This place doesn't seem to have a gender requirement…
That means not only could the two girls get to see Lord Mori as they wished, but he could also take the opportunity to run away!
A total win-win!
Kamishiro Shiro looked at the two girls with high hopes. He truly felt this was a brilliant plan!
However, all he got in response were gentle smiles from Busujima and Kiyoko.
BANG!
BANG!
The iron fists of justice shattered Kamishiro Shiro's fantasy on the spot.
(*っﾟДﾟ)っ)
"Next group~"
As a couple walked out hand-in-hand, a soft ethereal voice echoed in the ears of Kamishiro Shiro and the other two.
Hmm…
It was clear that Lord Mori had a microphone set up.
A blend of magic and high-tech?
Why did that kill the fantasy vibe all of a sudden, dear Witch?
With Busujima and Kiyoko visibly excited, the three finally stepped into a small room adorned with a slightly mystical atmosphere.
"Welcome, those trapped in love, young man and—eh?!"
The previously ethereal voice cracked halfway through, letting out a goose-like squawk.
Kamishiro Shiro twitched at the corner of his mouth.
Clearly, even the mysterious Lord Mori was startled by their kind of group...
Lord Mori had indeed been startled. She'd prepared herself to get back into her old business today with full flair.
Turns out every group that had come in was a lovey-dovey couple, making her feel like she was running some sort of love certification bureau.
That was fine, though—watching young love was something she'd been used to since high school.
But just as she assumed the next group would be the same, fate played a joke on her!
What kind of weird love triangle was this supposed to be?!
Sure, the guy was pretty handsome, but she didn't remember Japanese society being cool with three people in a relationship!
Damn it!
Damn normies!
Wait, no—this isn't normie-level anymore!
Damn degenerates!
Ugh, she also wanted to have two handsome men to cling to on each side…
Unconsciously, this mysterious Lord Mori fell into a fantasy of being surrounded by beautiful men herself~
Kamishiro Shiro, meanwhile, was curiously observing Lord Mori.
Just like the rumors said, she wore a white cloak, and her semi-transparent veil completely obscured her face.
But… that chubby little leg sticking out from under the cloak looked awfully familiar?
He vaguely remembered that in his past life, there was a famous company that loved to draw characters with those stubby, cute legs.
Well, maybe he was overthinking it. Perhaps Lord Mori was just a little fluffy. (´･ω･`)
"Lord Mori, it's such an honor to meet you! (≧∀≦)"
Unlike Kamishiro Shiro, Kiyoko was absolutely thrilled to meet Lord Mori in person.
She was like a fangirl seeing her idol.
But Kamishiro Shiro suspected her reaction was more like a curious child seeing a strange creature for the first time.
Kiyoko was like a cute little girl on the outside, but a curious old man on the inside, with the inquisitiveness of Detective Conan...
Since entering the room, her eyes had been darting toward Mori's veil nonstop.
She clearly wanted to peek beneath it! At least Busujima was being more respectful, maintaining her graceful lady persona and focusing only on the tarot cards on the table—she looked like she couldn't wait to begin.
"Ahem… please, have a seat?"
Kiyoko's voice snapped Lord Mori back to reality.
Though the situation was utterly absurd, she still kept her professional composure and invited them to sit.
Of course...
It would've been much better if there had been three chairs.
The three looked silently at the two chairs in front of them, unsure how to proceed.
Had no one considered the possibility of a trio showing up?
"..."
Lord Mori also fell silent. As someone who read romantic fortunes, she'd never expected a day where the chairs wouldn't be enough for the people involved.
"Haha… looks like we're short one seat. Should I go get another?"
Kamishiro Shiro looked around, but there were clearly no extra chairs. Everything had probably been cleared out during setup.
Hmm...
Maybe Lord Mori needed some work on her venue logistics.
"S-Sorry for the trouble…"
Lord Mori's voice sounded unnatural. Honestly, anyone in her position would be beyond awkward right now!
Ahhhh!
She could practically scratch out a whole three-bedroom apartment with her toes from the embarrassment!
Why did I even open this place?!
With Lord Mori's permission, Kamishiro Shiro cheerfully prepared to go fetch a chair.
Whether he'd actually return with one… that was another matter. (¬‿¬)
Fortune telling? For love?
You don't need fortune-telling for love!
As long as you try hard enough, there will always be a next one!
He had no plans to come back once he left this room—he wanted to go check on Iori and the others~
But he'd forgotten something crucial—the two people left behind knew his personality very well…
GRAB!
Feeling the grip on his arms, Kamishiro Shiro's smile began to freeze.
Both of his arms were tightly restrained.
"No need, Lord Mori!"
"We can start like this. Two seats are just right. Shiro still hasn't recovered from his hemorrhoids, so he can't sit down."
With that, the two girls sat down and dragged Kamishiro Shiro back from halfway out the door.
For someone who's constantly trying to run away, there's no need for mercy!
{{(°△°; "}}!
"Eh… really now…"
Lord Mori was dumbfounded. Is this something people just casually say these days?! Has privacy just gone out the window?!
Also…
Are these three really in that kind of relationship?
Looking at Kamishiro Shiro's hopeless expression, she began to seriously doubt everything.
Why did it feel more and more like this pretty boy was actually the victim?
What exactly were college students up to these days?
She should only be about a year older than them, right? Then why couldn't she understand any of this?!
Lord Mori didn't know what had happened between the three—but she was utterly shocked…
(╥_╥)
"Let's start then, Lord Mori… I think standing is fine...
Also… I don't have hemorrhoids!"
What could Kamishiro Shiro do? He was suffering too. Why were these two girls so strong?! He couldn't even break free!
"I-I see…"
Lord Mori's mouth, hidden under her veil, twitched. Honestly, there was no need to stress the lack of hemorrhoids!
"Well, let's begin!"
Though the scene would appear extremely bizarre to outsiders, Lord Mori, as a consummate professional, was unfazed!
If anything, it only made her stronger!
With a serious expression, she looked at Busujima and Kiyoko and asked:
"First, what would the two of you like to know?"
Tarot readings were based on the questions posed by the seekers.
Just like earlier guests—most asked whether the other person was a good match.
Or like the first few seniors, who asked how to find love, etc…
But...
This three-person group in front of her? She had no idea what kind of questions they might ask.
Also, didn't they find this whole setup awkward?
Lord Mori decided not to care anymore. She felt like she should just grab some sunflower seeds and step aside to watch this unfold!
Camera pans to the fortune-seeking trio!
(;?＿?)
Busujima and Kiyoko turned their heads awkwardly...
They forgot they were supposed to ask a question.
How could they possibly say their real question in front of that tomboy, green tea girl?!
(??? )
"Why are you both staring at me like that? I really don't have any questions I want to ask..."
Kamishiro Shiro responded with a deadpan expression as he noticed the girls staring at him. He was literally just dragged here as a tool—he genuinely had nothing to ask.
Besides...
These two always looked at him for help whenever something troublesome happened. Wasn't their synchronicity getting a little too scary?
"Come on, Shiro~ Think about it. Don't you want to know about our future together?"
Kiyoko leaned into Kamishiro Shiro with a mischievous smile, poking his chest flirtatiously, clearly declaring herself the main heroine!
Busujima ground her teeth and swatted Kiyoko's claws away.
"Hmph. It's time we got things straight. Don't you want to know how long until you can ditch this tomboy?"
"Ha? You're just jealous, green tea girl! When I was one with Shiro, you were still off somewhere being a desperate fangirl!"
"And that's just because you're gullible and easy to get!"
"!!! You have no right to say that, you homewrecker!"
"Did I hit a sore spot?"
Busujima sneered. That was her whole attack?
"Hmph! At least I made the first move! Just recently, I even pinned Shiro down! I was on top!"
Kiyoko huffed proudly. Even though Kamishiro Shiro had no idea why that was something to brag about, it didn't stop Kiyoko from lifting her chin proudly like a little peacock.
!!!
That hit Busujima hard. Recently?
So these two idiots had already been fooling around again right after school started?
And Kamishiro Shiro was on the bottom?!
Busujima shot Shiro a look of complete disbelief—only to see him averting his eyes.
BOOM.
These two shameless, adulterous scoundrels!
Busujima clenched her teeth and glared at them like she wanted to tear them both apart.
She almost wanted to storm out right there!
But… if she really did that, wouldn't it mean Kiyoko won?
Looking at that smug, detestable face, Busujima refused to let that girl be the victor!
Kamishiro Shiro? Whatever. She just couldn't let Kiyoko have the last laugh!
The two had fought all through high school. There was no way she'd throw in the towel here!
"Hmph! You're the one who begged in the end anyway! Typical old man, bragging about something so lame!"
"You little—???"
The two started bickering again, completely forgetting why they even came here...
(.-ω-)
Miss Mori, who had been listening, was mentally collapsing halfway through.
Now, she was just a soulless bystander eating popcorn.
This was way more entertaining than any fortune-telling she could do.
Seriously—are all high schools in Japan this wild?
She suddenly thought of those two problem kids back in her own school. Even getting a kiss out of them took three whole seasons.
Meanwhile, these people were practically rounding the bases on day one...
Was this some kind of hypnosis spell? Or was magic actually real in this world?
Miss Mori began to panic a little. She might look all mystical on the surface, but most of it was pure showbiz!
If she hadn't had that silly spat with the twin-tailed brat about the "real Miss Mori being at this school", she wouldn't have had to revive her act at all!
Aaaaahhh!
This was social death all over again!
If not for the student council backing her, she probably wouldn't have survived past day one!
No wait—right now, the most pressing issue was this teenage boy who was absurdly good at charming girls!
Thinking of the various hypnosis-themed manga she'd read, Mori looked at Kamishiro Shiro with a bit of awe.
"You're really something, kid... hahaha…"
Seeing Miss Mori's odd look, Kamishiro Shiro's lips twitched.
Nothing was technically wrong with what she said, but… he felt like she was seriously misunderstanding something.
"Just a normal high school "
Worried that telling the truth might scare her, Kamishiro Shiro chose to lie through his teeth.
After all, his high school had so many hidden monsters and bizarre characters, it couldn't possibly be called "normal."
Honestly, he suspected his school might've had anime protagonists hidden in every other class.
"Is that so… ahahahaha, sounds nice."
Miss Mori awkwardly tried to continue the conversation, but things quickly fell into an uncomfortable silence… leaving only Kiyoko and Busujima's heated argument echoing in the background~
(-ω-;)
Miss Mori began to panic. She needed to do something before this awkwardness completely tanked her business.
At this rate, her love fortune-telling shop would go belly up!
Wait a minute—love fortune-telling!
She suddenly had a great idea to break the ice!
Miss Mori excitedly picked up her tarot cards.
"Alright, young man—tell me what you want to ask!"
(.ヘ°)
Looking at the rainbow-colored tarot deck, Kamishiro Shiro fell silent.
If he really asked something about love… and the result wasn't what either of these two behind him wanted to hear…
Would he even make it out of this room alive?
But tarot was pretty accurate, wasn't it…
Kamishiro Shiro actually believed in tarot readings, ever since high school when a girl he was close with did a reading for him.
Hmm...
The result was: "No romantic fate."
Which made that girl so mad she ripped the deck in half, called it "superstition," and then cheerfully latched onto his arm to plan which café they'd visit that evening.
Considering he can't even remember that girl's name anymore, the "no fate" part… was probably accurate.
So now, Kamishiro Shiro didn't know if he should go through with the fortune-telling or not.
Wait a sec—why did it suddenly get so quiet?
Stare～～～
Kamishiro Shiro turned around—and saw two adorable faces glaring at him.
He got such a shock that he blurted out a curse: "Holy sh—!"
Realizing it was just Kiyoko and Busujima, he cautiously asked:
"You're done fighting?"
No doubt—they were here just to hear his fortune…
"Shut up!"
"Hurry up and ask your question!"
The two girls didn't even respond to him directly—they just grabbed his head and twisted it toward Miss Mori.
{{(°△°;")}}!
Feeling their iron grip, Kamishiro Shiro knew—there was no escape today.
Alright then—fine!
Let's do this!
Kamishiro Shiro took a deep breath, and his whole demeanor changed—like a sword drawn from its sheath!
"Miss Mori!"
"Eh? Yes, I'm here!"
Miss Mori gulped.
She could feel the sudden shift in the atmosphere—something big was about to happen!
"Could you please tell me when I'll become a billionaire?"
"..."
(???)
How dumb!
Miss Mori wanted to slap herself.
Why did she think this guy would ask something serious?!
The tense atmosphere evaporated instantly. She almost wanted to rage quit.
"Sorry, but tarot cards don't give accurate readings about timing."
"I see. Then can you tell me whether I'll ever become a billionaire in this life...?"
PULL PULL
"OW! That hurts!"
"Take this seriously!"
"Ask about LOVE!"
Shiro's cheeks were pulled by Kiyoko and Busujima. Their eyes glowed with fury.
All they wanted was a clear answer from this fortune-teller, and this guy kept dodging the question!
They'd already wasted so much time on him again without realizing it!
At this rate—they were going to miss the voice actor performance!
If it's neither of them...
Then it can only mean that Kamishiro Shiro is doomed to die here today!
"Very good! Brave young man!"
Lady Mori nodded approvingly. Although this man was scum, he had a courageous heart!
"Then let us begin!"
Her smile vanished, replaced by a focused expression.
Truthfully, she did have some real skills. She had often studied love divination in the past. Though she wasn't as supernaturally accurate as the rumors claimed, she was still quite decent.
As for those terrifying rumors...
They were entirely due to a bunch of girls blinded by love!
Just think about it—a women's university, without any guys around. How desperate must they be for genuine love?
Now think further—some departments of neighboring Izu University had terrifying male-to-female ratios!
And the boys who got into Izu University weren't slackers—they had good grades at the very least.
All she had to do was suggest her clients take a stroll around Izu University, and instantly there'd be guys asking for their contact info.
Then all that was left was to filter through the options!
It was so easy!
So easy that Lady Mori felt like she could mass-produce this as a business model.
But today was different!
These three had already gone beyond the bounds of normal ridiculousness—she had to use her full strength!
Step one in tarot: layout a spread suitable for the question!
There are many spreads for love readings—like the classic Love Triangle Spread, the Venus Love Spread, the Cross of Love and Happiness Spread, etc.
The most accurate would typically be the Venus Love or Love and Happiness Cross spreads, since they were specifically designed for love questions.
But!
Lady Mori chose the classic Love Triangle Spread!
Because just looking at the three of them made it impossible not to think of that spread. (??ω??)
After all, the triangle is the most stable shape~
Step two: shuffling!
Lady Mori placed the cards on the table and had Kamishiro shuffle them himself.
Kamishiro gave them a sloppy shuffle and stepped back. He wasn't familiar with tarot at all—this felt super mystical to him...
Step three: cutting the deck!
Kamishiro stepped back in and made a few random cuts. The whole thing made him feel like he was preparing to play poker...
Step four: drawing the cards!
Lady Mori had Kamishiro draw three cards at random, which she laid out in a triangle.
Looking at the familiar card layout, Kamishiro felt even more like he was playing poker...
As for the fifth step, interpreting the cards, that didn't require Kamishiro's help—he couldn't understand it anyway. He just thought the card designs looked kind of pretty?
Lady Mori flipped over the cards.
She stared at the three cards with a strange expression, her eyes full of confusion.
(′｀;)?
She kept sneaking glances at Kamishiro, eyes filled with disbelief.
"How is it, Lady Mori?"
"Am I the one in the end?"
Busujima and Kiyoko asked with nervous faces, eagerly awaiting their names to be called.
"Uh… there might be a little problem."
Lady Mori said uncertainly, then quickly mixed the three cards back into the deck with an awkward smile. "Um, young man, would you like to try again?"
{{(°△°; "}}!
Kamishiro stared blankly at the "witch" before him. But in her evasive gaze, he saw the truth.
She was definitely… definitely afraid that if she revealed the result, she'd get beaten up!
Such a touching level of customer care!
Kamishiro's eyes glistened slightly with emotion. He covered one eye with a hand and solemnly nodded, "Alright."
"..."
The two girls stared at this strangely heartwarming scene, utterly bewildered.
Did something just happen?
#Draw!
Same steps. Same draw posture. Same three cards...
Lady Mori gripped the table hard, staring at Kamishiro like he was some terrifying being.
"Again!"
She refused to believe it. This outcome had to change!
#Draw!
Same three again~
"Again!"
Same result~
"Again!"
...
After ten repetitions, Lady Mori collapsed onto the table like a used-up slime.
"Why… this isn't scientific…"
(;?＿?)
Kamishiro was speechless. You're still thinking about science after ten tarot readings? Are fortune-tellers these days all materialists?
Busujima and Kiyoko were starting to look at Lady Mori with suspicion. Was this really the famously skilled Lady Mori everyone talked about?
If she was legit, why couldn't she trust her own readings?
If she wasn't… why were all ten readings exactly the same?
Was Kamishiro's situation really that complicated?
"Lady Mori, let's just go with it. Please tell us what you saw!"
"That's right! We can accept any result!"
The two girls swallowed hard. Though they said that, both secretly hoped the result would be them.
And Kamishiro?
He was being tightly held down by the two girls. If the result wasn't right, they'd "cut their losses" immediately!
They couldn't let another girl fall into his hands!
"Uuuuuu!!!"
Kamishiro looked desperately at Lady Mori, hoping this mysterious woman would save his life. He was even willing to trade a weight-loss guidebook for it!
"Um… It seems that there might be others involved in your relationship."
Realizing there was no way out, Lady Mori blurted the result loudly, then looked nervously at the three of them…
Afraid they'd beat her up for it.
pitiful.jpg
(′｀;)? ×3
Kamishiro and the two girls all looked confused. Then they looked at each other, then at Lady Mori again—eyes clearly saying: Isn't that obvious already?!
Anyone with eyes could see a third party was involved the moment they entered.
The question was: who is the third party?
Seeing their looks, Lady Mori realized they misunderstood her. She hurried to clarify:
"No, it's not what you think! I meant that the boy's future shows entanglement with multiple women—not just two. I didn't get the exact number...
But it's definitely more than two. So I said your relationship involves others. Of course, it's also possible that neither of you two is included..."
Her voice grew quieter and quieter—that was what the reading showed.
But the reason she ran it ten times wasn't just that…
The real reason?
Why… why was she one of the women in the visions?!
She definitely didn't want any connection with this scumbag in her future!!!
p.s ; can readers guess who miss mori is