A Fortune-telling Princess - Chapter 354
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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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“So, who is this person you’re looking for?”
“I don’t know their face.”
“Hmm.”
The three of us fled Duke Escra’s Office and settled in a shaded garden to talk.
[Grrr.]
Somewhere nearby, King—who had followed Camilla at some point—was rolling around on the ground with a ball he’d found from who knows where, growling contentedly.
“You don’t know their face, so what do you know?”
“Their name and age?”
“That’s it?”
“Do you need more?”
“….”
At Camilla’s counter-question, Jainer stared at her intently without saying a word for a moment. Then the corners of his mouth slowly curved upward.
“I’ll introduce you to another information organization, customer.”
“Why?”
“Our organization seems to lack the capability for this.”
You’re asking me to find someone with just that much information?
“My younger sister really seems to overestimate this older brother’s abilities.”
I appreciate the vote of confidence, but I’ll have to pass on this one.
“You admit your lack of ability quite boldly.”
Arsian, who had been quiet until now, chimed in with a remark.
“Yes. Since I lack ability, why don’t you, who are so capable, try finding them?”
Jainer smiled faintly at Arsian’s provocation. But his eyes weren’t smiling at all. His gaze toward Arsian was unusually fierce, unlike his usual demeanor.
“Killing people isn’t my profession.”
Of course, Arsian showed no reaction to that gaze whatsoever.
“Then, is beating people up your profession?”
“Why, curious?”
Arsian twisted his mouth into a smile. In an instant, a chill settled between the two of them. The atmosphere felt as if blades could fly at any moment.
“Ugh, both of you, shut up.”
“….”
“….”
But the moment Camilla interjected with those words, both of them instantly lost their momentum.
“Why are you two fighting for no reason?”
On a hot day like this, do you still have energy to spare? And weren’t you two getting along? You were drinking tea together and having conversations before—why are you growling at each other again?
“I know their profession too.”
Camilla clicked her tongue briefly and shared additional information.
“Profession?”
“Yeah. A pharmacist.”
“A pharmacist….”
The information I’d heard from Able wasn’t much, but I pulled out a note where I’d organized the details and handed it to Jainer.
“….”
Jainer’s expression grew peculiar as he unfolded and read the note Camilla had handed him. His eyes widened slightly before settling into a wry smile.
“What’s wrong? You really can’t find them?”
Was the information truly so scarce? Should I ask Able something more? She herself seemed to know very little about her current son’s whereabouts.
“I’ve already found them.”
“Huh?”
But moments later, an unexpected answer spilled from Jainer’s lips.
“This person—I know them.”
“You know them?”
Jainer glanced at the name written on the note again and let out a soft chuckle.
“Name: Maian. Age: twenty-six. Profession: pharmacist. I know exactly one person matching that description.”
“Really?”
“You’ve seen them before too.”
“…Me?”
What was he talking about?
“I’ve seen them?”
“Yes.”
Camilla’s brow furrowed slightly. No matter how hard I tried to recall, I had no memory of meeting anyone by that name.
“Back when you first discovered coffee beans in this place.”
“Coffee beans?”
When I found the coffee beans… that was when I first came to Gracia to conduct business. Was he referring to that time?
“You bumped into someone on the street then. Do you remember?”
“Hmm…”
Bumped into someone? I rummaged through my memories intently.
“Ah!”
I remembered! Finally, I could recall a scene from long ago.
A friend Jainer had dated in his first life!
We’d only collided briefly back then, so the details were hazy, but they had an impressive physique—I’d even thought they might be a knight who wielded a sword.
“But the person I’m looking for is a pharmacist?”
Didn’t you say they fought together with you on the Battlefield?
“That friend’s mother was a pharmacist. Eventually, they put down their sword to inherit the family trade. I don’t know much about what happened after that.”
“Why?”
At Camilla’s question, Jainer offered his characteristic smile.
“Because they died.”
“…”
…My apologies. I wasn’t thinking clearly.
Camilla scratched her cheek awkwardly, having touched upon something best left untouched.
“Why are you looking for this person?”
“I have something to deliver to them.”
“What is it?”
“Medicinal herbs.”
* * *
“Wait, he wasn’t a citizen of Gracia?”
“His mother was from here originally.”
A few days after placing the request with Jainer, I had to return to the Faybler Empire.
Maian, whom I was searching for, ran an herb shop in the Faybler Empire—specifically in the Capital.
“He came to Gracia to learn swordsmanship.”
“But the two empires aren’t exactly on friendly terms, are they?”
Did they really allow exchange students to come and go? I’d heard they constantly blocked trade and prevented travel between the nations.
“On the surface, they maintain diplomatic relations. The exchange student system is actually quite well-established.”
“I see.”
“He quit being a swordsman and said he’d inherit his mother’s herb shop, so he returned to the Faybler Empire right away. I don’t know much about what happened after that.”
Following Jainer’s guidance, we arrived at the Commercial Street.
“Is this the place?”
“If that friend of mine lived the life I remember, then yes, this should be it.”
“It looks closed.”
Arsian pointed to a shop door that was firmly locked. Just as he said, dust covered the entrance as if the shop hadn’t operated in a long time.
“They don’t do business here anymore.”
At that moment, the Flower Shop Owner from the neighboring shop, who was arranging flowers displayed outside, called out to us.
“When did they stop operating?”
“It’s been a while. They closed the shop starting last year.”
“Last year?”
Jainer and I exchanged glances simultaneously. Last year—wasn’t that around the time we collided on the street?
‘Come to think of it…’
The complexion of that person Jainer called a friend had seemed urgent and quite poor that day. But it was so long ago that my memory was hazy.
‘Was he ill?’
Did he close the shop because his health deteriorated?
“There are even rumors that his daughter died.”
“His daughter?”
He had a daughter? My gaze naturally turned back to Jainer. What else don’t you know? At that look, Jainer smiled wryly and shrugged.
“I’ve never been alive at this point in time before.”
“….”
…My apologies. I wasn’t thinking clearly.
In this life, he’d said he’d never even been friends with anyone. With each reset of his life, he’d stopped forming friendships altogether.
‘Damn it.’
Dorman! Why do I have to feel guilty every time for the consequences of mistakes you made?
“Do you happen to know where the owner lives now?”
“Not at all. He was a quiet person, and from what others say, the house he lived in is completely empty.”
The Flower Shop Owner left after saying that. Having gained no useful information, I let out a short sigh.
‘This is harder than I thought.’
I’d assumed it would be quick to find him since Jainer knew him, but Jainer looked just as troubled as I felt.
“Do you know anything else about this person?”
Other information, I mean.
“Not particularly.”
At Camilla’s question, Jainer found himself recalling old memories.
“He had an unusual fondness for books.”
“Books?”
Wasn’t he a prosecutor? Well, just because someone’s a prosecutor doesn’t mean they can’t love books. My Ludvil loves them too.
“Ancient documents, old tomes… he was particularly obsessed with those kinds of books.”
Whenever he had money, his hobby was wandering through the Used Bookstore District, hunting for books that looked peculiar.
He had a keen interest in ancient languages as well, so his home was always crammed with bizarre and curious books.
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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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