A Fortune-telling Princess - Chapter 150

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————

At my words, Elisha’s anger melted away as she smiled brightly and drew closer to Zeno. Petro, too, marveled at his sister’s swift change of mood.
“Sister, please stay at our home for a very long time.”
Elisha, arms crossed, leaned her face gently against mine. With her cheeks pressed softly and eyes crinkling in warmth, she resembled a kitten seeking affection.
‘This is overwhelming.’
The light in Elisha’s eyes as she gazed at me felt achingly familiar—exactly like the devoted fans who once followed me everywhere.
‘Did I perform too convincingly?’
Perhaps it was the effect of stepping on stage after so long. I had genuinely lost myself in the performance, thinking of nothing else.
It had been quite some time since I’d experienced such authentic acting, and it was remarkably enjoyable.
“Sister, aren’t you warm? Shall I fan you?”
Watching Elisha’s eyes sparkle as she produced a fan from nowhere, I couldn’t help but laugh.
* * *
[What have you been doing since earlier?]
Zeno asked, unable to hide his bewilderment.
For some time now, I had been secretly hiding things throughout the house.
[What is that?]
“Ravi gave it to me.”
[Protective mana stones? Why are you placing them there?]
“He said they block fire.”
Even as I answered, I continued selecting only fire-resistant defensive items and placing them inconspicuously throughout the house.
[Fire? Why suddenly fire?]
“These things happen.”
I had ultimately decided against informing the others about this incident—the theft of the Sword of Protection.
Upon reflection, something felt distinctly wrong.
‘Of all places, it had to be the Jebillen Household.’
Yet the defenses had crumbled far too easily, and flames erupted within the house.
‘Even with Duke Jebillen absent, this place has formidable baseline protections. How could this possibly happen?’
This was deeply suspicious. And after careful consideration….
‘What if there’s an enemy within?’
There could be an insider. Hadn’t Duke Sorpel himself once fall victim to poison?
The culprit had been someone who’d worked at the ducal house for years—the deputy head chef, no less. Who would have suspected he’d been bought by enemies?
‘The same could be true here.’
Once I reached that conclusion, I simply couldn’t tell the others.
If word of my suspicions reached an internal enemy, the situation could spiral into something far worse.
“I trust only you, Zeno.”
[What are you suddenly saying?]
“This place might come under attack very soon.”
[Attack? What do you—! Wait!]
Zeno’s expression hardened as something clicked into place.
[You mentioned something before about what would happen if the Sword of Protection disappeared! Is this connected to that?]
“Yes, the Sword of Protection will be stolen very soon—”
“What are you talking about?”
Someone interjected into their conversation.
“Theft?”
It was Arsian. He completely ignored Ghost Zeno, who appeared as a dark silhouette, and strode directly toward me.
“Is something happening in this house?”
“Well, that is…”
“Speak plainly.”
“Yes!”
Goodness! Was he angry right now? At the sight of his furrowed brow, I found myself nodding frantically without thinking.
‘Come to think of it.’
It would be better if Arsian knew about this situation, wouldn’t it?
“I’m not certain, but I had a strange dream.”
“A dream?”
“This mansion was engulfed in flames, and the Sword of Protection disappeared.”
A short sigh escaped Arsian’s lips.
“Is that why you’re here?”
At the sight of me nodding while averting my gaze, the furrow between Arsian’s brows deepened further.
“I thought something was odd…”
I hadn’t understood her words and actions at all—how she suddenly said she’d stay at the Jebillen Household to play with Elisha, whom she wasn’t even close to.
I’d assumed there was some reason, but I never imagined it would be something like this.
He immediately seized my hand and began walking swiftly toward somewhere.
“Where are you going all of a sudden?”
“Pack your things right now.”
“What?”
“Knowing that, why did you come here! Go home immediately. I’ll stay here.”
The grip on my hand was no joke—he clearly intended to send me home at once.
“Wait.”
I quickly stopped Arsian.
“I have something to do here.”
“I’ll do it.”
I stared at him blankly for a moment—he was offering to do whatever it was without even knowing what it entailed.
Soon a smile bloomed across my lips.
“You’re smiling? Pack your things now.”
“Arsian.”
He, who had been genuinely angry at such reckless behavior, faltered at my call.
Arsian. Since childhood, I had despised being called by that name.
A name given by that man. Merely hearing it made me feel revulsion, and it felt like an inescapable shackle—one I could never shed in my lifetime.
Yet why was it that when her voice spoke my name, an inexplicable sense of fulfillment bloomed within me?
I loved how his name resonated purely through her voice.
“What are you worried about? You’re right beside me.”
“You….”
“With you by my side, there’s no way I could be in danger.”
Camilla soothed him gently.
If I returned home like this, I’d only grow more anxious.
When would the attack begin? What if the Sword of Protection had already vanished? Such worries would rob me of sleep entirely.
‘And what about Zeno?’
Now that he knew enemies would breach the mansion and touch the Sword of Protection, he wouldn’t remain idle either.
He’d pester me relentlessly every single day, demanding I find out what was happening. Better to simply stay here.
“You’re saying you’ll remain here?”
“Yes.”
“….”
“I won’t get hurt. I swear it.”
Her gaze never wavered, not a hint of deception in her eyes, and Arsian finally exhaled a sigh.
“How am I supposed to win against you?”
Arsian’s hand brushed lightly around her face.
Each time he did, the protective charms she wore glimmered softly.
He was layering another protective enchantment over the magic Ravi had given her.
Had other mages witnessed this, they would have been horrified. Inscribing new magic onto existing items was never a simple task.
Yet Arsian performed it as though it were nothing at all.
“I just need to increase fire resistance?”
Arsian then methodically overlaid his own magic onto every hidden magical item Camilla possessed.
“Well, yes, but….”
Camilla regarded Arsian with slight wonder.
“You believe me? My words?”
About the mansion burning, about the enemies’ attacks—such an absurd claim—yet Arsian showed not a shred of doubt.
“They’re your words.”
At that brief answer, her eyes widened slightly before a smile bloomed across her lips.
“But do you really have to go this far?”
“What do you mean?”
“Why not just let it burn? It’s a wealthy household anyway.”
The fact that he was protecting Petro’s mansion clearly displeased him, his complaints flowing freely.
“Wait, what? What are you two doing right now?”
Just then, Elisha spotted them from a distance and came rushing over.
Did she overhear us—
“Step away! Right now!”
…No, she didn’t.
She wedged herself between Arsian and Camilla, forcibly separating them.
“I told you not to approach my sister, Evi.”
“Do you really want to be punished?”
“What? A guest is threatening the master of the house? I could just stop feeding you—!”
“Elisha, that’s enough.”
“Yes!”
As if she hadn’t been stubborn moments before, Elisha’s mouth snapped shut and she hurried to Camilla’s side.
“Sister, I brought coffee from your cafe. Would you like to have some with me?”
The sudden shift in atmosphere made Arsian’s expression turn bewildered, while Camilla gave a subtle shake of her head.
* * *
[Camilla!]
“Mm… what?”
[You need to wake up.]
Late into the night, Zeno urgently roused me from sleep, just as the others had drifted off. His voice carried an unusual urgency, and I snapped my eyes open immediately.
“What’s wrong?”
[There’s suspicious movement.]
“…!”
Without asking further, I rose from my bed.
Creak!
I opened the door and stepped out, only to freeze. The floor was drenched with something slick and wet.
“Oil?”
[That’s right.]
So there truly was an insider helping them? I furrowed my brow at the oil spread throughout the corridors.
“Did you see them?”
[Over there.]
I moved carefully, making no sound.
Walking through the darkness without stepping on the oil scattered across the floor proved far more difficult than I’d anticipated.
[There.]
‘There’s more than one.’
Three people were pouring oil—two who appeared to be Attendants and one who appeared to be a Maidservant.
Once they finished pouring, they gathered in one spot and began whispering urgently among themselves.
But they soon dispersed.
The one who appeared to be a Maidservant rushed outside, while the other two began striking sparks into the oil.
‘So that’s why it fell so easily.’
It had seemed strange that the Jebillen Household had been breached so effortlessly by outsiders—but of course, there was an enemy within.
Whoosh!
Watching the sparks ignite, I slowly emerged from my hiding place and took a step toward them.
* * *
“It’s over here! Hurry! There’s a massive fire inside the mansion!”
The Maidservant who had rushed outside gathered as many soldiers and Knights standing guard as she could.
At the news of a great fire inside the mansion, everyone rushed over without hesitation.
‘What? Hasn’t the fire caught yet?’
But as the woman approached the mansion, her brow furrowed continuously.
By now, smoke should be billowing and flames should be roaring, yet from outside, there was no sign of fire at all.
‘What on earth is happening?’
Regardless, the woman hurried inside the mansion with the people she was leading, fulfilling the duty entrusted to her.
With the conviction that the building inside would still be ablaze!

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————