I would have to work to earn money for a room.
I went back to the broad avenue where I had failed to buy bread and sat unobtrusively on the side of the road to watch the people walking by. They seemed so carefree, going about their shopping.
Even knowing that they were using counterfeit money, they were happy as could be.
"..."
Since I was a traveler, sooner or later I was bound to use up all of my money. I had never settled down somewhere and taken a job, so it was inevitable. I had run into cash problems many times before now.
I couldn't even enter a new country if I ran out of money, after all.
Normally, I would pretend to be a shopkeeper, or help out someone in need, or do something else to earn a little pocket change. But, I thought, if it doesn't matter whether the money people are using is real or fake, then there's no reason not to use that to my advantage, is there?
This time I'll sell my services at three times the usual price, too.
Then I'll be just like everyone else around here—someone who can use counterfeit currency without a shred of guilt.
"Hey, you," I called out to a young man walking down the street with a sullen expression.
His shoulders hitched in surprise, and he turned toward me. "Huh, me?"
I nodded and beckoned him over. "There's something troubling you, isn't there?"
"Um, who are you?"
"Goodness, how rude of me. I forgot to introduce myself. I am a traveling fortune-teller," I said shamelessly, then pushed up my pointy hat and stared at the sullen youth.
"Something troubling me…?" he replied, still skeptical. "Do I really look that upset?"
"Indeed. It's the only emotion I see on your face."
"Really…"
"Truly." I nodded vigorously.
In my experience to date, when it comes to business dealings, hesitation is directly connected to failure. The moment you show hesitation—the moment a crack becomes visible—that's when the other party starts to be suspicious of you. In other words, it's best to act with confidence.
That's why I promptly asserted, "Quite often we don't know what is bothering us. For example, lack of confidence in your personal appearance, or problems at work, or feelings of dread about failing to meet our soul mate even after such a long time—"
"...!"
I spotted the slight change in his expression. Aha, so he's having trouble finding a girlfriend. Is that it?
"You're feeling troubled because…you cannot find a girlfriend. Isn't that right?"
"…I guess so, yeah."
He turned to look away, and I spoke again. "Shall I read your fortune and find out when your soul mate will appear before your eyes?"
I took out my wand and summoned some magical energy. With a cute poof! sound, a small flame appeared.
"…Ah." And immediately after it appeared, it was blown out by a breeze. Apparently, I hadn't summoned enough magical energy.
Smoke drifted from the tip of my wand in a reluctant farewell.
I was supposed to examine the flames to tell a fortune, but it wasn't happening.
After blowing all the rest of the smoke out, I waved my wand around.
"Ah, I see, I see."
"Huh? That was enough?"
"Yes. What I just performed is known as a smoke reading, a style of fortune-telling in which I predict your fortune by examining the smoke." A lie, of course.
"I've never heard of anything like that."
"That may well be so. This style of fortune-telling is a secret art, passed down through the generations of my family, so it's not something that most people would know about."
I couldn't afford to blow my cover, so I had to cut off the idle chitchat. "By the way, regarding your soul mate…"
"Y-yeah. So? When can I meet her?"
"Today."
"Huh, today? Wait, are you saying it's y—?"
"This evening, your soul mate shall appear before your eyes," I continued, before he could embarrass himself and say something he would regret. "If you go straight ahead from here, there's a plaza with a fountain, right? There should be a broken bench next to the fountain." I took something out of my purse and held it out to him.
"If you wrap this around your hand and stand next to the bench, your soul mate will appear before you."
He took the object from my hand and tilted his head in confusion.
"…What's this? It just looks like an ordinary piece of string."
"It most certainly is not. That is a magic string, imbued with my magical energy. It has the power to draw your fortunes to you."
I hadn't actually put any magical energy into the string, of course.
And even if I were to do so, it wouldn't have the power to draw anyone's fortunes closer. In fact, I had picked up the string earlier at one of the stalls.
"If I have this string…I'll meet my…"
"Your soul mate, yes. Now look sharp and go wait until this evening.
You wouldn't want to disappoint the one you're destined for, would you?"
Somewhat puzzled, the young man gripped the string tight. "Got it.
I'm going to wrap this string around my hand and wait by the bench."
He stood up to leave, wearing a renewed smile, but I stopped him immediately.
"Sir, the fee for the string and the fee for the fortune-telling come to one gold piece all together." The youth grimaced visibly, until I said the magic words: "Worry not. If by chance you do not meet the one, I shall offer you a full refund."
About an hour had passed since the gloomy-faced young man had left.
A single young woman walked by. Her dress was plain, and so was her face—everything about her was plain, really. She looked about the same age as me.
There was plenty to work with, but she was squandering her potential with clothes that looked like they came off the closet floor, to say nothing of her poor skin and hair regimen.
Just like my dull silver coin. And so my next customer had been chosen.
"Hey, you!" I called out to her as she passed by, head down. "Am I correct in assuming you are struggling to find a lover?"
The young woman jumped in surprise and turned toward me. "…Mme?"
"Yes, you."
"Um, who are you?"
"Goodness, how rude of me. I completely forgot to mention that I am a traveling fortune-teller," I said shamelessly, then pushed up my pointy hat and stared at her.
The girl trembled like prey caught in the eyes of a predator. "H-how did you know that?" she fearfully asked.
"I know these things. I am a fortune-teller, after all. I can see everything, from your troubled feelings to your fated soul mate."
"M-my soul mate? Y-you can really see that?"
"Indeed. I can see him clearly before my very eyes." Of course, it was all lies.
"Then when will he appear?"
"Today."
"T-today…?"
The girl looked at me with apprehension, her heart racing at the mention of a soul mate. But I was in no rush. Everything was proceeding exactly as planned.
"If you go straight ahead from here, there is a plaza with a fountain, right? There should be a broken bench next to the fountain." And so, keeping a very even composure, I told her the rest. "This evening, a young man with an old piece of string wrapped around his hand will appear there. He is the one."