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Chapter 5: True and False Divination
On the second floor of Moen Street stood a shop called "White Gardenia," known for its crystal balls. Though it had only been open for a few months, it had already gained considerable fame.
Jingle—
The door opened, and the bell above it rang softly.
"Welcome!"
The visitor appeared to be around twenty years old, with long, pale golden hair, curiously glancing around at the shop's merchandise.
Taking advantage of the brief lull, Triss let out a weary sigh. But before the visitor turned their attention to her, she quickly plastered on an enthusiastic smile: "Is there anything I can help you with?"
"Are you interested in mysticism? Perfect timing—our new courses on mystical divination are selling like hotcakes. If you purchase now, I can offer you a great discount."
Mystical divination… This spiel again... Viya remembered being duped by similar claims two years ago.
Ordinary people might sense magic and manipulate it slightly, but they could never wield supernatural powers like Ascenders.
This gave rise to folk divination—a practice where rituals and incantations were used to help mortals predict the future. However, the industry was a mixed bag. No one could tell whether those ritual runes held genuine natural power or were just random scribbles made by children.
Viya replied briefly: "Just browsing."
After maxing out his honor points, Lin Qi continued exploring the map. He’d seen the fountain surrounded by pigeons, the twin circular towers, and the bustling square—but he finally stopped outside this shop.
The reason was simple.
A fortune-telling shop sounded like a hotspot for incidents, full of things worth exploring.
Initially, Lin Qi had planned to visit the tavern, but his underage character was blocked by security, signaling that the content wasn’t unlocked yet.
Triss’s smile didn’t falter: "How about our newly arrived crystal ball? Made by the renowned Lafada brand, it comes with guaranteed quality and after-sales service. They say it even increases the accuracy of divinations."
"I don’t know how to divine." Viya said.
She added: "How much do you charge for divination here?"
Lin Qi was now highly sensitive to money because he hadn’t found a reliable way to farm cash, and there weren’t any more cultists to plunder.
Still, when necessary, he wouldn’t hesitate to spend.
"Trust me, our prices are the most reasonable you’ll find in Rothesia." Triss warmly ushered Viya into a small private room.
The light was blocked by the narrow doorway, and Triss lit a candle—the sole source of illumination, making the room less dim.
Her voice grew hoarse and low: "What would you like to divine?"
"The future." Viya answered without hesitation.
As soon as she spoke, the crystal ball in front of Triss suddenly lit up.
In a vague tone, Triss murmured: "Like most people… Hmm… I see…"
After some muttering, she looked up and smiled at Viya: "You’re currently facing some difficulties, but fortunately, you have short-term goals to keep you motivated, which will help you overcome them."
That’s going to be tough… You might see my face on a wanted poster sooner than you think… Viya thought to herself.
"Just stay resolute and maintain a positive attitude…"
Lin Qi wasn’t paying attention. Instead, he noticed something interesting: when he tilted the camera upward, he could see beneath the table.
Through this angle, he spotted a hole between the crystal ball and the table, with a long wire connected to the base of the ball.
If he had to guess, that was probably why the crystal ball lit up—its power cord. Or, given the world’s setting, a mana line?
So this is the mechanism behind the magic trick? Lin Qi struggled to suppress a smirk.
... ...
As Triss continued spouting ambiguous phrases, Viya found herself momentarily taken in.
If she were lying, her words still carried a grain of truth upon closer inspection. Combined with the atmospheric mood-setting, Viya began to wonder if Triss might actually be an Ascender in this field.
"So, as long as you heed my interpretation, your future will be smooth sailing."
Triss placed her hands on the crystal ball: "If you have no questions, please pay the fee. Mystical rituals like this are quite draining…"
Before she finished, a sharp crack sounded, and the once-bright crystal ball suddenly dimmed.
Viya stared at the exposed wire in her hand, momentarily stunned, then seemed to understand. She glanced meaningfully at Triss.
The fortune-teller avoided eye contact. After a long pause, she half-hoped, half-worriedly suggested: "How about we call it even this time?"
... ...
After spending considerable effort to finally get rid of that sharp-eyed customer, Triss collapsed onto the couch, utterly drained.
She had talked herself hoarse and spun elaborate lies for hours, only to end up not only unpaid but also forced to give away a crystal ball as hush money. Even though unsold crystal balls were abundant in her shop, she couldn’t help but feel frustrated.
At that moment, a small head peeked out from the adjacent room. A little girl carefully scanned the room, then ran over to Triss, cradling a cat: "Mom, Sola is sick! She’s been lying in the wardrobe all day!"
"Debbie, she’s not sick." Triss ruffled the girl’s hair: "She’s just…"
She paused for a beat: "She’s just getting old."
Triss took the elderly orange cat from Debbie, gently stroking its fur and comforting it: "When we first bought her, didn’t you see it then? That one morning, she would quietly leave us."
"I thought she was just sick at first…" Debbie hung her head dejectedly: "I figured if we bought her, we could help her get better."
"She’s just a pet." Triss sighed.
She changed the subject: "Let’s talk about that new guest. What did you see in her?"
Though Triss might just be a charlatan, her daughter was a genuine prophet. Debbie possessed unparalleled talent in this area—something no amount of effort could replicate.
Debbie’s world unfolded step by step. She would see a flower, then envision it wilting, and finally wait for the process of decay.
"The new guest?"
Debbie tilted her head in confusion: "Mom…"
"In the divination room just now…"
"Weren’t you the only one talking to yourself?"
At that moment, Triss’s pupils dilated, her blood nearly froze, and she momentarily forgot to breathe.
... ...
Viya was starting to get used to this feeling of being "out of control."
She watched her body wander through the streets, occasionally hearing muffled commentary in her ear. But the praise felt devoid of emotion, distant and detached.
It seemed even the ghost controlling her was tired, gradually falling silent.
She kept walking until dusk, when the unknown voice spoke again: "Well, it’s about time."
Then, control of her body was returned. The familiar yet strange sensation flooded her limbs. The cold wind stung her face, and Viya instinctively pinched her cheek.
The sharp pain reminded her this wasn’t a dream.
Is… Is it over?
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