Sunshine Agnes/Chapter 8


 * -|English= Chapter 8 - 22 Cards of Fate - Part 1

Even after she returned from the Eaton News, Agnes was still shaken up over Edwin's behavior.

'Edwin is always so straightforward and easy to read, but now...'

In an attempt to calm herself, she wiped the countertop and adjusted the glasses and silverware sets, yet her anxiety remained. The singular customer, Old Man Purdue, sat at a table leisurely chatting with her uncle. Purdue waved to Agnes, and she responded in kind.

'...Do you have any ideas, Kagemaru?' she asked.

Just to the left of Edwin's usual seat, Kagemaru was drowsily curled up in his favorite spot on the counter. He simply showed her his usual lethargic look.

'Yeah, I didn't think so...' she thought.

Agnes reached for her knit cap, but she stopped herself. If she ran out looking for Ed now, she knew she wouldn't be able to find him. He had his bicycle, and knowing Ed, he was bound to be constantly on the move if he was so worked up over something. Instead, Agnes opened a drawer behind the bar and took out an old-looking deck of tarot cards.

'Yeah, these ought to do the trick...'

Locating lost items using tarot fortune-telling was well within the clan's rules. Every now and then, Agnes would even perform it for their regular customers. When they returned to excitedly say, 'you were right,' it made her happy that she had her powers.

However, she had decided long ago to never read her own fortune. After all, knowing too much about one's future could be a danger in and of itself. Agnes briefly hesitated before she undid the string that bound the deck.

'There was something off about Edwin today. I'm sure of it.'

She drew and released a long breath before placing her hand atop the stack of cards. Thinking of the possible answers the deck may hold comforted and calmed Agnes.

'--Excuse me, miss!'

'Huh?!

'Are you telling someone's fortune, miss? Can you do mine, too?'

The girl introduced herself as Tizze, and she was looking for answers. She fidgeted as she continued. Her father was in the middle of a dangerous job, and she wanted to know how it would turn out.

'Well, I...' Agnes wondered if the little girl was from Anchorville. She'd never seen her before. Her request had come at a fortuitous moment, though. Agnes was hesitant about using her powers for her own benefit, but she had far fewer qualms using them to help others.

'Well, I'll make an exception, just for today. What'll it be, Tizze? I'll take a single request.'

'Wow, really?'

'I never lie, and neither do my tarot cards.'
 * -|Japanese= 第８回　２２枚の運命Ⅰ

通信社から戻ってきても、まだアニエスは落ち着かなかった. ……エドウィンがおかしい. いつもはあんなに単純で分かりやすいのに！

調子を整えるためにカウンターを拭いて、グラスとスプーンとフォークセットを並べなおしたが、やっぱり心のざわめきは収まらない. 客は１人、近所に住むパデュー爺さんで、テーブル席で叔父さんと歓談している. パデュー爺さんが手を振ったので、アニエスも小さく手を上げて返した.

「……カゲマル、何か知ってる？」カウンターの定位置──エドウィンの席の左前──で居眠りを始めたカゲマルに聞いてみるけれど、眠たげな視線を返されただけだった. ……カゲマルが知るわけないよね.

アニエスはニット帽に手を伸ばし、途中で止めた. 今から探しにいったってきっとエドは見つからない. 自転車も持っているし、何しろいつも猪突猛進なんだもの. 代わりに引き出しの１つをあけて、古びたタロットを取り出す. ……やっぱり、これを使おう.

タロット占いと失せ物探しの力だけは禁じられていない. だからアニエスは時々常連客相手に占ってあげることがあった. 「当たったよ」と言って貰えるより本当の力を気兼ねなく使えることが嬉しかった.

でも、自分のために占ってはいけない事になっている. 色んな事を知るというのは、それなりに危険な事だから.

──でも…………　アニエスはタロットを束ねていた紐を外した. 今日のエドウィンは絶対におかしい、絶対に. 一度だけ大きく息を吐いて、揃えた指をタロットの上に置く. これで少なくとも何かが判るんだ. そう思うと不思議と感情が静まってきた──

「……お姉さん！」

「えっ！？」いつの間にか目の前に、１０歳くらいの可愛らしい女の子が立っていた. あれ、いつ入って来たんだろう？ともかくタロットから手を放し、赤いリボンをつけた少女に向いて、アニエスはどうしたのと尋ねた.

「お姉さん、占いをするの？あたしにも占ってくれない……？」ティセと名乗った少女は、どうしても知りたい事があるのだという. パパはいま大変なお仕事をしている、パパのお仕事がうまく行くか、おしえてほしいの. ティセは少し恥ずかしがり屋なみたいで、もじもじしながらそう言った.

「ええと…………」近所の子かな、見かけないけれど. でも少女の頼みは渡りに船な気がした. 自分のために力を使うのはやっぱり気が引ける. でも、誰かを占うついでなら……

「……じゃあ、今日は特別. ティセちゃんのお願いを１度だけ聞いてあげるね」

「わっ、ほんとう？」

「嘘は言わないわ. もちろん私のタロットもね」