A Fortune-telling Princess - Chapter 46

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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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“…Pardon?”
“I must decline.”
“Ah….”
Bewilderment flickered across Professor JB’s face. Had he truly not anticipated a refusal?
‘Well, of course.’
There weren’t many female students at the Academy who would refuse Professor JB’s request, so his surprise was understandable.
‘If I hadn’t seen anything, I would have felt the same way.’
It would have been difficult to decline when faced with such pitiful, puppy-like eyes pleading for assistance.
‘But here’s the thing.’
Could anyone truly feel inclined to help after witnessing what I’ve seen?
I shifted my gaze past the dejected Professor JB.
‘One ghost, two ghosts, three ghosts….’
Seven female ghosts in total.
They shared only one commonality.
Every single one of them stared at Professor JB with eyes brimming with resentment.
At first, I’d thought of it simply.
Weren’t there humans who, even if one couldn’t see ghosts, somehow attracted such entities with peculiar frequency? I’d assumed Professor JB fell into that category.
But even after reaching my own conclusion, I found myself unable to look away. Something kept nagging at me, preventing me from dismissing it outright.
Troubled by this unease, I took more time to observe, and gradually, strange details began to surface.
The ghosts that followed him were distinctly odd. The appearance of the deceased was remarkably uniform.
Most tellingly, the eyes with which they regarded Professor JB were filled with resentment, rage, and fear.
Fear.
What manner of person could inspire fear even beyond death itself?
No matter how simply I considered it, the only conclusion was that he bore some connection to their deaths.
“…I apologize if I’ve made you uncomfortable. I fear I’ve been too presumptuous….”
Still, I chose to feign ignorance. If so many women had died, surely rumors would have circulated somewhere.
If murders had occurred, an investigation would naturally follow.
Moreover, if these were murders committed by Professor JB, they would likely have happened in his vicinity, so I should have heard word of it easily enough.
‘Yet it’s been far too quiet.’
When I first saw Professor JB, five ghosts clung to him. But days later, another appeared, making it six.
‘And the last time I saw him, the number had grown to seven.’
While he was absent from the Academy, claiming to be ill with body aches, another had been added.
At that rate, I would have expected to hear news of some incident, yet nothing had surfaced.
Out of curiosity, I’d even subtly inquired about it with Duke Sorpel and Ludvil, both well-informed about recent happenings.
‘How is the security in the Capital these days?’
‘Security?’
‘I was wondering if there had been any murdered women recently. Perhaps-‘
‘What?’
‘What are you talking about.’
‘Did you see something in a dream again? Even if you did, absolutely do not get involved!’
Both of them reacted with a sensitivity no less than Ravi’s.
Only after reassuring them that I’d merely heard strange rumors did I finally receive confirmation that no such incident had actually occurred.
‘What is this?’
Why is everything so quiet? So many women died, yet why no commotion?
Even if we hadn’t found the bodies, shouldn’t there be missing person reports filed?
“…I can’t even begin to tell you how impressed I was by this midterm exam’s results… Duke Sorpel was also absolutely delighted….”
‘Why don’t I just ask them directly?’
I genuinely wanted to, but the subjects in question were too busy trailing behind Professor JB to give me an opening.
No matter how hard I tried to catch their attention, the dead women’s eyes remained fixed solely on Professor JB.
‘Asking them would be the fastest way.’
I could learn exactly when, where, and how they died in an instant.
‘Though perhaps I’m misunderstanding.’
Professor JB might not be a murderer after all.
Perhaps these hanged women simply happened to gather and follow Professor JB around, harboring resentment toward him….
‘…as if that’s even possible.’
In all my years, I’ve never witnessed such a coincidence.
“Camilla.”
“….”
“Camilla?”
“Oh, yes, please go ahead.”
“Is something wrong with your health?”
Camilla, who had been lost in thought for quite some time, turned her attention back to Professor JB, who was regarding her with concern.
“Has something unfortunate happened at home, perhaps?”
“Pardon?”
“If you have any worries or difficulties, please come see me anytime. You know I serve as a counselor for the students here, don’t you?”
“I do.”
That’s precisely why the students followed him so devotedly—he was kind enough to listen to their troubles.
His perpetually gentle smile and affectionate demeanor served as camouflage, masking his true nature beneath an appearance of normalcy. Who could possibly suspect him?
“It’s nothing serious, really….”
Camilla glanced subtly behind him.
“I lost one of my earrings not long ago.”
“An earring?”
“Yes, a violet flower earring.”
Camilla’s gaze settled on the female ghost wearing a violet flower earring on only one ear, hoping she might notice and react to my words.
[….]
But all the dead women showed no reaction whatsoever, as if the surrounding conversation wasn’t reaching their ears at all.
The female ghost Camilla had been watching simply stared silently and intently at Professor JB, nothing more.
“A violet flower earring?”
“Don’t worry about it. I can always buy another.”
Ultimately, Camilla rose quickly from her seat.
“Is there anything else you’d like to say?”
“No. Ah, I do hope you’ll reconsider my proposal.”
“I’ll think about it.”
At his renewed plea for my assistance, I gave a light nod before slipping away from that place.
‘Is that truly the only way?’
A short sigh escaped my lips.
* * *
‘Why can’t I find him today of all days?’
I darted about the Academy grounds, searching in vain. The person I sought seemed to have vanished.
“Miss Camilla.”
A familiar voice reached my ears. I turned to see Petro approaching with a bright smile.
“Where are you off to in such a hurry?”
“I’m looking for someone.”
“Shall I help you search?”
“No.”
It’s someone you couldn’t find anyway.
“Are you perhaps looking for Arsian?”
He paused briefly before asking again.
“No. Well then, I’ll be going.”
“Then who exactly are you searching for?”
As I turned to leave, a small sigh escaped me.
Was my heart growing impatient? Normally I would have brushed this off lightly, but today it grated on my nerves far more than it should.
“Petro.”
“You may simply call me Petro.”
His eyes curved beautifully with warmth.
‘That smile—I used to fall for it every time.’
It was the first time anyone had smiled at me with such tenderness.
But now, having heard everything from Dorman, I could discern the true meaning behind that smile.
That smile was undoubtedly false.
The smile I had treasured so deeply held no meaning whatsoever.
“You don’t need to do that anymore.”
“Pardon?”
“You needn’t extend kindness you don’t genuinely feel toward me.”
His actions likely stemmed from….
“I acknowledge that you’re a good person, so please stop now.”
Everyone desires to present a certain image to others.
Some wish to appear kind, others wish to appear intelligent.
‘Perhaps he simply wishes to be seen as a good person.’
Petro Jebillen, kind to everyone.
Everyone already perceived him that way.
But she found it rather bothersome—the way he kept hovering around her, constantly offering his help.
“Then I’ll take my leave.”
Camilla turned and walked away. She had someone she needed to see right now.
“….”
As Camilla disappeared into the distance, Petro found himself unable to say another word.
For the first time, the smile had vanished from his face.
“Damn it.”
He showed up whenever she told him not to, but now that she was actually looking for him, he was nowhere to be found.
Not in the Classroom, not at Spirit Lake.
Where on earth….
“Where are you?”
[Who?]
At that moment, the voice I’d been waiting for finally came.
I turned my head quickly to see the female student ghost Amy standing there with a playful smile.
“Where have you been all day?”
[Why? Did you miss me?]
“I need your help.”
[Hm?]
“I have a favor to ask.”
No matter how I thought about it, this was the only way.
I really didn’t want to ask a ghost for something like this, but what choice did I have when there was no other option?
[What do you need me to help with?]
Amy’s expression brightened. She seemed delighted that something she could actually do had finally appeared in her otherwise monotonous existence.
“Let’s go for now.”
Camilla hurried off toward the Academy building with Amy.
[This place….]
“You know him, right? Professor JB.”
A short while later, Camilla had brought Amy to the door of Professor JB’s Office.
After quickly scanning the area to ensure no one else was around, Camilla spoke to Amy in the lowest voice possible.
“I’m not sure if you’ve ever seen them.”
If anyone would know most of the gossip within the Academy, it would be Amy, so she likely already knew.
“The ghosts that cling to Professor JB.”
[….]
“Have you seen them?”
[…Yes.]
Amy nodded.
“Then go ask those women something for me.”
[What?]
“When and where they died, who killed them… in other words, whether it was really Professor JB.”
By asking the ghosts through Amy, I wouldn’t risk being discovered by Professor JB, and I wouldn’t have to face him again.
“If it’s really difficult for you to communicate, I can bring the spirits over to where I am instead.”
Camilla, who had been constantly scanning her surroundings, finally looked at Amy only after finishing her words.
But something seemed off about her expression. Amy’s face, which usually wore a playful smile, had stiffened slightly.
“What? Are you scared?”
Camilla asked carefully.
Her gaze naturally drifted toward Amy’s neck. The reason she had avoided getting entangled with Amy suddenly became glaringly apparent.
‘Now that I think about it….’
Amy had marks on her neck as well.
Strange traces, as if scraped by a rope.

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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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