A Fortune-telling Princess - Chapter 299
—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————
Tap… tap tap.
“….”
A small hand gently tapped the instep of a woman crouching against the wall of a secluded building.
The woman, who had been hanging her head low, finally looked ahead slowly.
Tap.
A small, snow-white cat patted the woman’s foot again.
“…Are you comforting me right now?”
Lick.
As if confirming her suspicion, the cat gently licked the back of the woman’s hand.
A faint smile bloomed on the woman’s lips as she watched, then quickly faded.
Soon tears streamed down her eyes.
“Okay!”
At that moment, the Director’s voice rang out.
“Wow… what’s with that cat?”
“Right? We got it in one take.”
“That scene worked in one shot? I thought we were going to film it multiple times and edit them together.”
“Exactly. How does it move exactly as directed?”
The moment the Director called “okay,” the Film Set filled with the crew’s admiring voices.
Whoosh!
The small cat at the center of it all—no, King—didn’t even glance back and dashed straight into Camilla’s arms as if he hadn’t just comforted Sia at all.
“Good job, King.”
Camilla continuously stroked King’s head.
When Camilla arrived at Sia’s Film Set earlier, she could immediately tell something had happened from the way the staff moved about with unusual bustle.
And she learned that the reason was the cat that was supposed to help with today’s shoot had run away.
‘Does it have to be that specific cat?’
‘Not necessarily, but it’s not easy to hire a trained cat on such short notice. Cats that don’t shy away from strangers aren’t easy to find, you know.’
‘I have one right here.’
‘Pardon?’
‘Not a cat, but a creature that’s small and cute like one.’
‘Surely not….’
‘Wouldn’t King work?’
‘K-King?’
‘King, want to give it a try? If you do well, I’ll give you delicious treats.’
[Chirp!]
King had expressed displeasure at having to work with Sia rather than Camilla, but at the mention of treats, he immediately nodded his head eagerly.
When the Director saw King—small, snow-white, and undeniably adorable—he didn’t hesitate and immediately shouted for the cameras to roll.
‘Our clever King did it perfectly in one take.’
This was probably his first time being filmed in front of so many people, yet he showed no nervousness whatsoever.
Of course, it was possible he simply didn’t understand what a camera was.
“The shoot is finished.”
Shortly after, Sia hurried over, exchanging quick greetings with the staff members who wouldn’t stop chattering away.
“Sorry for the wait.”
Though Sia addressed Camilla, her gaze kept drifting toward Arsian.
His expression radiated boredom so palpably that it seemed a sharp remark might spill from his lips at any moment.
“No. It was entertaining.”
Watching Sia act for the first time, I found it quite fascinating.
Her acting style differed somewhat from mine, but it wasn’t bad. I could sense her own unique approach to the craft.
“You found it entertaining too, didn’t you?”
“Yes.”
At my question, Arsian nodded immediately, as if he hadn’t been bored at all.
Seeing this, Sia’s expression went blank for a moment before she let out a small laugh.
“But the staff seemed to have a lot to say to you?”
Especially the Director.
“Was there a problem with the filming?”
“No.”
“Then what?”
“They were asking who you two are. Whether you’re actors from our Entertainment Agency. They said there’s a role in this drama that would suit you perfectly, and they’re asking if you could introduce them to any actors you know.”
“And?”
“I told them I’d ask first.”
“Hmm.”
Arsian showed no interest whatsoever, not even sparing Sia a glance. As for me, I had no intention of acting here in this body. This was Sia’s space, after all.
“Shall we head home now?”
Sia urged me toward the door, eager to get home and have a proper conversation. She had so many questions for me.
How I’d come to this place, how I’d been living all this time.
‘And…’
Whether the family there was doing well.
* * *
“…Who is that?”
“Boo—”
What was that creature laughing so strangely over there?
“She’s my daughter.”
“…Daughter?”
Something felt off from the moment we headed home with Sia. This wasn’t the path I remembered. I’d assumed she’d moved, but…
Click.
Upon entering through the door, there was an unfamiliar creature inside.
“Welcome home.”
“Boo— boo—”
A very young baby girl, not even a year old, cradled in the arms of what appeared to be a Nanny.
“Lia.”
Sia called out the baby’s name affectionately, quickly washed her hands, took the baby into her arms, and promptly sent the Nanny home.
“You’ve worked hard today as well.”
“Not at all. I’ll be on my way then. Lia, see you tomorrow.”
“Ba- ba-”
While the two exchanged their farewells, I found myself staring blankly at one spot, my expression somewhat vacant.
A wedding photograph hanging on the wall.
“That’s from a drama or magazine photoshoot, right?”
“No, it’s not.”
“Really?”
“Yes.”
“…And that child is your daughter too?”
A nod.
Sia nodded, her cheeks flushing slightly with embarrassment.
“….”
I gazed at the wedding photograph again, my expression dazed. The man standing beside Sia in the photo was… Choi Sihyun.
“What.”
So Choi Sihyun and Sia had gotten married?
‘I had a hunch about it when I visited before, but…’
They’d married and had a child in that time?
“That doesn’t make sense.”
“What doesn’t?”
“How could you get married and have a baby in just four months?”
It had only been four months since I’d left this place. Setting aside the marriage, how could there possibly be a child?
‘Could they have adopted?’
…No, that couldn’t be it. The child looked far too much like Sia. Anyone could see she was her daughter.
“Pardon? Four months?”
“Since I visited here. How could a baby be born in just four months?”
“It’s been two years.”
“…What?”
“Two years have passed since you were last here.”
“…Two years?”
“Yes.”
“…Not four months?”
A nod.
“….”
I fell silent for a long while, my mind spinning in confusion. So time flowed differently between this world and the Other World?
“Why the sudden question?”
When my soul had been exchanged before, time seemed to have passed at the same rate. When I returned to my original world, there hadn’t been much difference.
‘Does this even make sense?’
After returning to my original body, the time gap had widened this much?
“Bu- buu-”
“….”
I had slipped free from Sia’s embrace and found myself gazing blankly at the baby crawling toward me with determined little movements.
“Buu-”
The baby stared intently at me, babbling away with endless cooing sounds. I bent at the waist and gently caressed the baby’s soft cheek.
“Giggle.”
At that, the baby burst into delighted laughter as if I’d done something wonderfully amusing.
“The baby seems to like you. Lately, they’ve been quite shy around strangers.”
Even when Hyunseok visited—someone whose face the baby saw fairly often—they would cling to their mother and refuse to show their face properly.
Yet here they were, crawling toward me first. It was rather surprising.
“Would you like to hold them?”
“…Me?”
At Sia’s suggestion, I turned my gaze to the baby, who continued to stare at me with unwavering intensity. Then, carefully, I lifted the baby into my arms.
“Kya! Kyaa!”
“…!”
The moment the baby was cradled against me, they began making excited sounds, and I froze in place, still holding them.
Why? What was wrong? Was the baby uncomfortable?
“They like it.”
“…This?”
“Yes.”
“Kyaa-”
“….”
Just as I was about to hand the baby back to Sia, I finally managed to examine the baby’s face with a calmer heart.
The baby was beaming with radiant joy.
Realizing the baby wasn’t uncomfortable with me at all, I pulled them a little closer against my chest.
Then the baby’s distinctive warmth transferred directly to me.
‘…The scent of a baby.’
Something felt strange. A soft, fluffy sensation slowly rose from my very core.
Since the feeling wasn’t unpleasant, I found myself gently closing my eyes without thinking.
“Oh my.”
“What?”
“They’ve fallen asleep.”
The baby in my arms had begun breathing in steady, even breaths. They had drifted off to sleep. At the soft, rhythmic breathing, a faint smile gradually spread across my lips.
‘I don’t like babies.’
…Children don’t like me either. Or rather, they will come to dislike me.
From the start, I had built walls to keep my distance. Naturally, I had never held such a small infant in my arms before.
Soft, steady breathing.
Listening to the baby’s even breaths near my ear, I found myself silently wishing.
‘I hope they grow up as happily as this moment.’
Without pain. Surrounded by their parents’ abundant love….
Whoosh!
“…!”
That was when it happened. In an instant, brilliant light flooded the living room—emanating from none other than Camilla’s hands, which cradled the infant.
—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————