Chapter 005
Episode 5
Fortune Telling for the Year, Part 2/2
The butler, who had been speechless for a few seconds, seemingly fainting at the sight of my condition, suddenly leaped up like a bomb had gone off. Soon after, the capital’s doctors, summoned by the butler, rushed in one by one.
An elderly doctor with a monocle, a young doctor fresh out of residency, and the red-haired doctor who manages the health of our trading company’s employees.
“Well, this is…”
“I’ve never seen anything like this. What in the world…”
“It doesn’t seem like something a doctor can fix.”
The only one who said anything remotely useful was the trading company’s doctor. She rubbed her high-prescription glasses on her sleeve and made a diagnosis.
“It’s probably magic.”
I had vaguely suspected as much. But hearing it from someone else made it feel like a real blow.
Without realizing it, I buried my face in my hands. Groaning in frustration, I tried to stomp my feet, but my legs, now gray stone, didn’t budge.
The butler, standing nearby, urged the doctor.
“Magic? What do you mean by that?”
“It’s not a disease caused by poor health. Think about it—have you ever heard of a condition that suddenly turns someone’s legs to stone?”
I looked up to see the butler shaking his head on my behalf. The doctor, who had been staring at his bewildered expression, turned to me for confirmation.
“Lady, you didn’t happen to cross some shady wizard, did you?”
Wizard. That dreadful word.
No one knows where magical power first originated—not even wizards themselves. Some people are simply born with it, no explanation needed.
Fortunately, wizards with great power are controlled by the empire and their families, but the problem lies with the petty ones who slip through the cracks of law and order. They use their meager abilities to play pranks or lord over others. Some even cast constipation curses for fun…
Anyway, I don’t know any wizards, and I definitely haven’t crossed one!
“No way. I haven’t fought with anyone lately, and I always wear my magic-defense ring.”
I wiggled my left hand to show the silver ring on my pinky. It was something I’d bought just in case and hadn’t taken off in years, except when bathing. It was supposed to neutralize most curses.
Suddenly, the butler clapped both hands over his mouth.
“Gasp!”
It was so loud I couldn’t ignore it. The doctor and I turned to him at the same time. The butler, flailing his hands excitedly, shouted at me.
“That! My lady, that thing, that!”
“That?”
“You know, *that*! That thing!”
What was he going on about, just saying “that” over and over?
“Oh!”
It hit me! I locked eyes with the butler, waving my finger back at him.
“That! That… the note we got from that old lady! The blessing-or-curse thing!”
“Yes, that’s it!”
“…But what about it?”
It was something about always responding last, right?
It was supposed to be like a fun fortune-telling game, but what if that note was actually imbued with real magical power—a blessing and a curse? Still, it’s a bit weird to think that’s why my legs turned out like this.
The butler looked at me desperately, rapid-fire questioning.
“You didn’t forget to reply to someone, did you? Right?”
“Well, no, how am I supposed to remember every single conversation…”
Who did I talk to today? The butler, the doctor, and… that’s it, right?
With a resolute mindset, I looked between the butler and the doctor and declared.
“Alright, then I’ll say something last. Both of you, don’t say a word. Here, conversation over!”
And, astonishingly!
Nothing happened. Damn it.
We waited in silence for about a minute. The doctor, looking exasperated, glanced between me and the butler before heading out first, not even bothering with a proper goodbye, probably mindful of my curse.
The butler pounded his chest in frustration.
“Come on, think harder!”
“I’m telling you, that’s all! I’ve been working here the whole time. I was just using TokTok; there’s no way I talked to anyone else…”
Wait a second.
My eyes met the butler’s. We’re thinking the same thing, aren’t we?
I was talking via TokTok! Maybe this curse counts even that as a conversation. The duke kept replying, and I just didn’t respond at the end—could that be it?
I hurriedly reached out to grab the TokTok.
At that very moment.
“AAAAH!”
Suddenly, the stone spread from my thighs to my hips and waist. *Crunch, crunch*, with an eerie sound. I thrashed wildly, smacking the petrified parts, but it only made my hands hurt like hell.
“My lady, hurry! Quick, quick!”
“Okay, I got it!”
The petrification was progressing too fast. Struggling against the stone creeping past my chest and up to my arms, I barely managed to press a single button on the typewriter. Cold sweat dripped as I forced my stiffening arms to move.
The butler, pacing frantically nearby, g8ped at the text I sent.
“No, no, that won’t do! Something else!”
What am I supposed to do? My vision was starting to blur. Trembling, I forced myself to press another button. The butler screamed again that it was wrong.
But what can I do? I’m really turning into a stone statue…
“No… I can’t move anymore…”
I… uh…
Through my fading vision, I saw the butler’s tearful face. My arm dropped, hitting the send button. Then, I blacked out.
If I die like this, it’d be hilarious.
Dying because I didn’t reply? Truly a disgrace to my family.
—
Duke Deira spent a busy afternoon. Preparing to head to the capital after staying in his estate for so long meant a lot to pack and many people to look after. So, he didn’t properly hear the *TokTok!* notification sound from the device.
It wasn’t until night that the duke could finally take a breather and sit at his desk. His loyal knight, Rayven, who also assisted with the duke’s daily life, approached and asked.
“Are you alright?”
“Yeah, just a bit tired.”
“Take it easy. You’ve ordered TokTok anyway, so if anything happens at the estate, you’ll know right away.”
“That’s true. It’s more convenient and useful than I expected. I can see why it’s so popular.”
The duke nodded, glancing at the TokTok on the corner of his desk. It had no decorations, but that made it look sleek and sophisticated.
Rayven leaned in slightly to check the duke’s TokTok.
“How do you use that thing? I’ve only seen it in action a couple of times.”
Since they stayed in the estate all the time, Rayven rarely had a chance to broaden his horizons. Feeling a bit guilty, the duke happily demonstrated how to use the TokTok.
“You tap the screen once to turn it on… Oh, looks like there’s a new message.”
A small envelope icon on the screen indicated a new message. The duke tapped it to check.
Only two characters appeared on the screen.
[Lol]
[🖕]
The duke tilted his head and muttered.
“What does this mean?”
Rayven’s mouth fell open, unable to respond. In truth, Rayven was certain the same thought had crossed the duke’s mind.
‘Is she mocking me…?’
It was utterly bewildering. But what was even more shocking came next.
‘And then flipping me off?’
Rayven had used that gesture himself a few times when exchanging letters with friends.
Worried the duke might be offended, Rayven quickly checked his expression, but surprisingly, the noble duke didn’t seem to share the same thought. Of course, a proper noble like him wouldn’t know such crude insults.
Rayven burst out laughing and tried to smooth things over.
“Hahaha! Probably just a mistake, right?”
“Yeah, must be. Maybe they pressed something by accident while half-asleep. I should be careful not to do the same.”
Watching his lord nod innocently, Rayven made a mental note.
When they got to the capital, he’d have to watch out for this crazy trading company head who sent middle fingers in the middle of the night. Clearly, she was no ordinary lunatic.
