Chapter 48

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In the Divination Club on the second floor of 13 Howes Street, Northside of Tingen, Klein saw the beautiful receptionist again.

Her ash-brown hair was still pulled up in a neat bun, lending her a mature and elegant appearance. It was hard to tell her age.

“Good afternoon. Mr. Glacis isn’t here today. Would you like to try a different fortune-telling session?” asked the beautiful lady with a smile.

Hearing that, Klein—who had just taken off his silk hat and put it back on—was stunned. “You still remember me?”

That was five whole days ago!

The woman pursed her lips into a smile.

“You are the first customer to seek Mr. Glacis’s services, and so far, the only one. It’s hard not to have a deep impression of you.”

Was that impression one of him being penny-wise and pound foolish? Klein wondered as he deliberated a question. “When was the last time Mr. Glacis came to the club?”

The lady shot him a glance and answered slowly, as if trying to recall, “To be honest, we don’t have a set schedule for our members. They come and go as they please. However, I do believe Mr. Glacis hasn’t been here since the day he divined for you.”

I wish him the best of luck. May the Goddess bless him...

Klein prayed silently and did not press further. Instead, he said with a smile, “I’m not here for divination services this time. I’m here to join the club.”

“Really? That’s our pleasure,” the lady replied, her face lighting up with pleasant surprise. “For the first year as a member, the fee is five pounds. After that, it will be one pound a year. I believe there’s no need for me to explain the details again?”

Klein took out a five-pound note he had just received and watched as Henry Augustus I’s portrait grew ever more distant.

After diligently checking the anti-counterfeiting watermark, the woman carefully put away the note and handed Klein a form.

“Please fill in your detailed information. I will prepare a receipt for you.

There's a receipt? You should bill it to Blackthorn Security Company...

Amused by his own thoughts, Klein picked up a dip pen from the desk. Dipping it into the dark blue ink, he filled in his name, age, current address, and company information. However, he deliberately left his date of birth blank. To a Seer, that detail was akin to his Life Path Number—something that might reveal too much personal information.

After providing the receipt and registering Klein as a new member, the lady extended her right hand and said, “Congratulations on joining Tingen’s Divination Club. I’m Angelica Barrehart, your dedicated server. Here are your member cufflinks. They bear special inscriptions that will identify you as a member.”

“Hello, Ms. Angelica,” Klein replied as he gently shook her hand and accepted the dark gold cufflinks.

He noticed that the special inscription used the Hermes root word for “fortune teller.”

Angelica retracted her hand and thought for a few seconds. “Might I ask which divination arts you specialize in? Or perhaps you’d like to learn some divination methods from the club? We sometimes invite renowned fortune tellers to give classes and introduce members with similar expertise for a pleasant exchange.”

“I know a bit of every method. There’s no need for any special considerations,” Klein replied with a touch of embellishment. Then he inquired, “Can I begin now? I’m not a total novice.”

He was there to act as a Seer, not to learn the basic fortune-telling methods any ordinary person could master.

Angelica maintained a polite smile as she said, “You may provide your divination services in the club at any time. However, until we confirm your skill level, we will not promote you to our patrons when they ask. How much would you like to charge for your fortune-telling?”

“Two pence,” Klein decided, relying on his economic advantage while remaining relatively unknown.

“According to our custom, we will take a one-eighth cut of your fee, which comes to a quarter of a pence...,” Angelica explained the rules before writing Klein’s information into the album of fortune tellers for patrons to choose from.

After all that was done, she pointed to the meeting room at the far end of the corridor with a smile.

“Mr. Hines Vincent is currently holding a seminar on star chart divination. You can find a quiet spot to listen in and ask questions if you have any.”

“All right.” With his interest piqued, Klein walked toward the meeting room, eager to hear how Hines Vincent’s insights differed from what Old Neil had taught him.

Just then, Angelica chased after him and whispered, “Mr. Moretti, would you like coffee or tea? We provide Cibo black tea, Southweir coffee, and Desi coffee.”

Klein, who had been perusing the papers, knew that these coffees and black tea were of lower-middle grade, but he also knew they were definitely better than what his family had at home. After a moment’s thought, he said, “A cup of Southweir coffee, please, with three teaspoons of sugar and no milk.”

The Loen Kingdoms Southweir County was famous for its beer and red wine; many important figures were fond of them. However, their coffee was relatively unknown.

“Of course. I’ll bring it shortly,” Angelica replied, pointing toward the meeting room.

Klein slowly walked to the half-open door and heard a voice with a thick Awashire accent say, “Star chart divination is a rather complex technique, even among all the divination arts...”

But that's only for ordinary people..., Klein silently mused.

Inside the meeting room, five or six long tables were arranged in a semicircle around a middle-aged man in a classic black robe—Hines Vincent. The gentleman had noticeable dark circles under his eyes. His chocolate brown hair was thick and stubborn, each strand standing up like the spines of a porcupine. Apart from that, there was nothing particularly unique about him.

Upon seeing Klein enter, Hines Vincent nodded gently without pausing his lecture. He only slowed his speech slightly.

Klein, one hand in his pocket and the other holding his walking stick, found a seat on the side and sat down, leaning back comfortably. In the warmth of the brilliant afternoon sun, he scanned the room and saw six people in the audience—four men and two women. Some were attentively taking notes, some engaged in quiet conversation, and others returned Klein a rueful smile.

After setting down his walking stick, Klein adjusted his short top hat and tapped twice on his brow. Then he cast his gaze at Hines and observed the various colors, brightness, and thickness of his aura.

“Dark red, so he’s a little anxious... Actually, every other part of his aura is healthy. I wonder what’s wrong...,” Klein muttered to himself as he listened leisurely to the class.

Suddenly, he balled his right hand into a loose fist and covered his mouth to stifle a laugh. His thoughts and actions just now made him feel a bit like a quack.

He was rather pleased with his spirit vision these days. Although he could only make a general judgment and couldn’t discern specific details, it provided him with plenty of useful information.

After scanning the room a second time, he tapped his brow again as though pondering what Hines had just said.

Star chart divination was part of astromancy, though ordinary people could also attempt to decipher it. For instance, the most basic birth chart horoscope used the positions of the sun, moon, Blue Planet, and Scarlet Planet, among others, and their corresponding placements in the sky at the time of the inquirer’s birth—matching the representative symbols to the star chart and factoring in the situations of various constellations.

This required the fortune teller to calculate the positions of the planets and constellations retroactively, which was rather complicated. Of course, there were publications that aided people in looking up the values; some even simplified it by providing a general interpretation of the constellations.

Klein listened quietly without interjecting or asking any questions. From time to time, he caressed the yellow crystal in his sleeve or took a sip of the Southweir coffee Angelica had brought in.

After some time, Hines pinched the center of his brow and said, “Perhaps you’ll need to try drawing your own star chart. Come to me if you have any questions. I will be in the Moonstone Room.”

After he left, a young man in a white shirt and black waistcoat got up with a smile and walked to Klein’s side.

“Nice to meet you. I’m Edward Steve.”

“My pleasure. Klein Moretti,” Klein replied as he stood up and returned the bow.

“Star charts are much too complicated. Every time I hear about them, I can’t help but doze off,” said Edward self-deprecatingly.

Klein grinned and said, “That’s because Mr. Vincent can’t help but dump all the knowledge he possesses on us at once. It’s like an entire Intis feast in one sitting—amazing but not good for digestion.”

“If it were me, I’d be able to finish the Intis feast. They like to serve tiny bites of food on a huge plate,” Edward chuckled before taking a seat. He then asked, “Are you new? I haven’t seen you in the two years I’ve been here.”

“I just joined the club today,” Klein answered frankly.

“What’s your area of expertise? I’m best at tarot and poker divination,” Edward casually asked.

“I know a little of everything, but only a little.” Klein offered the familiar description he’d used before. He wasn’t being modest; there was simply too much mystical knowledge in the domain of divination that he had yet to grasp.

Just as other members began approaching to discuss star chart divination with them, Angelica walked into the meeting room.

“Mr. Steve, someone would like you to read their fortune.”

“All right,” Edward said with a smile as he stood up.

“It seems that you are an excellent fortune teller,” Klein remarked, looking at him.

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“No, it’s because my fee is the most suitable,” Edward chortled. “When ordinary people come to have their fortunes told, they absolutely won’t choose the most expensive option. And unless they’ve been kicked in the head by a donkey, they wouldn’t dare choose the cheapest one, either. You’ll have the most opportunity if you’re in the middle of the pack.”

I'm one of those who got kicked in the head by a donkey...

Watching Edward leave, Klein suddenly shook his head with a wry smile.

It seems that I've made a mistake in setting the price...

He stood up, picked up his walking stick, and left the meeting room. He found Angelica again.

“I wish to change the price of my divination...hmm...to eight pence.”

Angelica studied him for a long moment and said, “We will abide by your request, but do note that we do inform our patrons when someone has only recently joined the club.”

“No problem,” Klein nodded. He didn’t mind. Sometimes, mystery was an important element that drew customers to a fortune teller.

After updating his information, Klein returned to the meeting room. Just then, he saw Hines Vincent walking out of the Moonstone Room. He held a silver-plated mirror in his hand. The famous fortune teller addressed the remaining five members in the meeting room, “I recently learned a new form of divination, mirror divination. Do you wish to learn it?”

Mirror divination? That's not safe...

Klein paused outside the meeting room and frowned.