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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Lord Fourth
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“My… destiny is being stolen…?”
Varis blinked repeatedly, his expression bewildered by the fortune teller’s words.
It was difficult to comprehend, and a strange unease settled in his heart. He frowned, his hands trembling slightly.
“Well, I don’t know the details yet.”
The fortune teller smiled enigmatically, rubbing her chin with a wrinkled hand, one eyebrow raised like a detective on the verge of cracking a case, her eyes sharp, as if she had already glimpsed the truth.
“In my experience, I can see a person’s ‘threads of fate.’ Faintly colored threads that swirl around their body.”
“The more difficult it is to change one’s destiny, the brighter and clearer these threads become. But you… you’re quite special. The clarity of your threads is visible even to the naked eye.”
Varis took a step back, his face etched with worry, a bead of sweat trickling down his cheek. A sense of foreboding washed over him.
“I-Is that so? Then… can you tell me more? About these threads of fate?”
“Of course. Please, have a seat.”
The fortune teller gestured towards the crystal ball. Varis hesitated for a moment, then sat down heavily, his body tense with anxiety.
“Could you place your hand on the crystal ball and imbue it with your magic power? It will allow me to see more clearly.”
He slowly placed his hand on the crystal ball, his hand trembling slightly. He closed his eyes and focused his magic power, channeling it into the crystal.
His breathing grew shallow, and the sound of him swallowing filled the quiet tent.
“Hmm…”
The fortune teller gazed into the crystal ball, her fingers moving slowly across its surface.
The ball glowed with a soft, violet light, illuminating the tent, the light spreading like a miniature night sky.
“Oh…”
The fortune teller gasped, her eyes scanning the swirling patterns within the crystal ball, her expression a mix of wonder and tension.
“What do you see?”
Varis held his breath, his gaze fixed on the fortune teller, as if unwilling to miss a single word.
“Just as I sensed. Your destiny is being stolen by someone.”
“Really?!”
Varis jolted upright, his eyes wide with fear and confusion, a hint of betrayal and resentment in his gaze. But the fortune teller raised her hand, calming him.
“Calm yourself. Having your destiny stolen isn’t necessarily a bad thing.”
“But… how can it be a good thing to have my destiny stolen?”
“Everything depends on interpretation. So, please take a deep breath and listen carefully.”
“Your destiny hasn’t simply been taken away; it might be undergoing a transformation.”
The fortune teller rested her chin on her clasped hands. Her words were cryptic but strangely reassuring.
Varis followed her instructions, taking a deep breath and composing himself.
“Huu… I understand.”
He exhaled slowly and straightened his posture, his anxious expression replaced by a look of determination.
“Alright. Let’s talk.”
The fortune teller touched the crystal ball and continued, the atmosphere in the tent growing tense, their gazes locked.
“First of all, you don’t have to resent the person who stole your destiny.”
She continued in a calm, measured tone, her words carrying the weight of wisdom accumulated over decades.
“It’s like… a puppet show.”
Varis tilted his head, still confused. But he remained silent, his expression uncertain, as if willing to hear her out.
“In a puppet show, the puppets are controlled by strings. Do you blame the puppet for playing the villain, for performing its assigned role?”
“No…”
Varis answered quietly, his voice hesitant.
“The puppet is simply following the strings. Just as the puppet has no control over its actions, your situation is similar.”
The fortune teller tapped her finger lightly on the table and continued,
“In this case, the strings represent fate. The fact that your destiny has been taken by someone else doesn’t mean they did it intentionally.”
“You, and that person, are simply caught in a grand game of fate.”
“Perhaps it’s a consequence of that person trying to defy their own destiny.”
Varis tried to understand her words, his expression a mix of emotions, his fingers tapping unconsciously on the table. He scratched his head and spoke hesitantly,
“So… you’re saying that person didn’t intentionally try to interfere with my destiny?”
“That’s correct.”
The fortune teller nodded and smiled gently.
“It’s highly likely that they didn’t want to interfere with your destiny.”
“But since it’s already happened, what’s important now isn’t resentment, but figuring out how to navigate your path forward.”
Varis’s expression became increasingly troubled as the fortune teller continued. Her words rang true, but they were still too vague and abstract for him to fully grasp.
“Even so… it’s still difficult to understand.”
He pressed his hand against his forehead and groaned softly.
“That’s understandable. Fate is often difficult to comprehend.”
The fortune teller sighed deeply and nodded, then lightly tapped the table with her palm, as if to change the subject.
“By the way, I sense something… interesting about you. Are you hiding a secret from everyone?”
Varis flinched as if struck, his eyes wide with surprise and wariness as he looked at the fortune teller.
“H-How did you…! Do you know everything?”
“Ahaha, of course not.”
The fortune teller chuckled and waved her hand dismissively.
“Don’t worry. I don’t know the specifics. I just… have a feeling you’re hiding something.”
Varis swallowed hard and fell silent, lost in thought. He fidgeted with the ring on his left ring finger, then took a deep breath, as if making up his mind.
“Actually…”
He started to take off the ring, then hesitated, his hand trembling slightly, and then he shook his head and gave up.
“No, I can’t tell you. I’ll keep this a secret for now.”
The fortune teller smiled knowingly.
“That’s alright. There’s no need to force yourself to reveal it. But… it seems you won’t be able to hide it for long.”
“And when that time comes, it would be best to confess bravely. Otherwise, you might lose someone precious to you.”
Varis nodded silently and sighed, his face etched with a mix of emotions.
“One last question.”
The fortune teller nodded.
“Who… is the one stealing my destiny?”
A silence followed as the fortune teller gazed into the crystal ball, lost in thought. Then, she spoke quietly,
“They are close to you. Someone who seems reliable, yet somehow… different.”
Varis stood up, seemingly having no reason to stay any longer, despite the vague answer.
“I understand. Thank you for your time.”
“I wish you the best.”
The fortune teller smiled and saw him off.
“Don’t be discouraged by having your destiny stolen. It might lead you to a better path.”
Varis’s steps were still heavy as he left the tent, but there was a glimmer of resolve in his eyes.
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“Reliable, yet different…”
Varis walked down the street, repeating the fortune teller’s words in his mind. Ahead of him, a group of girls surrounded a man.
“Master! How was it?”
“Hmm, I’m not sure.”
“What did the fortune teller say?”
“It’s a secret…”
“…….”
“Wait a minute, Lady Melina? Why are you clinging to Master’s arm without his permission?!”
They were all showing affection towards Arnold. A thought suddenly struck Varis as he watched them.
“No way…”
Come to think of it, Arnold had always been present at every major incident, as if he knew what was about to happen.
He had acted as if he knew something, effortlessly resolving situations that no one else could handle, winning everyone’s hearts.
“What if… it’s Arnold?”
He pondered the possibility. If Arnold was the one the fortune teller was referring to… how should he treat him?
“Ugh, I don’t know.”
He shook his head, trying to clear his mind, overwhelmed by a mix of emotions.
“…….”
But one thing was certain.
If Arnold was the one stealing his destiny, and if it was having a negative impact on him, contrary to the fortune teller’s words—
“I’ll stop him.”
His quiet declaration was lost in the bustling street.
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Hi Lord Fourth here!
I’m new to translating so if you find some mistakes or inconsistencies let me know about it on the dedicated channel on discord.
