-Thud
"Please drink. It's a tea that has calming properties."
"..."
I handed the tea to the man before me.
To briefly explain about this man - he came to me two weeks ago for a fortune reading about his business trip, and back then, unlike now, he was with two friends.
Yes, he 'was'.
"You said... you said it would go well..."
"..I have no words to offer, even if I had ten mouths."
Back then, I told them their business trip would go well.
And hearing that, the men left the shop with bright smiles.
And now, two weeks later. Three had become one upon return.
'...'
I always say it.
That I'm merely a sorcerer who peeks at heaven's records, so never put blind faith in me.
But there are more than a few people who think these words are just a formality.
They think I'm some kind of prophet.
Me, just a fortune teller who can only perform a bit of the art of astrology.
"I don't know how to console you."
"..Say something. Even excuses would do. Move that mouth of yours like you did back then."
A voice mixed with hatred, anger, and resentment.
No matter how many times I hear it, I never get used to it.
"..The Gods of Heaven and Earth never prepare just one story from the beginning."
I try to make excuses as the man wants.
About why fortunes can be wrong.
"What I can peek at is merely the most likely outcome. The most apparent probable story. There are countless branches of stories that I cannot peek at spreading out."
Heaven is not careless.
It doesn't prepare just one story and let things flow only according to that.
It always keeps other possibility branches open, and if things flow that way, it continues the record from that branch.
What I can see is just the most likely story at the moment.
The thin branches of stories that heaven has prepared exist in countless numbers.
So many that no one would dare attempt to read them all.
"..My deepest condolences for the deceased. May they rest in peace."
"...Pay up.. Compensate.."
"..."
Strictly speaking, I have no obligation to take responsibility for the failure of his business trip and the death of his friends.
Still.
-Clink
"Here's twenty silver. It's not a large amount, but it's all I have right now."
This much consolation would be proper.
Since I gave him the fortune reading
And because that reading was wrong, his friends died.
"Don't be ridiculous.. I know you make good money.. They say you're the Faceless Gold Ghost.. drinking expensive alcohol every night and gambling.."
"I spend everything I earn that day on the same day."
"..."
The man's words were becoming disrespectful, but I endured it.
If I lost close friends, I'd probably react the same way.
"Feel free to stay until your anger subsides. If you want more tea, just say so. I'll serve as much as you'd like."
"..Forget it. I just can't stand looking at you anymore. Looking like some ghost.."
"Haha.. I don't particularly like my appearance either. That's why I cover it up like this."
"Damn bastard."
The man spat out curses as he stood up from his seat.
And as he walked towards the door, words I couldn't ignore came from his mouth.
"Because you said it would end safely, we canceled all the warriors we had hired and used that money to buy more goods instead. Damn.. you're nothing but a fraud."
...Wait a minute.
"You went.. without warriors?"
"Yeah, you fraud."
They went on a business trip without hiring warriors?
"You crazy.."
You're telling me this now?
No.. no.. wait. More importantly
"What do you mean you canceled the warriors you had hired?"
"What else? We canceled the warriors we had hired before coming to get your fortune reading."
"..And you're telling me this now?!"
The more I heard, the more I realized this guy wasn't just ordinarily crazy.
"You got the fortune reading when you had warriors hired, and that's why it showed a safe journey, how could you cancel them?!"
The presence or absence of warriors makes a huge difference in business trips.
If you think they're unnecessary just because you won't be attacked anyway, you only know one thing and not the other.
Warriors' mere presence can deter bandits and beasts from even attempting to attack.
Going on a business trip without warriors is like advertising 'We're defenseless, please attack us.'
Of course, with luck, you might complete a business trip without warriors, but..
"Hah.. what in the.."
I'm so dumbfounded I can't speak.
I never imagined there would be a case like this.
"..So you're saying the business trip's failure is my fault?"
"Then is it my fault?"
This is making even my apologetic feelings disappear.
I really say it every time. Please don't have blind faith.
But what am I supposed to say to this greedy pig who ignored that and went 'Wow, we're going to succeed!' and carelessly canceled the already hired warriors to buy more goods with that money?
"Grrr.."
The man's face started turning red with anger.
'..Ah. Right.'
"You damn bastard!!"
-Crash!
The man lunged at me.
By the way, I'm really not hiding any strength or anything like that.
I swear to heaven I can't even beat one ordinary person.
'Maybe I could beat an ordinary woman..?'[TL] I wouldn't bet on that.[/TL]
Anyway, that wasn't important right now.
Because the man had taken a mount position and was raising his fist, about to strike me.
'This is going to hurt.'
As I squeezed my eyes shut, bracing for the incoming impact
-Thwack!
"Aaaaargh!!!"
Instead of an impact sound, I heard the man's scream.
"I'm sorry, but I'm the only one who wants to mount that man."
"That could be misinterpreted."
"Oh my? A misinterpretation might actually be good. I could demand responsibility for blocking the marriage prospects of a Sichuan Tang Clan daughter."
"Don't say scary things."
While these might sound like exchanges between lovers, we actually have no such relationship.
Somewhere between friends and business partners?
"It might be a bit of a waste for me, but it wouldn't be a bad exchange if the Tang Family could monopolize those abilities, don't you think?"
"..Let's deal with this person first."
"Urghh..! My hand..!"
The man was writhing in pain, clutching his hand and rolling on the floor.
Looking closely, there was a dagger pierced through his hand.
Very cleanly through the exact center of his palm.
"For free?"
"..I'll read one piece of information you want?"
"Good. Anything?"
"Ah, except my face."
"..Tch."
She tried to pull a fast one in that brief moment.
As expected of the Sichuan Tang Clan. A family of assassins.
I can't let my guard down.
While I was fixing my clothes, Tang A-yeong approached the man with light steps.
Though her movements looked light, not a single footstep could be heard.
"Hey? Can you hear me?"
"Urghh..! Hick..!"
"If you don't answer, I'll do the same to your other hand, okay?"
"I-I hear! I can hear you!"
The man who I thought I couldn't beat even with all my strength was now trembling before a woman much smaller than him.
This was Martial Arts.
Something I could never have.
"It might sting a bit, but bear with it, okay?"
"W-wait.. what are you.."
-Swoosh!
"Aaaaargh!!!"
Tang A-yeong pulled out the hidden weapon that was stuck in the man's hand in one go.
'Ugh..'
The blood that spurted out along with it wasn't good for my heart.
"Here's a cloth. It's clean, so use it without worry."
"Hic.. hic.."
"Now, how did you get injured today?"
"..While.. eating.. by accident.."
"That's right, good boy~"
'Was she always like this?'
I only saw her bright and kind side usually, so I didn't know she was this merciless to enemies.
"Did you or did you not come to this fortune-telling shop today?"
"Did not.."
"Good. You can go now."
"Uuuugh.."
The man ran towards the entrance with a terrified expression, tightly gripping the cloth wrapped around his hand.
"You know what happens if you talk about this anywhere, right?"
"Heek!"
The man nodded frantically and disappeared like the wind.
"I got rid of him. Happy now?"
"..Thank you, Young Lady Tang A-yeong."
"It's nothing. We're not strangers anymore."
I looked for a rag to clean the blood on the floor.
"By the way, you really are weak, aren't you? Not being able to handle someone like that."
"Didn't I tell you.. I can't learn Martial Arts.."
"I thought you'd at least have some means of self-defense."
'Means of self-defense..'
I stared into space for a moment at Tang A-yeong's words.
'..Expensive.'
Still a long way to go.
I bent down to wipe the blood on the floor, stirring something translucent and wavering.
"Should I teach you something?"
"..But I can't learn Martial Arts?"
"No, I can't teach you our family's Martial Arts anyway since they're clan techniques. But I could teach you Grappling Techniques instead."
Grappling Techniques.
Skills for subduing opponents with bare hands.
It's closer to a supporting technique rather than Martial Arts.
"You might not be able to beat Martial Artists, but you should at least be able to handle ordinary people like him if you want to keep doing business. As you get famous, there'll be no shortage of people coming to pick fights. I can't protect you all day long."
"..Can't you protect me all day?"
"What?"
"I'm joking."
Learning Grappling Techniques is worth seriously considering.
Since it's not Martial Arts, I can learn it even with my damaged dantian, and I completely agree that I should at least be able to beat someone like that man even if I can't beat Martial Artists.
I won't get noticeably stronger with just Grappling Techniques anyway.
"I'll learn it."
I finally concluded that learning would be better.
"..."
"Young Lady Tang?"
"Hot."
Tang A-yeong's face had turned red.
"Ahem. Then after you close the shop. I'll come at the Hour of the Dog."
"Ah. Never mind, I won't learn."
"Why?!"
"I have to go to the tavern then."
After a brief physical discussion(?), it was finally decided that Tang A-yeong would come during the afternoon.