Madam Vespera set the cards aside and continued.
"There is another pair whose roles are opposite to each other. They are the Liberator and the Founder. One breaks established orders and brings about revolutions, while the other establishes kingdoms, restores order, and marks the beginning of a new era. Their ideals do not always agree."
"Then which one is right?" Lucian asked.
"That depends on whom you ask."
She replied while giving him a knowing smile.
"To those suffering under an oppressive ruler or a tyrant, the Liberator may become the hero who will free them from their suffering. But what about those who live peacefully under an established kingdom, ruled by a wise and just monarch? Would they welcome someone trying to overthrow their ruler? To them, that same person might be nothing more than a troublemaker threatening the peace they've come to enjoy."
Lucian face muscle twitched. He couldn't help but smile at the irony.
"That sounds rather troublesome."
"Destiny rarely concerns itself with what people find convenient. It is a bizarre thing. We can only try to predict its flow and try to guess its destiny. ” she said in a low voice. There was a little hint of sadness on her face.
“One might say that life is nothing more than a play, with Fate as its writer and we as its actors…
We may think we're defying destiny, but all we've done is follow the script it has written for us."
While saying those words her gaze slowly drifted away. The smile on her face gradually faded, replaced by a distant, sorrowful expression. There was something bitter about that smile, as though she were remembering something painful.
For a brief moment, she looked like someone who had witnessed firsthand how cruel fate can be.
The room was still shrouded in darkness; neither Selene or Lucian saw the expression Madam Vespera was making.
Selene, who had been listening to the conversation quietly from nearby, finally let out an exasperated sigh, her eyebrows drawing together as she looked at her brother.
She was glad to see him so engrossed in something, but the circumstances surrounding the examination still weighed heavily on her mind.
"Lucian, don't trouble Madam Vespera, with too many questions."
"But I'm only asking because I'm curious about it."
"I can see that," Selene replied, giving him a mildly exasperated look.
Madam Vespera laughed at the conversation between the siblings.
"There's no need to worry, miss. Curiosity is hardly a fault. Besides, it has been quite some time since I met someone so eager to learn about the history of these cards."
Lucian gave Selene a small, triumphant smile.
Seeing Lucian’s triumphant smile, Selene simply shook her head. Facing Madam Vespera she said with an exhausted look.
"Please don't encourage him."
Madam Vespera simply chuckled before returning her attention to Lucian.
"Now, where were we?"
"You were explaining how frequently the cards appear," Lucian answered promptly.
"Ah, yes."
She leaned back in her chair.
"The cards do not appear in any specific order or at any set time. The cards appear at random. Some, like the False Saint or other False cards, appear far more frequently. But others, however..."
She paused, lowering her voice slightly.
"There are cards that have appeared so rarely that most people even believe they exist only in legends."
Lucian leaned forward in curiosity.
"Which ones?"
"The Guide, the Fate, and the Watcher are said to appear only once every thousand to ten thousand years."
Lucian's eyes widened.
"Ten thousand years?"
"Indeed."
"How can anyone even know that? Surely there aren't records going back that far."
Madam Vespera smiled at his question.
"A keen observation. Much of what we know about these cards or anything else comes from ancient records, religious scriptures, and accounts passed down through generations. Not all of them are reliable, of course. But there is enough evidence to suggest that these three cards do exist."
Lucian stared at the deck.
Once every ten thousand years...
He couldn't even begin to imagine such a long period.
"Could they appear tomorrow?" he asked.
"Perhaps."
"Or a thousand years from now?"
"That is equally possible."
Lucian kept his gaze fixed on the cards, studying their illustrations. After a while, he looked up at Madam Vespera, his curiosity getting the better of him.
"Then why do people even bother looking for them?" he asked, his expression almost childlike.
"Because the appearance of a single card can change the course of history, young master."
Madam Vespera's answer left Lucian momentarily speechless.
Change the course of history...
He looked at the deck with newfound respect.
For something that appeared to be an ordinary collection of cards, they certainly carried extraordinary significance.
He opened his mouth to ask another question, but Madam Vespera raised a hand.
"That is enough for now. We still have your examination to complete."
Lucian reluctantly closed his mouth.
"Very well," he replied with a sad expression.
Madam Vespera gathered the deck and placed it in front of him.
"Now, shuffle these cards in whatever order you like. While doing so, think about yourself. Your name, your identity, your past, your present, and your desires. Think about everything that makes you who you are."
She paused for a moment.
"And finally, think about the questions whose answers you wish to find."
Her eyes met his.
"Do not try to force an answer. Simply let your thoughts wander."
Lucian nodded and picked up the deck.
He shuffled the cards carefully, following her instructions.
His thoughts wandered through his life. His illness, his family, his siblings, and the strange dreams that had frightened Selene so much.
He thought about the eyes in the mirror.
What were they? Why did they keep appearing in my dreams?
I wonder whether these cards can reveal something about that too.
He glanced briefly at Madam Vespera.
Although, considering these are only replicas, I shouldn't expect much.
Once he had finished shuffling, he returned the deck to her.
Madam Vespera took the cards and spread them across the table, arranging them in a broad arc within the chalk circle.
As soon as she spread the cards across the circle the mysterious atmosphere of the room returned. The heaviness and the pressure which had been lifted as he was talking to Madam Vespera returned all at once.
A drop of sweat rolled down his face. The room had grown noticeably colder, and Lucian could feel a chill creeping across his skin. The candle flames began to sway and flicker wildly, as though an unseen presence was disturbing the air around them.
"Choose any three cards you like. Don't overthink it."
Lucian snapped back to reality. He looked at Madam Vespera and saw a smile on her face. He looked down on the cards and started to observe them carefully.
"Can I choose whichever ones I want?"
"Of course."
"Even the ones at the very ends?"
Madam Vespera smiled.
"Did I not just say that you may choose any three?"
"Right."
Lucian considered the cards for a moment before making his choices. He picked one from the far end, another from the opposite end, and a third from somewhere near the middle.
He placed all three face down on the table.
"These cards represent your past, present, and future," Madam Vespera explained softly.
Chapter discussion