Chapter 11 - The Enigmatic Fortune Teller (4)
Chapter 11
The Enigmatic Fortune Teller (4)
『 Translator – Divinity 』
I decided to think that all’s well that ends well.
“What’s so good about this…”
…Although it was difficult to do even that because of the unbearable self-loathing that was welling up.
Yes, it’s possible to give the wrong tarot card. I’m not some expert cardsharp, and since I’m making eye contact with the other person while moving only my hands, I could make a mistake.
But of all the cards to give, why that one?
“Why
Did I really say “Understand?” and “Just keep it to yourself” after giving her
My face turned pale at the self-loathing that made me shudder.
…But why didn’t Rain say anything about
“Ah, she was going to.”
No wonder she hesitated before leaving, was it because of that?
She probably couldn’t say anything to me because of her ‘strong against the weak, weak against the strong’ complex and just left. I felt genuinely sorry for Rain.
“But it’s too late to explain now…”
How could I meet Rain alone and say, “Actually, the Lovers card I gave you then was a mistake, and I originally meant to give you the Fool card that you have a trauma about, haha”?
Leaving aside the fact that I would die of shame, if I showed her that kind of appearance, I might be labeled as ‘weak’ by her.
It was better to be misunderstood than to become like that.
“It’s a good thing I’m a man.”
If I had been gender-bent and entered as a female protagonist, it would have been a real disaster, but what was the point of being relieved that I entered as a man? The murderous intent towards that crazy bitch only grew.
When I return to reality, I’ll definitely grab her by the collar and drag her home.
Anyway, since I was a male protagonist and all favorability and events beyond lovers were blocked, it wouldn’t be a big problem even if she didn’t say anything about the
After using all sorts of mental gymnastics to barely quell my self-loathing, I finally took a proper look around.
Blackout curtains surrounding all sides, a luxurious-looking floor and purple tablecloth, a round table of moderate size, and candles dimly illuminating the dark interior.
“This is quite a decent fortune teller’s shop.”
I was unsure when I first received the skill, but with this, I could actually use it until I built a real fortune teller’s shop.
The only drawback was that once I entered and left, I had to wait 3 hours before entering again. This was actually reasonable considering it involved going in and out of a different space.
It would have been nice if I could sleep here, but it was too cramped to lie down, and since I had received 200 million won from the kind Miss Liu, there was no need to linger here.
“Shall we go back now?”
I was worried that if I went out too quickly and ran into Rain, I would be so embarrassed that I would run away, so I stayed inside for quite a while… but it should be okay to go out now.
As soon as I pulled back the blackout curtain and returned to the alley, I first hid myself and looked around.
“…She’s not here, right?”
Only after repeatedly confirming that Rain was definitely gone did I let out a sigh and head back to the main street.
The sun was still high in the sky, and it was time to go find my original target.
“First, there’s one skill left.”
Out of the three skill slots, currently filled were only the job skill
Later on, I would have to replace
“Let’s go.”
First, it was the hardware store.
***
The royal family’s exclusive residence within Romance Academy.
Romance Academy was far from egalitarian in its education. In the first place, the condition for enrollment was limited to ‘job holders’, an extremely small minority of the world’s population, and only a very small number of special cases could enter otherwise.
Still, they couldn’t completely discriminate against students, so they took the stance of ‘find your own base and attend classes as you please’, whether you were from the upper class or the lower class.
Even so, for a superpower like the Unified Korean Empire, especially for royalty, there was a dedicated building within the academy.
The top floor of this luxurious place, where the splendor, size, facilities, and caretakers were all top-notch.
‘Bullshit.’
Kim Eun-ha,
To be more precise, it was disgust.
“So… you’re asking me to help you with your love life?”
“Yes, please help me, little sister.”
What the hell was this bastard in front of her saying?
At the words of her biological sibling, who seemed to be trying to speak as gently as possible, Kim Eun-ha barely managed to suppress the nausea rising from within her.
“…Older brother. I think you’re a bit tired right now. I’ll call someone, so why don’t you get some rest…”
“No, the only thing tired is my heart, which is pounding like crazy.”
“Ah, haha… is that so…”
No, you weren’t the type to use such sentimental expressions.
Kim Eun-ha seriously considered hitting the head of Prince Kim Seong-il, who was half-bowing in front of her.
He said he had something to talk about, so she naturally thought it would be about the Unified Korean Empire’s position within the academy, the special class, or at the very least, about the succession rights.
‘Relationship advice? Has this older brother of mine gone crazy?’
She even wondered if she was hallucinating.
Thinking it would be better if that was the case, she tried pulling out a strand of her hair and biting her tongue, but the bastard of an older brother in front of her remained the same.
…Okay, let’s organize our thoughts.
“Older brother, is this someone you’ve had your eye on for a while?”
“No way…!! This overflowing feeling, the moment I saw her, my heart started pounding…!”
‘Stop talking like that! It’s disgusting!’
If they were in the Imperial Palace, she would have just beaten him up. But in the academy, with so many eyes watching and ears listening, she couldn’t do such a usual thing.
Kim Eun-ha, barely suppressing her urge to throw a punch, sighed inwardly.
But love at first sight after just one look?
…No way?
“I-if it’s not too much trouble, but you’re not saying you fell in love after taking the dedicated exam today, are you?”
“That’s right…! As expected, it was a good idea to consult with you!”
Damn it.
Having a feeling that things were going very wrong, Kim Eun-ha urgently gestured to the side.
…Since she had signaled them, the servants would prevent any possible eavesdropping or information leaks, whether physically or magically.
However, this wasn’t the Korean Empire, and they couldn’t do such a thing for long in Romance Academy where people from all over the world gathered, so she had to finish the conversation as quickly as possible.
Kim Eun-ha, determined to end the conversation here even if it meant physically knocking him unconscious, looked at Kim Seong-il.
“Tell me, from beginning to end.”
“It was when I passed the dedicated exam and was about to look around. Although not as grand as the Imperial Palace, the well-maintained garden somehow made me feel good. Since I was sure to be the top student, I was walking around, appreciating the scenery of the garden, when suddenly a pigeon landed in front of me! It was sudden, but I wisely dealt with the situation by–:”
Crack!
Kim Eun-ha, who had crushed the apple she was holding into a pulp with her grip strength alone, muttered,
“Summarize.”
“I-I was taking a walk after the exam ended.”
“And then?”
“Right! Anyway, I was taking a walk like that when suddenly the sunlight became strong. So I covered the sunlight with my hand and casually looked up, and at that moment! A female student was hurriedly running somewhere from the balcony of the building! At first, I clicked my tongue at her lack of manners, but that was a truly impertinent thought. She ran with her long hair fluttering, with a fatal charm, and then she lowered her head—”
Crack.
Kim Seong-il, who stopped talking at the ominous sound, looked down to see a large crack in the table in front of him and his sister.
Having learned through numerous experiences that if he messed up, the next thing to crack might be his bones, Kim Seong-il hurriedly shortened his explanation.
“To summarize, I fell in love with her at first sight.”
“The first in line to the throne of the Unified Korean Empire fell in love at first sight with some girl at the academy? This isn’t some romance novel…”
“First in line or whatever, it doesn’t matter! I’m serious about her!”
“Older brother, please stop with the nonsense. If you keep this up, when I become the Emperor, I might just exile you to an island.”
“O-okay.”
“…Huu.”
Kim Eun-ha closed her eyes as if in thought, and as soon as she showed signs of displeasure, Kim Seong-il straightened his posture with a nervous look.
Although he was born first, it was a sad habit born from the countless physical disciplines he received since childhood.
The princess, who had just threatened the future emperor, opened her eyes.
“Who is she?”
“Uh, hmm?”
“That girl. You must have already investigated her, right? The imperial power is strong enough now, so if she’s qualified, it’s fine to take her as a concubine.”
“I-is that so! Thank you, little sister!”
Seeing Kim Seong-il momentarily forgetting his disgraceful behavior and rejoicing at her permission, Kim Eun-ha let out a hollow laugh.
A strange sight, where her older brother, the future emperor, was asking his younger sister, who was lower in the line of succession, for permission to marry.
But since Kim Eun-ha was the hidden power broker of the imperial family, it couldn’t be helped.
The reason her brother, Kim Seong-il, could become the first in line for the throne was because she, who wasn’t interested in the position, yielded it to him.
“So, who is she? It would be preferable if she’s from the Korean Empire.”
That was what Kim Eun-ha was worried about. If she was from a faraway country, no matter if she was a concubine, it was still the marriage of a prince, and there wouldn’t be much political gain.
Japan, which had been on good terms with them recently, would be a decent choice, but if she was from China or Russia, things would become too complicated.
Well, considering the current strong imperial power, it wasn’t impossible to marry anyone, but they had to be prepared for considerable internal backlash and political shock.
But still, he was her older brother, wasn’t he? The Empress position would be a political marriage, but for one woman he truly loved, she could lend a hand without considering political gains or losses.
Just as she was about to take another sip of her black tea, appreciating his wisdom in not causing unnecessary trouble and coming directly to her for consultation,
“I don’t know!”
“…Yes?”
“No, my true intention is that I don’t want to know. I fell for her, not her background or origin! I don’t need to investigate such things, I can overcome it with love!”
“…Wow.”
At Kim Seong-il’s courageous declaration, Kim Eun-ha let out a genuine exclamation of admiration.
Well, he had the courage to get beaten up by her.
“Older brother?”
“Huh?”
“Then you can overcome this with love too, right?”
“What are you– Kugh!”
Before he could even finish answering Kim Eun-ha’s question, her fist, thrown in an instant, struck Kim Seong-il squarely in the abdomen.
Crash!!!
He flew like a cannonball, creating a large crack in the wall as he crashed into it.
She got up from her seat to hit him a few more times, but seeing him slumped against the wall after just one punch, she clicked her tongue.
“Tsk, for a man, you’re so weak.”
“Mon… ster…”
Thud!!!
…Well, now he’s really unconscious.
Kim Eun-ha, after cracking her knuckles a few times, turned her back on the prince, who was now a modern art-like decoration, and stood on the balcony.
Although it was a situation she had to resolve somehow, the more she thought about it, the more she sighed.
“First… I have to investigate that girl, and for the wall, if I say I misjudged my strength, the academy won’t make a fuss… I also have to educate my older brother’s mind…”
There were certainly many reasons, but she had yielded the throne to her brother after seeing his competence, so was it just her imagination that her workload seemed to be increasing?
She was a bit annoyed, should she hit him one more time?
Just as she decided to hit him exactly three more times after careful consideration and clenched her fist,
“…Ah.”
Fortunately for Kim Seong-il, someone who had been on her mind lately caught her eye.
A male student walking somewhere with a red dress shirt, black suit, and white gloves, carrying something on his back.
Fortune Teller, Namgung Min.
“Academy… second place.”
As royalty of the Unified Korean Empire, she was expected to achieve excellent results wherever she went.
That’s why she had educated that older brother of hers so much for the past few years since the Romance Academy entrance exam was confirmed. As the future emperor of the Korean Empire, he had to at least enter as the top student.
“He’s the one who beat me.”
Yes, she had deliberately stepped down from the throne, so to avoid any backlash, she couldn’t be more outstanding than her brother. But that didn’t mean she could just enter the academy carelessly.
Naturally, Kim Eun-ha aimed for second place. Prince Kim Seong-il in first place, Princess Kim Eun-ha in second place. That was how they planned to enter the academy splendidly and further elevate the imperial power of the Korean Empire.
“…It’s strange.”
She had clearly aimed for the passing time that would put her in second place, but when she passed the exam, Namgung Min had already disappeared somewhere.
Well, that wasn’t a big problem. After all, Namgung Min was also Korean, and with Prince Kim Seong-il entering as the top student, her entering as the second-best was just a bonus.
What she found strange was Namgung Min’s ability.
“Second place with the Fortune Teller job?”
Among the extremely small number of job holders, the
But to achieve second place with that? Princess Kim Eun-ha’s eyes gleamed coldly.
Fortune Teller Namgung Min, he would be her classmate in the same class now, but he was at least someone worth remembering.
The princess’s gaze, which had been following Namgung Min’s steps, suddenly stopped.
“…Hmm?”
She saw Namgung Min suddenly taking out a shovel and pickaxe from the luggage he was carrying and starting to dig up a perfectly fine flower bed.
Passersby looked at him as if he were a crazy person, and as he continued digging, academy guards came running and started arguing with him.
Eventually, he was physically dragged away with his arms held.
“What is that…?”
Both his ability and that behavior.
He was truly an enigmatic fortune teller.