A fortune-telling princess Chapter 110

His eyes sparkled with a genuine admiration, making it clear he was truly a fan.

[But nobody knows exactly how he died. After he plunged the Sword of Guardians into the cliff, his whereabouts became a complete mystery.]

“Oh, I see,” Camilla replied absently, clearly uninterested. She let the conversation drift in one ear and out the other.

“Miss! Over there! There’s a massive greenhouse! Want to go see it?” Dormann’s excited voice cut through her indifference.

“A greenhouse?”

Seeing her interest piqued, Dormann eagerly elaborated.
“It’s usually off-limits to anyone except the royal family, but they’ve granted the delegation special access!”

“Hmm.”

Truthfully, she was bored. With the coronation still a few days away, there wasn’t much to do.

Edsen, the Crown Prince, was busy meeting a long line of people seeking his attention, but Camilla found herself with nothing but time.

“Well, I guess it wouldn’t hurt to take a look.”

“Yes!” Dormann exclaimed, almost skipping in excitement.

“Wow…”

It was extravagant, bordering on ridiculous.

That was Camilla’s first impression upon stepping into the greenhouse. The sheer size of the sprawling space and the countless varieties of plants and flowers must cost a fortune to maintain.

It wasn’t as if they had electricity to power all this—everything had to be sustained by magic.

Outside, a fierce snowstorm raged, but inside the greenhouse, all four seasons coexisted in harmony.

“Look, there’s even autumn leaves over there,” Dormann pointed out excitedly.

Leaves? Camilla snorted internally. Over there, cherry blossoms were falling in full bloom.

She had to admit, though, the greenhouse lived up to its reputation as a prized possession of the imperial family.

“I’ll grab some drinks!” Dormann announced, darting off. It seemed like he planned for them to spend a good chunk of time here, maybe even long enough for a meal.

Camilla nodded, then began to stroll through the greenhouse alone.

“Is that a waterfall?”

Miniature waterfalls gurgled as part of the scenery, prompting another round of awe from her.

‘But what’s that?’

Something flitting about nearby caught her attention. At first, she thought they were birds, but upon closer inspection, she realized they weren’t.

‘Dragons?’

Tiny, no bigger than her palm, the creatures flapped their short wings as they flew. Their translucent, ghost-like forms shimmered faintly, allowing the background to shine through.

‘What the… Are they spirits?’

Had she finally reached a point where even dragon ghosts appeared before her?

Camilla allowed herself a small, dry laugh, but the creatures abruptly froze mid-air, halting their erratic movements.

[Hey, I’ve got a bad feeling about this. Do you think she can see us?]

[You mean she’s a spirit master? Didn’t all the spirit masters disappear from the continent?]

[And there’s something weird about her neck…]

[Oh no! That’s the scent of those damned beasts—divine beasts!]

[Huh? You’re right! That’s the wolf’s aura!]

…Spirits? These things were spirits?

Listening to the tiny dragons’ chatter, Camilla’s face twisted with disbelief. Just how far had things escalated for her to encounter spirits now?

‘What a joke.’

Maybe she should just run for it. They didn’t seem entirely certain about her yet. If she played dumb, she might be able to slip away unnoticed.

[Wait a second. I can sense other divine beast auras on her too!]

[What does that mean? Multiple divine beasts close to a single person?]

[That means she’s incredibly attuned to nature. Which means… she can probably see and hear us clearly.]

…Great.

“So, what? You’re spirits?” Camilla asked bluntly.

[Eek!]

[She can hear us!]

Okay. She was done with these overly dramatic reactions.

“Are spirits supposed to be different from divine beasts or something?”

[How dare you lump us in with those creatures!]

[We’re not just any spirits!]

“Oh? Then what are you?”

[I am the Spirit King of Spring, ruler of all things blossoming!]

[I am the Spirit King of Summer, guardian of vitality!]

[I am the Spirit King of Autumn, lover of harvests!]

“……”

Was this a children’s superhero movie? Their yellow, green, and red coloring made her want to hand them transformation trinkets.

“Great. Do a good job managing your seasons,” Camilla said dismissively, walking past them quickly.

[Wait! Stop!]

[Please talk to us!]

[It’s been centuries since we’ve spoken to a human!]

No thanks. Don’t follow me.

“Once again, there’s no need to feel nervous,” Count Alton reassured her with a kind smile.

“His Grace, the Duke, is known for his understanding.”

Bang!

• Is this what you call a report?!

“He’s rather kind-hearted.”

• What kind of lazy work is this?! Did you enjoy your lunch? Your lips are still greasy!

“And fair in his judgments.”

• I don’t want your excuses. Get out.

“So please feel at ease when meeting him.”

“……”

Camilla stared blankly at the office door, through which the duke’s furious voice boomed.

With a sigh, she straightened her posture. The meeting she’d dreaded had finally arrived.

Knock, knock.

“Your Grace, Lady Camilla has arrived.”

“Let her in.”

The curt response was followed by the opening of the heavy door. Inside, Camilla saw Duke Kaise Esclaire seated behind a desk piled high with documents.

‘Here we go again.’

As before, he fixed her with a piercing gaze, his crimson eyes locking onto hers.

“Take a seat,” he said at last.

As she complied, he reached for the contract she had submitted earlier through Count Alton and placed it on the desk between them.

“You’ve set the price 1.5 times higher than our original offer.”

“That’s the standard market rate.”

“You’re aware that international trade involves compromises, aren’t you?”

“It’s not my concern to make exceptions for unprofitable deals.”

“You’re part of a nation, are you not? You should cooperate.”

“The benefits I receive from this nation’s table have been lacking. Perhaps it’s time I sought other options.”

“Switching meals too quickly will upset your stomach.”

“Losing money and feeling stomach pain is much worse, wouldn’t you agree?”

“……”

“……”

Their verbal sparring came to an abrupt halt.

‘What is this? Why does this exchange feel so natural?’

“In any case, you intend to push forward with this contract?”

“Yes.”

“And if I refuse?”

Camilla’s lips curved into a playful smile.

“I have a principle I live by when selling magic stones.”

Duke Esclaire arched a brow.

“If you don’t like it, don’t buy it.”

“Pfft!”

From the corner of the room, Count Alton choked on his tea.

“…That’s the spirit I bring to my business.”

Camilla’s confidence was unshakable. Her magic stones weren’t just in demand—they were essential. The Gracia Empire wasn’t her only client, and she wasn’t about to undersell herself.

“Quite the merciless merchant, aren’t you?”

“Yet my profits speak for themselves.”

After a moment, the duke picked up his pen and signed the contract.

“Enjoy your riches.”

Smiling, Camilla carefully stored the signed document.

“I must thank Your Grace, who is so understanding, kind-hearted, and fair.”

“…‘Kind-hearted’?”

Ignoring the duke’s withering glare, she bowed politely and left the room.

As the door shut behind her, Count Alton muttered with a nervous chuckle, “She’s remarkably bold.”

****

Back at the coronation ceremony, Edsen leaned closer to Camilla, whispering with amusement.

“I heard you faced off with the Duke.”

“Faced off? We merely negotiated.”

He chuckled. “Do you even realize who you were dealing with?”

“They say he’s understanding, kind-hearted, and fair,” she replied lightly.

“…What?”

Ignoring his bewildered expression, Camilla glanced around the grand hall. Her gaze landed on the Duke, whose imposing presence overshadowed even the newly crowned emperor.

‘Still as intimidating as ever,’ she thought, before shifting her attention to the storm outside.

Her breath hitched.

‘What the…?’

A woman with snow-white hair and icy blue eyes stood just beyond the window. She stared unblinkingly at the emperor with an expression that chilled Camilla to the bone.

And hovering near her, shrunken and trembling, were the Spirit Kings of Spring, Summer, and Autumn.