A Fortune-telling Princess - Chapter 101

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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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The day after I returned home from being kidnapped, I immediately instructed my Attendant Dorman to place a request with an information broker.
I had him investigate the Sky Orphanage and several other substantial orphanages in the surrounding area.
I wanted to know if there were any children who had left an orphanage like Dennis—the son of the Water Ghost Bes—and then disappeared from sight, or if there were any individuals adopted by people who didn’t actually exist.
“There’s not much to show for it.”
But when the information broker’s report arrived days later, it contained little of value. Perhaps the scope of the investigation was too broad, but there wasn’t any particularly useful information to be found.
“Ugh, I give up.”
I tossed the documents I’d been holding onto the table.
“What am I supposed to do with this investigation?”
Illnesses belong to doctors, medicines to pharmacists. And crimes should be handled by the police.
Exhausted by it all, I decided to stop worrying about this matter any further.
Though it was unsettling not to know who created the fake Lania, Duke Sorpel was searching diligently for them, so they would surely be caught soon enough.
However….
“I wonder if I should have mentioned that too.”
The one thing that weighed on my mind was the matter concerning Dennis, the son of the Water Ghost Bes.
‘But there’s no way to explain it.’
How could I explain it? Say I saw it in a dream? These were people with no connection to anything. No matter how much I thought about it, silence was the best course of action.
Knock, knock.
“Come in.”
The door opened and someone entered.
“Father?”
It was Duke Sorpel.
“How are you feeling?”
At his question, I let out a small laugh.
“I’m really fine. The Healers said I was okay now too.”
It was the first question everyone asked when they entered my room.
“Where have you been?”
“Out.”
He had looked quite gloomy since the fake Lania incident, but now he seemed to be in a good mood. Had something pleasant happened outside?
“Where?”
“Visiting the sick.”
“Visiting the sick?”
Wait, he visited the sick but why does he seem so pleased?
“Duke Jebillen was feeling unwell, so I went to see him.”
“The Duke was ill?”
At my question, a smile bloomed on his lips.
“He has a stomachache.”
“Pardon?”
“You know how a cousin’s stomach aches even when their cousin buys land—well, imagine how much his stomach must ache when diamonds are discovered in a mine someone else purchased.”
“Ah….”
Now I burst into laughter as well.
Diamonds had finally been discovered in the mine that I had successfully bid on at auction last time.
The iron ore alone had proven its worth sufficiently, but with the discovery of diamonds added to that, it was only natural that Duke Jebillen’s heart burned with regret at losing the mine by such a narrow margin.
‘Oh, and blue diamonds will probably come out of there too.’
Duke Sorpel would likely visit the Jebillen Family again soon. All for the sake of gently teasing him.
“Is there anything I can help with?”
“Chris is handling it very well.”
“I should treat him to a meal sometime.”
“I’ll mention it to him.”
Though my identity as the owner of the Ghost Merchant Guild had been revealed, he continued to handle external affairs on my behalf.
Of course, my input was always necessary for major business decisions and important matters.
“If you need help, tell me anytime.”
“Yes.”
“By the way, the gifts have multiplied.”
Duke Sorpel’s gaze turned to one corner of Camilla’s Room. Gifts were piled high in that corner. Truly, abundantly high.
“…Indeed.”
They really had accumulated quite a lot. Camilla affirmed with a reluctant tone.
Upon hearing that the Duke’s daughter was in poor health, countless gifts had poured in from all directions.
The problem was that two-thirds of this mountain of gifts had been sent by a single person.
‘Has the ghost of someone who died regretting they couldn’t give gifts attached itself to me?’
It was none other than Crown Prince Edsen.
Just as he had done before, his sending of such an enormous quantity of gifts this time gave Camilla a headache.
‘What excuse is he trying to find now?’
A sigh escaped unbidden. It was truly difficult when gifts felt so unwelcome and awkward. Was this some kind of talent?
‘I suppose I should send a reply to the gifts, at least?’
He might pick a quarrel over it just like last time.
‘Ugh….’
Edsen, why is this man suddenly doing things he never did before? I already have so much to worry about I could die!
“Camilla.”
“Yes, Father.”
“If it troubles you, tell me. Your father will stop it.”
It seemed my thoughts had shown plainly on my face, as Duke Sorpel chuckled and spoke.
‘That’s not just empty talk.’
The moment I nodded, Duke Sorpel would undoubtedly go seek out Crown Prince Edsen, so I quickly shook my head.
“It’s fine, Father. I’ll handle it myself.”
After all, he was the one who would inherit the throne next. I knew well enough that there was nothing to gain from making an enemy of him over something like this.
‘Let me start by writing a letter.’
Looking at the gifts sent by Crown Prince Edsen, my expression dripped with exasperation.
* * *
Knock, knock.
“Your Highness, were you coughing?”
Bell, the attendant of Crown Prince Edsen, spoke with utmost deference from beyond the door.
‘Is he particularly tired today?’
For the Crown Prince, this was already well past the hour he would normally be awake, so Bell tilted his head in confusion.
“Come in.”
After a moment’s permission was granted, the attendant stepped inside immediately.
“…!”
He who had opened the door could not take another step forward. A sharp, metallic stench of blood came rushing at him.
“Your Highness!”
He hastily raised his head, then froze once more.
In the room where several corpses lay scattered about, Crown Prince Edsen was slowly rising from his bed as though he had just awakened.
“Good morning, Bell.”
“Yes, Your Highness. Good morning…well, that hardly seems appropriate. What on earth has happened here?”
Bell, who had begun to return the greeting reflexively, quickly shook his head.
“This isn’t the first time. Why are you so startled?”
“Surely not again…!”
“A guest came by last night wanting to play, so I indulged them.”
A short sigh escaped from Bell’s lips.
It appeared that the previous night, an intruder had come seeking Crown Prince Edsen’s life.
“You should have called for assistance, Your Highness.”
“It was too late in the night. I didn’t want to disturb anyone.”
Another long sigh escaped Bell’s lips. His gaze turned toward the window, which was firmly shut.
“Then at least open the window to air out the blood smell while you rest—”
“You told me to keep the windows tightly closed because you had a cold.”
“…Yes, I am at fault.”
Bell, sighing repeatedly, immediately summoned people.
“Preserve the bodies carefully.”
“Pardon?”
“They need to be sent to Mother.”
A cool smile played at the corners of Crown Prince Edsen’s lips.
“She was so thoughtful as to send me gifts to celebrate my growth as her son. I should reciprocate. Make sure to deliver them late at night.”
“Understood.”
He bowed respectfully, then glanced around briefly before lowering his voice further.
“A message arrived this morning from Gracia.”
“Is that so?”
“A new emperor will be ascending to the throne soon, it seems.”
At Bell’s words, Crown Prince Edsen’s eyes gleamed.
“So the civil war has finally ended. Who emerged victorious?”
“The Second Prince, it is said.”
“Ha!”
The Gracia Empire—a place known as the loser of the north.
The Gracia Empire, perpetually blanketed in snow, had been wrought with the chaos of civil war for years. Ever since the Emperor’s sudden death, the succession dispute between the First Prince and Second Prince had dragged on relentlessly.
The problem was that the current Empress of the Faebler Empire had been secretly interfering in that civil war. Standing on the First Prince’s side, no less.
Yet the one who seized victory was the Second Prince…
“I’m curious. What Mother’s face must look like upon hearing this news.”
According to the investigation, the astronomical sum the Empress had funneled to support the First Prince was staggering. She must have been absolutely certain of his victory.
“Having squandered all that wealth, she must be on the verge of madness.”
Bell, who had been silently observing Crown Prince Edsen as he chuckled incessantly, let out a short sigh and withdrew something from his pocket.
“It was sent by the Duke’s daughter.”
“The Duke’s daughter?”
What he handed over was a letter. Crown Prince Edsen immediately began reading through it.
….
Yet as he read, his brow suddenly twitched.
Soon, an expression of bewilderment crossed his face, and he finally burst into laughter.
“Why are you laughing, Your Highness?”
“This is a first for me.”
“Pardon?”
“There’s absolutely no substance to it.”
The letter’s contents were remarkably simple—nothing but flowery expressions of gratitude for his gift, written in endless succession.
From beginning to end, there was not a single other topic to be found, no matter how hard one looked.
“Bell.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
“When you delivered the gifts, was the sapphire necklace the one placed on top?”
“It likely was. That box was the smallest, after all.”
“Ha!”
Among the gifts you sent, the sapphire necklace pleased me most.
This woman had definitely opened only the single gift that lay on top.
She had hastily unwrapped one gift to preempt the question he would inevitably ask about which of his presents she favored most.
“Heh, ha… haha!”
Bell observed Crown Prince Edsen as he continued to burst into laughter, then gently shook his head and finished collecting the corpse.

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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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