A fortune-telling princess

“Ehehehe.”

“Please, stop laughing like that.”

The Duke of Sephra had sent the first month’s profits from the sale of mana stones.

The ledger showed an astronomical figure. How could a single month’s sales amount to this much?

‘And we haven’t even started selling the magical items yet!’

The mana stone brooches showcased at the recent birthday party for the Duke of Jabilon were receiving an overwhelming number of inquiries, even though they hadn’t officially gone on sale yet.

‘But this!’

This meant the current profits were from selling raw mana stones alone! It was impossible to imagine how much more money would pour in once they began selling items made from mana stones.

“Ehehehehe.”

“You’re really that happy?”

“Of course I’m happy. Why wouldn’t I be?”

“It’s just money.”

“What nonsense. You’ve obviously never been without money, so you can afford to talk like that.”

“Anyone listening to you would think you grew up poor.”

“Me? I did grow up poor.”

“What?”

“Forgot already?”

Camilla smirked faintly.

“I only joined the Ducal family when I was seven. Before that, I was dirt poor.”

It wasn’t a lie. Until her mother met the Duke of Sorpel, their lives were steeped in poverty to the point where they worried about finding food every day.

Their fortune changed when her mother stumbled upon the Duke of Sorpel, collapsed on the side of the road.

Her mother’s pure-hearted kindness in helping a stranger, combined with her stunning beauty, had charmed the Duke so thoroughly that he eventually married her.

‘Though honestly, I think she helped because he looked like he had money.’

In a situation where they couldn’t even afford food, her mother had managed to procure expensive medicine to treat the man. To call it an act of pure goodwill seemed… optimistic.

Would she have helped him if he had looked like a beggar in rags?

In any case, her mother had made the right choice, as it lifted them out of poverty.

“There was even a time we survived four days on just water.”

That wasn’t even about Camilla—it was from her past life as Sia.

Back when her good-for-nothing father disappeared for nearly two months, leaving the family without support. Her mother lost her factory job, and there was literally nothing to eat in the house. They had to endure the gnawing hunger with water alone.

“That’s…”

Arsion’s expression twisted awkwardly, as though he didn’t know how to respond.

He was aware that Camilla was the stepdaughter of the Duke of Sorpel, but he had never thought deeply about what her past might have been like.

“Why are you so shocked? I’m rich now.”

Camilla grinned again, holding up the ledger with the profits.

“Here.”

“Huh?”

After a moment, she handed the ledger back to Arsion.

“Give this to the Duke.”

“Why? He told me it was for you.”

“Just hold onto it for now. I’ll visit him later.”

Camilla had a new plan in mind.

The demand for mana stones was far greater than expected, and continuing to rely solely on the Sephra family to sell them might cause complications.

For now, they were supplying mana stones through the Sephra family’s trading company. However, if demand grew further, management would inevitably become an issue.

The Duke of Sephra had proposed a solution: creating a separate trading company dedicated to mana stones, which Camilla could directly oversee.

He even offered to introduce someone trustworthy to act as a figurehead for the new company, knowing Camilla was reluctant to step forward herself.

‘Not a bad idea.’

After mulling it over for a while, Camilla decided to go along with the proposal.

This decision was largely influenced by the advice of Derin, the ghostly butler. His extensive knowledge and insights pointed to this being the best course of action.

‘This will be the seed money.’

The funds she handed back to Arsion would serve as the initial capital for setting up the trading company.

Surely, the Duke of Sephra would quickly grasp her intentions upon receiving the money.

“That aside…”

Arsion’s gaze shifted toward the space next to Camilla.

“Why does it feel like you’re surrounded by those things more than I am?”

His eyes landed on Zeno, the ghost who had been lingering near Camilla.

Although Arsion couldn’t identify the ghost’s exact nature, he could clearly sense the strange presence, and his expression soured.

[What’s his deal? Can he see me too?]

“See? I told you not to follow me.”

Camilla clicked her tongue and scolded Zeno. Ever since their duel with Ludville, Zeno had stuck to her side, no longer haunting the training grounds but her instead.

He seemed to be waiting for another chance to wield a sword, watching her like a hopeful puppy.

‘Has he lost his mind?’

As if I’d do that again! Her muscles still hadn’t fully recovered, and every movement sent jolts of pain through her body. She glared daggers at Zeno.

“What’s this? Is it following you around even though you don’t want it to?”

“Huh?”

Arsion’s subtle killing intent made it clear that he wouldn’t hesitate to get rid of Zeno if Camilla gave the word.

“No, it’s fine. I know this ghost well.”

Camilla quickly shook her head.

“Doesn’t it bother you, having those things around?”

“Nope.”

Camilla casually pointed at Zeno’s location. Annoying as he was, she wasn’t about to let him be exorcised.

“These ones are fine.”

She had seen ghosts all her life, so they neither scared nor unsettled her. At worst, they were a nuisance.

“Never been hard on you?”

“Of course it has.”

There was one time when her ability to see ghosts had been particularly distressing.

“A big accident happened.”

“An accident?”

“Yes, an explosion. Lots of people died.”

She recalled traveling for a shoot when a gas truck exploded on a nearby road.

‘The worst part was how many buses were in the vicinity when it happened.’

Although she escaped unscathed, the number of casualties was staggering.

Naturally, ghosts who hadn’t fully realized their deaths flooded the area.

A scene of utter chaos.

Terrified screams echoed from those being dragged into the depths by black hands. Others, unaware of their deaths, wailed and stumbled in confusion.

A child missing limbs sobbed for its mother, while a woman with half her head missing wandered aimlessly, searching for the same child.

Seeing such horrors, Camilla had cursed her ability for the first time.

“It’s something I never want to see again.”

“……”

[…]

Arsion and Zeno both fell silent.

Though she spoke lightly, her eyes darkened deeply, making it clear this wasn’t a topic for casual conversation.

“Lady Camilla!”

A familiar voice broke the tension—it was Lila, bounding toward her with a bright smile.

“So you were here—oh…”

Lila stopped short when she noticed Arsion.

“Hello.”

Even at her polite greeting, Arsion didn’t respond. He didn’t even look at her.

‘That attitude.’

Camilla shook her head slightly. Despite having crossed paths with Lila several times, Arsion still acted as if she didn’t exist.

‘And to think he used to be obsessed with her.’

In their previous lives, Arsion had been one of the men who couldn’t stop pining after Lila.

After the Duke of Sephra’s death, her presence had been the only thing that could calm Arsion during his violent outbursts.

‘It makes me wonder if he’s still the one who killed the Duke.’

In this life, the Duke of Sephra was still alive, and his relationship with Arsion remained stable.

‘Maybe that chess suggestion worked.’

Their relationship hadn’t worsened, and the Duke was still alive. That was good enough.

“Ta-da!”

Unbothered by Arsion’s indifference, Lila beamed as she laid out an array of desserts for Camilla.

“Lady Camilla, I brought your favorites!”

The table filled with cakes, pies, and cookies—none of which contained a single apple. It was as if she somehow knew Camilla hated apples.

“Eat up.”

“You’re going to make me fat.”

“You could use a little weight, Lady Camilla.”

Her old manager from her past life would have fainted at such a remark. Then again, she wasn’t a celebrity anymore, so who cared?

“Want some?”

Camilla offered Arsion a pie.

“I don’t like sweets.”

What nonsense.

“You ate all the ones I brought last time.”

“That’s because you packed—!”

“Huh?”

“…Never mind.”

“Never mind what?”

Back then, he devoured them just fine. What’s with the sudden pride?

“Here, say ah.”

“What? I said—mmpf!”

She shoved a cookie into his mouth.

‘Huh?’

Does he actually hate it?

Watching Arsion chew with a scowl, Camilla blinked in surprise.