A Fortune-telling Princess - Chapter 161

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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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‘Today, I’ve specially prepared this dessert just for all of you.’
‘My goodness! It’s so beautiful.’
‘It’s almost too pretty to eat, Your Majesty.’
Still, as the young lady of the Sorpel Household, I had been frequently invited to the tea parties hosted by Empress Javela.
‘Oh? It seems we’re short one serving.’
‘How did this happen? I distinctly ordered everything to be prepared without shortage.’
‘My apologies, Your Majesty. It appears there was an oversight.’
‘I’m sorry, Miss Camilla. What should we do?’
‘It’s quite alright. I don’t particularly care for sweets anyway….’
‘Is that so? How fortunate.’
Fortunate? What nonsense!
‘How infuriating!’
Mistakes happen once or twice, but how could one serving consistently fall short every single time? And was it truly mere coincidence that the food always ran out right in front of Camilla?
‘How childish, playing games with food.’
Even children wouldn’t stoop to such tactics, yet the Empress of the Empire was doing exactly that. Behind her outward laughter and pleasantries, her eyes brimmed with contempt whenever she looked at Camilla.
‘Miss Camilla, how is the tea? I do hope it suits your palate.’
One day, she had taken to pouring tea for Camilla first, of all people. Truly, there was no end to her schemes.
‘The taste is quite exquisite, Your Majesty. It suits me perfectly.’
‘Is that so?’
Watching Camilla take a quick sip and offer her praise, the Empress’s smile deepened.
Only then did Empress Javela pick up her own teacup and taste the tea.
‘Ugh! Annie, why does this tea taste so foul?’
‘My sincerest apologies, Your Majesty. It appears the tea leaves were spoiled. I shall prepare fresh tea at once.’
‘Good heavens! Miss Camilla, I’m so sorry. What should we do? Please stop drinking. That tea is spoiled.’
‘This is absurd!’
Spoiled tea leaves in the Imperial Palace? And the tea that the Empress herself was drinking, no less? Without deliberate effort, how could anyone supply such defective goods to the Imperial Court? There had to be limits to playing games with people!
Surely there were standards to how far one could mock another!
‘She drank spoiled tea and called it delicious.’
Everyone in the room laughed at Camilla. Whispers circulated that one’s origins simply couldn’t be helped.
At those words, Camilla shrank further into herself, and in the end, she could only return home with flushed cheeks, unable to utter a single word in her defense.
And Empress Javela savored Camilla’s humiliation as though it were mere entertainment.
‘Yet she’s sent another invitation?’
I couldn’t very well tear up the invitation card.
‘This is truly ridiculous.’
Ever since I became the owner of the Mana Stone Mine and took control of the Ghost Merchant Guild, I hadn’t received invitations as frequently as before.
‘She must have found it burdensome to continue using me as a laughingstock.’
Or perhaps she simply found it distasteful to see someone she had thoroughly ignored suddenly flourishing.
But then, what scheme was she plotting now by sending this invitation?
“Why? Don’t you want to go this time either?”
At that moment, Duke Escra’s eyes gleamed as he posed the question.
“No, I really do want to go!”
Worried that Ravi might show up and cause a scene again, I quickly shook my head.
You may be someone with tremendous power who can act recklessly even toward the Imperial Family, but I’m just an ordinary commoner!
‘Of course…’
I should demonstrate that even a commoner will squirm when stepped on, shouldn’t I?
“I’ll write the acceptance letter myself.”
I smiled brightly and took the invitation.
‘Yes, this time I’ll participate with genuine pleasure.’
My smile deepened further.
* * *
“Have all the guests arrived?”
“Yes, they have all come.”
“The Sorpel young lady as well?”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
At Maidservant Annie’s response, a short sigh escaped from Empress Javela’s lips.
“Why of all people…”
She was none other than that man’s daughter.
“After I had so thoroughly disregarded her.”
Of course, I harbored no regrets about my actions thus far.
Though her biological father had been revealed, my aversion toward Camilla’s mother remained unchanged.
If anything, this recent affair had only strengthened my conviction on the matter.
“How vulgar.”
I had heard that Ravi Sorpel’s father was not that man but someone else entirely. How many men had she dallied with?
“That I must personally deal with the child of such a woman.”
But what choice did I have? All of this was for my son’s sake.
I had already attempted to meet with Duke Escra multiple times, but each attempt had ended in failure.
He had even refused the Emperor Faybler’s dinner invitation outright. In the end, my only option was Camilla.
“He is still staying at the Sorpel Estate, is he not?”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
Hearing Maidservant Annie’s response, Empress Javela’s brow furrowed further. It seemed I would have no choice but to use Camilla to meet with him.
“Let us go.”
With a brief sigh, Empress Javela quickly erased her displeasure and headed toward the place where Camilla and the others were waiting.
The weather was pleasant and not too warm, so refreshments had been arranged in the Garden.
“Oh my! Goodness.”
“It’s truly beautiful.”
“I love it so much, Miss Camilla.”
As I approached the venue, the noblewomen’s exclamations reached my ears first. Hearing their continuous praise, Empress Javela’s pace quickened slightly.
What was happening? Even as I drew near, everyone was too absorbed in looking at something to notice my arrival.
“Ah! Your Majesty has arrived?”
Only after a moment did one noblewoman’s cry break the spell, and everyone hastily bowed their heads toward me.
“Everyone seems to be enjoying themselves.”
Empress Javela smiled brightly.
“Please look at this, Your Majesty.”
“Camilla gave us such precious gifts.”
The noblewomen each held small boxes in their hands.
Inside were jewels that appeared to be hair ornaments, and the moment Empress Javela saw them, an exclamation escaped her lips.
The craftsmanship was exquisite, but the design was exceptionally beautiful. Most impressive of all were the blue diamonds set delicately as accents throughout.
“I’m so glad everyone likes them. I was worried I’d prepared something too modest.”
“Too modest, you say!”
Camilla, who had drawn near without anyone noticing, smiled and bowed her head toward Empress Javela.
“I do hope Your Majesty finds hers to your liking as well.”
Of course I’d prepared one for her too.
A flicker of anticipation crossed Empress Javela’s face. Camilla immediately turned her head and extended her hand toward Dorman, who had accompanied her.
“Oh dear! What should we do, Miss?”
“What’s wrong?”
“It seems I miscounted, Miss.”
“What? There isn’t enough?”
“No, Miss. My apologies.”
“I told you to prepare without any shortage.”
After reproaching Dorman with a brief glance, Camilla quickly bowed deeply toward Empress Javela.
“I beg your pardon, Your Majesty. What should we do? It appears my attendant has made an error.”
“….”
…An error?
‘Why does this feel so familiar?’
The current situation didn’t feel unfamiliar at all.
“Sometimes such trivial mistakes do happen.”
Camilla’s eyes curved more beautifully as she gazed at Empress Javela.
“Like when the number of desserts occasionally falls short.”
At Camilla’s words, something suddenly came to mind. Hadn’t she played such pranks on her in the past?
‘This wench!’
Empress Javela ground her teeth inwardly. Was she really bringing up what happened back then? How dare she, to me?
Of course, Camilla paid it no mind.
‘Why? Childish?’
People are always more irritated by childish acts. They say it’s childish on the surface, but inside they’re seething.
‘I actually held back from bringing her spoiled drinks in the same way.’
Toward Empress Javela, who maintained a benevolent smile on the surface despite what might be churning within, Camilla offered a radiant smile in return.
A smile that conveyed: don’t forget what you did to me.
She understood as well. Why Empress Javela had summoned her like this today.
‘It must be because of Duke Escra.’
Everyone already knew that she had been running around in all directions lately trying to curry favor with Duke Escra.
Perhaps she was trying to arrange a meeting with him through me?
With her actions, I made it clear that I had absolutely no intention of doing so right now.
I was essentially telling her: You’ve done something to me, so why would I listen to such a request?
‘So don’t send me any more insincere invitations from now on.’
It’s annoying.
“Hehehehe… hahahaha!”
“…!”
In that moment, laughter echoed through the air. I turned my head quickly to see Crown Prince Edsen shaking his head with a broad grin.
At his sudden appearance, Empress Javela’s brow furrowed slightly. But it was only for an instant, and I was the only one who witnessed that expression.
Immediately, Empress Javela, with a smile playing at her lips, greeted him in a cheerful voice.
“Welcome, Crown Prince. What brings you here?”
“I was just taking a stroll. I wish I’d come earlier if I’d known something this entertaining was happening.”
“…Something entertaining?”
Instead of answering, Edsen smiled faintly and approached me.
Seeing him draw near, my eyes darted away. I desperately wanted to avoid meeting his gaze.
‘Why?’
I was only planning to give that woman a light warning—truly, the lightest of warnings!
I just wanted to show her a bit of squirming, befitting an ordinary person, and leave! So don’t come over here!
“You must understand why someone who always sneered at you for carrying such filthy, lowborn blood suddenly called out to you like this.”
…Are you openly mocking me right now?
They say a sister-in-law who stops you is worse than a mother-in-law who hits you. …Wait, is that even the right comparison? Anyway, you’re worse!
At Crown Prince Edsen’s blunt words, the air around us grew cold in an instant.
Everyone present knew exactly who he was referring to.
After all, we had all witnessed how Empress Javela subtly looked down on me, and none of us had disagreed with her sentiment.
“Isn’t it funny? Just a while ago, she was scheming to kill you from behind, and now she’s desperate to meet with you.”
It’s not funny at all. If anything, I want to cry!
‘Why are you saying such things while looking at me!’
I was afraid to turn around. Ever since earlier, I’d felt a chill on the back of my neck—someone’s gaze piercing straight through me.

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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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