Chapter 15: Love Readings-

Kein's POV

We went inside the store, the familiar sweet perfume scent was everywhere and you would definitely think it was a normal store at first sight.

There was the cashier, bottles full of labels, and people just browsing items like it's any normal day in the store.

"Come inside our store. It's where I do my daily readings."

I look at Rose who was holding my arm excitedly as her deep gray eyes look into mine. "Kein? You alright?"

"Yeah I was wondering actually why are we following a stranger inside their home and even if she's a old fragile blind woman. This is super sketchy don't you think?"

I'm sorry Rose but-

This all screams red flags. Even if this is [Magicare] a well known store for their high quality brands of healing, beauty, and anti-aging products. This grandma who claims to be one of the owners is... weird.

Rose giggles as I say something funny, "Oh Kein, you worry too much. I know she's an old follower of the light goddess, a foresight!" (Rose)

A what now? "What's a foresight?"

"These are people who have been blessed with a rare kind of blessing where you can see, read, and foresee someone's future or life if they are powerful enough. It's called umm... I know I studied this before..." (Rose) thinks for a moment before snapping her finger as if finally she got the answer.

"[Clairvoyance]... I think. We can ask her later actually but I can feel that she was a former shrine maiden. We both have a connection to the light after all." (Rose)

Clairvoyance? And connections... This other world is amazing.

They are all connected by magic.

By this Goddess.

There are many more gods but are they all what their scriptures tell them to be? The light goddess full of justice, wisdom, kindness, and guidance. Her teachings include good morals for all the people to help each other and not harm one another.

You know despite being all that we're allowed to kill animals as long as we respect them and kill only enough. Is what I read from the other book I borrowed from Lenard, shrine maidens are vegetarians...

If I remember correctly, didn't Rose eat some skewered meat back at the festival?

Oh no I can't believe I offered a shrine maiden that's supposed to be vegetarian meat- Is it an offense- but she hasn't said a word about it so I guess it's okay.

"Rose, if something happens I want you to run." I told Rose but she smiled waving me off.

"You're being too cranky, Kein. Trust me, this grandma is not like that." (Rose)

I crossed my arms and sighed. I can leave but who knows what'll happen to Rose. I have to stick around for a while because even if she tells me she's just a blind old fragile grandma.

On earth, they target the kind ones.

Those con artists who play the role of a helpless grandmother eating your guilt, pity, and making sure you're being caught on their string.

I kept my guard up as we walked further inside the store.

The grandma led the way with her came, patting the ground following the sound seeing if there's any obstacles to be moved around.

The grandma stops as the cane pats the table making a tip tap sound, she places her cane down at the side of the table her wrinkly hands brush through the smooth surface of it.

She slowly sits down on a chair and motions for us to do the same.

I look at Rose again her expression not changing as the grandma pulled out her tarot cards and shuffled them fast that my eyes couldn't even follow-

"Let this old blind woman make you two my audience at this small show." The grandma gave us a grin as she threw the cards into the air so suddenly.

"Wow!" (Rose)

I remained speechless as the cards remained in the air unmoving. It was as if they were stuck there- "Holy shi-"

"Ah ah. Language my dear."

"Ah sorry- that took me by surprise." I awkwardly nodded as I forgot cursing is not really uh proper.

She waved her finger and a set of cards came down on us. Laying down perfectly in a straight line. "For you, actually what is your name?"

The grandma looks at Rose who happily replies, "My name is Rose!"

The grandma nods with a smile, "Well then Rose. You will choose three cards. For your past, present, and future."

Rose nods as she chooses three cards from the deck. "And how about you?"

The grandma turns to me and I laugh, "This is funny. Even if this is a place with magic I don't believe in this sort of thing." I told her.

"Then you may just choose your cards and think nothing of it. After all, I only hope to give you a show of thanks for helping this old woman get home." My lips pursed, well... for fun I guess it won't hurt.

I looked at the cards laid down at the table as my eyes wandered over at the three cards in the left corner.

My hands reached for those three and gave it to the elderly woman, "I choose these."

"Well then Kein, tell me what do you know about magic and our connection with the light?"

"Maybe tell me your name first then I'll answer." I crossed my arms as I scoffed.

"Kein! Don't be rude!" (Rose)

"No offense but I'm not into following strangers, Rose. You should really fix that habit of yours."

"But that was still rude." (Rose)

"Hey if she introduced herself first then maybe I wouldn't have had to ask?"

The grandma laughed softly that made Rose and I turn our heads and awkwardly settle down. "No need to fight. Where are my manners this old one forgot to myself."

"My name is Chio Frothenhielm. A former Priest Maiden, Shrine Maiden and now just an old lady trying to get by with her gift from the goddess herself." (Grandma Chio)

"A priest maiden?"

"Yes, a higher form of rank in the holy church. Well now that I'm retired I'm helping kind souls with my gift. Only souls that I like of course." (Grandma Chio)

"So Rose and I fit that criteria of kind souls?"

"Yes you two do. I can feel such kindness coming from you two. The light does not lie." (Grandma chio)

I gave her a deadpan stare as I didn't believe any of this. Or maybe the teachings of earth were still with me for these kinds of things were scams but... would I risk myself to believe such a thing as foretelling the future?

Even if this is a magic world don't you think this is kind of overpowered and why would you give free readings to little kids? "So if you're a blind lady as well... How will you read our cards to us?"

"G-Good question..." (Rose) looks at the elder woman's cane worriedly before asking, "You're not going to scam us, are you high priestess...?"

Grandma Chio smiles as she hands me a card. "This is the card of justice. It has a sword on the middle and a shield on the front."

I looked at the card and she was right. She gave me another card, another, and another guessing it all correct that I wondered if she was even blind- or was there any secret code on the card?

"There's got to be some trick to this..." I muttered as I inspected the card finding nothing.

Rose looks at me before some of the cards, "I don't see any sort of magic traces so... this is just a plain normal old tarot card and I know Grandma Chio is not lying about her disability..."

"So she's legit?"

"Um... legit?" (Rose)

"Uh I mean she's real?"

"Yes I suppose so." (Rose)

I glanced at the grandma who takes all of the cards as I answered her question from before, "All I know about magic is that every kingdom specializes in different kinds. [Puronia] specializes in light magic while the commoners have elemental ones like Air, Water, Fire and Earth but... I know there's special kinds of magic."

One that either a noble with high standing has, or someone who's been lucky enough to be blessed by a god, or it's a family thing. I read all of this from the book Lenard lent me but since I'm a commoner I'm expecting to get either Air, Water, Fire or Earth as my magic element.

"Indeed, special magic ones that are passed down from generation to generation. [Ancestral Magic], [Elemental Magic], and [Blessing Magic]." (Grandma Chio) explained as I took notes.

"So I'm guessing you were blessed by the light goddess with something to see someone's past, present, and future... making you a former high priest in the church. Wait, how about Rose? I actually never asked about it but what kind of magic do you have?"

Rose puffs her chest as she answers proudly, "Well since it was Kein who asked, shrine maidens with gray eyes like me usually have normal [Light Magic] so yes I have the ability to heal but I'm not that good at healing your burns from before... unfortunately I'm not like my elder sister."

Rose has a sister? That's a surprise at this point. I thought she was an only child. I mean what kind of older sister lets her sister follow and help strangers just randomly on the street- "So you have a sister?"

"Grr... Yes. I. Do. Have. A. Sister. Two of them actually hmph." (Rose) glared at me as I backed away slowly. What the heck is her problem? There was like a dark aura going out behind her back and I felt like she was about to strangle me.

"Right... okay what kind of magic does grandma chio has?" I asked about changing the topic because I literally can feel the angry stare Rose is doing.

"I have magic called, [Vision Magic]. This kind of magic is a [Blessing Magic] meaning it can't be passed down to another person in my family and if it does, it's quite rare." (Grandma chio) lines up my card into the table as she flips the left one first.

The left card had an illustration of a book, a quill, and a scholar hat. "The scholar. The past tells me you are quite the gifted and intelligent person. However, you don't want to be seen as that, do you?"

"No... I don't." I answered.

I don't like it when other people call me a genius, gifted, or smart. I believe hard-work is better than all of these but I was lucky to be born with a talent but that talent pushes people away so it's... hard.

Grandma Chio flips over the middle card which was my present, "Lost cat of Inventors. Oh? You're making something?"

The middle card had a cute cat with a huge question mark on it as its paws were holding some vial with smoke on it, but how did she know- I mean magic aside it can't always be this accurate that it scares me.

"Yes... I'm making something at the moment but it'll take a while to do." I answered.

Rose looked at me in admiration as she leaned in a bit more closer, "Ooo! What are you making?"

"S-Shampoo." I told her as I pushed her away, slightly uncomfortable that she's breaking my personal space.

"Huh what's Syampoo?" (Rose)

"A hygiene product if I ever make an extra I'll give you some but for now I actually promised Veronica that first."

historical

"V-Veronica the stall owner from before?!" (Rose)

"Yeah, I visited her a few hours ago actually."

"How many women have you been seeing behind my back-?!" (Rose) yells as I awkwardly looked at grandma Chio who was just enjoying whatever this was.

"We're not even together calm down-" I raised my hands up in defense but finally after realizing that we aren't even together Rose sits down and crosses her arms.

I sighed in relief and waited for grandma Chio to continue.

"Ah right the third card." (Grandma Chio) distractingly flips over the third card and it was a pot of gold for some reason. "Cards of Luck and Riches. You have a bright future ahead of you little one."

"WAIT SO THIS CARD IS TELLING ME I'LL BE RICH? Impossible-" I stopped for a moment as I looked at the card more closely. Oh hell no I won't get my hopes up just because a card is telling me I'll be loaded in the future. "Ugh I won't let a card decide my fate for me but being rich doesn't sound like a bad idea actually..."

I held my chin upright as my shoulders slumped down. Heh yeah right I won't get rich overnight I have to work hard for it. "Does Kein not believe in the light?" (Rose) asked as I nodded.

"In letting cards tell me what future I'll have, no I don't believe in such things even if it tells me that I'll be rich and loaded. I won't be tempted by such sweet lies." I answered as I grit my teeth in annoyance.

"Well then it's time for Rose's reading." (Grandma Chio) said as she took her cards and laid them down on the table.

The grandma started with the left, "The Clover."

The card's illustration was of a clover flower with four cloves. Symbolizing luck but for some reason there were thorns under it.

Then the grandma moves to flip the middle card, "The Moon and the Sun."

I leaned over to this one and was completely taken aback by the symbolism of these cards. The card's left side was the moon and the sun was on the right.

A single person was underneath it in the middle of both the sun and moon but to where the part of the person took place it also changes. The side of the moon, the person's face was neutral, but on the right side's face where the sun, the person was smiling.

"Last but not the least." The grandma flips over the last card as Rose still looked excited but then-

"The soul keeper."

I tilted my head as I looked over the illustration. My eyes widened in shock as I looked at Rose in a panic, "Rose."

I called out to her but nothing. "H-Hey don't tell me you believe all this, Rose."

My eyes wandered over the last illustration of the card. It was a reaper holding out a heart.

"Death to someone you love dearly." (Grandma Chio)

I stood up from my chair and held Rose by the shoulder as I glared at Grandma Chio, "Hey grandma don't you think this is a little too much? Even if this is some card reading... it's not always accurate right?"

Rose laughed nervously as she held the edge of my sleeves, "No... it's alright. I already know what's going to happen sooner or later."

My eyes widened as I worriedly glanced at this child. Rose is a child for me and she reminds me of my daughter back on earth. Someone just casually telling someone one of their loved ones will die is just... "Don't always believe in something like this. There will always be another way." I told Rose and she nodded.

"If it is the light's wish then I have no choice but... um anyways can we just have a love reading instead?" (Rose) smiled forcefully as she asked, her voice cracked a little as I worriedly glanced at her and then back at grandma chio.

"Rest assured, I've seen many stubborn souls. I'm looking forward to such people trying to escape from what's coming to them but... I love reading them. Let me get my specific cards for that."

She takes out a different placard this time with a heart design.

"That is way too specific for a love reading." I muttered as grandma chio shuffled the card in her hands.

"Now each of you choose one card and I will tell you what your love will be in the future."

I groaned from my chair as I waved lazily, "I'll skip this one thank you very much. I'm too young for this anyways."

"Nope you're not~" (Rose) grabs my wrist as I close my eyes. By accident my hands had already grabbed a card without my permission.

I stared at the card then at Rose then sighed. I'm not winning against her. "Fine but whatever this card tells me though I won't believe a single thing!"

"Now it's my turn!" (Rose) holds her cheek innocently as she reaches out for a card.

Well I guess in order to forget the bad reading about someone dying this is a good distraction at least. Girls with Love readings I don't get what's the hype of it.

I flip over my card and gave it to grandma chio, "T-This is..."

Oh what now- by the gods I swear if that tells me I'll be single for life I'll burn it- "Y-You will have three people fighting for you... n-no maybe even more than that but... its all women."

"Wait what? No way-" I took the card once more and took a good look at it.

"YOU! Oh my you might be a womanizer when you grow up. This card tells me your kindness will pave a path for your charisma though I don't know how..." (Grandma Chio) glances at me worriedly then suspiciously.

"Hey Hey Hey! This is all too much. My love reading can't be this lucky- I mean dreadfully horrible!" I yelled. I won't believe something too good to be true!

"The cards speak no wrongs!" (Grandma Chio) hit me with her walking stick as I yelped. "Agh sorry!"

I took the card back and it says on the bottom bellow, "The womanizer..."

"Ah." It was all that I could mutter. The womanizer? Really?

"My oh my Kein~ who knew you would grow up to be like that." (Rose) muttered sweetly but she did not look sweet.

"HEY AS I SAID I DON'T BELIEVE IN THESE! I WON'T GROW UP TO BE LIKE THAT!" I tried defending myself from all these false accusations but it looks like Rose won't believe me.

"Oh really? Ah... I don't believe you." (Rose) crossed her arms pouting in my direction.

So you would rather believe in a stack of cards rather than my own words?!

I glared at her then sighed, "Well what card did you even get Rose?"

"Hmph." (Rose) threw me her card and I hastily caught it between my hands. What a moody person.

"Huh?" I looked at the card and Rose again. "T-This says... arranged love?"

Rose crosses her arms as she takes the card from me, "What does this mean high priest?"

"Usually it means someone to be arranged in marriage but it could also be the god of love arranging matters for the two souls. It depends but in any case that's all the reading for today. You two are free to browse my granddaughter's products before you go and even buy something if you'd like." (Grandma Chio) pushes us out of her place and we were back at the store.

I scratched the back of my head awkwardly as Rose still glared at me.

Oh yeah wait I forgot to give her something. I took out the thing in my [Storage Ring] secretly as I held it out for her. "What's this?"

"I bought it before from Veronica and uh forgot to give it to you." I gave her the basket designed with a cat one... the one I bought from Veronica when she was almost going out of business. "And you can just accept this as thanks when you fought back for me in the festival."

"U-Um... thank you..." (Rose) looked at the basket and took it shyly. "T-This is... a really nice gift."

I smiled, at least she's not mad anymore. "Oh and here you said you have two sisters right? I'm sure one of them would like this." I took out the one with the teddy bear design and gave it to her.

"Oh it's not only for me... but since you're being so insistent my sister will be thankful." (Rose) huffed as she took the teddy bear basket, our fingers brushing a little but I'll just ignore that. "Thank you, Kein."

"Mm oh! Isn't that Lord Vincent?" I spotted Lord Vincent who was looking at the store with his commoner clothes disguise. "Hey Lord Vincent! I forgot to give you this!"

I took out the one with the pink rose design and gave it to him. "H-Huh? Lady Kein and your high- I mean Rose. It's a surprise to see you two here. And uh what is this for?"

Lord Vincent looked at the pink basket in his hand and I knew he was hiding the glitter of excitement in his eyes, "T-This is cute."

Heh I know it. Lord Vincent has a weakness for cute things and frilly pink things. I'm saving the blue one for my cousin Lenard so these two can be matching.

"It's thanks for helping me paint the first princess. You can have it." I told him as he blinks in confusion.

"I am grateful for this gift, Lady Kein." (Lord Vincent)

"Oh yeah why are you here by the way Vincent? To browse or shop?"

"To shop but what's with the deal with you two being here?" (Lord Vincent)

Ah right how do I explain this, "We got some free future readings and apparently I would grow up to become a womanizer. Can you believe that?" I laughed as I hit him in the back. Ah, if only my daughter could see me hitting members of the monarchy.

She'll scold me for it but for being a womanizer in this world? Oh no I'll never hear the end of it. "Can you believe that-?"

"Kein you're too oblivious!" (Rose)

"Hmm... Yes I can believe it. Kein might not be aware of it but you are quite charming." (Lord Vincent) answered seriously as I stammered back.

"Well I was not expecting that compliment and I'm now regretting it. Where's the evidence though?!"

"I know two people who like you very much. It'll be only on time that your admirers will grow." (Lord Vincent) snickered much to my dismay.

Eh? Two people? I only know Rose because she's not being blunt about it but as for the other one..."I'm not believing any of this but I have to go back home now you two. The sun is setting soon and I have to do my duties as a helper. See you both!"

I quickly ran and went home. Ah that was a tiring day but now tomorrow I can make shampoo!

Pfft, a womanizer. Me? Can you believe this? Ah, I can't wait to prove them wrong.