I Became a Fortune Teller in the Game My Little Sister Made – Chapter 92

[Warning! The Bad Ending Route has been opened!]

[Bad Ending Route <Cage>

Conditions: Certain favorability with ???, Half-clear of ???’s character event, ??? achieved.

Be careful with your choices and actions! The bad ending cannot be undone!]

*

I want to live with this person.

I couldn’t understand such thoughts.

“It hurts, Father. It hurts….”

“What hurts?”

“Your cane hurts. The whip hurts even more….”

“That means nothing.”

“…Y-yes?”

“I’m the strong one, and you’re the weak one. The reason you suffer and can’t resist is simply that.”

“……Ah, Father.”

“Remember this, Rain.”

“You must become strong. The weak must bow and submit to the strong to escape pain, while the strong take control.”

“Strong weak weak strong.”

“That is the scale by which you should view the world.”

Even toward a person called father, I couldn’t feel such emotions.

“Onii-san….”

“……I’m sorry, I can’t help you.”

“Onii-san, Onii-san!”

“You want me to take you away to escape father? If you truly want to be acknowledged as my younger sister… then build up skills worthy of respect.”

“Onii-san!!”

Even my older brother, who was cast out of our home under the pretense of education when he was five, had once been denied such regard.

“Mother…? Where are you…?”

“…Mother is going to the bathroom for a moment. Just wait a bit.”

“Okay….”

Even my mother, the only one I felt such emotions for, left without warning.

That’s why I grew up under my father’s ‘education’.

Everything about eating, dressing, sleeping, getting hurt, and living was taught under the slogan of strong weak weak strong.

‘You must be strong, become strong.’

My thoughts and resentments soon changed.

“Oh dear, young lady! Please, please…!”

“Why should I?”

“If you take that away, we…”

“The weak must bow to the strong. Bow quietly and obey. Then perhaps I might spare your life, right?”

“……….”

It didn’t take long for me to deeply accept the ideology of my father, whom I so despised.

Weakness is a sin. It’s natural for the strong to exploit the weak.

So I must become strong. Even I could be weak in front of other strong ones.

I became strong enough to gain acknowledgment from my brother and father.

Only then could I be Arthur.

*

I entered the Romance Academy.

For someone like me, it was simple.

My classmates were also strong individuals.

Two <Royalty>, <Hero>, <Saint>, my brother the <Warlock>, and even the despicable <Rich Tycoon>.

Despite any personal likes or dislikes, they were all equals or superior to me in strength.

But it wasn’t bad.

Interacting with the strong was a shortcut to becoming even stronger.

It was while I was thinking this.

“Greetings, I am Fortuneteller Namgoong Min.”

“If you have any worries or concerns, please feel free to talk to me at any time.”

Not a special class, nor someone socially prestigious.

Not famous either, nor particularly wealthy.

Just a synonym for a useless profession, <Fortuneteller>.

Thus, I didn’t give him a second glance. Remembering a mere fortuneteller, a weak one, was of no value.

Still, since we share the same special class, it irked me enough to plan to have someone deal with him appropriately when the time came.

That was my first impression.

*

It didn’t take long for my impression of the fortuneteller to change.

“Don’t worry, I’ll just make you faint a bit…”

Snap.

“Stop.”

“……Huh?”

At first, I misunderstood, thinking he was an aide of that detestable <Rich Tycoon>.

But that wasn’t it.

The fortuneteller, whom I had considered weak, was a strong man capable of nullifying my psychic powers with a simple gesture.

Neither my brother, who had been a touchstone for strength since childhood, nor my father could do that.

…The fortuneteller frightened me. Tears flowed at the thought of having touched a force that should not be provoked.

However, his response was unexpected.

“Got it?”

“Are you serious…?”

“Just remember. You must understand why this is happening to you.”

“Y-yes! Of course…!”

Surprisingly gentle, he didn’t torment or hit me.

“Rain, you’re smart, right? You understand what I’ve been saying until now.”

“Smart…? Yes! Of course! I understand perfectly!”

“Due to personal reasons, I enrolled in the academy, and I prefer to remain quiet if possible. You understand, right?”

“Yes! I get it! I understand everything! There’s nothing I missed or didn’t catch!”

“…Good.”

He even offered praise, something I had never received from powerful figures like my father and brother.

“Then I’ll take my leave!”

“Okay. Just don’t make a scene at the academy.”

“Yes!”

He even let me go like that.

Why is he doing this to me? He’s the strong one, and I’m the weak one.

Furthermore, he could defeat me with just a gesture, a being of a different caliber.

Isn’t it only natural for the strong to bully, exploit, and dominate the weak?

Why then?

The worries were brief.

“…Lovers.”

The tarot card he gave me, <Lovers>.

Perhaps he might like me.

From that moment on, I remembered his name.

<Fortuneteller>, Namgoong Min.

…A name I would never forget.

*

Namgoong Min was a shining figure.

“First, that wall in front of you is dangerous. So let’s break it down!”

During the entrance ceremony maze, he incited the newcomers to break down the walls and clear the maze.

“That’s impressive, Liu! This jeep’s performance is amazing! It can climb mountains without even being off-road!”

In mountain climbing class, he led and guided me and other strong individuals.

“I did it…!”

He shook off the attacks from Lily White Rose and even deflected her spear with expert precision.

Was that all?

In the survival test, I thought he might have been targeted first due to his exceptional ability and eliminated.

<Survival Ranking 3rd, Namgoong Min (Survived for 17 hours and 28 minutes)>

He skillfully deceived everyone and claimed third place.

His ability was sufficient for me to truly regard him as strong.

And then.

“Rain, you’ve had your job skill stolen by a Skill Thief.”

“Oh….”

Even in a situation where I was driven to the edge of a cliff, the strong one reached out a hand to me, the weak one.

That’s how I felt.

“Rain, I’m actually not strong.”

“…Huh?”

“It’s all a deception. I’m not strong enough to nullify your psychic powers, nor is that poor stamina I showed in class my true self. I’m weak. By your standards, entirely weak.”

“Uh….”

But no, he wasn’t strong.

In fact, he was weaker than I.

Naturally, I should have been angry. I should be screaming about being deceived.

Why, then?

I could only gaze at him blankly.

“Why am I sharing this with you? Because you told me your genuine feelings first. I wanted to share mine too. Living in deception… is exhausting.”

“…………….”

“But remember this, Rain.”

“Wh-what…?”

“Being strong, truly being strong isn’t just about fighting well or anything superficial.”

With his connections and reputation, he canceled the test and gathered all the students.

Finally, he found the Skill Thief and returned my superpower to me.

It was then that I realized.

He, Namgoong Min, was both a strong and weak existence.

And I too, while being weak compared to him, was a strong individual.

‘The weak submit to the strong. The strong dominate the weak.’

Thus, Namgoong Min and I were bound in a relationship of mutual subjugation and domination.

In other words, we were inseparable friends, needing each other.

“Namgoong Min, dear.”

But he was a shining figure.

Naturally, there are many pesky bugs around. Malicious women trying to prey on someone who is taken.

Though powerful in other respects, he must protect the weak half.

So let’s seize the family and create a cage.

Just like a pair of lovebirds living happily in a cage.

Let us too, never leave that space and live happily forever.

That was my resolve.

*

[Warning! The Bad Ending Route has been opened!]

[Bad Ending Route <Cage>

Conditions: Certain favorability with ???, Half-clear of ???’s character event, ??? achieved.

Be careful with your choices and actions! The bad ending cannot be undone!]

*

The conditions for the bad ending have been accomplished! The conditions are now revealed!

[Bad Ending Route <Cage>

Conditions: Rain Arthur’s favorability at <Lifelong Partner> or higher, Half-clear of Rain Arthur’s character event, <Cage Creation> achievement.

Be careful with your choices and actions! The bad ending cannot be undone!]

[All conditions for the bad ending have been accomplished, so we are entering the bad ending!]

[It can no longer be undone!]

*

There he is. My beloved other half.

I spot him bustling out of the Royal Palace of the Daehan Empire and wave my hand.

“Namgoong Min.”

“Oh, Rain? Perfect timing! I was just about to go assist the Crown Princess in a rebellion against the Emperor together with….”

“Grab him.”

“””Yes.”””

“Uh, Rain? Rain!?”

“Let’s go.”

We retreat to our sanctuary.

Leaving the palace, departing from the Daehan Empire, taking a private jet, and reaching Europe.

In the deepest valley of France.

In our own cage where no one’s footsteps reach.

Let’s live happily ever after.

Don’t worry, the cage is comfortable.

In the beautiful mansion named ‘Cage’, everything is available.

TV, computers, game consoles, books, a swimming pool, a cinema, and even a spacious bedroom.

No servants allowed. Just caretakers visiting to manage the place during dawn.

We can live peacefully without interruptions, just the two of us.

“…Hehe, you look like you want to go outside.”

But you can’t. It’s not that the door is locked.

Outside the mansion are minefields, and private soldiers affiliated with Arthur patrol.

I ordered to shoot anyone trying to enter or leave the cage, other than the caretakers.

I could happily live alongside the corpse of Namgoong Min, but… still, I love having you alive.

“Ah, are you talking about that?”

I’m a <Psychic>, after all. Teleporting to the city is a piece of cake.

So just give up.

You keep saying things like ‘I need to help the Crown Princess’, ‘Character events’, ‘Rampage’, ‘Ending’… but do you still not grasp the situation?

The ending of my other half, Namgoong Min, and I is.

“This… is the end.”

For the rich tycoon, the crown princess, the golden-haired fighter, the Romance Academy, and all the future ahead.

For everything prepared, in the most beautiful cage in the world.

To live forever just the two of us.

That’s how it ends…

“Now, shall we try to make a baby?”

Oh, don’t worry. A child couldn’t stay here anyway.

I’ve passed the family to my brother, so the child will go to him.

Even if it’s a child, they can’t live in our cage.

…What are you doing? You didn’t hear me say we’re making a baby?

So, right now.

“Take off your clothes.”

*

[Let me ask you one thing. Is the bird living in the cage happy? Or is it unhappy?]

[The bird in the cage cannot fly. Even if it stretches its wings, it cannot soar due to the bars.]

[The bird’s limits end within the cage. The bird’s world is confined to the narrow cage.]

[But there’s no need to pity the bird in the cage.]

[The bird in the cage cannot fly, but it is safe.]

[There won’t be a chance of being eaten by predators, hunted down, or suffering from unfortunate accidents.]

[It only needs to wait for food and water, coexisting with the female bird.]

[So I will return to the initial question.]

[What is the fate of the bird in the cage?]

[Will it be happy? Or unhappy?]

*

“……….”

Slick.

Late at night, Rain wakes up in a cold sweat.

…What on earth was that dream?

“It was similar to me… but… it seemed different….”

Everything was the same, but was it the story of not coming to France to resolve the engagement?

Did I just dream of a hypothetical story, a mere delusion?

What about the ‘crack in the shape of a person’ I mentioned at the end… what on earth was that?

Wha… what…

What…

…

“………Hmm?”

Huh, why did I wake up again?

Ah, right. I was thinking about that strange dream.

But like any dream, no matter how hard I try to think about it, it slips away from my thoughts. What in the world was so terrifying I was sweating?

“…I don’t get it.”

It wasn’t anything significant, I’m sure.

I lay back down on the bed and close my eyes.

‘Tomorrow will be busy.’

Today, Namgoong Min won against my father in a duel and snuck away, so tomorrow will surely be busy.

I need to coordinate with my brother, rearrange the power dynamics within the family, and prove that I’m not just a tool for marriage, but one of the masters of the Arthur family.

There’s a lot to do, but I feel like I’m floating.

‘Wait for me, Namgoong Min.’

Although it will be hard to meet again during the break, we won’t see each other until the second semester.

Back then, I’ll surely be different from who I am now.

So, I’ll wait.

Innocently.

With patience.

“…Ah, but….”

The only part I vaguely remember from the dream.

That beautiful, enormous cage.

I thought it was…

“………….”

…Something that I thought could be okay.

A conclusion that could never be realized.