A Fortune-telling Princess - Chapter 252

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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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Well, I suppose that’s possible.
No matter what else I say, he is the father of my child. That single fact might be why I haven’t completely abandoned all lingering attachment.
In any case, the coldness in Camilla’s eyes as she regarded Jishua remained utterly undiminished.
I’ve never met a man who abandoned his wife and child and turned out to be worth anything.
[Tia… kept holding onto this ring all this time….]
“This is hardly the moment to lose yourself in sentiment.”
What are you reminiscing about? Do you truly believe you deserve to?
[I know well enough…. That I have no conscience, that I’m unfit as a husband and as a father.]
At least you’re aware of that much.
[Her death—it’s all my fault.]
What are you saying?
Camilla’s eyes narrowed progressively.
[If only I hadn’t left…. Ravi, that child becoming so sharp-tongued—that’s all my doing too…. A man like me… someone like me….]
“….”
One thing I had to acknowledge.
‘So this man really is Ravi’s father.’
He has the exact same talent for digging himself into holes. I’d wondered who Ravi’s pathetically miserable nature came from.
Camilla exhaled silently and shook her head slowly.
“So, what do you intend to do now?”
Are you planning to stay attached to Ravi’s side like this?
[There was only one thing I wished for when I came here.]
But contrary to Camilla’s concerns, Jishua immediately shook his head. A bitter smile played at his lips.
[I simply wanted to see him once.]
To see how Ravi was living.
[I wanted to give him something.]
The dragon’s grimoire—the last trace of myself. I desperately wanted to pass that on to Ravi at least.
When I learned that Ravi was walking the path of mana just as I had, I felt both joy and profound regret.
[If only I had lived….]
Then I could have given Ravi so much more. We could have discussed magic together, conducted research side by side.
The regret was overwhelming.
[Still, I’m grateful.]
“For what?”
[That child isn’t alone.]
A faint smile crossed Jishua’s face as he looked at Camilla.
[That you’ve become family to him.]
“…Because we are family.”
At Camilla’s brief answer, Jishua’s smile deepened.
[I wish I could give you something too.]
“You already gave me something last time.”
[That was merely compensation for granting my request. Hmm….]
He paused, lost in thought. He’d already found everything he possessed and given it to Ravi—what could he possibly offer me?
[Ah! What about this? Since I’ve wandered around quite a bit, I know of several mines with decent mineral deposits.]
‘Another mine?’
Perhaps it was a characteristic of spirits. Since many of them preferred dark, damp places, information about mines had been flooding in particularly abundantly.
“That’s kind of you, but I actually have quite a few mines myself—”
[It’s a mineral people have been favoring lately. What was it called… diamonds?]
“Father, would you like some tea? I’m actually quite skilled at brewing it!”
[…Father?]
“If you’re Ravi’s father, then you’re my father too.”
Beaming with a radiant smile.
‘What? Why?’
What did I say wrong? We’re all family anyway.
‘A Diamond Mine!’
What does the title matter! Even if you look like an older brother, I could call you that if you’d prefer! I’m happy to call you brother!
[….]
Toward Jishua, who was regarding her with a bewildered expression, Camilla beamed an even brighter smile.
* * *
“Brother.”
“What?”
“Aren’t you going to the Magic Tower? Is it really okay to slack off like this every day?”
“Slack off? I’m in the middle of serious research!”
Ravi had been devouring the grimoire Jishua handed over for more than a month now.
If I hadn’t forced him to eat and rest, his name would surely have been added to the list of mages who died from research.
‘Is it really that enjoyable?’
I couldn’t fathom why studying such a difficult grimoire brought him such joy—his vacant expression belied eyes that sparkled with unmistakable brilliance.
“Take this.”
“What is it?”
“Mother’s keepsake.”
“What?”
He finally lifted his head slightly, his eyes reluctant to leave the grimoire.
“Mother’s keepsake? Where did you find it?”
“While organizing the storage room.”
“A ring?”
An emerald ring with an antique design. I vaguely recalled seeing Mother wear it when I was younger.
“Did you have it made into a necklace on purpose?”
“Since Mother wore it, it wouldn’t fit your hand, so I had it converted.”
“Never mind. Just keep it.”
Even if it was something Mother left behind, there seemed little point in keeping a ring he couldn’t wear, let alone having it remade into a necklace.
Ravi rolled the ring in his palm a few times before fastening the necklace cord with an indifferent expression. He’d intended to return it to me.
“Your biological father gave it to Mother.”
“…What?”
Ravi’s mouth fell slightly open.
He gazed at the necklace he was holding with fresh eyes. This was a ring given to me by my biological father?
“How did you know that?”
“There was a letter next to the ring. It said the ring was a betrothal gift.”
“A letter?”
“Yes, but it was so old it tore. I wanted to show it to my brother too, but…. I’m sorry.”
I couldn’t bring myself to mention that I’d heard it directly from my dead brother’s father, so I simply glossed over it.
“….”
Ravi’s gaze returned to the ring. Why hadn’t he noticed it before?
Ravi harbored the question briefly, but found nothing strange in Camilla’s words. After all, he’d never truly paid attention to his mother’s keepsakes in the first place.
“Hmm….”
Ravi placed the necklace around his neck with an expression that felt somewhat awkward.
The only trace left behind by his biological father….
The feeling was strangely bittersweet.
He’d only heard that his father had passed away shortly after he was born—he didn’t even know his father’s name.
‘Mother never wanted to talk about Father.’
Whenever the subject of his father came up, his mother would hastily change the topic or her expression would visibly harden. So Ravi too had refrained from mentioning him.
“His name is Jishua.”
“…Jishua?”
“Yes.”
“Jishua….”
Ravi repeated his father’s name, learning it for the first time, his expression wistful as his eyes lingered on the ring.
[….]
Watching Ravi, Jishua’s face too was painted with conflicting emotions.
What was he thinking as he looked at that ring?
Resentment toward me? Or perhaps… longing? Even knowing it was a foolish hope, my heart ached.
[…Thank you.]
After some time had passed and Jishua confirmed that Ravi’s attention had returned to the grimoire, he offered Camilla his gratitude.
From that gesture, Camilla understood at once. Like the others, he too was preparing to depart.
[….]
Jishua left no parting words asking her to look after Ravi. Or rather, he couldn’t.
He knew all too well that he had no right to.
[Take care.]
With that final farewell to Camilla, he was gradually enveloped in light and swiftly vanished from sight.
“Hey, what are you staring off into space like that for?”
“I wonder. What am I looking at?”
“…!”
As Camilla gazed into the empty air with a peculiar smile, Ravi’s face went rigid in an instant.
“You, you! Don’t tell me…!”
…Always the same. It’s actually quite difficult for a person to be so consistent.
After savoring Ravi’s increasingly pale face for a moment, Camilla gazed toward where Jishua had disappeared.
‘Don’t worry. I’ll take good care of my brother.’
She offered a belated greeting in her heart, a faint smile gracing her lips.
* * *
Hummmmm— huuuummm—!
“Hm?”
Ravi, who had been absorbed in reading grimoires in the Research Laboratory as usual, turned his head at the sound of the communication crystal chiming.
“What is it?”
Wondering if his master was contacting him, he retrieved the communication crystal, only to furrow his brow slightly at the color indicating the caller’s identity.
“That color is….”
Unfamiliar, yet not entirely unknown.
The problem was that there was absolutely no reason for that color to be connected to his communication crystal.
Huuuummm—!
As the communication crystal continued its relentless chiming, Ravi finally answered with a displeased expression.
「Ravi?」
“What is it?”
As expected, Duke Escra’s voice came through.
He knew the Duke often contacted Camilla, but this was his first time receiving a call from him.
Blinking in confusion about what this could mean, the other party pressed his face even closer to the visual communication crystal.
Finding the intense stare burdensome, Ravi leaned back slightly, only to hear the other side emit some nonsensical complaint about feeling hurt.
What’s wrong with this guy? Did he eat something bad?

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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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