“Which one of you would like to go first?” From the sound of the fortune teller’s voice, it seemed she was an older woman, but I do not know if this was the truth. From the smoothness of the skin on her hands, it seems more like she would be someone younger. I guess most wouldn’t see such details when they were not looking, but I was a bit curious, so I was taking in all the details I could. It’s not like I would go and ask her personally who she was or how old she truly was. Going that far would be rude to someone who wishes to keep their identity a secret. It’s also unlikely that she would even tell me.

“Sophie will go first.” I answered, pushing Sophie forward.

“Huh? Faith!?” Sophie began to panic. I smiled and patted her shoulder. “She is just reading your fortune. Nothing major will happen.”

“O-Okay….” Sophie turned and nodded to the fortune teller.

“Let me see your hand.” Upon the fortune teller’s request, Sophie stretched out her hand. The small delicate hand that was no bigger than my own reached out and took it. I watched as the fortune teller extended one finger and began writing on Sophie’s palm with magic. Seconds later, many balls of light began to appear, floating around the room and condensing around Sophie. I did not feel any danger from them, so I was not worried they would harm Sophie. They were only landing on her skin before flying off and floating in the air in between the fortune teller and Sophie.  _-.

After they all gathered, they began to condense and formed a screen in front of them. “Let’s see….” An image appeared on the screen. It was Sophie. She was smiling and walking down the halls of a building. In her hands was a book, and she seemed to be chatting with someone at her side, but that person was blurry, making it hard to know who it was. But the clothes she was wearing looked to be a uniform of some kind. Was this the Royal Magic Academy’s uniform?

After a while, the scene changed, and Sophie was crying. Someone was hugging her, seemingly trying to comfort her. But from her expression, the anguish she was feeling was clear as day, as if something had happened to her or a loved one of hers. 

After the image changed once more, she was standing on the front lines of a great battle. Fire, magic, and smoke filled the screen. The scene of dead bodies littering the grounds was clear as day. Luckily my ancient will was staying dormant, or I might have caused a scene.  Her armor was covered in blood. But her eyes were clear and full of determination. With one look, you could tell she was fighting for a cause she truly believed in. 

After that, the screen went black. There was nothing else to see. I looked over at Sophie, whose expression was hard to read. I could not tell what she was thinking at this time. “Girl, do not think too much about it. The future is not always set in stone. When the time comes, things will slowly fall into place. Let the things that will come, come. 

I nudged Sophie with my elbow to get her attention. “As she said, what will come will come. No sense in thinking about it now.”

“Mmm…” Sophie hummed an acknowledgment. But I could tell she was still thinking about it.

I sighed and looked over at the fortune teller. “Can you read mine next?”

“Yes, of course, let me see your hand.” I reached out with my hand, and just like before, the fortune teller took it, but for some reason, she did not start right away. She only held it for a few seconds before finally going to work. I felt this was slightly strange. 

The balls of light began to sweep around the room before touching me and condensing into a screen in front of us. I watched as the image on the screen appeared. This time it showed me in the Royal Magic Academy’s uniform, but I was sitting in class. Next to me, definitely asleep, was Adel, who was using my shoulder for a pillow and to my right was Sophie, who was scribbling notes onto the paper as she took the class seriously.  I can only guess I was paying attention. I am not sure since I do not know what I look like when I am paying attention.

The scene changed again, and now my eyes almost fell out of my head. The other person on the screen was too blurry to make out, and I am not sure what sex they were, but they definitely had long golden or blonde hair, it was hard to tell, and it was definitely me kissing someone. My cheeks instantly heated up. To be honest, I never once thought about kissing a girl but now, seeing this, if this was actually a girl and not a guy with long hair, I began to wonder. I wondered what the hell happened to the future me!? I wanted to lower my head to hide my embarrassment, but it quickly changed once more. 

This time I was also on a battlefield. But I was kneeling down holding someone crying. I do not know who it was, but by the way I was crying while holding that person, I know for a fact that they must be close to me. The scene shifted once more, and my eyes looked crazed as I swung my sword at everything around me. Blood dripped from my body. I was soaked in it from head to toe. I was definitely in a crazed state. My ancient will must have taken over. 

The gruesome scene once more changed. I was sitting in a tall chair, leaning against the armrest, looking down over a bunch of people kneeling. The look in my eyes was cold. As if the people below me were all about to die. I do not know what this all meant, but this me that I was seeing scared me. Those eyes did not seem to be me. 

The scene moved to me setting flowers in front of a grave. The name on the grave was blurry, but the tears in my eyes showed how much sorrow I felt. I wish I knew what the name was so I could figure out if I already knew this person. If I did, I could be sure to watch out for them and try to keep them from dying. 

Finally, the screen went black. I am not quite sure how I feel at this time. Seeing those scenes that seemed to be nothing but heartache and craziness. I was not sure if I should believe any of it or not or if I should start making preparations to overcome these hardships. War, love, death…. Why must any of it exist? I held my head. My thoughts are a mess. I almost think it would be better if I did truly become a demon queen and destroy this world. Then…. I wouldn’t have to deal with any pain or hardships. But I know I could never do it. I have people here that I care about, so destroying the world would not be a good thing.

“Young one does not need to think too much. You must fight fate head on in order to change the things you have seen.”  The fortune teller’s voice entered my ears. I looked up at her feeling a bit confused. Did she not just tell Sophie that what comes will come?  But all I got for my confused expression was a nod and a hand stretched out. “One silver.”

I nodded and handed her a silver coin. It was fifty copper per person, so I paid for both Sophie and I. I stood up and bowed to the fortune teller. “Thank you.”

“Come again next year. Maybe then things may have changed.” Hearing this, I nodded and began to walk out of the tent. Sophie quickly followed behind me. 

We walked quietly back towards the inn. Both of us seemed lost in our own thoughts. But we only walked for half an hour when a group of men suddenly stood in front of us. “You are Sophie, I presume?”

I looked up at the group of what looked to be about twenty men and frowned. I instinctively pulled Sophie behind me. I did not even need to look to see that she was sacred. When I grabbed her arm just now, she was already shaking like a leaf in the wind. “Who are you, and what do you want with my friend?”

“Demi girl, stay out of this if you know what is good for you. We just want Sophie to follow us back.” I could only guess the one speaking was the leader. But what I really couldn’t get over at this time was that these people’s clothing were all mismatched. Leather and heavy armor covered parts of their bodies. Each one had a sword in hand, seemingly ready for a fight. Were these people poorer than the bandits I met last time?

“If you want to force my friend to follow you, then I will have no choice but to get involved…..” After saying this I drew the sword at my side.