Chapter 3: The Fortune Teller Who Sees The Future
I longed to live a life that satisfied my own sense of value.
It was something that couldnt be achieved by merely pursuing a stable and comfortable life, like owning a house or preparing for old age.
Having traveled the nation in a truck with my father in my past life, and experiencing various events, a smooth-sailing life just didnt stimulate me enough to satisfy my desires.
But as a mere porter, not a recognized hero, it seemed too much to hope for such things with my limited abilities.
Ah~ How long do I have to keep doing this porter job~?
While it had become routine to wander the streets at night, grumbling and inebriated, being a porter wasnt all bad.
Despite the heroes being uniformly disagreeable brutes, their genuine strength guaranteed a certain level of safety when included in parties.
In that regard, following them gave me a vicarious sense of adventure.
Compared to stable yet mundane manual labor like wall repairs or sewer cleaning, these experiences were precious to me.
Anyway, if I didnt have the ability, why not save money and take a shot at my dreams?
I planned to work as a porter for about another year, then use the saved money for my own adventure!
Thus, having dulled todays fatigue with cheap alcohol, I made time to deposit the rest of my money, after setting aside just enough for my living expenses, in the bank.
Yes, Mr. Woo Hyo-sung of the Labor Union. Your fixed deposit is confirmed.
Even in a crumbling world, there were vestiges of civilization.
In this fantasy setting, though analog, banks operated under the support of the empire and various guilds, making them trustworthy places to deposit money.
Depositing money there even earned a modest interest bonus, making fixed deposits a great tool for securing the future.
Hehe, Ive saved up quite a sum.
I smiled, pleased at the figure in my bankbooka step closer to my dream.
The banker, who had seen the record, seemed to recognize my efforts, speaking to me with an admiring smile.
Looking at the record, youve deposited quite an amount for someone from the Labor Union. Are you saving for a wedding?
Excuse me?
Young people usually save money for that reason~
The bankers nonchalant remark caught me off guard.
Hesitating about how to respond, I eventually replied with an awkward laugh.
Ahaha, that would be nice.
Romance or women.
For someone who was just a foreign laborer like me, this world was too harsh to chase both dreams.
Of course, I was a man too.
My longing for relationships with the opposite sex has continued from my past life to now.
Hence, I often fantasized not just about marriage but also about spending time with a woman who fit my ideal type.
Especially when I saw couples blatantly displaying affection, even in a decaying world.
Babe, babe~ Notice anything different about me?
Umm~ Did you get your hair cut prettier than usual?
I changed my pedicure color today! Dont you know me at all?
She should at least have taken off her shoes if she was going to brag about painting her toenails.
Yet, watching the guy get a punch for ignoring his flamboyant girlfriend, I couldnt help but feel envious.
Damn, he was probably getting all the action out of sight.
Thinking about them getting touchy-feely, while I was single
Thinking about it, its ridiculous. Even that trash, Oh Deok-hun has a girlfriend.
Despite being a fool with a powerful perk but backfiring, if he willingly accepted what that lady did, wasnt it pure love?
I let it slide today, but seeing couples being lovey-dovey on the streets ignited hatred for the people close to me.
Damn, the next time I saw him, I would start by jabbing a spear in his gut.
Ahhh, when will I ever date?
But no matter how much I burned with hate, in the end, it only amounted to dragging someone else down to the losers level.
No matter how much I despised the ubiquitous lovesick fools as a lifelong singleton, in the end, what I desired remained unfulfilled.
Just because I wanted a relationship didnt mean I should have depleted my savings, meant for adventures, to pursue one
Damn, even during this catastrophic baby boom, why was it that I only attracted women who seemed as if theyd been ravaged by tentacles with personalities just as rotten?
Was it because I set my standards too high?
I wasnt expecting a beauty with a perfect figure and personality, but I would have been happy just sitting and talking with an older woman who would listen to me.
Excuse me, passerby. Could you spare me a moment of your time?
While I grumbled to myself and walked down the street, I heard this voice.
Pausing, I turned toward the source of the sound to see who was there.
A lone tent stood in a dark, deserted alley, its presence marked by dimly lit candles.
A woman, dressed in a style that seemed more Asian than fantasy, perhaps closer to Indian or Mongolian than Korean or Japanese, radiated a mystical aura.
A fortune teller?
Yes, precisely.
The woman revealed a smile, brushing back her braided hair from beneath her hood.
I sensed your worries as you passed by. Would you consider a consultation with me?
Indeed, she was a strikingly beautiful woman, improbably running a street stall in such a concealed alley
And she exuded a mature and calm demeanor.
Uh, um
I hesitated, conflicted by her offer.
Even though civilization existed here, complete with banks and all, it was still a doomed world.
Commonly, robbers prowled unmonitored areas beyond the systems reach.
In such a world, someone setting up shop in a dark alley was likely up to something shady.
Ah, you seem suspicious of me.
Noticing my hesitation, the woman smiled kindly and reassured me in a soothing manner.
But dont worry. I can see the past, present, and future I chose this alley for my business today because I foresaw that no danger would come here.
You foresaw no danger?
Yes, Im confident Ill leave this place unharmed tonight, so I felt comfortable offering you my services.
The woman began to write something on a piece of paper in her hand.
After a moment, she looked at me with half-lidded eyes and asked quietly,
Let me ask you. Are you the kind of person who would take advantage of a woman selling fortunes alone in a dark alley late at night?
Hey, no way. Lifes tough enough without becoming a criminal.
My response was half sincere.
The other half was still wary, preferring to flee rather than reach out.
Hmm, is that so?
After hearing my response, she smirked and showed me the note she had written before I had answered.
[Hey, no way. Lifes tough enough without becoming a criminal.]
What?
What was this?
Why did it have what I had just said written on it?
Woo Hyo-sung. A reincarnated person summoned at the ritual ground of the Tares Empire.
But the surprises didnt stop there.
Suddenly, she took out a crystal ball and began to recite information about me while placing her hand on it.
Regrettably not recognized as a hero, you receive only minimal welfare and are abandoned by the royal court. Now, reliant on the Labor Union, serving heroes to barely make ends meet Recently, one of the heroes you served died, and it seems youre feeling the scrutiny from the union, am I right?
Hehe, you seem quite startled.
Indeed, how could I not be?
Not only did she know my personal details but also recent events in my life.
If she wasnt a con artist out to deceive me, then she must be something scarier than a mere criminal, right?
Its not something too surprising.
Amid my chills, she stroked the crystal ball in her hand, seemingly trying to reassure me.
I was born with the ability to observe the movement of stars, which allows me to read the past, present, and future I foresaw not only that this place would be safe but also that you would pass by here.
The movement of stars
I wasnt sure what that meant, but I immediately understood she was no ordinary person.
In a world where people awakened immense powers due to otherworldly summoning, the existence of a fortune teller who could see the future didnt seem too far-fetched.
But its not absolute. Without directly encountering the subject, I can only grasp general information and the immediate future To truly foresee, I need to meet them and actively use my power.
After explaining her ability, she spread her hands in front of the crystal ball and continued gracefully.
Now, the opportunity to know the future has come. Your choice will dictate what follows Whether you live in anxiety, unsure of the future, or listen to the coming future and adapt to it is up to you to decide.
She wouldnt force it.
Whether I should have my fortune told was entirely up to me.
But if she could truly see the future, she probably already guessed what immediate future choice I would make.
Do you know I dont have any money?
Of course, I know that too. Thats why I offered. The first session will be free, and if you find the answer satisfactory, I hope youll visit again or recommend me to your acquaintances
Why not? She was offering both a demonstration of her abilities and a free service. It would be a loss to walk away.
Especially since she was the kind older woman who seems like shell listen to me, exactly the type I had been thinking of.
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