Author: 冬瓜茶仙人 / Winter Melon Tea Immortal
Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/
Chapter 165
“Thank you, Amber.” Prima tried her best to remain calm, nodding at the boy. But when she looked up and saw his face, she was startled again. “What happened to your neck?”
She moved closer to Amber, carefully examining the scratches on his neck and face. The scratches weren’t deep but were long enough to look serious. Amber himself didn’t think much of it. Compared to the injuries he had sustained from underground fighting, these were nothing. However, to a girl, such long wounds on the face were indeed alarming.
Prima’s movement allowed Amber to catch a whiff of her perfume. The boy stiffened a bit. He had met Prima twice before and knew she purely regarded him as a child, but he still felt a little uncomfortable. In a stiff tone, he said, “Just a cat gone out of control. It’s nothing serious.” He couldn’t very well tell her it was due to an ill-tempered Pluto Owl that would hiss at anyone and required a battle every time he fed it.
Prima instinctively wanted to offer some scar cream from her home but remembered what Louis had told her today and what she had encountered upon returning home. Her face paled, but she didn’t want Amber to worry, so she simply advised him to watch his diet and keep the wound dry.
Amber wasn’t very good at dealing with women, especially when they showed concern for him, so he made an excuse and slipped away to find Priscilla.
“Why would Prima come at this time?” Louis was a bit surprised. “Does she know your identity?”
“What identity?” Priscilla countered. “Countess of Mokwen or the mother of your child?”
Louis: “……”
“You know what I mean,” Louis said. “If you’re unhappy, I can go talk to Prima.”
Priscilla roughly knew about Louis and Prima’s past—Louis hadn’t mentioned it, but the simple girl had confided her romantic troubles to Priscilla, who she saw as a gentle and understanding sister. In reality, Priscilla quite liked Prima.
But being pregnant, her mood was often unstable, and she couldn’t help but get a bit irritable.
Priscilla lowered her gaze. “Of course, I told her my identity. Otherwise, how would she know the address here? After all, I am considered a distinguished guest of the Wolf Family this year.”
“As for you.” She curled her lips slightly. “Better not go over. Last time, I spent a lot of effort badmouthing you with her, and it would be awkward.”
She was telling the truth. Criticizing men was always a good way for girls to bond quickly, and Priscilla felt a subtle connection with Prima regarding their similar unrequited feelings towards Louis. Their criticisms were quite heartfelt.
Louis nodded. He didn’t mind being talked about but could roughly guess Prima’s panic. Charlie had mentioned he would use Louis’s identity to discuss Khalif’s secrets with Prima. While he didn’t know the extent of what Charlie had revealed, it was normal for a dutiful daughter to be confused and panicked after seeing the murky world outside her safe bubble.
“If you like, I can leave some people to help you move,” Louis said, focusing back on his main purpose for coming today. “It would be best to finish before sunset.”
Priscilla was silent for a moment. She wanted to ask more about the friction between Paradise Island and the inner city and didn’t feel like moving due to her discomfort. But she understood Louis wouldn’t suggest this without considering her feelings, and Prima was waiting for her.
“Erica will arrange it.” Priscilla sighed softly. The odd feeling of unease she had earlier was now gone, replaced by a deeper worry.
“I once said in a letter that I would tell you the baby’s gender in person, but that was a lie. The doctor couldn’t determine it, so we’ll have to wait until the baby is born to know if it’s a boy or girl. So… whatever you’re planning, please be careful.”
Louis’s expression remained unchanged. He nodded. “Please take care of your health.”
……
Prima returned home at nine in the morning.
Khalif had left for Adan’s office in the middle of the night, but Xanye was still there. Knowing that the eerie, evil doors in the basement were connected to Xanye, Prima wanted to avoid seeing her even more than usual.
Moreover, Xanye was an unregistered mage, and Prima wasn’t confident she could come out on top if they clashed.
So before leaving, she instructed her maid to wait for her at the side door and not alert anyone else.
Since it was Khalif’s house, Xanye didn’t dare to place many spies, and with Khalif not around, no one knew when Prima returned. But as she sneaked along familiar routes to the basement, she found the door already locked, thwarting her plans to investigate secretly.
Prima didn’t want to give up. She remembered seeing the large ring of keys Khalif had when he collapsed in pain last night. These keys were made from various materials and had different shapes, likely matching the many strange doors on the walls. Maybe the key to the entrance was among them.
Khalif would likely carry something so important with him, but if Xanye had a hand in the magic, could she also access the basement freely? Hesitant, Prima decided to test Xanye but found her in the garden talking to someone from the Monkey Family. Without Khalif’s permission, the Monkey couldn’t freely enter the house. Seeing them walking away, she grew anxious and rushed towards them, dragging her maid along.
She could only catch a few words as she got closer, and just as she tried to slow down and listen carefully, Xanye turned around and caught her eye. Xanye usually didn’t think much of Prima, who was overly gentle and indifferent to worldly affairs. Thus, she wasn’t alarmed but instead displayed her usual sneer. “Oh… it’s you.”
She turned to the small man beside her and whispered, “Always sneaking around.”
Prima steadied herself and put on an annoyed expression. “I wasn’t sneaking around. I was walking. This is my family’s garden. I’m going to catch a carriage—please make way.”
Xanye raised an eyebrow, seemingly surprised at Prima’s assertiveness. Her pretty eyes shifted as she thought of Khalif’s outburst last night. She figured the household staff and Prima thought her fall from favor had started, hence the sudden change in attitude.
A bunch of fools. She snorted and looked Prima up and down. “So you’re going out. Yes, an old maid like you should go out more so the young men know—”
“Alright, alright,” the small man interrupted in a placating tone. “No need for hostility between beautiful ladies. Miss Prima, you look more radiant than ever.”
Prima glanced at him. Although his words were flattering, his eyes were filled with malice, making her uncomfortable. She instinctively took a step back.
Xanye didn’t want to talk to her anymore. She said to the man, “Don’t waste time on irrelevant people.”
“Irrelevant? No, no, no. Miss Prima is the jewel in Lord Khalif’s eyes.” The man smiled, his eyes narrowing. “The most important child, right?”
If she had heard this a day earlier, Prima would have had no other thoughts. But after Louis told her about the possible sources of her father’s basement magic, hearing this from a Monkey made her feel like she was falling into an ice pit.
Regaining her composure, she wanted to find Louis, but Alexander said he wasn’t around. Distressed and confused, she felt a shadow over her home. After wandering around, she thought of Priscilla and rushed over without considering if it was appropriate.
But once there, she didn’t know how to explain everything to Priscilla. She couldn’t divulge Khalif’s actions casually. She had come to Priscilla because her other girlfriends, also in Khalif’s sphere of influence, were likely not safe. As Countess, Priscilla was a distinguished guest and not subject to the same risks. Additionally, she was mature and kind.
Prima felt ashamed of her selfishness. So when she saw Priscilla come into the room with her pregnant belly, Prima stood up suddenly, startling her.
“Prima, what’s wrong?” Priscilla held her hand while slowly sitting on the sofa. “You don’t look well.”
Prima shook her head. She had barely slept, and the shocks she had faced showed on her face despite the light makeup she had applied before leaving.
“How are you feeling today?” Prima looked carefully at Priscilla’s face. “I encountered something… but I regret it now. I shouldn’t have disturbed you so abruptly.”
“It’s alright,” Priscilla said, looking at her. “Do you want to talk about it?”
Prima shook her head, troubled.
“Then have some tea,” Priscilla suggested kindly, patting her hand. “Just keep me company. The doctor says I shouldn’t go out—”
“It’s better not to go out,” Prima blurted. “It’s not safe outside.”
Earlier, as she passed through certain streets, she had sensed something was wrong. People were gossiping and arguing in the streets. Coupled with Louis being unusually busy, these weren’t good signs.
In such times, Khalif would usually prioritize stability, urging Louis to quickly resolve issues to avoid affecting White Bridge’s business and reputation. But Prima had noticed since last night that her father’s attention was significantly divided, and Louis… seemed to be rivaling Khalif.
Under these circumstances, it was indeed unwise for Priscilla, being pregnant, to go out. Getting caught in any conflict would be disastrous.
She detailed the warehouse fire and Adan’s attack to Priscilla, including how Adan’s high-profile mother was lashing out at all Paradise Island residents within her sight. Priscilla’s face grew more solemn with every word. When Prima finished, Priscilla gripped her hand.
“Prima, I need to leave this house and find somewhere safer,” Priscilla said. “This area is too conspicuous. If conflict intensifies, it’ll be a target. And you—being Khalif’s daughter—are also at risk. You should go home and stay indoors.”
Prima’s face paled further, and Priscilla immediately noticed her hand trembling. She frowned. “What’s wrong?”
She thought back over her words and keenly sensed something amiss. “You can’t go home?”
Prima looked at her helplessly, amazed at her perceptiveness. She used the word “can’t”, not “won’t”.
“Then come with me,” Priscilla decided. “We’ll pack up right now.”
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