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Chapter 5
Too Competent Fortune Teller Is Not Welcome
Perion was wandering inside a nightmare.
It was always the same dream.
His father, swayed by the whisper of a fortune teller, executed his mother—accusing her of being the seed of a disaster for the empire.
His mother knelt desperately, begging to be spared, while the Emperor looked down at her coldly.
Every time, Perion tried to stand in front of her.
But for some reason, in the dream, he was always a child.
There was nothing the young Perion could do.
He was only thrown aside by the soldiers ordered by the Emperor.
The scene repeated endlessly.
The child left alone would cry, scream, and let hatred grow inside him.
“I will kill them all.”
He always made that vow.
But today was different.
Someone hugged the lonely Perion.
And whispered softly.
“It’s okay. It’s just a dream. You don’t have to hurt anymore.”
At those words, Perion finally escaped the nightmare and opened his eyes.
He recalled his last memory.
Then he instinctively touched his neck, where blood had been pouring out.
“…I almost died.”
He didn’t know who treated him, but he decided he should properly reward them for saving his life.
He had been careless. He hadn’t expected sleeping gas, and he was almost helpless.
But strangely, the fortune teller’s words came back to him.
“Wear something around your neck.”
That advice came to his mind, and because of it, he had instinctively dodged the blade aimed at his throat.
He had only suffered a wound instead of having his neck cut open.
It was because of that fortune teller.
What a strange feeling.
To survive because of advice from someone he had always hated.
Perion decided he needed to meet that fortune teller again.
“My body feels heavy. I haven’t fully recovered yet.”
As he tried to move, he heard a strange sound—“hmnya.”
He turned toward the sound reflexively.
A woman was lying on his bed without any fear at all.
She was even holding onto him while wearing a dirty robe.
Perion immediately tried to get up to kill her.
But then he noticed a crystal ball rolling on the bed.
A familiar crystal ball.
“Fortune teller?”
Only then did he realize who she was.
Even though she was hidden under that dirty robe, her voice had sounded young.
He had guessed she wasn’t old, but he didn’t expect her to be this young.
“Early twenties… maybe?”
And strangely pure white hair.
She was a very unusual woman who hid herself under a robe like it was some kind of habit.
He didn’t know why she was here, but he decided not to kill her for now.
“She still has things I need to ask. Punishment can wait.”
When he tried to stand, pain shot through his neck.
When he touched it, a little blood still seeped out.
“Not fully healed…”
While enduring the discomfort and trying to move away, the woman mumbled something and grabbed him.
“Come here…”
Then she pulled his head into her handcuffed arms and hugged his neck.
Perion, caught off guard, fell forward onto her.
“…What a bad sleeping habit.”
Suppressing his irritation, he tried to pull away.
Then he noticed something.
A white light was coming from her body.
He carefully removed himself from her arms and touched his neck again.
The pain was gone.
That light was divine power.
Perion looked at the sleeping woman with confused eyes.
“Why would someone who uses divine power pretend to be a fortune teller?”
After staring at her for a moment, he left the room.
Devon was standing guard outside.
“Your Majesty! H-how did you wake up so—!”
“Devon. Who treated me?”
“The palace physician did emergency treatment, but that was all. We requested help from the temple, but as you know…”
“They delayed it with excuses.”
Relations with the temple had always been bad.
Then there was no way he could have recovered overnight… unless it was her.
Devon continued, nearly in tears.
“It’s a miracle. The fortune teller was half right.”
“The fortune teller predicted something again?”
“Yes. When Linen asked if Your Majesty would wake up, she said: ‘A guest from afar will heal the Emperor before sunrise.’”
Perion couldn’t help but smile.
So she predicted it while healing him herself?
Was she just another fraud like the others?
But something about it didn’t feel that simple.
Perion trusted his instincts.
They had never been wrong before.
He hated fortune tellers because they deceived people for profit.
But this one felt different.
He couldn’t explain how, but she was different.
If this feeling wouldn’t go away, he might as well keep her close until he understood.
“Above all, people who can use divine power are rare in the palace.”
There were many uses for her.
After thinking for a while, Perion started walking.
“Your Majesty, you just woke up—where are you going?”
“To Linen.”
“You’re going to work already?”
Ignoring Devon’s protest, Perion kept walking.
Only a cruel smile appeared on his face.
That smile usually appeared only when he was imagining how to kill someone.
Devon felt a chill run down his spine and stopped speaking.
“I’ll need to create a new department in the palace.”
Devon didn’t understand what he meant at all.
But trusting that the Emperor had his reasons, he quickly followed.
The moment I opened my eyes, I felt a chill down my back.
My body felt too comfortable.
And my hands were free, lying spread out on a bed.
I also heard rustling sounds in my ears.
Someone was changing clothes in this room.
There was only one person who would do that here.
“Your Majesty, today’s schedule.”
Of course—it was the Emperor’s room.
I couldn’t open my eyes, so I just kept them tightly shut.
I was sweating nervously, unable to even think about opening them.
Then I heard footsteps approaching.
And Perion’s breath reached my ear.
“If you don’t want to die, you should wake up.”
I got goosebumps all over and jumped up in panic—
And slammed my head straight into his face.
“Ugh!”
Perion grabbed his nose and staggered.
Seeing that, I went pale and flattened myself on the floor.
“W-why didn’t you dodge? No, I mean—your reflexes are usually amazing! I absolutely wasn’t trying to insult you! It was respect!”
“Enough.”
His low voice pressed into my ear like a threat.
I shut my mouth immediately.
Instead, I slammed my forehead into the bed and shouted loudly.
“I deserve death, Your Majesty!”
Silence followed.
The longer it lasted, the drier my mouth became.
Just when I thought I might die of dehydration, Perion spoke.
“That is indeed a death-worthy offense.”
“…It is, but please spare my life! I will do anything!”
“Anything?”
“Yes!”
‘Just… please don’t exile me!’
But his next words were far beyond my expectations.
“Then serve the empire from now on.”
“…Huh?”
“From this moment on, I appoint the fortune teller Lani as the imperial fortune teller.”
“…Excuse me?”
I accidentally shouted out loud.
An imperial fortune teller?
That’s not even a job I’ve ever seen in this world!
A fortune teller—considered disgraceful and lowly—being given an official palace position?
The author of this story would faint!
Perion frowned slightly.
“Do you not like it?”
I could almost hear the unspoken words behind it.
‘How bold.’
Focus, Mi-yeon!
Even if you enter a tiger’s den, you survive if you keep your mind sharp.
I pressed my forehead to the bed and spoke as politely as possible.
“Your Majesty, I deeply apologize, but I already have a contract with someone named Linen…”
And then I heard his answer.
A chill ran down my spine.
