“Okay, okay. Don't cry. Big brother will make at up to you.” Arias says with an amused smile, hoping to sooth the girl.

Alice sits back up with a teary face. “How?” She asks, always interested in a treat.

Arias smiles. A deck of cards appears in his hand. “I'll tell you your future.” He says mysteriously.

Alice rubs her face and looks at the cards. “My future? How?” She asks, curious.

“With these divination cards.” Arias says proudly. If he had to appraise it, he was quite skilled with these cards. These divination cards didn’t require any special energy or magic; the threads that bound this world were ingrained in its very reality, and a deck of cards was all that was really needed to read those threads. For most light hearted questions, a deck of cards was all that was required.

A bright smile appears on Alice’s face as she claps her hands. “Tell me, tell me!” She says excitedly.

“Okay, you asked for it. But be warned, simply asking the question can alter your fate FOREVER!” Arias says spookily.

Alice crosses her arms. “I’m not afraid!” She exclaims defiantly.

Arias lets out a chuckle as he shuffles the deck. “Okay, brave girl. Get ready.” He says.

Each individual read these cards differently, and while some believe that there’s an inherent structure to the way they’re read, Arias disagreed. People were as different as the many stars in the sky, and everyone saw things differently. Usually, it’s when these perspectives clash that the truth can be seen. Structure might be useful for learning, but diviners and soothsayers were always meant to evolve from that.

Arias places a card down and raises an eyebrow. Reversed three of cups? What kind of significance is that? Arias thinks with a scoff before realizing something and looking across to Alice. “Oh, that’s right. I’m not reading these for myself.” He says with an embarrassed smile. “Okay, normal three of cups. That’s normal. You’re young. No one really knows where you’ll end up.” He says, hoping to look more respectable.

“Okay, next card.” Arias says, flipping the next card over. “Eight? High Priestess?” Arias says with wide eyes. Normally, the High Priestess is step 2 in the journey, but Arias had specifically modified these cards to be more accurate when it affected his own fate. Just the fact that the magic activated was a cause for concern. Arias gulps. In regards to my own fate… Eight is a powerful number… He thinks before taking a breath.

Arias pulls out the next card. “What!? Five!? The hanged man reversed!? You’re not even going to give me a seven!” He exclaims with some exasperation. Arias looks at the arrangement of the cards, of his and Alice’s placements… The hanged man was reversed for Alice, but for Arias, it was staring him right in the face. Assholes… Not even giving me the standard seven… For me, it’s locked in at five, but for her could it be… grace? He thinks as sweat begins to drip from his forehead.

“What does it mean!? What does it mean!?” Alice asks excitedly as she claps her hands.

Arias gulps. “Ughh… It says that you’re still young, so we don’t really know. Who knows, there could be great tragedy in store for you?” Arias says, trying to bullshit his way through this.

Alice frowns. “That’s not what it says! Come on! Tell me!” She exclaims.

Arias lets out a sigh. “Okay, okay. It says that, although you’re still young… There’s a possibility… Just a possibility, not like it’s set in stone or anything… That you will be a great, powerful heroine in the future. And… That your enemies will be at your mercy…” Arias says reluctantly.

“Wah! Really!? Powerful? Hey, big brother, what does heroine mean?” Alice asks with a big smile.

Arias lets out a bitter smile. “It means hero. Like a girl hero.” He says. And I guess I’m the demon lord… He thinks, finding the idea unappealing.

“Wah! Hero!? Really! That’s great! I’m going to tell Rodrick!” Alice says as she stands up and runs off.

Arias wipes the sweat from his brow. Should I be wary? He asks himself. Eventually, he shakes his head. Nah, that’s no fun. He thinks with a smile.