A fortune-telling princess Chapter 162

“Make sure to tell the person currently staying at your house this: Be careful of the old fox who’s skilled at stabbing people in the back.”

…As expected, the palace didn’t seem to suit him. Why did things like this always happen whenever he came here?

Completely disregarding the gaze of Empress Javiela, the man said everything he wanted to say and then smiled as if nothing had happened. He looked so infuriating.

“We’ll take our leave now. Have a pleasant time.”

As if nothing had happened, he casually bid farewell, took her hand, and walked out of the garden.

Sigh.

Should she be grateful that he didn’t leave her alone? What would have happened if she had been left alone in that chilly atmosphere?

Camilla, being led by Crown Prince Edsen, let out a continuous sigh.

  *

“There doesn’t seem to be anything particularly wrong with her.”

“Then why does she keep collapsing? Examine her again.”

Crown Prince Edsen frowned at the palace physician’s words. The 60-year-old physician looked troubled as the Crown Prince immediately refuted his statement.

“She seems to be very fatigued overall, but there’s no specific part of her body that’s unwell.”

Listening to their conversation, Camilla forced an awkward smile. What on earth was going on?

Earlier, after being led out of the garden by Crown Prince Edsen, Camilla had to head somewhere immediately. The place they arrived at was the royal infirmary.

“Our family also has a physician, but…”

“He’s not as skilled as the palace physician.”

“Well, that’s true…”

Being examined by a physician was something she was quite used to.

Of course, this time, while guarding the Sword of Protection, she had collapsed again. After Zeno entered and left her body, she had to suffer through several days of bed rest as usual.

Since such incidents had become frequent lately, even Duke Sorpel and others were particularly concerned about her health.

It wasn’t just once or twice; she kept collapsing and suffering, so they wondered if there was something wrong with her body.

Perhaps Edsen thought the same, as he took her to the infirmary at the first opportunity.

“I’ll prepare some medicine to help with fatigue.”

You don’t have to…

She was already taking dozens of medicines. Duke Sorpel had gathered every medicine that was supposedly good for her health.

“Thank you.”

But Camilla, not wanting to explain the situation, simply thanked him and ended the conversation.

“Hmm.”

However, Crown Prince Edsen still seemed dissatisfied, watching the physician leave to prepare the medicine with a displeased expression.

“Are you sure there’s nothing wrong?”

“I’m perfectly healthy.”

Whoosh!

In an instant, he grabbed her wrist, causing Camilla’s pupils to dilate.

“You seem thinner than before.”

“I’ve been busy lately.”

So, could you let go of my hand? Camilla pulled her hand away with some force. His gaze still seemed dissatisfied.

“How about reducing your workload?”

“It’s not something I can just reduce.”

“I don’t like women who are too thin.”

…What are you talking about? Why are you saying that to me? He, who had a smile on his lips, stood up from his seat.

“I’ll have the medicine sent to your residence.”

“Yes, I’ll take it well.”

“Are you heading home now? I’ll take you.”

“No, it’s fine. My carriage is waiting.”

“It’s not waiting.”

“Huh?”

“I sent it back. I thought the examination would take a while.”

What? Why are you deciding that on your own!

“That’s why I said I’d take you.”

For a moment, she looked at him with a dumbfounded expression, then let out a short sigh and shook her head.

“I need to go to the academy.”

It’s a day for club activities. She had planned to attend today no matter what, as she had been absent for too long.

“Let’s go.”

Camilla, who had been quietly watching Crown Prince Edsen as he left the infirmary, silently followed him.

  *

Click!

As Camilla opened the door to the volunteer club room and entered, she looked at one spot with a puzzled expression.

Arison and Laila were deeply engrossed in something. They were so focused that they didn’t even hear the door open. What are they doing?

“How about this?”

“Good. That one too.”

“This won’t do!”

…Since when did they become so close?

Camilla watched the two of them, who were leaning their heads together and chatting amiably.

“I went through a lot of trouble to get this.”

“You can just put up a reward again.”

“But I don’t have the original footage…!”

“What are you two doing?”

“Ah!”

Finally, the two turned their heads sharply to look at Camilla.

“Ah, it’s nothing!”

“When did you get here?”

“Just now.”

Laila hurriedly put something away. Was that a photo? What’s with all those?

“What kind of photos are those?”

“Nothing!”

“It’s nothing!”

“……”

Camilla, who was about to take a step closer to them, stopped. At the same time, they reached out their hands to stop her from approaching.

“I told you this wouldn’t work here.”

“You should’ve just given it all to me.”

Arison and Laila whispered to each other again.

Throb.

‘…Huh?’

Camilla, who had been silently watching the two, suddenly stopped. For a moment, she felt a sharp pain in her chest.

‘What’s this?’

It felt like something was churning inside her, and she felt suffocated…

‘Am I really sick somewhere?’

She had just been examined by the royal physician, hadn’t she?

Camilla tilted her head and looked at the two again. By then, they had already put away what they were looking at.

“Camilla! It’s so good to see you at the club room after so long!”

As always, Laila smiled brightly, took her hand, and jumped around. Camilla also smiled.

“Where are the others?”

“They’ll be here soon. Arison and I had something to do, so we came early.”

“When are we meeting again? We haven’t finished looking at those yet…!”

“Shh, shh!”

Laila quickly covered Arison’s mouth. She glared at him, and Arison reluctantly took a step back.

“……”

Camilla silently watched the two. She felt that sharp pain again and was puzzled.

“Camilla almost found out!”

“Shut up. That’s why I told you to just give it all to me from the beginning.”

“Wow, you have no conscience! I went through a lot of trouble to get this!”

After the club activities ended, Arison and Laila met separately. In a secret place where no one else was.

On the table where they sat, a huge pile of photos was stacked. The subject of those photos was none other than Camilla.

“From here to here, I got these from Lady Elisha! I can’t get them again!”

“Elisha?”

The moment her name was mentioned, Arison’s brow furrowed.

Recently, she had been constantly interfering between him and Camilla, and his nerves were already on edge.

“If you really want it, go ask her yourself. She has the original footage.”

…As if she’d give it to you? That woman who keeps yelling at me to stay away from Camilla?

“Anyway, this won’t do.”

“Then give me that.”

Arison pointed at a small cushion. It had Camilla’s face embroidered on it.

“I said this won’t do either!”

Laila quickly hugged the cushion and glared at him slightly.

This whole situation today happened because of this cushion.

Laila had been embroidering alone in the club room before the others arrived when Arison, who had entered quietly, caught her.

“I’ll give you a hundred gold.”

“I don’t need it. I’ve been making good money lately. The owner of our café pays very well.”

“Then a thousand gold.”

Gasp! A thousand gold? For a cushion…? Laila, who was momentarily shocked, quickly shook her head.

“This isn’t about money! It’s a no.”

“What will it take, then?”

“This, this, this. Just take these.”

“Damn it!”

In the end, a curse escaped his lips. Of course, Laila, who had already gotten used to his tone, pretended not to hear.

“If you don’t like it, then don’t…”

“Who said I don’t like it!”

In the end, Arison quickly took a few photos that Laila handed him.

  *

The room was very large, but it was sparsely furnished, reflecting the owner’s personality. It felt cold and empty.

In the center of the room, someone was crouched down, deeply engrossed in something. It was Arison.

“Damn it!”

After a while, he let out his frustration and fell back.

“Why is this so hard!”

The small cushion he was holding had Camilla’s face faintly embroidered on it.

After failing to take the one Laila had, he started making his own, but even after several days, there was hardly any proper embroidery.

He was about to throw the cushion in frustration, but seeing Camilla’s face on it, he carefully put it down again.

“What are you doing?”

“……!”

At that moment, Duke Sephra’s voice made Arison’s entire body freeze.

Duke Sephra’s gaze fell on the cushion in his hand.

“A mage with no handiwork skills? How pathetic.”

“Damn it! What does magic have to do with handiwork? Why do you always bring up handiwork!”

“Hey! It’s Camilla noona!”

Only then did Arison notice Rio standing next to Duke Sephra, holding his hand.

“You’re not planning to give that to her as a gift, are you?”

“It’s mine!”

Arison, who had shouted without thinking, cursed under his breath and held his forehead.

“Why did you come?”

“Busy embroidering, I see.”

“Damn it!”

He tried to avoid cursing in front of the child, but he couldn’t help it.

His face slightly red, Duke Sephra sat down behind him.

I told you to leave, why are you sitting down? Arison glared at him with wide eyes.

“You know about the appearance of her biological father, right?”

“What are you trying to say?”

Arison immediately understood who he was referring to.