A Girl in Love Seeks Help in Fortune Telling

Huh? Somebody dropped something here.

Looks like it is your lucky day, Aldo.

Haha. You think so?

I know! Radica, how about you read my fortune?

Very well. However...

You wouldn't be taking my joke I made just now seriously, would you?

No, nothing like that. I mean, your readings are almost always right, right? I just thought that we've been travelling together all this time, but I still haven't got you to read my fortune properly.

Okay, well if you put it like that.

Hmm... Curious.

What did you see?

The Sky and the Earth, in the upright position. I will now give you the reading for these cards... It will begin with luck ever so slightly turning your way and through your everyday life, happiness will find its way to you.

Heh, that sounds pretty good to me.

It is indeed. And in order to further extend your good fortunes, there is a "key." The cards say you must save a "young woman."

Save a woman, huh?

Wha, I don't believe it! What does it all mean?!

I can't take it anymore! The world's gonna end! The end is niiigh!

Well that was sooner than I thought. Radica?

I am sure this is nothing more than a coincidence.

I think so too. But it doesn't matter whether it's the fate of the cards or even just a coincidence. I can't just ignore that.

You are certainly right about that.

It looked like she ran toward the Vasu Mountains. Come on, Radica, let's go after her.

Wobawobawoba *hiccup* Wobawoba!

Whoa! I've never seen someone cry like that before!

Nothing matters anymore! I'm done, just done! Wobawobaaa!

Let's just try and find out what's wrong first. Whatever it is, it looks serious.

Good idea.

O, great spirits! What did I do to deserve such a cruel fate? Everything was going so well, so why this?! Wobawobawoban!

Hello there. Please, just try to calm down. All the happiness in your life really will disappear if you keep lamenting like this. Dramatics will only ever lead to more sadness.

Wobaaa... But, but, but there's no hope and my dreams have been crushed. I'm doomed to lead a life of despair and agony! WOBAWOBAWOBA *sniff* WOBA!

It's worse than I had thought.

Hey, you know, nobody knows what will happen in the future. You can't just decide that everything will be bad.

I can and will! Ahem, wobawobawoba!

Well why don't you get your fortune read by Radica here? Then you'll really know whether you're "doomed" or not.

She's a...fortune reader?

That's right. And she's not just any fortune teller, she's one of the best. I'm sure she'll be able to tell you a way to find happiness again!

Wait, Aldo, you can't just...

Really?! Do...do you do love readings? Please, you have to read my love fortune!

L-Love fortune telling?

Please! My life depends on it! Rescue me from this dark abyss that I tread! O, great spirits! Master Fortune Teller! I beg you, save me from my anguish!

Wait, my fortune telling does not wo...

I beg you! Radica, wisest of all, bring me salvation!

I... *sigh* Okay. Okay, I'll read your fortune.

Thanks, Radica. With your reading this girl's problems are already as good as solved.

This...this is amazing. It's like I've already been given a new will to live!

Talk about pressure... Okay, I will begin now.

Undine, in the upright position. This represents resurrection, allure and passion. The reading tells me that you will encounter a new love. And a truly beautiful love at that.

R-R-R-Really?! For real?

Yes. This is the best outcome for a love fortune reading there is. But, please, heed my words. My power as a reader of the cards can only...

Woooooohoooooo! A-MA-ZING! Oh, Radica, that reading was just wonderful.

What? No, please, you have to listen...

I knew it. A new love! Love is like the source of my power! You can bet your socks I'll keep on living, living for a new love!

What am I doing wasting time here? I gotta go find him! Where art thou, my beautiful prince?

......

Wow, Radica, you're readings really are something else. Not that I ever doubted you. It's hard to think she was crying so much just a few moments ago. She's like a whole new person!

Aldo, you have to listen. I was trying to tell you both before, the source of my fortune-telling power is...

Well, I'm glad she got out of her slump, but I just realized she went off towards the Nadara Volcano. I'm kinda worried now. There're some really strong monsters in that area. I don't think she was thinking all that clearly, let's go check on her!

*sigh* Why does nobody listen to what I have to say? Perhaps it's the short-eared people's perception of time being slower? Everyone is always in such a rush.

Fine, Aldo, I'm coming. Let's just go. Mountains, volcanoes I'll go wherever!

I can't see her anywhere. Where do you think she went?

Salamander, in the inverted position. Fear, downfall and unilateral violence...

Did you just predict where she might be?

All of those words were particularly ominous, I think anyway.

Heeeeeelp!

I knew this area was dangerous!

Are you okay?

Y-You're the man from earlier!

Leave this to me! I won't let this thing hurt you!

Wha?

Phew. Are you hurt?

*mumble* ...fallen... *mumble*

Did you fall?! Tell me where you're hurt!

Fallen in love.

Umm...what now?

I've fallen in love! You're so dashing! I get it. I finally get it now! This is the new love I was destined to find, wasn't it? Ohhh! I'm giddy with excitement! Please, you have to tell me your name!

My name? Aldo, but I...

Aldo! The name of my beautiful prince! I feel so happy I think I might explode!

Radica, your reading was perfect! I can't thank you enough. I've never been so full of joy!

......

Aldo, can I speak with you a moment? There's something I need to say.

Now, Aldo, actually listen to what I have to say this time, okay? I have the feeling that it would be best if we distanced ourselves from this girl as soon as possible.

What, why? I thought my reading was that I was suppose to "save a young woman," right? Did something else in your readings come up since then?

No it's not that. How can I explain it? I am unaware of all the intricacies of short-ear culture. I just know that in elf culture this is usually the start of some trifling occurrence. Make no mistake about it.

H-Hey! What are you whispering about over there, huh?

N-Nothing! Never mind.

I am just going to come out and say it. Aldo is almost definitely not your new lover. I have tried telling you so many times already, but my power is...

Why would you say something like that? Why can't you just be happy for our happiness, huh?! I thought you were supposed to be looking out for Aldo's and my relationship?

Oh! I get it now! You two are a thing, aren't you?!

I, what?! Aldo is just a...

Hah! Looks like I'm just fated to be betrayed by everyone! You were my beautiful prince, Aldo, you know that?! Well it's time to choose, my love, Radica or me.

What's happening right now?! How am I supposed to...

See, Radica! He doesn't know who to pick. That means I still have a chance with my prince!

That's definitely not it!

Well I'm not giving up on us just like that! Aldo, my glory and hope, pick me, pleeeeeease!

......

......

Again, what's happening right now?

I was about to ask the same thing. Although... It is because of my prediction. I knew I shouldn't have done a love fortune. You see...

Oh no! Radica, this is bad! There are even worse monster in the area she just ran off into. We have to go rescue her!

I beg you. Just once, listen to what I'm trying to say...

There she is!

Ahaa! My magnificent Aldo! I knew you would come to your senses and pick me!

Forget about all that for now! It's too dangerous here, we have to get back to Ratle!

Hang on, Aldo! I am sensing something ominous coming this way.

Uh-ohhh! What a big, scary monster! Oh whatever am I supposed to dooo? Aldooo, save meee!

Are you crazy?! What are you doing running towards it?!

Let's worry about the why afterwards. I don't need my cards to know what to do here!

Let's do this!

Phew. That thing was tough.

Heheh♪ Oh, Aldo my sunshine, I knew you'd come to save me!

......

See, Radica?

Aldo picked me over you.

......

I guess he did. Aldo chose you, I can feel that you two were destined to be together. This is the start of new love and a new adventure in life. Congratulations. I'm happy for you both.

Eh? What are you saying... I, oh...

......

What's the matter? I would have thought that your heart would to close to bursting with joy, no? You should be happier.

I'm...I'm not.

I'm not happy at all!

Of course you're not. How could you be when you're pretending to love Aldo while there's someone else you really do love?

You knew?

There's only one reason anyone would do anything as stupid as what you just did, desperation.

Wait, what's all this about?

I'm so sorry, Radica. And to you, Aldo.

Just what exactly happened to you?

I've been with my boyfriend for a while now. Everything was going so well. We've said "I love you" countless times now.

But I saw him. I saw him with some different girl getting all frisky and...

Oh, I'm really sorry to hear that.

I was just so confused and angry. Then I saw you two. You both seemed to be getting along so well and I, well... I got jealous.

Really, I'm so sorry. I put you both through all this hassle.

No, it was my fault. I should have been more assertive and said no when you asked for a love fortune. I just made things worse.

But let me give you my advice as a fortune teller.

A fortune is nothing more than road sign. In the end, it is up to you to decide with road to take.

No matter how desperate you become, nothing good will come from believing a reading so ardently.

I just went into a craze, I lost sight of myself and everything around me. Come to think about it, that happens a lot. Maybe that's why he would cheat on me?

You must not think like that. The person who cheats is always in the wrong. You need to give him a short-ear-full.

Is...is that really your advice as a fortune teller?

Nope, it is my advice as a woman.

Well, now we know what the problem is, let's head back to Ratle. We'll take you there.

Hm!

Is that him?

Yeah. I knew he was seeing someone else...

But I'm not letting it get me down! Here I go, time to give him a piece of my mind!

Hey... Darling, I...

What? Oh no!

Looks like you really wanted to hide her from me, huh? Just who is your little friend anyway?

Darn, I honestly didn't want you to find out like this. But fine, I'll come clean.

I have been meeting with my sister in secret to help me get you a surprise present!

I knew it! I, wait, what now? A present?

Wait, this is your sister?

Yeah. I was hoping to surprise you at our wedding.

Nice to meet you. I guess I'm your sister-in-law? I wanted to make sure that you would have the best day ever so have been helping out my brother.

Oh, umm... Whoops, sorry. I guess I kinda ruined the surprise, huh?

Wait a second! Wedding?! Darling, are...are you going to propose?!

Ahh! I can't believe I let that slip! Me and my big mouth.

I can't believe it...

Radica, it was just like you said! Your advice really worked!

All I did was yell at him a bit and now we're getting married!

I'm just so happy. I think this time I really will explode! I knew it, you're the best fortune teller there is!

Uh, thanks.

I just know my life from now on is going to be all rainbows and sunshine!

Wow, that was quite something.

Yeah. I don't know how to explain it, but I sensed a strong aura from her.

I'm just glad she found out her boyfriend, or should I say fiancée, wasn't cheating on her.

But, in your reading you said something about finding a new love, in the end that never happened.

Ah, does that mean you are finally going to listen to what I have to say? You see with my fortune telling power...

There are phenomenon that it can predict accurately and others that cannot be predicted at all.

What?! Really?

I can auspicate death and destruction down to the very last detail. It is terrifyingly uncanny even for me.

Yet, when it comes to life and prosperity, I almost always fail to give an accurate reading. Especially with love fortunes.

So it's kinda my fault for not listening to you and telling that girl to get her love fortune read by you...

It was not always like this. When I was a normal elf, it was the other way round. I could practically do love fortunes in my sleep.

Really? That's pretty strange.

Although, if what I am trying to predict doesn't relate to either of those phenomenon, I would say I usually get it right.

I never realized it was like that. I had always just thought that you could perfectly predict everything.

Perfectly? Heh, I my predictions are far from that. I didn't read your fortune successfully after all, did I? "It will begin with luck ever so slightly turning your way and through your everyday life, happiness will find its way to you."

Um...

No, your reading was right.

What now?! What part of that mess you just got caught up in constitutes as "finding happiness" exactly?

That? That was about as everyday as it gets for me. And that girl found happiness in the end, didn't she? Everything happened exactly as you predicted. Through my everyday life, happiness found its way, to someone.

I knew it all along, Radica. Your predictions are more or less perfect.

I'm gonna be relying on your skills from here on out too!

Oh, umm... Feels good to be relied on, thanks, Aldo.

Well, let's head off. I'm pretty hungry after all that.

Undine, in the upright position...

What am I even doing? I know it won't come to fruition.