Ch.48Under the Flowing Stars (3)

Even after leaving the restaurant, it was still bright outside.

Since we had left shortly after noon, Irene gazed at the still-bright sky and opened her mouth slightly.

“…There’s more to the Duke’s territory than I knew.”

“There are things you can’t see in documents.”

For instance, this restaurant, and countless other things she didn’t know about lined this street.

If there had been a festival or holiday, she could have seen more of these things.

Though it felt somewhat regrettable, there was a unique atmosphere that could only be felt in these quiet streets.

The occasional sound of footsteps, the whisper of wind brushing past buildings in the silence.

Even the clock tower’s bells marking the hour.

When places were crowded with people, one could barely hear their own voice buried in the noise,

but there were things that could only be seen and heard in this quietness—perhaps it was better that they had come out now.

However, since we couldn’t just keep walking aimlessly, I looked at Irene and carefully opened my mouth.

“There’s a lake nearby. Would you like to go see it?”

“A lake?”

“It’s quite famous, but like this restaurant, it’s a place only known to certain people. You won’t be disappointed. The water should be completely thawed by now.”

There was a lake. Not an ordinary lake, but one that could only be seen here in the north.

Legend had it that a dragon once dwelled there and still sleeps at the bottom of the lake.

They say it was named Siren because those who see it once are drawn to return as if enchanted.

Occasionally, there were far-fetched rumors. Some said the dragon’s magic still lingered,

creating scenery and atmosphere that matched the wishes of those who visited.

Or that one could witness magical sights beyond imagination.

But unlike those far-fetched rumors, the lake’s beauty was undeniable.

I suggested it thinking it would be good to walk a bit after eating,

and after a moment’s consideration, Irene nodded and looked at me intently.

“Let’s do that.”

Her simple acceptance made me smile. I wanted to extend this time together a little longer.

How often would I get to come out like this without Rofena and Sir Chris?

The lake—bringing up such a place was, of course, motivated by my own selfish desires.

As we left the alley where the restaurant was located, I could see the square had become a bit more crowded than before.

Perhaps people were coming out for lunch now. While watching children running in the distance,

Irene tilted her head as she looked at a tent set up on one side.

“What’s that?”

Following her gaze, I noticed a purple tent that caught my eye.

It looked like a place for fortune-telling. It was quite surprising to see such a thing here,

but then again… there was no reason it couldn’t exist. This was a world with magic, after all. Fortune-telling wasn’t so far-fetched.

The constellation symbol on top of the purple tent was clearly an emblem used by astrologers.

When one speaks of astrology, it typically refers to those who divine by observing the stars.

When I explained this, Irene’s eyes suddenly sparkled.

Not an illusion—they truly sparkled. Those eyes that occasionally changed when she showed interest in something.

Seeing her blue eyes rippling, I smiled slightly, and then Irene, who had been staring at me, spoke.

“Evan, aren’t you interested in such things? Like astrology.”

“I do like stars. But astrology… well…”

Thinking about it, it wouldn’t be bad. I had been wondering what to do after visiting the lake,

so why not try something like that?

However, Irene must have thought I wasn’t interested, as she pressed her lips together and slumped her shoulders.

Just moments ago her eyes had sparkled so brightly, but seeing her attitude change so suddenly, I smiled and spoke again.

“But I suppose once wouldn’t hurt.”

“I just want to try it once.”

Who in the world would get their fortune told twice in a row anyway?

But Irene’s gaze was already fixed on the fortune-telling tent, and she looked eager to go inside right away.

Fortune-telling—I think I used to visit fortune-tellers quite often when I lived in my original world.

Not about romance or family matters, but to ask about my chances of winning competitions.

I wonder what kind of story we’ll hear.

As we carefully lifted the tent’s entrance and went inside, we saw an old man who anyone would recognize as an astrologer.

An old man with glasses on his nose and a long white beard.

When the old man’s purple eyes gazed at us, I was so surprised by what came out of his mouth that I opened my mouth slightly.

“Customers, I see. So, are you lovers?”

#

There was a time when he was called the Empire’s Grand Magician.

Of course, now he was just an old wanderer avoiding his troublesome disciples, but occasionally he would recall memories of the past.

Azest Merwin—everyone sought him by that name, but he wanted to find something he needed more than such honors.

‘Traces of dragons.’

Dragons that disappeared when the Empire was established—but could one truly say they had completely vanished?

The Empire’s power was struggling to handle the growing number of black magicians.

Even during the Empire’s golden age, they had barely defeated them, so how could the gradually declining Empire handle black magicians now?

The ‘purification’ property possessed by dragons—that pure mana power that drives away darkness—could certainly counter black magicians.

So now, having come to Yuris to find the lake where a dragon was said to sleep,

he ran a small fortune-telling tent during the day to conceal his identity, using skills he had once learned.

Due to a shortage of travel funds, he had set up to earn some quick money…

but when the tent door opened after a lull in visitors, Azest’s face froze as he greeted the customers.

‘Big shots have arrived.’

Irene Yuris, the young mistress of Yuris, and her guard knight, Evan Fried.

Though it had been quite some time since he left the capital, how could he not recognize two of the most famous people in the Empire?

Judging by their plain clothes despite their status, they seemed to have come out secretly, and there was a subtle atmosphere between them.

‘…I hadn’t heard the young mistress had such a pleasant personality, but she looks quite bright.’

He had only seen the young mistress of Yuris once before, but her demeanor was quite different now.

Back then, she had seemed like sharp ice that might break at any moment,

but now all that sharpness had disappeared, making her look like a young girl in her prime. And the guard knight beside her.

The one who had resolved two incidents related to black magicians, a knight with power similar to the Crown Prince.

A genius—many descriptors came to mind.

But what interested him more was the white mana possessed by the knight named Evan Fried.

That pure white mana, revealed during his knighting ceremony, was clearly quite different from what ordinary people possessed.

Come to think of it, the Fried family itself was related to what he was researching.

But his thoughts were soon scattered.

His body flinched at the gaze of the man and woman staring intently at him.

On one side, eyes sparkling with interest; on the other, eyes fondly watching the woman.

No matter how you looked at it, they didn’t seem to have an ordinary relationship.

“Customers, I see. So, are you lovers?”

When he asked, Evan opened his lips slightly in surprise. Apparently they weren’t lovers yet.

It was common for people to have affairs despite having fiancés, so he had wondered.

After organizing his thoughts briefly, Azest spoke again.

“Is there something specific you’d like to know? If not, I can offer the most popular option.”

“What’s the most popular?”

“Why, love fortunes, of course.”

Irene’s eyes widened slightly.

She had no particular interest in romance. For a moment, Evan’s face flashed through her mind,

but Irene shook her head and carefully opened her mouth.

“Is there anything else? Besides love fortunes.”

“I can do wealth fortunes, or if you’re taking an exam, or even how high your position might rise in the future.”

But would the young mistress of Yuris be interested in wealth?

Grinning once, Azest stared at Irene, who was deep in thought.

The choice was already as good as made. Didn’t the guard knight beside her seem curious about that too?

After some time passed, Irene, having finished her deliberation, sighed and spoke.

“…Let’s go with the love fortune.”

She wasn’t curious about wealth or exam results.

She wanted to ask more about the future, and among the options the fortune-teller offered, only the love fortune was related to the future.

That’s why she chose it. A green light flickered before her eyes,

but Irene deliberately ignored it and watched intently as the fortune-teller handled the crystal ball.

“Stars don’t have to be seen only outside.”

Though astrology was based on stars, one didn’t necessarily have to wait for night to see them.

With the miracle of magic, why wait until nightfall?

Most astrologers were accomplished magicians. But he was a Grand Magician, confident he could tell fortunes better than those astrologers.

As he infused mana into the crystal ball, stars slowly began to appear.

While Evan marveled at the crystal ball that had transformed as if capturing the night sky,

Azest, observing the stars, gave a bitter smile.

‘…This is, I’m not sure whether to call it good or bad.’

He had seen the fortunes of many couples, but it was the first time he had seen such an ambiguous fortune.

Moreover, what was even more surprising was that despite reading their fortunes separately, they came out identical, as if stamped from the same mold.

After clearing his throat, Azest looked at Irene and spoke in a low voice.

“How curious. I read your fortunes separately, yet they came out exactly the same.”

“Has the fortune already appeared? That was faster than I expected.”

“I’m not without skill. Anyway, since they’re the same, may I tell you both at once?”

Irene looked at Evan for a moment, then nodded and answered.

It was curious that the fortunes were the same, but it was just a fortune after all.

As Irene nodded, Azest took a deep breath and slowly began to speak.

“Regarding your love, I’m sorry to say it will be quite arduous. There are too many hardships. You’ll shed much blood, and many enemies will lie in wait. Are you perhaps wishing to love someone who is your family’s enemy?”

“…No, that’s not the case.”

Irene wasn’t his enemy, was she? Evan frowned slightly at the fortune-teller’s words, his mind quite complicated.

While it made sense that many enemies would lie in wait, shedding much blood was concerning.

If it was his own blood, it wouldn’t matter much, but if it was Irene’s, that would be a problem.

The fortunes were the same, he pondered. As he mulled over those words, Evan’s eyes widened at the fortune-teller’s next statement.

“However, if that fruit does bear—though the process to reach that result will by no means be smooth—if we assume the ‘if’… it would look quite good. I can say that until death, there would likely be no discord with that person.”

Fruit. Thinking of that word, Evan shrugged and exhaled softly.

He had expected it to be difficult, but he never thought he’d hear such a fortune.

The statement “it would be good if it bears fruit” wasn’t particularly comforting.

As his previously excited mood sank and his expression darkened accordingly,

Azest chuckled and looked at Evan, saying:

“But it’s just a fortune after all. Believe it if you will, don’t if you won’t. The most important things are resolve and determination, aren’t they?”

“…I suppose so.”

Giving a bitter smile, Evan slowly rose from his seat.

Perhaps it was a mistake to have heard the fortune. If he had firmly refused when Irene urged him…

But no matter how he thought about it, he couldn’t have done that.

He just tried to erase the fortune he had just heard from his mind.

“Is this amount enough for payment?”

“The young lady over there seems indifferent. Not interested in romance?”

“…Not at the moment. Maybe later.”

Azest’s eyes widened as he checked the jingling gold coins,

then he grinned and hastily tucked the gold into his bosom.

Irene’s thoughts were just as complex.

Rather than the content of the fortune, it was the face of one person that kept clouding her mind as she listened.

Why did the image of her guard knight keep appearing in her thoughts?

After briefly closing her eyes tightly and then opening them, Irene rose from her seat and walked out of the tent.

‘…Hmm.’

What kind of relationship would those two form?

Watching Evan, who wore a rather complex expression as if organizing his thoughts, Azest eventually gave a slight smile.

‘No matter how I look at it, it’s mutual.’

How long would it take for the two of them to realize it?

Azest quietly closed his eyes as he gazed at the now empty interior of the tent.

#

After leaving the tent, they walked toward the lake as if they had agreed upon it.

Their thoughts were complex. Perhaps because of the fortune they had just heard, a strange awkwardness enveloped them, making even breathing feel burdensome.

“Fortunes aren’t as fun as one might think, are they?”

“…Indeed. They just complicate things unnecessarily.”

Irene frowned slightly at Evan’s words.

At first, it was merely curiosity, but after hearing the fortune, it somehow felt real.

Romance… honestly, she thought it was a word far removed from herself.

She wasn’t in a situation where she had the luxury to love someone, was she?

Black magicians were appearing, and there were even speculations that the Five Great Families might be involved.

Love in such a situation? Yet, as green eyes appeared in her mind again, Irene’s eyes narrowed.

Evan, her guard knight. He was just a guard knight.

…No, he wasn’t just a guard knight.

She felt at ease when she was with him. If she had to name the person she trusted most among those around her, it would probably be Evan.

Perhaps that’s why, when she was listening to the love fortune, his face kept appearing in her mind.

Moreover, there was something else that bothered her.

Evan’s expression, which darkened as they heard the fortune, seemed to suggest he already had someone he loved.

Even though she knew she shouldn’t care, it kept bothering her, making it hard to breathe.

‘If I ask…’

But it was his private life, and her conscience pricked her, making it difficult to open her mouth.

It was frustrating. As she struggled to exhale the breath that had risen to her throat,

Irene slowly raised her head at a peculiar scent carried by the wind.

“This is the place I mentioned.”

Evan smiled faintly and answered as the lakeside finally came into view.

Siren—they said it was a place so beautiful it could enchant those who saw it once, and it truly was.

The sun had begun to set, casting a faint glow of twilight.

As the brilliantly shattering red light hit the lake and spread gently,

the lake, absorbing that light, began to shimmer with a red glow.

Like a mirage dispersing, the lake’s water, containing all the splendor of the world, created gentle ripples as it met the wind.

Could one create such a sparkle by shattering dozens or hundreds of jewels?

Could one express such beauty by scattering thousands of red daffodils?

Like paint splattered on a canvas, the scene seemed to capture an entire painting, and Irene could only stare blankly ahead.

It was beautiful.

Like a mirror, the sun stretched long in the middle of the lake.

Scattering its brilliant light in all directions, dyeing the transparent lake red—the scene made her vision seem filled with red light.

Yellow and red light like burning fire engulfed the lakeside, yet that flame felt cold.

A flame without danger, yet more splendid than any fire in the world—Evan let out a small exclamation at the sight.

“…Ah.”

When blue eyes and green eyes were filled with red.

As Evan gazed blankly at the lakeside, a familiar sound reached his ears.

Ding—his eyes widened. A sound he could never forget, yet one that should never be heard at this lakeside.

Tara-ran—

At the sound that gently swept through this space, Evan’s lips trembled slightly.

As if praising this beautiful scene, the sound coming from somewhere around the quiet lakeside also drew Irene’s attention.

“…This sound.”

“It’s… the sound of a piano.”

Piano—at this unforgettable melody, Evan’s eyes narrowed.