Not long after, the lecturer with high cheekbones stepped onto the half-height wooden platform in front of the small auditorium and spoke in a loud voice:
"Good morning, kind and compassionate ladies. I am Sylviala Heda. Today I want to share with you my experience in arranging household expenses. This is divided into three parts. The first is how a family with an annual income of around 100 pounds should balance the expenses of food, housing, clothing and hiring servants. The second is what expenses a family with an annual income of 200 pounds should increase to make itself look more respectable..."
Melissa listened carefully and remembered the combined annual income of her two brothers without having to do any mental calculations.
"It's more than 200 pounds..." she thought, half relieved and half fearful.
She was happy and satisfied with her current life, but also afraid that it would disappear in the blink of an eye.
At this time, Selina, who had wine-red hair, covered her mouth and lowered her voice to say to her two friends:
"She appears to be a follower of the Lord of Storms. She wears the Storm Badge."
Melissa looked carefully and saw that Teacher Sylviala was wearing a badge with a depiction of strong winds and waves on her left chest.
She quickly explained:
"Mrs. Shaw, who told me this lecture, is a believer of the Lord of Storms. I guess it's not surprising to the teacher either."
"Well, I don't think there's any problem. We are here to listen to the specific bill plan." Elizabeth comforted Melissa.
"But, except Melissa, we don't need and are not qualified to make a family spending plan." Selina with burgundy hair muttered.
Elizabeth retorted without hesitation:
"But we will get married eventually and have our own family eventually."
After the "magic mirror divination" incident, Selina has been a little afraid of Elizabeth, so she could only nod awkwardly and pretend to be listening attentively.
Lecture teacher Seviala raised her right hand and said:
"The premise of all these spending plans is that we must respect the opinions of the male owners. They are the source of income and the backbone of the family. They face anxiety, pressure, trouble and chaos in the turbid society and win everything for us. Therefore, we must create a peaceful environment where they are not disturbed by external affairs, so that they can relax when they go home, let their hearts be baptized, and face various challenges in a better state..."
"So, the famous philosopher, sociologist, humanist and economist Mr. Lu Ermi once said that women are the angels of the family."
Selina held her cheeks, outlined her dimples, and asked in a low voice with a hint of excitement:
"Lurmi, is this the gentleman who said, 'Man is born free'?"
"Yes, but he is a follower of the Lord of Storms," Elizabeth answered hesitantly.
At this time, the lecturer, Seviara, continued:
"Mr. Luermi also told us that women are born with defects in wisdom and logic. In this case, we who have no judgment should accept the words of our fathers and husbands as religious beliefs..." (Note 1)
After hearing this description, Melissa, Selina, and Elizabeth looked at each other and were speechless for a long time.
"Shall we go?" Selina finally suggested tentatively.
Melissa and Elizabeth nodded vigorously at the same time:
"OK!"
They put on their veiled hats, bent their backs, and slipped toward the side door, trying to leave without attracting anyone's attention.
When they cautiously reached outside and stood up straight, they suddenly heard warm applause from the small auditorium.
Melissa turned back subconsciously, looking through the doorway and inside.
She saw Mrs. Shaw clapping, she saw one lady after another clapping.
Phew, praise the goddess... Melissa exhaled, and left this place that made her feel uncomfortable together with Selina and Elizabeth.
"Shall we go to Harrods?" Standing under the roadside trees, Selina forgot what had just happened and suggested happily.
Melissa was silent for a few seconds and said:
“I want to go back to study.”
"Study..." Selina smoothed her burgundy hair dully, and seemed to have returned to her normal life.
"And I also have to buy bread, beef, potatoes, and fruit... Klein has to work today, and Benson went to the municipal library. Well, I have to go back!" Melissa suddenly felt that she loved textbooks, clockwork, and gears so much.
Selina decided to keep her distance from Melissa, who was in an abnormal state today. She turned her head to look at Elizabeth and said with a flattering smile:
"Shall we go to Harrods? Even though I've already spent all my savings, it's still nice to just go shopping and have a look."
"Yes." Elizabeth agreed to her friend's suggestion and asked casually, "Melissa, does your brother Klein have to work on Sundays?"
“Yes, he has Mondays off, which is different from normal work.” Melissa raised her head slightly unconsciously.
…………
After leaving Blackthorn Security, Klein took a public carriage to the Howers neighborhood.
He tried to gather his thoughts and stop thinking about the Antigonus family treasure, so that his attention would return to the matter of "acting":
It is very important to digest the potion as quickly as possible and improve yourself as quickly as possible at any time!
"Playing the role of a fortune teller? Haha, I'm still not professional enough. Fortune tellers in the Foodie Country always check the almanac before doing anything..." Klein held his cane and sat in his seat inside the carriage.
He decided to divine in advance whether today would be a good day to travel and go to the divination club.
This is what makes a qualified fortune teller!
Taking advantage of the opportunity to get off the bus, Klein took out a half-penny copper coin and turned his gaze inward. His eyes quickly turned darker and he silently recited:
"Today is a good day to go to the Divination Club."
"Today is a good day to go to the Divination Club."
…
when!
Klein flicked the coin upwards, and instead of watching it tumble, he stretched out his palm.
Snap! The halfpenny fell and landed firmly in his palm.
This time, the number "1/2" surrounded by wheat ears is facing upwards.
"The number is pointing upwards, which means that I will encounter bad things when I go to the Divination Club today..." Klein thought for a moment, then turned and walked across the street, waiting for the public carriage heading to Daffodil Street.
He felt that he was becoming more and more like a charlatan.
…………
Howers Street, in front of Harrods department store.
Selina was about to enter when she was suddenly startled and turned to look to the side.
"What happened?" Elizabeth asked puzzledly.
Selina puffed her cheeks and said:
"Elizabeth, I thought of my occult teacher, Mr. Vincent, who passed away on the morning after my birthday..."
"Is it because I peeked and used his secret spell? This has made me feel guilty and uneasy... and I have been unlucky during this period."
"So?" Elizabeth asked in tacit understanding.
Selina bit her lip and said:
"I want to go to the divination club next door to do a divination to see if Mr. Vincent's matter is really related to me."
Let's see what happened on the birthday dinner... I always feel that Elizabeth is hiding something from me... I remember the back of a man in a tuxedo...
"Don't you know how to tell fortunes yourself?" Elizabeth asked in surprise.
Selina deliberately imitated her father's sigh and said:
"Hey, I'm not in a good condition to tell fortunes for myself right now."
"Okay, then let's go to the divination club next door first." Elizabeth agreed to her friend's suggestion.
They came to the side and walked down the stairs into the Divination Club on the second floor.
"Hello, good afternoon, Miss Angelica, it's nice to see you again." Selina greeted lively in the reception hall.
Angelica smiled and said:
"As long as you come over after lunch, you should be able to meet me."
Selina exchanged a few pleasantries with the other party, mourned for Hanas Vincent, and then said:
"I need divination."
"You know the rules of the club. This is a list of members who are willing to tell fortunes for others... Today is the weekend, and many people are here." Angelica went through the process with familiarity.
Selina and Elizabeth put their heads together and quickly looked through the list and corresponding introductions.
"I always went directly to my teacher before, but I didn't expect that compared to last year, there are so many more members in the club willing to help people with divination." Selina said with interest.
Suddenly, she paused for a few seconds and whispered doubtfully:
"Klein Moretti, Klein Moretti? This is the same name as Melissa's brother?"
Elizabeth was stunned for a moment, and she looked at the words "Klein Moretti" several times, then nodded thoughtfully.
"yes……"
"Ms. Angelica, is Mr. Klein Moretti here?" Selina asked with bright eyes.
Angelica shook her head.
"I'm sorry, Mr. Klein Moretti didn't come to the club today."
"Okay, let's change someone else." Selina didn't have to get to know the other person. She just chuckled and said to her friend, "I know this isn't Melissa's brother, but when I saw the name, I naturally thought of a news headline, like the Intis Post."
The Intis Post was founded by Emperor Roselle and is famous for its sensational headlines. It is one of the most well-known newspapers in the Northern Continent.
Elizabeth asked half-heartedly:
"What's the title?"
Selina cleared her throat and said:
"Is it a moral corruption or a social problem that a history major student has fallen to the point of helping people tell fortunes on weekends to make a living!"
Note 1: This passage is adapted from Rousseau, Emile.