“They were our enemy country until just recently!”
Does he realize his “just recently” was three hundred years ago?
“Their civil war only just ended. It could be dangerous.”
When Ludville chimed in as well, Camilla let out a short sigh.
“We’re going as a delegation.”
It’s not like I’m going alone... Honestly, those three are really overreacting right now.
“Do you really have to go?”
“We can’t afford to miss out on a deal this big.”
“...All right.”
“Father!”
In the end, the Duke of Sorpel gave his permission. Seeing Ravi and Ludville’s expressions harden even further, the Duke let out a brief sigh.
“She made this decision as the owner of the Trading House. It’s not something for us to meddle in.”
“But—!”
“However, I’ll assign knights to guard you. As many as possible.”
With Zeno the ghost, a capable knight, always on standby, she wanted to say there was no need—but if she refused even that, he looked ready to revoke his permission, so she nodded.
“By the way, who’s in charge of this delegation?”
She already knew, but Camilla pretended ignorance as she asked.
“His Highness the Crown Prince.”
“...Pardon?”
Wait a second... who?
“Crown Prince Edsen has been appointed as the one in charge of this delegation.”
“Th–...!”
No way! Camilla barely swallowed the words that were about to burst out.
...Can I maybe reconsider going after all?
Chapter. The Fortune-Telling Owner
“We meet again, Lady Sorpel.”
Why did it change. Why!
The moment she faced Crown Prince Edsen, who was smirking as he looked at her, Camilla bowed as deeply as she could.
She had to hurriedly shove down the irritation that instinctively tried to jump out.
This is weird.
The one in charge of this delegation had definitely been the second prince.
So there had always been a lot of talk around this time. Those standing on the side of the first prince—namely, the Crown Prince—would often express dissatisfaction with the emperor’s decision.
They would say that as the Empire’s representative, of course Crown Prince Edsen should be the one to go, so how could the second prince be sent as the one in charge instead?
Everyone used to shout that it was all the Empress’s scheme.
People made a racket that the emperor had been talked around by the Empress, that she was sending the second prince to the Gracia Empire so he could gain a new source of power.
But for some reason, this time, it wasn’t the second prince—Crown Prince Edsen had been chosen as the one in charge.
“It seems the others haven’t arrived yet.”
Did I come too early? Not wanting to give him any excuse to nitpick, she had deliberately come ahead of time—
“I only invited you today.”
“...What?”
You said it was a delegation meeting! So why am I the only one here!
“What? You don’t like being alone with me?”
“Of course not.”
As she always said, that man was way too quick on the uptake.
“You really are astonishing, the more I get to know you.”
Edsen curved his lips in an odd smile, as if he truly found this amusing.
“To think the owner of the Ghost Trading House is you.”
Excuse you, that amazement has already expired.
“So, I prepared something.”
Hiding her sulky mood, Camilla held out the small box she had brought.
“What is this?”
What do you think it is? It’s a bribe.
“It felt like I was the only one receiving things every time.”
Either way, we’re going to be seeing each other constantly for a while, so please take this and stop sniping at me.
“A ring.”
“It’s a special product our Trading House has just released.”
She had put more care into it than the ones she’d given the three dukes. That man had such a sharp eye that nothing ordinary would even register.
“I hope it pleases you.”
“I like the ring... but your motives are suspicious.”
“Motives? I’m just—”
“Planning to use me as free advertising?”
God, he really is a sharp little shit.
He was exactly right.
On top of wanting to make this trip a little easier on herself, she also very slightly intended to use Edsen to promote the Blue Diamonds.
...Okay, maybe more than slightly.
Either way, the people who wielded the most influence in high society were the imperial family.
“Well then, I’ll let myself be happily used.”
The gift seemed to please him; he slipped the ring onto his finger at once. He even looked to be in quite a good mood.
That’s unexpected. He’s letting his feelings show over a gift like that?
“Exactly. Promotion is very important in business. Which is why I wanted to ask—if I were to send gifts to the Empress and the second prince as well...”
But the somewhat soft smile on Edsen’s face vanished in an instant, replaced by his usual mask-like smile.
“You want to? Then go ahead and try.”
“...I wouldn’t dream of it. You alone are more than enough for promotion, Your Highness.”
Dorman, this must have been exactly how you felt. You’re working hard at the café, right?
“Check this.”
“Yes!”
What Crown Prince Edsen handed her was the Mana Stone trade contract sent by the Gracia Imperial Family.
She could scratch out what needed to go, add what needed to be added, and then adjust the terms again when they met face to face.
“But you know.”
While Camilla was looking through the documents, his voice brushed her ear.
“This ring—am I the first one you’ve given it to?”
“No.”
“...No?”
“I gave one to the three dukes as well.”
Camilla lifted her gaze from the documents.
What was that? She had just felt a very cold shiver.
But the expression on Crown Prince Edsen’s face was relaxed when she looked up. If anything, he seemed to be in an even better mood than usual—was that just her imagination?
“The dukes will make sure I understand.”
Understand? Understand what?
Camilla kept sending him puzzled looks, but Edsen only smiled serenely.
*****
DING-A-LING!
“Welcome!”
As she stepped into the shop, an employee greeted her brightly.
When the staff recognized her, they looked ready to step up and greet her properly again, but Camilla stopped them and swept her gaze through the interior. The shop was crowded with customers today as well.
As she looked over that scene with satisfaction, exactly one thing caught her eye and grated on her nerves.
DADADADA!
Smack!
“Urgh!”
That was why she slammed her palm with all her strength into the back of Dorman’s head, as he was leisurely dozing off in the seat by the sunniest window.
“M–My lady!”
He sprang to his feet in shock, then flinched when he saw Camilla.
“So your value as a human being lies in taking naps here.”
“That’s not it. I was working very hard until just now, and I only rested for a moment. A very brief moment!”
“Wipe the drool from your mouth before you talk.”
He hurriedly wiped the corner of his mouth with his hand.
“Maybe I need to drive a heel into your skull to get you to pull yourself together, huh?”
“I–It’s not like that... I just had a stand-in, so I took a short break!”
“A stand-in?”
Camilla turned in the direction Dorman pointed and was struck dumb for a moment, at such a loss she couldn’t say anything at all.
“What is he doing right now?”
It was Reaper Habel.
He was wearing an apron and a headscarf, diligently wiping dust from every corner of the shop—with his usual deadly serious expression.
“Since when did you get hired at our shop?”
“...!”
Habel, who had been so focused on cleaning that he hadn’t even noticed Camilla’s arrival, finally gave a little start and quickly turned around.
“It suits you.”
When she pointed at his headscarf and apron, he hastily ripped them off and flung them to the floor.
“This is your fault.”
“What did I do?”
“How dare you make Dorman do work like this!”
“So you’re doing it in his place?”
“Do you have any idea what kind of person he is—!”
“Oh? There’s dust over there.”
Scrub, scrub!
Almost before he finished speaking, Habel snatched the cleaning tool back up from the floor and started furiously scrubbing away at a small stain off to the side.
“He’s always been famous for being obsessively neat.”
At some point, Dorman had sidled up next to her, looking at Habel with great pride.
“So you’re going to keep slacking off?”
“Ha ha...”
“...”
“...Wh–Where did we put the other cleaning tools again?”
Under Camilla’s steady stare, Dorman finally gathered some tools and went to stand beside Habel.
Ugh, that slippery little weasel.
When he only pretended to clean again, she raised her fist, and only then did he start scrubbing the floor in earnest.
DING-A-LING!
Just then, the shop door opened and a customer came in.
“Welc...ome.”
Wearing her business smile, Camilla began to greet them—then froze.
They’re back again.
Customers were always welcome. Truly.
[Father...]
But if the customer came with a ghost in tow, she couldn’t be entirely pleased.
A girl who looked to be in her late teens was following ❀ Nоvеlігht ❀ (Don’t copy, read here) behind a middle-aged couple, eyes brimming with tears.
It wasn’t as if she’d only been seeing ghosts for a day or two; she could just ignore it.
[Please, help him, please.]
That was the problem.
She had been careful, but the last time, her eyes had met that ghost’s for the briefest moment.
What came after was just like with every other ghost. An endless fuss about whether she could see them, whether she could hear their voice.
“Do they come often?”
“Yes, they’re regulars. They always buy things to take to their daughter.”
“Their daughter?”
Do they have another daughter?
[Whenever they come to see me, they always bring that kind of dessert. I used to really want to eat those.]
The girl ghost slipped into the conversation.
[Gasp!]
Then, after spotting something, she shuddered from head to toe.
Wondering what was going on, Camilla turned her head—and saw Reaper Habel staring straight this way.
“There’s a stain there.”
Scrub, scrub!
Leaving Habel behind as he went back to focusing on cleaning, Camilla turned her gaze to the middle-aged couple selecting desserts.
[Please, my father...]
Listening to the girl ghost’s tearful voice, Camilla let out a short sigh.
“Do they buy a lot?”
“Yes, a ton! They practically buy one of every kind we have on display.”
So, VIP customers.
Clicking her tongue lightly, Camilla casually walked toward them.
“Dear, should we buy something for Jane today too? She really likes desserts as well.”
“Shall we?”
The middle-aged woman wore a pleasant smile.
But at that sight, the girl ghost’s face twisted all at once.
Unlike the tender way she looked at her father, the way she gazed at the middle-aged woman was full of resentment and murderous hostility.
“Hello. If you don’t mind, may I pick out a few things for you?”
When Camilla approached them in a friendly tone, a smile rose on the middle-aged man’s face.
“Would you? Thank you.”
He probably didn’t realize she was a noble; his manner of speaking was extremely polite.
She’d heard that even if they weren’t nobles, they were wealthy enough to wield a fair bit of influence.
After choosing a few popular desserts for them, Camilla got straight to the point.
This kind of acting really didn’t suit her.
“Have you been doing all right lately? Are you...well?”
“Pardon?”
At the man’s bewildered expression, Camilla swallowed a sigh.
I hate ghosts. I really hate them. I really hate them... Can’t they just leave me alone...
“I read fortunes a bit.”
