A Fortune-telling Princess - Chapter 53

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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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[Wow, she really does look exactly like me.]
Amy, the female student ghost who had been trailing after Camilla, stood beside the specter next to Binter and marveled continuously.
“Of course. They actually summoned phantoms of those they killed.”
Camilla answered tersely and once more stroked the head of Luna, the black wolf and divine beast of the Sefra Family.
At her affectionate touch, a contented rumbling sound emanated from the black wolf’s throat.
What Binter and his wife had experienced today was precisely this divine beast’s ability.
Though it was said to command darkness, it possessed the power to perfectly manifest the forms of the dead.
What was interesting was that it could not manifest the forms of the living.
Only the dead—only those who no longer existed in this world—could it summon forth.
[A power befitting a divine beast of darkness.]
It was perfectly suited for this task.
“You did wonderfully, Luna.”
The black wolf wagged its tail like a puppy and nuzzled its face against Camilla’s hand.
[Would a week be enough?]
Camilla smirked as she looked at Binter sprawled on the ground. Judging by today’s reaction, a week seemed unnecessary.
[It seems like he’ll turn himself in soon enough.]
Though I didn’t expect him to soil his pants. He’s truly outdone himself in depravity.
Camilla clicked her tongue as she recalled the biographical information about Binter and his wife that she had reviewed before coming here.
[And yet they continue to adopt children.]
Children aren’t commodities, after all.
She simply could not comprehend it.
The child Binter had confined in the attic had already been rescued.
The child, who appeared to be around nine years old, bore the unmistakable appearance of someone reduced to skin and bones.
The child showed no wariness toward her sudden appearance. Or rather, they lacked the strength to be wary.
When I thought of the child who, without hesitation, grasped my hand at my promise to get them out of this place, my blood boiled.
“Rotten bastards.”
Camilla opened her mouth while forcibly restraining the urge to stomp on the collapsed Binter couple.
“Just bear with it for a few more days.”
At that, the divine beast Luna nuzzled her hand once more as if in agreement.
Camilla gently stroked Luna’s head in return.
* * *
Tap.
“What are you thinking about?”
Tap.
“About what?”
Duke Sefra responded without lifting his gaze, as he always did, to Arsian’s question.
His eyes remained fixed on the chessboard laid out before him.
Tap.
“Is it really alright to lend her out so carelessly?”
Arsian moved a piece on the chessboard and continued speaking.
“What makes you trust me enough to just lend it out?”
“I trust you.”
“What?”
“Checkmate.”
“Damn it!”
“Lost again.”
Arsian grumbled and slumped deeper into his chair.
The reason these two played chess together was because of a promise with Camilla.
She had asked what they wished for in return for allowing Sier’s soul to depart with a smile.
After a moment of consideration, Camilla’s request was simple: they must play chess together for exactly one hour each day.
When asked why chess specifically….
‘Then would you prefer we just sit across from each other in silence for an hour? Well, I suppose the awkwardness wouldn’t be so bad. It’s not like awkwardness will kill us, right?’
‘….’
‘….’
Neither of them objected further, and they settled on chess. Now they faithfully kept that promise.
‘Sier would be so pleased seeing the two of them like this.’
Arsian watched Duke Sefra intently as he arranged the pieces on the board once more.
Not long ago, Duke Sefra had lent Camilla the Sefra Family’s divine beast—a black wolf.
It was a creature that normally paid no attention to anyone but the family head, yet Camilla was an exception.
When told to follow Camilla, it had eagerly rushed out the door first.
“My bones ache from the blows.”
“What are you talking about?”
Bones?
“What bones?”
At Duke Sefra’s belated response, Arsian’s eyes filled with confusion.
He had asked why the divine beast was lent out, and now suddenly this talk of bones.
Duke Sefra simply ignored his son’s bewilderment and recalled the conversation with Camilla from days ago.
‘Could you lend me the divine beast?’
‘Is that something one can simply lend out?’
‘A divine beast maintained through abuse—use it for the abused children instead.’
‘You speak such painful truths without flinching.’
‘Truth has a way of striking bones with terrible force.’
So he lent it. Because his bones ached from the blows.
“Is there still time left before the hour is up?”
“About ten minutes.”
“Then we can play one more game.”
At Duke Sefra’s words, Arsian’s eyes gleamed sharply with determination as he placed his pieces on the board, resolved to win this time.
* * *
“They couldn’t even last a week.”
On the fourth day, word came that the Binter couple had appeared at the Guard, looking half out of their minds.
The dead returned in grotesque forms, shrieking at them to pay for their sins, and so they finally surrendered.
Upon finding the Guard, they confessed to all the crimes they had committed and begged for forgiveness, but it was far too late for such gestures.
‘What good does it do to beg forgiveness from those already dead?’
The moment Binter and his wife confessed their crimes, they were imprisoned and would soon face trial.
Trial in name only—the verdict was already decided. They would almost certainly face execution.
‘I quite like this world’s laws!’
An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, murder for death!
When the victim was a criminal or a target of vengeance, it greatly influenced the trial’s outcome, but otherwise, anyone who committed murder with intent faced a 100% death sentence.
‘That’s why Camilla died so many times.’
Even attempted murder was treated as murder in this place.
So it was no wonder that Camilla, arrested on suspicion of attempting to kill Ludvil, had her neck severed and her life ended repeatedly.
“Terry, was it?”
The child who had been trapped in the Attic by Binter and his wife.
That child’s future had been resolved quite well.
Count Shaylen and his wife. After a long silence, they had recently conceived a precious child and agreed to become Terry’s patron.
‘Whenever such matters arise in the future, I will help without hesitation.’
Count Shaylen, who had become Camilla’s devoted follower after she had foreseen that they would have a child, readily granted her request.
‘Not adoption, though.’
That was not what Terry wanted either.
The child, having endured terrible pain from the Binter couple’s actions, showed strong resistance to adoption itself.
In response, Count Shaylen and his wife placed the child in the Orphanage they sponsored and promised to spare no support until Terry reached adulthood.
“Now, what remains is….”
Camilla gazed at the female student ghost, Amy, who still lingered around her.
“Won’t you go?”
[Go where?]
Camilla raised her hand and pointed to the sky, telling her to let go of her attachment to this world and depart.
Her brother, who had been a murderer, was dead, and the Binter couple who killed her would soon pay for their crimes. There was no reason for her to remain here any longer.
“Why don’t you just ascend?”
Hersel had done so, and Sier had done so as well. After witnessing the results they desired, they all departed without hesitation.
But why was this ghost still lingering?
[I still have something to do.]
“What else?”
[My dream.]
“Your dream?”
At Camilla’s question, Amy smiled brightly.
[My dream was to travel around the Continent someday.]
“Travel?”
[Yes! Especially the Historical Sites!]
Amy nodded vigorously.
Whether at the Orphanage or suffering under the Binter couple, she had always dreamed of it—to see the world freely.
[My older brother became a history professor precisely because of this dream of mine.]
He wanted to show me the hidden historical stories scattered across the world whenever we traveled together someday.
[In the end, it remained nothing but a dream.]
Amy’s expression grew bittersweet for a moment before she brightened, revealing her aspirations.
[But now I’m going to explore freely.]
“That’s a good plan.”
Ghosts don’t need travel expenses anyway. It’s perfect for fulfilling a dream.
[I was grateful.]
“I know.”
Watching Camilla accept the thanks so casually, Amy grinned widely.
[Then I’m going.]
“Yes, let’s not see each other again.”
[You’re too much.]
Despite her constant grumbling, Amy’s expression remained bright.
With a final wave toward Camilla, she quickly vanished from sight.
“Please never come back.”
Camilla waved in return, bidding her a cheerful farewell.
Sincerely hoping never to see her again.

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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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