How Did It Come to This?

I hid my trembling heart and looked at Lane, pretending to be perfectly at ease while she had become utterly polite.

"Hiiik...!"

The moment I stared at her in silence, her earlier arrogance vanished. She trembled from head to toe, watching my every move. Weak to the strong, strong to the weak. It was the perfect description of Lane Arthur, and exactly why she had folded so completely. I'd blocked her treasured psychokinesis with ridiculous ease, so she now recognized me as the superior and instantly changed her attitude.

Even Lucas Arthur couldn't stop her psychokinesis with a single gesture, so in her mind the power ranking probably solidified as 'Me > Lucas > Lane.' It was a simple way of thinking, but given her upbringing, it wasn't entirely unreasonable. In this female-oriented game, it was also a convenient device to let the protagonist easily subdue the character who played the role of the villainess.

…Seeing it in person doesn't feel good at all.

Lane cowered desperately, constantly sneaking glances at me and letting out those pathetic hiccup-like whimpers. Even as a white lie, it wasn't pleasant to watch. …But hadn't she tried to stab me with a candlestick earlier? Didn't that make us even?

Anyway, I've managed to improvise my way this far…

I glanced sideways into the empty air while Lane kept her eyes lowered. The only reason I'd been able to salvage the situation at all was thanks to that.

I'm not sure why it registered as second place… but this isn't the time to worry about that.

Using the general skill My Own Little Fortune Teller Shop that I'd obtained, I'd pulled only Lane Arthur into this space. Then I'd neutralized her psychokinesis with the Cleanliness skill attached to my enhanced white gloves.

To be honest, when I first saw the enhancement I complained that it was pathetic.

The white gloves, strengthened as a tutorial quest reward, had received a laughably minor boost of one percent higher tarot accuracy. At the same time, however, it had changed the Cleanliness skill. Originally it only gave a slight first-impression bonus and kept the user clean, but now it could thoroughly clean anything within the area I recognized as my space.

Thank goodness she lifted a candlestick.

Lane had lifted the candlestick, letting wax drip everywhere. That let me use Cleanliness to clean the entire fortune-teller's shop, and that "cleaning" included returning scattered objects to their original positions. It was how I'd made it look like I had nullified a psychic's power with nothing but a snap of my fingers, despite having zero combat ability.

The problem is I can't do it again.

The Cleanliness skill had a one-hour cooldown. If Lane used her psychokinesis again, I'd be hit for real.

In that case, I have to keep this atmosphere going no matter what!

"Lane Arthur."

"Y-yes!"

"To be honest, I was quite displeased. The main road I can overlook, but following me into an alley? That's looking down on me far too much, isn't it?"

"S-sorry! I-I had my reasons…"

"I wasn't asking for excuses."

"I'm sorry!"

It was a lie. Honestly, the only reason I'd ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠noticed Lane tailing me was pure coincidence. I'd deliberately walked into a dark alley to test the new skill My Own Little Fortune Teller Shop, and when I activated it the result simply told me she was right behind me. The moment I realized that of all people it was Lane Arthur following me, I'd dragged her into the shop and hurriedly acted like a superior being. Considering the difference in our combat strength, I was still anxious. In the end, all I could do was rely on the absolute law engraved in her mind: weak to the strong, strong to the weak.

"Also, you shouldn't make assumptions about people."

"…Yes?"

"You called me Liu Yen's lackey, didn't you? It's an unpleasant thing to say, so don't ever let those words leave your mouth again."

"U-understood!"

The sudden shift to informal speech was also part of using her mentality against her. Lane was especially weak to the high-pressure tone that Lucas Arthur and her father used.

"And it seems you were investigating me…"

"T-that's… At the time I didn't know you were strong, so…"

"Is that an excuse?"

"No! I'm sorry! I'm sorry!"

…I'd only been guessing about the background check, but it was real? First Liu Yen, now you. Why do you people love digging up information on others so much? I'd drawn some aggro, sure, but even taking that into account this was the second investigation. I let out a sigh.

"Lane, you're smart, aren't you? You understand what I've been saying so far, right?"

"S-smart…? Y-yes! Of course! I understand perfectly!"

"I ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠enrolled in the academy due to personal circumstances, and I'd like to live as quietly as possible. Do you understand?"

"Yes! Understood! I understand everything! There isn't a single part I missed or ignored!"

"…Good."

Her reaction was excessive. No matter how deeply ingrained her weak to the strong, strong to the weak mentality was, was it normal for the proud daughter of a prestigious family to act this servile and shake like a leaf? But… for her, this might actually be normal. When I recalled her character events and ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠the "education" she received at the Arthur Mansion…

…I need to resolve Lane's character event as quickly as possible.

Reward or not, Lane Arthur was still suffering severe emotional abuse. The event to fix it had a high difficulty, so at first I hadn't wanted to get involved with her. But after seeing her like this, my thoughts changed. I quietly muttered to myself as I rearranged my priorities.

"Right. Then shall we take a look at that card?"

"Pardon?"

At my sudden question, Lane turned her head toward the side of the table where my finger pointed. What her gaze landed on was… a single tarot card that had been there who knows how long.

"…Hic!"

"Look at it."

"Hic! Y-yes!"

Still hiccupping from surprise, Lane picked up the card with trembling hands. Since it was facing only her, I couldn't see it, but the card itself was obvious. The moment she looked at the tarot her complexion hardened strangely, and I whispered to her.

"Do you understand?"

"I-is this real…?"

"Just keep it in mind. You know why I'm doing this, don't you?"

"Y-yes! Of course… I do!"

The card I'd given her was Major Arcana Number 0, The Fool. This time it wasn't so much the meaning of the tarot card that mattered, but the card itself held significance for her. Especially since it was deeply tied to her character event… I would probably be able to enter her event within this semester.

It had started as an accidental conversation with Lane, but I'd done everything I could. I waved my hand toward the space behind her.

"You may leave now."

"Um… Sir Namgung Min."

"What is it?"

"That card, is it really… Ah, no, never mind! How do I get out?"

"Just lift the curtain over there and leave."

She seemed to want to say something, but I simply pointed at the blackout curtain behind her. My Own Little Fortune Teller Shop could forcibly pull in one nearby target, and since this was an entirely separate space it couldn't be seen from outside. That was its advantage… but the way to escape was ridiculously simple. You just had to walk out. It was dark and had a mystical atmosphere, but it was surrounded by blackout curtains rather than walls, so there was nothing blocking the way.

When I'd first received it I'd wondered how I could use it, but other than running a fortune-teller's shop it didn't seem all that useful.

"T-then I'll take my leave!"

"Good. And don't show anything in the academy."

"Yes sir!"

For some reason Lane hesitated until the very end, glancing back at me before she finally disappeared behind the curtain.

"Haaa…………"

Only then could I let out a deep sigh of relief that rose from the pit of my stomach.

"Lane's character event… is too early."

Unlike Liu Yen, whom I'd deliberately approached, getting close too quickly to the other special class holders would do me no good. The Imperial Family members were out of the question, the Hero guy wouldn't even respond, and the Saint would definitely be hostile because of my class. The Arthur siblings were relatively better, but approaching them too fast would just make Lane see me as weak or cause Lucas to ignore me, leading to nothing but suffering.

"Still, since we've gotten involved, I can't just ignore it."

If we hadn't spoken at all it would be one thing, but after seeing her act that way I couldn't just stand by and watch the abuse she was suffering. Then, what should I prepare to resolve her character event—

"Ah, I need to pick up the card."

The Major Arcana The Fool I'd shown Lane. Tarot cards were created every time I used my class skill anyway, and I usually carried some with me, so I picked up the overturned card.

"…Huh?"

Wait a second.

"The card…"

Didn't I give her the wrong one?

*

"M-milady! I'm truly sorry. I lost sight of you right in front of me… Milady?"

"…Hm? Ah, no. It's fine. I want to walk alone, so go on ahead."

"Yes? Y-yes, ma'am. Everyone withdraw! Milady has been found, withdraw!"

Lane Arthur, having left the fortune-teller's shop, merely waved her hand dismissively at the attendant who had been desperately searching for her. She kept walking without another word. It was true that many bewildering things had happened in a short time, so it was natural for her mind to be in chaos. But the reason she walked in a daze was something else entirely.

"He called me smart…"

A powerhouse who had overwhelmed her psychokinesis with a single gesture had given her praise. She knew full well that the words had carried a hint of sarcasm… but praise was still praise, wasn't it?

"I received… praise…"

Praise from the weak held no meaning for her. Only praise from the strong had any value. When was the last time she'd received any? It had probably been at least three years.

Lane, her face expressionless as she mulled over Namgung Min's compliment, suddenly remembered the card she'd seen at the end.

"Was that card real?"

The single tarot card that had been placed beside her. For a moment it reminded her of that card from the past and her body had instinctively frozen, but—

"…The Lovers."

Contrary to Lane's expectations, the overturned card hadn't been The Fool. It was Major Arcana Number 6, The Lovers, depicting a man and woman blessed by an angel. And Namgung Min's question asking if she understood.

"…………"

Lane's weak to the strong, strong to the weak mentality only emerged as a reflex when someone else was present. ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠When she was alone like this, she didn't bother using polite speech toward the strong. In fact, it had been a long time since she'd thought about anyone strong except her brother while alone. Thinking about her father was simply too painful.

"…Why me?"

Did he meet me in the past? Or did he fall for me at first sight?

"A confession… a confession…"

Just like with praise, confessions from the weak held no meaning for her. That was her own mental illness and trauma, similar to Liu Yen's paranoia. Therefore, this was the first time she had received a proper confession.

The fact that he was strong yet didn't criticize or rebuke her like her father. The fact that he didn't treat her with indifference like her brother. For her, it was the first time.

"…………"

Lane was confused. She wasn't sure what kind of feelings she held toward Namgung Min… but.

"…I want to receive more."

The moment she unconsciously muttered those words, even she was surprised. Lane quickly covered her mouth with her hand.