A Fortune-telling Princess - Chapter 217

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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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Camilla deliberately averted her gaze from Aislah, who was expressing her displeasure at being treated like a ghost.
And you know what?
‘Neither Zeno nor Arena particularly likes Aislah.’
Not to mention Shinsu, the King.
Whether each of them maintained their own boundaries or simply kept their distance, the awkwardness between them was unmistakable.
“There’s truly no harm to your body whatsoever?”
At Duke Sorpel’s question moments later, Camilla found herself wearing a faint smile without realizing it.
How could he be so unchanging? His first question about anything that happened to her was always the same.
‘You’re not being harmed, are you?’
‘Your body is fine, isn’t it?’
‘It’s not causing any damage to your body, is it…!’
“Yes, in fact it’s been quite beneficial.”
“I see.”
Another short sigh escaped Duke Sorpel’s lips.
Even with Camilla’s reassurance, his concern remained unabated, his eyes still brimming with worry.
Within his chest lingered the fear he had felt upon learning that his daughter was the Mirror of Truth.
Perhaps this trembling would only fade once all remnants of the Eba Cult were eliminated.
“Whatever they say, you need do nothing. I will handle the Eba Cult one way or another, so don’t worry yourself at all.”
“But…”
Swiftly.
Camilla’s gaze, which had been about to say something more, slowly shifted toward the table.
“…?”
Ludvil, who had been sitting quietly, pushed a teacup toward her.
I still have tea left in mine—why is he giving me another?
“Since there’s someone here… I thought I should offer them some.”
“…Pardon?”
So he’s pushing a teacup toward me to give to the ghost? With such a serious expression on his face?
[Hmm, this human knows proper etiquette.]
Unlike Camilla’s bewilderment, Aislah wore a satisfied expression.
Wait, Aislah—didn’t you just get treated like a ghost again?
[But why is that human acting like that?]
That human?
Camilla tilted her head slightly to see what was meant, only to find her expression becoming equally baffled.
‘Indeed. Why is he acting that way?’
Ravi was clenching his fists tightly, his eyes darting about frantically as he scanned his surroundings.
His hair trembled at the slightest breeze, and he flinched at every movement. He seemed to be trying his best not to show it, but…
‘Can’t he at least act naturally?’
Could he actually be frightened of the ghost right now? Despite his sharp appearance, as if he’d use even a dead spirit as magical material?
Camilla clicked her tongue softly to herself and shook her head slightly.
“By the way, that one still hasn’t returned?”
At Duke Sorpel’s question, a subtle smile played at the corners of Camilla’s lips.
She immediately understood who he meant by “that fellow.”
“I received word that he’ll be returning soon.”
Arsian had also left the Capital to deal with the remnants of the Eba Cult.
He had recently discovered the location where children who were meant to be sacrifices were being held, and he said he would return to the Capital soon once he resolved the matter of those children.
Sometimes Arsian would contact her first, and sometimes she would initiate contact.
‘Arsian?’
That was when she had contacted him first.
The communication crystal barely vibrated before he answered. So naturally, she assumed he was resting.
「Camilla.」
‘What are you doing? Busy?’
「Not at all.」
‘Really? Have you eaten-‘
Crash!
Aaaah!
Over there! They’re fleeing that way!
‘…Arsian?’
「Yeah, Camilla.」
‘Are you working right now?’
「It’s fine. Don’t worry about it.」
Aaaah! Die!
Quiet. Don’t you see I’m on a call?
Crash!
‘Arsian? You’re really okay?’
「I’m fine.」
‘…I’ll hang up.’
「Why? Why hang up already? Is it because of the noise?」
Everyone shut up!
Feeling the sudden silence around him at Arsian’s chilling command, Camilla quietly disconnected the communication crystal.
After that, she never initiated contact with him again.
“That scatterbrained fool. If he’s going to fight, he should focus on the task at hand, not contact you. He’s got way too much free time.”
“But Older Brother, you contacted me last time when you went to catch those Eba Cult members.”
“That was because I had something important to discuss.”
“…Was whether I had eaten important business?”
“Of course! What could be more important than food?”
“Excuse me?”
You’re one to talk, constantly starving yourself whenever you’re absorbed in research.
Ravi found Camilla’s smile when she mentioned Arsian displeasing and seized the opportunity to nitpick again.
“Why are you even close with someone so socially inept?”
“Older Brother, doesn’t that comment sting a little?”
You have zero social skills yourself, Ravi!
Camilla stared at him silently for a moment, then lifted her gaze to peer intently at the space behind Ravi’s back.
“Why, why?”
Sensing something ominous, Ravi flinched.
“What are you looking at?”
Regardless of his question.
“Would you come over here instead?”
“W-what?”
“This way, please.”
“You, you—what are you saying? What’s behind me? What is it? D-don’t tell me…!”
Ignoring Ravi’s panicked stammering, Camilla shifted her gaze elsewhere.
To the seat beside Ravi.
“Hmm… do you find that seat comfortable?”
“Eek!”
Finally, he yelped and jumped to his feet.
[Why is he like this?]
‘I wonder. Why is he really like this?’
No matter how skilled my acting is, he reacted so easily to such a simple lie. Should I feel proud of myself?
Clinging to Ludvil with a deathly pale face, Ravi looked exactly like a baby koala clinging to its mother.
Even now, he couldn’t stop casting furtive glances at the seat beside him. It was quite…
Camilla clicked her tongue inwardly, over and over.
Whoosh.
In that moment, Ludvil silently slid his teacup across the table with an expressionless face.
Toward the seat beside Ravi.
“…”
I wonder if someone would come drink that tea for him?
Surely I’m imagining things—Ludvil’s hopeful gaze fixed on that teacup, right?
* * *
“I’m genuinely curious about this.”
Camilla sat in the cafe, savoring a cup of coffee, and let out a hollow laugh as she watched one particular person.
“What is he doing?”
Her gaze fell upon Dorman, who was enthusiastically recommending menu items to customers and pitching the desserts.
After staring at him blankly for a moment, Camilla turned her head and asked the person sitting across from her.
“Aren’t you returning to work?”
Reaper Habel, who had been gulping down the coffee Camilla brought him, let out a short sigh internally at her question.
“I cannot return.”
“Why?”
“The bridge has been crossed.”
“So why exactly?”
And yet he was singing about wanting to return to work.
She had been anxious about facing disadvantages upon reinstatement, so she’d kept her mouth firmly shut about everything. But why couldn’t she do it now?
“I exchanged it for giving you and Sia the right to choose.”
“But you rejected that. Both Sia and I said we wouldn’t do it, didn’t we?”
It was something I learned later—apparently, Sia had been given the exact same choice as well.
But the fact that she too had made her final choice to abandon a new life rather than her current one made Camilla honestly a little happy.
No matter how much her soul had been exchanged and she’d lived a mistaken life, if the person named “Sia” that she had painfully sustained for so long had vanished from everyone’s memories as if she’d never existed from the beginning, it would have been truly disappointing.
‘Would Sia feel the same way?’
If I had made the choice to abandon this life as Camilla, how would it have felt? Unlike me, would she have felt nothing at all?
“So what? Did I just waste the chance to be reinstated for nothing?”
If I’d known it would come to this, I should have given it more serious thought when he said he’d give me a new life.
‘Well, the result would have been the same anyway.’
I had always complained to Dorman and whined about how difficult things were, but when he genuinely offered me a new life, the decision came easier than expected.
It was then that I could clearly realize I had already deeply acknowledged that this place, this life, was my own.
“If you and she had made a different choice….”
“A different choice?”
A new life, perhaps?
“If you’d chosen that, then what?”
Reaper Habel closed his mouth without answering immediately. His gaze had already turned toward Dorman.
From Habel’s lips, as he gazed at him in silence for a long while, came a soft voice like a murmur.
“You probably wouldn’t be here like this.”

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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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