As they chatted, Carl’s attention was drawn to a large tent with a sign that read "Fortune Teller."

“Yo, Az.” He nudged Azrael. “Look at that.”

Azrael glanced at him before following his gaze.

“For… tune… teller?” he read aloud, slightly puzzled.

“Want to try?” Carl asked, his excitement obvious.

Leaving behind the elderly woman selling apples, the three headed toward the tent.

“A-Aren’t you buying apples?” the woman called out, sighing as they walked away.

Stepping inside, they were met with dim lighting and the soft clinking of seashells hanging from the ceiling. Other trinkets and decorations dangled around them, casting eerie shadows on the tent’s dark fabric.

“Whoa…” Carl murmured, clearly impressed.

Even Hafa found himself admiring the intricate decor. As he turned his head, his gaze landed on a lone figure seated at the far end of the tent.

Draped entirely in black, from head to toe, the person’s features were completely hidden.

“Welcome,” a voice greeted them.

“Oh?” Carl and Azrael reacted in unison, having been too distracted by the decorations to notice the figure before.

“Oh! Good day! I’m—”

Before he could finish, the fortune teller interrupted.

“Carl, Azrael, and Hafa… is that right?”

All three froze. Not once had they mentioned their names since stepping inside. The only possibility was if this person had overheard their conversation outside… but that had only been about apples extending one’s life.

The voice sounded distinctly feminine, leading them to assume she was a woman. Yet, her fully concealed appearance made it difficult to tell for sure.

“H-How do you know our—”

Once again, she cut Carl off.

“Isn’t it obvious? I’m a fortune teller. I knew you were coming.”

Their shock quickly turned into fascination. As they tried to process everything, she wasted no time in beginning her reading.

“Hafa.” Her covered face tilted slightly toward him. “You have a very bright future ahead.”

A spark of hope lit up his eyes. If she could truly see the future, then maybe… just maybe, she could tell him what happened to his missing friends.

“Um… Miss Fortune Teller.” His voice wavered, but determination burned in his eyes.

“Hm?”

“C-Can you tell me what happened to my friends?”

She hummed in thought, then placed a hand over the crystal ball before her. The trio leaned in, eyes fixed on the glass sphere, expecting… something.

Nothing happened.

Not a single flicker of light, not even the faintest swirl of energy. After a few seconds, they turned their attention back to her.

“Hm… I can’t say,” she finally admitted.

“What?!” Carl burst out.

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“And I can’t tell you why, either.”

“That’s even worse!” He threw up his hands in frustration.

“Calm down,” Azrael interjected. “She must have a reason.”

“But—”

A single motion silenced them all. She lifted a hand and gestured... two fingers.

Carl blinked. “Oh, money?”

The woman remained still, her meaning clear.

“Two silvers…” He reached for his wallet and handed over the coins. “There. Now talk.”

The moment she took them, she leaned closer.

“This… is strange.”

Carl tensed. “Strange how?”

“I can’t see anything.”

“What?!” He practically exploded. “I gave you two silver coins, and you’re telling me you saw nothing?! You’re a scammer, aren’t you?!”

Hafa and Azrael quickly grabbed his arms, forcing awkward smiles as they tried to de-escalate the situation.

“C-Carl, calm down.”

“How am I supposed to calm down when she didn’t tell me anything useful?! I want my money back!”

"Oh?" The fortune teller's tone shifted, her expression unreadable as she stared at Carl. "Carl."

Hearing his name, the three turned to her, feeling an unspoken tension settle in the air.

She locked eyes with him, dead serious. Even though they can't see her expression.

His brows furrowed. "What now?!"

"You’re… going to die."

Silence.

"Huh?" The three spoke in unison.

She had said it so casually, without even flinching. They couldn’t tell if she was joking or if she truly believed her own words.

Carl let out a dry laugh. "Okay, now you’re just messing with me."

Azrael, however, slammed his hands on the table. "What the hell are you talking about?!"

Carl placed a hand on his shoulder, stopping him. "Relax, Az. Let’s hear her out first."

The fortune teller remained eerily calm. "I’m sorry, but that’s all I saw."

Carl scoffed. "Saw what? There wasn’t even anything in that crystal ball!"

She sighed, closing her eyes for a moment before replying. "It’s up to you whether you believe me or not."

Carl shook his head in frustration. "Come on, Az. Let’s get out of here. This is a waste of time."

Without waiting for a response, he turned and headed for the exit, Hafa following close behind.

Azrael was about to do the same when the fortune teller’s voice stopped him cold.

"You."

The way she said it sent a chill down his spine. He turned back, meeting her gaze.

"Be careful of what you see," she warned. "Don’t let your eyes deceive you."

A knot formed in his stomach. "What do you mean?"

She didn’t hesitate. "You will change… the moment you leave the North Continent."

His expression darkened. "I don’t get it."

The fortune teller said nothing more. The only sound that followed was Carl’s impatient voice calling him from outside.

"Az, hurry up! We’ll be out here all night if we keep wasting time!"

Still unsettled, he glanced one last time at the fortune teller before stepping out of the tent. Carl stood a few steps ahead, scanning the area for their next destination.

Noticing Azrael coming out, he gave a nod. "Come on, let’s find a place to stay before it gets dark."

As they walked through the bustling streets, Azrael’s mind lingered on what he had just heard.

'Change the moment I leave the North Continent…?'

Lost in thought, he finally spoke. "Carl…"

Carl turned to him. "Hmm?"

"What do you think she meant by her predictions?"

Carl groaned, rubbing his temples. "Oh, come on. You’re not actually believing that nonsense, are you? She was obviously just scamming us for money."

Azrael hesitated before muttering, "She said I’d change once I leave the North Continent."

Carl raised a brow. "She really said that?" He crossed his arms, pretending to think. "Hmm… yeah, she’s definitely crazy."

Hafa, who had been silent the entire time, finally spoke. "I don’t know… but I think what she told me was true."

Carl scoffed. "Of course, you’d believe her. She told you something good. Meanwhile, she tells me I’m gonna die. What kind of fortune-telling is that?"

Hafa scratched the back of his head, smiling awkwardly.

Carl let out a dramatic sigh. "Seriously, saying I’m gonna die? Ha! I’m immortal, you kno—" He stopped mid-sentence, eyes widening slightly as if realizing he had just blurted out something strange.

Hafa, however, just laughed. "You’re really funny, Kuya Carl."

Carl forced a laugh, rubbing the back of his head. "Y-Yeah… funny."

Azrael, however, wasn’t laughing. The fortune teller’s words kept echoing in his mind, leaving a lingering unease he couldn’t quite shake.