Laile still can't wrap up his head upon the new land he had seen, it has been a day since and the impact it left in his mind haven’t faded away a single bit.

And now even most trees around them had pink petals and the pinkish smoke before is now visible as it clusters above the forest. There were still some greens but it has become evident that they are now inside the territory of the Mystical Cloud Forest.

Mesmerizing yet mysterious and unknown. Words can’t describe how excited he is to explore this uncharted land. Although his grandfather said that it was a dangerous land that he should never set foot on, this wouldn’t stop him from going.

(Grandpa also once said that the Ursula Mountain Range was dangerous, but it turns out that it was not.)

He thought to himself whilst leaning with eyes close getting himself comfortable. The cool breeze was still passing through them while they take the road.

Suddenly, a strange scent passed through Laile’s nose. Smelling the scent, he quickly opened his eyes, got up to his feet then took several more sniff to confirm what he had smelled.

A very peculiar and familiar smell for him.

[Blood…]

With his remark came the gazes of both Rei and Gen.

[Where?]

Asked Gen with a grim look. This grandson of his has a smell so sensitive that he can even smell the stinking smell of a corpse even from 1 ½ pil (300 meters) away. There are many cases of which something similar has happened so he trusts what his grandson had said.

[Up ahead.]

[HIYAAAA!]

Gen urged the horse to run faster, Rei stood up from his lying position to get ready. In no time they arrived at the scene and what greeted them was huge wolf like demon beast and 5 men.

Close to the 5 men is a lady with an injured man in his arms near the carriage.

The large wolf was growling and baring it’s fangs towards the men at the carriage. It treated them nothing more than a prey ready to be eaten.

It readied itself to pounce on the remaining humans in front of it.

***

Mandal province under the jurisdiction of Baron Elbar.

In the outskirts of the Toban city.

[Ugnnn.]

The man got up his bed.

A man in his early thirties, with a burly body, short spiky beard, brown eyes and hair.

*Krrrrrrrr*

Creaking sound of the old and worn-out door, the cold surroundings, and the slowly rising sun was what greeted Jayson first in the morning as he yawned and stretched his body.

Jason’s morning was good and he was feeling giddy because of the words of the supposedly fortune teller that the town has been talking about.

Although he doesn’t know if the words of the old woman he met yesterday was true, many people that had their fortune told benefited greatly from it. And her words was strikingly accurate to what had happened to the other people that came to have their fortune told.

Even his close friend Arnold had his fortune told and after just a few days, his fortune told by the old lady came true!

Arnold told him what happened, he was also the one that recommended him to also get his fortune told.

Jayson was still reluctant at first but after hearing Arnold’s experience he finally gave in.

He was just going to try it and see if it really is true. He had nothing to lose anyway and the biggest thing is that it’s totally free!

Not a single khan will be used in the transaction so he might as well do it.

And perhaps he might even have a good fortune.

…

He glanced at the establishment in front of him.

[Is this really where that old fortune teller lives?]

He asked Arnold with a confused look.

The building was extremely worn-out that even if he lightly pushes it, the building would immediately collapse in no time.

[Yeah, don’t worry about it. It just looks like run-down but the interior is completely different from the outside.]

[Alright.]

Although he said that, he still didn’t fully trust the word of his friend.

Arnold opened the door and entered, Jayson quickly followed from behind him.

*Cling clang*

Bells rang out as soon as they entered the room and to Jayson’s surprised, it is indeed different from the outside!

Here, although it’s slightly dark, and the only source of light was the stones hanging up from above that dimly lit the room, it was still clear that the room was clean and neat.

Even though the room was compact and small compared to a normal house, it was still capable of housing a few people.

What Jayson saw inside were things that he never saw in his whole life.

(These are probably the possessions of that fortune teller.)

Jayson taught inwardly.

There were a lot of artifacts displayed on the walls.

He doesn’t know what these are and what do they do. But that’s none of his problem and he knows that he shouldn’t pry anymore about it.

[Are you also here to get your fortune divinated?]

Jayson turned to look at the source of the voice.

With wide eyes he stared at what’s in front of him.

Seated on a chair and with his feet on top of the table was a voluptuous figure of a woman.

A beautiful woman wearing revealing clothes. Her right hand placed under her stomach. Pushing upwards putting more emphasis in her chest and her left hand with a smoking pipe pinched between her index and middle finger.

The soft yet sexy voice that he heard earlier most likely came from this woman.

Although half of her face was covered by hat with similarities of that with a witch hat, it still showed a beautiful smile that could capture hearts of both young and old.

But Jason wasn’t interested in any of these. All he had in his head was confusion and a rollercoaster of emotions.

Isn’t there supposed to be an old woman here? Why is the only person here a woman that looks like she’s in her mid twenties?

(He never told me anything about this!)

He turned to his side where Arnold was to asked about what’s happening.

But to his horror, there was no man besides him. He looked around left and right, but there was no one besides him and this unknown woman.

His companion that came together with him vanished like a bubble bursting in the air.

This sent shivers to his spine. He began profusely sweating.

He never expected such thing to happen.

He was only here to get his fortune told but here he is, alone with an unknown woman.

[Where’s the old fortune teller?]

1: {He’s referring to the old woman that’s a fortune teller and not old/previous.}

He mustered the last bit of strength inside his body. He’s extremely nervous and terrified.

Sweat trickled down from his forehead and his back drenched with it. His legs were quivering already and on the verge of giving up.

But there was no reply that came from the woman. Silence permeated in the entire room.

[Are you here to get your fortune told?]

Disregarding the question posed by Jason, the woman continued with her previous question.

To this, there was nothing he could do but answer the question.

[Y-Yes.]

The trembling in his voice was apparent. He’s still confused about what’s going on.

[Sit.]

The woman exclaimed pointing out to the chair close to the table.

Jayson decided to sit on the chair opposite to the woman for fear that she might try to do something to him.

The best choice he had was to follow the woman’s command.

The unknown woman placed her pipe down on the table and reached under, with her left hand was a deck of cards and with her right was a crystal ball the size of a human head.

The cards in her hands are like any other, two faces with a back and a front.

The only difference being the faces of the cards are embedded with strange figures and drawings, the back of it devoid of any fancy colors and designs like the one’s he saw in those noble stores.

All it possessed is the color black, darkness that would seem to consume him.

A deep abyss with nothingness inside it.

The woman placed the crystal ball on the center of the table. A purple pillow sat under the ball cushioning it’s weight.

If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.

[I’m going to need a strand of your hair.]

She snapped her fingers.

Then Jason felt a slight sting in his head as a small strand of hair floated slowly towards the hands of the woman.

She placed the strand atop the crystal ball.

The strand of hair was like a puddle of oil in front of a lit match, set ablaze with a slight contact on the crystal ball.

It all happened so fast that it seemed like a mini explosion had occurred inside the room.

A few second after it, the crystal ball began to emit a faint reddish light. Although dim, it’s still noticeable from the naked eye.

Jason was shocked silly, staring blankly at the glowing crystal ball thinking just what kind of mysticism this woman was performing.

From separating Arnold from him, being able to control a strand of his hair with just a snap, and even the glowing ball in front of him.

From the very moment they stepped inside the building, the reality he’s perceiving began to break down!

Everything happened in quick succession, bit by bit in a short amount of time. His brain can’t handle such influx of information.

Now, not only his back but every pores in his body are releasing sweat drenching his clothes.

Gripping tight on his trembling knees, not knowing what to do, he looked over to the woman. The look of despair on his face made the woman smile ecstatically.

The unknown woman’s delicate hand moved and grabbed the cards, the silvery jade hands shuffled the cards slowly.

[I’ll be starting.]

With her remark, she began laying the cards on top of the table faced downwards.

It was slow, even slower than the shuffle she did previously.

It was so slow that inside Jason’s mind, his consciousness fell inside the black void at the back of the card.

Time flowed very fast for him that by the time the first card was put down a year had already passed inside his consciousness.

Through this whole year his consciousness had done nothing inside that void but lay quietly, unmoving throughout all that time.

But even if a year had passed nothing changed for him. Be it his appearance and demeanor, but that cannot be said to his future.

Something definitely changed and only time can tell what it was.

This has gone on until the hands of the woman stopped.

Five cards lay on the table facing down, and through all of this, Jason’s consciousness experienced a whole five years inside the void!

Five years of nothingness.

Another smile slowly crept up the unknown woman’s face.

Throughout everything that happened never did her face fully show.

Jason just sat down quietly, his relaxed body slumped down, saliva trickling down his mouth, and a pair of soulless eyes devoid of any will.

The silvery jade hands of the woman started to move yet again, she reached unto the last card, the fifth card she had put down.

“Shuaaa”

She flipped the card.

Bags and bags piled up against each other revealing gold coins, the insides was shimmering with a golden shine, creating what seems to be a treasure trove.

With indifferent gaze, she proceeded to reached for not the fourth card which is next to the previous card, but the first one!

Fangs covered in blood that seems to come alive, exuding extreme bloodlust that threatens to kill those who approach it.

In the background of the image was dark ominous cloud looming above a lake of blood and corpses that stretches out of the horizon.

Now both ends of the laid down cards are flipped.

What remains now are the three in the middle.

Her hands picked the fourth one, switching side to side left and right of what lied down on the table.

The fourth card.

Two figures, one with his knees on the ground holding his wounded shoulder trying to stop the bleeding, and one standing firmly on the ground holding his hands towards the kneeling figure offering his help.

The second card.

A back of a silhouette with it’s hands in his back holding a dagger painted in red firmly.

And now only the third card remains, the last of the cards laying on the table.

The last card was flipped!

It revealed a small green goblin holding a huge bag of gold coins at it’s back, running away from a collapsing building.

No one knows what this bunch of card means. Only the unknown woman who claims to be a fortune teller knows.

Her lips formed a slight smirk seeing the cards all flipped up.

[Pick a card.]

She whispered softly.

Her hands moved grabbing the previous deck and spreading it on the table.

Jason, who is in a trance since long ago slightly trembled before his hands moved.

Still wearing the soulless gaze in his eyes, he picked the one near the end of the spread deck.

After picking up the card, his body slightly trembled yet again before reverting back to his previous position.

Slumped body and eyes devoid of any will.

The woman looked at the picked card, then she laid it on the table before cleaning up the spread deck.

She set the deck of cards aside the top of the table.

Her hands slowly approaching the card. But now Jason’s consciousness wasn’t affected, he’s not going to spend yet another year in that place of nothingness.

*Shuaaa*

Two cliffs sat right beside each other, and connecting this two was a wooden rope bridge.

A silhouette similar to the figure of Jason stood in one of the cliffs seemingly deciding on whether to cross the bridge or not.

After a few moments the silhouette actually started moving!

This card was definitely different from those still-figured cards from before.

Although the cards from before appeared to be alive, they were unmoving, just giving off a strange vibe that they were somehow alive and breathing.

But the card Jason picked was definitely different.

Even though it doesn’t exudes the vibe and aura that it’s alive, it was a moving animated image.

The silhouette that was similar to the figure of Jason was definitely alive!

Of course with the condition Jason was in, he was not able to witness just what was going on.

But if he were to witness this, he’d be shook to the point of fainting.

He would be really glad that he is unconscious right now.

A few moments afterwards.

The silhouette slowly traversed across the bridge closing the gap in between him and the end of it.

He reached the middle of the bridge when the bridge suddenly caught fire in both ends for no apparent reason.

The silhouettes started panicking as the fire closed to him.

There were no escape routes for it. Both ends are on fire making it difficult for him to go back or run up to the other end.

Below the cliffs are spikey stones varying in sizes, definitely not the best choice for the current situation.

The silhouette looked left and right to find anything that can help him get out of its predicament when…

*Snap*

Both ends of the rope snapped simultaneously due to the fire eating the bridge.

The silhouette looked helpless in such a situation.

It slowly fell along the bridge then…

*Splat*

With it’s head pierced by one of the giant spikes it splattered through the nearest rocks.

What remained was a headless and lifeless silhouette slowly being swept up by the shallow stream.

The woman was silent for a brief moment before she snapped her fingers.

The figures from the cards slowly turned hazy and after a short time all faces turned white devoid of anything.

What was left are six white cards.

Clean white on the front and dark black on the back.

After the disappearance of the figures, the crystal ball acted up.

Creating a dim light at first that slowly grew stronger as the second passed by.

A whole minute has passed by and the crystal ball glowed like the full moon in the night giving light to those who are astray.

The woman place her left hand on top of the crystal ball.

After that, the glowing of the ball started to dim down like the a candle slowly burning it’s life down.

More time passed and the light finally died down. Retreating her hands back, the woman opened her mouth and let out a heavy breathe after a job well done.

She faced towards Jason, who, right now looked like a corpse.

And once again she snapped.

With the final snap, Jason’s figure disappeared along the deck of cards and the crystal ball on top of the table leaving just her inside the quiet room.

She sighed briefly before speaking.

She lifted her head revealing what the hat covered previously.

Eyelids that melded with one another. The woman was truly beautiful, the only peculiar thing was that her eyelids are melded shut together making her blind.

It was a interesting yet uneventful encounter for her.

[Just when will I meet you.]

[Fated one.]

Her voice echoed slightly inside the room.

She picked up the smoking pipe again. Took a few puffs then exhaled deeply.

…..

[Hmmm?]

Opening his eyes, Jason’s sight came upon the dilapidated building that Arnold told him to be the fortune teller’s residence.

[Arghhhhh.]

Holding his head, he felt a sting and dizziness came over his mind.

[Are you fine?]

Arnold who was beside him asked when he suddenly saw Jason crouch down while holding his head.

[Does it looks like I’m fine to you?]

Jason asked with annoyance in his tone.

[Haiiiz.]

He can’t help but shake his head and just sigh.

He’s just concerned about him yet look how he acts. He truly doesn’t know sometimes if he’s really friends with this man.

[Fine, let me help you.]

Arnold held Jason’s arm over his shoulder, supporting him while they’re walking back to Jason’s house.

[Finally!]

The two of them made it.

Arnold was panting heavily. It was hell trying to bring Jason back his house.

Arnold pushed opened as the door creaked in high pitch creating a highly annoying sound.

Arnold’s face scrunched up hearing that sound.

He looked at Jason who’s already knocked-cold, eyes closed and slumped body.

Arnold hurried over to the bed.

Carefully, he placed Jason on the bed.

[Huuuuuuuu!]

[He’s really heavy.]

With a body almost the size of bear, how could he not be out of breath carrying the unconscious Jason across a few street.

He’s just left confused as to why did he suddenly experience a head ache and passed out just after leaving the fortune teller’s house.

Arnold took a few look at Jason squinting his eyes before he checked if there are any food in the kitchen.

Confirming that there are indeed food in the kitchen, Arnold decided to leave.

He thought that Jason would only need to rest for today and that he should be good once tomorrow comes.

Arnold finally left after checking Jason’s condition again just for sure.

And his guess indeed came true. Jason recovered after a day of rest.

[Ngggggn.]

Jason groaned, his body felt refreshed. He never felt like this before. A good sleep really does wonders in the body.

Although he felt a little light headed for some reason, it didn’t bother him that much as what occupied his mind was what the old fortune teller told him yesterday.

[An opportunity will come at your doorstep.]

[Get ahold of this opportunity and you’ll acquire fortune. Miss it, and you’ll continue living the same life everyday until you perish alongside the dirt.]

The old hoarse voice of the fortune teller still rang inside his mind till this very moment.

Just thinking about it is making him nervously excited.

[JASON!]

A loud shout shook him outside his thoughts. A chubby woman quickly approach him from the side.

[Hmmm?]

He turned his head to his left following where the overly loud voice came from.

A chubby woman wearing the same cheap commoner clothes as him. A handkerchief tied to his head acting like a headband preventing the hair to get caught up when she is working.

[Lindsey?]

His neighbor who lives just next-door and also a close friend of his.

[Jason, I got news for you.]

Lindsey said with an excited look.

[News for me?]

Jason asked with a confused looked.

[You’ve been looking for a job haven’t you?]

[Here.]

Lindsey handed a piece of rectangular wood. Jason looked down and saw carvings engraved in the wood.

Jason looked even more confused now.

[You know that I can’t read right.]

[Let me fill you up on what’s said in there.]

Lindsey cleared his throat up before beginning to explain.

[The carvings said that someone needed workers that can load and unload their cargos to the Capital.]

[And you happen to fit the description said so I came right up to inform you.]

[And what’s more? They will pay you 34 shillings!]

*Badump*

(Holy lights above! Is this what the fortune teller meant by having an opportunity?)

He could tell that what the fortune teller told him was true.

If he truly grasp this opportunity in front of him it could change his life!

34 shillings!

That’s almost a year of his earnings!

The currency inside the kingdom goes like this:

1,000 Khan = 1 Diem

1,000 Diem = 1 Shilling

10,000 Shilling = 1 Silver coin

100 Silver coin = 1 Gold coin

100 Gold coin = 1 Platinum coin

100 platinum = 1 Holy crystal

To put in perspective, an average commoner like Jason spends at least 742 Khan for daily necessities. That would include his 2 meals per day on Rulaq and Gulaq, and equipment maintenance for farming. That would total to almost 340,000 Khan or 34 Shillings, excluding the annual tax and protection fee from the city lord.

This is too generous of a reward for a common person like him.

So there must be a catch right?

But due to the words of the fortune teller and the large amount of pay, he didn’t even think twice.

Jason was already rejoicing on top of his head not knowing what lies ahead of him.

[Take this wood and hurry to the 12th street on the 7th block, you’ll see a huge establishment, just show this to the guards and they’ll let you enter.]

Lindsey urged him to rush cause’ she’s sure that there are many people that would want this job for it’s enormous payment.

[Thank you. Thank you.]

A smile was etch unto his face right.

[Don’t thank me, just give me a cut from the money you’ll receive.]

[Hahaha. Of course!]

Jason hurriedly took off to the said building.

Showing the wooden block in his hands to the guards they allowed him to enter without a hitch.

[Follow me.]

Said the guard leading him inside the building.

He entered alongside the guard following close behind him.

They walked down the large hallway and came upon the door.

Opening the door, Jason was slightly shocked.

He expected a slightly old and chubby man, but what he saw was a different contrast to his expectations.

A beautiful young lady was seated in a round table talking to what seemed to be his butler also seated opposite to her.

Yellow hair with blue eyes, fine facial features, a petite body wearing an exquisite yet simple designed clothes.

Jason shook his head.

These aren’t thoughts he should be thinking. He should just focus on getting this job.

[My lady.]

The guard bowed his head and handed the poster to the beautiful lady.

Seeing the poster the old butler looked at the young man who came with the guard.

He can’t help but he astonished!

Such a big man with brawns.

This is probably the biggest man he had seen from those who came to apply here.

[My lady I’ll handle this.]

The old butler stood up and bowed to the young lady.

He looked at the young man with bright eyes.

The young lady nodded in response.

[Come.]

The old butler said to Jason.

The three left the room and left the young lady looking through a pile of papers.

[Does this mean I’m accepted?]

Jason asked in glee with bright eyes and a wide smile.

[Of course you are.]

How can they not accept him?

Strong men like him with a huge build are rare.

It’s definitely a bargain for them accepting him.

They recruited people from here because it’s cheap! Have they tried to recruit workers inside the capital the pay would be two times of what they have offered to workers here.

Of course recruiting workers here came with a risk, but it would be much more better if they can save more money considering their situation.

[Follow me. I’ll show you the cargos.]

[Yes]

Said Jason with a gleeful expression.

He didn’t expect that he would be accepted so quickly.

There was even no interview!

Jason’s eyes shine with a bright glimmer.

He’s thanking the fortune teller inside his head right now.