reverie.

“Tea, my lady?”

“Not now, Dormann.”

She shook her head.

“Maybe something stronger… like alcohol,” she muttered.

Dormann’s eyes widened. “The ring… did you return it?”

Camilla’s cold gaze slowly turned to him. Her expression darkened.