The bards eyes widened.

could it be, youve seen the future as well, Your Ladyship?

Her words were practically an admission that she herself had also seen the future.

Hah.

Letting loose a sigh that was filled with complex and indescribable emotions, Yelena leant back into her chairs support.

So it looks like she isnt the old woman.

If the person in front of her was the old woman, she would have no reason to continue pretending to not recognize Yelena.

Yelena stayed silent for a few moments. She wasnt sure whether to describe her current mood as being relieved, or alarmed. Or was it just satisfaction from having guessed correctly that the person who wrote the play was someone who had also seen the future.

It was difficult to pinpoint which emotion it was exactly.

Having allowed this to continue for some time, Yelena finally broke the silence.

How did you come to see the future? Have you met the old woman as well?

An old woman? No, thats for a while now, Ive been having prophetic dreams.

Dreams?

Yes. However they only come in the form of brief flashes.

The bard began detailing the precognitive dreams that she had had. That, one day, demons would invade the world. Although the nations of the world would fight back against these demons, none of them seemed to be able to turn the tide.

So its from before the world ends.

The future that the bard had seen came slightly ahead in the timeline than the one that Yelena had experienced.

so thats how it is.

About that old woman whom Your Ladyship spoke of:

Returning the favor, Yelena also gave the bard a brief account of how she had come to see the future.

The bard leaked a small sigh of amazement, as if she couldnt imagine that such a person might exist.

For an old woman to have that sort of power, it must have come as quite the surprise.

If I hadnt experienced it for myself, I wouldnt have believed it no matter who had told me. But now that I have met you, Im convinced.

Convinced that the old womans abilities were real, that is. Although the truth was she had never really held much doubt. As the entire experience had been far too vivid to suspect that it was all some kind of fraud or trickery.

Goosebumps rose on Yelenas arms as she recalled what had happened in her future.

At that moment, the bard said, I too feel the same way. The reason I wrote this play was because I was looking for someone like Your Ladyship.

Someone like me?

Someone who also knew of the future, like I did.

Yelena met eyes with the bard.

Thanks to this, Ive also found faith in myself. I think that Ill be able to put the plans that Ive made for the future into action.

Yelena didnt bother to ask what those plans were exactly. Because in the face of the worlds oncoming destruction, everyone would have to make their own preparations for it.

However, Yelena decided to add just one more thing, whatever happens, dont be in a hurry to make any extreme decisions. Even if the future weve seen does come true, things will turn out for the better.

She would make sure of that. Yelena swallowed these unsaid words down with a gulp of fresh tea.

The bard smiled and nodded, appearing to have taken these words as the sort of general consolation that one might give in the face of a terrible situation.

Yes. Please dont concern yourself.

Besides that, there is something I am curious about.

Yelena lowered her teacup after taking a sip and began fiddling with the handle.

Of those close to you have you told anyone about the future that youve foreseen?

There is one person.

A family member?

No, but while hes not related to me hes someone close enough to feel like family.

And he believed you? About the future that you foresaw?

Hes quite a simple-minded person, but his one good point is that hell believe whatever I tell him.

Although it sounded like she was making fun of him, Yelena could feel the deep trust and affection that Will held for that person.

Yelena unconsciously began staring at the bard with envy, before noticing where her eyes had gone and lowering her gaze. Her face reflected back at her from the still surface of her tea.

In fact, until relatively recently, Yelena had been fantasizing about telling Kaywhin everything that she currently knew. It wasnt because she wanted anything to change between them. It was just that the pressure from being the only person who knew about the future sometimes left her feeling breathless, and it made her wish for someone who she would be able to vent all her frustrations to.

However ,Yelenas fantasies remained as just that, fantasies.

It wasnt like she had given up on telling him because she was worried that Kaywhin would refuse to believe her. Instead, it was because she feared that admitting the truth would also reveal that she had her own designs on Kaywhin from the very beginning, rather than having approached him with pure intentions.

If she admitted the truth just because she wanted to reduce the pressure on herself, it would hinder her current efforts to earn her husbands favour. That was what she had decided.

She tried to tell herself that that was all it was.

or maybe its just that I dont want to see any trace of disappointment when my husband looks at me.

She needed to make her husband fall in love with her, so that she could give birth to his child.

After thats done, maybe it will be easier to tell him the whole truth?

She was unsure.

As she ran her finger around the rim of the teacup, Yelena thought of what her husbands disappointment with her would look like.

She could just see her husband sending her a look that said, So in the end youre no different than anyone else.

Just the thought of it made her heart feel like it was tearing into pieces. Yelena unconsciously brought her hands to her chest, before freezing in place.

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