A Fortune-telling Princess - Chapter 47

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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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Side story. A Good Person
“Our kind Petro.”
Mother was always frail. She suffered from frequent ailments and found even short walks exhausting.
So naturally, I fell into the habit of staying by her side and helping her—it became my daily life.
“Mother is so happy because Petro is here.”
I didn’t want to see Mother sad. I believed that always being good and upright was what I could do for her.
“You must be so pleased, madam.”
“Indeed. Your son is so upright.”
When Mother saw me helping others, she would beam with joy, and when others praised me, she seemed especially delighted.
Mother’s face, which usually bore the pallor of illness, would flush with color and look so vibrantly healthy in those moments.
“When our son smiles, Mother is happy too.”
So I always smiled brightly. Because Mother would smile only when I smiled.
“Our Petro is truly kind.”
So I always helped others. I never showed the slightest reluctance.
Because that’s what made Mother happy.
“Help those in difficulty.”
“Yes, Mother.”
“Always be kind to people.”
“Yes.”
“You must become a good person.”
“Yes….”
Yes, Mother.
* * *
Even after Mother passed away, my life didn’t change.
Kindness, ingrained like habit, became my existence, and smiling was the only expression I could wear.
“Petro!”
“Petro!”
My kindness and smile drew crowds of people around me constantly.
I didn’t think it was bad. Whether sincere or false, kindness given to others couldn’t harm anyone.
But….
“Ahhh!”
“Someone stop Duke Sorpel’s daughter!”
“What on earth is happening!”
“Good heavens!”
I still don’t understand why that day was different.
When I saw two people fighting by their hair at the party venue, when I realized one of them was the person who had been relentlessly pursuing me, I found myself stepping away without thinking.
Normally, I would have approached without hesitation and resolved the situation….
‘Sigh.’
That day, I felt inexplicably tired.
I left without the slightest hesitation, yet my heart felt deeply uneasy.
Overwhelmed by self-reproach, I returned to my seat, but by then the entire situation had already been resolved.
Camilla, who had caused the commotion, and Jewela Bakes, my partner for the evening, had both vanished from the Party Venue.
For a long time afterward, I didn’t see Camilla Sorpel.
I saw her again at the Cemetery—a place I encountered her at despite never seeking it out.
She was there when I visited the Cemetery with friends on the anniversary of my mother’s death.
I was certain she had followed me there. She always did, after all.
But then….
A soft rustling sound.
She passed by without even glancing at me, her brow deeply furrowed.
From that point on, she displayed a different demeanor than usual.
She no longer pursued me, and the constant urgency and anxiety that had defined her vanished. Seeing her sleep peacefully at the Training Ground was nothing short of shocking.
What was strange was that my eyes kept drifting toward her.
From some point onward, the sight of her constantly at Arshian Sefra’s side irritated me all the more.
* * *
Thud! Crack!
Arshian Sefra was beating someone again.
I didn’t catch the exact reason. Then again, when had that bastard ever needed a reason to hit someone?
“….”
I thought I should intervene, but I didn’t want to. I simply watched Arshian Sefra in silence.
Watching him throw punches without caring for anyone’s gaze, my mood sank inexplicably.
How could I live as freely as he did? How did he manage to do whatever he wanted?
Did he truly not care about others’ eyes?
Thud!
“Ugh! I’m, I’m sorry… please…!”
Crack!
My body wouldn’t move.
My gaze remained fixed on Arshian Sefra. Something felt off.
Splash!
At that moment, someone poured cold water over Arshian Sefra.
It was Camilla Sorpel, who had grabbed the pitcher placed in the corner of the Classroom.
“Could you clean this up for me?”
She handed over the empty pitcher and left with Arshian Sefra, completely indifferent to the surrounding stares.
I stared after them in a daze.
“Ha, haha!”
Suddenly, laughter burst from me.
Those around me looked at me with startled expressions as I laughed inappropriately for the situation, but I didn’t care.
“Haha…!”
Was this the first time? The first time I’d ignored others’ gazes like this?
After that, she spent considerable time with Arshian Sefra.
Many at the Academy watched the two of them with curiosity, but neither Camilla Sorpel nor Arshian Sefra paid any attention to their stares.
What is this strange desire to keep inserting myself between those two?
“Camilla.”
She had been wandering through various corners of the Academy searching for someone.
“Are you perhaps looking for Arsian?”
At my offer to help, she let out a short sigh.
It had become the expression I saw most often from her lately.
“Petro.”
“You may simply call me Petro.”
Arsian seemed to call me by my name without such formality.
At those words, Camilla Sorpel let out another short sigh.
“You don’t need to do that anymore.”
Don’t need to do what?
“You don’t need to show me kindness you don’t truly feel.”
Kindness I don’t truly feel?
Her crimson eyes fixed directly upon me.
“I acknowledge that you are a good person, so please stop now.”
I could say nothing. Or rather, I was unable to.
It felt as though she had glimpsed a part of myself I didn’t even fully understand.
As Camilla Sorpel turned to leave after those words, countless thoughts flooded through me.
A good person. Kindness without true feeling.
Can one who shows kindness without true feeling truly be a good person?
“Petro!”
Just then, as always, several young ladies approached where I stood.
“What are you doing here?”
“If you don’t mind, would you care to join us for some refreshments….”
As I slowly turned my head, their words ceased. In an instant, the color drained from their faces.
Watching their eyes widen and their expressions stiffen, I suddenly wondered what expression I wore now.
I received no answer, for I did not ask, yet one thing was certain.
I was not smiling.
Perhaps this face was my true self.
“Refreshments? How lovely.”
“Ah… yes, yes!”
Yet soon I offered them a gentle smile as I always did, speaking to them with warmth.
Only then did their faces brighten again. They would convince themselves that what they had glimpsed moments before was merely a trick of the eye.
Following behind them as they walked ahead, I smiled as I always did.
More brilliantly than ever.
Chapter. Black Shadow
“Welcome home, Miss.”
“Yes.”
The moment Camilla stepped into the Duke’s Mansion, she encountered the butler Rube.
“Hmm….”
He regarded me in silence for a moment.
“Would you care for a warm cup of tea?”
“No, that’s fine.”
My complexion must have looked particularly poor today, for when Rube offered the tea, I shook my head lightly.
“Where is Father?”
“Both Duke Jebillen and Duke Sefra have arrived and are waiting in the Reception Room.”
“Again?”
How long had it been since they last left?
‘Could they have come because they’re being harassed by the Shinsu again?’
At the news of Duke Jebillen and Duke Sefra’s visit, I clicked my tongue softly.
“The Master invited both of them today.”
“Invited? Why?”
Was there something special happening today?
‘I haven’t heard anything about it.’
It was extremely rare for three dukes to gather in one place.
Recently, they’d been meeting this frequently because of the Shinsu, but to those watching the movements of the three dukes closely, it would appear very suspicious.
“We received a message today.”
“A message? What kind of message?”
At my question, Rube’s smile deepened.
“From the Academy.”
“The Academy?”
“Yes.”
What was this about?
‘I don’t recall causing any trouble at the Academy recently.’
At Rube’s words, I felt a slight unease creeping in.
I thought I’d been behaving myself lately, but could there be some incident I wasn’t aware of?
Besides, what did a message from the Academy have to do with inviting two dukes?
“It didn’t seem to be anything bad.”
“Really?”
“Yes.”
Well, that was a relief.
I didn’t press further. My mind was already too cluttered and exhausted from what I’d learned at the Academy today.
I had no energy left to deal with additional complications.
“That lunatic.”
“Pardon?”
“Never mind.”
The words had slipped out unbidden, and I quickly shook my head before releasing a long sigh.
“You appear quite exhausted.”
“Don’t I? I must look absolutely drained, right?”
It seems like something troublesome happens every other day without fail.
I’m exhausted—far more exhausted than I ever was during my acting career. This is genuinely becoming a problem.
“I wish I could just have a bowl of samgyetang simmered to perfection at times like this.”
“What kind of soup, sir?”
“Never mind.”
What could I possibly expect in a place like this.
“Where is Dorman?”
Now that I thought about it, my Attendant was nowhere to be seen. He claimed to be constantly at my side offering support, yet this man vanishes at the slightest provocation.
‘He certainly talks a good game.’
I couldn’t fathom what assistance he actually provided.
“I saw him earlier—the Young Lady’s Room is being redecorated. The seasons do change, after all.”
…Fine, at least he’s working diligently on something.
Hearing about Dorman only drained what little energy I had left.
“Then I shall take my leave.”
Rube bowed lightly and turned to depart.
“Rube.”
Camilla called his name softly. His gaze immediately snapped toward her, as if asking what task she had for him.
“….”
Camilla glanced briefly around them. After confirming no one was passing nearby, she looked back at him.
“I have a favor to ask of you, Rube.”
“Yes, please speak.”
“This isn’t a request I’m making of my butler.”
“Pardon?”
Seeing confusion flicker across his eyes, Camilla lowered her voice further.
“Black Shadow.”
“…!”
“This is a request for the leader of that organization.”

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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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