In the world, gypsy astrologers were usually considered nothing more than peanuts to kill time. At best, it's a pastime for women who try to predict their love luck with the Tarot.
However, it was a different story when a plague broke out in a city or a natural disaster such as a flood or fire occurred in the country and a scapegoat was needed. The public completely changed their previous attitude of deriding Gypsies as useless people and pointedly blamed them as the cause of all the misfortune that was happening.
Those who were incompetent yesterday have today been transformed into minions of a powerful devil. The heresy judges chasing after gypsies and talking about witches who had made a pact with the devil were like warnings of difficult times.
Therefore, people who had a lot to lose were especially careful not to become entangled with evil people like astrologers. This was especially true for nobles and clergy and their families. However, this astrologer had been famous throughout San Carlo for over 20 years.
She gained that fame as a close associate of Countess Rubina, the mother of Count Cesare. This gypsy woman pinpointed to Countess Rubina when she was a hot-headed youth that she would be the King's woman. The gypsy woman's magical powers did not stop at once. She sentenced Cesare before he was even born.
'It must be my son.'
It was said that she found out in advance who the child in Countess Rubina's womb was by searching the paths of heaven. To this day, she was Rubina's closest confidant, giving Countess Rubina invaluable advice when a crossroads lay ahead of her.
It was said that she found out in advance who the child in Countess Rubina's womb was by searching the paths of heaven. To this day, she was Rubina's closest confidant, giving Countess Rubina invaluable advice when a crossroads lay ahead of her.
Lucrezia was short-sighted.
'Wouldn't it be okay for me if Countess Rubina hadn't been taken to the Inquisitor for the past 20 years?'
These days, Lucrezia's heart has been so tight. Nothing worked, and there was no guarantee that things would work out well in the future. The golden Isabella had been placed on probation by Cardinal de Mare and was unable to even step out of her room, and she herself was being treated by the child whom her obnoxious husband had brought from outside. The ledgers were under surveillance.
Lucrezia sighed involuntarily.
“Are you feeling tight in your chest?”
Lucrezia's eyes widened at the gypsy woman's question.
"That's right!"
“You can’t sleep well at night and you have a headache, right?”
Lucrezia's eyes widened at the gypsy woman's question.
"That's right!"
“You can’t sleep well at night and you have a headache, right?”
"That's right!"
“There is something to worry about at home. It’s new, it wasn’t there before.”
“Oh my, that’s right!”
Lucrezia sat on the round embroidered cushion in front of the gypsy woman as if she were possessed by something.
“Let me see.”
Across the table, the gypsy woman shuffled the tarot cards and handed out seven of them to Lucrezia, who sat down.
“Pick out three cards.”
Lucrezia chose the first card with trembling hands. It was a ‘Swords’ card with a bright design made of silver foil and red dye on thick paper. Eight yellow flowers were drawn behind the main shape. It was the 8 of Swords card. The gypsy woman clicked her tongue.
“This is the current situation. Defeat, trouble, loss, separation. Fortunately, it hasn't been confirmed yet. What is Madam's zodiac sign?”
“June 23rd! It’s Cancer.”
“When the ‘Sword’ card and Gemini meet, it has explosive power and no one can turn it over. You barely escaped it by one day. You’re lucky, you’re lucky.”
The gypsy woman held out the deck and urged Lucrezia to draw a second card. Lucrezia turned over her second card with trembling hands. It was a ‘The Fool’ card. The clown card came out face down and at first glance looked like the 'The Hanged Man' card.
“This is what led to this situation. “Someone came forward without knowing anything and ruined the job.”
In fact, the meaning of the reversed 'clown' card was 'rashness' and 'foolishness'. The card indicated that Lucrezia's actions had created her current situation. But the gypsy woman was a skilled astrologer. She never said anything that would drive away all the fish she had caught. So, she quietly told the customer that the cause of the accident was external to Lucrezia.
"That's right! Exactly! How do you know!”
Lucrezia was nodding her head vigorously with a force that almost brought tears to her eyes. It's been a long time since she had someone she could communicate with like this. Indeed, no one in the de Mare household listened to her. Now, when the Cardinal entered her bedroom at night, he coldly blew out the candle and went straight to bed without saying a word.
“There is something to worry about at home. It’s new, it wasn’t there before.”
“Oh my, that’s right!”
Lucrezia sat on the round embroidered cushion in front of the gypsy woman as if she were possessed by something.
“Let me see.”
Across the table, the gypsy woman shuffled the tarot cards and handed out seven of them to Lucrezia, who sat down.
“Pick out three cards.”
Lucrezia chose the first card with trembling hands. It was a ‘Swords’ card with a bright design made of silver foil and red dye on thick paper. Eight yellow flowers were drawn behind the main shape. It was the 8 of Swords card. The gypsy woman clicked her tongue.
“This is the current situation. Defeat, trouble, loss, separation. Fortunately, it hasn't been confirmed yet. What is Madam's zodiac sign?”
“June 23rd! It’s Cancer.”
“When the ‘Sword’ card and Gemini meet, it has explosive power and no one can turn it over. You barely escaped it by one day. You’re lucky, you’re lucky.”
The gypsy woman held out the deck and urged Lucrezia to draw a second card. Lucrezia turned over her second card with trembling hands. It was a ‘The Fool’ card. The clown card came out face down and at first glance looked like the 'The Hanged Man' card.
“This is what led to this situation. “Someone came forward without knowing anything and ruined the job.”
In fact, the meaning of the reversed 'clown' card was 'rashness' and 'foolishness'. The card indicated that Lucrezia's actions had created her current situation. But the gypsy woman was a skilled astrologer. She never said anything that would drive away all the fish she had caught. So, she quietly told the customer that the cause of the accident was external to Lucrezia.
"That's right! Exactly! How do you know!”
Lucrezia was nodding her head vigorously with a force that almost brought tears to her eyes. It's been a long time since she had someone she could communicate with like this. Indeed, no one in the de Mare household listened to her. Now, when the Cardinal entered her bedroom at night, he coldly blew out the candle and went straight to bed without saying a word.
Isabella, who understood her mother's feelings well, was afraid of her father and could not meet him. Her youngest daughter, Arabella, who had no partner, seemed to have betrayed her only mother by clinging to the slut who came in from outside. Her maid Jean Giada ended up being nothing more than a subordinate, and her pampered eldest son Ipolito didn't even properly reply to her mother's letters.
Not to mention her own family. They alternately sent her pleading and threatening letters asking her to send money, and when Lucrezia replied that 'the situation is not good, please wait a moment', they repeatedly expressed only swearing and anger. She couldn't find any warm words like 'You've had a hard time' or 'If you're having a hard time, there's nothing you can do, take care of your situation first'. These days, Lucrezia has nowhere to put her mind.
In response to Lucrezia's enthusiasm, the gypsy woman did not pull out her last tarot, but instead gathered up her entire deck and stuffed it into her silk pocket.
“There is nothing more to see, Ma’am. A new worry has come to Madam's house. Only by removing those worries will everything return to normal and your daily life will become peaceful.”
Lucrezia's eyes widened.
This is... Are you talking about hitting Ariadne?
When Lucrezia did not answer, the gypsy woman felt sweet about her body. The gypsy woman had other plans. She couldn't let Lucrezia go like this.
“But how... Something like that…”
Seeing Lucrezia hesitating, the gypsy woman made up her mind and took out a crystal ball. Tarot was just a taste. The crystal ball was the object that proved that she was truly connected to the spiritual world. She didn't use it often because there was a spiritual price each time she used it, but this time the price she had to pay in the material world was too high. Even if it meant using a crystal ball, she had to seduce Lucrezia today.
“Look into this crystal ball, Ma’am.”
Smoke billowed out from inside the bead, and the silhouette of a beautiful girl could be faintly seen. Lucrezia cried out in astonishment.
“Isabella!”
“It’s your daughter.”
Smoke rose and the girl's silhouette danced under the gypsy woman's touch. She was currently peeping at it. The gypsy woman narrowed her eyes.
“I see a man of noble blood.”
"Yes?"
“Your daughter will be the King's king’s companion.”
Lucrezia opened her eyes wide. This was exactly the story she wanted to hear.
“Really?!”
The gypsy woman even moved her fingers. She saw the man's silhouette floating in front of Isabella disperse, a swirl of smoke filled the crystal ball, and the man's silhouette came together again and swelled to a gigantic size. He kindly bent down and hugged Isabella, who was shaking and lifted her to the seat next to him.
“There may be some difficulties, but in the end, she will become the King’s companion. Blueblood wants her no matter what.”
The gypsy woman continued to play with her hands. This time, the gathered smoke parted, and the silhouette of a little girl emerged. The gypsy woman wrinkled her nose. When she truly glimpsed heaven's destiny, she could not control her emerging images.
“Is it the second one?”
“It’s the second one!”
What came to mind in the crystal ball was Arabella. Since Lucrezia did not consider Ariadne as her child in her mind, she immediately answered yes to the gypsy woman's question. The gypsy woman narrowed her eyes and looked through the smoke, this time with a suspicious look.
“Does she have any health problems?”
"No? What a little kid. She's about to turn eleven.”
“...I can see a dark energy. Plague? Dissension? Conflict? You must protect her well. Take care of yourself for the time being.”
The gypsy woman felt a strain coming to her body as she continued to leak the heavenly energy. She tried to turn off the crystal ball, but it seemed like Lucrezia wanted to see more for a moment.
“Our Ippolito...!”
Lucrezia, who had said that, bit her tongue. Lucrezia loved her eldest son Ippolito more than her own life. She was very curious about her son's future, but she had a feeling that she shouldn't ask it.
“But how... Something like that…”
Seeing Lucrezia hesitating, the gypsy woman made up her mind and took out a crystal ball. Tarot was just a taste. The crystal ball was the object that proved that she was truly connected to the spiritual world. She didn't use it often because there was a spiritual price each time she used it, but this time the price she had to pay in the material world was too high. Even if it meant using a crystal ball, she had to seduce Lucrezia today.
“Look into this crystal ball, Ma’am.”
Smoke billowed out from inside the bead, and the silhouette of a beautiful girl could be faintly seen. Lucrezia cried out in astonishment.
“Isabella!”
“It’s your daughter.”
Smoke rose and the girl's silhouette danced under the gypsy woman's touch. She was currently peeping at it. The gypsy woman narrowed her eyes.
“I see a man of noble blood.”
"Yes?"
“Your daughter will be the King's king’s companion.”
Lucrezia opened her eyes wide. This was exactly the story she wanted to hear.
“Really?!”
The gypsy woman even moved her fingers. She saw the man's silhouette floating in front of Isabella disperse, a swirl of smoke filled the crystal ball, and the man's silhouette came together again and swelled to a gigantic size. He kindly bent down and hugged Isabella, who was shaking and lifted her to the seat next to him.
“There may be some difficulties, but in the end, she will become the King’s companion. Blueblood wants her no matter what.”
The gypsy woman continued to play with her hands. This time, the gathered smoke parted, and the silhouette of a little girl emerged. The gypsy woman wrinkled her nose. When she truly glimpsed heaven's destiny, she could not control her emerging images.
“Is it the second one?”
“It’s the second one!”
What came to mind in the crystal ball was Arabella. Since Lucrezia did not consider Ariadne as her child in her mind, she immediately answered yes to the gypsy woman's question. The gypsy woman narrowed her eyes and looked through the smoke, this time with a suspicious look.
“Does she have any health problems?”
"No? What a little kid. She's about to turn eleven.”
“...I can see a dark energy. Plague? Dissension? Conflict? You must protect her well. Take care of yourself for the time being.”
The gypsy woman felt a strain coming to her body as she continued to leak the heavenly energy. She tried to turn off the crystal ball, but it seemed like Lucrezia wanted to see more for a moment.
“Our Ippolito...!”
Lucrezia, who had said that, bit her tongue. Lucrezia loved her eldest son Ippolito more than her own life. She was very curious about her son's future, but she had a feeling that she shouldn't ask it.
When the smoke filled the crystal ball, she could intuit even the oblivious Lucrezia. She said that the tarot play, which could be called 'astrology', was over, and that from now on she had really entered the realm of black magic.
She was worried that something as trivial as her own curiosity might leave traces of the dark magic in Ippolito's future. She was cautious, something rare for Lucrezia, who had no self-control. It was also her attitude compared to Isabella's future that she looked into as the astrologer showed her and was not very worried about it. Her love for her eldest son was an earnest maternal affection that was one step higher than her affection for her eldest daughter.
While the gypsy woman was unable to extinguish the crystal ball into Lucrezia's restraint, she suddenly had one more image pop into the crystal ball without anyone asking. It was Ariadne.
“?!”
“!”
While the two women were startled, Ariadne's shadow began to gather smoke powerfully. The gypsy woman, embarrassed by the sudden rush of smoke, gestured with her hands and feet to extinguish thr crystal ball. But the crystal ball didn't budge, as if it was overloaded.
At the same time, the crystal ball began to vibrate at a low frequency, as if it could not handle too much smoke.
Blah blah blah!
The gypsy woman felt as if a pair of eyes had begun to watch her in the air.
"Oh, no...!”
The gypsy woman tried to disconnect, but the crystal ball refused to listen. An ominous energy gathered.
"Oh, no...!”
The gypsy woman tried to disconnect, but the crystal ball refused to listen. An ominous energy gathered.
Bang!
In the end, the crystal ball split into three pieces.
"OMG!"
“Ah!”
Lucrezia's face turned white from great surprise, but the gypsy woman also seemed quite surprised.
'A heavenly secret that should not be looked into...!'
Lucrezia hurriedly packed her things and got up. She was about to leave the room. The gypsy woman urgently stopped Lucrezia. A tingling sensation crawled up her right arm. As she looked into the crystal ball today, what was the causality? She shouldn't have let the target go like that.
“Ma’am, wait!”
Lucrezia looked back at the gypsy woman with a pale face.
"Ma'am. Have you seen the crystal ball explode? That's Madam's future. If you don’t take care of it right now, you’ll be in big trouble!”
Lucrezia's expression distorted. She was actually trying to run away because she didn't want to hear this. If she hears something like this, she has to respond to it. She didn't even know what was wrong, but trying to fix it was the most difficult task in the world for Lucrezia. But since she had listened, she couldn't answer.
“What... What can I do to prevent the future?”
Lucrezia was afraid that the gypsy woman would ask her to kill Ariadne. It wasn't that she was afraid of blood at all. There were more than a dozen servants whom Lucrezia had beaten to death.
"OMG!"
“Ah!”
Lucrezia's face turned white from great surprise, but the gypsy woman also seemed quite surprised.
'A heavenly secret that should not be looked into...!'
Lucrezia hurriedly packed her things and got up. She was about to leave the room. The gypsy woman urgently stopped Lucrezia. A tingling sensation crawled up her right arm. As she looked into the crystal ball today, what was the causality? She shouldn't have let the target go like that.
“Ma’am, wait!”
Lucrezia looked back at the gypsy woman with a pale face.
"Ma'am. Have you seen the crystal ball explode? That's Madam's future. If you don’t take care of it right now, you’ll be in big trouble!”
Lucrezia's expression distorted. She was actually trying to run away because she didn't want to hear this. If she hears something like this, she has to respond to it. She didn't even know what was wrong, but trying to fix it was the most difficult task in the world for Lucrezia. But since she had listened, she couldn't answer.
“What... What can I do to prevent the future?”
Lucrezia was afraid that the gypsy woman would ask her to kill Ariadne. It wasn't that she was afraid of blood at all. There were more than a dozen servants whom Lucrezia had beaten to death.
However, it was not because she recognized Ariadne as her flesh and blood that affection developed in her hand. Lucrezia was not confident that she would win against Ariadne right now. She was very scared of her young illegitimate daughter.
Fortunately, the gypsy woman talked about objects, not people.
“There will be some new precious jewelry that came to your house recently.”
“Precious jewels...?”
If it was a new piece of jewelry coming into the house, of course, there was it. It was the ‘Heart of the blue deep sea’.
“The energy between her and your eldest daughter is very different. Moreover, it perfectly strengthens the momentum of the rolled stone. Because she has something like that, the rolling stone is on a winning streak.”
Sparks flew from Lucrezia's purple eyes, which looked just like Isabella's.
“Bring it to me and I will perform a purification ritual. If you can’t suppress the evil energy in the jewel, Madam is finished!”
Wait a minute, if I just get that out of the way, that pretty little thing won't be able to mess with me?
“There will be some new precious jewelry that came to your house recently.”
“Precious jewels...?”
If it was a new piece of jewelry coming into the house, of course, there was it. It was the ‘Heart of the blue deep sea’.
“The energy between her and your eldest daughter is very different. Moreover, it perfectly strengthens the momentum of the rolled stone. Because she has something like that, the rolling stone is on a winning streak.”
Sparks flew from Lucrezia's purple eyes, which looked just like Isabella's.
“Bring it to me and I will perform a purification ritual. If you can’t suppress the evil energy in the jewel, Madam is finished!”
Wait a minute, if I just get that out of the way, that pretty little thing won't be able to mess with me?
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