A Fortune-telling Princess - Chapter 304
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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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Chapter 9. Armis the Dragon
Armis Mountain.
No one knew for certain why this mountain came to be called “Armis.”
Some said it was named after a hero who had slain a demon that once dwelled on the mountain long ago, while others claimed the mountain’s creator—a god—was named Armis.
‘It was just the dragon’s name all along.’
Camilla swallowed hard, her throat dry, as she stared at the dragon who had just introduced himself as Armis.
The dragon had been examining the magical circle with fascinating intensity ever since arriving, his eyes gleaming with curiosity.
Camilla couldn’t tear her gaze away from him for even a moment.
‘Should I run now?’
…But what if I get caught while fleeing?
‘Will I become the dragon’s snack today?’
That was absolutely not happening!
‘…But do dragons actually eat humans?’
The Black Dragon Berkros, who had been called the demon god, had ranted about annihilating humanity, yet she’d never once heard that he actually devoured anyone.
‘What do dragons even eat?’
…Omnivores?
If they’re omnivores, doesn’t that mean they eat humans too? At least they’d kill them first before eating them, right? Surely not alive…! That’s absolutely horrifying!
Camilla’s thoughts spiraled into increasingly darker territory.
Whoosh.
“…?”
As Camilla nervously gnawed at her lip, she felt a hand firmly grasping hers and turned her head.
“Don’t worry.”
“Huh?”
“I’ll make sure you get out of here safely, no matter what.”
At Arsian’s resolute tone, Camilla stared at him blankly for a moment before quickly gripping his hand back with all her strength.
‘What are you planning to do?!’
Don’t do anything. Don’t you dare do anything!
She squeezed his hand even tighter, certain he was about to charge at the dragon to create an opening for her escape.
Perhaps if Arsian did as he said, she might get a chance to flee. But then what? You’d die while I lived?
‘You’re insane!’
Don’t you dare try it! I’m serious!
“Hmm, how curious.”
Meanwhile, the dragon Armis remained entirely focused on examining the magical circle.
“How did it work? The magical circle hasn’t changed at all from when I first created it.”
There was nothing different from when he had originally constructed it.
Yet it had functioned? Only then did Armis turn his gaze back to Camilla.
“What is it?”
Camilla forced her voice to sound as calm as possible in response to his stare, though internally she was screaming without pause.
A dragon, a dragon! This can’t be real!
“I’m curious how dimensional travel was even possible.”
“It just worked.”
“It just worked, then.”
Armis repeated Camilla’s words and fell into thought once more.
“Could it be that you know someone in the Other World?”
“…!”
A moment later, he spoke those words so casually. At his question, Camilla’s eyes widened slightly. How did he know?
“Seems you do.”
Her expression alone was answer enough, so Armis didn’t press further on the matter.
“To use this magic circle, you need to have a connection to the Other World.”
“Ah….”
“But how could you possibly know someone in the Other World?”
The reason this magic circle had failed.
To use the magic circle, there had to be someone in another dimension with whom you shared a connection—but wasn’t that absurd from the start?
You could only form such a connection after crossing to another dimension. It was as if the path itself had been sealed from the beginning.
‘The magic circle was a complete failure.’
Yet that magic circle had activated.
How could you possibly know someone in another dimension? Armis stared at Camilla with an intensity that seemed to pierce right through her.
Under that weighty gaze, Camilla’s lips curved into an awkward smile.
She could answer his questions easily enough, but once she’d given him all the answers?
‘What happens to us once all his curiosity is satisfied?’
There was only one answer she wanted to hear from him right now.
“If I tell you that, will you let me live?”
If you’d just promise me that, I could tell you my entire life story. It might be more interesting than you think? Soul exchangers aren’t exactly common, after all.
“….”
…Hello?
But no answer came from Armis.
He simply stared at her in silence, as if deliberating whether to kill her or let her live.
At that sight, Camilla felt a fresh wave of despair wash over her.
Why did the stories of Berkros the Black Dragon, who had committed mass slaughter of the Empire’s people long ago, keep surfacing in her mind?
‘Am I really going to die here?’
Like this? After all the struggling I did to survive! Am I really going to die young in this world too?!
“…This is seriously too much.”
Once it became certain that her chances of leaving alive were zero percent, Camilla’s anger only intensified.
“Who knew you’d live this long?”
Dragons don’t even die, do they? A hundred-year era? More like a thousand-year era! You’re planning to live until you’re marked with an X on the wall!
“I came in thinking this was an abandoned house!”
How was I supposed to know you’d be living here so disgustingly long! If you’re alive, at least spread the word about it!
Does it even make sense for a dragon that only exists in legends to be real? Living here so quietly without a trace—isn’t that cheating?
“And if you didn’t want intruders, you should’ve set up proper defenses from the start. How does it make sense to leave the entrance like this?!”
“…Camilla.”
[Gasp! She’s lost it again!]
[Hey, hey!]
Those who had been frozen like ice while watching Camilla’s sudden outburst called out to her urgently.
Who are you angry at right now! Your opponent is a dragon! Get a grip, for heaven’s sake! You could actually die here!
“What? Did I say something wrong?”
But rather than heed their pleas, Camilla only grew more heated.
“You don’t even properly lock the door and leave the place like an abandoned house, then hope no thieves come in—isn’t that completely shameless?”
[Isn’t it us who are shameless for trying to steal someone else’s belongings?]
“Why would we be shameless! I’ve said it a hundred times—we thought it was an abandoned house! If we’d known the owner was alive, we never would have come in the first place!”
[Either way, it was wrong of us to enter without permission.]
“Shut it.”
Whose side are you on? Camilla glared at Amy with deadly intent.
You’re fanning the flames right now, aren’t you? I’m already furious enough to burst! You know better than anyone how much effort I put into getting this far!
‘But how does encountering a dragon even make sense after coming all this way?’
It’s unfair, so unfair! If I die here, I’ll become a ghost and haunt that dragon forever! I’ll give him nightmares!
“So it seems the dead can hold conversations too.”
Armis regarded Camilla with newfound interest. He had known from the start that a dead spirit was present here.
Though admittedly, he couldn’t see its form clearly.
But this human—she could not only see it but apparently communicate with it as well.
“Curious? Then either let me live or don’t!”
Camilla glared at Armis with all her might. Whether I die or not, I might as well lose my temper properly! At least then I’ll feel less wronged!
“….”
Armis tilted his head slightly as he regarded Camilla.
“I don’t recall ever saying I would kill you.”
“…Pardon?”
“Or is there some reason I must kill you all?”
Camilla’s eyes grew wider and wider under Armis’s gaze, which held genuine curiosity.
‘…What?’
So I just made a fool of myself for nothing?
“No, no!”
Having quickly reassessed the situation, Camilla hastily waved her hands.
“Of course there’s no reason to kill us, sir.”
Her expression transformed in an instant. As if she hadn’t been furious moments before, Camilla’s lips curved into a bright smile.
“Oh my, I was mistaken. This is why communication is so important, isn’t it? There are just so many wicked dragons in the world, you see, haha. What were you asking about earlier? Please, ask me anything. I’m quite good at answering questions, if I do say so myself.”
“….”
[….]
[….]
Where had that woman gone who was raging just moments ago?
[…Why do I feel embarrassed?]
[Well, it’s not like we haven’t seen this before.]
I always think it—this girl’s ability to shift her demeanor is remarkably swift.
As Camilla rubbed her palms together and flashed a cunning, ingratiating smile, everyone present in the room quietly shook their heads.
‘What! We need to survive first, don’t we?’
Camilla let their sighs of exasperation pass through one ear and out the other, her smile only growing brighter.
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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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