Chapter Text
Long years ago, longer than 200 years, Peter, who was then still learning in a school, heard about a Fortune telling.
For all of her years, her tellings were known for coming true.
With pure coincidence, she moved to live next door near Peter's house. Peter was never much fond of her, as he disliked undiscplined people, who says whatever comes to mind without hesitation.
'Godness, will this talktive woman ever keep things to herself or is she as stupid just as all the other females?'
He thought, everytime he saw her having little "useless" chats with him and his parents.
One day, she started one of her daily "useless" chats with him.
Peter narrowed his brows, yet before he could tell her;
"Excuse me Mrs. Charlotte but i have a lesson to attend in",
She asked a question which made him raise his brows in confusion,
"Do you have a lover, young boy?"
She looked at him with a smile and then immediantly said
"Oh, i was just wondering... don't pay much mind to it."
Peter looked away, then back at the lady, looking a little bit nervous, yet a little bit pissed off.
'This old lady does not think she have a chance with me, does she?
Disgusting and lustfull woman...'
He thought to himself, yet instead of telling her that, he faked a laugh and said:
"Me? Oh, haha, no i do not.
I am waitting for an arranged marriage in the future, as i know my parents will know the best for my future love life.
But if this is a confession, i will have to reject it, Mrs. Charlotte. I have no interest in a girl older than me-"
The old woman laughed a bit, putting her hand on Peter's shoulders and replied
"Oh no, no...
You have my honest apology if i made it seem like a confession.
I have two girls of my own, after all.
And worry not, i do not have the slightest bit of interest in boys younger than my daughters.
I suppose i should work at my way of wording..."
'Yes, you should, hag... her husband probably died from sadness of realizing what a useless woman his wife was'
He thought, yet he was curious about the reason of why was this question was asked in the first place and replied
"Oh no, your wording had no wrong, i just got the wrong idea. Yet i would like to ask... was there any specific reason for you Mrs to ask this question? Or was it a flow of the wind?"
Peter asked, waitting for an answer.
The old woman said at first, with her smiling face,
"Oh, i was just curious! I am pretty interested in romance, of any kind-"
Before she finished her sentence, she put her hand to her mouth with a shocked- maybe even horrified expression, as if she suddenly remembered a bad thing,
In which made Peter who was ready to make up another degrading insult towards her in his head, very confused from her sudden stop of sentence.
"Mrs. Charlotte?"
He heard her mumbling to herself, while giving Peter few looks. In between those mumblings, he heard the words
"Demon"
"Birth"
And "bad".
She looked at him in distress, unlike her usual expressions towards him and very quietly said
"How could i forgot..? He and the person he will marry to...
Oh no... they warned me... i have to tell his parents about this futue telling..."
The lady said before rushing off towards the other way.
"Mrs.Charlotte?!"
Peter called her out, yet before he could chase after her and demand for answers of what had just happned, the bells of his school were ringing.
He had no choice but to wait after he finishes his lessons, being very much annoyed and confused with her response.
"Well, i can always ask again. This old woman is always speaking near me or my parents. It will not he a hard task."
He thought.
The same night, the old woman was not chatting with Peter's parents at such late hours, surprisingly.
The day after, when he woke up. It was saturday. No school, no lessons. He got the time to confront her about yesterday. How thoughtfull he was, to even take her out to the streets and buy her a dress, maybe even a nice hat. There is no way that she would not take such a kind offer.
He looked trough the window and saw her closing her windows.
Full of plans, Peter walked down stairs, to the salon, to get ready.
But, before he could even change clothes or take an umbrella, his parents looked it him with rather serious expression.
"Care to take a seat?"
"Your father and i need to talk to you about something."
Peter got a bit nervous while taking a seat near his parents.
After all... it's not a common phrase from their mouth...
"What is it, father, mother?"
His mother and father looked at the house nearby, exchanged glances then looked back at him.
"Do you remember the lady who lives nearby?"
His father asked.
"Mrs.charlotte?"
He asked, wondering what happned.
"Yes, excactly."
His father nodded.
"I-i do, father."
Peter replied.
"We heard that you talked with her, a day before today."
"I did... is there any wrong in such thing-?"
"Peter."
Peter looked at his father in fear, excpecting the worst. Why is he getting punished for a stupid woman talking to him?
"I know... that you meant no harm. You are a good son. Yet... i am sorry but i demand you to stop speaking to her.
...this woman is not in her right mind. The things she spoke to us a day before this one were not pure, nor kind. It seems as a devil hissed at her, possesed her with fear. She is one of those... ill people."
"What words did you hear her speak, father?"
"What you will mostly hear from a female with few cards, who thinks she can tell the future with them. It is not worth your time to know, son. Unless you are someone who wastes his time?"
Peter was not surprised. Of course she would say stupid things. Yet for some reasons, his curiousity got even bigger.
So when his father said
"But well, luck is ours this sunny day. Wasting time, would not be a big problem for a day with no lessons. Would you like to hear? It might even give you some few little laughs."
He tried to seem unbothered but inside he was happy over the sky.
"Seems like a good comedy. Please, tell me, father."
Peter's father waited few moments, sighed, then told him what happned.
Appearantly, the place the old woman ran to was Peter's house. To "warn his parents".
"She told us to keep you from having a child, or the devil would gift us a toy... can you believe it? This crazy woman should have gone far away, near the sea, so no one would have to bear hearing such stupid words."
His father told him. It did not make him laugh, it was not even funny in the slightest. She knew he dreamed of being a family bearer.
"Did she... give you any reason?"
Peter asked. After all, what kind of reputation will he gain, if he loses his temper near his parents?
"No. She kept saying the same sentence, shouting and screaming it. She tried to defend what she said, yet never explained a reason. No thoughts, no worries..."
His father sighed. The sentence was always used for stupid people, who never worry about what happens next so they say whatever comes to mind. At the minute, Peter could not disagree any more than he did, with the sentence.
Someone who do not worry about what happens next would never care enough about explaining what happens currently.
He did not answer.
"Peter..?"
Peter's expression was unreadable. He then smiled at his dad, a non geniue smile and said
"...I'm fine. I understand what you say and i will stop talking to her."
He said before going to his room, change clothes and go out with a bag.
He went out.
He sat on a bench.
He kept sitting.
"How dare they..."
His anger was shown more and more with his voice, as he spoke.
"How dare they! 'A funny story'?! How is that funny?! I always knew it, this woman should be killed! On spot!"
Thankfully, no one was there to hear him yell. After a while, he calmed down, took a deep breathe before getting up from the bench and walking away.
He only had one thing left to be confused about...
"It is painfull to admit, but i want to know what she saw... oh god... i have no choice but sneak out...
It truly is shamefull to be born with so much curiousity."
The next day, they got new neighbors.
"Father, i don't see the wretched woman."
Peter's father smiled at him.
"Oh, surprised? Do you love them? If so, good."
"Did she... did she move out?"
"You silly son! Did you forget that we own our neighbors houses? We kicked her out! Do you not find it great?"
Peter looked down, with the question that never got answered. But then, he thought on how he should move on from one stupid question. He looked back at his dad and smiled. His smile hid some other expressions but he did not care. He should just... forget about this woman, for the better good.
"Yes... it is a good thing. I hope to get along with the new neighbors."
And so days, months, years even! Went by and he never talked to her again.
He finished his school.
Ttwo years later he got married to a girl, a year younger than him, by arranged marriage.
A year after, she beared a baby.
She died when the baby was born.
And so did someone else.
In his house, while his daughter was in her bed, sleeping...
"'A woman named 'Charlotte Herl' was found dead after being directly struck by a lighting. The woman was found to be in her late 50s to early 60s.'
She died right after my daughter was born...
...
Is this your revenge, Charlotte? Well, worry not... because i do not have the slightest bit of sadness in me, not over your death.
This baby... she will live up to be a much better thing. I belive she will be! No... i know it.
With my guidance... she will... she will, with my help..."
Peter looked at her sleeping face with an unreadable expression. He took her into his arms.
"Your birth shall give people fates. Bad or good, is no one to be at fault but them.
I will name you...
Karma. Your name will he karma."
He told her, the sleeping baby, with unsual pink hair, with black and grey eyes.
Just like wrong and right.
But which one will he be on...?
Is the death of Charlotte Herl really a coincidence? Will Peter's daughter give hell upon the people? What will he do next?
[ TO BE CONTINUE ]