Ichinose Honami looked at the two items with curiosity. "Would these two methods give different results?"
Lin Mu awkwardly rubbed the tip of his nose. (His little scheme had nearly been exposed.)
But he kept a perfectly serious expression as he explained:
"In terms of the results, no.
"They're just different mediums. In the end, they both reveal the same 'possibilities.'
"However..." He changed tack, adopting the slightly dubious air of an "industry insider."
"Offering different options gives the students who come for a reading a greater sense of participation and a better experience. It also makes me seem more professional.
(Different versions: standard and premium.)
"After all, some people prefer the symbolic imagery of Tarot Cards, while others like the hazy mystery of a Crystal Ball."
His real thoughts were: Of course there had to be different methods! That was the key to setting different prices in the future!
A beginner Tarot Cards reading would cost fifty thousand points, a Crystal Ball vision-reading eighty thousand, and a custom premium package combining both would cost a hundred and fifty thousand!
Heh heh heh, that was how you raked in the points!
(The secret to making money is right here.)
Unfortunately, Lin Mu's "professional" explanation only made Ichinose Honami more suspicious.
Who would so bluntly say something like "to make the customers think I'm professional"?
Was this fortune teller... actually reliable?
But she had already agreed, and now she was sitting here. It would be awkward to back out and leave.
She had no choice but to steel herself and sit on the little stool across from Lin Mu.
"Then... I'll choose Tarot Cards." She picked the method that seemed more "conventional."
"All right." Lin Mu unwrapped the Tarot Cards' brand-new packaging and handed them to Ichinose.
"First, shuffle the cards while thinking about the question you want to ask: 'Will I be able to join the Student Council smoothly?'
"Then, draw three cards by instinct and place them on the table in order."
Ichinose Honami did as he instructed.
She shuffled the cards carefully. She didn't believe in fortune-telling, but she was taking it seriously.
Once she'd finished shuffling, she closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She silently focused on her question, then drew three cards from the deck by feel. Following Lin Mu's directions, she laid them out from left to right on the velvet-covered table.
The three cards were the Upright Hierophant, the Reversed Two of Wands, and the Seven of Swords.
Of course, these three cards hadn't been drawn by chance.
As Ichinose shuffled and drew, Lin Mu had already used Psychokinesis to subtly influence the order of the cards, ensuring that she picked the three he had "arranged."
Combined with their symbolic meanings and the fragments of Ichinose's memories and future that he had glimpsed using Telepathy and his psychic powers, the cards gave him enough to craft an "answer" that would strike right at her deepest concerns.
Lin Mu picked up the first card, the Upright Hierophant. His expression grew a little more serious, and he began his reading in a steady voice:
"First, the Upright Hierophant. This card represents authority, tradition, rules, and guidance.
"Applied to your question, it means that whether you can join the Student Council hinges on whether you receive help from an 'authority figure' or 'guide.' (Miyabi Nagumo helped Ichinose join the Student Council later.)
"The Student Council has its own rules and traditions for selecting members. If you can earn the approval and recommendation of a senior or teacher with influence...
"Then the path will be much clearer and smoother. They might even offer you crucial help or advice directly."
Ichinose Honami listened carefully and gave a slight nod. The explanation sounded reasonable. Having someone put in a good word would certainly help her join the Student Council.
Lin Mu picked up the second card, the Reversed Two of Wands, and furrowed his brow.
"Second, the Reversed Two of Wands. The Two of Wands usually represents plans, choices, and looking toward the future. Reversed, it often indicates obstacles, delays, setbacks, or difficulty making a decision. (Manabu Horikita wouldn't recruit anyone in his first year, because the Student Council was a stage he had arranged for his younger sister, Suzune Horikita. That was why no one was recruited in the first Student Council intake.)
"This suggests you may encounter unexpected obstacles or delays as you try to join the Student Council.
"Combined with the first card, perhaps the 'guide' you're hoping for won't arrive in time, or something will go wrong during the selection process.
"The outcome... may not be very promising. There's a chance you'll be rejected."
The fingers Ichinose Honami had rested on her knees curled slightly.
The prediction made her heart tighten. Though she didn't believe in fortune-telling, hearing she might be rejected still left her disappointed and uneasy.
At last, Lin Mu picked up the third card, the Seven of Swords.
His brow furrowed even more, and a hint of "confusion" appeared on his face. Yet his tone grew more certain, even taking on a sharp edge.
"Strange... The third card, the Seven of Swords, is rather unusual in this position."
He pointed to the little figure sneaking away from the camp with five swords clutched in his arms.
"The Seven of Swords is often called the 'Thief Card' or the 'Deception Card.'
"It symbolizes secret actions, deceit, concealment, dishonesty, and gaining an advantage through underhanded means.
"The card's meaning is clear—"
He raised his eyes and looked straight at Ichinose Honami, whose face had already begun to turn pale. His gaze was calm, yet seemed to see right through her.
"You're lying."
"You said you wanted to join the Student Council. That part is true.
"But..." Lin Mu lowered his voice, speaking with almost cruel precision. "This card has appeared in a spread about you, and its deeper meaning is...
"There's a secret or a part of your past buried deep in your heart, something tied to 'dishonesty,' 'concealment,' or perhaps even 'taking something improperly.'
"That secret is like a thorn, affecting you and making you feel uneasy whenever you face certain things. Am I right, Ichinose?"
(Heh heh heh, Ichinose, you wouldn't want...)
"Boom—!"
It was as if thunder had exploded in her mind, or a bucket of ice water had been poured over her from head to toe.
Ichinose Honami's body trembled violently despite herself. Her hands clenched the skirt over her knees so tightly that her knuckles turned white.
The warmth and color drained from her usually rosy cheeks in an instant, leaving them deathly pale. Her lips trembled, and for a moment, even her breathing stopped.
Theft... That disgraceful past she had desperately tried to bury and make amends for, the past she wanted to leave behind and start over from in this new school...
It was the deepest, most painful, and most untouchable scar and secret in her heart.
She had thought she'd hidden it well. She'd believed that as long as she worked hard enough, was kind enough, and did well enough, she could cover up that shadow.
But... but why? Why could this strange boy she'd met just once, a Class D student who called himself a fortune teller, use a few inexplicable cards to...
So directly, so cruelly, so precisely strike at the truth she was most afraid of having exposed?
Panic, shame, and embarrassment swept over her like an icy tide.
She felt all the blood rush to her head, then freeze the very next second.
Her mind went blank. Her ears rang, and she could barely make out the surrounding hubbub.
"I... I..." She opened her mouth, but her voice came out dry and trembling, barely coherent.
She abruptly lowered her head, unable to look at Lin Mu's eyes, which seemed to see everything.
The urge to flee overwhelmed her.
"I'm... I'm sorry..." she stammered, rising in a panic. Her movements were so hurried that she nearly knocked over the lightweight folding table in front of her.
"I... I suddenly don't feel very well... I'm dizzy... Thank you, thank you for the reading...
"Whatever the result, I... I still want to try interviewing for the Student Council... I-I should get going!"
Before she had even finished speaking, she turned and staggered away, fleeing the little tent without looking back. She vanished into the bustling crowd in the square.
Her fleeing figure looked as though something terrifying were chasing her.
Lin Mu watched the direction in which Ichinose Honami had disappeared, shrugged without expression, and took the nearly melted lollipop stick from his mouth.
He tossed it neatly into the trash can a few steps away, then unhurriedly unwrapped another strawberry lollipop and popped it into his mouth.
The sweet-and-sour taste spread across his tongue.
He felt nothing at all. He almost wanted to yawn.
Striking someone's psychological wound?
It didn't make him feel anything in particular.
To him, this was just a simple "test of his abilities" and "warm-up."
He was somewhat interested in Ichinose Honami's secret, and her reaction had been exactly what he expected.
"A 'red' opening."
He muttered the words under his breath, though it was hard to tell whether he meant them sarcastically or self-mockingly.
He sat back down on the vendor's little stool and adjusted the banner so that "Accurate Fortune-Telling: Foresee Your Path Ahead" stood out more.
Then he leaned back into a comfortable position, the lollipop between his lips and his arms folded across his chest. He half-closed his eyes and began to wait lazily.
He was waiting for the first "fated guest" who was truly willing to pay.
After all, earning points while lounging around was the real business of the day.
Sunlight filtered through the gaps in the tent and fell across his white hair, outlining it with a faint halo.
The din of the square seemed shut out, and for now, the little corner was quiet.
Lin Mu's career as a "charlatan" had officially begun.
His first "customer" had been free, and she'd been scared off.
But that was all right. He had plenty of time and patience...
Before you continue