A Fortune-telling Princess - Chapter 140
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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 140: She Has Returned
“Dorman.”
「Young Lady!」
Dorman’s urgent voice crackled through the communication crystal.
「Where on earth are you!」
“Home.”
「Home?」
“Yes.”
「Really? I’ve searched everywhere and couldn’t find you. And where are you calling from right now? You said home, but which part of home?」
“My home. My room.”
「What are you saying? I’m right now in your room…!」
Dorman, who had been firing questions without pause, fell silent for a moment. It seemed he was finally grasping the situation.
「Surely….」
Yes, that “surely” was probably right.
「You don’t mean… the Sorpel Family Estate in the Faebler Empire, do you? The main…residence?」
“Yes.”
「You’re saying you went there alone, Young Lady?」
“That’s what I’m saying.”
「What about me!」
“You….”
Well, what could I say?
Camilla scratched her cheek sheepishly. Even she had to admit the situation was rather absurd, but she had no good explanation.
「How… how could you!」
I could almost see him trembling on the other end.
「How could you leave me here!」
「Kyuu!」
「That’s right! King! King is here too…!」
Whoooosh!
[Kyu!]
“…King is here with me?”
A brilliant light suddenly flooded the space, and King materialized before me. The moment I pinpointed his location through the crystal, he flew straight over.
How remarkable.
「….」
Dorman had gone quiet again. Imagining him standing there with his mouth agape, I offered an awkward smile.
‘I feel a bit guilty, actually.’
In my frantic movements, I hadn’t thought to bring anyone along. The fact that I’d even left King behind said everything.
Only after things had settled somewhat did I remember that I’d come here without saying a word to Gracia.
In the silence that followed, Dorman seemed to have reached his conclusion and began to wail.
Ah, he knows full well I didn’t do this on purpose, yet here he is….
「How… how could you leave only me behind!」
Camilla gently soothed him as he repeated the same words over and over.
“I’ll explain everything properly to Duke Escra.”
「That’s not the important part!」
“The magical formations will stabilize soon, so just wait a little longer.”
「Y-you’re telling me to stay here alone right now?」
“Yes, it’ll be fine.”
「This is too much!」
“Yes, you’ve got this.”
「Miss Camilla! Ca-」
Camilla hastily ended the communication.
What’s done is done—there’s nothing I can do about it now. Surely Duke Escra won’t chase that fellow away just because I’m not there?
“Ow!”
[Kyuu!]
I looked down at the sharp sting in my hand to find King biting it.
What? You little rascal? Are you actually biting me right now?
[Kyuu kyuu!]
Unlike usual, when he would immediately lower his tail and act cute, his expression remained pouty. He was genuinely upset about being left behind.
Camilla gave King an apologetic look as he expressed his anger quite vehemently.
“I’m sorry. I really wasn’t thinking straight.”
[Kyuu….]
“I know. I promise I won’t do it again.”
[Kyuu!]
At my sincere apology, the young tiger nodded his head primly as if to say he’d let it slide this time.
Then, as if he’d never been angry, he began licking the hand he’d bitten repeatedly.
I gently stroked King’s head and smiled softly.
“But where did that man go?”
Jainer, who had brought me here, had vanished without a trace.
According to Zeno, he had quietly disappeared when Ludvil appeared. True to his nature as an assassin, his movements were utterly silent and unremarkable.
“Well….”
It would be rather awkward to explain this situation.
All the magical formations currently maintained by mana were experiencing minor problems here and there.
If it became known that I had returned with Jainer’s help during such circumstances, many would begin to suspect his true identity, wouldn’t they?
“Now that I think about it, it really is remarkable.”
Despite the entire Faebler Empire’s magical formations being temporarily paralyzed, the Khan Branch’s formations remained perfectly intact.
They had apparently penetrated the surveillance networks of both nations and freely used the magical formations all this time. Having experienced this incident, I couldn’t help but marvel once more at their covert capabilities.
“Did he leave right away?”
[Kyuu?]
I had wanted to at least say a proper goodbye.
It seemed I would need to repay him for his help when we met next time.
As I stroked the whimpering King’s head, I sank back into my thoughts.
Who were those who destroyed the Tower of Guardians, and what could their purpose possibly be?
Since all the mages standing guard had been killed, there were no clues to be found.
Not only the Magic Tower but also the Imperial Court was actively investigating the matter, though they seemed to be making little progress.
“It’s not like there’s security footage or anything.”
Looking at it plainly, this incident seemed destined to fade away without resolution.
“Should I go back and take another look?”
To the ruins of the Tower of Guardians, that is. There might not be any living witnesses, but there could be dead ones, right?
But Camilla simply shook her head lightly.
No one had asked her to find the culprit, so she didn’t particularly want to go through all that trouble.
Ghosts seeking her out were already a headache—did she really need to go searching for them herself?
Lately, her contact with ghosts seemed to have increased noticeably, and she needed to exercise some restraint.
At this rate, she’d end up befriending more ghosts than people!
“But that’s strange.”
[What is, my lady?]
“…! Derin!”
The butler ghost Derin was standing there with a broad grin, watching Camilla—though she hadn’t noticed when he’d arrived.
“When did you get here?”
[Just now. Welcome home, Miss.]
“Where’s Perol?”
Camilla tilted her head, noticing that the chef ghost Perol, who was usually always nearby, was nowhere to be seen.
[He’s likely at the Cafe.]
“The Cafe?”
[He’s taken quite an interest in the desserts that your friend Laila makes, so he’s been spending a lot of time by her side lately.]
My Laila is still working hard. I should visit her soon.
“Nothing unusual happened while I was away, I hope?”
[….]
It was merely a casual greeting, yet Derin’s response carried a peculiar smile.
Just as I was about to give him a questioning look, he changed the subject first.
[But what were you saying just now? Is something strange?]
“No one’s asked me anything.”
[About what?]
“About everything.”
I’d been so worried about how to explain my return to this place that I was embarrassed no one had asked at all.
“They’re just happy that I’ve come back.”
I hadn’t heard a single question about what had happened there.
“Aren’t they even curious?”
If it were me, I would have bombarded them with countless questions the moment I saw their face.
[….]
Watching Camilla tilt her head repeatedly, Derin simply smiled silently once more.
“Is it because it’s my first day back and they’re worried I might be tired?”
[Perhaps that’s the case.]
“Isn’t it?”
Camilla nodded lightly, having concluded that such a possibility was quite probable.
She mentally organized various excuses to prepare for the questions that would be directed at her.
* * *
“As expected, Alberto’s prediction was correct. It truly was sealed within the Tower of Guardians!”
High Priest Daniel could not hide his joy.
“The force that has bound all of us for so long has finally awakened.”
“Well done.”
The figure seated in the darkness also commended Daniel’s achievement with a satisfied voice. In his hand, he held a stone that shimmered with a crimson glow.
“Had the power enveloping the Tower of Guardians not weakened, we would never have sensed the sacred relic’s aura.”
“Amiald must be wailing in the depths below. Foolish creatures, the lot of them.”
“Indeed. Despite his earnest warnings, they have forgotten it all.”
Archmage Amiald. After completing the Tower of Guardians, he left a single instruction for his successors.
That all mages across the Continent should be free to use the Tower of Guardians he had built without restriction.
“Five hundred years is time enough to forget much.”
Yet as time passed, the Tower of Guardians fell under the Magic Tower’s administration, and access restrictions were gradually imposed.
Though the concern was merely to prevent the tower’s deterioration, the result ultimately became the worst possible outcome.
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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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