A Fortune-telling Princess - Chapter 45

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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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“Father asked me to stop by.”
“Me? Why?”
“The mana stone sales will start soon, but he wants to discuss a few things beforehand.”
Ah, it’s about the mana stones.
“Understood. I’ll let him know I’ll visit soon.”
Arsian nodded lightly and turned to leave. Camilla watched his retreating figure and let out another soft laugh.
‘So they are talking after all.’
And he’s delivering messages directly like this.
When Duke Sefra had visited the Sorpel Family Estate, I’d managed to have a brief conversation with him, avoiding the eyes of others.
He’d learned that Sier had departed, and upon hearing through Arsian that the boy had left with a smile, Duke Sefra had spoken with a heavy tone.
‘Thank you.’
It was an incredibly brief phrase, but that alone was enough for me to understand.
Duke Sefra’s visit here hadn’t been solely because of Shinsu.
“Camilla!”
A bright voice came from somewhere. It was Laila.
As always, she came rushing toward me with a beaming smile on her face.
“Congratulations! First place—I’m so proud of you! I want to go home and tell my parents. My friend came in first!”
The fact that she means it sincerely is frightening.
But…
“Friend?”
“Ah…!”
Laila’s face flushed crimson in an instant.
‘Friend.’
Such an unfamiliar word.
I’d never uttered it before—not during my school days in that other world, nor throughout my entertainment career.
“What’s this?”
“Oh, this? I noticed you seemed to enjoy it last time, so I made some butter and jam.”
Laila smiled and handed me a box. When I opened it, sure enough, it was filled with butter and strawberry jam and other delicacies.
‘Perol will love this.’
The last time I’d given him the desserts Laila had made, he’d even shed tears of joy.
First, he was moved by the fact that he was eating food again after so long, and then he wept tears of emotion once more at the rich flavors she’d created.
“Oh my, it’s Professor JB.”
“He’s back!”
“Is your health better now?”
At that moment, a commotion erupted from one side. From the end of the corridor came the excited squeals of female students.
“It seems Professor JB has returned.”
Laila beside me smiled as well.
Professor JB. The professor who teaches second-year history. In his mid-twenties, he was extremely popular among the students.
For one, he had a gentle temperament and was incredibly kind to his students. His classes were engaging and well-taught, and above all… he was devastatingly handsome!
Because of this, Professor JB was particularly popular with the female students.
He had been suffering from a severe cold for some time and hadn’t appeared at the Academy for several days, but now he had returned after a week’s absence.
At Professor JB’s arrival, the students gathered around him with cheerful greetings.
“It’s a relief to see you looking well.”
Laila was equally delighted at his return, even clapping her hands in joy.
“How has everyone been?”
“Great!”
“Professor, we missed you so much!”
“Are you feeling better?”
“Thanks to your concern, I’m fully recovered now. I apologize for worrying you all.”
His manner of making eye contact with each student and conversing with them remained unchanged.
“There’s one more now.”
“Pardon?”
At the softly spoken words, Laila turned to look at me.
But it didn’t seem to be directed at her—my gaze remained fixed on Professor JB.
He said something had increased, but what exactly had increased?
“….”
Yet after that remark, I pressed my lips firmly shut and said nothing more.
* * *
“Brother, are you busy?”
“…Not at all, not at all!”
Ravi glared at me as I cracked the door open and asked the same question as before.
I had no idea what I was doing lately. The man kept saying he was busy, yet I pretended not to hear and asked anyway!
“What now?”
“Well, you see.”
“What is there to see?”
“There’s a murderer.”
“…What did you say?”
“No, wait. It’s not about me—”
“Speak clearly! This isn’t something involving you, is it?”
I was caught somewhat off guard by Ravi’s intense reaction, having broached the subject lightly.
Still, I had come to him because he was the least interested in my affairs among everyone in this household.
“Did you see something strange again?”
“What?”
“You saw something odd again, didn’t you?”
“No, I didn’t.”
This man has surprisingly good instincts.
“Are you sure?”
“Yes.”
“….”
Even at my denial, Ravi did not easily lower his sharp gaze.
‘This is really unexpected.’
I simply needed some advice.
I wanted to hear how people here viewed murder and what punishments were handed down for it.
No matter how long I’d been observing this place, I’d never had any contact with a murderer.
“I’m warning you again—don’t do anything dangerous alone. This time, Father won’t forgive you either.”
He was referring to the time I’d jumped into the Lake searching for Shinsu’s egg.
Ravi kept giving me suspicious looks, as if wondering whether I’d seen something in my dreams again and was about to get involved in something dangerous.
“It’s about someone I know.”
“Someone you know? Who?”
“Would you understand if I told you?”
“So what? Why are you even asking about that? A murderer? Is that just something you casually bring up?”
“My friend saw a strange person.”
“Since when do you have friends?”
“….”
What a cruel thing to say.
But what made it worse was that I couldn’t refute it.
“Keep going.”
“My friend found out by chance that someone they know is a murderer. So—”
“Report them.”
Ravi’s answer came immediately, as if there was nothing more to consider.
“They said there’s no evidence.”
“If there’s no evidence, how do they know this person is a murderer?”
“Well… I’d call it intuition?”
“Are you joking? How do you identify a murderer based on intuition?”
“There’s no physical evidence, but the psychological evidence is far too certain.”
“And?”
“People keep dying, but I don’t know what to do about it.”
“Are you well acquainted with this murderer?”
“No.”
“Is there any chance you’d be their next target?”
“Not particularly.”
“Then drop it.”
“What?”
“Pretend you don’t know anything.”
“But they’re a murderer? What if someone else dies?”
“You said there’s no evidence.”
“Right.”
“Then you can’t report them anyway. Don’t take unnecessary risks—just pretend you know nothing. If a murder occurs, the guards will investigate it themselves. Just leave it alone.”
That was probably the right answer, wasn’t it?
Camilla nodded in agreement.
The unease still lingered, but no matter how much I thought about it, his words seemed right.
Even if someone witnessed the crime scene, how many would actually report it immediately?
If one’s safety were guaranteed, or if there were a possibility the murderer would be caught soon, then reporting would be more than justified.
‘But what if that weren’t the case?’
If the evidence were insufficient, and there was a risk of being marked by the murderer just for exposing myself?
‘Then staying quiet is the right answer.’
This wasn’t about anything else—it was about potentially entangling myself with a murderer. I steeled my resolve.
Thunk.
“What?”
“I found it on the road.”
Rising from my seat, I tossed a small box onto Ravi’s desk.
Ravi opened the box with a puzzled expression and stared blankly at its contents for a moment.
Inside was a small brooch—a silver fox.
“What do you think? It’s pretty, isn’t it?”
“…I don’t think I’d have any use for it.”
“Then give it back!”
As I reached to snatch the brooch, Ravi quickly moved it aside.
‘He’s always like this, no matter what I say!’
Watching him, I clicked my tongue softly.
“But why a fox?”
“Huh?”
“Why a fox?”
At Ravi’s question, my eyes lost focus.
“I’m leaving.”
I fled the spot immediately. I couldn’t very well tell him I chose it because he’s a fox cub.
“What’s wrong with her?”
Ravi watched my retreating figure with brief bewilderment before his gaze returned to the gift box.
“Pointless gesture…”
He grumbled continuously, unaware that his own lips had curved into a gentle smile.
* * *
“Welcome, Miss Camilla.”
Was this a joke from the gods?
‘I already have plenty of grievances with you!’
This damned god!
I exhaled a small sigh. Simply looking at the face of the person sitting before me drew the breath from my lungs.
‘I had made such a resolution.’
Until this morning, I had resolved again and again to follow Ravi’s advice and stay completely uninvolved.
See nothing, hear nothing.
‘But…’
So why was I now facing this person?
“I called you here today because of the assignment you submitted last time.”
“An assignment?”
Female students passing through the Administrative Office cast envious glances in my direction.
The person sitting before me, guiding the conversation with a benevolent smile, was none other than Professor JB.
“Why my assignment? Is something wrong with it?”
“No, not at all.”
Professor JB shook his head hastily at my question.
“In fact, it was so flawless that I called you here for this reason.”
“Pardon?”
“I was wondering if I might use the historical materials you submitted.”
Thanks to Duke Sorpel and Ravi, who collected rare books and ancient texts as a hobby, the library of the Sorpel Household contained an abundance of rare volumes that were difficult to find elsewhere.
With such resources at my disposal, I was able to complete this history assignment—investigating nations, cities, or races that once existed but have since vanished—with absolute perfection.
It seemed Professor JB had taken notice after I attached lesser-known materials to finish the assignment.
“Yes, feel free to use them as you wish.”
“Ah! Thank you so much.”
“Is that all you needed?”
“Would it be possible for me to see the original sources of the materials attached to your assignment?”
“That’s difficult. Those are books my father treasures greatly.”
“Ah… what a shame.”
His expression grew pitiful in an instant.
“Couldn’t you help me in some way, even if only partially?”
“Help you?”
“Yes, since you’ve seen all of them, it would be tremendously helpful for my research. From what I know, those books are now nearly impossible to obtain anywhere on the continent. That’s why I’m asking.”
Professor JB’s eyes gleamed with earnest desperation.
“This isn’t coercion, is it?”
“Of course not.”
“Then I must decline.”

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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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