A fortune-telling princess

“How can people hunt so casually?”

Camilla realized that it took far more courage than she’d imagined to pull back a bowstring and aim it at a living creature.

…She gave up.

After raising her bow toward rabbits and small birds several times, only to lower it again, Camilla finally decided to abandon hunting altogether.

[How curious.]

“What is?”

Zeno, the ghost watching her as she set her bow on the ground, tilted his head.

[A gutsy person who doesn’t even flinch when dealing with a ghost like me can’t kill something like that?]

“Fighting something already dead and killing something alive are completely different.”

How many ordinary people could easily stab or shoot a chicken or small animal if handed a knife or bow?

Camilla didn’t know how this world worked, but in the modern society she’d lived in, the usual reaction would be to recoil in disgust.

[Is that so?]

“It is.”

“…I heard rumors that you’ve lost your mind, and it seems they were true.”

“I haven’t lost my—!”

Hearing the sudden voice, Camilla turned and shouted instinctively, only to freeze.

“…Well, maybe I have. I do lose my mind from time to time.”

“…”

The ferocity in her eyes vanished, replaced with a polite expression and tone as she corrected herself.

Crown Prince Edsen’s face briefly showed his disbelief.

‘What? Isn’t this obvious?’

Wasn’t she embarrassed? Camilla didn’t care. Shame was for the living. Survival was what mattered. She bowed respectfully.

“What brings Your Highness to this place…?”

This was the beginner’s area, the kind of place serious participants in the hunting competition wouldn’t even glance at.

“Didn’t you say I wasn’t going to win this time?”

“Did Your Highness believe that?”

“Are you saying you lied to me?”

“No!”

Seeing his gaze sharpen, Camilla quickly shook her head.

“Your Highness won’t win! In fact, you might not even—no, you’ll likely get hurt—!”

“…”

“…”

…Damn it.

Seeing the prince’s expression grow icy, Camilla realized she had blurted out something unnecessary.

“I’ll get hurt? Me?”

“Please dismiss it as the nonsense of someone who’s lost her mind.”

“I’ll get hurt, you say?”

This guy! Since when did he take my words so seriously? I said it was nonsense!

“That’s amusing.”

It’s not funny at all!

“What could possibly harm me?”

“It was nonsense—”

Before she could finish, a deafening explosion echoed. Both Camilla and Edsen turned toward the sound.

The explosions continued in quick succession.

“That’s…”

The sound came from the center of the hunting grounds, the area where the most people would be gathered.

Camilla and Edsen briefly exchanged glances before sprinting toward the source.

****

“Argh!”

“Ugh!”

Explosions erupted one after another. It seemed explosives had been planted in advance, as the mountains reverberated with the sounds of blasts.

The hunting grounds descended into chaos, filled with the screams of injured people and the shouts of those trying to help. It resembled a battlefield more than a competition.

‘Where?’

Camilla weaved through the chaos, running frantically.

‘Where are you?!’

She didn’t know why she was running like this.

She should be fleeing, getting as far from the scene as possible. But instead, she couldn’t bring herself to leave.

One face occupied her thoughts, overriding all else.

“Ravi!”

She screamed his name with all her strength, hoping for a response.

She didn’t know why she cared. It shouldn’t matter if he lived or died.

The moment she heard the explosion, all rational thought vanished. The knowledge that Ravi might be there propelled her forward.

“Ravi!”

She called again.

For the first time in her life, she found herself screaming the name of her detestable older brother.

“Ravi! Ravi!”

Camilla shouted until her throat was raw.

“Camilla?”

“…!”

Then she heard his voice.

She spotted him, tending to the injured with healing magic. Camilla skidded to a halt.

“Why are you here?! Why did you come?!”

Ravi yelled at her the moment he saw her.

Ignoring his scolding, Camilla strode up to him.

“Are you crazy? When you hear explosions, you’re supposed to run! What are you doing crawling into a place like this—!”

Ravi’s voice abruptly cut off as Camilla threw herself into his arms, clutching him tightly.

“Hey.”

Ravi called out cautiously, feeling her grip tighten as she let out deep breaths of relief.

“What’s wrong with you? What happened—”

“I don’t want to.”

“What?”

“I said I don’t want to!”

“…”

“I don’t want to be an orphan again.”

“What are you talking about? You’ve never been an orphan.”

“If you die, I’ll really be an orphan, you know?”

“…”

“So don’t die.”

Camilla clung to his clothing, her grip firm.

“If you die, I’ll hold a grudge for the rest of my life. I’ll curse you. I’ll make you regret it even after death, so keep that in mind.”

“…You’re really laying it on thick.”

Ravi gave her a bewildered look before letting out a laugh.

He could feel the faint tremor in her hands as they gripped his clothes.

“Don’t worry. I’ll live much longer than you.”

“Huh? That’s not right.”

“What?”

“I’m younger, so I’ll obviously live—Ow!”

Ravi tugged at her cheeks, making her yelp in pain. Ignoring her glare, he gave her a light tap on the head before returning to the injured.

“Go back down. It’s dangerous.”

Explosions continued to rumble across the hunting grounds. It was impossible to tell how many bombs had been planted.

“What if I get caught in an explosion while heading back alone?”

“…Then just stay here.”

“Okay.”

Camilla hurried to his side, rolling up her sleeves to assist him in treating the injured.

“Hm.”

Someone was watching them.

The Crown Prince Edsen, who had run to the scene with Camilla, observed her with an amused expression.

‘Was this it?’

Camilla realized this must be why rumors had circulated about the Crown Prince getting seriously injured during a hunting competition.

‘But this isn’t something that would only affect him.’

Even though she had been away from the capital for a long time, the fact that she had never heard of such an event was surprising.

She only vaguely recalled hearing that Crown Prince Edsen had been gravely injured during a competition.

‘I really was the ultimate outcast.’

It made sense. If she’d had even one friend, she might have picked up bits of gossip.

But her servants and maids had all treated her like a nuisance. There was no way proper news could have reached her.

“The explosions seem to have stopped.”

The booming sounds had ceased. Camilla stood and surveyed the area.

The hunting grounds were filled with groaning people. Injured survivors flocked to Ravi as he cast healing magic.

Others, led by Edsen, were gathering survivors and tending to the wounded. Ludville, Petro, and even Arsion lent a hand.

Arsion, capable of using healing magic, helped treat people as he brought them to safety.

“This is strange.”

Watching them, Camilla furrowed her brows.

“What is?”

“Why hasn’t anyone come?”

“What do you mean?”

“Despite such massive explosions, no one’s coming to help.”

There were soldiers, mages, and healers stationed below the hunting grounds, ready to respond to accidents. They had been waiting since early morning.

But no one had come to their aid.

Even some of the uninjured participants had fled toward the entrance earlier, likely informing the authorities.

They should have arrived by now.

“King?”

Camilla turned toward the sound, looking at the bag slung over her shoulder.

King, the divine beast who had been quiet until now, was baring his sharp teeth and growling lowly.

At that moment, someone stepped in front of her.

“Brother?”

It was Ludville. He had been helping gather survivors, but now he stood before her, unsheathing his sword slowly.

His actions caused others nearby to freeze, their expressions turning grim.

“What’s going on?”

“You’ll need to draw your sword, Your Highness,” Ludville said.

Before his words even settled, numerous figures emerged.

It was a bizarre sight. The attackers were dressed identically, wearing white tops and black pants, but their clothes were already soaked with blood. The swords they carried dripped with it.

‘What is this?’

Camilla instinctively took a step back. The emotionless faces of the blood-soaked figures sent a chill down her

spine.

“Who are they?”

Arsion appeared beside her, seemingly out of nowhere.

“They don’t look friendly,” Petro remarked, his voice calm despite the tension.

“Ravi. Stay by Camilla’s side,” Ludville ordered before charging forward. Arsion and Petro followed without hesitation.

‘What’s happening?’

A battle erupted.

Camilla watched, frozen in place.

The sight of people killing each other so close made her heart race uncontrollably. She wanted to run, but her feet felt like they were nailed to the ground.

“Hey, are you okay?”

Ravi asked, concern evident in his voice, as he cast offensive spells while helping others.

But Camilla couldn’t respond. The gruesome scene and the stench of blood overwhelmed her senses.

[Those people are strange.]

Zeno’s voice echoed in her mind, pulling her back slightly. She turned her head toward him.

[They don’t react.]

“React?”

Camilla’s gaze returned to the battle, and she understood what he meant.