Back at the hideout, Mina took a bath, nibbled on some bread, and sipped a cup of hot tea.

  These were perfectly ordinary, unremarkable things—but they were exactly what she needed most right now.

  Strange things had been happening nonstop since yesterday. More than anything, Mina missed her plain, uneventful life.

  “Ahhh… I feel human again.”

  She sank into a dining chair and leaned back. Blowing gently on her steaming tea, she took a careful sip. Just then, Arc walked into the room and set a small device on the table.

  “Sorry to interrupt your downtime, but we should probably get started, Mina.”

  Mina wanted to relax a little longer, but she understood they couldn’t afford to. She took one last lingering sip of tea, then stood and made her way over to Arc.

  Arc tapped the device on the table with his fingertip.

  “This is a concealment artifact. It prevents any magical energy used inside from leaking out.”

  Mina nodded.

  “So basically, we can examine the tarot cards without Seraphim and his people detecting us.”

  Arc nodded.

  “Exactly.”

  Mina gave a small nod and placed the deck of cards, still wrapped in purple cloth, on the table.

  “I’m opening it.”

  Arc nodded, and Mina unfolded the wrapping.

  “Mom gave me these cards a few years ago. She told me to only use them inside my room… and to never, ever take them out of the house.”

  “The house must have had concealment magic cast on it.”

  Mina nodded.

  “It takes me back. In the end, these became the only keepsake I have from her.”

  She gently stroked the stack of cards.

  “Mina… there are twenty-two cards in total—the Major Arcana.”

  “Right. But why would these cards serve as a key?”

  “That’s exactly what nobody can figure out. Did your mother ever say anything to you about the cards?”

  “I can’t think of anything special. She only taught me some basic ways to do readings.”

  “Readings, huh… What kind?”

  “Well… there was the Horoscope Spread, the Three-Card Spread… all sorts of things.”

  “What’s the Horoscope Spread?”

  “It’s a method where you lay out tarot cards in a pattern that resembles an astrological horoscope—a chart based on the twelve zodiac signs.”

  “Then… could the lines drawn on this cloth be a Horoscope Spread layout?”

  At Arc’s suggestion, Mina examined the purple cloth that had been wrapping the cards more closely. The inner surface was covered with various lines forming intricate patterns.

  “Um… can you explain what you mean?”

  “Sure. I think this cloth has all kinds of lines on it, some of them decoys. But if you look at it with the assumption that it’s meant for a Horoscope Spread…”

  You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.

  Arc traced a circular shape over the cloth with his finger.

  “These lines stand out.”

  When Mina looked closely, she could see markings that appeared to indicate positions for thirteen cards.

  “That’s amazing… How did you figure that out, Arc?”

  Arc folded his arms and thought.

  “The question is which of the twenty-two cards to choose and where to place them.”

  “Are there any other clues?”

  Just as Mina said this, she touched the cloth—and certain lines among the many patterns began glowing red.

  “Whoa! It’s reacting to your magical energy, Mina!”

  But the glowing lines didn’t form the Horoscope pattern they’d expected. Instead, they indicated positions for just three cards.

  “That’s not it… It’s not a Horoscope Spread.”

  “Maybe it’s measuring your level. The spread that appears might be calibrated to your magical ability.”

  Mina began examining the glowing lines.

  “Look… numbers are appearing.”

  Arc leaned in. Written there were the numbers 18, 5, and 14.

  “Some of the numbers are upside down, aren’t they?”

  “So there are reversed positions too… Let’s just try laying them out.”

  Mina nodded and picked up the stack of cards. 18, 5, and 14—that would be the Moon, the Hierophant, and Temperance. She found the cards quickly.

  “So I just place them here, like this?”

  “Only the Moon card is reversed.”

  Mina nodded.

  “Still, I’m curious why these particular cards were chosen. Can you interpret the meanings of tarot cards, Mina?”

  Mina groaned softly.

  “I only know what I’ve read in teen magazines.”

  “That’s fine—tell me anyway. There has to be some meaning behind this.”

  Mina nodded.

  “Alright. So, this Three-Card Spread represents past, present, and future.”

  “So the past is the Moon, reversed?”

  “Right. The Moon signifies anxiety, fear, illusion… things like that. Reversed, it means the fog is lifting, liberation from deception, a step toward truth.”

  “I see… I think this is talking about you.”

  “About me?”

  Arc nodded.

  “Right now, you’ve lost your parents and you’re facing unknown enemies—you’re trapped in a darkness where you can’t see what lies ahead. But because the card is reversed, it suggests you’ve found the resolve to confront the source of your fear and anxiety… or that you’re ready to face the truth about your mother.”

  “That makes sense… Okay, next is the Hierophant. This one represents tradition, teachings, orthodox knowledge—things passed down from master to student.”

  “That one’s easy. It means you’ll rightfully inherit the power of your mother, Lady Lilia.”

  Mina was impressed.

  “Wow, Arc. You could be a fortune teller, you know that?”

  Arc waved the idea away.

  “I’m just making inferences from our current situation… So, what about the future card?”

  “Let’s see… the future is Temperance. It signifies the harmony of opposing forces… maturation over time.”

  Hearing this, Arc fell quiet for a moment.

  “What’s wrong, Arc?”

  “Well… I think this is a very important message, but you might not be able to understand it yet.”

  “Oh, come on—don’t hold out on me.”

  Arc nodded, his eyes cast downward.

  “I think this is talking about angels and demons. Instead of seeing them as opposing forces, the card is saying it’s important to look beyond that conflict—to see from a higher perspective.”

  “Angels?!”

  Mina recalled the brutal behavior of the angels she’d witnessed at the ruins.

  “Are you saying I should accept the angels who killed my parents? Walk alongside them?”

  Arc quickly waved his hands, backtracking.

  “Calm down… I was just applying the card’s meaning to our situation, that’s all.”

  Mina’s mood soured, and she lowered her gaze. Arc came over to her, looking worried.

  “I’m sorry, Mina…”

  Mina shook her head.

  “No, I’m the one who should apologize.”

  “But these are the cards your mother laid out. They can’t be completely meaningless. Someday soon, you’ll understand what they mean. Until then, let’s not overthink it.”

  Arc said it gently, and Mina gave a small nod.

  “Come on, Mina… let’s lay the cards out. You’re the one who’ll use this key your mother left behind to open whatever door is waiting.”

  Mina looked up at that.

  “Alright, Arc!”

  She drew out the designated cards and placed them in their positions. When she touched the cloth again, the cards began to glow, and the patterns on the fabric shifted and changed.

  “Look, Arc! The patterns on the cloth!”

  “Yeah, Mina… something like writing is appearing… Can you read it?”

  Mina nodded.

  “Of course—it’s in Japanese. Hold on… um… it says to touch the symbol in the center with my fingertip.”

  “The hexagram, right? Go ahead and touch it.”

  “Wait… it says you need to touch it too, Arc.”

  “Me too?”

  “Hurry up—put your finger out.”

  Arc circled the table to stand beside Mina and looked at her, his expression slightly bashful. Then he placed his fingertip gently next to hers on the hexagram.

  The cloth blazed with light, and in an instant the entire room was engulfed in its glow.

  “Wha—?! What’s happening?!”

  “Don’t worry, Mina…”

  The light enveloped them slowly.

  Arc closed his eyes and listened carefully. He breathed in deeply.

  “This scent… it’s nostalgic.”

  “A scent?”

  “Yeah. It’s the scent of your mother’s magic… Lady Lilia’s.”

  “Mom’s…?”

  Mina understood. Something her mother had left behind was here, in this place.

  “Maybe… we’re finally about to uncover part of the truth.”

  Heart pounding, Mina stood still and waited for the light to settle, wondering what would be revealed.