A Fortune-telling Princess - Chapter 23

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————

“Ah, I wish summer would never come.”
[Miss…]
“I’m joking, just joking.”
Walking past the lakeside, I caught sight of my butler ghost Derin’s mournful expression and let out a soft laugh.
“But do you really have to follow me all the way to the Academy?”
[Hersel is waiting for you with such longing.]
Of course he is.
After waiting so long—long enough for resentment to fester—how impatient must he be? A single day must feel like a year to him.
‘I understand his feelings well enough, but…’
Can I really do this?
The water was cold enough as it was, but my swimming skills were frankly terrible.
The lake looked quite deep, and I had no idea where the egg was—could I really find it and retrieve it safely?
[Don’t worry. As I mentioned before, I’ve already confirmed exactly where the divine beast’s egg is in the water. You just need to follow me.]
“…”
Derin, sensing my thoughts, reassured me once more.
‘I’ve never been afraid of water, at least…’
I’d done underwater shoots for commercials and films several times before.
‘Well, it’ll work out somehow.’
I averted my gaze from Derin’s eager eyes, silently pleading for me to enter the water and retrieve the egg as soon as possible, and resumed walking.
“Talk to me.”
“I have nothing to say.”
Hm?
Just as I was about to emerge from the dense forest, I heard voices from somewhere and stopped. A man was holding a woman’s arm, engaged in conversation.
“Let’s have some tea together.”
Seriously?
‘What is this outdated line?’
Even street thugs these days don’t use lines like that. Why am I embarrassed for him?
I shook my head in disapproval. I simply tried to tiptoe away from the scene.
Crack!
“I have no intention of doing so.”
The woman wrenched her hand free from the man’s grip and declared firmly. As she did, I drifted further and further away from them.
“Ha! You don’t even know your place…!”
I froze.
Your place?
‘Why would that word come up here?’
My steps came to an abrupt halt.
I’d thought it was simply a man chasing after a woman he fancied? My gaze turned back toward the two of them.
“Your family is nothing but a minor house—where do you get off acting so proud?”
I watched as the man seized the woman’s wrist again.
Startled by his violent words and actions, the woman, who had momentarily been unable to react, now struggled desperately in his grip.
“Let go of me!”
The man didn’t budge at her refusal. Instead, he flashed a sly smile and pulled her toward himself.
“Ah!”
Her body crumpled under his violent action.
Whether she’d twisted her ankle or not, she collapsed to the floor and couldn’t get up. Noticing this, a contemptible smile spread across the man’s lips.
“What kind of household is ours that you dare… you should just say thank you and follow along. Now stop—”
“It’s not the household that’s the problem, it’s the person, isn’t it?”
“…!”
“You sleep during language class? That’s why your language selection skills and comprehension are so lacking. It’s not the household you dislike—it’s you.”
The man quickly turned his head, and Juide froze when he faced the owner of that voice.
“C-Camilla Sorpel?”
“You don’t need to thank me for recognizing you, right?”
Juide’s panicked expression darted around Camilla’s surroundings.
After a moment, as if he’d noticed something, ease returned to his face.
“You came alone?”
“Yeah, so what?”
A sneer twisted Juide’s lips at her answer. His contempt for her was unmistakable.
“Really, there are so many people here who don’t know their place.”
If no one was watching, Camilla would be nothing to worry about. She had a terrible personality, but within the Sorpel Household, she was practically a nonentity.
“Don’t you understand your position yet? Stop meddling and get out.”
“My position….”
Camilla let out a soft laugh.
“Shouldn’t you be more concerned about yours?”
“What?”
“Juide Hebli, second son of Count Hebli. Twenty years old… really twenty? You look ancient. Born to a concubine, not the legitimate wife, you’ve shown reckless tendencies since childhood.”
“What are you spouting right now!”
Juide’s composed face twisted. But Camilla paid no mind and continued.
“March 15th, three years ago—you chased the daughter of the Seibli Barony to kill her and got reported for sexual assault. Such pathetic behavior… anyway, the Barony spent an enormous sum to cover it up. July 3rd last year, you got caught red-handed trying to kidnap the second daughter of the Zailun Barony with your friends. You really live a pitiful life.”
“…Who are you.”
Juide’s eyes flickered uncontrollably.
He couldn’t fathom how she knew things only his father and family members were aware of.
The incidents she mentioned had all been quietly buried long ago at tremendous expense. But how could she possibly…!
“How do you know that!”
“Yeah, I’m curious too.”
Camilla glanced sideways at Derin beside her.
How does he know so much about another family’s affairs?
[That… that wretched bastard…! Miss, he’s actually…!]
Though his agitation seemed to have calmed somewhat, Derin’s expression remained fierce.
‘Derin, what’s your real identity?’
Are all butlers like this?
“I’m the one asking!”
Wow… even his personality is beyond recycling.
Meeting Juide’s gaze—one that looked ready to kill me on the spot—I couldn’t help but let out a soft laugh.
“You don’t know your place.”
“What?”
“How dare you strut about when your own house is so insignificant?”
“…!”
Juide’s face flushed as he received his own words thrown back at him.
“An orphan clinging to the Sorpel Household for survival!”
Wow… how childish. Fine then, I’ll match his childishness.
“I’ll tell.”
“Tell what!”
“I’ll tell the very gracious person who took in this orphan and raised him about what happened today.”
Look at that expression. He knows the Duke is frightening.
It seemed he’d tormented me all this time precisely because he knew Camilla wouldn’t say a word… but.
‘The problem is.’
I’m not her.
The moment I said I’d report today’s incident to the Duke, Juide flinched just as expected.
“Ha….”
But moments later, Juide’s expression relaxed again.
“If you know what I’ve done… then you’d know this too.”
The man, wearing a bitter smile, stepped closer to me.
“That I’ve never paid the price for my sins even once. Why would this time be different?”
Wow… I’ve never marveled at one person three times before. No matter how stupid someone is, it’s amazing how they can be stupid to this extent.
“Stop! He hasn’t done anything wrong!”
An urgent female voice came from behind, but I didn’t spare her a glance.
“What should I do with this bastard?”
I’m too busy figuring out how to deal with him.
‘Well, no one’s watching anyway.’
I’ll admit my reputation can’t fall any further.
So I threw it. What? My bracelet.
“Huh? Uh, uh… Aaaahhh!”
“Oh.”
The bracelet that had fit snugly around my wrist stretched and stretched, transforming into iron chains that bound Juide’s body tight.
Since it was a gift from Ravi, I had my doubts even after throwing it, but the result was remarkably satisfying.
“Wh-what is this! Release me at once! Let go right now! Hey! Aaaahhh!”
Ugh, so noisy.
“Aaaahhh! Wh-what are you doing! Aaaahhh!”
As I lifted my arm, Juide’s body shot upward, soon dangling pitifully from the top of a nearby tree.
“Pl-please let me down! I’m begging you!”
“Keep making noise and I really will release you.”
“Release me!”
“Really? You’ll let me go? If I’m freed from here….”
“…!”
I swallowed the rest of my words, but Juide, quick to understand, immediately fell silent.
“Seems you’re not so eager to die after all. But that aside….”
How on earth was I supposed to undo this thing?
I’d heard about its usage and applications—suspending the person bound by the bracelet in mid-air and such—but I’d never actually learned how to release it.
‘Older Brother, if you were going to teach me, you should have taught me properly!’
Though honestly, who could have predicted I’d use it so immediately?
Despite my inner panic, I maintained a composed smile, as if I could undo it whenever I pleased.
That was when it happened.
“Juide? What are you doing there?”
“You weren’t coming, so I came to check….”
“Didn’t I tell you that you could handle it alone?”
More figures emerged from the shadows. Three men.
At their arrival, Juide’s face—hanging from the tree—brightened considerably.
“Hey! Grab that woman! Now!”
Quick-witted as they were, the men grasped the situation in an instant and surrounded me.
“Damn it….”
I hadn’t expected his allies to be nearby, and I regretted using the bracelet so hastily. I cursed my own stupidity for not asking Ravi about the release method beforehand.
‘When I get back today, I need to ask Ravi to explain the proper usage.’
But first, I had to get through this situation unscathed.
I slowly backed away as the men advanced toward me.
I racked my brain trying to figure out how to escape, but no clear solution came to mind.
Could I actually get away from them if I ran? Classes had already ended for the day, so there probably weren’t many people left in the Academy.
“Huh!”
“Ugh!”
“…?”
Lost in thought, I continued backing away unconsciously, when something suddenly struck me as odd.
The three men who had been approaching me leisurely, like herding rabbits, all stopped in their tracks simultaneously.
Their expressions had gone rigid. What was wrong with them?
‘What is it?’
Puzzled, I continued retreating backward, wanting to put as much distance between us as possible.
But then….
Thud.
“…?”
I collided with something behind me.
Thinking it might be a tree, I quickly turned my head, and my eyes widened in shock. An utterly unexpected presence stood directly behind me.
“Older Brother?”
It was Ludvil.
“What are you doing here?”
That’s what I wanted to ask you.
“What brings you to this place?”
“Just passing through.”
Where in the world could he possibly be going that would take him through here?
Camilla regarded him with a bewildered expression for a moment. Yet she couldn’t help but think there had never been a time when his sudden appearance felt quite so welcome.
Grab!
Without thinking, Camilla seized the hem of his garment tightly. Ludvil, catching sight of this, spoke in his composed voice.
“Are they the ones?”
“Pardon?”
“You summoned them.”

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————