Caw—caw—
—Gah!!
A black crow soared through the gray sky, perching on a branch.
Black and white, stillness and motion, death and life converged in that moment. The crow's eyes, deep and cold, seemed to judge the world or await something. The snow-covered ground lay silent, broken only by the echo of its harsh cry.
As the wind rose, snowflakes drifted down, settling on the crow, which remained unmoved, standing steadfast.
Due to its coastal location, the sea breeze near Tokyo Bay was stronger, and the winter climate made the air bitingly cold.
After dealing with a group of reckless delinquents, leaving them a lesson they'd never forget, Roy finally found his true target in a secluded alley's depths—
As he stepped into the narrow, shadowy lane, an unsettling dissonance gripped him. At the alley's corner, where a dead end should have been, a table now stood, conjured from the shadows. A slightly plump figure seated at it smiled and beckoned to him.
"Young man, care for a fortune-telling? It's quite accurate~"
At the gentle voice, Roy turned toward the source.
A faded black English top hat adorned with a blue flower sat atop a figure whose aged face and white hair were veiled by a dark, night-like cloth. She wore a tailored black coat, her arms adorned with ornate accessories, hands clasped on her divination table. She resembled not a mystic seer but a refined middle-aged noblewoman.
Noticing the woman shrouded in darkness, Roy's lips curved slightly, and he approached.
"I thought you wouldn't see me, old lady. I was even ready to leave."
"Really? But my eyes don't see a future where you quietly depart…"
The Mother of Mifune smiled, calmly countering his words.
"But the future isn't set in stone, is it?" Roy returned her smile.
"Still, I didn't expect you'd predict someone's future without even meeting them. That's a cheat-like ability, granny."
"Don't say that, young man. This power isn't truly mine—I'm just its temporary vessel. One day, it might abandon me."
Undoubtedly, the Mother of Mifune had foreseen something, allowing her to speak so confidently despite never meeting Roy.
For Roy, the answer was clear: she'd seen the future she predicted, one where he didn't leave but kept searching for her.
Yet, despite the label of Absolute Clairvoyance, nothing was truly absolute. As he said, the future wasn't fixed but ever-changing, brimming with possibilities.
Take a simple example: if the Mother predicted his dinner tonight and bet on it, Roy could skip the meal or avoid it, altering her foreseen future.
In essence, the future was an unchangeable unknown, its final interpretation belonging to the Root. Predicting it merely glimpsed one of many possibilities.
The Mother's Absolute Clairvoyance saw all possible futures for a person, selecting the most likely to share, guiding them toward it through subtle suggestion.
Roy pondered this, analyzing her power.
As if sensing his thoughts, the Mother chuckled from her stall.
"Haha, you're an interesting young man. You're right—the future is ever-shifting, beyond full prediction."
"I'd love to answer your questions, but even I don't fully grasp the complex reasons behind it. I'm just an ordinary fortune-teller, not some infallible prophet. Those rumors you heard are likely just urban legends."
"Urban legends, huh…"
'Urban legends don't read hearts so easily, but if you say so.'
Roy thought, not arguing.
"Then, first meeting, Mother of Mifune." He nodded, addressing the elderly woman with friendliness, mindful of her age and his need for her aid, keeping his tone respectful. "My name's Roy, a passing magus. I'm discreet and haven't spread word of your existence."
"Thank you, young man."
The old woman nodded, her smile showing satisfaction with his demeanor.
"I don't wish to be known in your world or get entangled in trouble. I'm just a simple fortune-teller. If word spread I was some perfect prophet, I'd have to stop divining."
"Rest assured, I won't do anything so pointless."
"I trust you, young man."
"Then let's get to the point. With your insight, you surely know why I'm here."
After a brief introduction, Roy sat on the stool before her stall like any customer, gazing through her dark veil into her water-blue eyes.
"I'd like you to predict what lies ahead for me."
Predict the future…
"Very well, let's begin."
The Mother nodded, lifting her head to study the young man with her blue eyes. After a brief observation, she nodded as if seeing something amusing, then spoke slowly.
"Fascinating, young man. The secrets you carry are far more mysterious than I imagined."
"…"
"Your situation is unique, your origins peculiar, almost as if you don't belong to this world. Your figure is absent from the future's threads."
"…So?"
"So, I'm sorry, but even my eyes can't clearly see your future."
The Mother shook her head, encountering such an anomaly for the first time.
She never imagined someone whose future her eyes couldn't see.
Roy raised an eyebrow, a wry smile forming.
"No worries. It's probably due to my own nature."
"Perhaps."
She nodded, smiling playfully. "Though I can't see your future, I glimpsed something interesting while trying. Want to hear it?"
"Something interesting?"
Roy nodded, intrigued by her words. "Please, go on."
"Well, while peering into your future, I caught a glimpse of a very strange man in the haze."
"A strange man?" Roy perked up.
"Yes, a handsome man with white hair."
The Mother smiled, describing vividly: "I saw a beautiful sea of flowers, filled with varieties I'd never seen, so stunning it didn't seem of this world. Amid that lush field stood a white tower."
"Sensing my gaze, a handsome man resting by the tower opened his eyes, meeting mine with a smile. He wished to pass a message to you through me—"
"Hiss…"
Roy drew a sharp breath, realizing what was happening.
"Oh my, what an intriguing existence, evading my eyes and the world's gaze, existing alone in a world not yours… Quite a novel phenomenon."
"Sadly, your future isn't recorded in this world's annals~"
"Instead of chasing Absolute Clairvoyance or EX Clairvoyance to glimpse the path, why not dive in yourself? The future's charm lies in its unknown. Omniscience pales compared to living it. That's what I and those two kings believe, so~"
"Wondrous traveler from beyond, since you seek fun, why not plunge in and experience it? Only by participating can you grasp its true joy."
"In the near future, I might visit you myself~ Look forward to it."
To vividly recreate the scene, the Mother mimicked the smug tone of the tower's recluse, making Roy's eyelids twitch.
From the description and that infuriatingly familiar tone, he knew who it was.
He also understood their communication method—the so-called Clairvoyance chatroom.
Those with Absolute Clairvoyance, EX Clairvoyance, or omniscience chatted this way, even sending messages across eras.
So, he'd caught the eye of a certain Avalon shut-in? This talk of meeting again—could Merlin plan to join the Fourth Holy Grail War as a Servant?
No way, right?
Merlin, that trickster, just watched human affairs from Avalon, right? He wouldn't join the fray… would he?
He wanted to believe that, but knowing Merlin's penchant for meddling in "interesting" matters, Roy couldn't be certain. Guessing a non-human's motives with human logic was flawed.
"You seem to know this odd man," The Mother noted, raising a brow at his reaction. "An acquaintance?"
"No, we've never met."
Roy shook his head. "Not an acquaintance—just a shut-in scammer lurking on the world's far side."
A scammer beyond the world—quite something.
"Interesting indeed."
The Mother smiled again. "Though I can't see your path, I can see the futures you've altered. Like today…"
"By severing those delinquents' hands and stripping their ability to harm, you indirectly changed a girl's tragic fate, altering many paths."
"I can't define such actions precisely, but to me, it's a good deed. Your methods earned my approval, which is why I met you and offer this advice."
Her gaze fixed on Roy, her tone earnest.
"Do as thou wilt, that shall be thy law."
"Don't hesitate. Follow your heart, young man. Do what you desire, and you'll surely gain something."
"???"
Hearing that familiar phrase, Roy froze.
Like "Our hearts are pure as mirrors; all we do is just." Wasn't that his personal creed from a day ago? Why hear it here?
He knew she was speaking cryptically, but fortune-tellers' vague predictions were maddening—
Can't you just speak plainly?
He wanted to press further, but seeing her lower her veil, he relented, offering a slight smile.
"I understand, old lady. Thank you."
"Oh? I thought you'd grill me further."
"I was, but on second thought, it's unnecessary. Knowing too much about prophecies isn't helpful, and I'm tired of that phrase. Things will clear up in time."
"Smart lad."
The Mother nodded, increasingly pleased with him.
"For your help, name your price as thanks."
Having achieved his goal with unexpected gains, Roy knew she'd said all she would and didn't press.
"The fee's clear. Just 200 yen per person. I'm a roadside fortune-teller—what more could I charge?"
At her playful dodge, Roy nodded, pulling a large bill from his pocket and placing it on the table.
"Here's your fee. Keep the change."
"Good. We're square. Don't come bothering me again, young man."
Pocketing the bill, the Mother nodded, growing fonder of him.
"Until we meet again, young man."
"Farewell, old lady."
With a final goodbye, having gained the intel he sought, Roy left without further disturbing her.
As his figure faded, the Mother sighed deeply, murmuring.
"What an intriguing young man. It's been ages since I've seen such a peculiar case. Living long enough, you encounter all sorts of wonders."
"I can't help you much, but I wish you reach the future you seek."
With that, she exhaled, her form dissolving into white smoke, vanishing into the darkness.