Cooking with Wild Game (LN) - Volume 23 - Chapter 1.4

Intermission: The Castle Town’s Star Reader

Arishuna Zi Mafraluda awoke that morning hearing the solemn sound of a bell.

The bell rang three times, leaving behind trailing reverberations. That was the sign that it was now the upper third hour, three hours since sunrise. The sound of the bell was always more restrained at this hour, so as not to interfere with the sleep of noble personages.

Arishuna was currently in a manor in the castle town reserved for noble visitors, which used to be the private residence of Count Turan. The morning sunlight gently streamed in through the windows, illuminating the brick-built room, and she could feel the cool morning air coming in from outside as she lay atop her bed.

Arishuna had been granted usage of this room shortly before the start of the sun god’s revival festival. A great many nobles and merchants from other lands had been invited to this manor, and she had been moved here from her previous residence so that she could perform star readings for them. Not that it particularly mattered where she slept. It didn’t change anything about her lifestyle.

As she sat up atop the soft kimyuus-down bedding and placed her feet down on the thick carpet, a knock sounded from her door as if it had been waiting for that very moment.

“Are you awake, Lady Arishuna?”

“Yes,” Arishuna replied, and the older maid assigned to her entered the room carrying a large basket. Inside the container was a set of Arishuna’s clothing, freshly cleaned. The maid placed the basket on a table, and then stood there as if waiting for Arishuna to say something.

“I don’t need, assistance changing. Please, be on your way.”

“Very well, Lady Arishuna.”

The old maid respectfully bowed her head and exited the room. Arishuna hadn’t asked for assistance changing even once, but the woman was unable to leave the room until given permission. That was the maid’s duty.

She had been living like this, as a sort of quasi-noble, for over a year now. Though Arishuna didn’t consider that to be a negative, she also didn’t feel especially blessed. But this was the only life available to her, so all she could do was accept it and entrust herself to the whims of fate.

While she was reflecting on her circumstances once again, Arishuna got up and began changing. After removing her silky night clothes and waist cloth, she stood for a moment just as she was when she was born, then put on the clothing that had been prepared for her—a new waist cloth and a long robe made from silk from Sym.

Then she moved farther into the room and began putting on various accessories stored in a jewelry box one by one. These included a set of ten thin silver wrist rings that together made a sort of bracelet, a necklace with the crest of Sym on it, and rings, earrings, and ankle bracelets adorned with stones of all sorts of colors. Then she braided her long black hair beside her neck, threading countless prayer strings through it. After a full half hour, Arishuna had completed her morning preparations. Each and every step of the process held meaning to her as a woman of Sym, and none of them could be neglected.

Once that was finished, Arishuna picked up a small jar that had been left on the dresser. It was made of copper, and around the size of a human fist. Inside, it held gray sand and the burnt remains of herbs. She lit some fresh herbs with a lana leaf and tossed them into the jar. Then, after a moment, a faintly purple, sweet-smelling smoke began filling the room.

As she cleansed her body with the smoke, she chanted scriptures from Sym. The god Sym was the wind incarnate and remained with his people even in other nations. Arishuna knelt on the carpet covering the floor, brought her fingers together in front of her chest, and prayed.

Have I really been praying alone like this for more than a year?

Arishuna was the last survivor of the Mafraluda clan, who had been exiled from Sym twenty years ago. She had been born three years after their banishment, and hadn’t set foot in Sym even once, despite being a woman of that nation. However, she didn’t feel particularly unhappy about that fact. Whether she would ever be able to go there in the future would all come down to the whims of Sym. If she was fated to return to her homeland, that path would eventually open up for her, but otherwise, she would live out her days here in this foreign land. The greatest taboo for star readers was to read their own fate, so she simply had to entrust herself to the will of her god.

Besides, the citizens of Selva generally treated the people of Sym well. Back when she had lived a life of travel, she had encountered countless bandits and outlaws, but even those kinds of people were hesitant to bother easterners. Of course, that wasn’t because of any sense of friendship or goodwill, but rather because it was well-known that the citizens of Sym were skilled at using poison and quite dangerous to attack. And at any rate, Arishuna had no reason to dislike westerners to begin with.

That was especially true of Marstein, the ruler of this land of Genos, who had become her patron and granted her this carefree life. Her grandfather, who had also been a star reader, had thought it was dangerous to get close to those in power, but fortunately Marstein placed no real weight on star reading and hadn’t inquired into his own fate even once. Instead, he seemed to treat Arishuna like an expensive curio, to be used to entertain important guests visiting Genos, akin to a clown or a musician.

Sym is the wind, while Selva is the flame... Wind can strengthen flame, but can also blow it out. As long as neither of us lose our way, Marstein and I should be able to continue this cooperative association without any issues arising between us.

Arishuna placed a lid on the herb jar, and there was once again a knock on the door.

“Lady Arishuna, a guest is here to see you.”

“A guest? But my work, is not supposed to begin, until the sun hits, its peak.”

“This is not a guest seeking a star reading. It is the second son of the house of Daleim.”

“Polarth? Please, let him in.”

Arishuna put on a shawl meant to be worn indoors, then headed to the reception room. She took a seat and waited, and a moment later, the maid guided Polarth into the room.

“Hello there. My apologies for bothering you so early in the morning. I didn’t interrupt your morning prayers, did I?”

“No, you did not. Please, prepare some tea for us.” Naturally, the back half of that statement had been directed at the maid. The older woman bowed her head and disappeared into another room as Polarth sat down on another wooden chair.

“I had business today with a guest staying here at this manor, but I arrived a bit earlier than the agreed upon time, so I decided to stop by and say hello. I haven’t had many chances to meet with you as of late, after all.” Polarth had quite a healthy complexion today. Though he had a good bit of excess fat on his build, it didn’t seem to have a negative impact on his health. His vital force was gentle but strong, and seemed to come in waves as it pulsed throughout his rotund figure.

“You are always so busy, are you not, Lady Arishuna? Several days have passed now since the conclusion of the revival festival, and yet the rooms in this manor still seem to be as full as ever.”

“Yes. It is rare, that I ever stop receiving customers, for my star reading, between the sun hitting its peak, and setting.”

“Of course, of course. I’ve also heard that even guests staying at the other manors in the castle town are coming to you now, and that more and more people who live here in Genos are making use of your services as well, is that not so? Your fame seems to be growing by the day, Lady Arishuna,” Polarth said. Just like Marstein, he didn’t place any value in star reading. Perhaps that was why he didn’t excessively venerate or fear Arishuna, and instead simply acted friendly toward her. “Still, it’s about time for the guests here to start feeling homesick, so you just need to put up with this busy period for a little longer.”

“Indeed... You are busy, as well, are you not, Polarth?”

“So I am. About half of the guests are representatives from various merchant groups visiting for business reasons, after all. In fact, I came here today to discuss the purchase of ingredients from some merchants from Jagar. If we are not careful, our reserves of sugar and tau oil could run out.”

Most nobles would leave such negotiations up to delegates. For the old house of Turan, there were probably certain matters that couldn’t be left up to others, but in Polarth’s case, this kind of work just seemed to suit his personality.

Polarth will undoubtedly be quite successful someday. Even without reading his star, that was clear just from looking at him. However, it wouldn’t be proper to say so without being asked. There were some things that seemed obvious to her, but others couldn’t see them at all. In her youth, Arishuna had erred with her words many times, so she always felt the need to be cautious about making such observations these days.

“By the way, have you heard about the tournament yet, Lady Arishuna?”

“The tournament? Ah, the swordsmanship, competition?”

“That’s right. It will be a grand event held at the end of the silver month, where a great many swordsmen gather. I was considering advising you to refrain from reading the stars to see what the outcome will be, but what are your thoughts on the matter?”

Arishuna tilted her head a bit, not quite understanding what he meant.

It was then that the maid brought the tea that Arishuna had requested on a tray. It was arow tea, and gave off a bittersweet aroma.

“You see, a great deal of betting will be taking place there. There will be many in the audience placing bets on which swordsman will emerge victorious, so it would be rather tasteless to involve star reading in such matters, wouldn’t you say?” Polarth explained as he added sugar to his tea with a silver spoon. Westerners tended to prefer their tea sweet.

As for Arishuna, she drank her hot arow tea as it had been delivered and nodded back. “Yes. Using star reading, in betting, is both tasteless, and dangerous. If it is read, that someone’s fate, is to lose, that could lead, to them blaming, the star reader. People sometimes believe, we fortune tellers, bring about, their unfortunate fates.”

“Yes, that certainly is a concern. That’s why I try to avoid relying on the power of star reading as much as possible. I wish to believe that whether I succeed or fail, it is all the result of my own judgment,” Polarth replied with a smile, and then he took a sip of his hot red arow tea. “In that case, you would not mind if the topic were banned? Then I shall go ahead and raise the matter with Duke Genos.”

“Thank you. I am most grateful, for your consideration.”

“Not at all. We’re the ones who would be left to deal with any needless complaints that might arise. It is all for the sake of maintaining the peace here in Genos.”

Those seemed to be his honest feelings on the matter. Polarth was a man who was incredibly skilled at calculating profits and losses. He would never balk at putting in a little effort in the present if it would prevent a great commotion yet to come. He really was more like a quick-witted merchant than a noble. Arishuna thought to herself that this rare trait of his was likely the reason behind many of his great successes as she silently sipped her arow tea.

“By the way, it was apparently decided that a small number of hunters from the forest’s edge will be participating in the tournament.”

“Hunters from, the forest’s edge...? But why?”

“In order to settle a matter that arose from the match that was held before that dinner party. You watched it along with that young lady from Jagar, did you not?”

It seemed he was referring to the swordsmanship contest held between a hunter from the forest’s edge and a knight of Genos at the end of the previous year. Though it had only been a bit of entertainment to accompany the dinner, the knight of Genos had arranged for his opponent to be given heavy cavalry armor in an attempt to win through cheating.

“The other day, the house of Saturas hosted a peace banquet with the people of the forest’s edge. It was supposed to lead to reconciliation, but one of the outcomes was that a hunter of the forest’s edge was invited to the tournament. Would you like to come with me to watch it together, Lady Arishuna?”

“Will Asuta, be attending, on that day?”

“Sir Asuta? I’m not certain. The leading clan heads will surely be invited, but would Sir Asuta have any interest in such a competition? Actually, I would like to ask the people of the forest’s edge to operate a stall at the arena.”

“Is that so?” Arishuna asked with a small sigh, and then Polarth laughed.

“Does that disappoint you? You really have been quite charmed by Sir Asuta’s cooking, haven’t you?”

It was rather embarrassing for a child of Sym to have someone see through to their inner thoughts in such a manner, so Arishuna took extra care not to shame herself further by letting her embarrassment show as she replied in her usual tone. “Yes. Asuta is, a wonderful chef. It would make me, very happy, if I were summoned, the next time, he is invited here.”

“Yes, of course. We cannot summon Sir Asuta to the castle town too frequently, but I shall definitely reach out to you whenever one of those precious opportunities arise, just as I do with that lady from Jagar.”

Returning her clay cup to its plate, Arishuna once again tilted her head. “You will, invite her, to the tournament?”

“You mean Lady Diel of Jagar? Yes, the sword to be presented to the victor will be one specially made by her metalworking group, and so she will be invited as an important guest.”

“I see. In that case, I would also, like to attend.”

“Oh? Have you befriended her as well, Lady Arishuna?”

“It is not, quite friendship. Diel shuns, the people of Sym. But I do not, have many chances, to interact, with southerners. And so, I would like, to befriend her.”

“Yes, I see. In that case, I shall prepare a seat for you as well.”

After enjoying a bit more trivial conversation, Polarth departed from the room just before the bell signaling the fourth hour rang out. It seemed that it had been his intention from the start to use this small amount of free time he happened to have to inform Arishuna of a number of matters regarding the tournament, but because he was Polarth, he did it in a way that made it seem like it was no trouble on his part.

Still, it doesn’t change the fact that Polarth is a good-natured, gentle man.

If that hadn’t been the case, he never would have been able to earn the trust of the people of the forest’s edge. She knew he had a deep desire to see Genos prosper, and was truly grateful that they had ended up helping him so much in that endeavor. His relationship with the people of the forest’s edge had proved to be quite profitable for him. Or to put it in a way more fitting for a star reader, they had served to aid his fate and fortune.

If she were to read Polarth’s star, she would surely see movement that implied his encounter with the people of the forest’s edge had caused a positive shift in his fate. Polarth had been truly glad to find that they were not the unreasonable barbarians they had been rumored to be. And the fate of the people of the forest’s edge had undoubtedly improved because they had encountered him as well. Arishuna could see that quite clearly without needing to read any stars.

Countless stars, assisted by the great lion star signifying the people of the forest’s edge, are shining brightly. Polarth’s star must be one of them. As she thought that to herself, Arishuna returned to her everyday routine.

There were three hours left now until her work began when the sun hit its peak. She used the bathhouse at night before going to bed, so she was always able to devote this remaining time to reading and researching instead.

Her grandfather had left her a mountain of books, and she was able to borrow many precious documents from the castle with Marstein’s permission. Some contained the history of Sym and Selva, while others recounted the innumerable legends, fairy tales, and bits of folklore that had been left behind by people from throughout the continent. The time she was able to spend studying such topics was incredibly precious to Arishuna.

Arishuna had inherited her grandfather’s star reading abilities. However, at times that power was beyond her control. She needed to properly understand the meaning of what she saw and be able to convey it to others. No matter how much she studied, it was never enough.

This world is full of a great many mysteries.

Arishuna asked her maid for some fresh tea while she examined a scroll left behind by her grandfather. Written on it were legends of ancient heroes and great figures. As she continued reading it, Arishuna’s eyes stopped on one section in particular, regarding the tale of Misha the White Sage, who had brought great prosperity to Sym.

Misha the White Sage... A foreigner who brought peace and prosperity to Sym using his unparalleled wisdom. It was an established theory among star readers that he had been a starless one.

Whether she wanted to or not, Arishuna could not help but think of Asuta. A black abyss of unreadable fate, a star that does not exist... Asuta is undoubtedly a starless one. That much was an indisputable fact in Arishuna’s mind. Though his appearance was fairly typical of a westerner, Arishuna was unable to read his star. She had heard that ancient conjurers knew techniques for hiding their own stars, but rather than anything like that, Asuta lacked a star to begin with.

Asuta certainly existed, but she could only see pitch-black where his star should be. The sky simply opened wide in a black abyss. So, Asuta’s star was there, and yet it wasn’t.

As it lacked any light whatsoever, a star reader was unable to determine where it was heading. Such a presence shifted the fates of those around it, and it was impossible to tell where that abyss would end up, how large it would become, or how long it would continue to exist.

However, there are many records regarding the fates that befell past starless ones.

By comparing them, Arishuna had managed to determine Asuta’s fate to a certain degree. However, she could not speak it. After all, she had already spoken without being asked to in the past and upset Asuta in the process. Such actions were not permitted of star readers, and besides, Arishuna herself did not want to cause Asuta to suffer. People could live perfectly healthy lives knowing nothing of their fate, while some who learned of a future they could not escape ended up being driven to despair, just like what had happened with the Zi sovereign whose downfall Arishuna’s grandfather had once foretold.

Starless ones are followed by great hope and great hardship. I pray that the hope that surrounds Asuta will be enough to overcome the hardship that comes with it.

Arishuna prayed with all her heart, bringing her fingers together. Though she didn’t know how much impact a prayer would have on a foreigner like Asuta, praying to Sym was all that Arishuna could do.

After having a quick snack at the upper sixth hour, Arishuna rested for a bit and then returned to the reception room. She would remain there until sunset as she carried out the task given to her by Duke Genos. As the bell rang out to indicate the sun had hit its peak, a familiar face was led into the room by the maid.

“It’s been some time, Lady Arishuna. I’m grateful that you were able to make time for me, despite how busy you have been.”

It was Welhide of the house of Banarm. He was in charge of the envoys who were developing the new trading relationship between their domain and Genos, and he had stayed in the castle town for quite a while as a result.

“Indeed, it has been, a while. This is, the first time, you have come, for a star reading.”

“Yes. We will soon be returning to Banarm at long last, so I would like to have you inform me of an auspicious day for our departure.” Though he was a noble, the young man always took care to be polite to Arishuna. He was a westerner with black hair, which wasn’t a very common sight in Genos, and he wore dazzling red attire. Red was probably considered to be a noble color in Banarm. “We are set to depart during the upcoming golden month. Normally, halfway through the month, on the fifteenth, would be seen as an auspicious day, but is there a more fitting option we may choose?”

“Please wait, for a moment.” Arishuna pulled out a tool of her trade from inside her outfit: a young gyama’s skull. As she traced a fingertip over the black cracks running through it, she concentrated her gaze on an otherworldly space. “Banarm is to, the northwest of Genos, is it not?”

“Yes. It’s only two days away by totos, but considering what happened ten years ago, I want to do everything I can to make sure this trip is safe.”

“Do you know, which month, you were born in? I will also, need your age.”

“I’m nineteen years old, and I believe I was most likely born in the black month.”

Westerners only tended to vaguely remember the month in which they were born, but that was no issue when it came to such a basic reading.

“The fifteenth, is an auspicious day. But you will be under, a more fortunate star, from the tenth, of the gold month, through the thirteenth.”

“The tenth through the thirteenth... So it would be best to leave on the tenth or eleventh and arrive on the twelfth or thirteenth?”

“No. Those are just, auspicious dates, for departing. No matter when, you leave, during those four days, your fate, will not change.”

Above all else, though, there were no signs of ill luck hanging about this young man. He wouldn’t meet any misfortune during the gold month, and as long as he was the leader of his group, they had nothing to worry about on their journey.

“Thank you very much. Ten years ago, my father lost his life while making this short trip, so I want to be as certain as possible. And I myself ended up getting delayed out on the road before when my totos was done in by a venomous insect.”

“As long as, you were indeed, born in, the black month, you will not, meet with misfortune. A bright future, awaits you.”

“I see,” Welhide replied with a smile, his gaze wandering a bit. He seemed to be looking around for anyone else hiding in the room, but the maid was waiting in the antechamber, so he and Arishuna were alone together. “And, well...there’s actually something personal I’d like foretold as well... Would it be possible to ask you to do so?”

“Yes, as long as, it is nothing, too difficult.”

“I’m not certain if it’s difficult or not... You see, it’s about the person I am to marry,” Welhide explained, his cheeks flushing red. He had paler skin than the people of Genos, so the shift was incredibly obvious.

“I see. Do you know, the person’s name, age, and month, when they were born?”

“Ah no, I’m not asking about anyone in particular, but rather what sort of person I will marry.”

That was what Arishuna would call a difficult task. Without knowing the exact date of his birth, it wouldn’t be possible to pick up on the fine movements of his star. Instead, she went back to the flow of stars from her previous reading and once again traced it with her fingers.

“It is difficult, to read precisely... Your happiness, lies with, your hometown. You will be happiest, marrying someone, from Banarm.”

“Ah, I knew it...” Welhide remarked with a bittersweet smile. “I had a feeling that was the case. It just isn’t my fate to be bound to someone I met here in Genos, is it?”

“Correct. As long as, you were born, in the black month.”

“Very well. Now I can return to Banarm without any regrets. Though I’m sure I’ll be returning to Genos often enough as the head of subsequent envoy groups.”

Arishuna had nothing to say in response, so she simply lowered her chin in a small bow.

Welhide shook his head as if trying to clear something out of it, then rose to his feet. “Well then, please excuse me. I hope that we’ll be able to meet again at some future banquet, Lady Arishuna.”

“Indeed. May a fine wind, blow your way.”

That concluded her first job of the day.

The guests who visited after that also asked Arishuna for an auspicious day to depart. That was no surprise, as the majority of the guests staying at this manor had come here to enjoy the revival festival in Genos. A good number of them had come for business dealings as well, so they discussed those matters with her too.

Westerners tended not to think too highly of star reading, but when they were feeling lost and uneasy, they would still wish for something to show them the way. Thankfully, Arishuna was fortunate enough to be in a position where she didn’t need to hesitate to deliver her prophecies. In terms of her business, no one considered her words to be completely definitive. All they wanted was a bit of advice.

However, just before the lower fourth hour, after Arishuna had taken a number of breaks, a customer with a somewhat ominous presence about him showed up. He was a young fellow clad in the white attire of a military man, who introduced himself as Leiriss. He seemed to be brooding over something as he took his seat.

“A great disaster has visited my house. I wish to have you read my future, to see whether I can avert this calamity through my own strength.”

“Could you, give me, your age, and the month, you were born?”

“I am seventeen, and I was born in the blue month.” His face looked a lot more mature than Welhide’s, and he was also rather tall for a westerner, but he was actually the same age as Arishuna.

Putting such thoughts aside, she suppressed the exhaustion she was feeling and began stroking the gyama skull. “A great disaster... It visited, your father, did it not?”

“Yes, that’s right,” Leiriss replied in a firm tone. It seemed that the fate of his house was fast approaching a turning point. But it wasn’t a matter of disaster or misfortune. Instead, the cause of this great change was likely the incident where his father strayed from the proper path. In fact, the stars seemed to say that his father was the one who had brought this disaster upon his own child.

His life would have never been thrown out of order had his father not strayed.

However, this turning point was too large and could only have been averted by the influence of an extremely strong star. Arishuna had not asked his father’s name or the day of his birth, so she could not say for certain, but she was confident that the fate that had befallen him was something that was always meant to happen, one way or another.

A number of stars had shifted significantly because of the disgrace this young man’s father had suffered, but her reading indicated that this was actually an exceptionally good omen. His father’s fall had brought about this beautiful movement in the stars. The world was moving properly. However, she couldn’t just say that.

His father had strayed from his path due to the weakness of his star, but as a result, the world as a whole was shining brighter. In a way, his father was a sacrifice for the sake of fate. It was hard to imagine anyone being happy with being given such a tragic reading.

However...

That was his father’s fate, not his own.

Arishuna’s eyes searched, and arrived at Leiriss’s own star.

“Your house faces, a great turning point. You have suffered, great distress... It is your star, that shall carve out, a path forward...”

“What do you mean?”

“Your star possesses, great strength... Enough strength, to overcome the change, that defeated your father. As long as, you do not, repeat his mistake, a bright future, will open wide, before you.”

“You’re telling me not to fall prey to the same weakness my father did... To not repeat his mistake?” Leiriss asked, a steady light shining in his eyes as he smiled. “Your name is Arishuna, correct? Were you aware that I am the son of Geimalos?”

“Geimalos?” Arishuna got the sense that she had heard that name somewhere before.

“Yes, that’s right,” Leiriss said as the light in his eyes grew even stronger. “You saw the crime my father committed with your own eyes, did you not? On that day, I was in another town serving as an envoy, so I was unfortunately absent.”

“Are you, perhaps referring, to that contest, of swordsmanship, with a hunter from, the forest’s edge?”

“Indeed. My father Geimalos set an underhanded trap for that hunter... Are you saying that you weren’t aware of all this when you made your prophecy?” Naturally, Arishuna had no way of knowing that he was the son of the knight who had lost to the hunter from the forest’s edge. She hadn’t even seen the knight’s face. “Well, no matter. I would never repeat my father’s crimes. No matter how formidable my opponent may be, I intend to face the hunters from the forest’s edge with my own strength alone.”

“There are, no enemies, before you...” Arishuna stated, her tone unchanged. “A shift in fate, is waiting, in your path. But fate, is not, an enemy. It is dangerous, to become obsessed,” Arishuna said as she reeled in his delicate star with all her might. She sensed intuitively that this was no time to spare any effort. “You should respect, your own pride. You must face, not an enemy, but rather yourself. The flames, of obsession, shall dull, your blade... You should hold, your pride firmly, in your chest.”

“I always do. And I swore to do battle with a great enemy in order to protect it.”

“No, not an enemy. You should believe, in your own star. You possess...a stronger star, than your father,” Arishuna stated after some hesitation.

The smile on Leiriss’s face vanished, and he stared off into empty space for a while as if searching for something. “Right... They are not my enemies. Ultimately, my father is the one who made a mistake. I should wield my sword properly as a knight, free from the taint of wicked thoughts.”

“Yes. Anger and resentment, will only reduce, your strength.”

“Indeed... So a bright future awaits me if I act as you have suggested?”

“Correct. If you, act properly, you may clear away, the misfortune faced, by your house. And then, your star shall shine, all the brighter.”

“I see,” Leiriss replied, closing his eyes for a moment. And then, the young knight suddenly rose. “I am most certainly not one to place too much value in star reading, but my mother recommended you so highly that I could not refuse, which is how I ended up here... Surprisingly, though, my heart feels rather light now.”

“I see.”

“It seems I cannot make light of your abilities. If you have truly directed me down the proper path, then I would like to come once again to thank you.”

“It is your strength, that will carve out, your fate. There is no need, to thank me.”

With an even more earnest smile than before, Leiriss departed from the room.

Arishuna gave a sigh and leaned back against her chair. But before she could request another break, her next visitor entered, and this one was completely different from the last. She now found herself facing a noblewoman with a lovely appearance, someone with whom Arishuna was already acquainted: Lady Selanju.

“It has been a while, Arishuna. I am so grateful that you made time for me today.”

Though she was dressed for going out, the noble lady’s attire was made from fine silk and wool. Arishuna could not recall which house she came from precisely, but she was the young daughter of a viscount. They had met twice, at the banquet where the swordsmanship match was held, and at the noblewomen’s tea party.

“I just don’t know what I should do... You are quite famed for your star reading, so I would like you to tell me what path I should take going forward,” Lady Selanju said passionately as she took a seat. “Um, could I ask that you keep what we discuss here a secret?”

“Yes. I always keep such things, in confidence.”

“Thank you... You see, I have actually fallen for a certain gentleman...” As she said that, Lady Selanju’s white cheeks grew ever so slightly red. This was the sort of concern young noblewomen often brought before Arishuna. “But my father and Count Saturas have interfered, telling me I must let go of my feelings... And of course, I understand the position I find myself in. I was born to the house of a viscount, so it is not permitted for me to fall for a commoner who is not even a resident of the castle town.”

“I see.”

“However, I seem to be utterly incapable of holding these feelings back. Each night, they well up inside me, growing stronger and stronger, to the point that they make me wish I could cast aside my family name... Then I would be able to have feelings for whomever I pleased, and there would be nobody to tell me otherwise.”

“Could you tell me, the month you were born, and your age?”

“I was born in the red month, and I am twenty years old.”

As Arishuna thought to herself that it was rare for a noblewoman to reach the age of twenty without getting married, she sought out Lady Selanju’s star.

Just as she had expected, there were no signs anywhere that something major was about to change for this woman. The noble lady was clearly going to live a reasonably blessed life here in this land, and no matter where Arishuna looked, she couldn’t see any potential shifts that would overturn that fate, like taking on a lover of a different status.

Even so, Arishuna contemplated the matter. No matter how she phrased it, the noblewoman was unlikely to be satisfied. Lady Selanju had surely thought about this quite a bit, in her own way. It was even possible that her feelings had been strengthened by her father and Count Saturas attempting to deny her. If Arishuna were to give a negative opinion now, it would only add fuel to the fire.

That could twist her fate quite severely... And even if her own fate did not change, this star arrangement tells me that such a disturbance would certainly throw other stars out of order. This noblewoman had no power of her own, but she was the daughter of a viscount. If she made an attempt to run away from home, it would cause quite a commotion in the castle town.

Arishuna also thought back on the girl’s words and actions during the tea party and the banquet. The one she had feelings for was most likely that young hunter from the forest’s edge who felt rather similar to a citizen of Sym... That young man, Shin Ruu, who had defeated Leiriss’s father, Geimalos.

If she slipped out of the castle town and went barging into the settlement at the forest’s edge, what would that lead to? Would it cause yet another needless rift to form between the nobles of Genos and the people of the forest’s edge?

But still, I am a star reader. I am not allowed to lie about the fates I read.

Arishuna stroked her gyama skull, worrying to herself about what to say, but not showing any signs of it. Eventually, she decided on an approach, and spoke to the pensive young Lady Selanju. “Lady Selanju, your feelings, are very strong. Similar to, a blazing fire.”

“Very much so.”

“Large fires, can be dangerous, at times. A strong flame, can burn the fates of, not only yourself, but others as well.”

Lady Selanju’s star would certainly never be able to have any kind of negative impact on the young hunter’s. Though Arishuna had not read his star, she could sense great strength just from looking at him. However, that wasn’t something she could tell the young lady. It was a crime to lie, but concealing things was perfectly fine. In fact, it was an important duty of star readers to choose their words so as not to obstruct the proper flow of the stars.

“There is a risk, your actions could disrupt, the fates of others. Your feelings, are just too intense.”

In all likelihood, the fates she would disturb belonged to her father and Count Saturas. The fates of the people of the forest’s edge were like a meteor swarm governed by the great lion star, and wouldn’t be thrown out of alignment so easily. Rather, the swirling of those stars would instead threaten the fates of those surrounding Lady Selanju... Or at least, that was the concern Arishuna had.

“It is painful, to stifle such feelings. But your tears will, bring salvation to others. That is what, your star told me.”

“My...” Lady Selanju remarked, bringing her hands up to her cheeks. And in no time at all, her light brown eyes began tearing up. “The flames of my feelings could burn him? Yes, that makes sense. If a noble and a commoner fall in love, it is only natural that it will end in tragedy. That was what caused the house of Viscount Alphan to fall apart...”

Arishuna offered no response.

“If I simply endure this, will that man’s fate be preserved? Aah! I must stifle my own feelings for the sake of the one I love! Why must the western god force me to face such a trial?”

“Humans cannot understand, the hearts of the gods...” Arishuna solemnly stated.

Lady Selanju was staring off into space with an almost intoxicated look. “Very well. If I must endure these feelings in order to protect him...then endure I shall, no matter how painful it may be.”

“A good, answer.”

“Thank you, Arishuna. I am in your debt. Please allow me to invite you to a dinner at my house in the near future.”

“Very well. You have, my gratitude.”

After watching Lady Selanju exit the room, Arishuna hung her head. The mental fatigue of dealing with that last customer had left her exhausted. She couldn’t help but wonder if it was truly a star reader’s job to worry about such matters.

But now, her father’s and Count Saturas’s stars will not be threatened. Weak stars should not get too close to strong ones.

Then there was a knock on the door, and Arishuna hurriedly called out, “My apologies, but could I ask, for a short break?”

“That noblewoman was the final visitor requesting a star reading. This guest is here for a different reason. Will you receive her?”

“If my work, is finished, I shall rest, for today. I am tired.”

“But the guest is Lady Sheila from the house of Daleim.”

Arishuna sat up with a start. “Please, let her through.”

“Very well. Hold on for just a moment.”

Arishuna sat up straight and waited for Sheila to come in. Before long, the young woman employed by the house of Daleim as a maid, quite familiar to Arishuna by now, entered the room.

“Good day, Lady Arishuna. I’ve come to deliver Sir Asuta’s cooking.”

“Of course. Thank you, very much.”

Sheila was holding a rectangular container wrapped in cloth, but even with the second layer the food was packed in, the wonderful aroma was impossible to miss. It was a delivery of giba curry, which Asuta had been sending to Arishuna every two days or so for nearly a month now.

“I am, deeply grateful, Sheila. You truly, need no payment?”

“I don’t. If I were to let you pay me, Sir Yang would chew me out for it.” As Sheila stepped in front of Arishuna, she set the package down on the table with a smile. “You are friends with Sir Polarth, are you not, Lady Arishuna? That is even more of a reason not to. I am a maid of the house of Daleim, so your concerns are completely unnecessary.”

“But I have added, to your work. I am sorry, for that.”

“Delivering this to you takes nothing more than a short ride in a totos carriage, and this manor is on the way back to the count’s residence anyway, so it’s nothing to worry about. Farewell,” Sheila said with a warm smile before swiftly departing.

The maid then entered in her place. “Pardon me. If you wish to eat as soon as possible, I shall have that food heated up.”

“Thank you. But it is only, the fifth hour. The other parts of the meal, will not be ready, in time.”

She had only asked Asuta for giba curry, so she had the chefs in the kitchen provide fuwano and a vegetable dish for her dinner as well, but they had previously asked her to give them until the sixth hour each afternoon to prepare everything, which had left her waiting in disappointment before.

However, the old maid shook her head and said, “Actually, the other dish has already been prepared. They only need to bake the fuwano now, and that can be ready for delivery in just a quarter of an hour.”

“Really? I was, told before, it wouldn’t, be possible.”

“Yes, but I went to the chefs and requested that they have your food prepared in time for the fifth hour, because that is usually when Lady Sheila arrives,” the maid replied with a faint smile. Just like an easterner, she tended not to let her emotions show, so it was incredibly rare to see her make such an expression. “My apologies for acting so forwardly. You just seemed so terribly disappointed when you were refused an early meal before, I simply couldn’t leave the matter be.”

The people of Sym considered it embarrassing to have someone notice their emotions. Of course, the resulting embarrassment was also supposed to be kept hidden. And yet, Arishuna could feel heat spreading across her cheeks, and she was completely unable to stop it. The old maid saw that and smiled at her kindly.