chapter 14
“Daisy, you mustn’t reject Ms. Masha’s deep kindness. I gratefully accept her offer.”
A satisfied smile crept onto Everett’s lips at the thought of drinking iced Kuna.
“My lady, I’m going to tell the Baron when he returns.”
“Go ahead. I’ll just drink as much iced Kuna as I can before Father comes back.”
Daisy pouted at Everett’s cheeky response.
Watching the once infamous noble lady and her maid chatting like close friends, Masha felt strange.
When Daisy’s parents died, she came to work at Baron Gronje’s estate through a friend’s recommendation.
Back then, Everett had been infamous for her foul temper, and Masha had been deeply worried.
She often thought Daisy would be better off staying with her at the tavern, even if it was a bit tough.
But mature Daisy never wanted to become a burden.
Just as Masha had feared, Daisy had been hurt—emotionally and physically—by Everett’s violent temper.
She had even been hit by objects Everett had thrown.
Masha had almost never heard Daisy call her “my lady” back then.
Every time she saw Daisy crying in secret, Masha made a vow:
Once the tavern does a little better, the first thing I’ll do is bring that child back here.
Daisy, who used to live under a shadow.
But at some point, that shadow lifted. Her face was always lit with a smile now.
And she always referred to “our Lady Everett” with a soft, cheerful tone.
Masha had grown more and more curious about the noble lady Daisy now served.
And then one day…
That very noble lady boldly walked into her tavern and proposed they go into business together.
Masha Kuna had spent her whole life in a dark, damp tavern.
Everett had burst through her closed doors and reached out her hand—a beam of light.
Maybe… if I’m with her, I can smile brightly like Daisy too.
To the sound of two young women laughing—not noble and servant, but simply girls—Masha found herself smiling too.
“Daisy, what about that thing I asked you to do?”
“Of course. She said she’s free today, so I told her to come this evening.”
“Who’s coming?”
“Oh, a friend of mine who works for the Kestarican viscount’s household. She’s a big gossip.”
Ah, so she’s trying to spread rumors…
Masha nodded knowingly.
“Oh, and from now on, Lady Everett is my distant cousin. A fortune-teller from the South.”
“Got it. If anyone asks, just say I’m visiting. Let them think I’m someone who could disappear at any time.”
“Disappear? Wait, my lady—are you planning to just stop and leave?”
“No. But isn’t a fortune-teller who might vanish at any moment more mysterious than one who’s always there?”
There were less than three years left before the original timeline of The Arcana of the Saintess began.
In the original story, Saintess Angelus appeared at the temple a year before meeting Everett.
That means I only have about two years to use the tarot cards.
Everett returned to the tarot shop.
She laid the cloth Kyle had given her over the table and moved the display shelf within easy reach.
On top of it, she placed a small magical lamp she’d bought from Pan’s shop—a light that released a soft fragrance only when turned on.
I need to carry the tarot cards with me, so I’ll just leave the box here…
She sat down and began shuffling and spreading the cards.
In the dim shop, the white tarot cards gleamed like they were glowing.
After arranging them, she adjusted the angle of the lamps on the side walls.
Perfect. Now the atmosphere draws attention only to the cards.
She reshuffled the deck.
In just a few hours, her first official customer would arrive.
A maid from the Kestarican viscount’s household.
Thinking of her, Everett drew a single card.
Seven of Cups.
A shadowy figure’s back, seven cups resting on unstable clouds, each filled with different temptations.
Everett looked at the card, the corner of her mouth curling upward.
“Daisy, is there really a fortune-teller here? I’ve never heard of a place like this.”
Following Daisy, a tall, thin woman entered the tarot shop.
It was already suspicious enough that there was a fortune-teller in a tavern, and now they were going deeper into a secluded space.
Her narrow eyes narrowed further in suspicion.
“Ahem… but what is this smell? It’s really nice.”
A calming scent gently filled the tarot shop.
Everett heard her voice.
Of course it’s nice. I put a lot of thought into picking that scent.
A tarot reader’s skill was crucial in running a tarot shop.
But that alone wasn’t enough to survive in the cutthroat world of fortune-telling.
What Everett focused on even more were lighting and scent.
A pleasant fragrance relaxes people and builds anticipation. And the first thing they say is always…
“Daisy, it’s too dark in here.”
Right on cue.
Everett smiled silently.
“Is this really a place for fortune-telling? It’s so dark, there’s nothing here.”
Everett’s shop was simple.
Which meant customers could focus solely on the cards.
Unlike other fortune-tellers who decorated their shops with flashy or bizarre ornaments, her space was stripped down and unfamiliar.
Nervously looking around, the woman finally spotted Everett quietly seated.
“That’s… the fortune-teller you mentioned?”
“Yup, have a seat. This is Lady Naz.”
Daisy pushed a chair toward the woman.
“Welcome. Your name is…?”
“Eliza.”
“Nice to meet you, Ms. Eliza.”
A soft light hit Everett’s black magical mask, which covered half her face, making it shimmer with mystery.
Due to the low lighting and her mask, her face wasn’t clearly visible.
Her voice was also low for a young woman, though she couldn’t completely hide her youthful tone.
“Daisy, she looks younger than me. Is she even a real fortune-teller?”
Eliza made no effort to lower her voice.
Time to take control.
Without a word, Everett began shuffling the tarot cards.
In the dark, quiet room, cards flickered in a swift, magical motion at the table’s center.
After spreading the cards, Everett asked Eliza to pick three.
The first card matched the one Everett had drawn earlier:
Seven of Cups.
Eliza is chasing desire and illusion. Fickle, easily swayed by appearances. And…
Eliza couldn’t take her eyes off Everett.
She’s totally different from any fortune-teller I’ve ever met.
And the unfamiliar tools added to the mystique.
The suspicion in her gaze had vanished, replaced by trembling anticipation.
“Ms. Eliza, you’re currently longing for someone you can never have.”
Everett said softly, looking at the second card.
Eliza’s small eyes began to tremble violently.
W-What did she just say?
You’re longing for someone you can never have…
Everett’s calm statement echoed in her mind like thunder.
Did Daisy figure it out and tell her? No way. Daisy and I barely even talk. Should I ask what she meant?
Confusion was quickly replaced by burning curiosity.
She wanted to leave, but Everett’s next words rooted her in place.
A charming man.
The second card Eliza had drawn was the Knight of Cups, a man holding a golden goblet while riding a white horse.
But the knight’s back is turned to Eliza.
Everett picked up the last card.
Five of Swords.
A battle that leaves only pain behind—but one person always suffers more.
Everett looked up to explain the final card.
Seeing Eliza’s tense face and awkward posture, she could tell the woman was unsure what to do.
Let’s drive it home.
She held up the third card and pointed to a spot in the artwork.
“There’s someone here, crying with their head bowed. To me, that person looks like you.”
Eliza leaned closer to see.
Of course, Everett’s drawing was vague—it didn’t clearly depict a person at all.
“Ms. Eliza, don’t believe every sweet word that man says. The person he’s looking at… might not be you.”
Crash!
Eliza jumped up in shock, knocking over her chair with a loud clatter.
“Eliza, what’s wrong all of a sudden?”
Daisy asked, startled.
Eliza pointed a trembling finger at Everett and shouted:
“You! Who are you?! Where did you hear that?! I’ve never told anyone! So how… how do you know?! Tell me! Who told you?!”
Eliza raised her arm like she was about to strike Everett.
Daisy quickly grabbed her wrist in alarm.
“Eliza, calm down and sit! What is going on? I don’t understand any of this.”
As Eliza flared with emotion, a faint smile appeared—and vanished—on Everett’s lips.
The guilty are always the first to react.
Everett continued speaking—calm, slow, and unfazed.
