Chapter 133

Lin and Mirabel walked down Vestia’s main street.

The two were firmly holding each other’s hands.

It was Mirabel’s judgment to deal with any mischief Lin might try to do immediately. She always held Lin’s hand whenever they went out.

Lin didn’t refuse either.

To begin with, both Lin and Mirabel were used to holding hands with Carami when wandering around someplace.

Now, regardless of who the other party was, not holding hands would make them feel empty and oddly insecure.

Coincidentally, both were of a similar height so the position of their hands fit perfectly, their hand sizes were petite like fern leaves, and their body temperatures were similar. There was a unique sense of stability that was different from when holding Carami’s hand.

This was mutual support.

“Didn’t you say you’re going to read fortunes? How are you planning to do it?”

Mirabel, being a witch herself, knew a bit about fortune-telling.

There were several methods for divination.

In the west, there were ways involving the use of Tarot cards and astrology that determined fortunes based on celestial positions.

Or things like the witch’s crystal ball or drawing cards with runes inscribed on them.

In the east, there were fortune-telling methods using traditional cards, the art of Four Pillars of Destiny which utilized Yin-Yang and the Five Elements, facial reading, and palmistry. The ways were boundless.

“Lin knows none of those things!”

Lin hated anything complicated.

The young Lin preferred simple things.

“Then, how are you going to do it?”

“Lin will read fortunes through the eyes!”

Lin didn’t need any tools. With the Day-View Eye, just a gaze was enough to reveal the destinies of others.

Thanks to absorbing the power of Thousand Suns, Lin could even foresee possible fates.

Without any preparations, Lin sat down on the busy street with a blanket spread out. Writing on the signboard that Hekbi had prepared, Lin hung it around her neck.

– Today’s Fortune Told by a Gumiho –

1 Silver Coin per session.

“Lin will tell your fortune! Come on, anyone!”

With her legs crossed and arms folded, Lin sat confidently, calling out to attract passersby.

Mirabel, staring blankly at her, quietly distanced herself.

“I don’t know her.”

Time passed.

Unsurprisingly, there was no one coming forward to have their fortunes read.

Even though Hilde and Yu Hwa had put up posters and tried to mitigate the danger of the fox spirit as much as possible by dispersing the crowd, the goodwill toward Lin was a separate story.

Though she wasn’t necessarily something like a plague to avoid, the sentiment was more like, “Do we really have to get involved?” People only glanced at her without showing interest.

With no one coming, Lin’s confidence quickly waned. She turned a pleading gaze toward Mirabel.

“What should we do? No one is coming.”

“Seriously, you thought someone would actually come?”

“Didn’t Joo mention that the mere existence of a pretty woman was the pinnacle of attracting customers?”

“If Master said so, then the method isn’t wrong…”

Both Mirabel and Lin were equally inexperienced in worldly matters.

How can they draw in customers?

They began a serious discussion.

“Should we use magic?”

“Lin knows a charm to allure people!”

That could gather not just the people of Vestia but the whole world!

Just as the girls began planning this as a strategy, a shadow loomed over Lin’s head.

“Uh, our first customer? Huh. No, not a customer.”

Lin’s bright face immediately fell. It was Seira, the wolf-human and landlord, adorned with silver hair.

Her attire was much different from the previous office wear she was known for. She wore an expensive mink coat, a shiny fur scarf, and sunglasses.

The very image of a rich housewife.

“Hello, Seira.”

Mirabel bowed politely. Though they mostly spent their days at the Monguwan garden with Lin, they were indebted to Seira’s home.

Not having any other proper place to stay, and to keep an eye on Lin, plus the connection through Carami—whose name the house was under but paid for by her—Seira, indebted to Carami, agreed to take care of one of her slaves. And she was more than willing to oblige.

While someone else might have raised an eyebrow at Seira’s outfit.

“Seira isn’t the same as Lin remembers.”

“It’s the look of someone who has succeeded.”

After becoming the manager of the cat café Carami left behind, Seira became filthy rich. She had already opened a second branch.

The life of working nights managing difficult customers?

Goodbye to that.

“What are you two doing here?”

“Lin wants to earn money by reading fortunes.”

“Lin wants to work to earn money!”

“But no one is coming.”

“No one is coming?”

“Why aren’t they coming?”

“Why aren’t they coming?”

“This isn’t a simple mat shop, or even a street stall. While the two of you do successfully grab attention, that’s all.”

“If this were a café that needed cute waitresses, it might be different. People expect their fortune-tellers to be wise grandmothers. Or, they might like something mysterious.”

Cute girls and fortune-telling? That’s a mismatch.

“Rather, how about working as waitresses at our café? You’d be quite popular. Not necessarily as cats, but shape-shifting would do the trick.”

Seira’s recruitment, seeing through Lin’s potential.

However, Lin’s mood plummeted sharply.

The temperature dropped abruptly.

Passersby froze stiff.

“Seira, are you suggesting Lin should sell herself off to just anyone like some stray cat?”

“Selling herself…? That’s an overreaction…”

“All of Lin’s smiles, scents, and even breaths belong to the Master. She shares them with no one. Such statements, not even Seira would be forgiven for.”

Her impeccable transformation skills were slightly shaken by her heightened emotions. The intimidating aura emanating from Lin was akin to a Gumiho’s, and Seira swallowed nervously.

“My apologies. Perhaps I was thoughtless.”

“Yes, indeed. Asking our slaves to please someone other than their Master was Seira’s mistake.”

“…I’m sorry.”

“Alright, Seira! People make mistakes sometimes! Lin understands!”

With her usual grin, Lin was back to her usual self.

She discussed further strategies with Mirabel.

Seira sighed in relief only later. Somehow, her tail was drenched in cold sweat.

It seemed heartwarming to watch Lin and Mirabel diligently brainstorming, but Seira had indeed felt a threat to her life.

“Do you have a separate plan?”

“Yes. We can enchant people to come unconsciously.”

“We will create an endless maze from which they cannot escape unless they have their fortunes told.”

“Absolutely do not do it. The nation would be thrown into chaos.”

“Eh.”

Seira sighed deeply.

Considering Lin, Mirabel’s actions were surprising. Were they still children? Where was the guardian while they played around so carelessly?

Mirabel had a mother, but still, in Seira’s eyes, the guardian was Carami.

In Carami’s absence, Seira felt she had to take some action. Leaving them unchecked could lead to big trouble.

“Here’s what we should do. Let’s head to our shop.”

“Seira…”

“This is not what you’re thinking. As you know, my café is always crowded with customers. We could set up a special spot just for Lin. It would surely be better than sitting here.”

All reasonable plans should start from the bottom and build up gradually. Once they start gaining popularity through word-of-mouth, wherever they set up their shop, they would attract customers.

“Ah, understood.”

Attracted by this plausible opinion, Lin’s ears perked up.

“All endeavors must be built up, step-by-step. Once you start being talked about, you’ll attract people wherever you go.”

“Ah, got it.”

“Let’s tidy up and go. Please get rid of that sign.”

Hanging a sign around her neck looked suspiciously like begging. In contrast, Seira’s glamorous outfit made people mutter as if watching an evil stepmother whenever she walked past.

“Understood!”

Lin sprang up, folded the blanket, and tossed the sign away. Since leaving trash wasn’t allowed, Mirabel erased it with magic.

Lin stretched out her arms enthusiastically.

“Let’s go!”

***

Lin set up a temporary fortune-telling booth outside the cat café.

A mysterious atmosphere was created with a purple canopy meant to evoke wonder. Inside, Lin and Mirabel sat neatly around a table.

“Will we be using any tools for the fortune-telling?”

“Lin doesn’t need any of that!”

“Still, it might be better to have something. People tend to trust even small things.”

“Ah.”

Summoning a fox bead onto the table, Lin created an ethereal and mysterious ambiance as it gleamed with gold and blue light.

“Then I’ll…”

Lin summoned a Death God decapitated and placed it at the corner of the table. Tapping the crown, gentle blue light emitted from its hollow eyes and mouth.

“What’s this skull then…?”

“It’s our father?”

“…?”

Though something was off, this setup helped establish their credibility. Covering her head with a black veil provided by Seira completed the preparations.

And so, serious business commenced.

As Seira had foreseen, customers from the cat café began to trickle into the fortune-telling booth… Well, not exactly in droves, but there was more interest than before.

“What? There’s suddenly a fortune-teller here? Wasn’t there one before?”

A couple examined the tent curiously.

Though Seira hadn’t anticipated, fortune-telling spots were places where couples often stopped by to check their romantic compatibility. They were especially popular with women.

Coincidentally, the cat café was also a date spot for couples in Vestia, creating a perfect synergy.

“I don’t recall seeing it before… but I’m curious. Should we check it out?”

“Yeah, let’s give it a try!”

Thus, the first customers of the magical fox fortune-telling shop arrived.

It was a newly-mated couple.

“Excuse us, we came to check our romantic future.”

“Wonderful!”

“Huh? Your voice sounds kind of young…”

It seemed like the first customer was heading for a disaster.

Lin quickly adjusted her voice.

“Ah.. it’s the mood. Hmm, so you’re here for a romantic fortune?”

“Yes, we’ve just passed our 100th day, and we’re curious to know what’s coming up. Is the road ahead smooth for us?”

“Smooth, you say?”

“Romantic fortunes… hmm, let me look…”

Lin made meaningless gestures over the bead, only for the sake of appearances.

With illusions hidden under the veil, her Day-View Eye revealed the couple’s destiny.

Despite being entangled with a Gumiho, their fate fragments were straightforward thanks to Lin’s improved control.

What Lin observed about the couple’s destiny…

Suddenly, Lin’s Moon-View Eye flashed.

The fox bead emitted a blue glow, fascinating the couple as they lost focus.

It was a spell Lin cast.

“Oops, emergency.”

“Why?”

Peeking from behind her veil while watching the show, Mirabel tilted her head.

“This woman. She has another man.”

“Wow… a great first customer.”

Encountering an adulterous woman.

What bad luck for the man.

“And that’s not all. She lays an egg with another man and sneaks it into this man’s nest, escaping.”

“How dare she!”

“And it doesn’t end there. She takes the child the man has lovingly raised, and raises it with her lover in her nest, while this man unknowingly sends money regularly.”

“Wow…”

She met a cuckoo bird.

He met a dupe.

It was truly a maddening connection.

“Eh, what should we do?”

“Poor him.”

“Perhaps… adjust the fate a little?”

“Should we?”

It wasn’t using her powers for something bad.

It was good. Carami would surely praise it.

The two exchanged glances and nodded.

“Because Lin was also saved by Joo.”

“It’s about sharing the grace received from the Master with those in need.”

Spread the greatness of the Master wide and far.

The duo worked in perfect harmony.

Lin altered the couple’s destiny.

She handed the man’s misfortune to the woman and infused the woman’s good fortune into the man.

After finishing the work, Lin dissolved the illusion.

“What just happened just now?”

“What just happened just now?”

Puzzled, Lin intervened before the couple could feel the strangeness.

“I will now tell you your fortune.”

“Ooh, what is it? Surely our future is still bright, right?”

“Bright, right?”

“Reward for the righteous, punishment for the wicked. Live kindly, and fortune will find you; live wickedly, and calamity will come. So, be good.”

“That fits us perfectly! Good fortune is bound to come to us!”

“Sure, fits perfectly…”

The couple left.

And so continued the line of more customers.

“Emergency alert! Terminal illness!”

“Terminal diseases are tragic, so perhaps just a bit…”

The customers kept coming.

“Huh! A demon hand reaching out!”

“Arms are necessary, so perhaps a bit…”

Lin and Mirabel continued altering destinies as customers came one after another.

“Will they roll down the stairs?”

“Falling hurts, so perhaps just a little…”

Thus, as the day came to an end, Seira came back.

“How did it go today? Was it good?”

“Ah, it was perfect. Lin is indeed a moral exemplar.”

“A fulfilling day. I’ve finally understood how the Master rescues us slaves.”

“…?”

Just reading fortunes—why bring in moral exemplars and salvation?

Though unsettling, Seira couldn’t possibly know what they had done.

And the next day.

“This is that fortune-telling place, isn’t it? They say your luck improves after visiting.”

“Didn’t it happen? I almost got my arm torn off by a Hound Wolf yesterday, but it whimpered and ran off because it had cavities?”

“I slipped on the stairs, but my clothes got caught on the railing. I would’ve rolled down, otherwise!”

The crowd surged so much it filled the alleys.

The cat café didn’t receive such bustling visitors even in its heyday.

Seira looked at Mirabel and Lin standing side by side.

“What exactly have you done?”

“Doing good deeds…”

“Lin merely bestowed benevolence…”

The troublemaker girls turned away, avoiding Seira’s gaze.

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