Chapter 65
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 65
Chapter Title: Not Just Flowers in Both Hands, But Bouquets Overflowing
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Fortune?
Tail stared silently at her, and the old woman cackled.
"Who knows? I might even be able to sort out the boy's troubles."
My troubles...
Just then, Yujin spoke up to the old woman.
"Huh? Are you an astrologer or something?"
"Something like that."
Prometa's fame had once made astrologers trendy, so Yujin showed some interest.
"Tail, let's get a reading. She might even be that famous Prometa."
Yujin’s words made Tail chuckle inwardly.
'No way in hell.'
Because that famous Prometa had been him.
"Would you like one too, Lady Enis?"
"Pass."
Enis flatly refused Yujin's suggestion.
"I'm not one for believing in fate."
The old woman straightened up at her words and turned to Yujin.
"Heh heh. Alright, shall I read yours first?"
"Sure."
The old woman fiddled with the crystal orb in her hand.
"Hmm."
The black crystal orb gave off a strange glow.
Then she chuckled softly.
"You've got someone tucked away inside you, eh?"
"Pardon?"
Confusion spread across Yujin's face.
And Tail was fairly surprised himself.
Yujin had someone he liked?
Well, he was already eighteen, so it wasn't impossible he'd be interested in romance.
As Tail pondered this, the old woman continued.
"Hmm. Someone you live with every day. Decent fellow. And very close by, too."
"Yes. That's right."
"But... tsk."
The old woman clicked her tongue.
Yujin anxiously pressed her.
"Why? What's wrong? Is it no good?"
Raising her voice at Yujin's question, the old woman scolded.
"You fool! How do you expect things to work out with someone hiding their true self from you?!"
Yujin's eyes widened.
At the same time, Enis smirked with evident amusement.
"Approach them with your true face, and you'll see. That's the first step."
Worry deepened on Yujin's face.
"There. All done."
The old woman's eyes shifted next to Tail.
"How about you? Want a reading?"
Her gaze gleamed strangely, as if Tail had been her target all along.
"You might learn something you never knew."
That piercing look sent a strange chill down Tail's spine.
But.
'These things are probably pricey.'
Earth had them too, didn't it?
Free palm reading, then hit you with the bill.
No reason this world wouldn't.
Seeming to read Tail's thoughts, the old woman cackled.
"Fine. Special deal—no charge for the boy."
Her eyes sparkled brilliantly.
"Your soul's far too unique for that."
Her red-painted lips twisted upward.
"Almost like you weren't from this place to begin with."
"!!!!"
Tail froze solid.
"Well, you aren't from the capital, after all."
Yujin and Enis took "this place" to mean the capital, but Tail sensed otherwise.
She meant this world.
She'd seen through him being from another world.
"So, how about it? No downside."
Tail finally nodded.
"Good, good choice."
The old woman rubbed the black crystal orb with her wrinkled hands.
"Hmm."
She let out a short groan.
"Oh dear. This is big trouble."
Her face turned deadly serious.
Tail's expression tensed up as well.
What? Something bad?
Then her mouth opened.
"So, your past life was as a flower."
...Pardon?
"The kind that exudes all sorts of scents, drawing in swarms of bugs. Must've been agony. You endured every hardship imaginable."
Tail blinked at her words.
I was a flower?
"That's why you were reborn human, blessed with fortune. But your rotten karma followed right along."
She kept rubbing the orb as she spoke.
"Hmm. You've got a nasty case of peach blossom luck."
Tail furrowed his brow.
Peach blossom luck?
"The silver lining is, unlike your past life, this time you're the one holding the reins."
The corner of her mouth twitched upward.
"So now, it's not bugs drawn to your scent—it's flowers swarming you."
The reading was veering deeper into confusion.
"Look at you now—not just flowers in both hands, but bouquets galore."
The old woman giggled merrily.
"Pure white lilies, deadly red roses... Faint yellow tulips and mysterious magnolias. Lately, even a bluish moonflower has joined the bunch? One more's on the fence."
What the hell is she talking about?
"But every last one bristling with thorns. If you grab hold, grab tight. If you discard, discard clean."
Her eyes gleamed brilliantly once more.
Tail couldn't tear his gaze from them.
"Remember this. If you waver and try to clutch them halfway..."
Her red lips twisted wickedly.
"Those bouquet thorns will pierce straight through your heart."
Her expression was terrifyingly grave.
But Tail, failing to grasp it fully, just looked dazed.
That was when it happened.
Clap. Clap. Clap.
"...?"
Turning, Tail saw Enis applauding with a moved look on her face.
"Well played, old lady."
Enis's black eyes sparkled with intrigue.
"Now do me."
The old woman gave a hollow laugh at Enis's request.
"Not everyone's worth reading the same."
Enis frowned at the sudden formal speech.
"With blood that noble and ages upon ages behind you, how could I presume to judge?"
Enis fell silent for a moment.
Then she chuckled, swiping at the air. Empty space tore open.
She reached in and pulled something out.
"Impressive."
She set a pouch twice the size of her palm before the old woman.
"Payment for the reading. Plenty in there—use it as you will."
But the old woman just beamed.
"Let's go. We're late."
As the three departed at Enis's word, the old woman alone cackled.
"One from another world, one in male disguise, one a hidden non-human."
The corner of her mouth twitched.
"Quirky bunch. Real quirky."
Her eyes flashed in the darkness.
"...."
"...."
The carriage interior was silent.
Rumble. Rumble.
Only the jolting sounds echoed inside.
Deep in thought, Yujin stared out the window.
Enis kept her lips tightly shut as well.
What's with her?
She'd been dragging him around all day, but now she was quiet.
As Tail watched her, their eyes met in midair.
She lifted one corner of her mouth and spoke.
"What're you staring at so intently? Got a crush or something?"
Enis's black eyes held the depth of a moonlit night.
Tail chuckled back at her words.
"Eh. On a human level, yeah, interest is sparking."
It was true.
Gazing at her kept bringing someone to mind.
Maybe that's why.
She'd piqued his curiosity.
Enis let out a light laugh at Tail's response.
Not mockery—more like genuine delight.
"Heh heh. I like the sound of that. That's how it all begins, isn't it? Worth coming out today."
At that moment, Yujin's gaze from the window shifted to them.
Ignoring him, Tail narrowed his eyes slightly.
Even back during darts.
She seemed to know him far too well.
Tail spoke cautiously.
"I wasn't gonna say anything, just in case, but..."
No matter how he looked at it.
Or thought it over.
This felt right.
"Speak."
Enis's eyes gleamed.
"No way. You don't mean..."
Her oddly expectant gaze gave Tail courage to continue.
"Did you put in a request to an information guild about me or something?"
How else could she know him this well?
Maybe Enis knew Khan, or had asked Black Wing about him.
'Unless... she's Khan herself.'
Honestly, the vibes matched somewhat, but it didn't quite fit.
Enis's expression turned subtly odd as she heard Tail out.
Then she burst into laughter.
"A guild request on you? Hahaha!"
She clutched her stomach, laughing hard.
Tail ended up the embarrassed one.
"Ugh. I know it's self-conscious overkill, okay?"
"Puhaha! Good you realize!"
Ugh. Shouldn't have said anything.
As her laughter subsided, Enis wiped tears and said.
"I just took an interest, learned some human stuff about you naturally, and that's it. Drop the suspicion."
Which made sense— in Demon King Enis's eyes, the first human she'd ever seen as such was him.
All others were mere moving puppets, worthless.
"No, I wasn't even sus— whatever. Fine."
Sensing it was pointless, Tail sighed, and Enis spoke in a voice laced with mirth.
"Curiosity sated... but another one's budding."
She raised her lips alluringly.
"So from now on, weekly—or biweekly works. Sell me your weekends. 1000... no, 1500 crowns an hour."
Yujin gasped.
500 crowns an hour today was already steep.
1500?
Money-mad Tail would never say no.
Yujin's eyes trembled.
In that moment, Tail slowly opened his mouth.
As everyone expected agreement, he said.
"I'll think about it."
Enis's eyes widened at the unexpected reply.