“Well then, I shall begin the inspection. There is no need to pay me any mind; please proceed just as you usually would.”
“Yes...”
Currently, inside this small room partitioned off by blackout curtains stood the Student Council’s inspection staff.
On the table sat my own pentagram cloth, my favorite deck of tarot cards, a prop crystal ball that was really just a toy, and a table that looked exactly the part. Sitting across from me was the woman serving as the Student Council's inspection staff.
“Good luck, Ayumu.”
“Y-Yeah...”
I gave a shallow nod at the words of our class representative, who stood awkwardly in the corner of the room. Unfortunately, it was a fact that I had boldly declared, “Leave it to me if the inspectors come!”
To put it bluntly, I had been getting ahead of myself. But you see...
“I am not here to grade you. I am simply here to confirm that you are conducting the fortune-telling as planned.”
“Y-Yes...”
Even though she was just sitting there normally, she possessed a terrifyingly powerful presence. It was an aura of absolute authority that made one feel that resisting was impossible—that even thinking of resisting was forbidden. She was in a completely different league from a mob character like me.
Despite being overflowing with such strength, her appearance was so beautiful it was almost frightening. She was so lovely that her sheer perfection actually inspired a sense of dread. It was my first time seeing her face at such close range, and I realized that people this beautiful truly did exist in this world...
Wait... This was no time to be thinking such leisurely thoughts!
“W-Well then... f-first...”
“Please, do not be so stiff. Truly, being your normal self is fine.”
“Y-Yes.”
No, no, that was impossible! Facing off against a natural-born super heroine like her, how could a lowly mob character like me act normal? That would be far too presumptuous!
“T-Then, once again, I-I shall begin...”
In the first place, even though they had arrived as a group, how was it possible that the inspector was the Student Council President herself? I didn't want to do something as terrifying as reading Sara-senpai’s fortune! If a strange result came out, what would happen to me?
When Sara-senpai got angry, she was notoriously frightening. I had heard rumors about what happened when some seniors from a club made her mad; it was disastrous. And this time, I was all alone!
Ugh... what should I do? If I had known it would be like this, I never should have talked so big. Why did it turn out this way?
My name is Ayumu Kishiyama. I am a perfectly ordinary high school girl of the sort you could find anywhere.
Grades: a bit low. Looks: average (or so I liked to think). Body: average (I barely managed to scrape by with a favorable breeze). Friends: a fair amount. Boyfriend: currently searching (and have been forever). Special traits: none in particular.
Yeah. It was a set of statistics so ordinary it was almost impressive. I was so average that I felt like the "ultimate mob" among "mobs." But someone once said that having no special traits is a trait in itself... no, never mind.
Anyway, as plain as I was, there was one thing I could hold my head high and say I was good at. That was my hobby: these tarot cards.
To be honest, the reason I started doing this was simply because I thought it looked cool. Also, I thought it might be popular with my friends. Of course, I understood better than anyone that my motivations were calculated, so please, don't poke fun at me for that.
Wait, who was I even talking to?
Anyway, the tarot I started for those reasons had now become a legitimate skill that gave me a sense of presence. I started getting more requests from friends, and I even relied on them myself whenever something weighed on my mind. Besides, once I learned how to do it, it was surprisingly fun. Interpretations showed personality, and it made me happy when people told me I was spot on.
I kept doing tarot in the classroom whenever I was asked, and before I knew it, fortune-telling became a trend in the class—mainly among the girls. And to think a typical mob like me was the one leading it... there could be no greater honor. That was why I was secretly proud of it; it felt like I’d pulled off something big.
And finally, that effort bore fruit. The time for me to become the heroine had arrived!
In the survey to decide on the exhibition plan for the school festival, fortune-telling successfully became a candidate. And in the end, it was officially selected after gathering overwhelming support from the girls! This was the first big wave to ever hit my plain and ordinary life. There was no way I wasn't going to ride it!
Just kidding.
From there, it went exactly as I expected. My classmates, my friends, both boys and girls—everyone started relying on me. So, I taught everyone the various types of fortune-telling I knew, and I even acted as the instructor during homeroom. I was convinced that I was undoubtedly the protagonist... the heroine. I was over the moon!
And then came the day of the school festival. Since morning, customers—no, lost lambs—had been coming to this classroom seeking my fortune-telling. Of course, I wasn't the only one in charge of everything. We had a clear division of roles, and some lambs chose things other than tarot.
But even for the other types of fortune-telling, I was the one who taught everyone. So in the end, you could say that all the fortune-telling in this classroom originated from me. Therefore, all the lost lambs were technically coming here specifically for my fortune-telling!
I was getting hyped up all by myself, holding a flashy party inside my head... until a moment ago. But I never could have imagined that getting carried away like that would lead to a development like this. I truly never saw it coming...
We received word that an inspection team from the Student Council would be coming shortly after noon. While we hadn't made any special preparations, it was only human to feel nervous when told there would be an official inspection.
And when the inspection team appeared about an hour later than expected, they were, to put it simply, a group that far exceeded my imagination. They were an extraordinary bunch. When such a group arrived, my classmates—both boys and girls—all started making a fuss. And for good reason. That group was essentially a collection of stars in this school, the so-called Hero's Party.
“You are the person-in-charge, Kishiyama-san, correct? It is a pleasure to meet you.”
“Y-Yes, i-it is a pleasure to meet you as well...”
And now, as we prepared to receive the inspection, I was having a meeting with the Student Council’s person-in-charge.
As we spoke, I couldn't take my eyes off the senior in front of me. Why? Well, that should be obvious.
She had an incredibly refined face. Clear eyes, a straight bridge to her nose, lips that exuded an allure that made it hard to believe she was only one year older than me, and translucent, fine-textured white skin. And that incredibly distinctive, silky black hair that fluttered so beautifully... it was just too perfect.
What’s more... I could tell. She had "those things" that looked like a manifestation of the dreams of all men in the world—not too big, but surely of a perfect size that would be loved by everyone. Compared to her, I...
The world is so unfair. What is this? How can someone become like that? Seeing her at such close range, I was forced to realize once again how beautiful this person was—how overwhelming her presence was.
Rinka High School Student Council President, Sara Satsukawa-senpai. The well-known, genuine super heroine that Rinka High School was so proud of.
Grades: Top-tier. Looks: Transcendent beauty. Body: Perfect. Popularity: Immense. Special traits: Student Council President, commonly known as "The Aloof Goddess."
What was this? I mean, it was unfair, it was just too unfair! It was like she was born just to be a heroine! How many heroine elements can one person have? There was no way a pseudo-heroine side-character mob girl like me could ever beat a perfect superhuman like her! I knew that without being told!
I needed to calm down.
Anyway, until now, I’d only ever had the chance to see Sara-senpai from a distance, but today she had come to our classroom for an inspection. The moment she stepped inside, both I and my classmates were swallowed up by her presence. The boys especially had their eyes completely stolen away; they wouldn't look at anything else.
But that couldn't be helped. Sara-senpai alone was amazing enough, but today she was accompanied by Yuzuki-senpai, and there was even another beauty who was just as pretty as Sara-senpai. Plus, there was our class's hidden idol, Todo-san, and that famous transfer student called the Little Angel.
To top it off, even though he wasn't a Student Council Member, for some reason Yokokawa-kun was there, and the Vice President, Takanashi-kun, was with them too. What was this? This all-star winning group?
Until just a moment ago, I was getting carried away, thinking I was a heroine. But standing before the real deal, I suddenly became overcome with shame. I was being shown right in front of my eyes what true heroines really looked like.
As I thought, God is unfair.
“Um, since we don't have any customers right now... why don't you actually experience the fortune-telling since you're here?”
“I do not mind, but are you sure?”
While I was having a mental breakdown, the Class Representative was moving the conversation forward with Sara-senpai. Oh no, if this keeps up, I’m going to lose my position as the fortune-telling person-in-charge along with my dream of being a heroine.
“Is that okay, Ayumu?”
“Huh?”
“Don't 'huh' me, wasn't it already decided that you would be the one in charge?”
“O-Oh, that’s right...”
That’s right, now that I thought about it, I did say to leave the inspection to me. Honestly, after everything that happened, I felt like giving up... but I had to do at least this much.
“Then, I will...”
My fleeting dream of being a heroine had already been smashed to smithereens, but I would at least perform the reading.
“In that case, I shall consult with my team, so please prepare.”
Sara-senpai said only that before briskly returning to the Student Council members. Every single one of her movements looked refined, and the way her hair fluttered the moment she turned around was breathtaking. Even a woman would be captivated by such a fantastic sight that looked like a recreation of a shampoo commercial. Really, beautiful people look like a work of art no matter what they do. I was so jealous!
“So, please get ready, okay?”
“...Understood.”
It was a fact that my mood had plummeted after being shown such a clear difference in class. Even so, I would show her my true ability. This was the pride of a mob girl who could never be a heroine.
But at least... please let it be someone other than Sara-senpai. I couldn't endure the fear and tension of facing her one-on-one.
And so, the punchline was that when I returned to my room and got ready, the one who entered was Sara-senpai.
Yes, yes, somehow I knew it would turn out this way. Since I got carried away and made a fuss about being a heroine, God must be telling me to look at the real thing. How mean!
I might as well just resolve myself. As for the results... well, worst case, I could just fudge them somehow.
“Well then... please decide on what you would like to have told.”
“Let's see...”
Sara-senpai murmured that and cast a glance toward Takanashi-kun, who was watching over the situation from the side. Why was she looking at Takanashi-kun? And for that matter, why did Takanashi-kun come in as well? Well, thanks to that, I didn't have to be one-on-one with her, so to be honest, I was grateful.
“Then, please tell us our future.”
“...Huh?”
I let out a stupid sound in response to such a shockingly unexpected request. Because... did she just say "our"? Future? Um... whose future and whose? Of course, one of them was obviously Sara-senpai. Then... who was the partner?
No, wait, calm down, me. First, let's confirm the question.
“T-The future of two people... which means, um, you would like me to tell the future of Sara-senpai and, u-u-um, your lover... is that correct?”
“Yes. Please.”
Wait... whaaaaaaaaaaat?!?!?!??!
No way! Sara-senpai has a lover?! Whoa whoa whoa!!! Could it be that I just found out something absolutely incredible? Wait wait wait!! Every boy in school didn't know about this, right?
I mean, Sara-senpai is the idol of every male student in this school! I heard that the number of boys she’s shot down after they confessed to her is a Guinness World Record! Don't just casually drop an explosive bombshell like that!
Is this for real? But Sara-senpai herself looked perfectly normal and remained as dignified as ever. What’s more, she kept glancing at Takanashi-kun with such a happy smile, and Takanashi-kun looked embarrassed.
Wait a minute. Could it be that Sara-senpai’s lover is...
“Um, is something wrong?”
“Eh?! I-I-I-I-I’m fine!!! U-Understood!!”
The question "Is that partner Takanashi-kun?" was actually right on the tip of my tongue. But I was afraid to know the truth. It felt like opening a Pandora’s box that should never be opened. I should stop thinking about unnecessary things. Nothing good would come of a mob like me pursuing this. If I were to find out by any chance, I might get caught up in something terrible. My best bet was to just finish this quickly and be done with it!
“Sara-san... what if...”
“Fufu... a fortune-telling is just a fortune-telling. Besides, no matter the result, we will be fine, right?”
“You're right, if it’s us...”
“Yes. Kazunari-san, I will absolutely make you happy ♪”
Give it back... give me back my unopened Pandora's box... you stupid couple! Don’t just casually reveal the truth right after I tried to ignore it!
Pulling myself together, I decided to just start the reading immediately. I didn't hear what was said just now. I knew nothing. Once this was over, I would forget everything that happened here, clean and simple. It never happened.
I was sure that later everyone would ask me, “Tell me what Sara-senpai had told!” but this time, more than ever, I couldn't say a word. I wouldn't even hint at it. I cast a glance toward the Class Representative, who had also found out the shocking truth, to confirm this... but his eyes were wide open, and his mouth was opening and closing like a goldfish. It seemed the shock was just that great.
“T-Then, I shall begin.”
“I look forward to it.”
After confirming that Sara-senpai had nodded, I started by purifying the cards. If I were at home, I would use white sage, but if I did that in the classroom, I would get scolded. So, I would use the crystal ball here.
The spread I would use this time was the Three-card spread using the Major Arcana. It was simple, but it was my favorite. And the crucial question was the course of their current romance... their future. It was a reading for the future of their love, not a specific question like "I want to be like this" or "Can I become like this?"
In that case, I would use a free three-card spread to read their prospects and future. I tried to act cool, but that was largely a calculated move on my part so that it would be easier for me to interpret things in a convenient way. Because if I didn't get at least a somewhat good result, I would be terrified.
I shuffled the cards and stopped at senpai’s signal. Then, I had her divide the cards into three piles and stack them back together without changing their orientation. Then I had her decide on the upright position... and with that, the preparations were complete.
“Now... here I go.”
“Please.”
While senpai watched the cards intently with a nervous expression, I laid out the three cards in front of her. Now... I wondered how it would turn out. I was scared, but to be honest, I also thought it might be interesting. After all, I wanted to see what kind of draw such a natural-born super heroine would make.
Now... first, the first card. In this tiny room, while an atmosphere of tension so thick it felt like everyone’s thoughts were about to burst hung in the air, the first card I flipped over was... The World in the Upright Position!!??
The meaning of The World is completion, fulfillment, and achievement. Since this was a free three-card spread, there was no formal meaning to this appearing as the first card. It was only by combining all of them once they were all out that they could be interpreted. But the moment this card appeared, one thing was confirmed.
“Um, this card is...”
“This is the World Card. It means completion, fulfillment, and achievement.”
“I see... so it is not a bad meaning, then?”
“Yes. In a way, it is the best card. I didn't think you would draw this right away.”
I didn't want to put it this way, but was this the power of a true heroine?
“That’s great, Sara-san.”
“Yes, but there are still two more cards.”
Just as senpai said, since this was a free three-card spread, nothing was certain until they were all out. Now, for the second card... The Empress!!?? And it was in the Upright Position again!?
“This time it appears to be a female card...”
“Yes. This card is the Empress Card. Its meanings are fertility, harvest, happiness, and so on.”
“Meaning, this is also a good card?”
“That is correct.”
“But, if it is fertility or harvest... does it mean agriculture?”
“No, the interpretation changes depending on the question.”
It was true that if you only considered the words, you might think it had a good meaning related to agriculture. But this was a romance reading, and it was a card Sara-senpai had drawn as a woman, so the meaning would naturally be applied to her as a woman.
“Under these circumstances, these would be interpreted in the context of being a woman. For example, fertility as a woman... a rich maternal instinct... it means that Sara-senpai is overflowing with a sense of encompassing love, an abundance of love that wraps around the other person.”
“I-I see...”
“A-Amazing...!!”
For some reason, Takanashi-kun was even more surprised by my explanation than Sara-senpai was. Why was he so surprised?
“Then, while I understand the meaning of happiness, what about the harvest...?”
Happiness was simple; if it was happiness in romance, it meant being united with the person one loved. If they were already united, it meant the next happiness would arrive. For example, marriage with their partner. And then there was the harvest that remained. Of course, that was a harvest as a woman.
In other words...
“I think Sara-senpai probably has a hunch about this as well... but as for the meaning, it would be pregnancy and childbirth.”
“I... I see...”
It seemed that even for the legendary Sara-senpai, this was predictably embarrassing. She was already visibly blushing, her body fidgeting... Oh man, this was cute. I mean, way too cute.
But even though she was embarrassed, why was she glancing at Takanashi-kun so happily? Takanashi-kun was also bright red and frozen in place. You guys are still high schoolers, aren't you? And what was with this sickeningly sweet atmosphere? I’d had enough... I wanted to finish this quickly.
“Then, the final card.”
Next was finally the third card... I had nothing but a bad feeling. And the card I flipped over was... The Sun!? And this was also in the Upright Position!?
“The Sun, right?”
“Yes. This is, as it looks, the Sun Card. Its meanings are bright prospects, success, and prosperity.”
“P-Prosperity...”
It seemed she had learned how to read the meanings of the cards, as Sara-senpai was quick to latch onto that. Yes, yes, that’s right. If read in terms of romance, prosperity meant children... and for a woman, it similarly meant pregnancy and childbirth. I was sure she already understood that, so I didn't need to explain it, right?
“Bright prospects... for example, what kind of things?”
Instead of Sara-senpai, who was blushing and fidgeting, her love interest, Takanashi-kun, asked the question.
“Bright prospects refers to a change in a good sense.”
“A change in a good sense?”
“Yes. For example, if it were unrequited love, it would mean being confessed to by the man and becoming lovers... if they are already in a relationship, it is progress to the next step. For example, being proposed to and getting engaged...”
“PROPO—!!??”
Takanashi-kun, who had been listening to my explanation, froze with a look of utter shock. Was he really that surprised by what I just said? Could it be that he was planning to propose to Sara-senpai... no, that couldn't be. Thinking that far ahead in high school was impossible, and the thought was too heavy.
Anyway, setting aside Takanashi-kun’s behavior, with this, all three cards were out. I had to interpret them in my own way and deliver the result... however...
What was this? It was nothing but marriage, pregnancy, and childbirth! And to have them all in the Upright Position, just how? To top it all off, the final card was the World Card!
Right... I saw. So this is what it meant to be a true heroine, to be a chosen one. It was my complete defeat. You didn't have to show me such a stark difference, God.
I might as well just resolve myself.
“So, about this result...”
Having regained some degree of composure, Sara-senpai asked for the answer with a solemn expression. Her face was still a little red, and it was a different kind of shock to realize that senpai had such a cute side.
Wait. If that fortune-telling was truly correct... in other words, wasn't it suggesting that Sara-senpai had another face, one that was very cute and feminine, different from the one we usually saw? If I believed in that possibility, then it meant this fortune-telling result wasn't necessarily wrong either. Since I’d already been defeated in terms of character, I wanted to at least win in terms of the fortune-telling result!
So, believing in my own reading... I went for a head-on confrontation!
“What I am about to tell you is the result interpreted from the cards in my own way. It is merely a possibility, and it suggests that Sara-senpai is in a position close to pulling that possibility toward you. In other words, please think of it as being up to Sara-senpai herself whether you can actually pull those things toward you.”
“I understand.”
“As for each card, it is as I explained. The Empress Card represents your overflowing maternal love and various future happinesses as a woman. Next, the Sun Card indicates that the outlook for the future is bright. In other words, it means your current relationship will progress to the next step in a good way. Prosperity is... well, as you can imagine. Finally, the World Card signifies the fulfillment and achievement of your wishes, and the completion of a male-female relationship.”
Up to here, I was just reiterating the earlier explanation. From here, I would read into it by combining the elements of all the cards.
“The results these cards indicate are, first of all, that Sara-senpai is a person overflowing with maternal love—a love that is devoted to her partner—and by continuing to layer that love, the relationship between the two of you will continue to progress smoothly in the future. And at the end of where that relationship leads, possibilities of a harmonious future, such as marriage, pregnancy, and childbirth, are waiting. If Sara-senpai desires it, those will arrive as your actual future.”
Phew... I finally said it all. I’d done a fair amount of romance readings before, but this was the first time I’d ever been so blunt about marriage, pregnancy, and childbirth. After all, it was a high schooler’s romance reading. In the first place, no one had ever drawn such a set of cards before!
“...What do you think?”
As far as I could tell from Sara-senpai’s reaction, she seemed to be a mix of joy and surprise. I thought that meant she was somewhat satisfied with the result, and in the first place, I would be the one in trouble if she complained about such a good result. The only interesting thing was that the look of surprise was greater on Takanashi-kun than on Sara-san. Did he have that much that came to mind?
“Kazunari-san?”
Sara-senpai also seemed curious about Takanashi-kun’s state, as she called out to him while tilting her head. I just now realized she was calling him by his first name...
“S-Sorry, I was just... pretty surprised.”
“Is that so?”
“Yeah. The fact that you're overflowing with an encompassing maternal love is something I feel every day, but there are only a few people who know that.”
“K-Kazunari-san...”
Hearing Takanashi-kun’s point, Sara-senpai blushed embarrassedly. As I thought, this was cute.
“Besides, I was pretty surprised by a few other things as well... but more than me, it’s about you, Sara-san.”
“...Yes. To be honest, I did not expect such a result as this. I mean, there are several things that are a bit premature...”
"A bit" was an understatement. Just how far into the future were they planning to talk about for a high school romance? Don't tell me they were already thinking about marriage?
“However, that is all dependent on whether I desire it. Even if the possibility exists, whether I can actually pull it toward me is up to me... is that what it means?”
“...Yes.”
It seemed she understood the meaning of the result better than I thought. Just as senpai said, the result was a suggestion of possibility. It wasn't that the future was fixed, but rather that she was in a position close to that result.
“Thank you. To be honest, I did not think I would be shown such a reading as this.”
“N-No, I mean, the result ended up being quite exaggerated.”
“Is that so?”
“Y-Yes. Marriage... and, well, various other things.”
While the results were interpreted from the meanings of the cards, the content was far too heavy for a high schooler’s romance reading. I really needed to study more.
“No, rather, it is because those topics came up that I was genuinely surprised, you know?”
“Huh...?”
What did that mean?
“I did not mention it, but we are engaged.”
“.........Beg pardon?”
Engaged? Engaged... engaged? Did she just say they were engaged? No, no, that’s... we're still high schoolers. That’s the kind of thing that only happens in manga or anime...
“If you can perform a reading to this extent, I believe you should be proud of it.”
“I think so too. To be honest, I’m genuinely surprised that you’re this good.”
But both Sara-senpai and Takanashi-kun looked perfectly natural, and they didn't look like they were lying or joking at all.
Could it be... really and truly... my fortune-telling was...
“And so, Kazunari-san, please continue to spoil yourself with me as much as you can, okay?”
“N-No, I already spoil myself plenty even now...”
“That is no good ♪ Was it not just indicated that only by Kazunari-san spoiling himself with me to the fullest can we move toward a happy future?”
“Whaaaaat, th-that’s...”
I saw; if I replaced the terms, what Sara-senpai was saying wasn't necessarily wrong. By Takanashi-kun spoiling himself more and her accepting that, as a result, Sara-senpai would continue to layer her encompassing love... WAIT, HEY!!
Hold on, this sweet-as-sugar side isn't Sara-senpai at all, is it!!?? Just a while ago, wasn't she looking down on boys as if they were trash!!?? I mean, what was that side of her I’d seen up until now!!?? A double personality!!??
“Um... if I might ask something...”
The Class Representative, who had been standing there with his mouth agape this whole time, finally spoke. But he shouldn't. I had an intensely bad feeling. I couldn't help but feel that the Class Representative was about to touch upon the greatest taboo in this school. But for some reason, I couldn't stop him!
“Yes?”
“What is it?”
“W-Well, the two of you... lovers... no, are you really, truly... engaged?”
In response to that question, the two of them looked at each other and gave a very, very happy smile... and a nod.
In other words... that was the answer.
I was sure no one else knew about this. Because if it were known, it would have already caused a massive uproar by now. The idol of every boy in school, Sara-senpai. That person had a lover and was even engaged—meaning she was going to get married. And that partner was the Student Council Vice President.
This fact would be a major incident that would shake the school. It would absolutely cause a massive commotion. That’s why I couldn't leak this to anyone. For a mob like me to carry such a heavy truth and spend the rest of my school life without telling anyone... that was too much. The pressure was too immense.
As I thought, this was a truth I should never have known. If only we hadn't confirmed the facts, we could have ended it by just ignoring it. Why did this happen to me... I resent you, Class Representative.
Please. At least. Go ahead and make that fact public already...