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 ch 02

I love my reflection in this year’s fortune-telling mirror.

My black hair, cut short for the new year, bounces at the base of my neck. My eyes, which are a shade of purple or ultramarine blue, or just plain black from a distance, are clearly set in the mirror.

I’ve packed the neatest, most expensive clothes I own. It’s a winter suit made of hand-knitted wool, thick but not dull.

It’s the perfect suit for a successful businessman!

“Danju-nim?”

My grandfather calls out to me in a nervous tone. I turn to look at him in the mirror and ask back.

“Huh? What?”

“I’m just going to see a fortune teller, why are you so excited…….”

“Just a fortune-telling! Don’t say that, you’re being unfair.”

This makes me sound like a very superstitious person, but I don’t believe in superstitions. I only believe in one thing: the fortune that I pull out of that fortune teller’s basket every New Year. And so far, so good.

I hummed and straightened my clothes. From the age of twenty-two to twenty-six, she’d picked only the best fortunes. I was sure this year, my twenty-seventh would be no different.

“Shall we go now?”

“Are you going to drag this old man out again?”

“So I’m going out by myself?”

I ask, my eyes widening in surprise, and he sighs as if he doesn’t like the idea. In fact, every time he goes out with me, he likes it, as if he’s taking his granddaughter out for a walk, but he pretends to hate it once in a while.

“It’s about time you hired a maid.”

“It doesn’t suit my personality.”

“But you’re a nobelwoman…….”

“Oh, no one thinks I’m a noblewoman!“

Ugh, my grandpa’s constant complaining is really getting on my nerves. Ah, so annoying.

I can sympathize with him. After being knighted at the age of twenty-two and becoming a young nobleman, he had no maids or knights, and now that he’s twenty-seven, he’s disappointed.

But unfortunately, I have no intention of hiring a maid or knight for the time being. There are plenty of people who are working anyway. I don’t need a cultured, snot-nosed, noble-born maid or a pretty-faced knight.

“Let’s go.”

I pulled on my coat and started walking. The old man follows behind, grumbling. 

As soon as I walked into the store, I couldn’t help but be impressed.

When I first came here with my parents when I was seventeen, it was a shabby plastic house, but now it’s like a mobile store. There’s even space for a horse walking around the store.

The interior has also become much more spacious and organized. It’s not super sturdy or fancy, but it’s nice to see that it’s well-maintained.

Actually, this mobile store is a gift from me. I guess my luck didn’t improve thanks to Grandma, but still, it feels good.

The hunched-over old woman smiled with a wrinkled face and greeted me.

“Welcome, milady.”

I waved my hand in the air and sat down in the chair.

The wooden table between her and me was covered in luxurious silk. This, of course, was my gift!

I rested my arms on the soft silk and stared at her, jaw set. She smiled sweetly, just like my real grandmother.

“So, fortune cookies again this year?”

“Yep. I’m feeling so good today.”

She held out the basket she had prepared. The paper-wrapped treats rustled against each other. Ah, the sound of paper. The sound of good luck coming my way.

I searched through the basket a few times and pulled one out.

I unwrapped the paper wrapper and snapped the fortune cookie in half. A small, curled note tumbled out of the empty space inside.

Rolling across the silk table, the note held my fortune for the year. I swallowed dryly and gently lifted the note between my thumb and forefinger.

Oh, this has to be good.

I unwrapped the note and squinted at the words. My heart was pounding like crazy. One by one, the words came into focus.

[This is a year where there is nothing you cannot have if you want to have it. There are plenty of crops to harvest, and the bountiful autumn will continue as if it will never end.]

“Aaah!”

I let out an involuntary shout of joy. I crumpled the note in my hand and punched it into the air. I popped the cookie into my mouth, chewed it, and basked in my happiness.

The Grandpa told me that I would have good luck, but I was nervous about sitting in this seat. But my hunch was right.

I’m going to have the best time this year. Oh, I love it!

Grandma didn’t blink an eye at my frenzy, just smiled. I pulled a pouch full of bronze coins out of my inside pocket and slapped them on the table.

The metal clinked so brightly.

“Thank you, Grandma.”

“Your luck is your own.”

Even as she said that, Grandma sneakily took the pouch, which made me laugh out loud. She was in a good mood, and the way she fiddled with her pockets looked so cute.

“Well, I’ll come back next year!”

I stood up and spoke. I should go outside and show off this note to the grandpa!

Just then, I noticed another basket lying on the ground near the entrance. It was filled with paper folded into the shape of a note.

The old lady realized where I was looking and spoke up behind my back to explain.

“This is something new, just for fun. You can try it, and I’ll give it to you for free.”

“Really? What’s this?”

On the front of a basket on a small table was a sign that read.

[Blessing or curse with the mischievous Trickster]

Try your luck with this half-blessing, half-curse note (effect lasts 1 year)

(Blessings include: no matter how many late-night snacks you eat, your health won’t worsen, you’ll have a quick bowel movement in the morning, you’ll be able to see someone’s original hair color, etc.)

(Types of curses: When you go to a restaurant and make a menu choice, you will fail half the time / the public restroom you visit will be dirty with a high probability / cold water may suddenly come out while washing / etc. etc. etc.]

I laughed because it was ridiculous. I’m kind of coveting the blessing of not getting sick from eating late-night snacks.)

“So I get to pick one of these?”

“Yes.”

The old lady was too busy doing something in the back to look this way.

Since it couldn’t be a real blessing or curse anyway, I grabbed the topmost note and walked out the door without looking at it. The old man was waiting for me by the carriage.

I waved the note around and climbed into the carriage. He quickly sat down next to me and closed the door. The carriage rumbled away to the mansion.

“Grandpa, look at this, it’s a blessing and curse note, and Grandma gave me one for free.”

“Really?”

The old man looked at the note with disbelief and lost interest. He doesn’t even ask if you’re curious about your luck this year.

“What’s wrong?”

“Don’t you think you’re looking at it too much?”

“I see what you’re worried about, but I’m not that unusually superstitious.”

Anyway, he worries too much like that.

I hummed and opened the note. Hopefully, I’ll get lucky and find something funny.

I carefully pressed the corners and opened the folded note to see what it said.

[Be a nice person! The final answer is up to you].

※ Blessings or curses cannot be revealed to others in any way.]

……Huh?