A Fortune-telling Princess - Chapter 245
—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————
The man swung his arms wildly and kicked at the children to separate Rio and Daive.
“Ugh!”
“Ah… it hurts.”
Both children cried out in pain as they tumbled across the floor.
But Rio and Daive quickly scrambled to their feet and rushed to block Sena, positioning themselves between her and the man to prevent him from approaching.
“….”
Only then did Sena open her eyes and look at the two children. Watching Rio and Daive stand before her with their arms spread wide, Sena’s mouth fell open in a daze.
“You… you little brats!”
Consumed entirely by rage, the man’s vision seemed to blur as he grabbed a wooden rod lying nearby. Then he strode toward them with heavy steps.
Watching this, Sena’s eyes flickered with unrelenting turmoil.
[Kill him. You can kill him. That man—isn’t he your darkness!]
In that moment, Rube’s voice pierced through my mind.
‘Kill him? I can?’
[Of course! I can make him vanish without a trace! If you wish it, I’ll grant you all the power you need!]
“….”
That man was my darkness? And I can make that darkness disappear?
The man drew near and raised the wooden rod to strike the children. But Rio and Daive trembled violently while refusing to step aside from in front of Sena.
“Kill—”
The moment Sena made her decision and began to cry out.
Crack!
“Gack!”
A brown shoe slammed into the man’s head.
“What the hell, you bastard?”
It was Camilla.
“Ugh….”
The man, clearly struck hard, crouched down while cradling his head and groaning continuously.
“Sister!”
“Sister Camilla!”
At her arrival, Rio and Daive felt relief wash over them, but sorrow surged in its wake—both of their eyes reddened rapidly.
“….”
Camilla’s expression grew cold as she took in the sight of the three children.
Sena was dragged about and bleeding from scrapes everywhere, while Rio and Daive were equally covered in wounds from being kicked and rolling across the floor moments before.
[Hey, Camilla?]
[You there?]
Sensing Camilla’s aura, Zeno and Aislah called out to her cautiously.
Should I beat him to death or freeze him to death?
After a brief moment of deliberation, Camilla—
“Ugh! What the hell are you—!”
“Aislah.”
chose to freeze him to death.
“Ugh… ugh! Mmph!”
The man, who had been venting his rage and preparing to swing the wooden rod once more, suddenly froze solid in an instant.
At first confused about what was happening, his face soon contorted with terror and agony.
“Krraaagh…!”
His screams quickly fell silent.
“He’s not actually dead, is he?”
[He’s alive. He’ll thaw out in a few hours. Though he’ll have frostbite.]
That wasn’t my concern.
Once Camilla confirmed the man had quieted, she hurried toward the three children.
“Are you alright?”
“Sniff… sister….”
“It hurts here and here too. Sister Sena got hurt the worst!”
Should I really kill that bastard?
Examining the children’s condition up close, Camilla’s fury surged anew.
I wished Priest Ghost Arena were here at moments like this. Then these wounds would vanish in an instant….
That was when it happened.
A brilliant flash erupted!
“Hm?”
In that very moment of lamenting Arena’s absence, radiant light poured forth from Camilla’s hands.
The soft, almost sacred glow instantly enveloped the children.
“Wow!”
“Sister, did you do this?”
When the light faded moments later, the children’s wounds had vanished without a trace.
“I’m not sure.”
Watching the children’s amazement, Camilla couldn’t hide her own astonishment. What on earth was happening?
“Should we move somewhere else for now?”
Only then did Camilla realize how many eyes were upon them, and she suggested they relocate.
“Sister, that must have hurt so much?”
“Are you okay?”
Rio and Daive approached Sena, who remained sitting on the ground.
“….”
Sena gazed silently at the two boys.
Wondering if she still had injuries, the two boys’ faces filled with concern once more.
“Is there anywhere else that hurts?”
“Sister, does it still hurt?”
Sena slowly shook her head.
I had always hurt, yet felt no pain. I had always suffered, yet felt no suffering.
Because such a life had always been my reality.
But now….
“Sister, don’t worry anymore! I’ll protect you from now on!”
But why does it hurt so much right now?
That gentle question asking if I’m in pain, that worried gaze searching my face—why does it ache like this?
“Ugh….”
“Sister?”
The child I wanted to protect ended up protecting me instead. Why does that hurt so deeply?
And….
“Nngh….”
Why does it feel so good?
Thump.
Camilla, who had drawn close without a sound, gently stroked Sena’s hair as if she understood everything in her heart.
“Ugh… hic….”
At that touch, that tender touch, Sena began to cry aloud for the first time.
[Damn it! Damn it! Daaaamn it!]
Rube’s voice, dripping with exasperation, grew louder still.
Chapter. The Sorcerer Ghost
“What about that man?”
“His sentence will be handed down tomorrow, they say.”
“Tomorrow? That’s faster than expected.”
“Given the circumstances, everyone seems to be on high alert.”
This was about Sena’s father.
“Not only did he sell his own child to the Eba Cult, but he committed such insane acts on top of that—there’s no way this will be overlooked lightly. In truth, the first reason alone would be sufficient grounds for imprisonment.”
The man whom Aislah had frozen solid did not die, and not long after, he was freed from the ice statue.
But he had no choice but to be dragged away by the Security Force that had already been dispatched upon receiving the report.
“It seems unlikely he’ll be released easily.”
“Of course not.”
Those people had moved.
Duke Sefra and Duke Escra. The sons of both ducal households had been wounded by that man’s kicks.
“It nearly became a war.”
When Duke Sefra heard that Rio had been injured, he went directly to the Security Force.
Everyone who saw him was shocked, but none more so than the perpetrator himself—Sena’s father.
‘So you’re the one who hit my child.’
‘Th… that is… I…!’
In an atmosphere so murderous it seemed a sword might be drawn at any moment, Sena’s father trembled and could barely form words.
‘How dare you strike my son? And you’re a foreigner at that?’
Duke Escra felt the same way.
The son of the true power of the Gracia Empire had been wounded while traveling in another country.
Naturally, the Imperial Court had to pay close attention to this matter. It was an incident that could create problems on a national level.
But the ones who should have been at the center of this incident were never Rio and Daive.
“I hope Sena’s heart finds some peace….”
“Time will heal it.”
“That’s how it should be.”
I believed the man’s crimes should be judged primarily on the suffering he inflicted upon that child—the wounds, the pain—and that appropriate punishment must be administered accordingly.
To that end, I prevented Duke Sefra and Duke Escra from intervening any further in this matter.
‘I couldn’t allow Sena’s abuse to be treated lightly.’
I didn’t want him to believe his imprisonment and punishment stemmed from assaulting a nobleman’s child rather than from abusing his own son.
That wasn’t what either Sena or I desired.
“Miss Sena testified remarkably well, considering the circumstances.”
“She did.”
Though I’d told her she needn’t testify if it proved too difficult, Sena took the stand in the Courtroom and recounted everything about her father herself.
From the violence she endured as a child to being sold for thirteen gold to members of the Eba Cult.
As everyone present watched Sena recount each harrowing detail with such composure, a profound sense of pity filled the room.
Yet there was also immense pride in witnessing her strength.
‘Standing in such a position at such a young age couldn’t have been easy.’
And it was no ordinary testimony—she was accusing her own parent. Yet Sena never hesitated.
At her age, she already seemed to grasp the weight of responsibility for what she must do. It was both admirable and heartbreaking.
“It seems as though he’ll spend his entire life imprisoned.”
“As he should.”
This case had even drawn the Imperial Court’s attention, however briefly.
Two ducal households were entangled in it, and I, the Duke’s daughter and Sena’s guardian, appeared personally in the Courtroom at every hearing.
Witnessing all of this, what judge would dare treat this case lightly? They would have exhausted every statute, written and unwritten, to impose the harshest penalties possible.
Sena’s father, sensing the grave atmosphere surrounding him, eventually expressed belated remorse—but it was far too late.
“In any case, Sena’s matter has been resolved well.”
“Yes.”
The emotional wounds the child had endured for so long couldn’t be healed in an instant.
All I could do was quietly witness her growth and support her through it.
“And besides, Rio is with her now.”
Sena was no longer alone.
‘Sister, does it still hurt? Hmm?’
‘…No.’
Watching Rio pour out his worried words through tears, I saw the faintest smile bloom on Sena’s lips for the first time.
The knowledge that someone else carries your pain in their heart brings a comfort far greater than one might expect. Perhaps Sena’s suffering will gradually fade as well.
—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————