A Fortune-telling Princess - Chapter 39

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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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I couldn’t understand why Camilla was suddenly asking about Duke Sorpel.
Hadn’t she been spending more time with Duke Sorpel than I had recently?
“Our biological father.”
“…Biological father?”
“Yes.”
….
At Camilla’s follow-up question, Ravi’s gaze turned back toward her.
“Why suddenly?”
“Just wondering.”
Was it because I had just met Duke Sefra? Camilla, I suddenly became curious about what kind of person my biological father was.
‘Was he as much of a dog as that man called father in the other world?’
Though I had watched over this place for many years, I had never heard a single story about Camilla’s biological father.
Had they said he died right after she was born, or that he disappeared? No one ever gave me proper information about him.
“I don’t remember either.”
“You don’t either, older brother?”
“No.”
“That makes sense.”
Ravi would have been only five or six years old at the time.
“That ring.”
After hesitating briefly, Ravi pointed to the crimson ruby ring on Camilla’s hand—the keepsake of her mother that the servants had once hidden.
“Our biological father gave it to Mother.”
“Father did?”
“But why are you suddenly curious about that?”
“Just because.”
“It’s always ‘just because’ with you.”
Ravi clicked his tongue softly and turned his head away.
“Older brother.”
“What now?”
“Are you busy?”
“You really are! If you have something to say, say it all at once! I’m busy!”
His voice came out loud in the end. Watching him, Camilla let out a soft laugh. Yet he didn’t tell her to leave.
“Should I make you even busier?”
“What?”
“Catch.”
Whoosh.
“Hey, what are you suddenly throwing at me?”
“A gift.”
“A gift? What is this… Hey, hey, hey!”
Ravi sprang to his feet. What Camilla had thrown was a blue mineral.
Sensing the magical energy flowing from it, Ravi’s expression filled with astonishment.
“You, you! Where did you get this!”
“It’s a secret.”
“Hey! Where did you get this from!”
Crash!
Overturning even the chair, I glided away from Ravi, who was desperately chasing after me.
‘One customer secured.’
* * *
“Ugh, what a persistent fellow.”
I’d been tormented all night. By whom? By Ravi.
Having tasted the finest mana stones, Ravi had pestered me relentlessly all day, trailing behind me and demanding to know where I’d obtained them. My insistence that it remained a secret proved utterly futile.
Even through breakfast, I’d had to rush through my meal without knowing whether the food was entering my mouth or my nose, all because Ravi stared at me in silent accusation the entire time.
‘I don’t need to worry about publicity, do I?’
The dark mages would be handled by Duke Sefra’s household, and the Magic Tower seemed like it would be sufficiently impressed by the single mana stone Ravi carried away.
Previously, the moment Duke Jebillen had presented a mana stone, all the mages had rushed forward in excitement.
Declarations of “I’ll buy it first,” offers of bribes and extra payments—it had been absolute chaos.
“Hehehehe.”
Once I’ve gathered enough money, I’ll truly escape this wretched household, build myself a beautiful home in some small village, and live in absolute luxury.
‘First, I need to finalize the contract.’
Our capable butler Derin!
It was the ghost butler Derin who had carefully assisted me from the sidelines, as I knew nothing whatsoever about the contract forms used in this place.
With his help, I’d been able to draft an exceptionally thorough and flawless contract. Now I only needed Duke Sefra’s signature to complete it.
‘I must keep this secret for now.’
The reason I’d specifically asked Duke Sefra to handle the sale was that I didn’t want to expose my source of funds.
If I stepped forward to conduct business myself, the Sorpel Family would immediately learn of it.
Until I’d accumulated a sufficiently comfortable amount, I planned to remain thoroughly hidden behind Duke Sefra.
Fortunately, Duke Sorpel had already lost interest in that mine. He’d told me to conduct my mineral research freely, promising not to interfere until I requested his assistance.
“Hihihi!”
I couldn’t help but let laughter escape without my notice.
Of course, the students observing me from their surroundings simultaneously shook their heads. They were beginning to think my personality was becoming increasingly strange.
[Sister!]
“Huh?”
At that moment, someone appeared before me.
Upon seeing the child with tears streaming down his face, I was thoroughly bewildered.
It was Sier, Arsian’s younger brother, who had come to find me alone.
“Why are you—”
I hastily stopped myself. To others, it would appear as though I were muttering to empty air.
[Isn’t this the kid who was always attached to Arsian?]
The female student ghost Amy had approached and spoken as well, seemingly just as surprised that Sier, who was always by his brother’s side, had come to find me alone.
[Brother…!]
“Hyung…!”
‘Why is Arsian…?’
[Brother, please! Someone stop him!]
‘What?’
[Please, hurry!]
Faced with the child’s desperate plea, Camilla found herself rising from her seat.
Following the child, she arrived at…
“Grraaahhh!”
Thud! Crack!
“Hey, hey, shouldn’t we stop that?”
“What can we do? Someone go fetch the professors!”
There was no need to ask where Arsian was.
A place where countless people had gathered.
Yet all that emanated from it were anguished groans and the dull thuds of impact. Not a single person could even manage a proper breath.
Overwhelmed by the other’s momentum, they could only watch the unfolding scene with fearful eyes.
‘What is he doing?’
Arsian was relentlessly raining punches down upon a male student.
The student’s face was already torn and bloodied, consciousness slipping away.
Yet Arsian showed no sign of stopping.
[Sister! Brother, please…!]
What am I supposed to do? How can I stop someone whose mind is already half-gone?
His eyes have already rolled back. Would someone in that state even listen if I tried to stop him?
[Sister…!]
“Tsk.”
Faced with Sier’s desperate gaze, Camilla finally moved forward.
* * *
Crack!
“Ghhh! I’m… I’m sorry… please…!”
Thud!
“Ah, Ar… Gahhh!”
Belac, the son of Count Lebiselle, had completely lost his senses.
He never imagined that a moment of recklessness would bring such catastrophe.
‘Duke Sefra is truly remarkable, isn’t he? So fair and just, with exceptional abilities.’
Just moments before, he had lavished praise upon Duke Sefra, making sure Arsian could hear every word.
‘If such a man were my father, I’d want for nothing else in this world.’
Normally, he would never have dared speak such words before Arsian, but seeing him in an unusually relaxed mood recently, he had found the courage.
He had wanted to make a strong impression this time.
Had he known it would come to this, he would have simply kept his mouth shut!
Truly, truly he would have!
‘Shut up.’
‘Huh? Ah, Arsian…?’
‘What do you know to speak so carelessly?’
‘Ah, no, I was just complimenting you? I thought it was wonderful that someone as excellent as your father exists in the Empire….’
‘Shut up.’
I should have stopped there, but with the other children watching, I found myself acting out without thinking.
‘How disgusting. Anyone without a distinguished father must find life unbearable.’
What possessed me to say such a thing?
‘Just because everyone around you indulges you, do you think it’s natural for others to revere you?’
‘….’
‘Because your father is a Duke, you think you’re a Duke too-‘
Thwack!
In that instant, Arsian’s fist came flying straight at me.
I wished I would lose consciousness, but why wouldn’t this wretched mind let go—aaahhh…!
Belac thrashed about desperately in the pain.
There was no hope of anyone coming to help. Who would dare stop this madman?
I had seen the professors hurriedly flee moments ago, as if they had witnessed nothing at all.
The other students simply accepted it with the thought, ‘Arsian’s lost it again.’
Splash!
“…!”
But then it happened. A stream of cold water poured down!
Through my blurred vision, I could see Arsian drenched and dripping. Belac barely caught his breath and lifted his head slightly to make sense of the situation.
‘That… that woman!’
Someone stood behind Arsian. A woman holding an empty pitcher with its lid open, exhaling a short sigh.
“Cool your head a bit.”
It was Camilla.
“….”
Arsian, soaked to the bone, slowly turned to look at her.
“Will you do it yourself? Or should I take you to the Infirmary?”
Watching Arsian sit there in a daze with unfocused eyes, Camilla sighed again. Then she strode over and grabbed his arm to pull him up.
“Move aside. Unless you’re planning to die.”
Arsian rose from his seat without resistance, led by her hand.
Camilla glanced around briefly before approaching someone. Then she handed over the empty pitcher.
“I’m sorry to trouble you, but could you clean this up?”
You’re the one who thinks you can be taken advantage of because you’re a familiar face.
“You come with me.”
Camilla approached Arsian again and took his hand, leading him away. Arsian followed her weakly, his feet moving without resistance.
Everyone watched the two of them leave in silence.
“….”
Petro, in particular, who had received the pitcher, looked at the departing pair with much to say written on his face, then burst into laughter.
* * *
“Well done.”
Camilla led Arsian to a place near Spirit Lake that had gradually become their hideaway.
“Does it feel good to vent your frustrations on an innocent place?”
“It’s none of your concern.”
“I wouldn’t care either if I could help it.”
Who asked you to meddle in the first place?
“Your younger brother cried so much, that’s why you’re like this.”
Arsian lifted his gaze toward where Sier stood, but immediately turned his head away.
“What’s this? Now you can’t even stand to look at your own brother?”
Camilla clicked her tongue. She could roughly guess why he had lost his composure so completely.
“It must be frustrating.”
To discover that someone you’ve hated and resented your entire life actually has their own circumstances?
Even if only for a brief moment, to have understood the other person’s heart a little?
“That doesn’t mean forgiveness comes instantly.”
Emotions accumulated over years don’t simply vanish in an instant.
Still despising and hating the other person, yet simultaneously understanding them… that kind of feeling?
“What would you know about it—!”
“I know someone who nearly died from being strangled by a man called Father.”
“…What?”
Camilla paused briefly before exhaling a short sigh.
She was somewhat surprised at how calmly she had spoken of such a thing.

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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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