A Fortune-telling Princess - Chapter 238

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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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“I was so worried you might be sick for over a month.”
“Yes, fortunately not.”
A month in name, but spending the entire duration languishing in illness makes life feel like it’s barely worth living.
Had this state persisted any longer, I might have truly lost my mind.
“So tell me now.”
“Tell you what?”
“Don’t play dumb. You still have something to tell me.”
As I fixed Dorman with a sharp stare, an awkward smile crossed his face.
When Camilla’s gaze grew even more piercing, he released a silent sigh. As if her glare could truly frighten anyone in that state.
“There’s nothing to hide about it… It’s simply something like divine fever.”
“Divine fever?”
“It’s a symptom that the Mirror of Truth periodically experiences.”
“Periodically? Then I’ll have to suffer through this illness again later?”
“Yes.”
“Ugh.”
I’m no shaman, and what is this divine fever anyway? How irritating.
“Well, I suppose that’s how it is for me.”
But why was the previous Camilla who inhabited this body ever sick in the first place?
I couldn’t quite understand it. I could accept my own condition since I am the Mirror of Truth, but why her?
“Even though the soul departed, the vessel itself is the Mirror of Truth, so it was affected. Still, Sia who was here suffered for a much shorter period.”
This time around, she had been ill for nearly a month.
But according to Ravi’s account, the original Sia who inhabited this body had suffered for about two weeks.
“Tsk.”
The original owner occupied the body and suffered for a full month regardless. What an honest vessel this is.
“When will I be sick again later? What’s the cycle?”
“I’m not entirely sure about that.”
“You don’t know?”
“They all died before we could find out.”
“Ah…”
I had momentarily forgotten how the Mirrors of Truth born in this world had met their ends.
“Still, please don’t worry too much. When you were Sia, you went for long periods without symptoms anyway.”
“That’s true.”
At least since I was four years old, I haven’t been particularly ill.
“But…”
Camilla glanced around the room. The space that was usually bustling with noise felt unusually quiet today.
“Where is everyone else?”
“Who? Daive and Duke Escra?”
“Yes.”
At Camilla’s question, Dorman’s expression became peculiar with a mysterious smile.
“They’ve gone to participate.”
“Participation in what?”
What was he suddenly talking about? Had there been some kind of war?
Seeing Camilla’s startled expression, Dorman chuckled and continued.
“A custody battle for the son.”
“What?”
* * *
“Would you like to try some of this as well?”
“Yes? Oh, yes!”
“If there’s anything you’d like to eat or anything you need, don’t hesitate to tell me.”
“Yes….”
Daive, fork in mouth, gazed at Duke Sorpel seated before him with eyes that wavered uncertainly.
“Does it seem like our child went without food growing up?”
How childish, trying to win him over through food.
Duke Escra cast a sharp glance toward Duke Sorpel, his mockery evident at such petty tactics. The man who had scoffed at such trivial behavior soon became aware of another presence in the room and hesitantly opened his mouth.
“I happened to acquire a rather rare grimoire recently.”
“…A grimoire?”
“Are you interested? Should you ever visit the Gracia Empire, I would be delighted to gift it to you.”
“Yes?”
Ravi, uncharacteristically flustered, felt the weight of Duke Escra’s intensely persistent gaze.
“Our Empire has plenty of grimoires!”
How despicable, trying to probe my son’s heart with mere grimoires!
Duke Sorpel ground his teeth audibly. He knew all too well why that bastard kept making advances toward Ravi!
‘And what of you?’
Duke Escra found himself in the same position.
How could he not understand Duke Sorpel’s intentions, as he continuously smiled at Daive in that uncharacteristic manner while showering him with gifts?
‘Because Camilla cherishes this child….’
‘Because this boy is the only one she considers family….’
Both Daive and Ravi were precious to Camilla, holding significant weight in her stability, which is why each duke wished to take them to their respective empires.
Duke Sorpel wanted Daive to remain here, while Duke Escra wished to take Ravi with him.
Should that happen, the likelihood of Camilla choosing to be with them would increase substantially.
“Our Daive resembles his sister so much.”
“Our? When did you ever see him that my Daive became your Daive?”
“Does the duration matter? From our first meeting, I felt certain he was my child.”
“Why would my child be your child?”
“How childish to quibble over such things. And you—why do you keep pestering our Ravi?”
“Ravi and I have a long history. He was once my child as well.”
“And who was it that abandoned and left that child?”
“Haven’t you heard? There was an accident. I lost my memories and didn’t know. Had it not been for that, surely—”
“Do you truly believe that excuse justifies the wounds of a child who thought himself abandoned?”
Duke Escra’s previously composed expression grew heavy and dark.
Regardless of the reason, there was no excuse for the years I spent forgetting Ravi and Camilla.
Yet he had his own words to offer. Who was he to claim such righteousness?
“And you—do you think caring for Camilla now makes everything right? You, who once ignored and turned away from her? You didn’t even notice when the servants tormented her?”
“….”
This time, Duke Sorpel clamped his mouth shut. When the other duke pointed out the very guilt that still haunted him, he had nothing to say.
Sparks flew between the two dukes’ eyes as they traded barbs with equal fervor.
“Daive, try some more of this. It’s quite rare.”
“Ravi, if you wish it, I’ll assign you a high-ranking mage as your tutor.”
“Our Empire has plenty of mages too!”
“Our household isn’t destitute either! Why do you keep trying to win the child over with food!”
Ravi and Daive’s eyes met as they watched the two men hurl the same accusations back and forth.
“….”
“….”
Without a word, they both quietly rose and slipped away from the scene.
“He’s our son!”
“Don’t be ridiculous!”
Regardless, the two men’s custody battle showed no signs of ending.
“Aah.”
After spending so long confined to her room, Camilla stepped into the Garden and drew in the crisp air deeply.
Though the day was bitterly cold, having been ill for so long, I felt no desire to return indoors.
“It really is winter.”
Watching the bare branches standing desolate against the sky, I felt the passage of seasons anew.
[Are you very cold? Should I postpone the snow for later?]
“Snow?”
Aislah, the Spirit King of Winter who had been following me, spoke with unexpected words.
[Yes, it will snow a bit later.]
“Oh.”
Now that I thought about it, the sky was filled with clouds. Was this the first snow of the year?
“Sister!”
Just then, someone called out to Camilla from afar and came running.
“Daive.”
Watching the child rush toward me so quickly I feared he might stumble, I found myself smiling without thinking.
Behind Daive came Ludvil and Ravi. It seemed they had personally guided the boy, worried he might get lost.
“Sister, are you okay now? Are you completely better?”
“Yes.”
“That’s a relief!”
I had wanted to embrace him tightly after so long, but instead, I found myself being held snugly in his arms.
Being small was quite inconvenient in many ways.
“Daive.”
“Yes.”
I lifted my heel slightly and gently stroked the child’s head as she looked up at me.
They say children grow by leaps and bounds, but when did she become so tall?
“I missed you.”
“Really?”
At Camilla’s words, a bright smile bloomed across Daive’s face.
Meanwhile, Ludvil and Ravi’s eyes went wide. Their shock was unmistakable.
‘Did that brat just say something like that?’
He only spoke such words when he wanted to score points with Father, never throwing out such remarks for anything else.
But then….
“I missed you so much too, Sister.”
“I missed you more.”
“No, you didn’t.”
“Yes, I did.”
What was this embarrassingly sweet banter all about?
As Ludvil and Ravi watched Camilla and Daive exchange such words without hesitation—words that made one want to scratch their skin—their gazes grew increasingly sharp.
“…Brother.”
“Yeah.”
“Isn’t what that brat’s doing a bit irritating? Acting all spoiled despite being grown up—”
“….”
At that moment, no one knew.
“Sister! Let’s have tea together.”
“Sure.”
“….”
“….”
That another competition had begun.
* * *
“Aislah.”
[Why?]
“You’re not planning to turn this place into a winter kingdom too, are you?”
Camilla gazed out the window at the snow piled high and let out a deep sigh.
The branches had snapped under the weight of the accumulated snow—there was nothing more to say.

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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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