A fortune-telling princess Chapter 173

“The young heir of House Sephra is here as well.”

Daniel immediately recognized Arison. Well, given his striking appearance, it would be hard not to.

“And this gentleman… You must be Lord Jaynor of House Escra?”

What was surprising was that he recognized Jaynor’s identity right away. Camilla found it odd that Daniel would know a noble from the Gracia Empire.

“I visited the Gracia Empire for missionary work a long time ago. I saw you from a distance back then.”

Daniel answered her unspoken question.

“But what brings you here so suddenly?”

At his question, Camilla pulled out the broken necklace she had retrieved from home. It was the one Daniel had given her before.

She couldn’t take out the one that had belonged to Viscount Orleans just yet.

“This is…!”

For the first time, the smile disappeared from Daniel’s face as he saw the shattered red stone—the sacred relic.

“I’m sorry. I accidentally broke it.”

“Accidentally?”

Daniel’s eyes widened slightly. He looked like he had a thousand questions. But quickly composing himself, he bowed his head.

“It seems I gave you a defective relic. I’ll provide you with a new one.”

He immediately summoned another priest to bring a replacement. It didn’t take long before a new necklace was placed in front of Camilla.

“Please, try wearing it now.”

“Shall I?”

Camilla smiled sweetly, her face the picture of innocence as she picked up the necklace.

With her right hand.

Crackle!

“…!”

“Oh my.”

As expected, the red stone reacted again, sparking in her hand before shattering into tiny fragments.

“Why does this keep happening?”

Camilla tilted her head in feigned confusion, but Daniel’s eyes widened in disbelief.

He hurriedly had another necklace brought out. Supposedly, these relics could only be obtained through massive donations, but he didn’t seem the least bit hesitant to part with another.

Crack!

“Oh dear.”

But once again, the same thing happened.

“It seems like this necklace just doesn’t suit me.”

“…That seems to be the case.”

Daniel’s response came a beat too late.

Camilla sighed as if she were truly disappointed.

But contrary to her composed exterior, she unconsciously grasped the hem of Arison’s coat beside her. Her fingertips trembled.

‘This is insane!’

So the red stone really is connected to extracting souls!

‘Could it really be true?’

Was the papacy involved with those people as well?

If they had given this stone to her, did that mean she was also a target?

Camilla clenched Arison’s coat even tighter. If she didn’t hold onto something, she felt like her expression would crack.

“……”

Arison immediately noticed her subtle trembling. But he didn’t ask her what was wrong.

Nor did he release any killing intent toward Daniel, who seemed to be the cause of her unease.

He simply kept his eyes firmly on Daniel, observing his every movement without missing a single detail—as if warning him that even the slightest misstep wouldn’t be tolerated.

“I will personally craft a new necklace for you soon.”

“That would be greatly appreciated.”

Camilla maintained her gentle smile as she rose from her seat.

Pause.

But just as she was about to leave, her steps halted abruptly.

Now that she had confirmed everything, she wanted to leave immediately, but she found herself unable to move forward.

In the end, she turned back to face Daniel.

“High Priest Daniel.”

“Yes, my lady?”

“If it’s not too much trouble, may I see the children?”

“The children?”

“The ones discovered in Viscount Orleans’ estate. I heard they’re receiving treatment here.”

She couldn’t ignore them.

Now that she knew the temple was connected to those who extracted souls, she had to confirm whether the children were truly safe.

Were they really receiving proper care? Were they actually being looked after?

‘These are the same people selling indulgences.’

Who knew what they were capable of?

What if they were deliberately neglecting the children to cover up their own crimes?

Now that she thought about it, wasn’t it strange that the children had been brought to the papal palace instead of an ordinary temple?

And as she recalled, neither the pope nor the high priests had personally used their divine power to heal them.

“Hm.”

Daniel’s eyes flickered with surprise at her request.

Camilla smiled slightly and continued speaking.

“I’d like to help in any way I can. Whether through my family’s wealth or my trading company, I want to find a way to treat them.”

“Is that so?”

Daniel’s smile returned.

“That would be most generous.”

“So I’d like to see the children. If I can assess their condition myself, it will be easier to determine how to help.”

“Very well.”

Without hesitation, Daniel personally led Camilla to where the children were.

After all, there was nothing to hide. He already knew that there was no cure.

He himself had been the one to secretly provide Viscount Orleans with that liquid.

He knew the truth better than anyone.

‘There is no antidote.’

“This is the place.”

“……!”

The moment she entered the room where the children were kept, Camilla was struck speechless.

All she could do was suppress the groan threatening to escape her lips.

Had they been left like this all this time?

“Ugh… Hic… Ugh…”

“Hh… Ugh…”

The two children, unable to even lie down properly, let out weak, mixed cries of pain and despair.

Their voices were so faint, it seemed as though they barely had the strength to make a sound.

“Healing…!”

Camilla was about to ask if there was really no way to heal them, but she swallowed the words back down.

Asking that question here, in front of these children, would only add to their suffering and despair.

However, Daniel seemed to already know what she wanted to ask.

“They are at least being kept alive by divine power.”

Due to the liquid used by Viscount Orleans, their organs were hardening, and the priests’ minimal divine power was only just keeping them breathing.

[Hey! Stay awake!]

A familiar voice rang out.

The priest’s ghost she had seen before was right beside the children, shouting at them.

[You can’t die like this! You have to survive, no matter what!]

…She agreed.

Dying like this was just too unfair.

[Damn it! Use proper divine power already! You’re just letting them die, aren’t you?!]

…Letting them die?

“Hah.”

Camilla turned her head, staring at Daniel with an incredulous expression.

When he tilted his head in confusion, as if wondering why she was looking at him like that, she quickly turned away again.

So her suspicions were right?

These bastards never had any intention of saving the children?

[If only I could use my power properly… Damn it!]

An unexpected comment made Camilla’s eyes widen.

Wait, what did you just say?

‘Power?’

Your power?

Her eyes sharpened instantly.

Camilla pretended to examine the children while stepping closer to the ghostly priest.

“Can you really save the children?”

[…?]

The priest ghost frantically looked around, thinking she had spoken to someone else.

But then she realized Camilla was staring straight at her, and her eyes grew as wide as saucers.

[Wait… You can see me—?!]

“I can see you, so answer me.”

Camilla cut off the ghost’s all-too-predictable reaction and urged her for an answer.

Could she really save these children?

The priest ghost seemed to understand Camilla’s intent and said no more.

Her gaze returned to the children.

[They react to divine power.]

“They react, but it has no real effect.”

[Not to their pitiful divine power.]

…Then what kind of divine power did she mean?

Camilla clenched her fists.

The children looked as if they could stop breathing at any moment.

‘Bastard.’

She wished she could drag Viscount Orleans’ soul back just to crush him underfoot.

“Enter me.”

[What?]

Camilla repeated herself.

“I’ll lend you my body.”

[What…!]

Of course, she understood the risks.

She had no way of knowing whether the priest’s divine power would work through her body.

But with the children in this state, she couldn’t afford to hesitate.

Even if there was only a 1% chance, she had to try.

“Come in.”

[……]

The priest’s ghost stared at her, mouth slightly agape, momentarily frozen in shock.

Then, hesitantly, she took a step closer.

****

“You have such a kind heart, my lady.”

Daniel smiled out of habit as he watched Camilla linger by the children’s side, unwilling to leave them.

But Arison, standing beside her, had a very different perspective.

‘What is that?’

He could see it.

The black smoke-like figure of a dead soul conversing with Camilla.

He didn’t know exactly what was happening, but one thing was clear—he had to prevent anyone from getting too close to her.

The chilling aura radiating from him made sure of that.

Not a single priest dared to step past him toward Camilla.

“We feel just as heartbroken about this, but there’s nothing else we can do—”

Daniel’s voice, which had been filled with feigned sorrow, abruptly cut off.

His face contorted in shock.

The other priests in the room were just as stunned.

“Th-This is…!”

Fwoooosh!

A brilliant light flooded the room.

A tremendous surge of divine power.

That divine power—