A Fortune-telling Princess

Camilla gave a light shake of her head and decided to wrap up the business she’d called him for.

“There’s a soul in the Imperial Palace that’s occupying Consort Jabiela’s body.”

“Consort Jabiela?”

“I want to know the True Name of the one who took that body.”

Camilla explained what she’d seen in more detail.

This was why she’d called him today. She had to learn the True Name of whoever had taken Consort Jabiela’s body—and if anyone could do it, it would be Habel.

“I’ll look into it and tell you.”

Even if you found a soul that had been slipping around and dodging reapers, reporting it to the proper handler and redoing the procedures was apparently a fairly complicated process.

“Please. As fast as you can.”

Still, since she’d pinpointed the exact location of the runaway soul, he said it should be faster than usual... but she had no idea when “faster” would actually be.

If I learn the True Name...

Should she shout it out in front of everyone?

Then, like with Rania, would Consort Jabiela’s whole body rot away and vanish?

Or not?

What if it didn’t work like that for everyone?

That would be a problem.

They could misunderstand and think she’d used some bizarre method to kill the consort—

“Haah.”

Maybe the only answer really was the Mirror of Truth.

“Hey. By the way.”

Since she had Habel here, Camilla decided to ask about something she’d been grinding her teeth over lately.

As a reaper—and an existence that had wandered the world for a long time—maybe he knew something.

“Do you know what the Mirror of Truth is?”

CLINK—CRASH.

“Hm?”

At that moment, she heard something shatter.

“What was that?”

When she turned her head, fragments of a broken cup were scattered all over the floor.

And standing at the center of it was Dorman.

SLAM!

Habel bolted over in an instant and started clearing the shards himself.

Seriously. The second it involved Dorman, his body moved like lightning.

“I’m sorry. Are you hurt?”

“No, I’m fine.”

Dorman bowed politely to the customers sitting near the broken cup.

“I’ll bring you some macarons on the house.”

“Oh! Thank you.”

Look at him. He’s flashing smiles so hard you can’t even get mad.

And who said anything about free service? I’m docking that from your pay.

But this is weird.

He wasn’t the type to make a sloppy mistake like that.

Despite how dopey he acted most of the time, his physical reflexes were incredibly good.

Good enough that he’d once snatched a fork out of the air the instant Camilla almost dropped it.

And whenever guests came over at home, she’d often seen him carry dozens of cups at once like it was nothing. That was why she’d gone, Perfect, and dragged him into the café in the first place.

And that guy broke cups while carrying just two?

For a moment, their eyes met.

Oh?

But he turned his head first, smoothly avoiding her gaze.

What’s that about?

His expression had looked... strange, just now. Did she imagine it?

“Mirror of Truth, did you say?”

A little later, Habel returned to his seat.

“Yeah. Do you know it?”

“I’ve never heard of it.”

“Really?”

He’d been the one thing she’d been counting on, and even he didn’t know. She should ask Dorman later too.

“What is it, and why are you trying to find it?”

“I saw it in a book. It said the Mirror of Truth—”

CLINK—CRASH.

SLAM!

“The Mirror of Truth is—”

CLINK—CRASH.

SLAM!

“Dorman, if you break one more dish, you’re not getting a single coin of salary this month!”

And Habel, stop running back and forth too.

“Just leave it! The one who broke ⊛ Nоvеlιght ⊛ (Read the full story) it can clean it!”

Or better yet, go get hired here as a cleaner—

“I’ll handle it, so please step aside, Dorman!”

Before she even finished, Habel had grabbed a broom and sprinted over.

Camilla stared in disbelief—and when Habel glared back like What’s your problem? she gave a small nod.

Fine. Do whatever you want.

Still...

What is wrong with him?

Camilla narrowed her eyes at Dorman, who was suddenly making mistake after mistake.

*****

“Have some tea.”

“Mm.”

“You worked hard again today.”

“Mm. You worked hard breaking dishes, and I worked hard cleaning them up.”

“...Habel cleaned up all the dishes I broke.”

“Then I’ll pay you half this month.”

“H-h-half is too much.”

Camilla stared at Dorman in silence for a moment. Like your face is going to make this go away. This isn’t something I’m letting slide.

“You.”

“Yes.”

“You know something about the Mirror of Truth.”

“...Me?”

“Don’t even try to play dumb. Do you think I’m stupid? You were blatantly weird earlier. Wasn’t that on purpose, so I’d ask you to look into it?”

“......”

“What is it? What is it that’s making you flinch like that?”

From the moment she brought up the Mirror of Truth, Dorman’s whole atmosphere had turned strangely cold.

She wasn’t dull enough to miss it—she’d just let it pass because of where they were.

“The Mirror of Truth. You know something.”

At her certain question, Dorman finally let out a short sigh.

“Why are you suddenly looking for that?”

“You know why. The things happening around me lately. I’m pretty sure it’s the Eva Faith.”

“But why the Mirror of Truth?”

“Because I think people will only believe me if I have it. The book said they found every Eva Faith follower with it—”

Hold on.

“Hey.”

“Yes?”

Yes? Yes?

You used to be a soul administrator, and that’s your calm reaction? Like you already knew everything—

“You knew all of this already too?”

“......”

Don’t look away. Don’t look away, you bastard.

“Talk. Properly.”

Another long sigh spilled out of Dorman. Then he stared straight through Camilla for a moment without speaking.

“What now?”

Why are you putting on an atmosphere that doesn’t suit you?

“What else are you hiding from me?”

Why can’t you just tell me everything in one go?

My biological father, Jainer—why didn’t you say it first, why?

“You just want to see me lose my mind, don’t you? Huh?”

I’m going to kill you first. I swear I will.

Do you even realize Jainer’s got his eye on you?

“What is the Mirror of Truth?”

“The Mirror of Truth is...”

Dorman started to speak—then closed his mouth again. Camilla didn’t press him further.

Because she could feel it. His mood was genuinely different.

Was it her imagination? For a split second, his eyes looked... distant.

“It isn’t actually a mirror.”

“What?”

“People just used it as a metaphor.”

“Then what is it?”

“...A person.”

When Dorman finally said it, long after, Camilla’s eyes went wider than they ever had.

The Mirror of Truth wasn’t an object. It was a person?

“And...”

The moment Camilla tried to ask again, a bitter smile appeared at the corner of Dorman’s mouth.

“My younger sibling was the Mirror of Truth.”

Chapter. The Only Family I Had

“Camilla must be really tired.”

“Yeah.”

Laila and Elisha smiled faintly as they looked at Camilla sleeping under the shade of a tree.

“Maybe she couldn’t sleep properly last night.”

Even as they worried, each of them held the same object in their hands.

A Video Stone.

Their hands were dazzling as they moved the Video Stones around, like they didn’t intend to miss a single moment.

“Laila, I told you to speak casually when it’s just us.”

“But how could I do that with a noblewoman...”

“But you speak casually with Camilla.”

“That’s because she’s my friend.”

“Wow. That hurts.”

Elisha immediately made a teary expression.

“You don’t want to be friends with me?”

“N-no! That’s not what I meant...”

“Then speak casually.”

“But...”

Laila gave an awkward smile, looking troubled.

With Camilla, there’d been a bond from when they were very young, so it had been easy to speak comfortably. But Elisha still felt difficult.

She really is adorable, though.

At first, Laila had wondered if she was the prim and picky type—but maybe because their hobby was the same? Ever since they met at the Video Stone printer, they’d grown close quickly.

Not only with Camilla—Elisha had started calling her “big sis” too, acting close, and it felt like she’d suddenly gained a sweet little sister.

But that noblewoman status still felt...

“She’s telling you to speak casually.”

A slightly prickly voice cut into their conversation.

Juella.

Since she’d started seeing Camilla often because of one thing and another, she’d also ended up spending a lot of time with Laila and Elisha.

Before they knew it, meeting here after classes—at Spirit Lake—had become routine.

“I never gave you permission to speak casually.”

“Discrimination?”

“Of course it is!”

Elisha planted a hand on her hip and glared.

“You bullied my big sis like crazy! I still remember! You grabbed Camilla’s hair at that party!”

“Are you talking about yourself?”

You don’t remember you were there too? You were the one laughing the loudest, saying you were dying of fun.

“Th-that...”

Elisha’s mouth puckered as she lost her words on the spot.

Ugh! So annoying!

That woman drives her crazy. It’s even more annoying because she’s always technically right.

And I hate that cold expression too!

It infuriated her that Juella barely reacted no matter how much Elisha tried to embarrass her.

Look at her. Look at her.

She was sneering like it wasn’t her problem, like—Go ahead and talk. I’ll listen and let it slide. She wasn’t even trying to hide it.

“Why did Camilla suddenly get close to her?”

“I said it already. Are you talking about yourself?”

“Ah, seriously!”

“Can you keep it down? She’s sleeping.”

“Ugh!”

Elisha puffed her cheeks. She desperately wanted to yell, but when she looked at Camilla sleeping, her anger melted away.

“I’m holding back because it’s Camilla!”

With a stiff, offended face, Elisha turned toward Laila, who’d been blankly watching their bickering.

“Laila, did you bring it?”

“Yes. Elisha, you brought yours too, right?”

“Of course!”

The two of them spread what they’d brought across the ground.

Video Stone prints.

And of course, the subject was Camilla.

They glanced once more to make sure Camilla was asleep, then started evaluating the prints in earnest.

Last time, Camilla had caught them with Video Stone prints and had chewed them out badly. They’d been so shocked. They’d taken the shots with permission like always, but she’d suddenly frowned.

‘What is this? What is all of this!’

‘C-Camilla? Well...’

‘Big sis, did we do something wrong—’

‘You’re supposed to print only the good ones! The framing is weird! This one too! Is that me? That’s me? These are me? You two don’t even have the basics of being a fan!’

Fan... basics? What was she even talking about?

The point she’d gotten angry about was weird, but either way, they’d decided to hold back on printing as much as possible until their skills improved.

And the result of all that restraint was... this.

“This one came out so good, right?”

“Yeah, yeah! Print that one for me too.”

“Oh! Where did you take this?”

“When she came to our house last time. We had tea together.”

“Really? That must’ve been amazing.”

“Is this one from the café?”

“Yes! Camilla baked cookies herself, and they were so good!”

“Ah! I wanted to try cookies made by Camilla! I heard she’s amazing at cooking too—what can’t she do?”

“If Camilla makes more next time, I’ll save you some.”