Chapter 619: Still Within Me (2/2)

I sat down on a chair in front of a table covered with a purple cloth. If there was a crystal ball on the table, it would exactly fit the fortune-telling that I had imagined but…… there wasn't a crystal ball on the table.

As I was thinking about this, Elise took a bunch of cards that looked like tarot cards and sat down across from me.

[Now then, I'm thinking of getting started, but what do you want me to look at? If you don't have any particular thing you're interested in, I'll just vaguely tell you what would likely occur in the future, okay?]

[Errr, let's go with that then.]

[I'll be starting then.]

After nodding to my words, Elise casually threw the cards in her hand upwards. Thereupon, the cards scattered by themselves and formed a circle around us.

A- Amazing…… She's probably using some kind of magic, but how should I say this…… It's setting up quite the mysterious atmosphere around us.

Afterwards, out of the many cards spinning in the air, four cards landed face down on the table while the remaining cards stacked together near Elise.

[Human-san, these four cards tell the results of the fortune-telling. Please turn over the cards one by one, starting from the left. I'll explain to you what each card meant with each flip.]

[I understand.]

Nodding at Elise' words, I flipped the leftmost card open.

[……An upright Night. This card indicates the ”time of the year”. Meanwhile, an upright Night indicates ”a turning point”. A change of month, a change of year, or a celebration of some kind…… Anyhow, something big is going to occur around that time for you, Human-san.]

[Fumu, then the second card……]

[It's placed in a reversed position this time, huh. This is the Sword card…… This card indicates the ”incident” that will happen in the future. The Sword card indicates ”battle”, an upright one indicates a literal battle, while a reversed one foretells not a physical battle, but of a mental battle.]

A turning point, a mental battle…… Could it be that this fortune-telling is talking about……

[The third card is…… an upright ”God” huh. U- Unnn? This is strange, isn't it? This card indicates a ”person”…… Which means the one Human-san is fighting…… is a God? You're fighting a God?]

[Ahh, errr…… I think I have some idea what it's talking about.]

[I see, you're out of the norm as always, eh? Well, anyway, the fourth card is…… a reversed ”Door” came out huh……]

As the last card was flipped over, Elise had a complicated expression on her face. It's just a guess, but I think this fortune-telling probably talks about the match I have with Shiro-san.

It would occur in the one-year anniversary of my arrival in this world, I would apparently be facing a mental ordeal rather than literally having to fight and…… the God that I'm fighting against.

[What is the meaning of the fourth card?]

[……This card indicates ”action”. Behind this door is your goal…… in short, Human-san's victory. If it's in the upright position, you can achieve victory through the legitimate path…… that is, by winning that mental battle.]

[……And?]

[However, the reverse position indicates the ”hidden path”…… which would mean that just winning that mental battle ”wouldn't really be a victory for Human-san”. Human-san needs to find some kind of key to open this door.]

Hearing Elise' words, I turned my head and thought. From the result of her fortune-telling…… This should mean that I not only have to overcome the ordeal that Shiro-san would give me, I also have to find something hidden in it. Otherwise, it wouldn't really be a satisfying victory for me?

I wonder why? I feel like my heart is being rustled. I feel as if I've dropped…… No, as if I've ”forgotten” an important piece……

Dear Mom, Dad————– The future that Elise, a fortune teller I met again by chance, told me was one that strangely stirred up anxiety in my heart. Something is bugging me, but I can't figure out what this is. I wonder what this is? Perhaps, the key to open the door is just something I can't see————— but is still within me.

<Afterword>

Serious-senpai : [More news on the manga……. I'm finally making my debut in the monthly magazine……]

? ? ? : [You do realize that magazines don't have back covers, right?]

Serious-senpai : [Huhh!? W- What the heck is that…… N- No, wait! There might be a chance if the manga comes out!!!]

? ? ? : [……You've finally given up on throwing a tsukkomi regarding how you might only come out in a back cover huh……]

Serious-senpai : [Eh? Ahh……]

T/N: 43/183