'Divination'

And so, just like that—

And your cards naturally fall like water from one hand—

Into the other.

Wow!

Do you know how?

I still don't!!

Do it again, Gitano!

*clears throat* Now, watch carefully.

Okay—

Wow!

Do you understand now?

Nooope—

Really?

Regrettably, however, that's the end of today's cardistry lesson.

Awww—

How about one more time?

Then the person teaching here in a short while will be quite angry with me.

You wouldn't want to see me get castigated, would you?

Just one more, one little bit more? It'll be okay, right?

Rules are very important. You cannot let your desires lead you to willingly abandon them.

Hmm—

Such as it is, I'll give you all some homework.

If anyone can show us the fruits of their practice by next week's lesson...

Then—

You may draw one reward from the teacher's Treasure Chest.

The Treasure Chest?

Really?!

Really and truly. Just two days ago, your teacher even added something quite fun to it.

As long as you can summon the courage to give us all a display, everyone will get a share.

Yay!

Alright, class dismissed. Don't forget, keep your cards and toys safe with you.

We'll meet next week.

Bye, Miss!

Phew...

Phewie and a half. Breathe easy, miss. Lessons still runnin' slick?

You might get the impression they're lessons, but it's really just entertaining the children.

You have the greater burden.

It takes quite a lot of brainpower and effort, teaching children the rules of arithmetic.

Ain't no nightmare, really. Play numbers long 'nuff 'n they get it.

'n what I teach ain't no mathematics. Umm, what was that name I picked it?

'Business Fanatics Class?' Somethin' like that.

Aw, shucks, I'm just the same as you. Three cheers fer fun 'n none fer learnin'.

And that's quite good.

After all, it's a very cruel thing, doing business.

You get me, ma'am.

Though it was never originally intended as such, divination is also fundamentally a sort of business.

So it goes.

I'll let you set up the classroom in peace, then. Farewell.

Hrmmm—

Hm?

Oh, right!

Gitano, one second, please!

Do you need anything?

It's like this, see. Doctor seems fixin' ta head out far with Gavial, makin' fer a corner of Sargon.

Mm-hm.

And me, I'm gettin' ready to visit with, see if I can't do a li'l dealin' while I'm there.

Yes, I follow.

So I thought, uh. Y'see, uh. If you could juuuuust do me a li'l favor, gimme a tellin'?

You ought to know—

I know there is, yep, just, urm, how do I break this—

Spent all my money on gettin' stock in, ha, and now I ain't got a red cent on me.

*Sigh*.

I won't take any money as compensation.

Ya serious? That's mighty fine!

But I will need you to promise something.

You must promise me this—

You will not sell anything to the children during class.

?!

Not even if it's 'just snacks.'

Uh, haha.

Aw, heck, what makes you think I'd do somethin' like that?

Class might be a circus, but I still teach 'em proper.

You might, you might not. Neither has any bearing on me.

I simply need your promise, and that will be my price.

'n if I go back on it?

Who knows?

Hm...

What do you think?

Sold!

I have accepted your payment.

No need fer a... contract or somesuch?

Hmm?

Our agreement is built upon our trust in each other. We need no contract.

Huh.

In that case, let us begin.

Considering class is about to start, we'll employ a more simple divination method.

(Pulls out tarot deck)

Whoa, that's... some crafts, ain't it!

Feels like every card in there'd fetch big money.

......

Way you spread out 'n spin' 'em on the table, is that shufflin'?

Yes. Please wait a moment.

Could just shuffle 'em fancy in one shot, like you were teachin'.

Some diviners will do it like that, true.

But it's too harmful to the cards.

Just like the voyager pushing stubbornly through a blizzard: no matter how healthy, or how warm the clothes, their warmth is pulled away trace by trace in the end.

The moment warmth is lost, all remedy will be of avail no more.

Ahaha...

Just a comparison Sami tend to use fairly often. I imagine you comprehend it.

Yup, yup, I getcha.

......

All ready now?

Mm. They're ready. They should be able to shine a light for you on some of your conundrums.

Gather them together, cut them once, and starting from where you've cut them, lay down three cards.

Remember, do not turn them over yet.

So ya don't actually do a darn thing, Gitano?

I'm merely your guide in understanding. Shouldn't you uncover your own fate?

Or, perhaps, you're easily willing to lay your fate in others' hands?

Alrght, I get it now. Lemme at 'em!

Stack 'em up... cut... lay three cards face down in front.

That oughta be good, right?

Your movements are very direct. It seems you are not adrift.

Darn tootin'.

Well, then. Please.

Turn a card however you wish.

Ya been so dead serious all this time. Got some pressure on me.

There's nothing to be scared of. Come.

Reveal your first card.

(Flips card)

The Knight of Cups, Reversed.

Ya gotta fill me in. Does forward or backward matter anythin'?

To put it simply, reversed cards symbolize that you are currently hindered by something.

Huh?!

Relax. These hindrances are not necessarily bad in meaning.

They simply mean that right now, you are unable to successfully proceed.

Breakthrough, and success, perhaps aren't too far away.

Gotcha.

Let me look carefully.

Have you run into any problems doing business?

Uh, suppose I have.

That's how it goes more or less every month. Sometimes I blunder decidin', 'n then I don't earn nothin.' Pain in my keister.

You've probably seen an opportunity, but failed to grasp it.

That's the story of anyone doin' business any day of the week.

So this time, you've prepared to stake it all?

I trust my intuition. Headin' to Gavial's ol' place is gonna pay off big!

I see.

By my understanding, Rhodes Island's procurement services have always been short of hands. As long as you're willing to help them with some work, money won't be a problem, and most risk will be shouldered by Rhodes Island instead.

Why choose to go it alone?

That, huh.

Used to workin' by myself.

It seems your decisions are not wholly profit-seeking.

Ain't as grand as ya put it, neither. Just seein' the world fer myself, makin' some money on the side to patch up expenses.

Always gotta spend money fer the good stuff, after all.

I understand.

So this, uh, this here card, basically, it ain't no good sign.

Coming events will not be smooth.

So can I just—Gitano—ya gotta teach me!

Don't rush. This is merely a beginning.

Come. Reveal your second card.

D'awwwgh, alright...

(Shakes as she flips a card)

The Ace of Wands, Upright.

Wh... what's this one mean...?

You have seized an opportunity, and are about to receive an advantage in life from it.

Though there may be great danger, you have issued your challenge to life with full conviction.

Sounds like a good thing.

When I divined for myself, I once came to this one too.

Whoa—y'all can even do divination fer yerselves?

When a flash of miraculous light strikes, diviners are utterly capable of peering into their own paths.

'n here I thought diviners only took money 'n did stuff fer other folk.

Ultimately, currency cannot settle all questions.

Moreover, there are some paths outsiders have no recourse to interfere in. Only by conversing with themselves, feeling through things, pursuing, can they grasp a chance at a clue.

Gets pretty darn complicated, then.

It's just like how you choose to conduct business by yourself, Croissant. All your decisions, any of your choices, they're all crystallizations of your years of business experience, aren't they?

Others can only give suggestions. The power to decide lies eternally in your own hand—just as it does now.

Even if all three cards portended the worst outcome, would you really change your decisions?

Money's spent...

So you've only come seeking a comfort of sorts, hoping I might give you reassuring results.

Ah—no need to answer me. Many are like that. I understand it very well.

All of us will tend to hope for something unrealistic in uncertain times, something that'll resolve it all.

Unfortunately, I'm not what you've all been hoping for.

All I can do is peer shallow into the road ahead, and offer all the help I can.

You've paid my terms, and so I have a responsibility to spare no effort for you.

Only this, and nothing more.

Gitano...

Let us continue.

Al... Alrighty.

You will have an adventure, but it seems your journey won't be serene.

As for the outcome, we may look to the last card to show our answer.

I can't say whether there'll even be a single note of LMD at the end.

It just keeps gettin' more dangerous...

I only bring up a poorer kind of possibility.

Returning with overflowing riches is not out of possibility's realm, either.

Gosh, could ya imagine?

I'll be visiting Perfumer's sometime for a complete course of aromatic sleep therapy, then.

I'll leave the bill to you.

I make some cash 'n I'll cover ya!

Hm-hmm. It's a done deal.

Now, then, let us explore your destination in this journey.

Your final card, please.

(Flips tarot card with a swish)

The Moons, Upright.

So it's upright. 'kay, good start.

This is... certainly hard to say.

Have... you ever looked into Gavial's hometown situation before?

I've surveyed Sargon markets before. This stuff'll sell like hotcakes!

If so, that'll be the best outcome.

(Is there any possibility it won't be an ordinary Sargon market, I wonder...)

(The Moons upright...)

Your journey will not be serene. The fore cards tell of that much.

Be wary of deception, and wary of being cheated.

In my view, if possible, do proceed cautiously.

Do you like the moons?

Like? Can't say I do fer sure? But when I'm moody out on the deck 'n look up 'n see the moons, that makes me feel alright some.

And the moonshadow?

Umm. Do folk specifically go lookin' fer the shadow?

Under the radiance of the moon, things often come to be ignored.

The things this card shows are also as such.

There is always that which is hidden by radiance, painstakingly concealed.

Whether it is fortune or sorrow requires your own careful consideration.

Noted. I'll be watchin' out.

And this should be what these cards have shown.

What these three cards together make known to you.

Croissant, your future will not be relaxed.

At the least, accompanying the Doctor on this journey out, there will be many hindrances.

Do you have any such feeling of your own? For example, a vague unease or confusion in your heart.

Kinda a li'l bit...

But push past, 'n I should be able to get over it.

Do the, uh, cards say I'm gonna lose my investment?

Not at all. Besides, the tarot never speaks in certainties of futures.

So, still a chance I'm saved.

If I can't hold out, I oughta last 'nother couple days knockin' on my savin's jar.

Here's hoping.

As for divining, things would wrap up here.

Is there anything else you need me for?

Hmm...

Gitano, you pull a card too!

Oh?

Didn'tcha just say diviners can divine themselves too?

I wanna see how yer luck is.

But that requires me to prepare—

C'mon, lessee.

The tarot is not—

Aw, potayto potahto, c'mon. Draw.

(Draws a card 'for' Gitano.)

!

Come on. Flip it.

Wait. Let me prepare a moment.

——

Phew.

(Flips tarot card)

Ten of Cups... Reversed...

This mean somethin' bad?

......

Then lemme just turn it round—

Stay your hand and do not touch the card!

Oh, alright...

......

Sorry, Gitano.

No.

?

That's not it.

The card's position is in relation to the revealer.

So this card.

Is Upright.

Hmm?

Ohh...

Right! Yer sittin' opposite me!!

So this card mean somethin' good, then?

In regards to my occupation and personal relations, it's not bad at all.

Then—

(Grabs Gitano's hand and rubs it a few times)

Eh?

Lemme borrow a li'l bit of yer good luck, a'ight? This way I can pay ya back.

If you so insist...

As you wish, then...

Hoooo boy, yer gonna let me pay you back sure as sweeeeeet heck.

Ah!

What's wrong?

I just thoughta somethin'!

If I'm borrowin' yer good luck, don't that mean the whole divination we just did don't count fer nothin' now?

Who knows?

So there ain't no rule like that, huh.

If you want another divination, you will have to make a payment to me again.

Uh, yup. Pass, then.

Hmm...

Lemme rub a few more times. That oughta be free, right?

Hm-hmm~

I'll give you a discount on this one. Free it is.

Aw, thanks!

Hi, Croissant!!

It's nice to meet you too, Gitano!

Oooh.

Good day, all.

Well, then. I'll be leaving now.

I pray the LMD you earn will be enough to cram Rhodes Island full.

You got it.

Next time ya got stuff to buy, remember, you find me. I'll give ya some deep discounts!

Fate is a thing of constant change. We'll talk details when the time is right.

(Waves and leaves)

(I hope my fortune can truly be of help to you, Croissant.)