A fortune-telling princess

From a young age, it had always been like this. Everything he struggled to achieve, that guy accomplished with ease.

Even though he always shirked studying, claiming he hated it, his grades were always better. His swordsmanship? It wasn’t even a competition.

Wherever he went, people naturally gravitated toward him, captivated by his carefree words.

“Why…?”

Even his father’s attention and his mother’s love!

‘Even the praises of people!’

Everything, everything belonged to Zeno.

And now, even the Guardian’s Sword had chosen him.

‘I’m the older brother…’

I’m the firstborn!

As he stared at the sword that showed no reaction in his hands, despair washed over him once more.

“If only you didn’t exist…”

“……”

“If only you didn’t exist!”

In that moment, the sword thrust forward, even though he knew Zeno was standing right there.

Squelch!

The blade pierced through Zeno’s chest all too easily.

“M-Mihai…”

The hand gripping the sword, which was now lodged in his younger brother’s heart, trembled uncontrollably. Zeno staggered back a step and fell off the cliff.

“……!”

Mihai came to his senses only after it was too late, collapsing to the ground. The Guardian’s Sword, cold and lifeless after losing its master, remained in his hand.

****

“The one who died back then… it wasn’t the older brother Mihai but the younger brother Zeno, wasn’t it?”

That was the only way everything made sense.

Why, even though someone had found the Guardian’s Sword, they weren’t recognized as its rightful owner.

Why the head of the Jabilon family was seen wandering the training grounds as a ghost, with a sword wound in his chest.

It all added up.

[Yes.]

Zeno nodded his head without hesitation.

[The one who died was me. Not my brother.]

“Why…?”

Though it was said there was some kind of incident at the cliff where they went to find the sword, no one witnessed what really happened. If Mihai had simply claimed the sword, no one would have doubted him.

‘Then why?’

Why did he abandon his name and take on Zeno’s identity?

[It was a punishment he gave himself.]

“Punishment?”

[How do you think it feels to hear the name of the person you killed for the rest of your life?]

Everyone called him by the name of the person he had murdered. It was a constant reminder of his crime, ensuring he would never forget.

[He chose that for himself.]

For the murder he committed in a fleeting moment of uncontrollable rage, Mihai bore the weight of that choice for the rest of his life.

“Is something like that even possible?”

Even for twins.

“How can someone live their entire life as another person?”

And no one noticed?

[Father knew.]

“……!”

Of course.

Even if others couldn’t tell them apart, there was no way a parent wouldn’t recognize their own child.

[But he remained silent.]

One son was already dead, and the other had returned alive.

Zeno’s father had kept quiet, likely aware of the whole situation but unwilling to risk losing his remaining son.

[And there was a gap of one year.]

Zeno and Mihai had left home to find the sword, and a year had passed. A short time for some, a long time for others.

When the one who returned acted a little differently, no one noticed.

[Isn’t it funny? The name of the dead lived on for so long, while the name of the living completely disappeared.]

Zeno laughed bitterly.

The one who returned home with the sword wasn’t Zeno… it was Mihai. And he became an excellent head of the family.

He was respected, treated people with kindness, and led the family better than anyone. Even now, many still spoke highly of him.

But it was under the name Zeno, not Mihai.

As he recounted his past, Zeno’s expression was remarkably calm. There was no trace of anger.

[At first, I was furious. Grieving and cursing him endlessly.]

As if he had read Camilla’s thoughts, Zeno continued with a faint smile.

[I screamed, “Why did I have to die?” and hurled every insult imaginable at Mihai.]

But then…

‘Zeno has returned!’

‘It’s such a relief! Young Master Zeno is alive!’

‘What would we have done if Zeno had been lost too?’

Even before Mihai revealed himself as Zeno, people had already assumed the survivor was him. They rejoiced, saying it was fortunate Mihai was the one who died instead.

‘Yes, Mihai is dead.’

[I couldn’t hate him anymore.]

That was when Zeno realized what Mihai had lived through all his life.

‘Why is it always you?’

He finally understood why Mihai had shouted such resentful words at him, even after he had found the Guardian’s Sword.

[I think he paid for his sins in full.]

Zeno no longer harbored any hatred for Mihai, who had lived under his name. If anything, he felt pity.

[What a fool.]

He couldn’t even reveal the truth to his own children and died under a false name. How could Zeno continue to hate someone like that?

[And time has passed.]

“That’s true.”

Camilla nodded lightly. Time indeed had the power to dull even the sharpest of resentments.

But one question still lingered.

“Then why are you still here?”

Mihai had died long ago, and Zeno said he bore no grudge or hatred. Why did he remain?

[Because of the sword.]

Zeno grinned.

[I can’t leave it behind.]

His gaze drifted toward the training grounds once more.

[I’ve never had the chance to wield it properly.]

“Pardon?”

What nonsense was he saying?

He was hailed as a sword genius, the creator of the Jabilon family’s swordsmanship. The man who never let a sword leave his hands.

He’d never wielded it properly?

[Because I never had a worthy opponent.]

He grinned mischievously.

[There wasn’t a single person who could match me.]

“Haa…”

…How annoying.

It was impossible to argue, which only made it worse.

Zeno, who had achieved the rank of Swordmaster at the unbelievable age of nineteen, truly had no rivals.

Since his father wasn’t a Swordmaster either, Zeno’s claim of never having had a proper opponent was true.

‘Swordmasters aren’t exactly common… Wait?’

Hold on.

‘Are they uncommon?’

Suddenly, faces popped into Camilla’s mind.

One, two, three… Wait.

‘There are a lot of them?’

Even among the people she lived with, there were two.

“……”

Camilla looked at Zeno, who was still gazing wistfully at the training grounds.

[Why? Is there something on my face? My good looks?]

“Stop making dad jokes.”

Camilla slowly rose to her feet. She knew she would regret this, but…

“Zeno.”

[Yeah?]

“Want to swing that sword properly for once?”

[…What?]

“…A duel?”

“Yes.”

“With you?”

“Yes, with me.”

Camilla proposed a duel. And to whom? None other than Ludvill.

There were plenty of Swordmasters around. Duke Sorpel, Duke Sephra, and even Arsion, who was nearly a master himself.

Yet Camilla chose Ludville for one reason.

‘He won’t dismiss my words as a joke.’

Ludville never brushed off anything lightly.

Even now, what others might have laughed off or ridiculed, Ludville was contemplating seriously with a stern expression.

“Why?”

“Pardon?”

“Why do you want to duel me?”

“I want to test my limits.”

She had already prepared this answer, knowing the question would come.

‘Limits, my foot.’

Her limits would be obliterated by a single swing of Ludvill’s sword.

It was an absurd answer, but once again, Ludville took it seriously.

“You might get hurt.”

“Someone who wields a sword shouldn’t fear injury.”

“…….”

Ugh, stop staring at me so seriously; it’s making me feel guilty. Though her insides squirmed, Camilla’s expression remained calm.

“…Fine.”

Ludville finally agreed.

Soon after, the two headed to the training grounds, which were empty after the day’s practice had ended.

When Camilla stepped onto the grounds, holding her sword, Ludville was already standing in the center, fully prepared.

He stood with his sword relaxed at his side, exuding a natural confidence.

Camilla swallowed dryly.

‘I’ve lost my mind.’

She must have been temporarily insane, right?

‘I’m not an exorcist, for heaven’s sake.’

Why on earth had she decided to fulfill a ghost’s lingering wish?

‘Since when did I act on impulse like this?’

She should have ignored the wistful look in Zeno’s eyes as he gazed at the training grounds.

“Zeno.”

Camilla called his name in a soft voice. The die was cast, the water spilled. There was no turning back.

“Are you ready?”

[…There’s no way I can refuse now.]

With a faint sound, Zeno’s spirit merged into her body.

“…Ah!”

A wave of dizziness hit her, followed by a sudden numbness in her limbs. From her head to her toes, it felt as though her body was no longer her own.

‘So this is what it feels like to be possessed by a ghost?’

This was the first time Camilla experienced full-body possession. Though she had occasionally borrowed the hands of Ferrol, the chef ghost, this was entirely different.

‘…He’s ecstatic.’

She could feel Zeno’s overwhelming joy.

The thrill of holding a sword again. The exhilaration of facing a Swordmaster as an opponent.

Every emotion Zeno felt surged through her like a tidal wave.

Then, in an instant, Camilla—no, Zeno—rushed at Ludville with reckless abandon.

The first clash of their swords made Ludvill’s expression change. Camilla herself was shocked.

‘Did that strength really come from me?’

It was true that people possessed by ghosts were said to have almost superhuman strength, but this… this was on another level.

“How do you know this swordsmanship…?”

Ludvill, recognizing the distinct style of Jabilon’s swordsmanship, gave her a startled and confused look.

But the time for questions was short. The training grounds were soon filled with nothing but the resounding clash of steel.