A fortune-telling princess

Camilla seized the moment of hesitation and delivered a powerful kick to Professor JB.

“Ugh!”

The force sent him stumbling to the side, but he quickly got up and charged at her again. He couldn’t let this go wrong now.

Once again, his attempt was thwarted. Camilla threw something at him—Ravi’s enchanted bracelet, a recent gift.

“This…!”

Chains materialized and tightly bound him, leaving Professor JB visibly startled.

“Urgh… cough…”

Finally able to catch her breath, Camilla coughed dryly, her throat raw from the ordeal.

“Damn it…”

Wiping at her eyes, she noticed her trembling hands and bit her lip hard.

She repeated the words silently to herself, a mantra she’d used many times before in moments like this.

It was just like that time years ago during a thriller movie shoot. When faced with the actor playing the murderer, she had frozen, unable to deliver her lines or even react properly. Take after take, she’d ruined the scene.

She’d thought she’d erased those childhood memories, but the experience proved otherwise. The scars were indelible, not something that could be forgotten.

Though she’d managed to complete the shoot back then, it left her mentally exhausted for days.

And now, it was happening again. Despite her resolve, her body still trembled.

“Whew.”

After taking a deep breath, she turned her attention to Professor JB, still bound by the chains.

If she had been even a moment slower, it might have been disastrous. He didn’t look physically imposing, but his strength had been far greater than expected.

“How…?”

His eyes narrowed as he looked at her, confusion etched on his face.

“You drank the tea. How are you still awake?”

Camilla clicked her tongue, immediately understanding what he was trying to figure out.

“You mean the sleeping agent in the tea?”

She smirked. “I got some intel beforehand.”

Amy had initially refused to reveal anything about Professor JB, but when Camilla explained her plan, she eventually spilled everything. Armed with this knowledge, Camilla had taken an antidote to counteract his sleeping agent before returning home.

“Tsk.”

His tongue clicked in annoyance.

“So, you knew… you knew exactly what I was planning to do?”

Even bound, Professor JB’s voice remained composed, almost amused.

“I did find it a bit suspicious when you suddenly offered to help me with my research.”

When his bait failed to hook Camilla, he had briefly considered changing his target. But her sudden willingness to assist him had piqued his curiosity. Despite his doubts, he pressed on—Camilla was a target he had no intention of letting slip away.

“What a shame,” he said, his eyes filled with regret. “This could have been something beautiful for both of us.”

“Shut up with your nonsense.”

“You’re struggling, aren’t you? Living with a fake family… I know how hard that is.”

He spoke softly, almost gently, as if trying to convince her. A smile even lingered on his lips.

“Life is painful, isn’t it?”

“So, that’s why you killed those women?”

His eyes widened slightly.

“How…?”

He had left no evidence behind. How could she possibly know this?

“Sigh.”

His momentary shock faded as he let out a small sigh, his expression quickly returning to one of calm.

“They wanted it.”

His voice was firm, devoid of doubt.

As if admitting his crimes had unburdened him, he seemed more at ease than before. No longer needing to hide, he found comfort in his own twisted reasoning.

“They weren’t living happy lives. I ended their suffering.”

Camilla stared at him, speechless for a moment.

Her disbelief turned to rage. He was claiming that this insanity was justified?

[It’s because of me,] a voice chimed in.

Amy’s voice. Camilla wasn’t surprised; she had suspected the ghostly student had been lingering nearby, anticipating the night’s events.

Amy sighed heavily as she looked at her brother.

[He couldn’t handle the pain of my death.]

“What the hell are you talking about?”

Camilla snapped at the empty space, her raised voice drawing a puzzled glance from Professor JB.

She ignored him. What did it matter what that lunatic thought of her?

[He believes he’s to blame for my death.]

“And what does that have to do with murder?”

[Maybe he needed an escape.]

“An escape?”

[To justify his actions, perhaps. To convince himself that life isn’t always about happiness.]

Camilla’s hands clenched into fists.

“Shut up.”

[Camilla…]

“One lunatic spewing nonsense is enough.”

Clicking her tongue, she dismissed Amy’s attempt to shield her brother.

“Your brother is just a murderer, nothing more.”

What? Escape? Justification?

Murder was murder. No more, no less.

Leaving the deflated Amy behind, Camilla turned back to Professor JB. He met her gaze with a strange expression.

“You have many issues, don’t you, my lady? Psychological ones. It’s because you’ve never known the love of a family—”

“Stop barking.”

Who’s calling who insane?

“Who said it?”

“Pardon?”

“Who told you death was happiness?”

“Isn’t it obvious? Living in such pain—how can that be happiness? Why do you think people end their lives?”

His calm arrogance grated on her nerves. Without a word, she grabbed him by the hair, forcing him to look her in the eye.

“Ugh!”

She tightened her grip as he winced in pain.

“Who are you to decide?”

“W-What?”

“Who are you to decide if their lives were happy or not?”

“Well, I—”

“Who said they wanted to die?”

She threw the question at him again.

“I assure you, they preferred death to living in torment—”

“Lady Dubre had a man she loved. They were engaged to marry after graduation. She was planning to leave her home and start a new life with him.”

Cutting off his excuse, Camilla continued.

“Lady Ruri used her allowance to support the orphanage where her beloved younger siblings lived. They were her life.”

The ghostly women, who had been listless shadows, began to react to Camilla’s words. Their gazes turned toward her, their once-vacant expressions filling with emotion.

“Lady Rotiel had been saving money since childhood to start a business. She dreamed of independence after graduating.”

Tears welled in their eyes as Camilla spoke. Meanwhile, the composure of Professor JB was crumbling.

The foundation of his belief—that their lives were without joy—was being shattered.

“That… that’s impossible!”

He had shared intimate conversations with them, heard their stories of abuse and despair. He hadn’t known about their hopes, their dreams.

“Lies! Those are lies!”

His voice rose for the first time, trembling with desperation.

“Lies? Doubting the intelligence of a duke’s household? I can prove it right now. Should I bring Lady Dubre’s fiancé? He’d kill you on the spot if he knew the truth. Or should I bring Lady Ruri’s siblings? They cry every night over her death.”

Camilla stared straight into his shaking eyes.

“Who do you think you are?”

“…”

“Who are you to decide their happiness?”

“I… I…”

He couldn’t find the words. Camilla finally released his hair and stepped back.

“Then I can decide for you, too, right?”

Her voice was calm but cutting.

“From where I’m standing, you don’t look happy with your life either.”

Before he could respond, she reactivated the bracelet, tightening it around his neck.

“Gah!”

Choking, he collapsed to his knees, clawing at the invisible chains as his face turned blue.

“P-Please… spare me…”

“What was that? Spare you?”

“P-Please… I… don’t want… to die…”

What a pathetic hypocrite.

“How can you beg for life?”

He’d taken so many without hesitation.

“Spare me… please…”

Camilla waved her hand dismissively, loosening the bracelet just enough to keep him alive.

“You said death was happiness. How does it feel to brush against it?”

“Gah… cough…”

His sobbing form no longer interested her. Clicking her tongue in disdain, she turned away.

“Luve.”

From the shadows, Luve stepped forward, his presence calm and steady.

“The recording orb?”

“It’s been set up, over there.”

Following his gesture, Camilla approached a flowerpot where the orb lay hidden.