A Fortune-telling Princess - Chapter 151

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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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Crash!
“Oh…!”
Yet the Maidservant’s face, as she opened the Duke’s Mansion door, was painted with bewilderment once more. The interior of the home was equally silent.
She had clearly instructed them to set fires throughout the building while she brought soldiers and Knights. Where were the flames? What on earth had gone wrong?
“What? You said there would be fire?”
“Why is it so quiet?”
“Where exactly is this fire you mentioned?”
“That is… well…!”
The Maidservant grew even more flustered at the Knights’ and soldiers’ questions. The flames should have drawn more Knights and soldiers to converge on the location.
“Seize that woman.”
“…!”
At that moment, a quiet voice rang out. The Maidservant’s head snapped around, her eyes widening rapidly. Without thinking, she stumbled backward a step.
“Ugh!”
“Argh!”
The two Attendants who had conspired with her were being dragged forward, bound by what looked like iron chains.
And the one controlling those chains was none other than Camilla.
Moments earlier, as they attempted to ignite the fire, they had watched the spark fall onto the oil they’d poured and chuckled with satisfaction.
If the Duke’s Mansion burned as planned, their mission would be completed without incident.
“Huh?”
But that’s when the problem began. The fire, which had caught so readily on the oil, suddenly went out with a soft puff.
Sensing something amiss, the Attendant lit it again.
“Why is this happening!”
But once more, the flames seemed to rise before vanishing without a trace.
“What are you doing? Stop fooling around and do this properly!”
“I’m not fooling around!”
After several more attempts, the result remained the same.
“Is this actually the right oil?”
“You prepared it with me—what are you talking about?”
“Then why is it doing this!”
“How should I know!”
Unaware of the fire-resistant magical artifacts hidden throughout the room, they were utterly exasperated.
Whoosh!
“Gasp!”
“What—what is this!”
In that instant, something flew toward the two of them. An elongated iron chain, moving as though alive, wrapped around them both tightly.
They thrashed about trying to break free, but the more they struggled, the tighter the chains constricted.
“Moving will only hurt more.”
“…!”
“That won’t break no matter how hard you try.”
Camilla slowly revealed herself before the two men. The chains binding them were the bracelet that Ravi had once given her as a gift.
At Camilla’s will, their bodies floated suspended in the air before being hurled to the ground repeatedly.
“Ugh! Ugh!”
“Ah, my back!”
“Ow, be quiet.”
They didn’t even think about what they’d done. Why all this fussing over something so trivial?
In any case, having seized the two of them, I was about to relocate with them floating about when—
“Where exactly is the fire?”
“Well, that is…!”
Just then, a Maidservant entering the home caught sight of me, and I revealed myself.
“Damn it!”
The Maidservant, realizing something had gone terribly wrong, fled on the spot. If she were caught now, death would be immediate.
Crash!
“Kyaaaah!”
But as she bolted toward the entrance, she collided with something and fell backward. A transparent barrier of sorts blocked her path.
“Ugh!”
Before she could even properly register the pain, an inexplicable force pulled her body aloft, and her neck was seized directly by someone’s hand.
“What? Is this what you were talking about?”
It was Arsian. He had captured her as she fled using magic.
“What on earth is happening here?”
Petro likewise revealed himself and surveyed the situation.
“Just what are you trying to do—”
Petro’s steps halted abruptly as he approached those being restrained. Arsian too slowly turned his head.
[Enemies.]
At Zeno’s voice from beside me, I too turned my gaze toward the entrance.
Though I had yet to hear or sense anything myself, the reactions of the three made it abundantly clear that something had occurred outside.
Bang!
“We have a crisis!”
In that instant, a soldier rushed urgently inside.
“There’s an unknown force outside…!”
At those words, Petro immediately dashed out, and the other Knights and soldiers hastily followed in his wake.
“You stay here.”
Arsian left me with a warning not to set even a single foot outside the Duke’s Mansion before he too bolted out.
“Zeno.”
Leaving a few Knights to guard the Duke’s Mansion, I watched them disappear so swiftly before calling quietly to Zeno.
“Let’s go to where the Guardian Sword is.”
[Understood.]
Evading the gazes of the others, I swiftly left that place and rushed directly toward where the Guardian Sword lay.
Fortunately, the Duke’s Mansion had not caught fire, but I was certain that someone was definitely after the Guardian Sword.
* * *
“I’m going insane!”
A woman in her late thirties quickened her pace, grinding her teeth incessantly.
“How could you mess this up so badly!”
By now, the Duke’s Mansion should have been engulfed in flames, and the prepared forces should have stormed in, plunging everything into chaos—that was the original plan.
While that unfolded, she was supposed to quickly seize the Guardian Sword and slip away unnoticed.
Yet no matter how long she waited, the signal never came.
The prepared forces outside seemed to have already been deployed, so why was the Duke’s Mansion still standing perfectly intact?
“Idiots! Can’t even set a simple fire!”
Venting her frustration, she hurried toward the task she was originally meant to complete. After all, she knew exactly where the Guardian Sword was kept.
Though the fire hadn’t started, at least the soldiers’ attention had shifted outward, leaving security somewhat lax.
“Finally!”
The Guardian Sword, positioned in the Hall Corridor closest to the Duke’s private chambers. It was protected by defensive magic, but that hardly mattered to her.
A brilliant flash erupted!
Radiant light materialized in her hands in an instant, hurtling swiftly toward the Guardian Sword’s location.
The case shattered with a deafening crash!
The protective case, sealed by defensive magic, crumbled to pieces under her spell. All those years of effort had finally paid off.
“Now it’s truly over.”
How much time had she wasted here learning the incantation to break through the protective magic guarding the Guardian Sword?
Gazing with satisfaction at the shattered transparent case, the woman reached for the Guardian Sword.
A devastating kick came flying through the air!
“Ugh!”
In that instant, the impact sent her body sliding across the floor.
“What? The Head Maidservant?”
One figure stood in disbelief, staring at the familiar face of a woman collapsed on the ground in pain.
Camilla—or rather, Zeno inhabiting her body—clicked his tongue repeatedly.
“Our household has truly fallen far. The Head Maidservant is part of this conspiracy.”
“Ugh… Argh!”
The Head Maidservant staggered to her feet and immediately cast an offensive spell.
A crackling burst of energy erupted!
“What—what is this!”
But her attack was completely neutralized by the magical artifacts densely adorning Camilla’s body, dissipating without so much as touching a single strand of hair.
“Why does nothing ever go right!”
She chose to flee. Everything had clearly gone completely wrong, and she needed to report this to her superiors immediately.
Another devastating blow landed!
“Gahhh!”
But the Head Maidservant’s escape attempt also failed. Zeno had instantly struck the back of her neck, rendering her unconscious.
“A mage working as a Head Maidservant?”
How had she managed to hide this long without being discovered? Did she possess some artifact that concealed her magical power? Zeno shook his head lightly.
….
His gaze had already shifted to the Guardian Sword. Countless emotions swirled in his eyes as he beheld it.
Even as a wandering spirit for countless ages, he had deliberately avoided this place because he lacked the resolve to face this blade.
I lost so much because of this one sword.
I lost my own life and my brother’s life. I thought even looking at it would be painful.
“It’s better than I expected.”
Besides, I’ve lived seeing this sword embedded in my chest every day—why would I suddenly feel such intense emotion now?
I only felt a bitter ache.
If I hadn’t found this sword, would my life have been different?
No. Even if I could go back to that time, I think I would have made the same choice.
My desperation to find this sword back then was beyond my own control.
“I should move the sword for now.”
There’s no telling if others might try to lay their hands on it again.
Camilla told me to keep the sword safe until all those strange people disappeared.
“But it’s really remarkable.”
How does Camilla manage to predict things like this so accurately? I’ve watched from her side every time, and it never ceased to amaze me.
Whoosh.
Zeno reached out to grab the sword. Or rather, he tried to.
Whoooooom—!
“…What?”
If only the sword embedded in his chest, in his very soul, hadn’t cried out at that moment.
Whoom— Whoooom—!
“Even with all that commotion before, it didn’t budge, so why suddenly now?”
As the sword, which had been using his soul as a sheath without any response for so long, suddenly began resonating repeatedly, Zeno couldn’t hide his bewilderment.
Shhhhk!
What happened next was even more shocking.
“Gasp!”
The sword embedded in his chest pulled itself out on its own. Then it seeped directly into the physical sword before him.
Whoooooom—!
The sword began resonating again.
Just like that day long ago, when I first discovered the Guardian Sword at the Cliff, the blade sang out to me repeatedly.
As if to say: I am here, please take me up.
“….”
After staring silently at the sword for a long moment, Zeno slowly reached out his hand.
Whoooosh!
The instant he grasped the sword, brilliant light poured forth from the Guardian Sword, which had slumbered for so long.
* * *
“Those things….”
“Right. Those guys from back then.”
Arsian and Petro’s expressions hardened rapidly. The appearance of those attacking the Jebillen Household was far too familiar.
These creatures that didn’t even whimper when struck. They looked identical to those who had attacked them at the Hunting Grounds before.
“This is troublesome.”
The soldiers and Knights facing them for the first time couldn’t hide their bewilderment, just as Arsian and Petro had at the Hunting Grounds.
Even when swords pierced through them, they didn’t fall—instead, they charged forward with even greater ferocity, as if seeking death itself. Everyone’s spirits were beginning to wear thin.
“How many of these things are there?”
Arsian immediately cut down an enemy and threw himself into the fray.
But their numbers were overwhelming. Just as it had been at the Hunting Grounds before, the endless tide of enemies pressed forward relentlessly, and even Arsian found himself at a loss.
“This is going to be a tedious battle.”
Petro exhaled sharply as he held back their advance toward the Duke’s Mansion.

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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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