A Fortune-telling Princess - Chapter 184

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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. The Eye of the Storm
“Prince Abihel?”
“Yes, Alberto.”
High Priest Daniel’s answer was so unexpected that Emperor Faybler studied him in silence, demanding further explanation.
“If we cannot extract her soul through the sacred relic, I thought it would be prudent to draw her to our side instead. If we succeed in that, there would be no need to exhaust ourselves attempting to take her soul.”
“And Prince Abihel is your means to accomplish this?”
“Upon investigation, it appears that the Sorpel lady once showed considerable interest in Prince Abihel.”
“Hmm.”
Emperor Faybler’s reaction was lukewarm at best.
Could such a simple method truly sway Camilla to their side?
“It may prove surprisingly effective.”
“Do you have evidence for this claim?”
“Upon closer examination, she demonstrates unexpected vulnerability toward those she holds dear.”
“Those she holds dear?”
“She lacks the capacity to be cruel to those who show her affection.”
Perhaps it stemmed from her childhood, deprived of genuine familial love. She readily displayed fondness toward anyone who extended kindness or even the smallest gesture of affection.
Her attachment to Prince Abihel was no exception. She had clung to his courteous smiles and casual gestures of kindness with disproportionate intensity.
Of course, that fragile connection had crumbled when Prince Abihel coldly rejected her shortly thereafter.
Yet her patterns remained unchanged afterward. She simply transferred her yearning to another source of kindness—Petro of the Jebillen Family.

Prince Abihel was the same way. He showed excessive attachment to courteous smiles and kindness given lightly out of propriety.
Of course, right after that, Prince Abihel coldly cast her aside, and their insignificant relationship came to an end.
But even after that, her behavior didn’t change. Because right after Prince Abihel, she quickly lost her heart to another act of kindness.
It’s to Petro of the Jebillen Family.
“Though her temperament has shifted considerably of late, her fundamental nature remains immutable. She still appears starved for affection.”
Camilla seemed to invest considerable attention in her family and those around her.
Her charitable donations made in the family’s name, her various acts of benevolence—were these not all manifestations of her hunger to be loved by others?
“I anticipate she will capitulate more readily than expected.”
“Perhaps.”
“Prince Abihel should suffice. She already harbored affection for him once.”
His appearance was beyond reproach, and his temperament equally agreeable. He enjoyed popularity among noble ladies rivaling that of Crown Prince Edsen himself.
Some even preferred Prince Abihel to the inscrutable Crown Prince Edsen.
“If he were to offer her the affection she has never received before…”
Her situation could resolve itself with surprising ease.
“Perhaps so.”
Emperor Faybler ultimately nodded in agreement with his reasoning.
“Humans have always been vulnerable to such emotions.”
Having lived through countless ages, I have witnessed more human lives than most. Among them were many like Camilla, starved for affection.
I understood them well—how desperately they craved love, how far they would go to obtain attention and care.
“There is no harm in attempting it.”
Even if it failed, there was nothing of consequence to lose. Success, on the other hand, would yield an invaluable result.
“Proceed with the plan.”
“Understood.”
* * *
“Is it delicious?”
“Yes!”
At the cafe, Camilla had brought out every item on the menu and spread them before Rio.
“Mmm.”
Watching Rio happily munch on cake with his mouth wide open, a faint smile tugged at Camilla’s lips.
“What about King?”
“At home.”
“Can I visit him next time?”
“Sure.”
At the mention of Rio’s visit, I found myself wondering how many magic stones were left at home. Perhaps I should buy more?
“When will he arrive?”
“Soon, I’d think?”
Arsian had come along, but he was currently in the office with Chris, handling paperwork regarding the mana stones that had been discovered.
Since I couldn’t keep Rio there any longer, I’d brought the child to the cafe first.
“He shouldn’t be too late… though it keeps dwindling…”
“So that’s why you left some?”
Camilla laughed.
He’d been eating happily but left half behind—I’d wondered why, but it seemed he was saving it for Arsian.
“When Arsian arrives, I’ll get you something fresh. Eat more of this.”
“Mmm.”
As I spooned in a bite of the watermelon smoothie that had been flying off the shelves all summer, the child’s eyes sparkled even brighter.
‘He would’ve enjoyed it more with a wider straw.’
But the way he was eating it with a spoon was quite adorable. The straw development could wait a bit longer.
“It’s so good!”
“That’s right, eat plenty.”
Camilla gently stroked the child’s head. At her touch, the boy giggled, then suddenly clapped his hands as if remembering something.
“I have something to give you too, sister!”
“Something to give me?”
The child pulled something from the small bag slung diagonally across his shoulder.
“I made it!”
It was a small cushion. Camilla’s face was embroidered on it.
Of course, the stitches were uneven and the colors inconsistent—if not for the sketch underneath, I wouldn’t have known what it was supposed to be.
But for him to have completed something like this alone at his age! My Rio is a genius, isn’t he?
“You really made this yourself?”
“Yes! My fingers even bled!”
…This is rather touching.
Camilla gently stroked the child’s head again. What a sweet thing he was, always doing such endearing things.
“I finished it faster than he did!”
“What?”
He? Why would Arsian come up here?
Ding—!
Just then, the cafe door chimed open as Arsian stepped inside.
Rio, recognizing him immediately, shot his hand up and called out to Arsian.
“Brother!”
He approached the two of them directly. His gaze swept across the table before abruptly freezing on the cushion.
“Brother, you’re making one too, but it’s still not finished…!”
“Rio! Eat this!”
“Nom!”
Arsian swiftly cut a bite-sized piece of cake and popped it into the child’s mouth.
Then he cautiously glanced at Camilla.
‘…Damn it.’
Watching her gaze alternate between him and the cushion, Arsian slowly wiped his reddening face.
As a smile gradually bloomed across her features, he deliberately looked away.
“When will it be finished?”
“What?”
“That.”
“Rio misread it. There’s no way I’d make something like that—”
“But you are? Your one is a bit bigger than mine, a cush—”
“Rio! Ah!”
“Nom.”
….
….
A brief silence fell over them.
Arsian pressed his brow repeatedly with his fingers as if his head ached. It was painfully obvious that Camilla was desperately suppressing her laughter.
‘Damn it!’
Rio, blissfully unaware, simply took another large bite of cake with an innocent expression.
Ding—!
At that moment, the cafe door opened again as someone entered.
Camilla’s eyes, which had casually drifted toward the entrance, grew progressively wider.
“What?”
Arsian, turning his head in response to her reaction, immediately contorted his face the moment he identified the newcomer.
“So you were here after all.”
It was Crown Prince Edsen.
Caught off guard by his sudden appearance, Camilla found herself unable to respond. What on earth was he doing here?
‘And what’s with that awkward outfit?’
He’d apparently dressed in plain clothes in an attempt to go unnoticed.
As if that would help. The noble bearing that radiated from his head to his toes only made him stand out even more.
Watching him enter in attire that screamed of some wealthy young master sneaking out for a secret outing, Camilla shook her head lightly.
“What brings you all the way here?”
And without an escort, no less?
I know well enough how skilled he is with a sword, but there are far too many who have their eyes on him. He truly has no fear.
“There’s something I wanted to ask you.”
“Me, sir?”
Edsen, seated in his chair, turned his gaze toward Rio, who was staring at him blankly instead of responding.
He found himself watching the child with considerable interest—eyes blinking, cream smeared around his mouth.
“So this is that child.”
He had already heard the news that House Sephira had adopted a child.
It was exceedingly rare for a noble house to adopt someone with no blood relation, let alone a commoner, so there had been much talk about it at the time.
And it wasn’t just any household—it was the Duke Sefra’s family, no less.
Everyone had been intensely curious about what kind of child could have made both Duke Sefra and his heir accept him into their fold.
“Would you like some?”
“Hmm?”
“Ah.”
….
Apparently misunderstanding his fixed gaze, the child scooped up a piece of cake with his fork and offered it forward.
Crown Prince Edsen, momentarily flustered, soon let out a soft laugh and shook his head.
“You eat it.”
“It’s delicious.”
“I do enjoy sweets, but I’m not so lacking in conscience as to steal a child’s dessert. Go ahead and eat.”
“Yes, yum!”
After that, Edsen couldn’t take his eyes off Rio as he ate his dessert.
The way he stuffed his cheeks full of cake looked just like a little squirrel.
“Um, Crown Prince Edsen.”
Finally, unable to bear it any longer, Camilla spoke to him again.
He surely hadn’t come just to watch a child eat. She wondered what he actually wanted to ask about.
“I heard you met Prince Abihel.”
“Yes?”
Prince Abihel? The Second Prince?
‘I did meet him, it’s true.’
They had run into each other unexpectedly at Empress Javela’s tea party, but surely he hadn’t come all this way just to ask about that?
“It was only briefly last time.”
“Empress Javela made a petition to Father, asking whether it might be worth pursuing a marriage arrangement between you and Prince Abihel.”
“Cough!”
W-what did he just say? Who was pursuing what?
Camilla nearly spat out the coffee she’d been drinking. What kind of absurd nonsense was this?
“So you truly knew nothing of this matter.”
“You’re joking, surely?”
“Do I look like I came all this way to tell jokes?”
“That’s exactly what I mean.”
It had been strange enough when Prince Abihel suddenly appeared at the tea party that day, but she never expected it would lead to such a ridiculous turn of events.
“Father has given his approval as well, I hear. What are your thoughts on the matter?”
“My thoughts?”

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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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