A Fortune-telling Princess - Chapter 290

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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 hear they rank the skilled ones and award prizes.”
“So it’s not just a recital—it’s a competition.”
This was news to me. When we last spoke, she hadn’t mentioned anything. Why keep it secret? Did she not want me to know?
“She said her skills were lacking and didn’t want to tell you. She mentioned she might not even receive a prize.”
“What does a prize even matter….”
Camilla started to say that prizes were nothing to fuss over, but the words died in her throat.
Suddenly remembering her past self, she scratched her cheek awkwardly.
‘I’m a bit embarrassed by what I used to say.’
‘Being nominated alone is satisfying and an honor? Are you joking? Not receiving the prize means I’m officially admitting I’m worse than her, so what honor is there in that?’
Those were the words I always spoke back when I was Sia. If you were nominated, of course you should win the prize.
‘Was I insane? Evaluating people based on some prize!’
Just because our Daive doesn’t receive a prize doesn’t mean he’s inferior to other children! What does some trivial prize matter!
‘…I was wrong back then.’
Why had I been like that? Camilla took a moment to reflect on her past self.
“Ah!”
As she pondered how to encourage Daive without burdening him, her eyes suddenly sparkled.
“That’s it!”
“What is?”
Jainer threw her a puzzled look. Seeing him, Camilla’s lips curled into a smile.
“My reason for going to Gracia.”
* * *
“Lady Camilla, would you like another cup of coffee?”
“No, I’m fine.”
Camilla, sitting in her own cafe, lifted her head at the careful voice.
Meari’s eyes met hers, and she blushed slightly, lowering her head in embarrassment.
‘Hmm.’
She was quite shy—every time she spoke to me, her face flushed like this.
‘I’d believe it if you told me she and Sena were sisters.’
I meant Sena at House Sephira. That girl also blushes whenever she sees me, and if I put the two of them together, they’d just keep blushing at each other all day.
“Is there anything difficult about the work?”
“No. Laila and Dorman help me so much that it’s not difficult at all.”
“I’m sure.”
“Pardon?”
“I’m glad to hear it.”
Dorman would certainly help you diligently. I watched Dorman, who was busily cleaning on one side.
‘Since when has he been working with such passion?’
He was desperately trying to ensure that Meari’s workload wouldn’t increase.
These days, Dorman came to the cafe without fail every day, helping with work and never shirking.
Watching him handle tasks without being asked was truly astonishing.
‘Is this really the same guy who used to dump cleaning duties on Habel?’
Camilla shook her head gently.
‘Well, it’s fine.’
…It wasn’t so bad, really.
Watching Dorman’s face, more relaxed than ever before, Camilla let out a soft laugh.
“I’m truly grateful.”
“There’s nothing to thank me for. I needed an employee anyway.”
“That may be true, but… Mother. I’m truly indebted to you.”
Meari bowed deeply from the waist, expressing her gratitude.
When Camilla hired Meari as an employee, there was one more thing she had done—treating her mother.
‘Her leg was nearly at the point of amputation.’
One entire leg had rotted away completely.
She’d been bitten by insects in the Forest, and it had begun swelling progressively, filling with pus.
By the time she saw a Healer, the opportunity had already passed, and the best they could do was slow the decay of her leg.
The reason Meari had endured and persisted at the Bakery without being cast out was precisely to earn money for her mother’s medical treatment.
Being young and lacking social experience, she had far too easily believed that man’s promise to pay her accumulated wages soon.
In any case, once Camilla learned that Meari’s Mother was in poor health, she immediately sought out her home.
The condition was more severe than expected. She could barely move, and the decay extended beyond her leg to affect her organs, leaving her suffering from high fevers.
‘Still, the treatment wasn’t difficult.’
After all, I possessed the sacred power that Arena had thrust upon me.
Before the power of sacred energy once held by a Saint herself, Meari’s Mother’s long-suffering illness was hardly an obstacle.
‘I wonder if I should be using it so freely like this.’
What if a divine oracle comes down? If I’m going to use sacred power so recklessly, they should at least tell me to gather believers and establish a Temple for myself.
‘Then I should demand they take the sacred power back.’
I didn’t ask for it in the first place.
“It was employee welfare, so don’t worry about it.”
“Still…”
“If you’re grateful, work hard.”
“Yes!”
Meari nodded enthusiastically and, beaming with a bright smile, hurried off to help Laila.
Then the two of them quietly disappeared somewhere. They’d been doing that often lately—what were they up to?
“What were you talking about?”
As Meari left her side, Dorman approached and spoke to me.
“Your faults.”
“Ah, why? I haven’t done anything blameworthy lately!”
“You do realize you used to do plenty of blameworthy things, don’t you?”
“Hehe.”
“…Don’t laugh.”
Getting attached. We’re not the type to grow attached to each other, are we?
Watching Dorman grin so broadly for some reason, Camilla regarded him with brief disdain before clicking her tongue lightly. His laughter had become far too frequent since Meari arrived.
“Three days left now.”
“Yeah.”
Three days later. I was finally departing for the Gracia Empire. Duke Sorpel had ultimately granted Camilla permission to go.
‘Daive specifically asked me to come. He said it’s his first recital and he’s so nervous. All the other children have their mothers attending… I want to be there for him too.’
‘….’
‘If I go, I can encourage him in person, and I want to see him perform myself… Would you allow it?’
‘…sigh.’
When Camilla informed him of Daive’s important recital and emphasized that the child desperately wanted her to attend, Duke Sorpel finally relented.
Apparently, the mention of all the other children having their mothers there had swayed his heart.
‘You must absolutely not involve yourself in anything dangerous.’
‘Yes!’
Of course, he didn’t forget his warnings. His eyes were filled with anxiety and suspicion as a bonus.
Did some premonition strike him? I had a nagging feeling that something would go wrong in the Gracia Empire.
‘As if I’m going there to cause trouble.’
I was going to find jewels.
“Hehehehe.”
“…Please, could you stop laughing like that? You look like a villain.”
“Quiet.”
I kept grinning as I thought of the jewels Amy had mentioned—supposedly piled high throughout a room.
“Are you really sure I don’t need to come along?”
I had decided to leave Dorman out of this trip to the Gracia Empire.
“Why? Do you want to go?”
“Of course. I have a duty to look after Camilla.”
“….”
…Then why are you backing away?
Watching Dorman gradually distance himself from me, as if I might actually drag him along, I gave him an exasperated look.
‘Of course he doesn’t want to go.’
He wouldn’t want to be separated from his sister, whom he’d just reunited with.
‘Is it because they were separated by death when they were young?’
Isn’t the bond between siblings something quite precious? Just look at Ravi and me—we can barely keep from fighting whenever we see each other’s faces.
‘Once their sibling relationship becomes public, will they end up like us?’
Right now, they’re incredibly affectionate. Is there some spiritual pull between them? Dorman knew that Meari was the reincarnation of his dead sister, so it was natural for him to feel close to her.
‘But….’
What was strange was that despite having just met, Meari also seemed to feel quite close to Dorman.
She seemed more comfortable with him than with Laila, who was constantly teaching her tasks.
“Stop slacking off and just keep watch over the shop.”
“Don’t worry. Just trust me.”
Dorman broke into a bright smile, relieved that he truly didn’t have to come along.
Seeing that expression, why did I suddenly want to take him with me?
“But are you really going to be alright alone?”
“I’m not alone.”
“Pardon?”
“I’m coming with you.”
“…?”
Camilla caught sight of someone entering the cafe and offered a faint smile.
“There he is.”
The one approaching Camilla directly was none other than Arsian.
Meanwhile.
“This is me holding flowers at the Graduation Ceremony Hall. And this one was taken yesterday when I had lunch with you.”
“Wow, they all turned out beautifully.”
“Right? They came out amazingly well. Camilla has copies of these too. She said they looked so good that she wanted her own set.”
Laila and Meari, seated across from each other in the Storage Room behind the cafe, marveled continuously at what lay before them.
Spread across the small table were photographs of Camilla.

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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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