Chapter 5: Card

Light red wine—sure enough, someone from a big city… Lu Mi’s gaze finally settled on the glass wine cup in the woman’s hand.

Light red wine is a distilled spirit made from sugar and pickled cherries; its color and flavor are both popular among women, though other suitable fruits can substitute for cherries, yielding slight variations in taste but nothing drastic.

This was one of the few premium wines the old tavern in Kerdou Village could offer, kept on hand because Madame Pauris had fallen in love with this pale red wine after visiting the provincial capital, Bigor.

—Madame Pauris was the wife of Beost, the local administrator and land judge, descended from nobility who lost their title during the era of Emperor Rosel.

She was also one of the mistresses of the parish priest, Guillaume Béne—a fact known to few in the village, and Lu Mi was one of them.

Lu Mi pulled his gaze away and walked toward the bar.

There sat a man in his forties, wearing only a linen shirt and matching trousers; his brown hair was thin and messy, and wrinkles lined his eyes, mouth, and forehead from years of labor.

This was Pierre Clég, Raymond’s father.

Another Pierre.

That was why Lu Mi had joked to Lyra, Ryan, and others that if you shouted “Pierre” in the tavern, at least a third of the men would answer.

When villagers spoke of these Pierres and Guillaumes, they always added “so-and-so’s” to distinguish them; otherwise, they were impossible to tell apart.

In many families, father and son shared the same name—both called Pierre or Guillaume—and neighbors could only differentiate them with “Old,” “Big,” or “Little.”

“Dad, why aren’t you chatting with the others at the village square?” Raymond walked over to his father.

The village men loved gathering under the elm tree in the square or at someone’s house, playing dice, cards, and chess, and discussing rumors—visiting the tavern cost money.

Pierre Clég, holding a glass of red wine, turned his head to glance at his second son:

“I’ll go later; the square’s probably empty right now.”

Right—where had all the village men gone? Lu Mi suddenly felt puzzled.

He’d seen not a single soul in the square just moments ago.

“Uncle, I need to ask you something.” Lu Mi spoke bluntly.

Pierre Clég immediately grew wary:

“Another prank?”

The story of “The Boy Who Cried Wolf” did have real roots… Lu Mi tilted his head, signaling Raymond to speak.

Raymond gathered his thoughts:

“Dad, you told me once about the wizard legend—the one where nine oxen were needed to drag the coffin. When did that happen?”

Pierre Clég gulped down a mouthful of wine and asked, puzzled:

“Why ask that?”

“It’s something your grandfather told me when I was a boy.”

The Lesdon Province, where Kerdou Village lay, along with neighboring Olae and Suxit Provinces, were all in southern Intis Republic, famed grape-growing regions where wine—especially the cheap kind—was extremely inexpensive; in some years, people even drank wine like water.

Raymond felt disappointed—he’d long since lost his grandfather.

At that moment, Pierre Clég added:

“Your grandfather said he saw it with his own eyes as a boy; after that, he feared owls, terrified they’d steal his soul.”

Lu Mi and Raymond’s eyes lit up simultaneously.

There was actually a lead!

Was the wizard legend based on someone’s real experience?

“Did your grandfather say where the wizard originally lived, or where he was buried?” Raymond pressed.

Pierre Clég shook his head:

“Who cares about that?”

Seeing Raymond still wanted to ask more, Lu Mi slapped him on the shoulder and said loudly:

“Time to head to the river.”

Raymond was about to follow Lu Mi out when Pierre Clég suddenly remembered something:

“Wait, Raymond—you’re starting as a ‘watcher of the green’ in a couple days. Let me tell you what to watch out for.”

A "watcher of the green" patrolled the highland pastures and surrounding fields to prevent grazing during the grazing ban period or livestock from trampling young crops.

Lu Mi didn’t linger to listen; he went to the tavern’s attached washroom.

When he came out, he deliberately passed by the foreign woman drinking light red wine, her age impossible to guess.

Though he’d never initiate small talk, he wanted to observe her in advance, gather details—perhaps they’d prove useful later, just as he’d used Ryan and Lyra to catch the parish priest in the act.

He gave her a few unobtrusive glances, then prepared to circle past the corner and wait for Raymond by the tavern door.

At that moment, the woman in the orange dress, with her languid air, lifted her head.

Lu Mi’s gaze, still lingering, met hers directly.

Even with his thick face, he felt a flush of embarrassment.

Instantly, thoughts flooded his mind:

Should I follow the parish priest or the administrator’s example—compliment her beauty and turn observation into conversation, or play the shy boy and quickly turn away…

He’d just made up his mind when the woman smiled and spoke:

“You’ve been having frequent dreams lately?”

In an instant, Lu Mi felt as if struck by lightning—his mind went numb, every thought frozen.

In one or two seconds, he forced a laugh:

“Isn’t dreaming perfectly normal?”

The woman propped her chin on one hand, studying Lu Mi, and chuckled softly:

“Dreams of thick fog.”

How does she know… Lu Mi’s pupils dilated instantly, his expression tightening with fear.

Though he’d experienced many strange things, he was still young, and for a moment, he couldn’t control his face.

Calm down, calm down… Lu Mi soothed himself, relaxing his facial muscles, and asked:

“Did you hear the story I told those three outsiders last night?”

The woman said nothing, reaching into an orange handbag on the nearby chair and pulling out a deck of cards.

She looked back at Lu Mi and smiled:

“Draw a card. It might help you uncover the secret hidden in your dream.”

This… Lu Mi was startled and suspicious.

He felt both drawn in and sharply alert.

He glanced at the deck, frowning slightly:

“Tarot?”

It looked like the Tarot cards invented by Emperor Rosel for divination.

The woman glanced down and chuckled self-deprecatingly:

“Sorry, I grabbed the wrong set.”

She slipped the twenty-two Major Arcana cards back into her medium-sized handbag and pulled out another deck.

“This is also Tarot—but Minor Arcana. You’re not qualified to draw the Major Arcana, and I’m not qualified to let you draw them…”

The Minor Arcana consisted of fifty-six cards, divided into four suits: Cups, Wands, Swords, and Coins.

What is she talking about… Lu Mi was utterly confused.

The woman looked beautiful and elegant, yet her behavior was odd—she seemed mentally unstable.

“Draw one,” the woman from the big city said, shaking the Minor Arcana deck with a smile. “It’s free—try it, no cost, and it might solve your dream problem.”

Lu Mi chuckled:

“My sister said the free things are the most expensive.”

“That’s true,” the woman mused.

She placed the Minor Arcana deck beside the glass of light red wine and added:

“But if you refuse to pay no matter what, what power do I, a stranger, have to force you to pay in Kerdou Village?”

That’s fair… drawing one card won’t hurt… finally, a clue about that dream—how could I not try… but could this involve a wizard’s curse… should I ask Aurora for help? Lu Mi’s mind churned with thoughts, unable to decide.

The woman didn’t rush him.

After ten seconds, Lu Mi slowly bent forward, extended his right hand, shuffled the Minor Arcana deck, and drew a single card from the middle.

“Seven of Wands,” the languid woman said, glancing at the card.

On the card, a resolute man in green stood atop a hill, holding one wand, facing six wands charging up from below.

“What does this mean?” Lu Mi asked.

The woman smiled:

“Interpret the image yourself—crisis, challenge, resistance, courage, and so on, and so on.

“Of course, none of that matters. What matters is this card is yours now. When fate arrives, you’ll understand its true meaning.”

“It’s mine?” Lu Mi grew even more confused.

Could this card be cursed?

The woman gathered the remaining Minor Arcana cards, lifted her glass, and drained the last of the light red wine.

She ignored Lu Mi’s questions, strolled toward the stairs beside the old tavern, and ascended to the second floor.

Clearly, she lived there.

Lu Mi wanted to follow, but took one step and stopped, his thoughts swirling:

Is this just an ordinary card?

She gave me this card—doesn’t that mean the deck is now permanently incomplete, unusable?

Aurora should be able to see the problem...

At that moment, Raymond came over:

“What’s wrong?”

“Nothing much. That outsider’s really good-looking,” Lu Mi replied casually.

“I still think your sister Aurora is more beautiful,” Raymond lowered his voice immediately. “Lu Mi, what should we do next? My grandfather has been dead for a long time.”

Eager to get home, Lu Mi thought for a moment and said:

“First, find elderly people still alive who were about your grandfather’s age and ask them. Second, go to the church and check the registration records—uh, let’s consider that last.”

Remembering how he had just disrupted the parish priest’s affairs, Lu Mi decided he shouldn’t go to the church unless absolutely necessary in the coming days.

——In a village like Kerdou, with only one church, and given the extremely small number of administrative officials’ men, the church took on some government functions, such as recording burials and marriages.

Before Raymond could ask again, Lu Mi added:

“Let’s each look for elderly people who fit the criteria, and visit them tomorrow.”

“Alright,” Raymond agreed immediately.

…………

Inside a semi-subterranean two-story building.

After hearing Lu Mi’s account, Aurora carefully examined the “Wand” card for a while and said:

“It’s truly an ordinary card. I didn’t sense any curse or other anomaly.”

“Aurora, uh, sister, do you think that outsider actually wants to do something? Why did she know I was having those dreams?” Lu Mi asked.

Aurora shook her head:

“Since she’s already revealed herself, it’s relatively better that way.

“Over the next few days, I’ll carefully ‘observe’ her.

“Hmm… keep this card for now. It might change—don’t worry, I’m watching.”

“Alright,” Lu Mi forced himself to relax a little.

…………

Nightfall.

Lu Mi slipped the “Wand” card into the coat hanging on the chairback, climbed onto his bed, closed his eyes, and fell asleep.

After an indeterminate time, he drifted into a daze and seemed to see that gray mist again.

Suddenly, he shuddered violently and “woke” within the dream.

He felt his clarity return, his reason restored.

Yet the dream, still filled with gray mist, remained.

PS: Thank you to livy37 for the Silver Alliance donation.

(End of Chapter)