A Fortune-telling Princess - Chapter 357

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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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“You idiot! That’s not family at all.”
David’s anger only intensified as he watched Rio remain completely unmoved by his words, and he shouted even louder.
“No, it is family. Daive said I’m family too.”
“That’s just what he said because he felt sorry for you!”
“I’m not pitiful though….”
Rio’s lips drooped downward.
Why was he saying such things? Did he not want to be friends with me? Was I being bullied right now?
‘Rio, what should you do if someone bullies you?’
‘Um… you should still be nice to them!’
‘No, no. That’s not it.’
‘Then what?’
‘Hit them.’
‘…What?’
‘If they hit you once, hit them twice. If they hit you twice, you hit them ten times.’
‘But fighting with friends is bad.’
‘People who start trouble aren’t friends, so it’s fine. So, you can do it, right?’
‘Yes!’
Camilla had told me that before entering the Academy. If someone bullies you, don’t just endure it—stand up to them.
“Stupid, just because you live in the Sorpel Household doesn’t mean you’re actually the Duke’s son. You’re still just an orphan.”
“I’m not stupid.”
Rio stood up from his seat and clenched his fists tightly.
“You said mean things to me, so we’re not friends anymore. I’m not being your friend either.”
“What?”
He didn’t throw the first punch though. If David bullied him more, then he’d hit back.
Crash!
“…?”
At that moment, the window beside where Rio was sitting burst open with a loud bang.
Whoosh!
And something flew in rapidly. It was a small bird with a reddish glow.
Peck, peck-peck.
“Ow, ow! What, what is this!”
The bird flew straight toward David, who had been picking a fight with Rio. The red bird pecked at David’s head relentlessly.
[You fool! Who do you think you’re spouting nonsense to! That wicked mouth of yours is the problem! This mouth, this mouth!]
Then it also pecked at David’s lips fiercely.
“Ow, ow! It hurts! What kind of bird is this! Ow!”
[Don’t you know who I am? I’m the great Divine Beast Jetti, you fool!]
“Ow! It hurts!”
“…Jetti?”
Rio’s eyes widened as he recognized the bird’s identity. At Rio’s call, Jetti paused his pecking and turned to look at the child.
“Why are you here?”
[Why? Luna was worried about you, so she told me to come check on you.]
“You came because you wanted to see me?”
[No! Why would I want to see a little brat like you!]
“Hehe, I wanted to see you too.”
[Sigh.]
Giving up on Rio, who refused to listen, Zetti turned his attention back to David’s head, pecking at it repeatedly as if venting his frustration.
“Ow! Ugh… Waaaah!”
Eventually, David burst into tears and bolted from the classroom.
[Where are you going! You brat! You deserve worse! I’ll tear that mouth of yours to shreds for speaking ill of your classmate!]
“Bird, you can’t do that.”
Rio quickly grabbed Zetti before he could chase after the boy.
“He wasn’t even bullying you. You said throwing a punch before being bullied doesn’t count as self-defense. It’s not legally justified.”
[…What kind of strange logic is that?]
“Camilla told me that.”
[Ugh.]
The moment Camilla’s name was mentioned, Zetti’s fluttering wings stilled, and he sighed, becoming somewhat more composed.
He still regretted not being able to punish David further.
“Bird, want to sing and play with me? I won’t say anything even if you mess up the rhythm like last time.”
[No way, you brat! And I’ve never messed up the rhythm!]
[You don’t need to step in.]
Meanwhile, there was a small Inyoung clinging to the classroom window where Rio was.
“Yes, thank goodness.”
It was Sena.
During break time, curious about how Rio was doing, Sena had slipped into the classroom and witnessed Rio being spoken to harshly by another child.
[Should I punish him? I can punish him! Very easily! You know it yourself. How much power I have.]
‘The power that can’t even clean?’
[Argh! Not the cleaning talk again! That’s not what matters now! Are you just going to watch that little one suffer? He needs to be punished. You’re angry right now too.]
‘…’
Rube had been gently coaxing Sena to use her abilities. His words made her hesitate slightly.
Rio didn’t even know what his parents looked like, and David’s words that hurt Rio’s feelings made her heart ache with anger.
Just then, Divine Beast Jetti entered through the window and chased David away, scolding him.
[Ugh, why are there so many useless things!]
Rube’s complaints about failing to use his power again didn’t stop, but Sena smiled as she watched Rio playing happily and laughing with Zetti.
[Hmm?]
“…? What is it?”
But shortly after, Rube showed a strange reaction—as if he’d been startled by something.
[No, it’s just… I felt a familiar aura.]
“A familiar aura?”
[Hmm, or was I mistaken? It shouldn’t be here anyway. I heard it was already destroyed…]
“…?”
Rube continued muttering something under his breath like he was talking to himself, but Sena couldn’t understand a single word and could only tilt her head in confusion.
* * *
“What did you lose?”
“A sacred relic.”
“…Let me ask again. What exactly did you lose?”
“…A sacred relic.”
….
Camilla, summoned to the Palace by Emperor Edsen, found herself speechless for a long moment upon hearing his unexpected news.
“Didn’t you say you destroyed them all before?”
The sacred relics collected from the Eba Religious Order—you said they were all destroyed and eliminated! So why is one missing?
“It vanished without a trace during the destruction process, apparently.”
“…Your Majesty only learned of this now?”
“The report came in several days ago.”
“Why did the report only arrive now?”
“They were too busy covering up the facts from each other.”
It came to light during the recent audit, and only then did the report reach him. Those involved in this matter are already undergoing punishment.
“In your opinion, who do you think took it?”
“Who else would it be?”
One of those persistently vile Eba Cult members, obviously!
“Damn it. I’m absolutely sick of these things.”
Camilla raised her voice in anger, forgetting she stood before the Emperor.
“Do you know what cockroaches are like?”
“Cockroaches?”
“No matter how many times you kill them, they keep coming back!”
How many times is this now? When will they all be exterminated! Why won’t they just rot and die! Why, why!
“Why are they still alive!”
“…You’re not talking about me, are you?”
Emperor Edsen, who had been watching Camilla shout with all her might with slightly surprised eyes, eventually let out a small laugh.
“What power did the sacred relic possess?”
“I don’t know either. I’ve never used it.”
What kind of ability could be embedded in a sacred relic that someone would sneak into the Imperial Palace to steal it? Since it was a sacred relic used by the Eba Cult, security must have been extremely thorough.
“Do you happen to know what it looked like?”
“There are records. Why do you ask?”
“Could I possibly take those records with me?”
“The records of the sacred relic?”
“Yes.”
Emperor Edsen couldn’t understand why she would ask for such a thing.
“I want to ask about the sacred relic.”
“Ask whom?”
“Someone who knows well about sacred relics.”
“Who is that?”
If such a person existed, wouldn’t I have brought them to the Palace long ago?
“They’re terribly shy, so you’ll likely never meet them in your lifetime. I haven’t even seen their face properly myself.”
Camilla deliberately averted her gaze from Emperor Edsen, who showed interest.
Emperor Edsen still didn’t know of Rube’s existence within Sena, and I had nothing to say about it. I had no intention of telling him in the future either.
‘I can’t let any harm come to Sena.’
Since it was something that could unnecessarily trouble Sena, only Arsian and I knew of Rube’s existence at present.

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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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