About five minutes later, we check the map as we head back to the inn, but find a fortune-teller along the way.
It’s a woman that must be in her nineties shaking behind a street stall.
My old power harasser childhood friend Ruby used to call the way old people shake like this Final Syndrome.
She liked this sort of fortune-telling, because she checked fashion trends with them, and had them tell her fortune every time she saw them on the street.
My experience tells me that old women in their nineties are the ones who are most often correct.
Incidentally, only a select few people can use this kind of fortune-telling magic. I can’t do it either.
Think of it as a special old people skill.
“Might as well get her to divine my future second life.”
“I didn’t expect you to be the type that believes in that sort of stuff, sensei.”
“Ruby loved fortune-telling, so I believe it too.”
“This guy is always talking about his power harasser childhood friend. Why don’t you go back to the atelier already?”
“Eh, no way.”
Give me a break. I don’t want to go back to that hell, so I furiously shake my head at Lela’s cold question.
“By the way, did Ruby know about you being a master rank?”
Asks Lela while peeking at my face.
“Probably not. I don’t remember telling her. And I rarely used magic in the atelier.”
I shake my head again.
I rarely used magic in the atelier, only sometimes when Ruby worked all night and I cast Sleep on her.
Maybe I used Healing here and there too.
“Loyd, do you know what heart communication is? You didn’t show off to Ruby enough. You should have let her see you work more. I think that would have changed how she treated you.”
I feel some anger in Lela’s tone.
“I don’t think that would be at all possible, Lela.”
“Eh?”
“I always worked in Area Zeroes, and I couldn’t take her somewhere that dangerous.”
Area Zero is what we call super dangerous places where the saintesses divine protection doesn’t reach at all.
Wherever you go, mid to high rank monsters appear. Sometimes even master rank, but that’s rare. Still, they’re such dangerous places, that I had to fight a few.
I’m not going into detail, because otherwise this would be too long, but materials in this world are separated into four ranks.
Area Zero (unexplored area), Area One (dangerous area), Area Two (controlled area), and Area Three (safe area).
The materials I picked were always highest rank ones in Area Zero. Ninety percent of the materials Ruby designated were found there.
“Area zero!?”
“Those super dangerous areas where people say you’ll die the moment you step foot in them?”
“I don’t know about dying, but they are super dangerous. I almost died when I fought a humanoid demon.”
I say with a laugh.
“You’re very casual about almost dying, but those areas are called that because you will one hundred percent die in there…”
Mars is at a loss for words.
“Mars, you shouldn’t mind that too much. You know Loyd’s perception of what is normal is messed up.”
Lela is exasperated at this point.
“It’s no wonder Ruby didn’t know, if you were picking materials in such dangerous places.”
An exclusive mage’s job is to pick materials outside, and an alchemist’s is to transmute them in an atelier.
They’re completely different roles, so you have to be doing it intentionally to some extent to see the other work.
Back when we first started, she used to come visit where I worked, but as I started going to more dangerous areas, Ruby accompanied me less and less.
She didn’t go to pick materials with me even once in the past two years.
I wonder what she’s doing nowadays? Has she hired an exclusive mage to replace me?
I’m curious about her, but let’s do the fortune-telling first.
After all, old women with Final Syndrome are really accurate. It’s scary to me how much they get right.
“How much is one?”
I ask the old woman.
“One copper coin.”
“That’s very cheap.”
Lela reacts immediately.
“It’s like a hobby. Think of it as a way for an old woman with not much longer to live to kill time.”
I give the old woman a copper coin, and her crystal ball starts shining with a blue color, before she starts speaking.
“I see no trouble in your luck with work, but difficulties with women.”
“I knew it.”
What do you mean you knew it?
Lela’s reaction irritates me.
“It’s my turn then. Old lady, tell me the type of woman Mars likes!!”
“Wait!? What are you talking about!?”
Mars is really shaken.
“I’m curious. Not that I doubt that it’s me.”
“Then what’s the point!? It’s embarrassing to actually hear it!”
“Well then, what kind of half elf is Mars’ type!? It’s your fault because you don’t say it clearly. Come on old lady, tell me!”
Surely the result of the fortune-telling will be guided by how these two are acting.
The crystal ball shines, and the old lady tells us the result.
“He likes this half elf young lady.”
“Yay!”
Lela raises her arms in happiness, and Mars’ face is redder than I’ve ever seen.
“Does it say what about me he likes?”
“It’s written in the crystal ball that your smile is lovely.”
“Hey hey hey, Mars Mars, do you like my smile that much? Then I’ll smile more for you. Nipah ☆.”
“Shut up. Don’t grin at me!”
“So awful!”
“That’s enough old lady, you don’t have to do mine.”
Mars asks to stop the divination.
“Eh, you can do a personality assessment too.”
“Although they are not well received.”
“The old lad is accurate. She even zeroed in on who you like. Then how about a personality assessment on all of us?”
Lela says with a grin as she looks at us.
“Why?”
Responds Mars.
“If you know your character, you know your faults. You don’t even know that?”
“You’re so annoying.”
“Nipah ☆.”
Lela is really excited.
I guess hearing that the guy she likes also likes her made her really happy.
“Let’s start with Loyd!”
She says as she points at me.
“Hey hey, are you really doing this?”
I ask.
“Of course. Well, I have a perfect personality, so I have no reason to be afraid of a personality assessment.”
“Flag set.”
Says Mars.
“Ah? Then you can start with me, old lady. Please look into the personality of this pure, elegant, kind girl!!!”
She’s really getting carried away.
Well, it’s cute, so it’s fine. It’s like I’m looking at a slightly younger sister.
The old woman’s crystal ball shines, and Lela’s personality is revealed.
“Crude and coarse, and quick to find fault in people she doesn’t like.
Too intelligent for her own good and hard to talk down, and perhaps because she is a descendant of elves, she pictures herself as a more tolerant person than anyone, and very thoughtful and kind.
That facet does exist, but in reality, she stops at nothing to achieve her goals, and keeps causing trouble for those around her. And since she is unaware of this, she doesn’t know she’s a hate monster.
And the genre of book she normally reads is gross.”
Eh? Who is that?
“She got it right on the nose. She knows all about you.”
Is she talking about Lela!? You’re kidding!?
It all sounds like a joke to me, but Mars is impressed.
“All right Mars, cut down this old fart scammer that is already close to death anyway. I’ll mince her finely with magic so we can feed her to the birds.”
I see Lela as a graceful, refined, cool-headed, prudent, calm, composed half elf, so I’m really surprised by those violent words.
“If you know what I’m talking about, it means I’m right.”
“Even if it’s right, think about how to give a more proper answer you old fart.”
“Stop it hate monster. Saying that is just going to cause more hate. Be more well-mannered like the sages of the forest.”
“Ukiiiih!! You have a hundred times more hate pointed at you than me!! Ukih!!”
“Gyaaaah!? That hurts! Let go of my temple!! I’m gonna send you back to the forest you violent elf!”
They have a big fight in public, and it takes half an hour for them to make up.
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She got ratio’d by an old lady, lmao~
HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!