A Fortune-telling Princess - Chapter 147

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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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“If you’d grown up watching those four men your whole life, do you really think you’d fall for someone like Oslin?”
“Well, of course—!”
“Camilla.”
Lindres flinched mid-rise, about to cry out her agreement. Someone was approaching their location.
“Ah, there you are.”
It was Petro. And beside him….
“Your older brothers have arrived.”
“Hey, how can you just leave the communication crystal behind? I told you to stay in touch.”
“Sleep well?”
Ravi and Ludvil were with him. Arsian emerged quietly from behind them as well.
As the four men—each commanding attention even alone—walked together, everyone’s mouths fell open simultaneously.
“I, I, I….”
Watching Lindres stammer, I clicked my tongue lightly.
‘So you do have a conscience after all?’
Looking at those four men, there’s no way I could say something so obvious.
In the end, Lindres couldn’t finish her sentence and quietly returned to her seat.
* * *
“What is all this?”
I shook my head as I surveyed the items piled throughout my room.
Looking closer, they were all things Ravi and Ludvil had left behind during their recent visit.
‘Just in case, I brought some protective gear.’
‘If it’s not enough, just say so. I’ll bring more.’
…My older brothers really have no concept of numbers.
“Why do these idiots keep trying to turn me into someone heading to war?”
Everything was here—from items imbued with offensive magic to various protective equipment.
I’m only staying at a friend’s place for a few days, not going somewhere far away. What is all this?
“Could it be because of what happened back then?”
The attack we’d suffered in the Gracia Empire. It seemed that incident had left them traumatized, making them fuss over me like this.
“Well, it might be useful, I suppose.”
If there really are people coming to steal the Guardian Sword this time, this place will literally become a battlefield.
Knock, knock.
The door opened slightly with the sound of knocking.
“May I come in?”
It was Elisha.
“Come in.”
Permission was granted, but she hesitated to enter. It took her a while before she finally stepped inside, fidgeting.
“What are you doing?”
Her manner of speaking seemed oddly strained.
“Just resting.”
“I….”
What? What are you…?
Elisha’s mouth kept opening and closing without forming coherent words.
Watching her struggle to speak properly, biting her lip in frustration, Camilla finally broke the silence.
“What? Do you have something to ask?”
“Well, earlier you…”
“Earlier?”
“Why did you help me?”
The fact that Camilla—of all people—had defended her left Elisha bewildered. She was someone who would ignore others, never someone to offer assistance.
“I didn’t help you.”
“Pardon?”
“Those people were being so childish that I simply played along with their childishness. Am I insane? Why would I help someone with such terrible manners?”
What’s there to like about you?
“Ugh…”
Elisha’s face flushed crimson in an instant. After glaring at Camilla for a moment, she suddenly jumped to her feet.
Of course! I shouldn’t have come here in the first place!
“Do you like theater?”
“…Why?”
Elisha’s steps toward the door faltered. Had it been any other topic, she would have ignored it and left, but the word “theater” made her body respond instinctively.
“I heard you went to see a play alone.”
Now that I thought about it, Camilla used to visit the Theater quite often, practically dragging Elisha along with her.
The old Camilla had shown no interest in such things, so I had reluctantly followed her, grumbling all the way.
But watching her, I found the plays in this world quite fascinating.
“‘The Malevolent Heart,’ was it? It was more entertaining than I expected.”
“You remember?”
“I think we saw that play together three times?”
“That’s right!”
Elisha’s voice suddenly grew louder.
“But did you really find it entertaining?”
“Yeah.”
“I thought you hated theater.”
You knew I hated it and still dragged me along? You’re hopeless—learning nothing but bad habits. Tsk.
“I heard they’re staging ‘The Malevolent Heart’ again this time!”
“Are we going to see it again?”
She really does love theater.
It was somewhat unexpected to see Elisha’s eyes sparkling as she spoke about the play, even in front of me who despised it so thoroughly.
“I-I’ll go see it.”
Embarrassed at having revealed her true feelings, Elisha’s face flushed again as she hurried toward the door.
“Take these.”
Camilla handed her several protective talismans that Ravi had left behind.
In all my repeated lives, I had never once heard that a direct heir of the Sorpel Household had died…
‘Just to be safe, you never know.’
That creature with zero combat ability was, regrettably, the one I worried about most.
“Why would you even give me this…?”
“They say people who get cursed out live a very long time. You should live long too, shouldn’t you? And you know how much I love to tear into you normally.”
“The way you talk is just…!”
Watching the door slam shut, Camilla couldn’t help but giggle. That creature had a certain charm when it came to teasing.
“Speaking of which, that one doesn’t look well at all.”
Was she losing sleep over troubles with her friends?
Noticing how noticeably gaunt Elisha had become compared to the last time I’d seen her, I clicked my tongue softly.
[You’re not sleeping?]
“What time is it?”
[Past midnight.]
“Already?”
I set down the book I’d been reading. The Jebillen Household had more interesting books than I’d expected.
They said Elisha loved theater, so perhaps that was why? There were plenty of play scripts, and countless original novels that had been adapted into theatrical productions.
“Should I have some tea?”
Though it was late, I’d planned to finish the book I was reading before bed anyway, so I rose from my seat. I decided to go to the Kitchen myself to stretch my stiff body as well.
-Ugh… uhhh…!
“What was that sound?”
Moments later, as I left my room and headed toward the Kitchen, I stopped at the faint sound reaching my ears.
“Elisha?”
The source of that sound was unmistakably Elisha’s room.
-Hnn… ughh…
‘Could it be…!’
My expression hardened. Had the enemies’ attack already begun? But if that were the case, everywhere else would be in chaos. Then a thief? An assassin?
Crash!
I immediately threw open the door and rushed inside. Trusting the protective tools Ravi and Ludvil had given me, my movements were without hesitation.
“Elis…!”
But the moment I stepped into the room, my face contorted. An unexpected scene was unfolding before me.
‘What is that ghost doing now?’
The one attacking the sleeping Elisha was a person… no, a ghost.
* * *
“This is truly a masterpiece!”
Just moments before, Elisha too had been reading late into the night.
『The Heart of Evil』. No matter how many times she read this book, it never grew tiresome.
Even though she’d already seen it performed as a play multiple times, each viewing brought fresh joy and wonder.
“Sigh… I want to act too.”
Though she’d never told anyone, her dream was to become an actress. To perform on stage.
Elisha had been completely captivated by a play she’d happened to see as a child, and ever since, she’d seized every opportunity to watch theater.
Every single day, she dreamed of standing on that stage herself, even just once.
“But how could I possibly….”
It was truly nothing more than a dream.
“Me, the young lady of the Jebillen Household, becoming an actress.”
The moment those words left her lips, she knew better than anyone how her father and those around her would react.
She’d be fortunate if she wasn’t cast out of the house. Petro might even support her, but Father….
“Sigh.”
Another long breath escaped Elisha’s lips. Her only hobby and solace was practicing acting alone before the mirror each night.
What began as a way to soothe her regrets had only deepened her yearning for the craft.
“Should I call it a night?”
Elisha checked the time and made her way to bed. Her steps felt remarkably heavy.
Lately, falling asleep terrified her.
It felt as though she were having nightmares, yet upon waking, she remembered nothing. Often the bedding was damp with cold sweat.
“Is the bed worn out?”
Could the uncomfortable sleeping conditions be to blame?
Elisha stared at the bed with anxious eyes for a moment before carefully closing them.
Yet contrary to her worries, she soon fell into deep slumber, breathing steadily and evenly.
Glub… glub….
About an hour passed. The drawer of her vanity, positioned in one corner of the room, creaked open bit by bit.
A pale hand jutted out from within, and a woman with long, disheveled hair crawled out awkwardly.
Moving with deliberate slowness toward the bed, the woman climbed atop Elisha’s sleeping form as if it were routine. Her hands then reached for Elisha’s throat.
“Ugh… ughh…!”
A moan escaped Elisha’s lips. Her complexion grew increasingly pallid as her breathing became labored.
[Just a little more….]
Ghost uttered incomprehensible words repeatedly, tightening her grip. Her eyes flickered with a wild, frenzied gleam.
“Kh… huh… ughh….”
Elisha’s moans grew louder.
[A bit more… just a little more…!]
CRACK!
“Knock it off.”
[…!]
In that instant, Ghost’s body lurched forward violently—struck by a single, brutally rough blow to the head.
“Zeno, hit her again.”
[Sure thing.]
CRACK!
[Aaaahhh!]
Before Camilla’s words had even finished, Zeno drove his fist into the bewildered spirit’s head once more.
[Y-you… what are you?]
“That’s what I should be asking. What are you?”
Leaving the panicked spirit behind, Camilla quickly examined Elisha on the bed.
Momentarily pinned by the spirit’s assault, she now slept peacefully, breathing softly and steadily as if nothing had occurred.
“Take her with you.”
I entrusted Ghost to Zeno before slowly leaving the room. My gaze lingered one last time on the vanity table from which Ghost had emerged moments before.
‘That seems to be the problem.’
What on earth was something like that doing in my room?
Staring at the vanity table, where I could feel the distinctive chill of a spirit-possessed object, I clicked my tongue softly.

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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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