The Mysterious Child: An Adventure Tale Beginning with Numerology

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Author Notes:

  [Today's two updates as well. 1/2

  The second update will be posted around noon.]

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It was our fourth day trekking through Teruzu Forest.

According to Roze, we should be able to exit the forest and cross the border today.

My impression is that the autumn forest was enjoyable with its various delicious offerings. Although the abundance of insects and beasts was troublesome, it was still a good experience overall.

I'd like to do another gourmet raiding tour sometime.

As I was thinking about this, Roze, who was leading the way, suddenly changed direction.

"We're taking a little detour."

Saying that, she veered off the animal trail, leading us to a small, solitary house.

I was surprised to find a house in such a place.

Smoke was billowing from the chimney, so it didn't seem to be abandoned.

Roze knocked on the door without hesitation.

After a short while, a hunched old woman emerged.

"It's been a while, Tererrossa."

"My, my, if it isn't Professor Roze."

Oh, so there was another former disciple here too.

The old woman looked surprised at first, but quickly noticed us and narrowed her eyes.

"Are these children your new apprentices?"

"That's right. Ruruk and Elenora."

"Pleased to meet you, beautiful mademoiselle. I am Ruruk."

"Mm, Elenora."

"My, aren't they adorable. I'm Tererrossa. Come in, come in."

We were welcomed by the cheerful old woman into her home.

The house consisted of a single room. It was a one-room structure with a kitchen, a small bed in the back, and shelves lining the walls filled with various items.

Jars of liquids, animal and insect bodies, suspicious books, et cetera, et cetera... A cauldron hung over the fireplace, filled with a pitch-black liquid.

It really looked like a witch's house.

Roze took out some foreign sweets from her item box and presented them as a gift.

According to Tererrossa, she was a half-elf nearing 250 years old. As a child, she had been Roze's apprentice, learning pharmacology. Tererrossa had traveled to various countries to study pharmaceutical arts and moved to this Teruzu Forest about 100 years ago.

It seemed this reunion was also their first in 100 years.

I finally understood why Roze had specifically chosen to pass through Teruzu Forest.

"So, Professor, did you come to have me divine for your apprentices?"

"That's right. Can you do it?"

"Of course, I could never refuse a request from you, Professor."

Tererrossa brought out a large crystal ball from the back of the room and placed it on the table with a thud.

So she's both a pharmacist and a fortune teller.

This is my first time having my fortune told, so I'm a bit nervous.

"Alright, young man, you're first. Just stay still for a moment."

Following Tererrossa's instructions, I remained motionless, and the spirit elements around us began to move.

Oh, so fortune-telling is a mystical art?

"Astrology is a composite technique of theoretical and mystical arts. Theoretical-mystical arts... categorically, it's an intermediate-level mystical art," Roze explained.

A composite technique, huh. Although Roze hasn't taught me yet, I remember reading in a textbook that alchemy, the dream of many young boys and girls in Japan, is also a composite technique of mystical and theoretical arts in this world.

Man, I can't wait to learn it.

"Phew, I've read it. Is it alright if I tell Ruruk-kun directly?"

"Go ahead and tell him."

"Well then... 'A comet streaked across the sky and burned out, darkness circled the heavens. But a new comet gave birth to a fixed star, and the stars danced. The sun vanishes but shines again, small yet bright'... That's all."

"...So, what does it mean?"

"Don't be stupid, you have to think about it yourself," Roze sharply reprimanded me as I tried to ask for the meaning.

Come on, I'm an amateur when it comes to astrology.

Perhaps my dissatisfaction showed on my face, as Tererrossa smiled and said,

"Unlike prophecies, astrology is open to interpretation. But since it's what the World Tree and stars have told us, it will never be wrong."

"I see. Thank you very much."

This time, I was able to bow my head sincerely.

Really, if only the master would explain things properly like this.

Well, if she could do that, she probably wouldn't resort to educational methods like siccing monsters on us and yelling "Fight!"

But interpretation, huh.

The comet part must be in the past tense, so it probably refers to the original Ruruk's life. Is the darkness an allusion to death? The new comet might be about the soul as Nanairo Gaku, but I'm not sure about the rest. It's about the future, so there's no way to verify it.

"Next is the young lady. Don't move, dear."

"Mm."

Tererrossa performed the astrology again.

"...'The stars were swallowed, and silence filled all. The weak light met a new fixed star and shone strongly once more. Though the sun vanishes, it shall become a guide to illuminate the world alongside the fixed star'... That's all."

"Mm, thanks."

"You're welcome. Now, lastly, it's the Professor's turn, I suppose."

"Yes, please. This is the one thing I can't do for myself."

"Very well."

So even the Mystic King can't divine her own future.

It was rare to see Roze standing still and silent, so it felt a bit fresh.

After waiting for a while, Tererrossa's face clouded slightly as she began to speak.

"'The stars departed, and many years passed. New fixed stars were born and raised, twinkling before fading. The sun loses its light for the sake of the fixed stars'... Oh! Professor, this is...!"

"Well, what do you think?"

Roze and Tererrossa seemed to have found some concerning words.

I couldn't quite understand, but what was common to all three readings were the fixed stars and the sun. The fixed stars shine, and the sun vanishes. However, each reading had different implications about the fixed stars disappearing or the sun shining again, so there must be different fixed stars and suns for each person.

Astrology is deep...

"Professor, I don't have much time left. If you ever have any troubles, please tell me anything. I'll protect you even at the cost of my life."

"Thank you. But Tererrossa, I'm not relatively immortal, I'm absolutely immortal. Even if this star were to be shattered to pieces, I alone would definitely survive. ...Besides, I'm hoping for that to happen, so while I welcome it, there's no need to be pessimistic."

"Professor..."

Roze said something profound, but Tererrossa couldn't hide her anxious expression.

It seems Roze's divination result was quite ominous.

Silence hung in the air for a while, but Roze clapped her hands and stood up.

"Well, it was nice to see you after so long, Tererrossa. I'll drop by again sometime."

"Of course, you're always welcome."

"Alright then, let's go, Ruruk, Elenora."

"Come again, young master and miss."

"Yes. Thank you very much, Tererrossa-san!"

"Mm, see you."

We ended our short stay and left Tererrossa's house.

We continued to make steady progress through the forest.

Next up is finally the Kingdom of Stoania.

I'm a bit excited to see what kind of place it is.