44 A Chance Of A Lifetime

The surrounding bystanders turned their eyes on So Eun. His right hand unconsciously lifting to his scarf, while the young man beside her instantly showed his eye smile.

"Pardon our sudden appearance here, Granny didn't discuss with me first that she'll be personally choosing her customer by herself and I got floored too. Hehe. Young Master, do you mind?"

Han Min didn't take his eyes off the old woman, but he glances at So Eun.

"Uh? Fortune-telling?" He asked dumbfounded, forming in his mind to find a mirror somewhere to check his eyes.

"Yes, of course. Granny, should we take this on the stage for everyone to see?"

The young man gestured behind them, a canister resting in one hand.

So Eun was looking at him while he introduced, and didn't notice how the old woman regards him with her mouth agape and eyes slowly enlarging.

Before he agreed to it, the old woman ignored his grandson's words and timidly ask, "Young Master, can I know your name?"

So Eun had the instinct to answer her without lies in between. He glanced at Han Min before speaking.

"I'm So Eun."

Perhaps because of the scorching heat from all the people surrounding him or his head has been deceiving him all along, with a small glimpse of her, he saw something glint at the other's eyes.

The woman's smile wasn't warm anymore, but her face slowly dropped, and her two hands subtly flinched.

It was obvious he was not the only one who noticed it, because Han Min stepped closer and the young man spoke to her.

"Is there something wrong?" She didn't answer him again. Ignoring him by stretching out her hands to So Eun.

"Do you mind if I can view your fortune?"

Her hand asked for So Eun's, sounding as if she doesn't want all these people to hear her. But those delicate eyes with wrinkles at the side, looked at him as if she'd seen the reincarnated soul.

And now So Eun hesitated a little, still comprehending the fact that she saw something in him in a place packed with people.

But then if the woman in front of him wasn't a human, his senses would have flared once a spirit wandered in his vicinity, and Han Min would've warned him.

Yet he didn't mention anything, nor did So Eun find any malicious intent in the elder.

"We are just here to enjoy ourselves, we'll be leaving soon."

Han Min spoke out of his surprise, he glanced at him before looking at the aged woman, suddenly feeling agitated.

No one responded, and he saw her glide his eyes over to Han Min, acknowledging a new person that doesn't look normal to her.

So Eun had a notion that this woman was indeed the Fading Fortune and doesn't waste time for her to recognize the one standing before them was a Demon King, so he instantly changed the subject.

"It's alright, I wanted to know my fortune, anyways. Fading Fortune, please do."

He took a sigh in relief when she stopped her gaze and put them back to So Eun. Her expression was akin to being grateful.

"If that is then, thank you for your time, So Eun."

So Eun handed his hands and was held by her rough scrawny hands, palms of such that only belong to a human.

"Granny, shouldn't we?"

His Grandson couldn't just stand by and watch, slightly tugging at her sleeves before she looked at him for a second to give him a look.

That stopped the fellow from whining and stayed instead to do her business here.

"Oh, by the way, My grandmother is Daiyu, the Fading Fortune of this age. I already told my name earlier before I start, so I wouldn't say it again."

He happily continued while she silently closed her eyes and clicked her tongue for him to shut it.

So Eun watched them for a while and suddenly thought of Han Min's disapproval, he turned his head and glanced at the other.

But he didn't know if glimpsing your fortune would take shorter than he expected, Daiyu abruptly pried open her eyes, her grip on So Eun tightening. In slight movements, everyone was alarmed.

The moment her eyes opened, they only stared at So Eun, an expression akin to disbelief, as if she had seen something threatening and demanding answers from him. That alone swiftly took everyone's attention.

"Granny! Are you okay?"

He supported her small shoulders, while her hand grasping So Eun trembled, a single tear fell on the woman's cheek.

Then So Eun felt a chill on his back. Unsure of what to do. The quivering didn't stop when the old woman tried to form words with her mouth, looking as if her throat was forced to be clogged close, a puff of air barely passing through.

One inhale was all it takes to say what she wanted to say.

"A sword."

She nearly whispered, words falling smoothly like her tear. Han Min stepped forward this time, almost attempting to pull away from his hand.

"What did you say?"

"Your bad luck was a sword."

As if hands unclutched their grip on her throat, she wheezed. Then her hands on him slipped away effortlessly, wondering who let go first. He looked down and saw Han Min softly pulling on his wrist and keeping it aside.

"So his fortune was pure black?"

The Demon King's tone wasn't close to really curious, but his intention was obvious. Daiyu was still drowning in shock, hands in place while her grandson rubbed her back.

It was only a moment did she composed herself that the sounds of clanking armors and swords were heard behind them.

"It's nearly noon, the show's supposed to be ending, why haven't you scattered away?"

One of the Palace Guards uttered that was almost close. Between a group of people behind them and the Guards, they took this time to sneak away silently.

Han Min unconsciously reached out to hold his hand and walked to his right.

So Eun was dumbfounded and forgot what he'd to say when those arrogant voices resounded. So he let himself get dragged by Han Min, but the elder caught onto his sleeves in time.

"Please." It was more silent than before, Daiyu hesitated a little before she squeezed his sleeve.

"Be careful."

They have only met for a very short time, but he felt like those words held an ambiguous meaning, especially when the one who foretells his fortune made her cry.

It resulted in an ominous feeling that he could've asked her more about it. But then, he simply returned the way she smiled at her, gentle and pleasant.

"I will, Thank you, Nainai." The two of them got out of the crowd and drifted off.

But when they were out of sight because of the crowd dispersing, Daiyu still didn't avert her eyes and ignored her whining grandson, who is still rubbing her back.

"Who is he?" Daiyu spoke out of herself, but her young man still replied. "He said his name is So Eun, right?" Then she shook her head, hands resting at her middle.

"No. The man beside him."

"How could I know? All he does was to glare at us." Seeming to remember Han Min's gaze at them, her Grandson's bad mood only flared up.

Yet Daiyu appeared calm and focused as if she hadn't looked terrified just a minute ago.

After a long sigh and a bunch of Palace Guards marching in front of them, Daiyu was blanking out. Her Grandson couldn't wait anymore so he turned to her.

"Granny, do you know him?" That was when she tilted her head towards him and blinked.

"His bad luck comes from the two of them. " She announced only within herself, but the young man caught that.

"Eh. Are you being serious? Is there such a thing?"

Yet she didn't reply, her shoulders slumping forward. "They wouldn't be safe if they were together."

Daiyu lifted her head and gaze at the sky, rays of the sun damping their skin.

"Their misfortune comes from one another." She closed her eyes before wiping her cheek with her sleeves. And for the first time, his Grandson went silent.

"I-I haven't heard a fortune like this before. Was it the sword? Or does it?..." Then his head jolted upward, raising a finger between them.

"Does it have something to do with his bad luck?"

Amidst the crowd wandering on the streets, Daiyu still attempted to spot So Eun and Han Min.

"So Eun... The only descendant of the So Clan that survived. The winds really do bring a chance of a lifetime."

His Grandson hummed, looking unsettled, before speaking; "So Clan... Tell me, Granny, shall we go after them?"

But Daiyu only glared at him once again, replying with ease.

"Fate will decide if we should cross paths with them." The heat of the sun wafted against their skin while she tried to find a white-gold robe from afar.

"But I do think that we should."