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And there are countless symbols associated with butterflies.

Regeneration and immortality, surface and dreams, souls, the happiness and joy of marriage, the immortal union of lovers, guidelines of happiness, change, resurrection, transformation, wisdom, God’s messengers, God…

When those countless symbols and journeys combine, they take on another meaning.

“And there is no compulsion in it, and it culminates in happiness and joy. Even if you face storms along the way or encounter predators targeting you, you can overcome those crises by folding your wings to rest or soaring high above to evade them, ultimately enjoying the joy brought forth by the journey. Like the sweetness of honey and the fragrance drawn from a flower.”

Resting with your wings folded means indulging in the aftertaste of that joy and preparing for another leap forward while relishing happiness. However, a butterfly with folded wings is prone to being targeted.

Jinseong delivered a warning.

“But when your wings are folded, resting comfortably may become difficult when a sudden threat arises. There are those who seek this tranquility. Yes, right now, the cards are speaking of an enemy threatening you.”

The cards say:

A sharp spear hides in the grass.

The blade stands sharply but is turned away, making it unnoticeable.

Though it’s a threat, it can hardly be deemed lethal.

There’s armor where the sword points, and a shield in the other hand.

Even if a spear stands in the forest, the bright light may prevent you from noticing it.

“The cards say: You must pay attention to your surroundings. There may be someone targeting you who could cause significant harm. Rather than dismissing it as a mere feeling, you should confirm it two or three times, and if that’s not enough, ensure you have sufficient means to protect yourself….”

“That’s not a good omen….”

“That’s true, but it’s not entirely bad either. It’s not irreversible, nor is it something to be passively accepted as fate. Depending on your actions, you could pass through without any damage or even gain from it. Just like slaying a thief and taking their belongings or killing a charging animal and seizing its flesh and leather.”

Of course, this is a metaphor.

Jinseong said this and smiled brightly.

“And there’s another fortunate aspect. This is a physical threat.”

“What do you mean by not being a physical threat…?”

“Yes. It does not directly target life. Rather than life itself, it targets something else. Hmm… Let’s see. Since it’s not about life, and there’s nothing relating to blood, you need not worry about your body being harmed. However, regarding the principle of causality, ‘Water poured on the crown must inevitably flow down to the heel!’ This indicates that the source must ascend to exist. The karma originating from above will reach Frau Laich.”

“Above…?”

Agnes blinked several times at Jinseong’s words before she slowly turned her head.

Finally, where her head stopped was…

Odilia, wearing an expression as if pricked by something.

“Yes, yes? Why are you looking at me?”

Odilia, with her ears perked up while listening to the fortune, panicked as Agnes fixed her in an accusatory gaze. She stared back at Agnes with an expression of grievance but as Agnes glared fiercely, as if her flesh might be pierced, she gradually averted her gaze.

“Master.”

“Hmm…?”

“What did you do?”

“I don’t know…?”

Odilia could not hide her grievance in the face of Agnes’s probing.

Though she could not raise her voice under Agnes’s intensity, she quietly began to argue filled with grievance, saying ‘I did nothing,’ ‘I don’t know anything.’

But unfortunately for Agnes…. She did not believe her teacher’s words.

Odilia’s past exploits had been so flamboyant that believing her would be difficult.

Even when she tended to cause ruckus, she often didn’t realize if she was in the wrong or had instigated the incident…

Once again, this made Agnes think Odilia had unwittingly stirred something up.

“Calm down for now. I hope you can listen to the rest of the fortune.”

“Alright. And… Master, let’s talk later.”

“No, I’m innocent….”

Odilia puffed her cheeks in protest but Agnes paid her no mind.

Instead, she urged Jinseong to hurry up and reveal the fortune, insisting on hearing it so she could confront her master.

Jinseong smiled at Agnes’s antics and continued to narrate the fortune.

“Let’s see. The diamond mark with that single number signifies wealth, treasures, and prosperity; with its position here, it indicates it will be flipped and fall. Thus, interpreted, wealth will seep away like water dropping to the ground, and thus come the forthcoming threats related to financial loss. Moreover, it suggests that the amount is not small. It points out that what originates from above will naturally fall below, indicating a significant loss for the concerned party. However, as there’s no scent of blood, it’s far from death, so it will conclude with horrendous damage.”

“The fortune is… really not good….”

“Honestly, it can’t be called a good omen. But please remember what I mentioned earlier. It’s not irreversible, nor something to simply be accepted as fate. By being cautious, building protective walls like fortifications, holding a shield, and preparing for attack, you might turn it into gain.”

“Is that so….”

“Moreover, it’s not an unknown threat. The fortune refers to information regarding… yes. This assailant.”

Agnes’s eyes brightened declaratively when Jinseong mentioned an attacker trying to target her.

“Really? Who is it?”

“Let’s see. A clover—there’s a cup… Since it aligns with the metaphor of water, the appearance of the cup hints at a connection to the source of water, and the clover indicates a stingy nature regarding wealth. But the number of cups is three, and the number of clovers is eight. The number of clovers doesn’t neatly fit the cups, and the inverted cup shape suggests previous discord. Additionally, it seems the clover’s symbol contains friendship… Let’s see. It implies a relationship with the water’s source.”

“Relationship?”

“Yes. A relationship. Though it’s friendship… considering it seems intent on causing harm, it skews towards bad relationships yet shows some remaining affection, suggesting a complex emotion of love-hate. They seem to be the one targeting you. Do you have anyone in mind?”

“…Yes. There is….”

Upon hearing the question whether she had someone in mind, Agnes’s mind instantly pinpointed one person.

And this wasn’t just Agnes; Odilia, listening with an innocent expression, was also similar. Even Ella and Anastasia seemed to share a knowing expression.

“Gabriella.”

The witch referred to as the Great Witch of Elixirs, hailing from Spain.

Once a close friend who ran a company with Odilia, now a woman who was nearly a nemesis.

“Haah… That woman again…!”

Immediately after parting with Odilia, she established a separate cosmetics company, consistently obstructing Odilia at every turn and scheming to swallow Odilia’s entire company when the opportunity arose.

The relentless attacks had plagued Odilia so much that merely seeing Gabriella’s hair color, Midnight Blue, would cause her to frown deeply. Naturally, this color was designated as a forbidden hue in her company.

Yet, Gabriella mocked Odilia by insisting on using Midnight Blue in her products and advertising, constantly aggravating Odilia.

“Well then. The fortune of Frau Laich ends here. Next is the source of water directly involved in this situation….”

Jinseong looked at Odilia, who was openly showing annoyance, as he slowly placed his palm on the table and busily began collecting cards to shuffle.

However, at that moment.

Thud.

A card fell from beneath the table.

At a very brief moment of silence, with perfect timing.

“Hmm…?”

Jinseong bent down to check the card.

“Hmm. This is…?”

Seeing the card, Jinseong displayed an intrigued expression.

The card he held was.

“The Blank Card…?”

It was completely empty.

 

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