The sky is yellow.
No, the sky is actually blue. But in his eyes, it didn't appear blue at all.
"Good to see you again, senior."
A shadow fell.
His whole body ached. But more than his body, his heart hurt more.
Thud, something fell in front of him.
"It's an expulsion letter. Issued directly by the head of the Goldenheim family."
With trembling hands, he picked up the letter. Its contents were exactly as the other person had said.
And the seal at the end was clearly that of the Goldenheim family head.
"Why, why would my father...!"
"You've crossed the line, far too much. Becoming a dog of the demons, helping evil creatures."
"It's a false accusation! I never did such a thing!"
"What false accusation when the evidence is this clear? Stop before you become more pathetic, senior."
Cold blue eyes looked down at him.
He felt a cool sensation on his neck. It was a sword.
"...As promised to the Goldenheim family head, I won't kill you. You are considered dead from today."
But soon, the other person withdrew the sword.
"Never appear before my eyes again, or rather, before anyone's eyes. That's the last courtesy I can offer you, senior."
"Then, my money...?"
At those words, the other person burst into laughter.
"Ah, I apologize. I didn't mean to mock you. Hmm... I wonder if I should call this typical of you, or just excessive greed."
The other person's face turned cold.
"Of course, you cannot take even a single thing obtained in the name of Goldenheim. It's ridiculous that I even have to point this out."
"That's, that's absurd...!"
***
"...ridiculous! Just kill me instead!"
Gerhard woke up from his sleep. Relieved at the familiar ceiling, he regulated his rough breathing and gulped down cold water.
Irritably ruffling his hair, he spat out a curse.
"...damn it."
That dream again.
No, could this simply be called a dream?
This was the future.
The prophetic ability he acquired by chance.
"Generally speaking, a prophecy would be something a merchant would welcome more than anything...!"
But Gerhard couldn't do that.
Because that future was predetermined for his downfall—being expelled from his family and losing all his money.
"Who do they think would just take that... It will never happen. Never, ever."
While Gerhard was making his resolve with bloodshot eyes, he sensed someone outside.
Knock-knock-
"Young master, are you awake?"
"...Wait a moment."
After Gerhard tidied his disheveled clothes and face, the servant soon entered.
"When did you wake up?"
"Not long ago."
"Would you like to have your meal first?"
"Something simple. I don't have much appetite."
"Yes."
Shortly after, simple bread and soup were served. After finishing his meal, Gerhard checked the time and headed to the conference room.
"The branch manager is entering."
"Have you arrived, Branch Manager?"
As he entered, everyone seated stood up.
Gerhard casually acknowledged their greetings and sat at the head of the table.
"Let's start the meeting."
Soon he opened the reports placed at his seat.
"Yes. We will begin the regular meeting of February 11th."
"I will report. Yesterday, February 10th, there was an entrance exam for prospective freshmen."
"Throughout the day-long exam, not only students and parents but also their guards and servants all used our guild's shops. Sales rose significantly..."
"Professor Alton of Alchemy has requested magical reagents. The relevant reagents are..."
"Also, Professor Bendal needs magical stones to create golem cores..."
The reports continued one after another, but they didn't register in Gerhard's mind.
It was always like this on days when he had that dream. His head felt dull, and his concentration decreased.
In a way, it was natural.
It was a prediction of the worst future approaching in real-time; anyone would be affected after seeing it.
"That's enough. Let's end the morning meeting here. We'll continue the rest tomorrow."
"Yes, understood."
"Yes!"
Gerhard left the conference room and sat on the terrace attached to his office. He heaved a deep sigh while having a cup of coffee.
"Is something wrong?"
"Wrong? Nothing."
There was something, but he couldn't tell anyone about that dream.
"You seem to have been preoccupied lately."
"Do I? Since when?"
"About half a year ago?"
"That's not recently."
But the timing was accurate.
"Is it still aftereffects from that day?"
"No."
"But it's strange. Since then, you've been spacing out a lot, and sometimes making incomprehensible choices."
Of course, those choices ultimately proved beneficial. Gerhard, who anticipated various issues, maximized the guild's profits.
"They were the right choices in the end."
"But it wasn't your usual way of working. You always prioritized thorough investigation and verification, but suddenly you started acting as if possessed by a god."
"It might have looked that way from the outside, but I had no choice at the time."
"Do you have another informant?"
"Would you believe me if I said yes?"
Yes, he did. A very precious informant that couldn't be obtained from anywhere else.
Gerhard recalled that day.
***
It was an ordinary day.
"None of these proposals appeal to me. Nothing seems particularly effective."
Days spent holding routine morning meetings and reproaching those who failed to meet his expectations.
They say misfortune and fortune always strike suddenly.
That day was such a day for Gerhard. A day when misfortune struck without reason.
"Haven't things improved a lot?"
"Compared to the beginning, it's much better. But that's all..."
….!
Without any warning or sign, Gerhard's world turned white.
Rrrruuumble-
A moment later, a thunderous sound that seemed to tear the sky apart was heard.
"Arrrgh!"
Belatedly realizing it was lightning, Gerhard's mind grew hazy from the impact that almost choked him.
Something invaded through that weakened gap.
"What, what is this?"
It was a soul.
Possession? It began to rummage through Gerhard's head, muttering incomprehensible language.
'What are you...!'
Although it was painful and bewildering, Gerhard first squeezed the mana in his heart.
It was because he instinctively realized that the other was trying to take over his body.
The remaining trace of mana began to attack the invader.
"What!"
Gurgle, due to the mana tearing at the wounds, blood and white foam flowed from Gerhard's mouth, and bloody tears from his bloodshot eyes.
But in return, the invader also did not escape unscathed.
"Argh! It hurts! Save me!"
Contrary to its bold entrance, the soul of the intruder was pathetically easily split into dozens of pieces and scattered.
Some fled, while others were absorbed directly into Gerhard.
"What is this...?"
And at that moment, incomprehensible memories struck Gerhard's head.
Vast knowledge too overwhelming to handle.
Most of them disappeared fleetingly, like acquaintances who just exchange greetings and part ways.
As if sinking to the depths of consciousness, waiting for the day they would resurface.
Perhaps because of that, among the memories that were forgotten as if they were a dream, only a few remained.
"...Demons are active again?"
But it was more intense than anything else.
It was a prophecy about the ominous end of this world.
"...I lose all my money and become a beggar? What kind of damn..."
It was a hint of a future more terrible than death.
That was the end of that day's memory.
After waking up from a three-day unconsciousness, he used somewhat trivial but usable information for the guild to increase their market share.
'They say fortune and misfortune come together.'
The fortune of knowing the future, and the misfortune that the future was close to destruction.
Those were the things that suddenly came to Gerhard that day.