Crystal Ball or Tarot Cards

Ichinose Honami looked at the two props with curiosity: "Will the results of the divination be different depending on the method?"

This question made Lin Mu rub the tip of his nose in slight embarrassment (his inner calculations had almost been exposed by the question).

However, he kept a straight face and explained solemnly:

"In terms of the result, no.

They are merely different formal vessels, and both ultimately reveal the same 'possibility.'

However," he shifted his tone, adding a touch of "industry insider" salesmanship.

"Offering different choices allows the students who come for divination to have more participation and a better experience, and it also makes me seem more professional.

(Different versions, standard edition versus premium edition)

After all, some people prefer the symbolic patterns of Tarot cards, while others enjoy the hazy mystery of a crystal ball."

His true inner thoughts were: Of course they have to be different! This is the key to future tiered pricing!

A basic Tarot reading is fifty thousand, a crystal ball clairvoyance session is eighty thousand, and a high-end custom package combining both is one hundred and fifty thousand!

Heh heh heh, these are all ways to earn points!

(The path to wealth lies within)

Unfortunately, this "professional" explanation sounded to Ichinose Honami like it only added to her suspicions.

Who would say something as blunt as "to make the client think I'm professional"?

Is this fortune teller... actually reliable?

But since the words were already out and she was already sitting there, it wouldn't do to back out and leave now.

She had no choice but to bite the bullet and sit down on the small stool opposite Lin Mu.

"Then... I'll choose the Tarot cards." She opted for what looked like the more "conventional" method.

"Very well." Lin Mu unwrapped the brand-new plastic seal on the Tarot deck and handed the cards to Ichinose.

"First, shuffle the cards while thinking about the question you want to ask—'Can I successfully join the Student Council?'

Then, follow your intuition to draw three cards and place them on the table in order."

Ichinose Honami did as she was told.

She shuffled the cards earnestly; although she didn't believe in it, her attitude was very proper.

After shuffling, she closed her eyes, took a deep breath, focused on her question, and drew three cards from the deck based on her intuition, placing them from left to right on the velvet-covered table as Lin Mu had instructed.

The three cards were: The Hierophant (upright), Two of Wands (reversed), and Seven of Swords (upright).

Of course, these three cards were no coincidence.

At the moment she shuffled and drew the cards, Lin Mu's psychokinesis had already subtly influenced the order of the deck, ensuring she drew exactly the three cards he had "arranged."

The symbolic meaning of these three cards, combined with the memory fragments and future glimpses he had "seen" of Ichinose using his psychic mind-reading ability, was enough to form an "answer" that would precisely strike at her inner concerns.

Lin Mu picked up the first card, "The Hierophant (upright)," his expression becoming slightly more serious as he began to interpret it in a steady tone:

"The first card, The Hierophant (upright). This card represents authority, tradition, rules, and guidance.

Applied to your question, it means that the key to your desire to join the Student Council lies in whether you can obtain the help of an 'authority figure' or a 'mentor.' (Nagumo Miyabi's help eventually led to Ichinose joining the Student Council)

The Student Council has its inherent rules and selection traditions; if you can gain the recognition and recommendation of a senior or teacher with influence within it.

Then the path to joining will be much clearer and smoother, and the other party might even provide you with key help or advice directly."

Ichinose Honami listened intently and nodded slightly. This explanation sounded reasonable; having a recommendation to join the Student Council was certainly better.

Lin Mu then picked up the second card, "Two of Wands (reversed)," his brow furrowing slightly:

"The second card, Two of Wands (reversed). The Two of Wands usually represents planning, choices, and future prospects, but when reversed, it often signifies obstacles, stagnation, frustrated plans, or difficulty in making decisions. (Manabu Horikita would not accept anyone in the first year because the Student Council was a stage he had arranged for his sister, Suzune Horikita, so no one was accepted during the first recruitment)

This suggests that on your path to joining the Student Council, you may encounter unexpected obstacles or delays.

Combined with the first card, it perhaps means that the help you expected from a 'mentor' has not arrived in time, or that there were twists and turns during the selection process.

As for the result... it might not be very optimistic; there is a risk of being rejected."

The fingers Ichinose Honami had resting on her knees curled slightly.

This prediction made her heart tighten; although she didn't believe in divination, hearing that she might be rejected still made her feel inevitably disappointed and uneasy.

Finally, Lin Mu picked up the third card, "Seven of Swords (upright)."

His brow furrowed even deeper, and a look of slight "confusion" appeared on his face, but his tone became increasingly firm, even carrying a hint of sharpness:

"Strange... this third card, the Seven of Swords (upright), appearing here is quite unusual."

He pointed to the little figure on the card who was sneaking away from the camp while clutching five swords.

"The Seven of Swords is usually called the 'thief card' or the 'deception card.'

It symbolizes secret actions, deceit, concealment, dishonesty, and gaining benefits through dishonorable means.

The meaning of the card is very clear—"

He raised his eyes, his gaze calm yet seemingly capable of piercing through a person's heart, looking straight at Ichinose Honami, whose face had already begun to turn slightly pale:

"You are lying."

"You just said that you want to join the student council, and that is true."

"However," Lin Mu's voice dropped, carrying a near-cruel precision, "the appearance of this card in a spread concerning your own personal issues carries a deeper meaning..."

"Deep within your heart, you are hiding a secret or a past related to 'dishonesty,' 'concealment,' or perhaps even 'improper acquisition.'"

"This secret is like a thorn, affecting you and causing you to subconsciously feel uneasy and anxious when facing certain things. Am I right, Ichinose?"

(Heh heh heh, Ichinose, you wouldn't want...)

"BOOM—!"

It was as if a thunderbolt had exploded directly inside her mind, or a bucket of ice water had been poured over her from head to toe.

Ichinose Honami's body trembled violently and uncontrollably; she gripped the skirt over her knees so hard that her knuckles turned white instantly.

The gentle, rosy color on her cheeks drained away in an instant, leaving her face deathly pale. Her lips trembled slightly, and her breathing even stalled for a moment.

Theft... that shameful past she had desperately tried to bury, to wash away, and to completely start over from here at this new school...

It was the deepest, most painful scar and secret in her heart, the one she dared not touch.

She had thought she was hiding it well, believing that as long as she worked hard enough, was kind enough, and was outstanding enough, she could cover up that shadow.

But... but why? Why did this stranger she had only met once, this Class D student who called himself a fortune teller, use a few inexplicable cards to...

Directly, cruelly, and with pinpoint accuracy, strike at the truth she feared being revealed the most?

A massive wave of panic, shame, and embarrassment drowned her like a freezing tide.

She felt all the blood in her body rush to her head, only to freeze the very next second.

Her mind went blank, and a buzzing sound filled her ears, making it nearly impossible to hear the noisy crowd around her.

"I... I..." She opened her mouth, her voice dry and trembling, barely forming a coherent sound.

She suddenly lowered her head, not daring to look at Lin Mu's eyes, which seemed capable of seeing through everything.

A strong instinct to flee took over.

"I-I'm sorry..." She stood up in a flustered, incoherent mess, nearly knocking over the light folding table in front of her due to her frantic movements.

"I... I suddenly feel a bit unwell... I'm very dizzy... Thank you, thank you for the fortune telling..."

"Regardless of the result, I... I still want to try for the student council interview... I, I must be going!"

Before she could finish her sentence, she turned and stumbled away, fleeing like a frightened animal without looking back, disappearing into the bustling crowd of the plaza in an instant.

Her panicked silhouette looked as if something terrifying were chasing her from behind.

Lin Mu watched the direction in which Ichinose Honami had disappeared, shrugged expressionlessly, and took the nearly dissolved lollipop stick out of his mouth.

He tossed it accurately into a trash can a few steps away, then leisurely unwrapped a new strawberry-flavored lollipop and popped it into his mouth.

The sweet and sour taste spread across his palate.

He felt no ripples in his heart; he even felt a bit like yawning.

Striking at someone else's psychological trauma?

He didn't feel anything special about it.

To him, this was just a simple "ability verification" and "warm-up."

He was somewhat interested in Ichinose Honami's secret, and her reaction had been within his expectations.

"A 'red' start to the Gate of Opening."

He muttered under his breath, unsure if it was sarcasm or self-mockery.

Sitting back down on the stall owner's small stool, he adjusted the position of the banner to make the words "Precise Fortune Telling, Foresee Your Path" more visible.

Then, he leaned back, found a comfortable position, and with the lollipop in his mouth and his arms crossed, he squinted his eyes and began to wait lazily.

Waiting for the first "fated person" who was actually willing to pay.

After all, earning points while lying down was the real business of the day.

Sunlight filtered through the gaps in the tent, spilling onto his white hair tips and casting a faint halo.

The clamor of the plaza seemed to be isolated, and this small corner returned to a temporary peace.

Lin Mu's career as a "charlatan" had officially begun.

Although the first "customer" had been free and had been scared off.

But it didn't matter; he had plenty of time and patience...