A fortune-telling princess

Looking down, Camilla saw a familiar little figure staring up at her quietly.

“King.”

Before anyone else could notice, she quickly scooped up the tiny creature.

She had planned to leave him at the mansion, but his constant whimpering and whining had forced her to bring him along.

“When did you sneak out?”

Just a moment ago, he had been tucked securely in the inner pocket of Duke Sorpel’s coat.

“You need to endure being cooped up for a little while longer.”

[Kyuu!]

“And no growling at people. I’ll scold you.”

[Kyu…]

King seemed to understand, his ears drooping in a sulky gesture. Camilla chuckled and carefully placed him inside a small bag slung diagonally across her body, leaving the opening slightly ajar.

“Long time no see.”

…Damn it. This is bad.

Camilla silently cursed as she turned to face the person who had approached her in the meantime. She showed no hint of her internal frustration on the outside.

“Greetings, Your Highness, the Crown Prince.”

Standing before her was none other than the First Prince, Edsen.

‘This annoying guy just had to have a pretty face.’

With golden hair and eyes, Edsen possessed a beauty that commanded attention wherever he went. His gentle eyes and ever-present smile seemed designed to charm those who looked at him.

‘But what good is it? His personality is the complete opposite of his looks.’

If Arsion and Petro’s worst traits were combined, you’d get Edsen. Always smiling on the surface, but his personality was nothing short of venomous.

Anyone who caught his attention, for better or worse, would never escape unscathed. He had a talent for stabbing people in the back with a cheerful grin.

“It’s difficult to catch sight of you these days. I don’t recall seeing you at the last royal party either.”

“I wasn’t feeling well at the time, Your Highness.”

“I thought perhaps you’d gotten into some amusing trouble and were grounded again.”

“…….”

Trouble? What trouble! Do you think I spend my days pulling other ladies’ hair and brawling like a maniac?

‘…Okay, maybe I used to fight sometimes.’

Not that I was always grounded for it… though it did happen often…

Damn it, Camilla! What kind of life were you living back then?!

“Or… was it because you didn’t want to see me?”

Control your expression! Keep it neutral!

‘If you know that, could you maybe go away?’

That was the problem. Both of them knew they didn’t like each other.

The difference was that Camilla had to hide it, while Edsen flaunted it openly.

‘This is why I avoid running into him.’

What could be more aggravating than this?

“I’ve been hearing some interesting rumors about you lately.”

“Rumors, Your Highness?”

“That you’ve gained the power of foresight. Apparently, you can even see people’s pasts with your predictions.”

“That’s…”

“Well? Do you see anything about me?”

Edsen leaned in slightly, staring at her intently.

“Such visions don’t come at will, Your Highness. They appear only sporadically, triggered by certain events or people.”

“Hmm.”

Edsen’s expression turned dismissive, as if to say,

His gaze alone could infuriate someone.

“But there is one thing I can tell you.”

“One thing?”

“That the winner of this hunting tournament won’t be you, Your Highness.”

Camilla smiled serenely.

This hunting tournament was a blur in her memory. Around this time in her previous life, she’d been busy tormenting Lila and had been harshly reprimanded by Duke Sorpel before being exiled from the capital.

Cut off from most information, she remembered little about the event—except for one thing. She had heard that the Crown Prince had suffered a serious injury and collapsed during the competition.

‘No idea how he got hurt, though.’

She hadn’t cared enough to find out. If anything, she’d been gleeful to hear about his misfortune.

What was certain, however, was that he hadn’t won the tournament. Injured people don’t win prizes.

“Do with that information what you will.”

Edsen didn’t respond immediately, his silence dragging on. Camilla began to feel uneasy but maintained her composed expression.

“Did you know something?”

“Excuse me?”

“Before, when you used to tremble so pitifully in my presence…”

He took a step closer, lowering his voice. The smile on his lips remained angelic.

“It always made me want to draw my sword for no reason.”

You lunatic!

“But now, isn’t it strange?”

Tilting his head slightly, as if genuinely puzzled, he continued.

“I don’t feel that urge anymore. I wonder why that is. Do you know the reason?”

‘How should I know, you psychopath!’

This guy was insane. Completely insane.

‘Dorman! Dorman, where are you?!’

I swear, I’m going to smack this guy on the back of his head! Where’s my shield?!

Camilla glanced around urgently, her eyes darting for help.

Finally, she spotted Dorman in the distance, quietly trying to slip away. Their eyes met.

‘Get over here right now!’

Dorman shook his head violently.

“Well, it’ll be fun to see whether your prediction comes true or not.”

With those parting words, Edsen finally turned and walked away.

‘He’s gone.’

The lunatic was gone!

‘Ugh.’

Whatever injury he suffers, I hope it’s a big one.

Camilla muttered curses under her breath, making sure not to glance in the direction he had left.

“Hey, Dorman.”

“Ah!”

A brief chase ensued.

***

“Will you be okay on your own?”

“Don’t worry about me.”

“Still, I think it might be better to stick with your brothers.”

“My brothers should focus on bigger game. The starting area isn’t for them.”

“Hmm.”

With the opening ceremony marking the start of the hunting tournament over, the two dukes prepared to leave the grounds. Their participation would effectively guarantee a winner, so they opted to step aside for the younger contestants.

“Be careful out there.”

“I will.”

Duke Sorpel looked reluctant to leave Camilla alone, visibly uneasy about her first time participating in the tournament.

“And take care of King.”

When he tried to take King with him, the little creature clung fiercely to Camilla’s bag with claws extended.

Amused, the Duke smiled and left King in her care. Though still growing and unable to fully wield his power, King was a divine beast. His presence was better than nothing for her safety.

With that, Duke Sorpel departed.

“Well, well.”

Now alone, Camilla surveyed her surroundings.

Her eyes soon landed on a familiar group—Ludville, Ravi, and Petro—surrounded by a crowd of young ladies handing them various items.

When Camilla saw what those items were, her smile grew wider.

‘This is perfect.’

The mana stone brooches.

Recently released for sale, these brooches, imbued with protective and other magical properties, were being offered as gifts to admired young men.

The demand was staggering, far exceeding expectations.

While the three men were hoarding all the gifts, it didn’t bother her in the least. What mattered wasn’t jealousy or envy but the fact that those young ladies had purchased the mana stone brooches.

‘How much money is all that worth?’

Mana stones were expensive enough on their own, but the crafted brooches were premium items sold at a very high price.

“Excuse me…”

“Hmm?”

Someone approached her cautiously. Turning to look, she recognized the face.

‘Ah!’

It was the young man who had been beaten up by Arsion that day after she’d poured the entire contents of a pitcher on him.

“Lady, I’d like to thank you for back then…”

‘Huh?’

The man suddenly disappeared from her view.

Blinking in confusion, she looked down to see him sprawled on the ground, trampled underfoot by none other than Arsion.

“What are you doing?”

“He was in my way.”

“……”

The young man bolted upright, stammering apologies before fleeing the scene.

Camilla gave Arsion an exasperated look.

“See, this is why you’re not popular.”

“What did I do?”

“Don’t you feel anything when you look at them?”

She pointed toward her brothers and Petro, still surrounded by admirers.

Then, she turned her gaze back to Arsion, whose clean, untouched attire and empty hands made it clear he hadn’t received a single token from the young ladies.

“How can someone be this unhelpful?”

“Helpful how?”

“You could at least be popular enough to get a mana stone brooch!”

“What would I do with that?”

“Why, sell it, of course!”

Camilla yelled, gesturing to the other three once more.

“That’s all money!”

money!

“…Maybe I should’ve taken one after all.”

“What?”

“Nothing.”

Arsion chuckled softly at her indignant expression.

Watching her calmly observe Petro surrounded by women without a hint of jealousy, he couldn’t help but laugh again.

“But can you actually hunt?”

“Of course!”

Camilla nodded confidently.

****

‘Of course, my foot!’

Camilla stood in the woods, repeatedly picking up and setting down her bow.

So far, her haul was zero.

‘This is insane. How am I supposed to shoot that?’

It wasn’t that she didn’t know how to use a bow. Her past training had left her capable of aiming at moving targets. She was sure she could hit one.

‘But…’

Each time she raised the bow toward a hopping rabbit, she found herself unable to release the arrow.