A Fortune-telling Princess - Chapter 139
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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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Creak!
“Duke Escra, Camilla has arrived.”
Count Alton pushed open the door without knocking and entered Duke Escra’s Office.
“Sit.”
The Duke simply gestured for Camilla to take a seat without further ceremony.
“What is this about?”
Sensing the heavy atmosphere that permeated the office, Camilla immediately asked why she had been summoned.
“Do you know of the Tower of Guardians?”
“The Tower of Guardians? You mean the place managed by the Magic Tower?”
I had never visited it myself, but I had heard of it—it was famous enough.
They called it the holy ground of mages, didn’t they? I had heard that the amount of mana concentrated there rivaled the total mana dispersed throughout the entire Empire.
“Why mention it so suddenly?”
“It collapsed just a short while ago.”
“…What?”
Camilla’s eyes widened slightly. Why so abruptly? I had heard the Magic Tower maintained it with meticulous care—
“There was an explosion.”
“An explosion?”
“The cause hasn’t been determined yet.”
“Good heavens.”
My Older Brother will be swamped with work for quite some time.
‘Wasn’t it said that tower couldn’t be allowed to collapse?’
I didn’t fully understand the details, but I recalled hearing that changes in the quality and quantity of mana would disrupt the Magic Tower’s operations…
“This is quite the disaster.”
That aside, news travels remarkably fast. An explosion just occurred, and word has already reached here?
It seemed the rumors about spies planted between nations were indeed true.
“It is a disaster. Especially for the Sorpel Family.”
“Our family? Why?”
Is it because of Ravi? Did he ask the Duke Sorpel for some kind of assistance?
As Camilla tilted her head in confusion, she noticed Duke Escra’s unwavering gaze fixed upon her.
“What is it?”
“Ravi Sorpel was inside that collapsed tower.”
“…What?”
“He had entered with other mages.”
“Ravi was…”
Without realizing it, I clenched my fists tightly.
“Was he… badly injured?”
“….”
“How badly was he hurt?”
“Unknown. They haven’t found him yet.”
“What…!”
“The tower has completely collapsed, and they’re still conducting search operations.”
Camilla fell silent for a moment, her body as still as if time itself had frozen. Then a long sigh escaped her lips.
“And?”
She brushed her hair back roughly.
“What exactly is the situation?”
“That’s all I told you. We’re still investigating the rest.”
“I see.”
Camilla rose from her seat.
“Thank you for informing me.”
“What will you do?”
“I need to go.”
“I’ll look into the fastest method possible.”
“Thank you. However—”
Camilla shook her head lightly.
“From now on, I’ll handle it myself.”
….
Duke Escra watched Camilla bow respectfully and leave, his brow furrowing slightly.
‘Why is she so composed?’
Her calm demeanor only made him more uneasy.
“First, look into a teleportation circle that can take us directly to the border region.”
“Yes.”
“Request cooperation from the Imperial Court.”
“Understood.”
After issuing brief orders to Count Alton, Duke Escra gazed at the space where Camilla had vanished, his eyes troubled.
“…Handle it herself?”
Her words, which seemed to draw a clear line, drew a short sigh from him.
* * *
Knock, knock.
“Come in.”
While Camilla was meeting with Duke Escra, Jainer, who had been resting in his room, looked up at the knock.
The one who opened the door and entered was Camilla herself.
“What’s the matter?”
Since this was the first time she had sought him out, a reflexive smile crossed his face.
“I need your help.”
“Help?”
At those words, Jainer immediately rose and approached her.
“I need to return home right away, and I thought you might have a way. Is it possible?”
Jainer stared at her silently for a moment, then moved toward his desk and pulled something from a drawer—a mana stone.
He approached her again and, in the same instant he shattered the mana stone, wrapped his arm around her shoulders.
Whoosh!
In an instant, the two figures vanished from that spot.
Moments later, they reappeared in an underground space illuminated only by a dim, flickering glow.
“Where is this?”
“It’s where the magic circle connecting to the Faebler Empire is located.”
Jainer had brought Camilla to the Khan Branch, situated in the capital of the Gracia Empire.
“Will this take us to the Sorpel Family Estate?”
It seemed there was more than one magic circle connected to the Faebler Empire, so he asked her desired destination.
Camilla regarded him with a somewhat surprised expression. She had expected him to ask more questions, but instead, he was simply fulfilling her request without further comment.
“The Tower of Guardians.”
“That way. Fortunately, there’s a branch nearby.”
Jainer walked through the vast underground space without hesitation. Upon closer inspection, there were dozens of doors throughout the chamber.
He opened one of them, revealing a magic circle with a faint light emanating from the floor.
“Stand in the center.”
“Wait.”
“Why?”
“The Tower of Guardians has collapsed, so there might be problems with the magic circle’s operation.”
At her words, Jainer let out a soft chuckle.
“Our magic circles are completely isolated from the outside.”
When a teleportation magic circle activates, its mana cannot leak outward.
Naturally, it’s designed to be unaffected by external mana as well.
“So don’t worry.”
Leading Camilla onto the magic circle, Jainer opened a small vial he’d been holding and dropped a single drop of liquid onto the floor.
The previously dim light of the magic circle became vivid, and in an instant, it swiftly enveloped both of them.
“This is…”
When she opened her eyes again, they were in another underground space. Seeing Camilla momentarily dazed, Jainer smiled faintly.
“Welcome. You’ve arrived at the Faebler Empire’s Khan Branch.”
“…We’ve arrived?”
“Yes. Normally, outsiders can’t enter this far. You’re the first.”
Jainer grasped Camilla’s hand and led her out of the underground space.
“Oh!”
They sprang to their feet!
“Khan!”
As the two emerged from the underground chamber, several people standing outside quickly rose and bowed urgently.
“Prepare a carriage for us.”
“Understood.”
At his command, one person hurried outside, and Jainer followed with Camilla close behind.
By the time they exited the building, a carriage was already waiting at the entrance.
“The Tower of Guardians.”
“Understood.”
As soon as the two boarded, the carriage swiftly departed.
“Hmm.”
Jainer quickly skimmed through the documents his subordinate had handed him before leaving the Khan Branch.
“So that’s what happened?”
The papers contained detailed information about the collapse of the Tower of Guardians today.
“Ravi Sorpel—he was inside the collapsed tower?”
“There’s no other news yet?”
Jainer nodded at Camilla’s question.
“We can’t go any further from here.”
As they approached the Tower of Guardians, the carriage came to a halt. They needed to go a bit further, but it appeared that restrictions were in place from a certain distance onward.
Camilla immediately descended from the carriage.
“…!”
Without thinking, she bit her lip tightly. The sight before her eyes was far too devastating.
The tower lay completely collapsed, utterly flattened.
Inside that… Ravi was inside that?
Camilla moved forward with heavy steps toward the scene.
“You cannot go any closer!”
Soldiers surrounding the area blocked her path. It was a necessary precaution, as another collapse could occur at any moment.
“Why don’t we head to the mansion for now?”
Jainer asked, having assessed the situation. There seemed to be little to gain by remaining here at the moment.
“For now, all we can do is wait.”
“No.”
But Camilla immediately shook her head. She hadn’t rushed here so desperately just to wait for news at home.
“Camilla?”
At that moment, a voice called out to her. Camilla lifted her head and released a sigh of relief.
“Older Brother.”
It was Ludvil. As he approached, the soldiers who had been blocking Camilla’s path quickly stepped aside. Camilla immediately went to him.
“What about Ravi Older Brother?”
“Still nothing.”
“Haven’t the others been found either?”
“The mages have run into a problem.”
“What do you….”
“Their magic isn’t functioning properly.”
The mages had temporarily fallen into panic. The flow of mana they had been using suddenly changed, leaving them in confusion.
Without proper magical assistance, they were having difficulty locating survivors.
“If we could just know where he is….”
Camilla nodded at Ludvil’s words. This was precisely why she had come here in such haste.
‘Zeno.’
Camilla turned her head to look at Zeno, who stood beside her. Reading her gaze, he nodded.
“Ravi….”
[Understood.]
Even if humans cannot enter, a spirit can move freely through that collapsed space without any restrictions.
If I could only discover where Ravi and the other survivors were, the rescue would become far easier.
Uuuuoooong—
“…!”
Just as Zeno was about to enter the ruins, an inexplicable resonance of air erupted, and light burst forth.
In the moment people flinched, figures emerged from within that radiance.
“See! I told you I was right! If you modify the teleportation magic formula this way, it works!”
“Indeed.”
“Senior, you’re amazing too! To read the mana flow and apply that formula on the spot!”
A voice that chattered incessantly alternated with one that sounded somewhat weary.
“W-we’re alive.”
“Wow… I really thought we were going to die.”
Other voices followed after that.
Nine people in total.
The crowd could identify them. They were the missing mages.
“Anyway, I should report this to the Magic Tower right away….”
Ravi’s hand, which had been lightly brushing dust from his hair, suddenly froze. Countless eyes were fixed upon him in stunned silence.
Then, spotting one particular person, Ravi’s eyes widened.
“Camilla?”
“….”
“How did you get here… No, when did you even arrive… Hey!”
Ravi never finished his sentence. Camilla had collapsed to the ground.
“Ugh….”
Having maintained composure throughout the journey here, Camilla’s tears finally burst forth the moment she laid eyes on Ravi.
“I really thought you were dead!”
“…I’m sorry.”
Camilla continued to weep like a child for a long while after that.
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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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