A Fortune-telling Princess [Novel] Chapter 287

“Unbelievable. Is his name Hey-Hey? Why are you going ‘hey, hey’ at him when he has a perfectly good name? Is this how you’ve been treating Arsian this whole time? Who do you think you are, hazing a new recruit? I’m reporting you to the Labor Office right now!”

“Reporting me? Go on, do it! You think I’m scared?”

“You think I won’t when you tell me to?”

As the siblings’ argument went on and on with no end in sight, the people around them began quietly slipping away. It would be disastrous if they got caught in the crossfire for no reason.

“Why the hell did you even come here?”

Only after they had spent a good while arguing could Ravi finally ask why Camilla was here.

“Why else? I came to deliver mana stones.”

“Deliver?”

“Yeah.”

“…Huh.”

Since when had she ever brought them personally?

Ravi could not hide the incredulous look on his face. Even though Camilla had known all this time that he belonged to the magic tower, she had never once personally brought mana stones here before.

And now she had come in person? Ravi glared at Arsian, who stood behind Camilla, with newly furious eyes.

“You came to see that bastard!”

“Are you going to keep calling him weird things when he has a name? I might just stop delivering mana stones to the magic tower from now on.”

“You throw a fit over mana stones every chance you get! Is that the only thing you have to threaten people with?”

“Do you really think that’s the only thing I can threaten you with?”

Flinch.

At the sight of Camilla slowly lifting one corner of her mouth, Ravi’s words caught in his throat. Mana stones were hardly the only thing that brat could use to threaten him.

Lately, there was practically nothing that did not pass through the Ghost Trading House. It would not be much of an exaggeration to say the Ghost Trading House held most of the distribution rights worth having.

And Ravi knew better than anyone how exhausting it became once Camilla started being difficult.

Whenever he shut himself up in his workshop for days without eating because he was busy with research, he had heard more than one threat from her.

Not just mana stones. Every kind of material I need for research has been restricted through °• N 𝑜 v 𝑒 l i g h t •° that brat’s hands before.

When had she collected so many monopolies?

Ravi looked at Camilla in displeasure, then eventually threw his furious glare at Arsian.

Of course, seeing that bastard actually enjoying his glare only made Ravi angrier.

Tap.

“Brother, move this.”

“What?”

“Let’s go, Arsian.”

“Hey!”

Camilla nudged the mana stone box toward Ravi with her foot, dumped it on him, then took Arsian’s hand and quickly left the place.

Arsian followed behind her, his face still full of laughter.

*****

“My goodness. How badly have they been harassing you? Look how much weight you’ve lost.”

“…….”

…I haven’t lost any. And I don’t particularly remember being harassed.

But Arsian kept his mouth shut. He liked seeing Camilla cup his cheeks in both hands and get angry on his behalf.

“What about food? Did you eat?”

“No.”

“They didn’t even feed you? Those little—! If they’re going to haze someone, they should at least feed him first. This is our brother’s doing too, isn’t it?”

“…….”

…I just didn’t feel like eating.

“I’m hungry.”

“You’re hungry? Come on. Big sis will buy you anything you want.”

He felt as though he could hear Ravi’s wronged voice from somewhere, but what did that matter?

Arsian followed obediently after Camilla, putting on the most pitiful expression he could manage as he appealed to her about his hunger.

“So you want to go to the Gracia Empire?”

“Yeah. But Father really won’t give me permission.”

After eating and even having tea, Camilla and Arsian walked slowly through the streets while they talked.

The main topic was the dragon’s lair she had heard about from the ghost Amy this time.

It was a secret from everyone else, but there was no particular reason to hide it from Arsian.

“I’m against it too.”

“What? Why?”

But after hearing the whole story, Arsian also opposed the visit to Gracia.

What’s his problem now?

The Duke of Sorpel did not know anything, so that was one thing. But you already know Xeno is attached to my side.

“Because it’s dangerous.”

“What’s dangerous about it? Amy said there weren’t any traps or anything in the lair. Didn’t you hear what I just said? She said there aren’t even any demonic beasts on the way there. And so what if there are? I told you I’m bringing King. Or I could ask Jayner for help.”

“That’s the problem.”

“What do you mean?”

That was the problem?

“That man is the problem.”

“……?”

Arsian frowned at Jayner’s name as it came out of Camilla’s mouth.

They had only met a few times, but every time he saw Jayner with Camilla, something about it grated on him.

That look in his eyes…

It was definitely not the look of someone seeing a younger sister.

“What’s wrong with Jayner?”

Camilla could only tilt her head. It was true that the man’s real identity was the head of an assassination organization, but…

“…He’s a good kid.”

She had received a lot of help from him. His personality was a bit twisted in places, but honestly, she did not think she had any right to talk about that.

In a way, she bore some responsibility for that personality turning out the way it had.

Of course, Dorman should take the biggest share of responsibility.

When she learned about Jayner’s circumstances, about how he had unintentionally continued living through repeated lives, she had come to understand that twisted personality a little.

I wonder if he received proper compensation.

Considering Dorman had returned alive after going to find Jayner, the discussion about compensation seemed to have gone well, but he had not told her what he had received at all.

In any case, the strange part was that Arsian was especially displeased with Jayner.

“I don’t like him.”

“…Is there anyone you do like?”

“You.”

“…….”

…He sometimes came straight in like this out of nowhere. Camilla let out a small laugh and began walking slowly again.

The weather was good, and the breeze blowing past them felt refreshing. It was perfect weather for a walk.

Should she buy a whole pile of desserts the Duke of Sorpel liked on her way home? Would he give her permission then?

I think I need to improve his mood first before anything can move forward.

While she was thinking over ways to攻略 the Duke of Sorpel—

Stop.

“Mm?”

Camilla spotted something and could not hide the puzzled look in her eyes.

What is he doing over there?

Someone was hiding behind a tree, staring intently at something.

It looked suspicious no matter how one saw it, but the problem was that the person doing such a suspicious thing was someone she knew far too well.

Dorman?

Why was he there at this hour? He should have been working hard at the shop with Lila by now.

Didn’t you definitely say you were going to the café when you left home today?

Playing hooky again today?

How long had it been since he promised he would not slack off? Camilla threw an incredulous look at him. Apparently, cutting his wages had not had much effect.

What is he staring at like that?

Camilla followed Dorman’s gaze. It was odd how he had been focused on one place since earlier.

What kind of trouble is that guy about to cause now… huh?

…A girl?

What Dorman was looking at was a young girl. A girl in her mid-to-late teens, working diligently at a bakery.

“…Holy crap.”

After looking back and forth between Dorman and the girl for quite a while, Camilla grasped the situation and quietly furrowed her brow.

Is he stalking her right now?

Of all the ridiculous things…

The reason Camilla immediately misunderstood like that was because Dorman’s eyes as he looked at the girl were anything but normal.

What was with those eyes full of love and hate? He looked as if he might run over and confess to the girl at any moment.

Hey, how old are you, going after a kid that young? Has he eaten so many years that he’s finally gone senile?

No, no. Dorman was not that thoughtless a guy… was he? Was he that kind of guy?

…I’ll just ask.

What was the point of agonizing over it? Asking directly was the answer.

To find out at once what he was doing, Camilla strode toward Dorman.

Even then, he was so absorbed in the girl that he did not so much as glance elsewhere.

Whoosh!

“……!”

But at that moment, Arsian, who had been standing beside her, hurriedly caught Camilla’s arm as she started forward and drew her back.

Slide.

“…Huh?”

At the same time, someone appeared in front of Camilla. A bloodless, deathly white hand blocked her path.

“…Havel?”

It was Havel, the death god.

“…….”

He glanced toward where Dorman was, then quietly gestured with his eyes for Camilla to follow him.

What is this?

Camilla stared blankly for a moment at Havel as he began walking away without any explanation, but in the end, she could not suppress her curiosity. Together with Arsian, she quietly followed him.