A fortune-telling princess

 

“Arison is here?”

He must have come because of Rio.

The news that Duke Sorpel was searching for the missing child had spread like wildfire in just one day.

It had probably reached the Sephra family too, and Arison must have learned that Rio’s adoption wasn’t legitimate but rather an abduction.

“I’ve shown him to the drawing room.”

“Got it.”

Letting out a short sigh, Camilla headed toward where Arison was waiting.

Bang!

“Arison—!”

She pushed open the door to the drawing room and froze in her tracks, mouth agape.

“Sister!”

It wasn’t just Arison waiting there.

“Rio.”

The boy, Rio, was running toward her.

“Mm… Mm…”

Pat, pat.

Camilla lightly patted the chest of the child who was murmuring and whimpering in his sleep. Exhausted from the ordeal he’d gone through, Rio had fallen asleep as soon as he had been bathed.

She sat silently for a long time, staring at the sleeping child.

It had been such a short time. They hadn’t had much interaction, and yet somehow, she had grown so fond of him. When she’d heard the news of his disappearance, she’d felt an unbearable anxiety.

“Ah, geez.”

This is why she hated the vulnerable.

“They worm their way into your heart too easily.”

[Kyuu?]

The divine beast King, perched on her shoulder, licked her cheek lightly as if to comfort her. Camilla chuckled faintly and placed King beside the sleeping child.

“Keep an eye on him.”

[Kyuu!]

The creature answered with a vigorous nod, and Camilla left the room quietly.

Thud.

“Is the kid asleep?”

“Yeah.”

Arison was waiting outside her door. When she came out, he walked up to her. Feeling the need for some fresh air, she headed outside with him.

“What happened?”

Once they sat on a bench in the garden, Camilla immediately asked him the question that had been gnawing at her.

“How did you find Rio?”

She hadn’t had the chance to ask earlier, too preoccupied with caring for the frightened child.

“I placed a tracking spell on him.”

“A tracking spell?”

“Yeah.”

Why would you…

“Did you expect this to happen?”

“No.”

“Then why?”

“I was just being cautious.”

Arison answered nonchalantly, as if it were no big deal.

He had done it after the fake Rania incident. When Camilla had gone missing, he’d deeply regretted not having placed a tracking spell on her beforehand.

Though she had returned safely, there was no guarantee that something similar wouldn’t happen again.

“You placed a tracking spell on me too?”

“Yes.”

While he was at it, he had placed tracking spells on a few of the people connected to her.

“People connected to me? Just how many?”

“Only Laila.”

“Laila?”

“She’s the only person really close to you, isn’t she?”

“……”

Annoying. Why is it that I can never argue against this guy?

“There was no need to do it for your family. If anything, it’s those who might try to harm them who should worry.”

Nobody would dare target a Master or a Mage Tower’s disciple.

“Why Rio?”

He wasn’t family, nor did he have a personal connection to Arison.

“Because of you…”

“Me?”

“…Forget it.”

Arison shook his head lightly. Did she really not realize the way she looked at Rio?

Every time she visited the orphanage, her gaze would inevitably linger on him.

Her eyes were filled with a warmth that made him jealous.

Despite her grumbling, she never refused even the smallest request from the boy.

‘And she has the nerve to ask why?’

She had sprinted home in a panic upon hearing that Rio had been adopted. Had she forgotten that already?

Arison was genuinely grateful he’d put that tracking spell on the child.

“Where was he taken?”

“To an underground prison.”

“…A prison?”

The location the spell had led him to was a large underground prison.

“It wasn’t just Rio.”

There were dozens of children around Rio’s age imprisoned there.

“They had all been adopted and then brought there.”

“All of them?”

Camilla had suspected something like this but hearing it confirmed made her heart sink.

“Were there only children?”

“There were some guards.”

“What happened to them?”

“They’re dead.”

“What?”

“Just so you know, I didn’t kill them.”

Arison explained. He had already been briefed by Camilla about the organization behind the fake Rania and their twisted practices of swapping souls.

He had planned to interrogate the kidnappers thoroughly, but they all took their own lives before he could get any answers.

“All I managed to learn was that it was a temporary holding area for the children.”

The prison wasn’t the final destination. When Arison realized that, he regretted not waiting to see where the children were taken next.

But the sight of Rio trembling and crying had made it impossible for him to hold back. He’d subdued the guards immediately and comforted the child.

‘Brother! Ugh… Waaah!’

The boy had initially frozen in fear, but upon recognizing Arison, he’d clung to his neck and burst into loud sobs.

Even though he hadn’t uncovered the organization’s headquarters, seeing Rio safe made Arison feel he had done the right thing.

“What about the other children?”

“They’re being taken care of.”

After witnessing the captors commit suicide, Arison had immediately reported the situation to the local guards.

As the heir to Sephra, his involvement ensured the case was taken seriously and prioritized.

“The children will soon return to their respective orphanages.”

Once he had seen the other children to safety, Arison had rushed to bring Rio back to Camilla.

“Haah.”

Camilla let out a long sigh after hearing everything.

“A tracking spell, huh?”

Her soft murmuring made Arison flinch slightly. He hadn’t told her about the spell beforehand, and now he worried she might be upset.

“Well, I didn’t say anything because—”

“Arison.”

“Fine! I’ll remove the tracking spells from everyone else. But the one on you—”

“Thank you.”

“What?”

“You did great.”

If he hadn’t placed that spell, what would she have done? Just imagining the alternative made her shudder. She would probably still be searching for Rio, frantic and helpless.

‘Or worse…’

She might never have found him. Perhaps she would have come across him only after he had been subjected to the same fate as Rania’s son, Dennis.

The thought was horrifying.

“Haah.”

Right now, none of that mattered. She didn’t care about finding the kidnappers’ headquarters or uncovering their identities.

All that mattered was that Rio had come back safe.

“Everyone else will hear about this soon enough.”

Arison, uncomfortable with the gratitude in her eyes, quickly changed the subject.

“The kidnappers will be investigated thoroughly.”

“Mm.”

“The adoption process will become more strictt too.”

“Yeah.”

“Their true motives—”

Thump.

Arison stopped mid-sentence. He felt a slight weight on his shoulder.

“……”

When he turned, he saw Camilla had fallen asleep, her head resting against him.

“Haah.”

She really could sleep anywhere.

‘Should I take her to her room?’

Looking at her peaceful sleeping face, he hesitated. Finally, he leaned back slightly to make her more comfortable.

‘This much of a reward should be fine.’

For now, Arison decided to enjoy the moment.

***

“Sephra has gotten involved, I hear.”

“The one who rescued the children was the Duke of Sephra’s son.”

In a dimly lit room, a single flickering light cast shadows over a kneeling man. His head was bowed low as he addressed the voice in the shadows.

High Priest Daniel was drenched in cold sweat. Lately, every plan he had spearheaded seemed to be unraveling.

“A tracking spell was placed on one of the children.”

“Which means someone anticipated our moves.”

“I beg your forgiveness.”

The voice remained calm and emotionless, but Daniel pressed his forehead even lower to the ground.

“Obtaining materials will become more difficult now.”

“It seems so…”

The investigation spearheaded by the three great ducal houses had brought strict oversight to all orphanages, making it impossible to move openly.

“The infiltration of Sorpel also failed, I hear.”

“I deeply apologize.”

At the mention of Rania, Daniel’s face turned pale. They had prepared for years, only for it all to collapse so quickly.

“It seems everyone will have to lay low for a while.”

“But—”

“Without a trail, the noise will die down eventually.”

“There will be backlash from the believers.”

“Hmm.”

“Especially those awaiting new lives. Their resistance may—”

“If they want to live, they’ll find their own materials. The church will no longer provide any.”

“…Understood.”

Daniel bowed again, and the voice in the shadows fell silent.

***

“Are you sure about this?”

Duke Sorpel’s voice was laced with concern.

“What do you mean?”

“The child.”

Only then did Camilla realize what he was referring to.

“You mean Rio?”

Duke Sorpel clicked his tongue in frustration.

“Of all places, that boy’s house…”

“Even now, it’s not too late. If you wish, I’ll bring the child here.”

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