A Fortune-telling Princess - Chapter 206

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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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“…Of course?”
“I don’t even know what I should give in return.”
This was truly the part that troubled me.
With others, I could simply pay them off with money when they helped, but I had no idea how to repay my family.
Ravi was always delighted when I placed mana stones in his hands, so until now I’d been making requests without much difficulty.
‘What about the others?’
Well, could I settle this high-caliber workforce with money?
‘Damn it! What’s the point of raising them if nothing comes back!’
‘Hey! Earn your keep! Do your part! Don’t just freeload here!’
‘A favor? Did you just call that a favor? Ha! So what are you going to do for me!’
Yes, even family doesn’t work for free.
“All I can really offer is…?”
Hm? Was that not it either?
‘Why does the atmosphere feel even heavier?’
Their expressions had grown darker than before.
“Hey!”
Finally, a loud voice burst from Ravi’s lips. From the others came sighs that sounded almost like groans.
“Did you just say compensation! Why are you bringing that up now, here!”
“No, what I meant was every action deserves its proper-”
“Do you want to get scolded?”
Ravi shot up from his seat.
“Were you giving me mana stones all this time for that reason? You’d toss them at me whenever I did something! Was that payment!”
“Well, that…”
There was certainly some truth to that reasoning.
“Because my brother likes it.”
When Ravi received them, he’d smile so brightly. That’s why I gave them to him.
“….”
‘Huh?’
Ravi’s expression, which had been growing heated and tense, suddenly softened.
What? Does he get happy just hearing about mana stones? Is he asking for more?
Pat, pat.
In that moment, a gentle hand stroked my head. Ludvil, sitting beside me, gently patted Camilla’s head with a somewhat relieved expression.
‘Wait, why did the atmosphere suddenly change again?’
Camilla tilted her head in confusion as she felt the heavy air suddenly become soft.
Duke Sorpel let out a short sigh and said nothing more about the matter.
“I don’t need compensation.”
“Huh?”
A voice reached my ears in that moment.
“I don’t need any compensation, so feel free to ask me for help.”
It was Arsian. As he spoke those words firmly with his arms crossed, the air in the room shifted once more.
“Hey, you’re not in a position to butt in right now.”
Ravi regarded Arsian with an exasperated expression.
“Why is that bastard even here in the first place!”
“Unlike someone’s son, Camilla—that child came running straight away to save her.”
“Petro, you fool! What exactly are you doing!”
“Probably grinning like an idiot somewhere again, isn’t he?”
“…Why are you being so irritating today?”
Duke Jebillen also seemed displeased with Arsian, clicking his tongue repeatedly, while Duke Sefra unexpectedly took his side.
‘What’s this? What’s the atmosphere here?’
Sensing the mood had lightened considerably, Camilla asked what had been puzzling her since earlier.
“But how did you three end up in that place?”
She still couldn’t make sense of their sudden appearance.
At Camilla’s question, the gazes of the three Dukes turned toward her simultaneously.
Duke Sorpel’s words that followed were enough to leave her speechless.
“The Eba Cult.”
“…Pardon?”
“We were investigating the Eba Cult.”
Because those words had come from his lips.
Chapter. The Emperor’s Death
“Nothing to say?”
“Thank you. You were looking for me, weren’t you? Was I really that much of a worry to you?”
“That’s not what you should be saying right now, is it?”
Camilla glared at Jainer intently.
“Don’t expect any payment for this request.”
“Yes, my client.”
Irritating bastard.
“Your body?”
“As you can see, perfectly fine.”
Camilla let out a short sigh.
If he’d died because of this, I would’ve been stuck with the guilt. Frankly, it would’ve been like he died because of a request I made!
“Why didn’t you say anything? If you’d discovered something, you should’ve reported it to me immediately. Why did you dig deeper on your own and create this mess?”
“Right. Why indeed?”
…Is questioning me back becoming a trend lately? Is it a trend only I’m unaware of?
‘They say if you resent someone deeply enough, you start to resemble them.’
Are you really going to become a Dorman copy? Do you need to get hit with a sword hilt to come to your senses too? Huh?
“Still, I’m surprised the Dukes all knew about it.”
Seeing Camilla’s expression grow increasingly cold, Jainer hastily changed the subject.
“They truly live up to being the Guardian Houses of the Faybler Empire, wouldn’t you say?”
Another short sigh escaped from Camilla’s lips.
The three Dukes already knew so much that all her agonizing over how to broach the subject of the Eba Cult with others seemed almost laughable.
“Since when….”
“Since the Hunting Competition?”
“That’s right.”
“While investigating those who attacked Crown Prince Edsen, I found many strange things.”
It had been since the Hunting Competition.
All three Ducal Houses had been secretly investigating the group that attacked Crown Prince Edsen.
‘They said there wasn’t much progress.’
At the time, it was publicly concluded that they had ultimately lost all traces of the culprits.
But all three Dukes did not simply let the matter rest.
“And there have been many incidents since then.”
“Adopted children disappearing.”
“Our Rio was even kidnapped back then.”
“Those who recently attacked our household were all the same group.”
As they traced back through each incident that had occurred, it did not take long to identify that the entity behind it all was the Eba Cult.
“And the matter with Lania… that child as well.”
Watching Duke Sorpel’s face as he spoke Lania’s name, seeing so many emotions etched upon it, Camilla found herself unable to speak.
‘Could he have known?’
That Lania’s mother, the former Duchess Sorpel, was a member of the Eba Cult.
Perhaps he discovered the true identity of the former Duchess while investigating the false Lania.
‘If he still doesn’t know… I should tell him now.’
But the pain in Duke Sorpel’s expression when mentioning Lania was so profound that my lips simply would not move.
One could not pour salt into a wound already so deep.
Still, since things had come to this, I would have to tell him the truth this time.
“But Camilla.”
“Yes.”
“Why is it?”
“…?”
“You were present in all of these incidents.”
The three Dukes’ gazes turned toward Camilla once more.
In the end, Camilla revealed all the facts she knew.
Of course, she glossed over the part about a ghost coming to find her and dragging her into these affairs.
And finally, she disclosed one more crucial fact.
“What did you just say….”
“Who? What? The Eba Cult?”
“The Emperor… is the pillar of the Eba Cult?”
Not having known this fact until now, all three Dukes’ expressions hardened rapidly. Even Duke Sefra, whose expression had remained unchanged throughout, furrowed his brow repeatedly.
‘This will be difficult for them to believe, won’t it?’
How could I prove it?
Watching the three men sit in silence, Camilla found herself lost in thought.
But then….
“If the Emperor is a member of the Eba Cult, this is going to be troublesome.”
“We’ll need to move our forces discreetly.”
“First, we should root out any Eba Cult members hiding within the Imperial Palace.”
The three Dukes accepted that the Emperor was a member of the Eba Cult with remarkable ease—as if all their previous deliberation had been pointless.
“You believe my words?”
As I regarded them with a mixture of curiosity and astonishment, all three spoke in unison.
“They’re your words, aren’t they?”
They even offered faint smiles, as though I were asking something obvious.
“I trust my daughter’s words. Whose else would I trust?”
“The Guardian’s Blade would never speak falsehoods.”
“A daughter-in-law’s words are always right.”
“…What did you just say?”
“Daughter-in-law? Daughter-in-law! You bastard! Who are you calling a daughter-in-law!”
“This tea tastes excellent.”
“Don’t change the subject!”
“You cunning fox!”
In any case, after revealing everything, my heart felt considerably lighter—though…
“Will they be alright?”
All three departed to move their forces covertly.
This meant a full-scale battle with the Eba Cult was truly coming, didn’t it?
“I say again—the Guardian Houses aren’t called the Guardian Houses for nothing.”
Jainer continued lightly, as if understanding my anxious heart.
“Why do you think the Emperor has remained silent and hidden all this time?”
According to Camilla’s account, the one presumed to be the Church Leader of the Eba Cult had reigned as Emperor for centuries.
Yet despite this, the reason he had kept the existence of the Eba Cult thoroughly concealed and remained dormant was clear.
“Fear.”
He was afraid of the Guardian Houses that command Shinsu.
“He couldn’t even dare to stir.”
That’s how much he feared the three Ducal Houses.
“Don’t worry too much. Even in our Gracia Empire, we’ve been more cautious and vigilant of the three Ducal Houses than the Emperor himself.”
Camilla agreed with his words.
Yes, it was those three people, no one else.
‘And now our King has grown too.’
As I thought of King, who was likely clinging to Duke Sorpel’s side and whining by now, a smile naturally bloomed on my lips.
Though he hadn’t achieved complete growth yet, the mere fact that King existed was reassuring.
Bang!
“Miss!”
The door suddenly burst open, and Butler Rube rushed in with urgent steps—a stark contrast to his usual composure.
“What’s wrong?”
“Disaster has struck!”
“What’s happened now?”
At this point, I doubted anything could surprise me anymore.
“It appears something has occurred at the Imperial Palace.”
“At the Imperial Palace? Why?”
Could Emperor Faybler have somehow discovered the movements of the Three Ducal Houses?
At the mention of the Imperial Palace, Camilla’s expression hardened instantly.
But what Rube said moments later shocked her even more.
“His Majesty has passed away.”
“…What?”
“It appears the Emperor has died.”
* * *
“What did you just say?”
“His Majesty has breathed his last.”
Crown Prince Edsen doubted his own ears. The man had been perfectly fine just yesterday evening—how could he have passed away overnight?
“What are you talking about?”
“You must go at once. And….”
When Attendant Bell hesitated to continue, Edsen pressed him further.
“What is it?”
“He has transferred the throne to Prince Abihel.”
“…What?”
Edsen’s face froze as he prepared to leave in haste.

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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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