A Fortune-telling Princess - Chapter 93

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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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Chapter. Water Ghost Bes
“A donation?”
“Yes.”
“Under my name?”
“That is correct.”
Duke Sorpel’s eyes widened slightly.
“Who on earth would donate such an enormous sum….”
The news that butler Rube had just brought was more than enough to capture his attention.
“There were thirteen locations in total.”
Someone had been making substantial donations across various institutions using his name and the Sorpel Family’s name.
“Hmm.”
He himself did regularly donate to certain places each month. But this time, someone had actually established a foundation and was making donations through it.
“Did you find out who?”
“Yes.”
Rube nodded lightly, a peculiar smile playing at the corners of his mouth.
“It was the Ghost Merchant Guild.”
“Who?”
The Ghost Merchant Guild?
“That Ghost I know?”
“Yes, that’s correct.”
“Why would he…?”
The Ghost Merchant Guild was a place Duke Sorpel had been watching with great interest recently.
Likely others felt the same. After all, it was currently accumulating the most wealth within the Empire.
Naturally, his curiosity about the owner of the Ghost Merchant Guild only grew stronger.
‘What exactly is his relationship with Duke Sefra?’
It was utterly bewildering why Duke Sefra would simply hand over such a massive enterprise to whoever owned the Ghost Merchant Guild.
“Chris Miller, I believe his name was.”
I had attempted to subtly extract information about him from Duke Sefra, but failed.
His unexpected evasiveness only amplified my curiosity.
But why would that name suddenly emerge in this place?
“Take a look at this.”
Rube handed over several documents he had been holding, never losing the smile at his lips.
“What is this?”
“Do you remember the mine I gave to Miss Camilla before?”
“The mine?”
Of course I remembered. When I promised to give her anything she wished as a reward for finding Shinsu, Camilla had accepted a worthless mine.
“This is the quantity of ore extracted from that location and the routes through which that ore has moved.”
“Why bring that up suddenly?”
After giving the mine to Camilla as a gift, I had transferred all authority over it to her completely.
Fearing she might feel burdened, I had issued orders that no one interfere with her until she desired it.
“Did that child ask for help with something?”
It seemed he had ultimately failed to find a use for the mine and was now at a loss for what to do with it.
‘I’ve felt uneasy ever since I gave her that mine as a gift in the first place.’
He was prepared to exchange it for an even better mine under Camilla’s ownership at a moment’s notice.
“Let’s start by examining the documents.”
Duke Sorpel, who had been studying Rube with a slightly puzzled expression, soon turned his gaze toward the papers.
His expression began to shift subtly as he read.
The mineral extraction volume was far greater than he had anticipated. But what truly astonished him was the final destination of those minerals—
“The Sefra Family?”
It was none other than Duke Sefra’s Residence.
“To be more precise, the minerals were delivered to dark mages belonging to the Sefra Family.”
“Dark mages?”
“Yes.”
“Surely not….”
Rube offered no further explanation. His master would grasp the entire situation from these circumstances alone.
“Could it be that the minerals from that mine were…!”
And as expected, upon hearing the precise conclusion that escaped his lips, Rube gave a light nod.
* * *
“Congratulations.”
Camilla blinked briefly at Duke Sorpel’s words of congratulation before a bright smile bloomed across her face.
“Thank you, Father.”
Watching Camilla accept his gratitude with composure, as though she had anticipated this all along, a smile played at Duke Sorpel’s lips as well.
“So it was something you wanted me to notice.”
After learning that Camilla was the owner of the Ghost Merchant Guild—or rather, the mana stones—he had given it considerable thought.
There was something that simply didn’t make sense.
‘Why on earth?’
The trail would surely be discovered, yet why had she sponsored such an enormous sum under her own name?
Had it not been for that, he would still have no idea who the true owner of the mana stones or the Ghost Merchant Guild was… Ah.
‘She was telling me.’
Seeing Camilla respond with a bright smile rather than confusion, certainty crystallized within him.
“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you beforehand.”
“I was rather surprised.”
Camilla lowered her head slightly, like a child who had done something wrong.
“I didn’t expect the mana stones to attract this much attention.”
She shrank further into herself, as though genuinely frightened.
“I was afraid that if everyone knew a young girl like me was the owner of the mana stones, they would come at me fiercely….”
“How dare anyone!”
He nearly pointed at Marquis Gabriel and declared, ‘It’s that scoundrel!’ but caught himself.
“And I didn’t want to burden my busy Father with unnecessary concerns. I was planning to tell you once I had properly established everything.”
For a moment, he heard Duke Sefra mutter, “So I seemed that idle, did I?” but he deliberately pretended not to hear.
“The business grew so rapidly that I missed the opportunity to inform you earlier.”
“That girl.”
What mattered now was that Duke Sorpel believed my words without question.
‘That’s right.’
I’d made the right choice sponsoring it under Father’s name. Would he have donated such a large sum with a purely generous heart?
‘I nearly died from the heartache of it.’
But there was no helping it.
The moment my ownership of the Ghost Merchant Guild was revealed through other channels, I’d be branded as a money-grubbing woman—the perfect setup for such rumors.
The mere fact that I hadn’t disclosed to my own family that worthless ore had become premium mana stones was sufficient fodder for such gossip.
So I donated it with tears in my eyes. In the name of the Sorpel Family.
‘Damn it.’
I’d believed Rube, the leader of Black Shadow, would catch on to that much, and through him, Duke Sorpel would naturally learn of the entire situation.
I could also appeal to the fact that I wasn’t money-grubbing, nor had I intended to hide it to the end.
Pat, pat.
Duke Sorpel patted Camilla’s shoulder repeatedly, as if to say he was proud of me.
‘Of course.’
It was remarkable enough that I’d transformed that troublesome ore into premium mana stones, but hadn’t I also claimed the mine today—the very one all three ducal families had descended upon?
Of course, Camilla had no need for the iron that came from the mine.
‘What I want is the other mineral hidden within it.’
Diamonds! As for the iron, I planned to receive fair compensation from Duke Sorpel and hand it over.
He wouldn’t be so petty as to ask me to simply hand it over for nothing, would he?
“I-Impossible!”
At that moment, an angry cry erupted from elsewhere. When I turned my head, Marquis Gabriel was staring at me, trembling with rage.
“How could you!”
So it wasn’t Duke Sefra who’d been making me lose out with mana stones all this time—it was that damned girl!
I couldn’t believe it. That I’d been suffering through such difficult circumstances, manipulated by something so trivial!
‘So what? What will you do about it?’
Toward Marquis Gabriel, who glared at me as if to kill, I offered my brightest smile yet.
‘What changes because I’m the owner of the Ghost Merchant Guild?’
Even if my blood isn’t mixed with theirs, I’m still a daughter of the Sorpel Family, am I not? Is the Sefra Family too difficult, and the Sorpel Family a joke? Do I seem easy to push around?
“Ugh….”
Marquis Gabriel seemed to reach the same conclusion, quickly lowering his gaze.
“Hmm.”
He lacked the confidence to withstand the sharp glare that Duke Sorpel cast in tandem with my own.
‘Rot in hell!’
The situation had become even worse. The one who’d been interfering with my business was backed not only by Duke Sefra but also by Duke Sorpel himself!
She was the one who’d been constantly watching around the Ghost Merchant Guild. She’d tried every way to get her hands back into the mana stone business…!
“So what are you saying? You’re telling me you handed over the mana stones to Camilla, that child?”
An astonished voice came from elsewhere.
“No, why? Have you lost your mind? No matter that she’s your friend’s daughter, why would you simply hand over such a profitable business!”
It was Duke Jebillen himself.
“I’m here too, and so is that fellow! Why must it be this child?”
What could such a young thing possibly know about business!
Before the shock of losing the mine auction by the narrowest of margins could fully fade, he encountered this new revelation, leaving him utterly bewildered.
“It seems you’ve already forgotten that both you and I lost to this child in the auction.”
“Ugh….”
The sting of his narrow defeat at the auction came crashing back.
“It was never mine from the beginning.”
“What are you talking about?”
“It belonged to that child.”
“What do you mean! You can’t just leave mid-sentence like that!”
“The auction is over. There’s no reason to linger here.”
Rising from his seat with obvious irritation and heading toward the exit, Duke Jebillen hastily pursued him.
“You need to finish what you were saying! Wait!”
Though a minor commotion ensued, no one present paid them any attention.
“This… this can’t be real!”
“The Sorpel young lady….”
The Ghost Merchant Guild! Everyone was in shock upon learning that Camilla was the true owner of that trading company!
‘And now this mine as well!’
They could only stare at Camilla with gaping mouths as she smiled radiantly, her beautiful face glowing with delight.
* * *
“What? What is it?”
“….”
“If you have something to say, say it.”
“….”
“…Fine. I’ll give you five premium mana stones.”
“….”
“Seven? Really?”
“….”
“Eight! That’s my final offer.”
“….”
“…Ten.”
“Hmph, I suppose I’ll accept that much.”
…Damn it.
I thought I only had to deal with Duke Sorpel. But there was an ambush waiting at home.
‘Ravi, you cunning bastard.’
As expected, the rumors spread like wildfire that very afternoon—that Camilla was the true owner of the mana stones and the Ghost Merchant Guild.
Ravi came looking for me immediately upon hearing the news, his eyes blazing with fury!
Under his silent, piercing gaze for what felt like an eternity, I eventually surrendered and paid up. Damn it… how much am I losing over this whole affair!
“How could you deceive even me?”

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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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