Chapter 37: Encounter (3)

The Oracle of the Starry Sky.

A unique individual capable of divining fate through the constellations.

I heard she was supposed to be at the edge of Demisia, right?

“Hey!” 

“These are vegetables I grew myself. They’re hard to come by, so please try them before you buy!”

“Oh! They look rare!”

Why is she selling vegetables?

I knew she grew them, but I didn’t know she was selling them.

Was she too busy to do so at the original story’s timeline?

People cast fleeting glances at the stall as they passed by.

It wasn’t that the Oracle’s actions were particularly strange.

Most stalls were just flimsy screens set up for trade, after all.

But despite the robe she wore pulled low, her unique aura and mysterious vibe drew attention.

“I’ll go buy some…”

“Evan!”

Lapis cut off Felix’s words.

Her face lit up as she tugged at my sleeve.

“I… I want to eat those vegetables…!”

…Understood.

Right!

This isn’t me approaching her because I want to—it’s because Lapis asked me to.

There’s absolutely no ulterior motive.

“Felix, Aegis, please wait a moment.”

“Take your time.”

“I’ve been wondering since we got here—why do you keep using formal speech?”

Ignoring Felix’s pointless question,

Evan swallowed hard and approached her.

At the stall,

the Oracle looked up.

A faint smile curved the corner of her mouth, uncovered by the hood.

“Welcome, honored guest.”

Her gaze wasn’t on Evan but on Lapis behind him.

“The master of a grand fate has arrived.”

“…Me?”

“Yes.”

The Oracle gently trimmed a vegetable and handed it over.

Her movements were as smooth as flowing water.

Lapis accepted the vegetable without hesitation.

“I can’t read everything, but I can sense the magnitude. In my eyes… I see a vast whirlpool of fate surrounding you.”

You can really see that?

“Of course.”

The Oracle gave a soft smile.

“You are destined to shake the very foundations of the continent.”

Lapis fell silent, as if she had some inkling of what was meant.

It sounded like something a cult leader might say, but there was an oddly captivating quality to it.

The Oracle’s head turned.

“The one behind you is no different. A fate that escaped to reclaim freedom and dreams… a princess by birth.”

“What?! How did you know?!”

Aegis gasped in shock.

A runaway princess.

Few would know of this.

If it were a question, one could feign ignorance.

But the Oracle spoke with certainty, not inquiry.

“It’s one of the few talents I possess. Just as I can grow these vegetables.”

Her pale fingers, which seemed untouched by hardship, brushed over the vegetables.

“There are no beings more sensitive to the whims of the heavens than these… I read fates, avoid misfortune, and let them grow without issue. That’s what I do.”

Lapis stared intently at the Oracle for a moment.

Was she shocked?

Thankfully, that didn’t seem to be the case.

…If that’s so.

Grip—

Lapis cautiously tugged at Evan’s sleeve and spoke, looking at the Oracle.

“What about Evan?”

“Evan?”

“Can you see how grand Evan’s fate is?”

The Oracle looked puzzled for a moment, then shook her head.

“I’m sorry, but I can’t see clearly because of my hood. Is someone named Evan here?”

“He’s right in front of you!”

“???”

“???”

An awkward silence hung in the air.

The Oracle slightly lifted the edge of her hood.

Her eyes, sparkling with the shimmer of constellations, met Evan’s.

“Ah.”

Realizing Evan’s presence, the Oracle gave an apologetic look.

“I’m sorry. I usually keep my eyes covered…”

“But we found you, didn’t we?”

Aegis asked, confused.

The Oracle, seemingly at a loss for words, pressed her lips shut.

Then, as if making an excuse, she blurted out,

“Well… I usually distinguish people by their fates, but I couldn’t see his…”

“???”

Aegis turned with a look that demanded explanation.

Lapis mirrored her confusion.

Distinguishing people by their fates?

What, was she blind or something?

“Hmm! So you distinguish people by their aura? That’s impressive…”

“Be quiet.”

“Mmph.”

Aegis, annoyed, silenced Felix with a spell.

“It’s fine,” Evan said, forcing a positive tone.

Right, she’s wearing that hood so tightly.

Her eyes probably couldn’t see well, so it’s understandable she didn’t notice me.

There was that setting about her distinguishing people by fate, not sight.

I didn’t expect it to be true.

It never came up in the game.

This is all because I didn’t buy the DLC!

I should’ve played it before coming here!

A small sigh escaped.

Past Evan—no, Han-ol Lee, you’re to blame.

It’s definitely not because I’m hurt from being ignored by my favorite character…

“Ahem.”

The Oracle let out an awkward cough.

“I’m sorry. It’s because my training is still lacking.”

“It’s fine. Not everything in this world goes as we wish.”

“Thank you for your understanding.”

The Oracle clasped her hands together.

Now that I look, she does resemble Ocera a bit.

Since she said Ocera was her younger sister, maybe Ocera learned from her.

“Honored guest, may I have your name?”

“…Evan Alkart.”

“Hmm.”

Upon hearing his name, the Oracle looked up at the sky, then tilted her head.

“Is that your real name?”

Did she figure it out?

Evan isn’t really Evan, of course.

A 24-year-old ordinary guy, Han-ol Lee.

A possessor from Earth.

If she’s caught onto that…

“…It’s not a pseudonym, is it? I can’t read pseudonyms…”

“No, it’s not.”

“Hmm. If it’s not, there’s no reason I shouldn’t be able to read it…”

The Oracle tilted her head repeatedly.

Thankfully, she didn’t seem to have realized he was a possessor.

“I’m sorry. I haven’t been feeling well lately…”

“It’s fine.”

Phew, I’m safe!

“By the way, could I buy some vegetables?”

“Oh, yes! Of course! Which ones would you like?”

“From here to here.”

Evan pulled out his wallet.

“Give me everything.”

“…!!”

With his allowance, he could easily buy a mansion.

“Lapis, this is enough for tomorrow, so eat sparingly.”

“Yes!!”

Lapis’s cheeks flushed with joy.

The Oracle, watching them for a moment, muttered as if in disbelief.

“I’m out of business today.”

Isn’t that a good thing?

***

The now-unemployed Oracle decided to chat with us for a bit.

At a nearby café.

Or rather, more like a diner?

The questionable liquid—coffee or dishwater—was pushed onto Felix.

Meanwhile, the Oracle looked shocked upon seeing the golem horse Evan brought.

“A… a golem…?”

She hesitantly touched it.

Is a golem that fascinating?

It’s not even that hard to make.

…I can’t read anything from it.

The Oracle slightly lifted her hood, her eyes taking in the golem.

The golem horse stood calmly, as if familiar with her.

As if it knew she was Evan’s favorite character.

It definitely looks better in person.

Even just seeing her eyes, he was certain.

Her appearance was on a different level from the game.

The first criterion for a favorite character is always looks.

This alone was satisfying.

Though being treated like an invisible man earlier stung a little!

“…Golems can’t be read. That’s fascinating. If it’s not rude, may I ask one thing?”

“?!?”

“Are you perhaps a golem?”

“…No, I’m not.”

A golem? Seriously?

He almost snapped back but held it in, worried about lowering her affection.

Ugh, the Oracle doesn’t even have an all-purpose affection line.

Once affection drops, it could be game over.

She’s naturally kind, so she wouldn’t hate him, but meeting again could get tricky.

He had to make the best impression possible.

“I’m human. If you doubt me, you can touch me to check.”

Since the Oracle avoids physical contact, she wouldn’t, right?

That was his calculation, but she suddenly grabbed his hand.

Gasp!

“…Yes, you’re human.”

After kneading his hand a few times, the Oracle stepped back.

She showed no trace of embarrassment.

Nor any sign of the aversion she was supposed to have.

Does she really not see anything from me?

This is bad.

The original plan was to build rapport and maybe get a fortune reading.

A two-for-one deal.

But if she can’t see his fate at all?

That’s unexpected.

Tch, what do I do?

As Evan pondered,

Lapis muttered,

“Golem Evan… Golemvan… Golvan…?”

Aegis, hearing the worst naming sense ever, gave a look of barely veiled disgust.

“You’re really bad at naming, huh?”

“I only need the name Evan gave me.”

“No, that’s not what I meant…”

“She’s just got no sense for it.”

“Be quiet!”

Screech! Lapis yelled.

Felix, looking clueless, scratched his head and muttered, “Really?”

“Ahem, ahem…”

The Oracle cleared her throat to change the subject.

“Please forget my rudeness today. I’ve been making a lot of mistakes.”

“It’s fine.”

“Since I’ve messed up so much today… if you have a request, I’ll hear it.”

The Oracle gracefully lifted her coffee cup.

By the way, Evan had paid for it.

“You came to see me for a reason, didn’t you?”

“What?! How did you know?”

“Your fates don’t belong in a remote place like this. You must have come a long way for something specific.”

The Oracle smiled gently.

“Don’t feel burdened. Tell me. Normally, I wouldn’t, but… thanks to you, I’m unemployed now, so I’ve got time.”

The original plan was to build rapport by asking about fortunes.

That plan was scrapped.

Asking for a reading only to have it fail again would just be awkward.

“It’s not a big deal.”

For now, let’s focus on building rapport.

It’s a bit tricky, but…

Since we’ve come this far,

I can do this. Upper-class man Evan!

“First, I came to deliver this.”

Evan handed over Ocera’s letter.

The Oracle’s expression froze.

***

The Oracle stared at the letter, her face stiff.

Thankfully, the hood was pressed down tightly.

Otherwise, her agitation would’ve been obvious.

Ocera…?

The only group the Oracle belonged to was the Tower of Time and Space, and Ocera was like a younger sister to her.

Why did this man have a letter from her?

I never imagined he approached me for this…

Evan Alkart.

What a mysterious man.

He was someone she could only see with her “eyes.”

His fate can’t be read… no other observations work either.

It was as if he came from another world.

But that couldn’t be.

The Alkart family was renowned, even to her.

No way he could’ve fooled that monstrous Duke Alkart’s eyes.

His demeanor is too natural…

His face was expressionless, his eyes devoid of emotion.

A perfect poker face.

Every gesture carried elegance, and his tone held inherent respect.

His skill was likely exceptional too.

Otherwise, he couldn’t have crafted such a high-quality golem.

Someone with both skill and status, coming all this way just to deliver a letter…?

No way.

There had to be a motive.

Could he be Ocera’s lover?

No, that’s not it.

He’s clearly not even of age yet.

Ocera wouldn’t go for someone with such an age gap.

And if she had, her talkative nature would’ve spilled everything.

Then…

Did he figure out my secret…?

The Oracle’s secret, known only to the constellations above.

If he approached her knowing that secret?

Her frozen expression refused to thaw.

Two weeks ago, she’d seen blood, but it was calm now.

She didn’t know when it might awaken again.

If he was targeting that…

I need to read the letter first…

As the Oracle cautiously moved to open the letter,

Clank! Clank! Clank!

The sound of armor joints clashing.

She looked up.

Three knights in silver plate armor, their skin tanned, surrounded them.

Their eyes gleamed with clear hostility and caution.

“Are you the so-called ‘witch’?”

“If you’re looking for the Oracle, that’s me.”

“You’ll need to come with us.”

“For what reason?”

“Recent abductions. We received a report that you’re involved.”

Clank! Clank!

They pointed their swords at the Oracle.

A blatant show of force.

“If you don’t come, we’ll drag you.”

The Oracle glanced at Evan.

How would he react?

Unfazed, he maintained a calm expression.

Setting down his teacup, Evan spoke.

“Let’s go together.”

“What?”

“She’s my companion. If she’s being taken, I’ll go with her.”

He’s… coming along?

Even though he might face execution?

His nonchalant attitude made it hard to believe it was pure kindness.

What was he banking on?

…Damn, maybe I should’ve stayed put.

In truth, Evan was regretting it.

A perfect chance to gain affection, but he’d gone too far.

This lunatic!

What if he dies trying?

…No, wait. If I don’t die, it’s fine, right?

The old Han-ol Lee might not have managed,

but the current Evan, a seasoned survivor of one year, was more than capable.

He had No. 5, the Living Golem, and Aegis.

If I get closer, maybe I can change Lapis’s fate…

No choice then.

Evan stood, suppressing his nervous expression.

What’s his angle?

Did I gain some affection points with this?

Their thoughts misaligned,

the two left the café together.