As Elusive as Two Sides of a Coin

Known as the city of pleasure, Jurak was one of the neutral cities affiliated with neither

the Empire nor the Nebulis Sovereignty; it was a luxury resort of grand scale that was

home to the world's largest casino.

And in one corner of that casino, Iska had hunkered down in front of a slot machine

where he watched three sets of symbols going around and around. He followed the

spinning slots with his eyes.

"…And here!" Iska smashed three buttons in a row with an agile sweep of his hand.

One 7 and then another 7.

And then… another 7—that slipped past, coming to a stop at the image of a baby chick.

"What?! You're kidding! That was definitely a seven!" he screamed as the machine

gobbled up the last coin of his salary for the month. "This machine has gotta be rigged…"

Iska was a seventeen-year-old boy with blackish-brown hair, born in Imperial territory

and currently serving in its military—Unit 907 of the Special Defense for Humankind,

Third Division, to be precise.

He had studied under the Empire's strongest swordsman and became the successor

to the world's only pair of astral swords. He was a young swordsman—the youngest

ever to be selected as a Saint Disciple, the guardsmen under direct control of the

heavenly throne.

But why would Iska be gambling?

"Oh, there you are. How's that one?" The person pitter-pattering toward him was a

petite woman, trotting through an aisle of the casino with colorful neon lights.

Her features glowed with childish charm, and her blue hair curled away from her face,

sweeping across her shoulders. Her lips were rosy and, paired with her hair, fitting for

her sweet appearance.

"How's your luck been holding up? I want us to hit the jackpot and get rich quick!"

"About that…"

"Did you already win?!"

"No. I just ran out of coins."

"…Oh dear," she lamented, turning her head up to the heavens.

"How about you, Captain Mismis?"

"I've been on a losing streak, too. I just needed one more for that card game! If I could

have gotten one more from the same suit, I would've won with a thirty-to-one payout."

Oof. She regretfully crossed her arms.

Everything about Mismis Klass screamed "teenager," but she was actually twenty-two.

She was the captain of Unit 907. In other words, Iska's boss.

And the mastermind who'd brought him to this place.

"Now, now, Iska. No use crying over spilled milk!" Mismis boomed, forgetting she was

right in the middle of the floor filled with other patrons. "We can make up for our

losses with a jackpot! I mean, we're at a casino! The place where normal folk can

dream of getting rich overnight! Meaning…"

"Meaning?"

"I'm exchanging my money for more coins! We'll win for sure this time!"

"Wait, Captain! That's exactly how people go bankrupt by gambling!"

Mismis gripped a few bills in one hand and darted to the exchange counter.

Or so Iska had thought. She hadn't even taken a few steps before she slipped on the

polished floor.

"Ah-woof?" She yelped like a puppy.

Iska watched her blankly, sighing deeply. "Are you sure we should be doing this? I

know we're on break, but this might be going too far."

"The name of our mission? 'No Regrets.' What else can we do? An underling's duty is

to follow the orders of the big boss."

"…Even if her orders are to gamble?"

"She always makes us do whatever brilliant idea she's come up with. Same difference."

Iska turned around toward the voice addressing him. Behind his slot machine was a

silver-haired sniper studying an ongoing game of roulette.

It was Jhin Syulargun with his spiked silver hair, observant gray eyes, and masculine

features.

He was Iska's colleague, only a year older, but the sharp features of his face and his

tough leather jacket made him look older. Maybe.

At the moment, he was flippantly betting coins at random on a game of roulette—the

queen of casino games.

"A life of pleasure with no regrets, huh…? Who blew smoke into her ears this time? Did

one of those doomsday cults get to her or something?"

The croupier cast a ball that rolled and slipped round and round the wheel—stopping

two spaces to the left of Jhin's pocket. His expression remained the same as a mountain

of coins was taken from him.

"You're handling that well."

"There are a hundred and thirty spots on the wheel, and the jackpot multiplier is a

hundred and twenty-eight. The system is rigged. The house always wins. You're going

to lose whether you take yourself seriously or not."

"Oh, that's why you're calm…"

All the players visiting the casino dreamed of making a fortune. Well, except for Jhin.

It seemed that from the outset, he had no expectations of getting his money back.

"Jhin!" Their boss dashed up to her unmotivated soldier after getting more coins.

"How's it looking? Did you win big?"

"Doesn't matter. I'd rather you explain what's going on." Jhin stood up, starting to walk

away from the crowds.

They were surrounded by nothing but gamblers. Though none of them would have

listened in on their conversation, Jhin did his due diligence and made his way to the

wall of the casino.

"I can't help but feel weirded out that you'd bring us to a resort and tell us to 'live it up

with no regrets.'"

"Ack?!"

"What's gotten into your head this time?"

"I-it's just that…" Her eyes darted around their vicinity as her adorable face scrunched

up as though she was about to burst out in tears.

"Risya said we might not make it home alive after we go on her mission! We need to

have fun to our hearts' content while we still…" She started to trail off.

"…Ah."

"…C'mon. That's what's gotten into you of all things?"

Iska and Jhin looked at each other.

The source of her worries went back two weeks.

"For your next mission, your unit is going to be working for me.

"We'll start by assembling next week. Then, in a month, we'll begin joint training sessions."

Risya In Empire, a Saint Disciple, had been given command for a special mission. Iska's

Unit 907 had been selected to participate.

Risya and Mismis spent their time at officer cadet school together in the same class,

so they were friends. Iska and Jhin had trained under the strongest swordsman in the

Empire.

And the situation was exacerbated by Risya's fickleness—adding to their bad fortune.

Their squad had been called upon by one of the staffers that reported directly to the

Lord, which made it sound like they were the chosen ones. But no one was happy to

be selected for a mission under Risya's command.

…Not even Captain Mismis has been given the details of the operation.

…I imagine it's going to be high risk, high reward.

The strife between the Empire and the Nebulis Sovereignty had stretched over a

century, with increased hostilities following repeated invasions on both sides. There

was no doubt that this upcoming operation would tip the delicate balance between

the two countries.

If they failed, they would die in battle or end up prisoners of war. The risks were simply

that high.

"T-minus five days."

"No, four. Risya told me she had to push it forward by a day." Mismis held up an

according number of fingers. "And she told me to enjoy one last vacation. I've heard

that other units are moving ahead of schedule with their R&R at other resorts, too…"

"She's stupidly honest." The silver-haired sniper didn't even attempt to hide his sigh.

"Risya should have known you'd be in a tizzy when you heard that, boss. Think about

it. None of this is a big deal."

"Yeah?"

"We could die during any maneuver."

"That's not comforting in the least!"

"I don't care. I'm trying to say we'd be better off spending what time we have preparing

for battle instead of goofing off. It doesn't matter if it's for a special mission or not."

"…Aaaaah. I—I guess you're right… but…" Mismis slumped her shoulders, feeling out

of place. Her hands were filled with the coins she had exchanged.

…Jhin's right.

…And there are a ton of cities the captain would have enjoyed more than this one.

Jurak was a watering hole that catered to the aristocracy. It was, of course, Iska's first

time there. Mismis hadn't been to the city of pleasure before, either.

He didn't know how else to put it except that the place didn't seem very "Mismisesque." Even if she was preparing to make this the last vacation of her life, he felt like

there were better places to go.

"Captain, why did you choose to go to this place?"

"…Because of the Merkava made in Francesco. Model MI-62."

"The what?"

"The latest military vehicle."

Everything out of the captain's mouth was plain gibberish as she spewed some bizarre

jargon.

"Um… You see?" She added a lilt to the end of her sentence, looking up at him bashfully.

"…I thought we could use our jackpot winnings to place a special order for a tank. And

that if something happened, we'd all be able to make it home alive as long as we were

in it."

"…I see." He hadn't been expecting that.

Next to him, Jhin looked half-exasperated and half-reverent. "An unconventional

visionary. I guess I'll give you points for not just partying it up."

"Really?!"

"Well, except there was never a chance that we'd get rich overnight."

"But it's not impossible, Jhin! There are tons of stories about ordinary people

becoming millionaires!"

It seemed Mismis had regained her enthusiasm, given how hyper-animated she was

again, lifting the coins in her hands high.

"We're going to get rich today and join the ranks of the nobility! Tonight, we win it all!

A kingdom and a castle! A beautiful home and a car—no loans—we'll live the dream

life in a manor that comes with a butler!"

"Did you just change goals?!"

"Just let her be, Iska. It's not as though we'd actually—"

It's not as though we'd actually win.

Before he could finish, a girl in a ponytail came bounding toward them from behind.

"Iska, Jhin! Captain Mismis! Listen to this! Something amazing just happened!"

It was Nene Alkastone.

She wore her red hair up in a voluminous ponytail. This fifteen-year-old girl had large

blue eyes and a merry smile that made quite the impression. Her outfit was made up

of a thin shirt and short shorts suited to her slim and dainty form.

She was the communications expert of Mismis's unit. Though young, she had made a

name for herself as a top-class engineer in the Imperial capital—a girl with talent.

"Iska, take a look at this!" She thrust forth a pile of jangling coins close to spilling from

her hands.

Iska, Mismis, and Jhin all went bug-eyed.

There were too many coins for anyone to think she had gotten them at the exchange.

And first of all, the casino accepted only guests sixteen and over. They wouldn't have

even allowed Nene to exchange her cash for coins as a fifteen-year-old.

"Gambling as a minor?! Y-you can't do that. You'll get arrested!"

"Hmm? But, Captain Mismis, you had to show your ID because they thought you were

underage. I wanna have some fun, too!… Just kidding!" Nene winked in jest. "I got these

coins from someone else. They shared their earnings with me."

"…I'm sorry?"

"Yeah. They apparently hit the jackpot on that slot machine over there. And they said

they wanted to give me a bit of their luck." Nene pointed out their whereabouts with

her gaze, looking intently at a large gathering.

There were probably about thirty or forty people huddled together. And it wasn't just

customers but even curious dealers sneaking glances at the slots.

"See, Jhin? And what do you think of that? I told you that hitting the jackpot was totally

possible."

"And what good will it do you to act all proud? Tell me again when you've actually won."

The captain prodded Jhin's ribs with her elbow as he maintained his exasperated

expression. But there was a twinkle in the corners of his eyes as he regarded the

winning slot machine with great curiosity.

"I can't play, so you can split these coins."

"Nene…! You're way too kind. All right, I'm gonna make sure these coins don't go to

waste! We'll get rich and then go out to eat barbecue!" Captain Mismis graciously

received the coins, overcome with emotion.

Iska stared at her from his periphery.

"What's wrong, Iska? You don't want any?"

"Hmm. Oh, right… Thanks."

Iska scrutinized the casino, observing the patrons and dealers gambling amid hoots

of joy and sorrow.

It's too noisy here.

If he was being honest, he'd rather escape the hustle and bustle on his days off,

appreciating his favorite painters in a hushed museum instead of spending time in this

buzzing scene. That was where Iska's true interests lay.

And he knew there was another person, a girl, with the same hobbies as he had.

…This resort might be for the aristocracy… but there's no way Alice would be here.

The Ice Calamity Witch. Aliceliese Lou Nebulis IX.

She was the daughter of the Nebulis queen and a rightful successor to the throne—a

mage who took pride in possessing the strongest astral power in history.

Alice and Iska had met by chance on the battlefield. Iska was an Imperial soldier, and

Alice was an astral mage.

This meeting should have been expected. They were from enemy countries, after all.

The real problem was the two had come across each other outside the battlefield.

"What are you doing here?!"

"…Alice?!"

They'd watched an opera side by side, then gone to the same restaurant and shared a

table, ordering identical meals.

They both appreciated art, and even their favorite artist was the exact same.

What ill-fated stars had they been born under for these coincidences to happen?

"…But there's no way she'd be here." Iska looked around the casino to confirm.

The serendipitous meetings between them stopped here.

There was a part of him that was relieved. They were from opposite sides of two

warring countries and declared the other as an enemy. Even if they had met up again,

it would have only been uncomfortable for both of them.

…But I wonder why… I feel a little bummed out.

There was no question that they were rivals, but… he had to admit that never before

had he felt the way he did when he was with the Ice Calamity Witch—on the battlefield

or in a neutral city.

Why had his heart fluttered during those times?

He couldn't put his emotions into words. He still didn't understand why.

"Iska, over here! There's a seat open at the roulette wheel. Come and play with me!"

"…Got it."

Pulled along by Captain Mismis, Iska lowered his eyes to the game in front of him.

It was about an hour prior to the previous events.

At the entrance of the pleasure city, Jurak, the two girls looked up at the city gate.

"We're here, Lady Alice! Jurak. A city known as a place for social gatherings among the

aristocracy. The perfect resort area for you—just think of its ancient and storied

history."

Holding a parasol for her lady was an attendant with chestnut hair parted down the

center and tied to either side. She appeared sixteen or seventeen and wore the plain

white shirt of a housekeeper and a dreary skirt that reached to her ankles amid crowds

of tourists in top-quality garments.

She wore no frills, nothing extra.

Well, to be fair, daggers, metal needles, and garotte wires were hidden in every inch of

clothing on this attendant bodyguard—Rin Vispose.

"Look, Lady Alice. The twin towers over there are the Zelnetia A. It's a hotel serving as

a symbol for this city. The structure is thirty stories tall. A world-renowned casino

occupies floor five to basement level two. Amazing, right?!"

"..."

"And to the left, behind the building, is their coliseum. In the past, gladiators would

fight with their pride and reputation on the line. Apparently, spectating aristocrats

betting on the winners was the origin of gambling. In modern times, that serves as a

cultural—"

"..."

"Lady Alice?" Rin tilted the parasol aside slightly and peeked at the face of her lady.

"Something the matter?"

"…Nothing," Alice replied, bathed by the blinding sun as she placed a hand to her hip.

Aliceliese Lou Nebulis IX. She was the daughter of the current queen, Nebulis IIX, and

a seventeen-year-old girl who was the vessel of powerful astral energy.

Under the rays of daylight, her golden hair gave off a faint glow, and her ruby eyes

brimmed with dignified grace.

Her features were both beautiful and charming, with full red lips that let off a healthy

sheen. Her dress for this incognito outing wasn't over-the-top, but there was something

striking about her that made more than one tourist stop dead in their tracks when

they saw her approaching.

But her grace was all for naught, as Alice was childishly puffing up her cheeks.

"Hey, Rin, I believe I said I wanted to take a breather this week, since I finished all my

tasks."

"Yes, Lady Alice. I think you'll be able to enjoy yourself to your heart's content."

"…But I don't care for gambling at all." Her cheeks ballooned sullenly, and she shook

her head.

What she enjoyed were the arts, taking her time to view paintings in a quiet location

or listening to music.

She had no intention of throwing herself into gambling. After all, she was the princess

hailing from one of the two most powerful countries in the world. There was no need

for her to make money.

"Even after I insisted that I preferred Ain, the city of fine arts…"

"You cannot go there."

"Why? I wanted to see paint—"

"Are you planning on bumping into that Imperial soldier again?"

Gulp. Despite herself, Alice had frozen in place with her hand on her hip. Her attendant

was too competent to have failed to notice.

"See, I knew it."

"S-so what? My goals are perfectly acceptable. As a princess from Nebulis—"

"Lady Alice, you're shouting."

"…As a princess from Nebulis, my conduct has been nothing but proper."

They were smack-dab in the middle of the road, bustling with passing guests.

Alice pressed herself against Rin and added in a strained voice, "Next time, I'll settle

things with Iska once and—"

"Do as you please on the battlefield. No need to meet him in a neutral city."

"I want to. I want… to settle things between Iska and me, just the two of us."

That's right. There was one other reason why Alice had been in such a sullen mood

ever since arriving in this city. She knew she wouldn't be able to run into Iska no

matter how much she wanted to see him.

…Like, I've only ever run into him in Ain, so I'll never be able to bump into him here.

He was Iska, the former Imperial Saint Disciple.

Though his goal on the battlefield had been to capture a purebred, Alice knew his true

aim was to lead the Empire and the Nebulis Sovereignty to peace. Despite being from

the Empire, he'd called her an "astral mage"—and even set a witch free from an

Imperial prison because she was powerless.

And this Iska was the first Imperial soldier who Alice had shared a worthwhile

conversation with.

With him, she might be able to make her dream come true… to unite the world as one.

That's how much she'd acknowledged his power, but…

"Come work for me. You aren't the type of person who should side with the Empire."

"I can't. I can't walk alongside you, Alice."

Their paths were estranged.

The Imperial soldier and witch from Nebulis were incompatible. Which was why Alice

wanted to settle things with him alone, at the very least.

She didn't care what happened in the end.

Would one of them fall? Would they both? Or would things end with both unscathed?

She didn't care what happened in the end.

…I just… want to be alone with Iska again.

She wanted to forget all the quarrels between the Empire and the Nebulis Sovereignty

and spend a peaceful moment alone with him.

"You cannot."

But… Rin, Alice's guard, would never allow that to happen on her watch.

"We cannot rule out the fact that the Imperial soldier may strike when your guard is

down and kill you, Lady Alice."

"That wouldn't happen, because Iska is—!"

"Is what?"

"...Never mind."

She had almost accidentally revealed that she'd spent an afternoon admiring art

together with him. She had kept that a secret even from Rin. If anyone found out that

this duo had been side by side, viewing the same paintings, it would have sparked a

scandal in the Sovereignty.

"A-anyway, I want to settle things with Iska someday."

"Of course. And I assume that will happen eventually, at an appropriate time and place."

"That's what I'm planning." Alice nodded, pulling a planner from her handbag. "In that

case, I need to pen him in."

"Pen him in?"

"That's right. I wonder what time would work best for Iska. I'll be free next, next week

on Mercurday… Oh, but my stars aren't in alignment that day. No good for an important

event. I should make it the next holiday. I need to book the meeting place."

"…Lady Alice." Rin was casting her a look of despondency for some reason. "It's not

like you're choosing the date and venue of a wedding."

"A—a—a wedding?! B-between Iska and me?!"

"It's only a metaphor."

"—"

"Why is your face beet red?"

"Because you said something weird!"

For a moment, Alice had vividly imagined that which could not be spoken. But that

was top secret information.

Ugh. Thanks for nothing, Rin. I was deep in focus, checking my planner, and now I can't

even concentrate anymore.

"…Ahem." Alice pulled herself together and coughed. "Anyway, I'll put this aside for

now. I don't think I'll run into Iska around here."

"Which is why I chose this neutral city."

"It's my first time at a casino. Hey, Rin, I don't know the rules for gambling."

"It's better that way." Rin raised the parasol for Alice. "Understanding the rules is

asking to be sucked into vice. It would be best if you played without knowing anything—

to win and lose in moderation. That is the correct way to pass the time at a casino."

"…But it isn't in my personality to lose."

"Of course. But, Lady Alice, I think it would be challenging for even you to win against

sly and seasoned dealers. That said, I will assist you, of course."

"I'll win. That's what being a princess means."

"I wonder how long that confidence will last."

The two girls continued with their silly argument as they headed toward the largest

casino in the world.

An hour later…

"Oh no. Is this machine broken?"

The slot machine had stopped right at 7, 7, 7.

Suddenly, every light on the machine started to blink on and off, whirring into action

as a garish clamor of sounds informed everyone that she'd won the jackpot. Gold coins

waterfalled out from the opening.

She watched the mountain of coins pile before her eyes.

"How odd." Alice cocked her head to the side. "Hey, Rin, it looks like the machine is

broken. All it's doing is spitting out coins."

"…Lady Alice, it isn't broken."

"Oh? Then, why would it be doing this?"

"Because you hit the jackpot!"

The odds were one in several million.

This jackpot was won only once every couple years, even though thousands of guests

gambled daily from dawn to dusk. In fact, the odds were stacked against them to the

point that it wouldn't be weird for ten years to pass with no major winnings.

This scene was remarkable enough for Rin to even raise her voice. "Lady Alice, you

have to be… uh, more excited! Look—there's a crowd gathering behind you!"

"But what am I supposed to…?"

Alice had simply chosen a machine at random, put in a coin, and pressed some buttons.

Even if others were making a ruckus about it, she didn't feel like she had "accomplished"

anything at all. Of course, she was happy that Rin was excited, and it wasn't as though

she couldn't appreciate how thrilled all the patrons had become.

"But I can't carry all the coins coming out of this thing."

"Let's call a dealer. I'll have them cut us a check on the spot. Please wait."

"Then I'll take a short break."

Alice glanced around the floor. Out of the hundreds of machines, only hers was flashing

with light. She gathered that winning the jackpot was an unusual occurrence.

She heard the groan of someone losing at the slot machine on the other side of her.

"Ahhh… I've used up my whole bonus from last year."

"What the heck are you doing, Captain?!"

"I knew this would happen. I told you, the house always wins. Take a close look, Nene.

Commit to memory this scene of the boss losing. This is the only thing that waits at

the end of the road for a gambling addict. A prime example of a rotten adult."

"I see. I get it now, Jhin."

"Jhin… Nene… You're both big meanies!"

It must be a customer from a group tour.

Over the celebratory clamor of the slots, Alice found it difficult to make out their

conversation, but she gathered they were disheartened from losing.

"On to the next! I'm gonna play that card game! Jhin, you go to the roulette table."

"…Diversifying the game selection won't change a thing."

"That's not true. I'm always a good person. I'm sure I'll win!"

"It's based on chance—not morality."

Their voices were fading into the distance on the other side.

I see. Their plan was to win back the money lost on the slots by trying their luck at

another game.

"..."

Alice was observing them leave when a girl with a red ponytail passed by looking

bored. She might have been dragged along by the group playing slots in front of Alice.

And when she saw the heaps of coins, her eyes glittered. "Whoa, amazing! Did you win

these, miss?!"

"Um, yes."

Miss. It took Alice a moment to realize that the girl was talking to her, but there was no

mistaking her gaze.

"Woooowza! Congratulations!"

"…I'm sorry. It just doesn't feel real yet."

"It's amazing! You could do anything with these coins. Like, buy candy or clothes or,

like, anything!"

Candy or clothes. To Alice, those were givens as a princess born and raised in the royal

palace. But Alice knew that what was common to her was leagues apart from the

general populace.

"Put out your hands."

"Okay?"

"You can have these. I don't need them." Alice had dipped her hands in the piles of

coins overflowing from the slot, scooping and releasing them into the palms of the girl

with the ponytail.

"Whoa! Are you sure?"

"Yes. Think of it as fate. Use them as you please."

"Thank you!" She dashed off.

As she left, Rin returned with the dealer.

"I'm sorry to keep you waiting, Lady Alice."

"Rin, I decided we're not cashing out."

"Meaning?"

"If I have been bestowed with good fortune, I can't keep that to myself. It would sully

the name of the royal family. Please distribute the coins to those around me, dealer."

"…Absurd." The yell hadn't come from Rin. It was the elderly dealer. "Not even one coin

for yourself?"

"Yes. I have no need for them."

The fortune of the Nebulis Sovereignty was public.

As a member of the royal family, Alice wasn't allowed to save or deposit money of her

own. In exchange, she was guaranteed the life of a princess without inconvenience.

Even if she brought the jackpot back, she could already see it being seized by the

financiers.

In that case, she figured it wouldn't be bad karma to spread her good luck here.

"…I've been working as a dealer in this city for thirty years, but this is the first I've ever

had a guest make this request."

"Oh, wonderful. I would enjoy being remembered for that."

"What a lovely young lady. Please tell me your name."

Alice flashed her best smile. "Soon."

"Excuse me?"

"You'll know before long. When I unite the world."

Alice took Rin and put the casino behind her, all the while listening to the cheers of the

guests who clamored for her coins.

They departed from the casino.

"…Was I being too dramatic? I mean, I left without giving my name."

"Of course not. Anyone who would reveal their identity in that situation would only be

pretending to have class. Your judgment call was the picture of poise." As she opened

the parasol, Rin gave a reverent nod. "Lady Alice, what do you think about going to a

cafe ?"

"Right. I'm parched. Let's have tea. I hope there's room for us to sit." She looked around

the bustling streets.

As expected of Jurak.

It was a vacation spot that catered to aristocrats, lined with boutiques that fit the

ambiance. There were cafe s scattered among stores offering fine jewelry and high-end

clothing. Each place was inspired in its own way, and Alice brushed across them with

her eyes.

Her attention was drawn to a small, dark, cramped hole-in-the-wall sandwiched

between the fancy stores.

"Hey, Rin. What's that place? It doesn't have a display case, and they don't seem to be

selling anything. But there's a light on inside, which means it's open, right?"

"A storefront for a fortune-teller. Astrology, apparently." Rin spotted the small sign for

the store and pointed at it. "Hmm… 'For before you try your luck. Welcoming all about

to take their turn at a game of a lifetime to seek advice from this seasoned astrologer

with forty years of experience.' Ah, I see. Basically, it's a shady business that targets

people going to the casino."

"Rare in this day and age."

"Yes. I've seen a handful in the Nebulis Sovereignty, but you can count the number of

active astrologers on your hand nowadays."

The reason was simple: In the modern age, people had stopped relying on something

as fickle as fortune-telling.

…I've heard there are astral powers that could do something similar… but even those

weren't supposed to be able to predict the future perfectly.

In the end, it all amounted to nothing more than superstition.

"But isn't that what makes it fun?"

"Lady Alice?"

"Rin, wait here. I'm gonna get my fortune read."

"Huh?! What's gotten into you?! If you insist… then let's request an astrologer to make

a house visit at the palace!"

"No. If someone at the palace sees me with a fortune-teller, who knows what kind of

rumors will spread."

"…You have a point."

"If anything, it'll be a learning experience. Be right back."

And what are you planning on getting a reading for? Before Rin could even think, Alice

had already waltzed into the dimly lit establishment.

Partitions sectioned off the interior, creating smaller rooms in a way that made it

impossible to tell who was having their fortune told.

"…I wonder if it's okay for me to just let myself in."

Some alcoves had their shades drawn. It probably meant they were occupied.

Alice poked around, looking for an open room, when she met the eyes of a fortuneteller sitting in the back.

"Oh, what a charming young lady. It's rare for the young to visit the shop."

The fortune-teller was an old woman who concealed her face under a veil in a darkpurple robe. In her hand were cards for reading fortunes.

"Come, now. Take a seat," she invited.

They looked at each other across the tiny table.

Alice had seen her mother, Nebulis IIX, receive a blessing from an astrologer for an

auspicious year in a public ritual, but it had been years since Alice had her fortune

read.

"And what would you like me to tell you about?"

"…Uh. Ummm… right." Alice pretended to think through her options.

It was obvious she'd known what she wanted before she'd entered the shop, but now

that the time had come for her to say it out loud, she felt embarrassed, almost.

"…I'm looking for someone."

"Oh, a boyfriend?"

"B-boyfriend?! N-n-no, not at all! Totally wrong! Because Isk—"

Somewhere along the way, she'd almost bolted out of her seat, barely managing to

keep herself from letting Iska's name slip from her mouth.

"Oh no?"

"No!"

"But seems I wasn't completely off the mark. I find most young folk are worried about

their romantic prospects. Heh-heh-heh." The old woman laughed as though she was

amused. "Well, if you'd like, I can do a reading about the one who you await."

"—" Alice nodded. "I want to know when we'll be able to meet alone. And the place."

"No problem. Leave it to me."

Alice answered a series of her questions and picked out dozens of cards with

illustrations of constellations.

"Hmm."

"What is it?"

"An interesting star has come up."

She was holding one of Alice's selected cards and another one that she had chosen

based on the former. It remained facedown.

"This card is one of a pair. The one above is yours; below that is the one I chose. When

you put them together, they become a single constellation." The astrologer looked

down intently at the two connected cards. "The person you seek is close by."

"Huh?" Alice instinctively clutched her chest with her hand. "I wonder if that's true…!"

"Oh, it is. He is always near you. You are tied together by a destiny that no misfortune

could overpower. If you're looking for someone, this is the perfect time."

"..."

"Do you want me to examine the details?"

"…No, this is enough." Alice shook her head, imagining the face of her attendant waiting

for her outside. She placed the fortune-teller's fee on the table and left.

"Lady Alice, how was it?"

"She said something plausible. But…"

Now that she was getting showered by the sun outside the store, Alice felt as though

her head was coming out of a fog.

Is Iska somewhere near here? Is now the time to find him?

Alice's heart had practically leaped out of her chest when she heard her fortune. But

now that she was thinking back on it, the old woman hadn't given her any details. It

could have been just as likely about a family member or a distant relative rather than

about Iska.

"…Huh. I might have just gotten duped."

"That's the nature of fortunes."

Alice let herself be led around by Rin, who held the parasol aloft as they walked.

…Iska wouldn't be around here… would he?

Alice wound up closely examining the faces of every single passerby. As she'd

expected, Alice didn't see the face of the Imperial soldier whom she sought anywhere.

"Uuugh, I knew I couldn't trust a reading. 'The person you seek is close by'? Gimme a

break. I don't see him or anyone resembling him anywhere at all!"

The psychic's shop.

The princess of the Nebulis Sovereignty and her attendant had left…

"Wooow… I feel like I've been hoodwinked."

Emerging from that same entrance, Iska unleashed a huge sigh.

It was fine that he'd gotten his fortune read on a whim, but the reading didn't quite

match up with reality.

"She said this was a chance to encounter the one I seek, but… there's no way Alice

would be in that place. That was one hell of a trick. Anyone could parrot that stuff as

long as they're ambiguous enough."

That was the nature of fortunes.

He thought he had completely understood the concept when he walked in. But once

they started their session, he had taken the results to heart. Blame the human psyche.

"Plus, it was packed. A bunch of people want a glimpse into the future, it seems."

When Iska had gone in, all the rooms had been occupied, save the one next to his. And

that last one had been snapped up while Iska was getting his reading. The supply

couldn't keep up with the demand.

…I think there was a girl in the room next to mine… Her voice seemed young, close to my

age…

With the background music of the shop, he hadn't been able to hear much, but there

was a part of him that suspected the guest next door was a girl about his age.

"Heeey, Iska!" With Jhin and Nene in tow, the captain had snaked her way to him.

"Oh, Captain Mismis, did you finish buying your souvenirs?"

"All done. Here, see, I got a lucky cat statue to invite good fortune into my life! This will

guarantee my jackpot next time—for sure."

"…Would you please give it up already?" Iska lowered his shoulders dejectedly as the

captain balanced the small figurine on the palm of her hand.

On second thought, when Nene had gotten a share of happiness from the winner of

the jackpot, they should have quit while they were ahead.

"We spent all of Nene's coins… and now we're in the red…"

"It's fine! We'll definitely win it back next time!"

"Sounds like something an addict would say. Look, let's just go home."

"No, no, no, no-no-no! Let me go, Iska!"

"Not a chance."

Iska left the neutral city, dragging Mismis behind him as she threw a childish tantrum.