A strange situation unfolded.
Ren opened his spiritual vision and scanned Chikako Ikeda.
The top of her etheric body glowed a lavender hue, while her astral body was dark and tinged with a faint red.
Her mental state was unstable, and her emotions were turbulent.
Her face looked lifeless, yet a faint light of hope still shone, and it was gradually growing brighter.
This meant her fate had changed.
What was once a path toward certain death now contained a glimmer of hope—one that continued to grow.
Was it because I'm observing her?
He slightly withdrew the intensity of his observation, and the point of light symbolizing hope dimmed.
So, it really is because of my observation.
Even if the brightness of hope increased because of his gaze, it would still exist without him. That meant it wasn't him who changed her fate... Perhaps it was Sonoko and her sister who played a role?
After only a brief pause, Ren withdrew his gaze.
At this moment, he found himself deeply interested in this woman whose fate had shifted. To change one's destiny through personal will required the courage to face oneself and the fortune of opportunity.
Only people who possessed both could alter fate—just like Hatamoto Natsue.
However, Hatamoto Natsue had been guided by Ren.
But the woman in front of him had not received Ren's guidance. She had begun changing her own fate with her own chances.
Though she still looked lifeless, the fact that Ren met her today was, in itself, a twist of fate.
"Ren, let me introduce you. This girl with the same hair color as mine is my sister, Suzuki Ayako."
"And this woman with short black hair is Chikako Ikeda. She was in the same college club as my sister."
After introducing her sister and Chikako Ikeda, Sonoko took Ren's hand with a cheerful smile and said:
"He is Amamiya Ren, my boyfriend."
Suzuki Ayako, who had been sitting, stood up and even gave a polite bow.
"Nice to meet you, Amamiya-san."
Ren returned the courtesy with a slight bow.
"Nice to meet you, Miss Ayako."
After greeting his girlfriend's sister for the first time, Ren's gaze turned to the short-haired woman beside her.
"Nice to meet you, Miss Ikeda."
Chikako Ikeda, who had only just snapped out of her daze, quickly stood up.
"Hello. Nice to meet you, Amamiya-san."
After the round of greetings, the group that had just met sat back down again.
"Miss Ikeda, would you mind if I gave you a divination?"
"Divination?"
Chikako Ikeda seemed a little confused, but after a moment's thought, she nodded.
"I don't mind at all."
"Good."
Ren raised his hand, and a deck of tarot cards appeared in his grasp.
The magical scene immediately caught Chikako Ikeda's attention. Under Ren's deft fingers, the cards were swiftly shuffled, and three were drawn.
Reversed High Priestess. Reversed Hierophant. Upright Wheel of Fortune.
"Oh~"
Upon seeing the results, Ren let out a soft sound of realization. He remembered who Chikako Ikeda was, but more than that, he was intrigued by the hidden truths behind her fate.
"Greed is what led Miss Ikeda to her current predicament. She was set up by the mother of a classmate in the same club. However, because Miss Ikeda realized something was wrong and sought help from a lawyer, things began to turn around."
Chikako Ikeda's expression changed drastically.
"Miss Ikeda, you should understand, you're not just some random bystander. That's why the two daughters of the Suzuki family took an interest in you."
After being reminded, Chikako Ikeda paused and looked once more at Ren. At that moment, she felt something odd.
How do you know so much?
"Miss Ikeda, before I answer your question, I have a question of my own. Do you believe that gods exist?"
"…I'm not sure. My past education told me that gods don't exist. But, Amamiya-san, are you trying to say that they do?"
Though she didn't believe in gods, Chikako Ikeda could tell that Ren was trying to say that they do exist.
"I can't say for certain whether gods exist. I can't prove it yet. But this next topic only makes sense if you believe in them."
He paused.
"Just like before, Miss Ikeda. Do you believe that Miss Ayako and I set this all up to deceive you? Or do you believe that I genuinely learned about your past through divination?"
Ren threw the question back to her.
Chikako Ikeda took a moment to reflect—and came to a conclusion.
"I believe in divination."
Because she knew Ayako would never go so far as to trick her like this.
And besides, Chikako had noticed something else: Ayako's attitude toward the boy in front of her was unlike anything she'd seen before.
Putting that together, she realized there was something different about Ren.
Ren, unfazed, smiled.
"I see. I see. Miss Ikeda, you do understand."
"Since you believe in my divination, then we can continue."
As he spoke, Ren shuffled the tarot deck again and drew three more cards.
Upright Devil. Reversed Magician. Upright Death.
"This, Miss Ikeda, was your original fate."
Ren pointed to the Devil card.
"The Devil represents irresistible temptation, being shackled by desires, and hidden secrets. This points to an event that happened two years ago between you and a woman named Tokumoto Atsuko."
He then gestured to the Reversed Magician.
"Because you couldn't resist temptation, you stepped onto the wrong path. Driven by profit, you took everything from Tokumoto Atsuko—and so, you came to bear a certain kind of karmic burden."
"Even if you didn't personally kill Tokumoto Atsuko."
Finally, he pointed to the Death card.
"You reap what you sow. In the university club, someone wanted to help Tokumoto Atsuko get revenge. And today is the day Miss Ikeda pays the price."
"As for what the price is… I believe you already know."
Ren gently tapped the Death card with his finger.
His words made a chill run down Chikako Ikeda's spine.
(To be continued.)