A Fortune-telling Princess - Chapter 38

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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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“My brother was always beaten by Father. Every single day without fail.”
“You too?”
“No, I’ve never been beaten. These scars came from… from trying to shield him while he was being beaten.”
Once the child’s words began to flow, they continued without pause.
Unlike Sier, who had always been frail since childhood, Arsian had been beaten by Father at the same time every day starting from age five.
There was only one reason.
“To become the master of Shinsu, there was no other way.”
Hatred, malice, resentment.
Only by accumulating such emotions could one become the master of Shinsu.
The final trial that children raised this way had to endure.
“I was locked away for three months.”
‘If you want to live, kill.’
Kill the one closest to you. Burn that death into your eyes forever.
A horrific trial where they were thrown into a dark, cramped space and not released until one person survived.
“My brother was only freed after I died.”
Wow, what a twisted family.
‘I truly have no words.’
That was Camilla’s conclusion after hearing everything. The Sefra Family was insane.
‘So every single person who ever became the Previous Head of House had to be raised this way to become the master of Shinsu?’
How was that even possible?
Only then did I understand why Sier standing before me looked so gaunt and pitiful.
Camilla brushed off the cookies she’d brought and fed them earnestly to the child.
* * *
Because of all this, I was honestly reluctant to be here.
‘I just need to discuss business and leave cleanly.’
But I felt a pang of concern knowing that Sier, who hovered at Arsian’s side, would now face the father who had driven him to death.
‘And yet…’
What on earth was this?
The moment I entered the Study, Sier, who had been at Arsian’s side, scurried over to Duke Sefra.
He reached toward his father with such resentment and hatred that I thought he might strangle him.
I didn’t even want to stop him. After all, that man had driven him to death—he deserved at least that much.
But what left Camilla utterly bewildered was the child’s next action.
Instead of strangling the Duke, Sier wrapped his arms around him tightly and began to sob with a sorrowful expression.
‘Really, I really don’t want to get involved in other people’s family affairs.’
I’d truly intended to finalize the contract cleanly and leave, but this discomfort was unbearable.
“Why is he doing that?”
Why on earth is Sier crying?
For the first time, emotion flickered across Duke Sefra’s face at Camilla’s words.
“Sier?”
“Sier is crying?”
A moment later, both men’s questions flew at me simultaneously. I nodded lightly in acknowledgment.
Both of them had already known where Sier stood before hearing my explanation.
Arsian had merely assumed that Sier was lingering around Duke Sefra out of resentment, while Duke Sefra had no idea whatsoever that the black smoke was Sier himself.
After all, such black smoke—the spirits of the dead wandering about—was hardly an uncommon occurrence.
“Really, Sier?”
Duke Sefra’s eyes wavered. But it was only for the briefest moment.
Duke Sefra soon returned to his impassive gaze, quietly staring at the place where Sier stood.
“Is that all?”
Arsian, witnessing this, asked quietly.
“Nothing to say?”
“No.”
Crash!
He slammed the table down hard.
“Really nothing?”
…
“I said, really nothing?!”
Crash!
One side of the table finally shattered.
“Your son—the one you killed—is standing right before your eyes, and you truly have nothing to say?”
“Should I?”
“Ha!”
Arsian, his fists clenched, stepped forward. He looked ready to throw a punch at Duke Sefra at any moment.
“Wait.”
I caught his arm.
“Let go.”
A chillingly quiet voice came immediately. But I couldn’t release his arm.
“I have no intention of getting involved in family disputes. However….”
I looked toward where Duke Sefra stood again.
“Don’t you see?”
…
“Sier is blocking him.”
With both arms spread wide, the child stood with his entire body shielding Duke Sefra. Tears glistened in the boy’s eyes.
[I’m sorry, brother. I’m sorry.]
Apologies flowed endlessly from the small mouth.
“He says he’s sorry.”
Sigh. So I’m playing translator again.
“Why are you apologizing?!”
Arsian gnashed his teeth at Duke Sefra. He couldn’t fathom why he was protecting such a man.
[I… I….]
With each word, tears pooled deeper in the child’s eyes.
[I said I would do it. I… I said I would go into the Basement myself.]
‘What?’
Camilla, who had been relaying the message, faltered.
‘What is he saying right now? He willingly went into that place? I didn’t mishear, did I?’
Even though I heard it with my own ears, I couldn’t believe it.
[It wasn’t Father. It was me….]
“What are you talking about.”
Arsian felt the same way.
Having heard Sier’s words from Camilla, his eyes burned with even greater fury as he glared at Duke Sefra.
He believed the child was lying to shield his father.
[I knew. That I wouldn’t live more than a few months.]
The child’s next words drew everyone present into deeper silence.
[I heard it.]
The conversation between Father and the Healer.
‘At most, six months.’
‘….’
‘At minimum, three or four months… I’m sorry.’
Sier, who had overheard this by chance, was surprisingly composed about it.
A child who had spent more days lying in bed than standing since infancy had already naturally come to accept his own death to some degree.
‘Ugh.’
I absolutely hate this kind of melodrama.
Camilla sighed repeatedly. How could such a small child speak of his own death so calmly? He should be sucking on candy at that age.
[That’s why I said I would take the final trial first.]
“….”
[I wanted my brother to become the Head of House.]
If his own death could allow his brother to reach the position of Head of House sooner and more directly, he thought it would be worthwhile.
He had watched his brother suffer from beside him since childhood.
After enduring and persevering for so long, what if he died from illness and his brother couldn’t take the final trial?
What if he couldn’t become the Head of House because of that?
[I didn’t want to make meaningless all the time my brother has endured.]
Of course, his death would cause his brother immense pain and sorrow, but knowing that such emotions were also factors in Shinsu’s selection, he didn’t hesitate.
Six months at most, they had said. If that was the case, he hoped his death would be of some small help to his brother.
‘They really are a family of lunatics.’
It’s not just the Head of House who’s insane—the children are all insane too!
Camilla was utterly dumbfounded.
At just seven years old, he thought like that? Was that even possible? At an age when he should be sucking on candy, was that possible?!
“….”
It wasn’t only Camilla who had lost her words. Arsian too stood frozen, staring blankly toward where Sier was.
“You….”
[I’m sorry, brother.]
“What on earth are you—!”
[I’m truly sorry.]
‘I’m sorry, brother.’
Words I’d heard countless times while trapped in the Basement. In that child’s final moment before death, he’d spoken those same words.
Was this the reason behind them?
“Sier.”
[My death isn’t Father’s fault.]
Sier had turned to face Duke Sefra once more.
The child gently grasped the hand of the man who still showed no emotion.
[Father.]
The moment Arsian was freed from the Basement, he’d hurled himself at his father with murderous intent, screaming that he would kill him.
But that attempt was futile. A single collision, and Arsian lost consciousness.
Even in perfect health, he would have been no match—let alone in his current state.
Afterward, Duke Sefra descended into the Basement alone to retrieve Sier’s body.
[I’ve never seen Father cry before.]
There was no sound. No expression either. Only tears fell silently, one by one, from his eyes.
“…I was simply weary.”
Duke Sefra exhaled a short breath.
“Of everything.”
The child’s death, the repugnant position of Head of House, the tiresome burden of Shinsu itself—I was weary of it all. Such complicated emotions merely leaked out as tears.
“There is no deeper meaning.”
I had no right to shed tears for the child’s death.
“Only then did I understand.”
Why the Previous Head of House had begged so desperately to be killed. Why he had craved death so intensely.
I am the same. I wish to escape this wearisome position as soon as possible.
“Shinsu of the Sefra Family is always found in the same place.”
Duke Sefra fixed his gaze upon Arsian, whose lips remained sealed.
“Within the Head of House’s body.”
“…!”
“You must excavate the Head of House’s body entirely to find the egg.”
Duke Sefra continued without breaking his stare at the frozen Arsian.
“In this family, emotion is the most useless thing. The beatings you received as a child, witnessing your brother’s death—all of it was to strip away unnecessary feelings. All that matters is your resentment toward me, your rage… and the hatred to kill me. Nothing else.”
Kill me and extract the egg. That is your purpose.
With those words, Duke Sefra rose from his seat.
Sier continued to sniffle while Arsian stared at his father with an unwavering, piercing gaze, his mouth firmly shut.
“Wow…”
I really want to go home.
Camilla, who had been watching the entire scene unfold beside them, screamed silently within.
I can’t bear to stay in this hellhole a moment longer!

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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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