CHAPTER 25
“If up until now, you’ve been hiding just to avoid being discovered…”
Yankeller’s eyes grew wider and wider as he listened to Everett speak.
“From now on, something greater…”
Everett trailed off and held up the second wizard card he had drawn.
“You’ll become someone remarkable who works for the world—just like the wizard on this card.”
“Ha!”
Yankeller let out a short, involuntary exclamation.
Become someone as great as a wizard? This fortune teller… is incredible. Don’t tell me she even knows I came here at Kyle’s request?
At that moment, Everett’s lips curled into a subtle smirk as she stared at the Lovers card.
I finally remembered why this card kept bothering me.
Kyle Sow Bartman.
The final missing piece she had overlooked was Kyle, who had come to Kuna the night before.
Kyle should have been in the North, yet he was in the capital late at night—and dressed to conceal his identity. That means he didn’t come on horseback… he used another method of travel…
Everett recalled the spatial teleportation orb she had read about in the original story.
Yani must have made that and sent it to him. Yesterday, he came here to meet him, and happened to stop by Kuna.
All the scattered pieces that had been swirling in her mind began to fall into place.
The Wheel of Fortune and Wizard cards meant Yani had succeeded in mastering high-level spatial teleportation magic.
Everett interpreted the Lovers card as a sign that Kyle and Yankeller had met using a magical tool to travel to the capital.
“You met someone you hadn’t seen in a long time, didn’t you?”
“Huh? Wh-what do you mean…?”
“This is the Lovers card. But it doesn’t always refer to a romantic relationship. It can also represent someone deeply important to you.”
As soon as she finished speaking, Yankeller shot up from his seat.
She—she knows I met Kyle! Could she… be connected to the Owl?
Of course, Everett never mentioned the priest or Kyle directly. But everything she said was so precise, as if she had witnessed it all firsthand, that he couldn’t shake the suspicion she was the Owl.
If she really is connected to the Owl, I have to tell Kyle immediately.
He should’ve left the tarot shop right away—but his feet wouldn’t move.
Owl or not… she’s amazing. Could she possibly answer… other questions too?
His long-suppressed curiosity began to rise.
Yankeller sat back down. Though no one else was listening, he lowered his voice even more.
“Miss Naz… there’s something I’ve been really curious about.”
Everett began shuffling the tarot cards again and responded calmly.
“Yes, go ahead. Since Pan personally requested your visit… ask anything you like.”
Yankeller was a priest, but he didn’t believe in gods.
He was an idealist who believed only in magic and science—things he could prove and control. He didn’t get easily excited and tried to remain fair and objective with everyone.
Of course, the fortune teller sitting in front of him was surprising, but he didn’t believe in her.
At least, not until now.
Normally, he would’ve walked out without looking back and objectively reported everything to Kyle.
But he didn’t.
“What is it you’re curious about?”
All suspicion and disbelief had already vanished from Yankeller’s eyes.
“Um… can you also read someone else’s heart?”
Everett nodded slightly.
“Of course. I can.”
Was it about Kyle? Or perhaps his father, with whom he had a strained relationship?
“There’s someone I can’t stop thinking about… someone I want to see again.”
Everett’s hand stopped mid-shuffle.
Someone he keeps thinking about? Has he already met Angelus?
Yankeller swallowed nervously.
“I want to know if that person feels the same… or, not exactly the same, but… ugh, what am I even saying?”
Yankeller rubbed his face with both hands. Everett was just as confused.
From his words and expression, it sounds like he’s talking about Angelus?
But the two of them weren’t supposed to meet until Episode 1 of the main story—still a while away.
Should I ask who it is? If Angelus has already appeared… should I shut down the shop before she becomes famous as Arcana?
Everett had planned to earn some money before Angelus appeared, then disappear quickly.
She hoped to settle by the scenic seaside, far from the capital, and wait for the original story to end.
If that happened, maybe she could escape Everett Gronje’s body and return to reality.
If he’s already met Angelus… does that mean the story is progressing faster than expected?
Everett’s heart began to race. The only way to confirm if it was Angelus was to ask the tarot cards.
“Then, while thinking of the person in your heart…”
Just then—
“Bring them here! Do you know who I am? How dare you!”
A furious man’s voice boomed through the wall, interrupting her.
Startled, Everett and Yankeller both turned their heads.
“What’s going on?”
Everett pulled aside the curtain and opened a small window to peek into Kuna.
It was chaotic.
Guests were hurriedly leaving the shop.
Once they were gone, the space was occupied by a nobleman holding an ornate staff, surrounded by attendants.
He kept slamming the staff on the floor, demanding someone be brought out.
The attendants stood frozen, not knowing what to do.
Everett’s brow furrowed when she saw who it was.
The man causing a scene was Chad, the husband of the deceased Dora Kestariqan.
Possibly due to rumors about Eliza, he had been persistently trying to meet Everett.
Of course, Everett always refused, claiming to be too busy.
Chad remained at the viscount’s estate, claiming he was caring for the widowed viscount—but acting more and more like the viscount himself.
What does he want to know so badly that he’d come here and raise a ruckus?
Everett clicked her tongue irritably and quickly turned her head.
Oh, right. Yani is still here.
If it got out that Priest Yankeller had visited a tavern—especially to see a fortune teller—it would be a disaster.
Everett quickly shut the window and stood up.
“It seems… we’ve got a troublesome guest outside.”
“I see… so—”
“I think he might barge in any moment.”
Yankeller, who had been listening calmly, finally grasped the seriousness of the situation and widened his eyes.
“I—I shouldn’t leave now, should I? I’ll end up running into them. It sounded like… a nobleman.”
The temple was often visited by nobles and their servants.
What if someone out there recognized him?
Yankeller’s imagination ran wild, and he ruffled his hair in panic.
They could hear chairs crashing outside. Someone was trying to force their way into the tarot shop.
Not all nobles would recognize Yani’s face… am I worrying for nothing?
But Yankeller clearly had no intention of leaving.
He looked around for a place to hide and started fingering the cloth covering the table.
“If you won’t call them out, move aside! Who do they think they are, ignoring me?”
Chad sounded ready to break down the door.
Everett grabbed Yankeller’s hand just as he reached for the table cover.
“This way—”
Startled, Yankeller tried to pull away, but Everett gripped his hand tighter.
“This is urgent. Please, come quickly.”
The tarot shop was small.
In the center was a round table with chairs, and a small cabinet stood against the wall.
Even slim Everett had to turn sideways to pass between them.
The commotion outside grew louder.
Impatient, Everett yanked Yankeller’s hand harder.
In the dim, narrow space, Yankeller bumped into the cabinet.
“Hey, that’s going to fall—!”
The items on top of the cabinet wobbled dangerously.
Though it was dark, one object immediately caught Yankeller’s eye.
“This is…”
He reached out instinctively to steady it.
“Hurry, quickly!”
Everett pulled him again.
“Ah, sorry.”
His body followed Everett, but his eyes remained fixed on the swaying object.
Everett pushed aside a curtain in the farthest corner of the shop.
“There’s… a door here.”
It was a hidden entrance Marsha had left to avoid using the main Kuna entrance.
“Yes, it’s like an emergency exit. If you leave this way, you won’t run into anyone.”
She stepped aside to open the door for him.
Bright sunlight streamed into the dark tarot shop.
As Yankeller stepped outside, he glanced back at Everett’s masked face.
“When you go out, you’ll see a main road right next to Kuna.”
Everett pointed to the left.
“I see. Understood.”
“I’m sorry. This has never happened before. Why today, of all days…”
“It’s all right. Next time…”
Next time, can I come back and draw a card for that question?
He wanted to ask—but couldn’t bring himself to say it aloud.
Everett smiled brightly.
“Then… until next time, Yan.”
