Day 24 of February on Fire. It's been a beautiful day since this morning, and the temperature was just right, so I finished my daily routine of brushing the bells and watering the seedlings of the world tree, and then went shopping.
　I don't have any particular goal in mind, but I think it's good to go out like this.

　After passing through the streets lined with the more expensive shops I often go to, I come to the biggest street in the capital of the Kingdom of Sinfonia, which is crowded with people.
　There are so many different shops on this main street that it's quite fun to just look at them. For now, I'll take a leisurely walk towards the castle.

　While I was thinking about this, I was walking with people on the street looking at the shops... when my eyes fell on a shop with a brand new look.
　The sign in front of the shop with a stylish atmosphere says 'Opened Today', indicating that the shop has just been completed.
　What kind of shop is it?　The shape of the store is also stylish, and the door has a fantastic pattern painted on it. It seems like a vaguely magical store... maybe it's a magic shop?
　If that's the case, I'm a bit, well, quite interested. The exterior of the restaurant has a nice atmosphere, and the fact that it is a newly built restaurant is very intriguing to me as a Japanese. Okay, since it was a good time, let's go in.

　Then I put my hand on the door and walked in....

Welcome!　
....

　A strangely familiar woman with slightly quirky brown hair that hid her eyes, blind and dressed in a fantastically patterned black robe.......greeted me.
　

'.........what?　Did I do something bad in my past life or something?　Why, of all things, is the first customer, of all people, a human being who looks absurdly familiar.......I mean, isn't this person already a complete regular.......
''Well the one who did the fortune-telling at the Sixth King Festival... right?''

　Yes, this woman was the owner of the affinity reading stall I found when I was circling with Aisis-san at the Six Kings Festival, and I remembered her face since my companion wanted me to go there afterwards and I visited her many times.
　Come to think of it, when I went with Shiro-san on the last day, I think Shiro-san said something like, 'I don't mind having a shop in the Symphonia Kingdom' or something like that.

''Well, well, anyway, I'm very reluctant, but our customers are our customers. Welcome, human.
Ah, yes. Um, I'm Kaito Miyama.
''I'm Elise. You don't have to remember me. Well then, human, come here.

　Apparently, he's not interested in remembering our name. It's not so much an acrimonious atmosphere as it is a hated one, but I get the sense that they think they're somehow getting a troublesome opponent.
　Well, considering the inconvenience he caused at the Sixth King Festival, there's no way to complain about it.....

''Even so, it's a bit unexpected. Humans, you're interested in fortune telling and other things that don't match your appearance, right? Well, I do give you a bit of credit for your eye for choosing my shop.
'Well, yes it was stylish and beautiful looking and I was intrigued.'

　I can't tell you. I can't tell you now that I didn't know what the store was, and that I went in because it was newly opened anyway.

"Hmmm, you have a pretty good eye for detail. Yes, I was very particular about the design of the store.

　Apparently, complimenting the appearance of the store was the right thing to do, Elise's voice changes to a slightly better mood, and then Elise moves to the table that would be used for divination, which is placed at the back of the store, before opening her mouth.

''So... so, human?　"Which is better, a 'true fortune-telling' or a 'fortune-telling with good results'?
Well, are there different kinds?
'Yes, unfortunately, to make a profit, we also need entertainment fortunes for the masses. Normally, it's my decision based on how the customers are doing, but I'll let the humans choose. I owe you a debt of gratitude for giving me this store, and the first time is free. But if you want to buy goods, there's a charge.

　After being told that, I looked around the store and saw that they also sell some good luck items.

Well then, let's have a fortune teller.
Okay. I'll sit in that chair.
Yes, sir.

　I sit down on a chair in front of a table with a purple cloth over it, just as I had imagined. If there was a crystal ball or something on the table, it would fit the image of fortune-telling I've imagined, but I don't have a crystal ball.
　As I was thinking about this, Elise-san sat down across from me with a bunch of cards shaped like tarot cards.

'Well then, let's get started, but what would you like to divine?　If you don't have any particular hopes, I'll just tell you what happens in the future in a vague way.
Well, let's see if I can get that one.
Okay, here we go.

　Elise nodded at my words and then tossed the cards in her hand upwards carelessly. Then the cards begin to move in a circle, scattering by themselves.
　

　　Then, out of the numerous cards spinning in the air, four cards come down face down on the table, and the remaining cards bunch up again and come back to Elise's hand.

'Human, these four cards are the results of your divination. Flip through them one by one, starting from the left. I'll include an explanation each time.''
I understand.

　I nodded at Elise's words and turned over the card on the leftmost side.

''........It's night in the positive position. This card indicates 'timing'. The night in the positive position indicates a 'milestone'. A turning of the moon, or a turning of the year, or an anniversary of some kind - that's when a major event occurs for a human being.
Hmm, so the second one is...
This time it's backwards. This time it's backwards... This time it's the sword card... This card indicates an 'event' that happens. The sword card indicates a 'battle'; in the positive position, it's a literal battle, and in the reverse position, it's a mental battle, not a military one.

　

Umm, hmm?　Strange, isn't it?　　Do you want to fight God?
Oh, well I think I have an idea.
''I see, it's still outside the scope of common sense. Well, be that as it may, the fourth one........mmm, it came out as a 'door' in the opposite position.......

　As she flipped over the last card, Elise looked difficult. Perhaps, but what this fortune telling is showing is about the match with Shiro-san.
　A milestone of one year since she came to this world, a trial that questions her spirit rather than her armed strength, and...The God she is fighting against.

''What does this fourth one mean?''
".........What this card shows is 'action'. At the end of the door is the goal the human wins, after all. If you are in the correct position, then it's regular procedure ... that is, you win by winning the battle.
"...what?
But the reverse position indicates a 'hidden path'... in other words, just fighting and winning an ordinary fight isn't really a 'victory for humans'. Humans have to find a key to open this door.

　Hearing Elise's words, I twist my neck to think about it. I have to not only overcome the ordeal given to me by Shiro-san, but I have to find something hidden there. If I don't, I won't be able to achieve a victory that will truly satisfy me, right?
　What is it?　My chest is buzzing.

　Dear Mom, Dad - the future that Elise, the fortune teller I met again by chance, told me the future was strangely unsettling in my mind. Something stuck with me, but I couldn't figure out what it was. What is this feeling, I wonder?　Maybe the key to open the door is just not visible - maybe it's inside me.