A Fortune-telling Princess - Chapter 362

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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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From the sacred relic of the Eba Cult stolen from the Faybler Imperial Palace, to the relic’s effects—and the fact that Maian’s daughter was dead. All of it.
“…Ha.”
Having heard everything, Camilla let out a hollow laugh.
“You’re not insane.”
Blunt words spilled from Camilla’s lips.
“You’re saying you’ll kill all these children just to save your own brat?”
How could anyone think such a thing?
“Why are there so many lunatics around me lately?”
Has the world gone mad?
“My daughter… she never got to truly live, just lay in bed her whole life before leaving this world! Our daughter… Remy….”
“….”
Why did everyone I met recently make excuses like that? Did they want me to sympathize with them?
Camilla felt not a shred of pity for Maian’s anguished cries. Only exasperation.
‘Aaron was like that too, and Mari Choi’s family as well.’
How could someone without parents find any solace in life? No—wouldn’t it be better if they simply didn’t exist, with parents like these?
“Don’t interfere… don’t you dare! My daughter must live.”
“You know what?”
She wanted to beat him senseless for spouting such nonsense.
It would have felt satisfying. But Camilla held back for now.
“Your daughter is crying.”
If not for the small spirit clinging to that man’s side, she certainly would have.
“…What?”
Maian’s eyes widened at Camilla’s words. But anger quickly flooded his face. He thought she was lying.
“Stop spouting nonsense! My daughter is in there! She’s still alive in there!”
“Pink lace dress. Light yellow hair ribbon. Bright red shoes.”
“…!”
But at Camilla’s next words, Maian’s eyes widened once more.
She was describing exactly what Remy had been wearing when she stopped breathing.
When the child died, only he had seen her like that—no one else in the world.
“How could you….”
“I told you. She’s crying right beside you.”
It wasn’t a lie. From the moment I first saw Maian, I could see the child. A little girl, no more than five years old, clinging to his legs and weeping.
The instant I saw her, I knew. Not from rumors, but from the truth itself—his daughter was truly dead.
[Dad… Dad… No…. Don’t do it.]
At first I didn’t understand what she was saying, but now it was clear she was grieving what her father was doing.
[Dad… the other kids hurt…. No. Don’t. I hurt too.]
Though her words were halting for her young age, it wasn’t difficult to understand what the child was trying to say.
“She says don’t hurt the other kids. She’s okay with it.”
“…That’s a lie.”
“She’s sad that Dad is doing something bad.”
“Don’t you dare lie to me!”
Maian shook his head frantically. Believe that now? That I can see my daughter? It made no sense.
Yet despite his denial, his eyes trembled uncontrollably.
“Your daughter is bound in chains right now. Very tightly bound.”
“…Chains?”
“Yes. She’s suffering because of them.”
At first, I’d wondered why she had such things on her feet, unlike the other spirits. Now it finally made sense.
Because Maian—her father—had used the Eba Cult’s sacred relic, the dead child’s soul had become trapped in this form.
“She says it hurts. The chains are so heavy and painful. She’s begging you to free her. She wants to escape from the chains.”
“….”
At my words, Maian stared at me blankly.
He’d known it when he stole the Eba Cult’s sacred relic. The moment he used that relic, his daughter’s soul would be bound to his side, unable to depart.
‘But that was….’
Chains? Suffering?
“I….”
…Was I the one causing my daughter pain?
“She’s asking if you’ve forgotten her last words. She clearly said she hated being in pain.”
“….”
Maian could no longer deny my words.
‘Dad… I wish I didn’t hurt anymore…. I hate… the pain.’
Those were the child’s final words before death. She didn’t want to suffer anymore, didn’t want to hurt….
‘And yet….’
All this time, he’d been inflicting terrible agony upon that very daughter.
His body crumpled.
Maian collapsed to the ground.
“Ugh…haah.”
Anguished groans escaped his lips as he fell.
[Dad….]
The child wept anew, watching her father.
‘Tsk.’
I clicked my tongue lightly. The child was pitiful, but I felt not a shred of sympathy for him.
‘He doesn’t even know what’s happening to those inside right now!’
If anything happens to my children… to Arsian… I won’t let you off easy.
Keeeeeeeeeeee-
“…!”
Then, moments later, a bizarre sound pierced through the surroundings. A horrific, tearing cry!
“What is that sound?”
“A, a monster?”
Everyone present panicked at the sudden, eerie noise.
“Wait! Look over there!”
At that moment, someone cried out loudly. All eyes turned in unison toward where he was pointing.
“The mist….”
The mist that had surrounded the Academy was dissipating.
Footsteps echoed.
And through that mist, a figure emerged, walking forward.
“….”
Camilla rushed forward immediately. She had recognized who that figure was.
Camilla embraced him tightly.
“You… really….”
A faint laugh escaped from him at the sound of Camilla’s voice trembling with tears.
“You’re laughing? You’re actually laughing right now.”
“I’m back.”
Arsian held Camilla firmly in his arms as she tried to express her anger, gently stroking her back to soothe her.
At the weariness in his voice, Camilla found herself unable to speak for a long moment. Her eyes reddened as she drew in a deep breath.
“…Yeah.”
In the end, she too quietly stroked his back, relieved that he had returned safely.
* * *
A dull clang.
In the Underground Prison where only dim light existed, Camilla, having entered that place, was guided by a soldier toward a specific location.
“….”
At the far end of the prison. There sat a man hunched over. It was Maian.
Maian, sensing someone standing before him, slowly lifted his head. His eyes gradually widened as he recognized who it was.
“What brings you here….”
“I have something to give you.”
Camilla gazed at Maian, confined behind bars, and released a small sigh.
Due to this incident, Maian had been imprisoned. A trial would soon be held, and he would not escape a heavy sentence.
Although no deaths had occurred thanks to the Divine Beasts and Arsian’s efforts, his intentions had been impure and many had been injured, so escaping execution was fortunate enough.
‘Well, he doesn’t seem to have any will to live anyway.’
Camilla clicked her tongue inwardly as she observed Maian’s lifeless gaze, already devoid of any desire to continue living.
‘At least the child left safely.’
When Arsian destroyed the sword that had been a sacred relic of the Eba Cult, the chains binding the child’s feet also disappeared.
‘Want to come with me?’
And she could see it. The gentle smile on Reaper Habel’s face….
‘And that manner of speech.’
Want to come with me? Not even “let’s go”? Since when did you start speaking like that! No matter how many times I see it, I can’t get used to it.
Once the interference from the sacred relic vanished, Reaper Habel immediately appeared to retrieve the child’s soul. And he left with the child.
“Take this.”
“…?”
Through the gap in the prison bars, Camilla handed something over. Something was neatly wrapped in a handkerchief. Maian unwrapped it without much thought.
“This is…!”
His lifeless eyes suddenly gleamed with a spark of vitality.
“Where… where did you get this…!”

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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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