Chapter 356 |
"She's going to read my fortune?'
For a moment, I felt a flicker of interest at Seon-yul's kind offer. But after thinking it over, I couldn't come up with anything I was particularly curious about.
I tilted my head for a while before slowly shaking it.
"I don't know. There's nothing I'm really curious about... so I'm fine, thank you."
"Oh my. Are you refusing me right now?"
"It's not so much a refusal as... I just don't have any questions. In any case, I appreciate the offer."
"Don't be that like. Just have a look. You might not get another chance. I, for one, rarely offer this to men."
Was it my imagination, or did I detect a slight edge to Seon-yul's voice?
No. It wasn't my imagination. Seon-yul, who must not have expected me to refuse, wore a pouting expression. Her earlier demure attitude was fading, and it seemed her pride had been subtly wounded.
"Good. You've made a wise choice. Just think of it as a bit of fun. It won't take long..."
Only then did her expression return to normal, making me think I'd done the right thing by changing my mind.
"Whew. It's been a long time since I've been reading for a man..."
Seon-yul muttered to herself with a sigh, then began to shuffle the cards with a rather serious expression.
Tap, tap, tap, tap.
Tap, tap, tap, tap.
The card shuffling produced a steady, rhythmic sound. Despite having just told me to think of it as a bit of fun, her hands moved with the utmost care as she shuffled the deck.
As I quietly watched her prepare, a question suddenly occurred to me.
"Magic Tower Lord, why is it that you don't read fortunes for men?"
"Ah. That?"
She seemed so focused that I hesitated to speak, but thankfully, her reply was calm. She wore an indifferent expression as she continued in a low voice.
"A long time ago, I used to read for men and women without distinction. But after a bad experience, I became reluctant to do readings for men."
"A bad experience?"
"Yes. It was back in my early years, before I'd obtained my Secret Class. I was so broke that I was barely scraping by, reading fortunes at a makeshift deck as a side job... I still remember it. The moment that bastard saw me, he said, 'I hear you're really good at giving breast-jobs, is that right?' and then..."
"Breast...? No, she must mean fortune-telling, right?"
Surely she meant fortune-telling. It wasn't technically wrong, but I couldn't shake the feeling that the nuance was strange.
Tap, tap, tap, tap!
At that moment, I felt the sound of her shuffling grow more intense. The corners of her eyes were slightly raised; it seemed the memory was making her blood boil.
After a short while, the shuffling returned to its original rhythm. At the same time, Seon-yul's line parted.
I lifted my head, bewildered by her sudden statement. I was almost certain I'd heard her say 'breast' and not 'fortune.' Yet her face remained calm, her focus entirely on shuffling the cards. There wasn't a hint of a joke anywhere.
"Is she being serious?"
Just as a faint confusion began to cloud my mind, Seon-yul's story continued.
"Turns out he wasn't talking about fortune-telling, but breast-jobs. You don't know what that is? The technical term is... well, in our language, it's mammary intercourse. In Japanese, it's paizuri."
"That... that's insane. So what did you do?"
"What could I do? What power does a low-year User have? I just quietly did as he asked."
"...Excuse me?"
How could she speak of such a thing so calmly? I stared at Seon-yul, feeling dazed. She had finished shuffling the cards, and her once-deft hand movements had ceased.
A moment of silence passed.
Seon-yul placed the cards on the table with a sharp thwack and spoke calmly.
"It's a joke, a joke. So don't look so serious. I just cut it off."
"What...?"
Before I could say anything, Seon-yul's hand, resting on the cards, drew a large semicircle. She then placed a small hourglass next to the fanned-out cards and spoke in her usual composed tone.
"Whew. Shall we begin? Since you said you have no questions, I'll choose the reading myself."
"Magic Tower Lord."
"Ah, don't mind the hourglass. It's just a tool to help with the reading."
"She's a truly unpredictable woman."
Perhaps because the tension had suddenly vanished all at once, a weary sigh escaped my lips. I stared at Seon-yul, dumbfounded. It might have been my imagination, but I thought I saw a faint smile playing on her lips.
"I'll explain the method now. It's very simple."
"Yes, yes. Do as you please."
For some reason, Seon-yul's nonchalant tone felt incredibly annoying. Perhaps that's why my own voice, even to my ears, was dripping with petulance.
"Chuckles. You see the cards spread out here? You just need to pick them out one by one."
"...Is that all?"
"Yes. Most readings end at twelve cards, but other outcomes are possible, though rare. However, please adhere to the three rules I'm about to state. One card at a time. And you must stop drawing when I tell you to. Lastly, please place the chosen cards in order from left to right."
"Ah. Yes..."
Hearing that, I felt a little let down. Of course, she had said from the beginning that it was just
for fun, and I hadn't placed much importance on it myself. Even so, it seemed I'd been unconsciously expecting something more.
And so, I relaxed and reached for a card that caught my eye. Just as I was about to pick one up, a thought flashed through my mind.
"By the way, what is this reading about?"
"You can think of it as a general overview," Seon-yul answered clearly.
I tilted my head for a moment but then, endlessly repeating the word 'fun' in my mind, I lightly picked a card. When I looked at her, I saw her gaze was fixed on the hourglass.
Seon-yul nodded.
"We'll check them all after the cards have been chosen. Place the cards you've drawn face down, starting from the left. Please continue."
At Seon-yul's confirmation, I nodded back and began to quickly select the cards one by one.
One card... two cards... three... four... five... six...
I chose the cards swiftly, and just as I was about to pick the thirteenth card, having passed twelve, I felt a strange gaze from across the table. I paused and looked up to see Seon-yul, who had been alternating her gaze between the cards and the hourglass.
The only difference from before was the subtle hint of bewilderment now visible in her eyes.
A strange feeling came over me. I turned my head and saw that the sand in the hourglass had depleted considerably. Compared to the beginning, had about four-fifths of it run down?
I started moving my hand again. When the number of cards neatly arranged from the left reached fifteen, I finally heard Seon-yul stop me.
"Th-th-th-that's enough!"
Her voice now held a tremor so distinct that anyone could hear it. The sand in the hourglass had completely fallen to the bottom.
Seon-yul took a moment to compose herself, taking a few deep breaths. Then, her voice slightly less shaky, she continued.
"F-fifteen cards. This is the first time I've ever seen a reading come out like this. Anyway... I'm truly curious. Could you please turn over the first four cards from the left?"
Didn't she say it usually ends at twelve? In any case, she had mentioned there were exceptions, so I obediently flipped over the first four cards.
Soon, four cards lay spread across the table in order: one depicting a large blood puddle with a man screaming within it; a reversed clock; a clear flame burning something black; and a man standing alone in a landscape with a sword through his chest.
One peculiar thing was the minuscule text written at the bottom of all four cards.
Seon-yul examined each card with intense focus before speaking with a low hum.
"Hmm. This is difficult. Still, I'll try to interpret them one by one. The blood puddle. You were originally born with a very harsh destiny. The reversed clock. But some unknown entity intervened in that fate. The clear flame. Its identity is this card... Primordial, the world? I'm not sure what it means exactly. Finally, the man with a sword in his chest, in the world. The first card has transformed into the last card after passing through the second and third."
"What does the last card mean?"
At my question, Seon-yul let out a soft sigh.
"Interpreting it in connection with the first three... two factors have intervened in your life, and as a result, your destiny has been completely overturned. Here, the clear flame signifies the primordial era or the world, and you are receiving the world's favor."
"Favor?"
"Yes. But be careful. This is not an unconditional favor. Do you see the sword piercing the man's chest? I believe this signifies a double-edged sword. Which means, if you make one wrong move..."
As Seon-yul's voice trailed off, I felt a chill run down my spine. I blinked a few times and cleared
my throat.
"Hm. Interesting. Shall I flip the next four?"
"Yes."
Wanting to move on from the first four cards quickly, I swiftly turned over the next set. The cards revealed this time were incredibly complex. Each one contained several intricate illustrations.
I first turned my gaze to the first card.
It was a card divided into four perfect squares, with a beautiful woman drawn in each quadrant. Around each woman were backgrounds that suggested a certain atmosphere.
"Blood and steel. A beautiful but heavily scarred sword. A shadow. And... what's the last one? Light?"
Among them, the woman in the bottom right was particularly unique. Her background had a sacred aura, but unlike the other women, she alone was shedding tears of blood. Because of that, despite the background of light, the image didn't feel bright but instead evoked a sorrowful mood.
The second card was almost indecipherable. Not only were the drawings themselves too small to make out easily, but there were countless figures depicted—humans, animals, swords, flying dragons, and more.
The third card had fewer images but was even more subtle.
In the center of the card was a baby, surrounded by a dizzying swirl of clear flames and crimson flames. Both flames felt strangely familiar, but the sight of the crimson ones made me feel inexplicably uneasy.
And thankfully (?), the final card was quite simple compared to the previous ones. Unlike the other complex cards, it simply depicted a man wearing a crown.
I instinctively looked at Seon-yul, curious about her interpretation.
But the moment I saw her face, the words died in my throat. Her expression as she stared at the cards was a sight to behold.
Unlike her usual calm and composed demeanor, her eyes were wide and her mouth was hanging open. From between her parted lips, emotions like shock, bewilderment, and confusion seemed to be flooding out. Or at least, that's how it felt.
After a long moment, Seon-yul began to speak, her words stumbling out.
"M-Mercenary Lord."
"Yes."
"Wh-why are your relationships with women so complicated? Why, why is it like this? What on earth is this?"
"Excuse me?"
For a second, I wanted to retort, "Why are you asking me?" but I held my tongue. Seon-yul, still looking utterly confused, had started muttering to herself.
"No... right, he's a king. So four queens, I can let that slide... Ah, or is it three? He pushed one away himself. Oh, the poor thing..."
"A mage. An archer. A priest. A witch, and so on. Fine. I can stretch my imagination and understand up to this point... They're human. But... a sword? A cat? A spider? A dragon? Or is it a divine beast? Ah... I don't know... How can a sword love a human...?"
"The third one... one is a flame of purification, the other a flame of destruction. It's a natural principle that purification and destruction are conflicting attributes. So why is the birth of new life suddenly being expressed here..."
It was painful even for me to listen, as I could feel her mind slowly starting to crumble.
A sudden wave of pity washed over me, and I ended up waving my hand.
"Magic Tower Lord. Let's stop."
"M-Mercenary Lord."
"If it's too difficult, we can stop. It's all up to interpretation anyway, and just for fun, right?"
A flicker of conflict crossed Seon-yul's face, but she soon nodded slowly. A blush bloomed on her cheeks, a clear sign of her embarrassment.
"I-I'm so sorry. My cards are a type of magic card, so they come out differently depending on the situation, but this is the first time I've ever seen cards like these... I can't interpret them at all. Th-then, the remaining four, no, seven cards..."
"Please calm down first. What do the remaining cards signify?"
As I waved my hand again, Seon-yul seemed to finally realize her unseemly behavior and took a few shallow breaths.
"Whew, whew. So, the rest... the next four represent what the Mercenary Lord desires. You can think of it as a kind of future. And the remaining three... they could be seen as a turning point or an additional interpretation, but I'd have to turn them over to know for sure."
"I see... Then that's fine."
"Pardon?"
It might be a bit rude, but I decided to get up. If it had been about something else, I might have been willing to listen, but it was a different story when it came to the future.
Honestly, I was curious. But from the moment I learned that the future had changed, I had made a vow. If I looked at these cards now, I felt that the resolve I had barely managed to solidify would be shaken again.
"The first was my destiny. The second was my love life. That's all fine. But I think it's better not
to see the future."
"Rather than letting it influence my future actions, wouldn't it be better to just stick to my original plan?"
"That's... true. The future is something you carve out for yourself. Of course, the meaning is a little different from 'what you desire,' but. I understand. If that is your wish, Mercenary Lord, we'll stop the reading here."
Though a hint of bewilderment remained, Seon-yul thankfully agreed with my opinion.
I nodded a few times and immediately stood up.
"Then I'll be on my way. It was an enjoyable time, Magic Tower Lord."
"Whew. I just feel apologetic. I acted so confident... I'm embarrassed."
"I understand your pride. But I'm truly fine, so please don't worry about it too much. I'll be going now."
I bowed my head slightly, my gaze falling on the seven cards that remained unturned.
"Well then."
But I quickly shook off any lingering attachment, turned around, and walked away.
The next day. Despite the various events of the night, I woke up to a morning like any other. After finishing my usual simple preparations, I finally joined the last leg of the march toward Barbara in the east.
We had already passed through most of the regions. There were no more abandoned fields or rough forests in sight. Well-maintained roads and tidy grasslands stretched out wide around
the Users.
Along the way, aside from one more visit to the 3rd Squad, I kept to my position in the marching formation.
When I visited the 3rd Squad in the morning, I confirmed that Shin Sang-yong had returned. However, his expression was so grim that I couldn't bring myself to speak to him. He was even marching by himself, far from the others.
The reason I turned back was that Shin Sang-yong seemed to know I was there. We had actually made eye contact once. But seeing him bow politely and avert his gaze, I figured his mind must be a complicated mess.
So, I decided to wait a little longer and let him sort out his own thoughts rather than forcing a conversation. I wanted to believe in the resolve Shin Sang-yong had shown just before he left.
After I returned to my position, the march continued.
I looked up at the sky and saw the sun was gradually beginning to set. The sunset cast a twilight glow, dyeing the grasslands a deep crimson, and we cut across the red light, following the path that wound through the plains.
A short while later, I could see the road connected to the area near Barbara.
Normally, at this time of day, this road should be filled with Users returning to the city after exploring or hunting, some laughing, others crying. But on this road, where a dark dusk had slowly begun to settle, only a cold, quiet air of war lingered endlessly.
Time continued to pass, and as the twilight that had painted the world red began to fade...
"Five minutes until we reach Barbara! Everyone, prepare yourselves!"
On the vast plain before us, the shadow of a massive city loomed, slowly coming into focus.