The Suspicious Fortune-Telling Shop
“Haa...”
A peaceful afternoon, with warm sunlight filling the room, but the atmosphere was anything but serene. At the restaurant where everyone had gathered for a pleasant lunch, the people exuding a strangely gloomy aura were the culprits.
“Ugh...”
“In the end, it got invalidated...”
Those people were none other than Eily, Elisha, and Melina. All three wore dazed expressions, letting out deep sighs that weighed down the air around them. Their hopeless demeanor, as if they'd lost all hope in the world, was so unlike their usual selves that it was bewildering.
“All that effort for nothing~ Haa...”
What on earth had happened?
“Uh, um... girls? Did something bad happen?”
““......””
Breaking the silence, Varis was the first to speak up. He asked with a puzzled look, but all he got in return were sharp glares from the three.
As if even answering that question was a hassle, they clamped their mouths shut.
“Arnold, did something bad happen to the girls?”
“I don't know... They've been like this since some point.”
“Could you maybe ask them? They seem to open up to you more.”
Varis whispered to me, asking for help. His voice was cautious but earnest.
“Everyone has those grudges they don't want to talk about.”
“Hm... True, but if it's something serious, shouldn't we help?”
I'd initially wanted to ignore Varis's request, but his follow-up words started to sway me. If it was serious, we should help—that wasn't wrong.
“Is there some reason it's hard to talk about?”
Still, I raised my voice so everyone could hear. But my gaze was fixed on Eily.
Cowardly, maybe, but from my position, asking her offered the highest chance of a response.
“W-Well... I'm sorry, but it's a bit hard to tell even Master...”
But this time, even Eily bowed her head and hesitated.
Even so, the moment I heard her words, I faintly grasped the situation. Seeing her waver, the other two twitched their shoulders in agitation. I could instinctively sense they shared some common topic.
“If it's something bad, I want to help. Don't feel burdened—just tell me casually.”
I pressed gently once more with a soft voice. Finally, Eily opened her mouth.
“The thing is...”
A brief silence fell.
Eily took a small breath and finally spilled the reason.
“Before the evaluation, the three of us made a bet. Whoever got the highest score would have you all to herself for a day...”
My mind went blank for a moment upon hearing that.
Not from shock, but because the reason for their gloom was far more trivial than I'd imagined.
“What?”
“That's why we're so listless~”
Adding to my bewildered question was Elisha. She propped her chin on the table, mumbling with a slightly sulky face.
“We all tried our best to win, but they said this evaluation was invalidated due to an unexpected accident.”
Melina quietly nodded in agreement. Her thick golden hair swayed, looking somehow bitter.
“How frustrating. All that effort, and nothing to show for it...”
Starting with Eily, their inner thoughts spilled out like dominoes. The three sighed in unison, pouring out their regrets.
“......”
Honestly, I was flustered. The fact that they'd held such a contest behind my back was surprising enough, but seeing them this listless after it all fell through stirred up mixed emotions.
“...Well, it's not much of a reward, but how about a trip to the Royal Capital sometime to change your moods?”
Absurd as it was, to console them in their gloom, I tossed out a light suggestion.
But no sooner had I finished than all three slammed the table and shrugged their shoulders. Their faces, soaked in sorrow just moments ago, suddenly brimmed with life.
“Really?!”
“A d-date, right?!”
“I'm totally in!”
But the excitement didn't last. Soon, they began glaring daggers at each other. Like beasts growling to defend their territory, sharp gazes clashed endlessly.
“Huh? Why are you two so happy about it? Obviously, I should be the one spending time with Master, right?”
Eily was the first to voice her dissatisfaction. She strongly objected to the other two, showing no sign of backing down.
“What are you even saying? As your fiancée, it should obviously be me, right?”
Elisha was no pushover either. She crossed her arms arrogantly, shooting stinging glares at the pair. Her attitude screamed rightful claim.
“Well, you two seem close enough already~ Don't you think I deserve a chance too~?”
Melina stepped in with a relaxed smile. But beneath it lurked a subtle hostility. She had no intention of yielding either.
I sighed at the sight and raised my hand to calm them.
“We're all going together.”
In the end, I stated it firmly.
I'd planned for everyone to go anyway, but they'd apparently misunderstood that I'd pick just one.
“Eh...?”
“All together? Then no cozy time with you... Ow.”
“Ehh~ Not exclusive? Well, if that's how you want it, no choice~”
“Huh? Me too?”
Except for Varis, they all showed some dissatisfaction but seemed to accept my decision. There was a hint of regret, but also anticipation in their expressions.
“Anyway, we'll go together when there's time. Keep that in mind.”
I wrapped up the conversation like that.
Whether my suggestion had eased their minds, the mood brightened considerably.
“Then, after lunch, how about this afternoon? We only had morning classes today, right?”
“The academy's still busy with the Ramiel incident, so yeah. I'm free.”
“Lately, classes have been only in the mornings anyway. I'm good too.”
“It's settled then!”
Just like that, the initial gloom vanished without a trace. They regained their energy, and the atmosphere improved.
After lunch at the academy, we headed to the Royal Capital.
Being midday, the streets buzzed with activity. Merchants' calls, street performers' music, and passersby's laughter blended into a vibrant symphony.
“So, where to now?”
Eily asked, scanning around with an excited smile. Her eyes sparkled like a child's on an adventure.
I rubbed my chin, pondering.
“Hm, not sure. Nothing specific comes to mind...”
Then Elisha spoke up confidently.
“How about that trendy fortune-telling shop lately?”
“Fortune-telling shop?”
I furrowed my brow at the unexpected suggestion.
A fortune teller? But in that instant, a place flashed in my mind.
“Yeah, there's this one that's rumored to be super accurate. It's exploding in popularity in the capital.”
Elisha nodded assuredly. Her confidence was persuasive, but it also seemed like she had an ulterior motive.
“I've heard of it too. They say it nails love fortunes especially well~?”
Melina nodded, her voice laced with subtle expectation.
“Ah, yeah! I've heard that too. The line's so long you have to wait forever.”
Eily chimed in excitedly.
From their reactions, this shop was more than just rumor. And I had a feeling I knew which one they meant.
In the original story, there was a place called the 'Suspicious Fortune-Telling Shop'. Pay there, get your fortune, and you'd get a random effect for a set time—a system thing.
“Then, shall we go there?”
Visiting a intriguing spot I'd only seen in the game? It definitely piqued my interest.
As I nodded, everyone cheered in delight. Our destination was set just like that.
“I know it. I remember the location clearly, so I'll lead.”
Varis confidently took the front, apparently familiar with it too.
We followed his steps.
As we walked, the scenery shifted. From bustling shops and crowds to a quiet alley.
But soon, even in the narrow path, we spotted a line of people.
“This seems to be it.”
We were almost there.
And at the end of the line, we ran into an unexpected person—
“Huh? You guys...”
“Professor?”
Her long red hair swayed. Her ruby eyes trembled with surprise, as if it were pure coincidence—or like bumping into someone she shouldn't have.