Myths Reawakened

“Seer, what should I do?” Silvia sat down before the crystal ball.

“Nothing. Fate has already written everything down.”

The dark elf spoke slowly, her rigid face and lips unmoving. Her voice was coming from her chest. As the word ‘fate’ rolled off her tongue, the crystal ball began to change. The serene white mist inside suddenly started stirring, reflecting Silvia’s face.

“Following fate’s trajectory, you’ll die by the Death Knight’s sword and become a skeleton under his command,” the fortune teller said, watching the rolling white mist.

The four others were flabbergasted. Veronica even turned to look at Wayne.

“Why are you looking at me? I’m not the Death Knight.” Wayne grabbed her head and turned her back forward. “Seer, is your prophecy reliable? Or are you just saying things without taking responsibility because you’re doing this for free?”

“Though fate is predetermined, certain great beings possess the power to reject fate. They can not only control their own but also manipulate others’, shifting the trajectory of fate by being the center of influence.”

“A predetermined fate thus moves toward another predetermined trajectory. My divinations are not absolute.”

She continued, “It’s been two years since her last predetermined fate. Much can change in two years. If you doubt my divination, you may return after the next course correction of your fate.”

“When will that happen?” Silvia asked.

“Unknown.”

The dark elf’s voice was soft and gentle, but her mechanical tone was completely emotionless, making Wayne wonder if she was an artificial intelligence of the magical world.

Source of the voice pack, anyone?

Silvia stood up in puzzlement, giving Wayne a strange look. Tell me, how exactly did you swing that sword down?

Veronica eagerly sat down, awaiting fate’s judgment.

“You are dead.”

“Huh?!”

Veronica gaped. What did she mean that she was dead? Like, literally dead? If that was the case, who was she now?

“You are fortunate to have met someone who changed your fate,” the fortune teller said unhurriedly.

“Since that one is wrong, can I ask for a different divination?” Veronica asked, her clever brain working fast.

The fortune teller didn’t immediately respond. After more than ten seconds of silence, she said, “You may, but your future has already changed. The divination is destined to fail.”

“That’s fine. I don’t plan to ask about fate.” Veronica blinked. Remembering that her mother was standing behind her, she said awkwardly, “I have a friend. She has a boyfriend who’s very popular. Do you think my friend’s relationship will be a happy one, ma’am?”

Silvia silently chided herself for not thinking to ask about this. The fortune teller wouldn’t believe it, but she had a friend like that, too.

Senna was also quite intrigued. She waited for the fortune teller to answer the question. What a coincidence, she had a friend with the same concern.

“In your original fate, you have not started a relationship with any men. I cannot answer this question.”

“It’s my friend!”

Veronica argued for more, but the dark elf only asked her to leave promptly in a mechanical and rigid manner, telling her not to take up others’ time.

The next was Wayne. He sat in the chair expectantly, waiting for the crystal ball to divine his future. If he was right, he was the one who had changed Veronica’s fate. Could the fortune teller see his fate then?

If she saw the trajectory from two years ago, ‘his’ fate would be the original Wayne’s... Wait, so the original Wayne was going to kill Silvia with Shadow Nightmare! How did that happen?

Moreover, in the original fate, Veronica would’ve died in Klofron. Would the original Wayne have followed the trio of magical girls to the town? If so, had he become the Death Knight already?

Before the fortune teller even said anything, Wayne was already lamenting the fickleness of fate. Fate could’ve gone down countless paths at any point in time.

“You’re in great pain and confusion. Your future holds only death,” the fortune teller said as she watched the white mist.

Wayne nodded. Yes, that was indeed what should’ve happened, judging by the state of the Wayne from the inner world.

Then, Senna took the seat. She said to the fortune teller, “I once came here for divination, and you said that my future was bright. That was two years ago. Now that fate has changed course, I’d like to have my new fortune told.”

She brooded. She could tell that just like Veronica and Silvia, her fate now followed a new trajectory. Two years ago, she hadn’t met Wayne, so her future was bright. But how about now? Was it pitch black?

Wayne stared dumbfounded at Senna as she sat on his lap. Seriously, she... she smelled so good, and she was all soft.

The human seat hadn’t hardened since Wayne didn’t dare to make a move with Veroncia watching from the side. He could still talk himself out of this situation; just blame it on Senna and her plan to pursue him. If he had hardened, he wouldn’t have been able to argue his way out even with a hundred mouths.

Bah, how shameless! She sat on you, and you just let her?

Veronica’s eyes reddened with fury. She yanked at Silvia’s sleeve. Look at your Master! Can’t you do something about her?

Silvia rubbed her temple. What could she possibly do? She couldn’t do anything!

“Your future is bright.”

...Still bright?

The fortune teller’s words enlightened Senna. Her fate had changed because of Wayne, but it had happened at the exact moment she met Wayne. Furthermore... the Wayne from two years ago did not belong to the same fate as the current Wayne. He had gained the power to change his fate in the past two years.

An ancient god?

Senna guessed, expressing her thoughts silently, hoping that Wayne would read it and explain. She was sitting on his lap, so she should be entitled to an explanation, right?

“Dear guests, are you interested in making a deal?” asked the dark elf. She suggested, “It’s a once-in-a-lifetime trade. You might gain a chance to reshape your fate.”

“Where is the trade taking place? This crystal ball?” Wayne looked around the tight space. There wasn’t even a hidden door.

“This is the trading place.” The fortune teller put her hands on her chest, parting her black robe to the sides to reveal a crude mechanical structure. At the center, a crimson magic stone pulsed slowly with firelight.

“Oh?!” Wayne raised an eyebrow. The appearance fit the description of Philosopher’s Stone. He asked Senna through his thoughts, but she couldn’t say for sure.

The fortune teller’s ability to observe fate and open the trading space far exceeded a demigod’s. The Philosopher’s Stone wasn’t that powerful.

“We’ll skip the trade. We didn’t bring anything worth trading. Maybe next time. For sure.”

Wayne cheerfully declined the fortune teller, patting Senna on the bottom to tell her to move aside. He stood up and walked out of the small fortune-telling booth.

On the street, Senna led the way to the next teleportation circle. They were each lost in their own thoughts, none breaking the silence.

Wayne wondered what kind of existence the fortune teller was, or more precisely, who had created her. She looked like a dark elf and was put in the Church of Darkness’s marketplace, which would naturally lead to the assumption that she was a creation of the Goddess of Darkness. However, she was too powerful to be the goddess’s handiwork.

If she was, though, the goddesses would be far more powerful than Wayne had imagined, and he should keep holding onto their thighs.

Veronica fumed. When Wayne remained silent with his head lowered as if nothing had happened, she could no longer contain her anger. “Master Senna sat on your lap. Why didn’t you tell her to move? You’re too respectful of her.”

She’s the one who just disrespected me!

Wayne made a pitiful face. “You said it yourself. She’s Master Senna. What could I have done?”

“Of course he could’ve done something. If he had spoken up, I would’ve moved, but he showed no resistance.” Senna chimed in without turning around, speaking delicately as if she were talking about something trivial.

(눈‸눈)x3

What happened to holding on to your old self? Wayne thought. How can you get back on your word like this? Since you’ve made a solid assist, though, I’ll let it slide this time.

Veronica raged. This shameless woman! Compared to her, Vera is positively pure.

Oh, no, Silvia thought. Master will have to call me mother from now on. Is this a good thing or a good thing?

Putting aside her daughter’s feelings, Silvia found it incredibly wonderful. She had been resentful of Senna for a long time. If the relationship became official, wouldn’t she be able to do whatever she wanted?

Little Senna, take out this basin of water I’ve just washed my feet in and drink it. Don’t leave a drop.