Chapter 78

“The Chariot, reversed.”

Heidemarie’s pale fingertips moved with elegance as she flipped a card.

It was the one positioned right at the heart of the cross-shaped layout.

On its surface, now oriented upside down, was an illustration of a black and white sphinx pulling a young prince in a chariot.

The prince was young, staring straight ahead with a sharp, disciplined expression, and the chariot he commanded was of luxurious make.

It was a card that radiated raw power.

However, Clemens—who had always dismissed such divinations as “games for women and children”—knitted his brows, unsure of how to react.

“…What does that mean?”

“In the upright position—that is, if the top and bottom were oriented correctly—it’s exactly as it looks. A chariot surging forward with might. The advancement of a situation, decisiveness, strength, speed…”

“However,” Heidemarie murmured, a mysterious smile playing on her lips.

“This time, it’s reversed. Honestly, that girl…”

Clemens had no idea what she was lamenting.

As he stood there with a puzzled look, Liesel—who had been peeking over from the side—cast an interested gaze down at the tarot cards.

“A five-card cross spread. Present, Cause, Future, Solution, and Final Outcome, right?”

“Broadly speaking, yes. But since I shuffled while focusing on wanting to know about her surroundings, the details are slightly different. To be precise: Influence on Surroundings, Essence, Influence from Surroundings, Solution, and Final Outcome. —You certainly know your stuff, don’t you, Envy?”

“Hmph. Divination is just another refinement for a lady. Still… the Chariot reversed, huh?”

The two of them seemed to have reached a complete understanding through that brief exchange, but Clemens remained entirely in the dark.

Sensing his bewilderment, Liesel—who was surprisingly protective of his “junior”—offered to play the role of the explainer.

“Lust is divining how our darling Elma is doing right now. These five cards are symbols of the things surrounding that girl. Which is to say—”

With a beautifully manicured fingertip, he tapped the center card.

“The central card represents the ‘Cause.’ The factor that triggers the environment. The nature of the beginning. The core state of being held by Elma, the subject of this reading.”

Next, he pointed to the cards on the left and right in order.

“The two cards flanking the ‘Cause’ represent the surroundings that influence Elma and are influenced by her. To put it simply, the left side is ‘What Elma gives to her surroundings,’ and the right side is ‘What Elma receives from her surroundings.’”

His finger then moved to the card at the top of the cross.

“Positioned above the ‘Cause’ is the ‘Solution.’ This symbolizes the key that will guide Elma should she encounter difficulties in her current situation. And—”

Finally, his finger cut through the air and lightly flicked the card at the bottom of the cross.

“The last one to be flipped is the ‘Final Outcome.’ It represents the conclusion that Elma and those around her will reach after all these elements are woven together.”

Liesel’s tone was clear and articulate, perhaps a remnant of his past life as a tutor.

Having finished his concise explanation of the card layout known as a “spread,” he returned his finger to the central card, which currently displayed its artwork.

“Now then, Vainglory (Clemens), let’s review. The central card means—”

“The ‘Cause’.”

“Correct. And the meaning of the Chariot in the upright position?”

“Advancement of the situation, decisiveness, and speed.”

“Very good.”

Clemens caught himself, startled by how he had reflexively answered like an obedient student, caught up in Liesel’s teacher-like rhythm.

Liesel, however, merely nodded with a dignified air, as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

“Now, in the case of a reversal, the meaning is inverted. It means that the way of the young prince, who has begun to gain strength and is recklessly surging forward, is acting in a negative direction. In this case, it signifies ‘running wild,’ ‘spinning one’s wheels,’ or ‘tunnel vision’—”

After explaining that much with a sonorous voice, Liesel let out a soft chuckle.

“Honestly, that girl is such a handful. She’s probably running wild, showing off some suspicious skill she was taught by the utterly senseless crowd in this place.”

He was spot on—though in Liesel’s mind, the “utterly senseless crowd” certainly didn’t include himself.

Clemens, the true man of common sense, couldn’t suppress the urge to retort as Liesel sat there shamelessly acting like the only sane one present. He ended up muttering under his breath.

“…You were one of the main culprits behind raising that nonsensical lifeform yourself.”

“Huh?”

The response came back in a voice far more menacing than expected.

Clemens flinched, his shoulders jumping, while Liesel shook his head as if deeply lamenting the situation.

“Honestly, what an impudent old man! Here I am, kindly providing an explanation, and instead of a single word of thanks, he throws a misplaced insult my way.”

With an exaggerated gesture, Liesel spread his arms wide, picked up the Chariot card representing Elma, and rubbed his cheek against it affectionately.

“Ever since that girl left, this place has been nothing but cheeky brats, insensitive men, and impudent old men. Oh, and that vixen. Ah, I wish she’d come back soon—that wonderful girl who, just like me, knows how to properly repay the kindness she receives!”

Liesel prided himself on being Elma’s “moral mentor.”

Repay a kindness twofold, and a grudge fivefold.

That teaching, which he frequently championed, was supposed to have soaked into Elma as her honest policy of action.

“For the record.”

Isaac, who had been crunching on a piece of candy, spoke up in a low voice.

“I was the first one to teach her: ‘If you receive something, return just as much as you got.’ If you accidentally pick up a Holy Beast, turn it into soup. If you encounter the bounty of a Magic Beast’s carcass, make jerky. If you find insects and sap, make candy. The blessings of nature are only delicious when shared and given back to everyone.”

He, too, seemed eager to claim that he had contributed the most to Elma’s upbringing.

Incidentally, having lived in communal military quarters during his days as a legendary warrior, his spirit of reciprocity was actually quite robust in its own way.

However, upon hearing the mention of insect candy, Horst made a gesture as if sticking out his tongue in disgust.

“So that tasteless candy really was Gluttony’s doing? Give me a break; I thought it was some kind of penalty game.”

He had been forced to eat it only because Elma offered it with such a bright smile.

As Horst made a sour face, Heidemarie let out a languid voice from the side.

“Oh? I quite liked it. The unique scent was refreshing, and it felt like it would be quite effective for nourishment and vitality, didn’t it? If anything, I’d like two or three pieces right this second.”

“…Lust, you show some bizarre tastes sometimes. What, are you tired? Should I prescribe some medicine?”

“I trust your skills, but I’ve always hated medicine.”

The fickle and selfish Queen of the Prison brushed off Horst’s rare display of concern and turned her gaze toward Clemens.

“As you can see, my tarot is less of a divination tool and more of a conversation starter—a little prop for us to imagine the outcomes together. After all, stuck in this prison, we have no way of verifying the results anyway.”

She offered a gentle smile to the newcomer, Clemens.

Her kind, indigo eyes, which could dissolve tension in an instant, made her look almost like a saint—provided the setting was different.

“So, Clemens, relax your shoulders. Won’t you look at the next card with us?”

With that, she reached for the card on the left side of the cross—the one representing the ‘Influence on Surroundings’…