I Became a Fortune Teller in the Game My Little Sister Made – Chapter 204

Sister-in-law.

Only after hearing those words did Rain realize who the woman before her was.

‘…It’s the face I saw in Namgoong Min’s past.’

Namgoong Min’s lingering attachment to this world and the singular goal of his life thus far.

His younger sister, Namgoong Jisoo.

Yet, there was a reason it took her this long to recognize her.

…In the past, Namgoong Jisoo was merely an ordinary younger sister without any job affiliations.

“What is this…?”

“Well, I guess since you know that pathetic junior, you could figure it out. How does this sword look?”

“…Is it a Holy Sword?”

Despite arriving at the answer on her own, Lucas hesitated repeatedly.

It was illogical, after all.

The <Holy Sword> was a special skill exclusive to the special job <Hero>, and Lucas, who had seen his skills numerous times, vividly remembered that brilliance.

Nonetheless, the sword in the hands of Namgoong Min’s sister was—a definite Holy Sword.

And it radiated an even stronger light than Abel Legion’s Holy Sword.

‘Younger sister, younger sister.’

He had heard it from Namgoong Min, but this was the first time he was actually seeing her.

Considering that older brother Namgoong Min was quite handsome, Lucas assumed his sister would share a stunning beauty, akin to the relationship between him and Rain.

But this one seemed even prettier than Lily—

‘…No, wait. Lucas, are you out of your mind? In this situation, you’re thinking about your friend’s younger sister like that?’

Had his brain become enslaved by thoughts of romance since Lily?

Shaking his head to regroup his thoughts, Lucas decided to ask Namgoong Min for a phone number or a picture later.

First of all, it was crucial to figure out where they were.

As Lucas signaled Rain with a glance, she let out a sigh and stepped forward.

Regardless of her being a future sister-in-law, Rain Arthur always carried herself with confidence. There she stood, assuredly facing Namgoong Jisoo.

“Sister-in-law, could you tell me where we are?”

“…Quite polite, aren’t you?”

“Since we’ll be family in the future, there’s no need for embarrassment. I’ve been heavily indebted to Namgoong Min all this time.”

“I know. I’ve been watching.”

“What?”

“I’m aware you’ve been staring at the remaining arm in your room every day, and that you, ungratefully, have been contemplating getting close with my brother.”

Rain’s smile froze as her kind and gentle voice came to a sudden halt.

How did she know about that? The arm of Hector, and Rain’s secret plan?

“Ugh, I guess it was too much to expect. You’re fading already.”

“U-uh!? S-sister-in-law, your legs…?!”

“Don’t worry about it. The me here is just a phantom, so there’s no real issue. But the problem is that there’s not enough time to talk.”

“Time?”

“Yeah. What’s the point of being a so-called deity if I can only meet you within the Gate? I really should have dragged that bastard down…anyway.”

Many words passed that could not be easily overlooked.

Holding the Holy Sword, Namgoong Jisoo glared at Rain, who, no matter how much she tried, could no longer ask anything further.

At the same time, Rain could sense the emotions contained in Namgoong Jisoo’s eyes.

‘She…hates me.’

Hate, disgust, absurdity, anger.

All sorts of rich emotions spilled from Namgoong Jisoo’s gaze, and she seemed to have no intention of hiding them.

Namgoong Jisoo was regarding Rain with contempt.

Why?

‘…Has she ever called me sister-in-law?’

It was naturally the first time Rain met Namgoong Jisoo. As such, Rain knew almost nothing about her, yet intriguingly, Namgoong Jisoo appeared to know a fair bit about Rain. Even her secrets.

However, there was a common point between the two: Namgoong Min.

Rain could find the source of Jisoo’s discomfort there.

Rain referred to Jisoo as sister-in-law, but Jisoo did not call Rain by any name.

The difference was clear.

‘Is she refusing to acknowledge it?’

Noticing this, Rain’s gaze shifted slightly.

While Namgoong Min’s approval wasn’t absolutely necessary for marrying him, the situation changed if she supported another woman.

Namgoong Min would be heavily influenced by Namgoong Jisoo’s support.

Jisoo was in the superior position, while Rain was in the subordinate.

However, Rain accepted this difference humbly and gazed at Namgoong Jisoo.

Perhaps Jisoo recognized the meaning in that gaze.

Clicking her tongue, Namgoong Jisoo continued speaking.

“I’ll skip the useless talk and get straight to the point.”

“Sure, sister-in-law.”

“We need to kill the Principal.”

“………….”

Leaving frozen Rain and Lucas behind.

Namgoong Jisoo speaks without a hint of concern.

“As you can see by this meeting, I’m not an ordinary person. I’ve become someone…a bit more elevated. Thanks to that, I can also see the future.”

“You can…see the future?”

“I’ve seen your future. You all hated and loathed the Principal intensely, but in the end, couldn’t kill her. A future where only her grotesque creations were destroyed and she was locked away forever.”

“………….”

“But the Principal, consumed by vengeance, somehow escapes and kills your brother. That’s certainly not the future all of us desire.”

“Th-that’s…”

“Right, it was you. Despite the cliché past and all that emotional blabber, in the end, you hesitated to kill the Principal because of your feelings.”

“……….”

“If your brother dies, you won’t have anyone to call sister-in-law, right? To make sure that kind of thing never happens, I’ve come to meet you at the risk of much trouble.”

Indeed, those were audacious words.

This was the mother she had been searching for over ten years. Just moments ago, she learned that this mother was actually the Principal, didn’t even regard her as a daughter, and merely saw her as a test subject.

After longing for ten years, it took less than an hour for all of that to be betrayed.

‘So, can’t you give me a little more time?’

To have a proper conversation with the Principal, her mother.

As she contemplated between longing and betrayal, it was vital that she find a clear answer.

At the very least, she hoped for enough time to piece together the shattered remnants of her memories and heart.

“…I suppose that was not the case.”

“My only message is this. Don’t even think about letting the Principal live in the <Dream Within a Dream>. If you truly love your brother, you can do that much, right?”

“………….”

“Wait a sec, this is such sudden news—”

“Ah, Lucas Arthur. Is that right? Thank you for becoming friends with my brother. He’s had such a tough time making friends because of me.”

“Huh? Uh.”

“But that’s about it. Sorry, but I can see right through your thoughts. You’ve changed a lot, but falling in love so quickly stays the same.”

“J-just a moment!”

“Lucas Arthur, I’m sorry, but you will have no recollection of me… And you.”

“………Sister-in-law.”

“It was a brief and unpleasant encounter.”

──Let’s not meet again.

And then, the pure white space flickered even more brightly.

*

“………Ah.”

The once flickering vision returned.

Though it was so bright that nothing could be seen, a momentary ripple of rainbow light caught Rain’s eye.

In her dream, she had awakened.

Immediately realizing this, a wave of drowsiness washed over her, and she quickly scanned her surroundings.

“Ugh, my head….”

“O-oh? Brother?”

“Rain…just a moment….”

As a mysterious magic emanated from Lucas’s fingertips, the drowsiness invading her mind finally dissipated.

Barely avoiding a return to the lucid dream, Rain looked at Lucas.

“…Brother, what do you think about what just happened?”

“Huh? Ah…right. You’re not too shocked, are you?”

“Huh?”

“The Principal…what we should do with her, I’ll leave that up to you, Rain. I believe you’ll make the right choice.”

“…………….”

Words did not register as intended.

Only then did Rain realize that Lucas had completely forgotten their recent encounter.

──”Lucas Arthur, I’m sorry, but you will have no recollection of me…”

‘…Did he truly manage to erase those memories?’

She had already sensed something was off from his unusual aura while holding the Holy Sword.

But to think he could intervene in the lucid dream and erase his memories to that extent—it made her question whether he was a god.

‘If that’s the case…….’

“…Mother.”

The Principal still hadn’t awakened.

Waking up from a lucid dream was nearly impossible, but for someone of the Principal’s stature, it wouldn’t be too difficult.

Perhaps she remained trapped in the life she had led from the past, just as Rain and Lucas had seen.

Yet, it wouldn’t take long. If the Principal awakened, she would be powerless against her.

Meaning, the only opportunity was now.

To kill the Principal…

‘…she did not view me as her daughter. To her, I was merely a test subject, and I was only a host candidate to spawn monsters like that black mass.’

Her eyes were caught by the still undulating revolting black mass behind the Principal.

In that black mass, Rain realized through her <Superpower> who was currently contained within it.

An endlessly familiar yet repulsive energy.

…<The Mediator> was currently that black mass.

But even if Rain were here, it wouldn’t be strange.

Naturally, the feelings of betrayal, anger, and revenge burned within her.

‘But…even if it’s just an act, I could endure because my mother existed. That warm memory allowed me to bear through training and enroll in the Romance Academy…’

Hypocrisy really did fall in line with virtue.

This was the phrase that fit Rain’s contradictions the best.

The Principal had never shown favor towards Rain; she only viewed Rain as a test subject.

Yet, thanks to that pretense and treatment, she was able to endure her childhood. That’s why she could wait patiently for the right moment.

……It would be easy to look away.

But once she recognized it, the discomfort of that contradiction caused Rain to hesitate time and time again.

“…………….”

Ending a life truly is simple.

The Principal, with no <Combat Barrier>, could have her neck broken with just a bit of superpower.

Ultimately, everything boiled down to Rain’s choice.

It was solely her burden.

As her breath quickened and cold sweat trickled down, she realized one of two outcomes must prevail: either she had to kill her mother, or Namgoong Min had to die.

At that moment, where the weight of that choice settled heavily in her chest—

Tick.

“……Ah.”

A Tarot card she had been cherishing in her pocket slipped down to her feet.

Major Arcana number 6, <The Lovers>.

During sad times, she would often gaze at or stroke that card, and it remained her most precious treasure.

Curious if it had a deeper meaning, she had even discreetly researched its specific purpose.

‘<The Lovers> card signifies…marriage, empathy, harmony, emotions, and choice, but…’

That was only the narrative of the upright position given to her from Namgoong Min.

The Tarot card that just fell was…inversely positioned.

‘………Broken trust, fickleness, ephemeral pleasure…’

“Ah.”

Just a single Tarot card that had fallen to her feet.

Neither Namgoong Min’s doing nor her own intention.

But even so, it felt like clarity filled Rain’s thoughts.

The card’s inverse information appearing between her and the Principal meant…

“It’s a sign of my fickleness. Namgoong Min always, always…helps me.”

With a soft smile, Rain picked up <The Lovers> and held it close to her chest.

Suddenly, a chuckle escaped her lips.

Though she had been deep in thought, it felt amusing that merely one Tarot card rerouted her decision.

But when she considered it further, wasn’t this entire affair sparked by a single Tarot card?

Initially, she had suspected Namgoong Min was Liu’s subordinate and trailed him, ultimately receiving that very card at the fortune teller’s shop.

That one <The Lovers> card.

That card had woven her connection with Namgoong Min, saved her, and brought her to this moment.

“………Brother.”

“Have you made up your mind?”

“Yes.”

So, concluding this matter with the card felt…not bad at all.

As the saying goes, symmetric closure.

While some might not comprehend, Rain Arthur found the rationale in her conclusion.

*

Clang.

It was like the sound of glass shattering.

On the surface, it seemed like a simple task.

To completely demolish the entrance to <Dream Within a Dream>.

“………Rain.”

“Are you satisfied, brother?”

“Well…maybe. But it’s your choice, so I’ll trust you. Acquiring the area surrounding <Dream Within a Dream> won’t be overly difficult.”

“……Thank you.”

The boat they had arrived on was still fully boarded.

After glancing back at Namgoong Min, Rain looked once more at <Dream Within a Dream>.

The gate, distorted and contorted, would never open again.

“………Mother, this is my final farewell.”

She hastily severed the tendons in her hands and feet with the Tarot card.

If she were to awaken again in the lucid dream, those hands and feet would no longer allow her to use magic before falling back asleep.

Additionally, she had also injured her vocal cords, meaning she wouldn’t be able to chant spells either.

“I missed you, Mother. I could endure because of you. Because you existed, I could sleep. Because you existed, I could keep fighting and not give up….”

Rain set the <The Lovers> card down next to her.

Having engraved her magic and superpowers upon it, it should be enough to thwart the Principal’s spells.

Especially since the Principal’s sleepless magic was initiated after Lucas inscribed a dispelling spell on the Tarot card; unless the card was damaged, it would be incredibly difficult for her to use it effectively.

And inside the <Dream Within a Dream>…

Nothing rots or disappears.

“But to my mother, I was never a daughter. Not a good daughter or a bad daughter, not a daughter she longed to see or one she despised. I was merely a test subject. The warmth she gave me was just about that much.”

With the aid of Liu and Kim Sung-il, she left behind all kinds of artifacts.

Among them were some that would be regarded as royal treasures, so there was no way that the Principal’s weakened body could penetrate the cave-like entrance of <Dream Within a Dream>.

“Thus, I wish to repay her just that much warmth. I left her creation back there. I hope they both get along well.”

She had done everything she could.

Only she refrained from killing her.

While she had wept and apologized to Namgoong Min, he simply offered her a sincere smile.

As he always did, extending trust towards Rain.

“If not…”

Could it truly be considered a merciful response?

Indeed, could the experience of rotting away in that gate for a lifetime be more hellish than merely killing her?

Repetitively waking in a lucid dream only to fall asleep again meant…

Awaking to a world where only the black mass remained might be something worse than death itself.

“…May you always live in sweet dreams.”

So, Rain wished for the Principal to give up.

To wander forever within the lucid dream, living in her own world.

Thus living alone in solitude.

To her, you were an overwhelming longing to kill, yet too much pain to keep alive.

Let the <Dream Within a Dream> be her grave.

With this connection, this fickleness, this trust, this relationship, this love-hate, this betrayal, and this experiment—

I conclude.

“…Goodbye, Mother.”

My everything, yet the one who brought about my complete destruction.

*

[You have achieved the final goal of the character event!]
[Goal: Have Rain Arthur come to understand the truth about her mother.]
[The ending of the mother was chosen by Rain Arthur, not you! The rewards will vary!]
[Previous reward: Reach maximum favorability with Rain Arthur, unlock Arthur Family exclusive events, acquire general skill <Family Member>.]
[Rain Arthur’s favorability is already at maximum!]
[You can currently wield influence even greater than general skill <Family Member> for the Arthur Family!]
[Reassessing rewards!]
[Changed reward: Open individual ending <Rain Arthur>, acquire special skill <Arthur>.]
[Individual ending <Rain Arthur> condition evaluation: Maximum favorability with Rain Arthur, very high reputation level, physical state <Virgin>, player’s confession at least once.]
[Congratulations! All conditions for the individual ending <Rain Arthur> have been met!]
[Would you like to see the ending?]
[Yes/No]