The Transmigrated Professor

The Market District of the Capital City, near a certain cafe.

“Hey! Hey! I already told you I didn’t want to go there.” Jazz complained to her friend, who was dragging her to a cafe she had found trending online.

“Come on, this cafe is famous!” Lily enthusiastically urged her friend.

“...and haunted! You also told me that the cafe is haunted.” Her friend pessimistically completed the sentence.

“It's not haunted. That’s just the theme!” Lily clarified. “The owner there is a shaman, and she would sometimes read the fortunes of her customers. Thankfully, I, your wonderful friend, set an appointment for us.”

“Don’t shamans use ghosts to see those fortunes? I want to go back! I am scared.” Jazz begged her friend, but her pleas fell on deaf ears. 

Even with the appearance of magic-like Skills and monsters, the instinctual fear of ghosts was still ingrained in people’s minds. And with the use of advanced technology in making effects for horror movies, Jazz was even more scared to encounter them, running through all the worst-case scenarios in her mind.

Soon, they stopped in front of a cafe, tucked away at the corner of a small street. Its name - Café Spectre - was boldly displayed on the top in the old-fashioned Harry Potter font. 

From the windows, Jazz could see the modern interior of the cafe, nothing like the gloomy thoughts she had imagined about it on the way there.

“Listen, we are here, and I have already paid an advance for the fortune reading, so let’s go in for now. If you feel scared in the middle of it, I promise we will leave.” Lily begged her one final time, ready to get down on her knees in broad daylight if she had to. Jazz slightly nodded her head, deciding to give the cafe a chance.

‘Ting Ling Ling!’ - The hanging doorbell announced their entrance as Lily and Jazz stepped inside. Since the size of the cafe was small, it gave off quite cozy vibes, like a cottage in the countryside. 

The decor resembled pre-Catastrophe European inns, with dim bulbs glowing at the ends of thick ropes. In the middle, attached to the wall, was a small bar. But rather than alcohol, there seemed to be different types of coffee syrups placed in wine bottles. Surrounding the bar were a few tables arranged in an orderly manner, completing its look.

Considering it was the middle of a working day, the cafe was more or less empty, with their only customers being a group of college students who had occupied the tables at the innermost part of the cafe.

‘Too bad they took the best spot of the cafe. I won’t mind ordering a latte and sandwiches.’ Jazz stared at them with envy.

“Welcome!” A teenager greeted them from behind the bar. His geeky looks, with the dark bags under his eyes, made him look like a ghost haunting this place. The name tag on his chest read “Rohan Claeg.”

“Is that guy cosplaying to maintain the gloomy image of the cafe?” Jazz whispered to her friend.

“Nah. I think he is the owner’s son.” Lily whispered back, remembering the information she had read in the reviews online.

“So he can see ghosts, too?!” Jazz instantly became wary of her surroundings, ready to run away at the slightest hint of phantoms.

“Who cares!” Lily turned to the bartender/receptionist. “We have an appointment with the owner. It's under ‘Lily’.

“Lily…Ah! Here it is!” Rohan quickly checked the computer, and after confirming that they had an appointment, he guided them to the upper floor. “Right this way. My mother will see you now.”

Beyond the narrow flight of stone stairs, there was a single room. Dim lights illuminated the secluded space. As soon as the two girls entered the room, they could feel the temperature dropping a couple degrees.

“Uh, Lily, I don’t like it here…” Jazz tugged at her jacket, trying to feel warm.

“Shh…It’s just getting exciting.” Lily, on the other hand, looked around the room, trying to spot any ghosts.

“If the air conditioner’s too cold for you, I can increase the temperature.” Picking up the remote from a side table, he pointed it at the AC that went unnoticed by the two girls.

“Oh…the air conditioner…Of course, I saw that…” They quickly made excuses, trying to hide their embarrassment. Rohan continued in silence, letting them keep their pride.

This time, the girls decided to look around carefully around the small room they had entered. At the end of the room was a small wooden table, upon which stood a statue of a magnificent golden tower, like a shrine for the gods.

“It’s not a shrine, but a place of rest for those no longer in this world.” A voice interrupted their thoughts as a woman shrouded in a dark, web-like cloak emerged out of the darkness.

“I wish you good fortune.” Rohan bowed to the two ladies before leaving the room.

As Rohan descended the stairs, he was stopped by the group of college students.

“Um, can I help you?” Rohan asked them as their eyes thirsted with curiosity.

“Hey, is it true that the owner here reads the fortunes of her customers?” One of the girls asked him.

“It is, but you will have to book an appointment for another day. She doesn’t take walk-ins.” Rohan carefully explained the price and other details.

As they nodded at the information, one of the boys asked. “So, how many times did she get it right?”

“Can she tell me about my love life?”

“What about the stock market? I am in a bit of debt this month.”

“Pardon?” Overwhelmed by their sudden barrage of questions, Rohan couldn't understand what they were asking.

“How many times does her fortune-telling come true?” One boy finally asked the question that was running through all their minds.

“I-I have never seen my mother get a single fortune wrong.” Rohan finally answered, taking out his phone. “If you have any other questions, you are welcome to visit our website and book an appointment. 

“AAHHH!!” Suddenly, the two girls that had gone up the stairs rushed down the stairs and out of the cafe as if they were being chased by a monster.

Slowly following behind was a woman wearing a layered black classical dress, stopping next to Rohan. Her face was covered with a black veil, and in her hand, she held a red-tinted fortune-telling crystal. 

“Tsk. What a bunch of weak-hearted girls! Can’t even hear about the bad luck they will be facing.” A grumbling voice came from under the veil, as rubbed the crystal in her hand. 

“Um…who is she?” One of the students tapped on Rohan’s shoulder.

The veil suddenly shifted in their direction.

“Are you here to get your fortunes read, too?” The unknown woman swiftly moved in front of them. “I can answer anything, from where you will find your soulmate to when you will meet your death.”

“Uh, maybe next time.” The girl, who was enthusiastically asking questions earlier, nervously shifted in her boots, seeing the creepy woman get so close to her face

As the woman eerily smiled at them from under the veil, they quickly took their leave. “Make sure to book an appointment. I will give you a discount.” She called out cheerily, as they left.

“Mother, you can’t scare our customers away.” Rohan sighed, as the lady in front of him removed her head accessory. Under the veil, was a beautiful woman; her face akin to that of a porcelain doll that could take anyone’s breath away. If a stranger passing by the cafe had looked through the window, he would have surely thought he was looking at a life-size doll.

“I wonder, when did you, young generation kids, become so weak-hearted? Everyone is so afraid of ghosts, they forget to realise that there are far scarier things in the world, like poverty. Ghosts are just remnants of the past, with no power over the present.” She looked pitifully at the door from where all her customers had just fled, taking a seat at one of the tables.

Lavanya Claeg, better known as Lady Spectre, came from a long line of shamans who passed down powerful spiritual powers to each generation for thousands of years. Unlike traditional shaman families, whose families were snuffed out in the witch hunts of the 15th century or whose powers dwindled once the world became more reliant on technology after the Industrial Revolution, the Cleag family was one of the few families that maintained their special powers through the ancient traditions passed down in their family.

And once the Catastrophe took place, her family’s powers had only grown stronger, evolving into what today’s generation called “Skills”, inspired by those old-world video games that had been so popular.

Her powers allowed her to commune with the dead and pry into the erratic River of Fate to read other people’s fortunes. However, instead of establishing herself as a Hero, Lavanya decided to open a small shop and use her powers to continue the family tradition of serving the spirits and the living. 

When her son, Rohan, was born, she had hoped that he would inherit her gifts and continue the family tradition. And as she had wished, the boy was born with powers much stronger than she could have imagined. 

Unfortunately, his personality wasn’t suitable for them. He was too scared of the unseen, much like the customers from before, and actively ran away from the dead, wasting his potential.

She had sent him to the Hero Academy, hoping that he would learn among those like him, and master his abilities; however, he had retreated from that battlefront as well. 

When he had come back home crying a few days ago, unable to bear the horror of his powers, Lavanya had finally sealed them away, hoping to give her son the repose he so desired.

“Rohan, isn’t it time you started practicing your abilities again?” Lavanya asked, looking at the amulet on his neck with regret.

“Why can’t I just wear this amulet forever? My life seems much easier without seeing all those ghosts and hearing their voices.” Rohan quickly tucked away the amulet inside his shirt, away from his mother’s thieving eyes.

“I know running seems easy. But you are destined to reach great heights with your powers. Don’t waste your potential.”

“Stop with that Lady Spectre tone. I am not one of your naive clients.” Rohan snapped back, fed up with his mom’s constant pestering. “And weren’t you the one who always told me that fate is never set in stone? It’s always changing?! Well, then, I will change mine to be ordinary. Without seeing any ghosts.”

Lavanya sighed in regret, hearing her boy’s foolish words. “I know fate is constantly changing, but that’s just for the fickle things, like love or death; but there are some fates that shape the world and they will inevitably happen.”

“Yours is one like that, and I hope when your fate claims you, you will not be unprepared.”

“Let’s see how I change the world when I am locked in my room.” With his final declaration, Rohan stormed upstairs.

“Ting Ling Ling!”

The doorbell unannounced its next visitor.

“I am sorry, dear customer. We are closing for today.” Lavanya explained, covering her face with the veil.

Despite her notice, the customer came forward, revealing his dazzling blue hair and eyes. “I am sorry to intrude, but I am looking for Rohan Claeg. I was told he lives here.”

 

*****

 

“Um…you have been looking at me for quite a while now. Is something wrong?” Ray asked, gazing nervously as the doll-like woman kept staring at him, her eyes not blinking even once.

“It’s weird…” Lavanya murmured as she kept studying him from head to toe. “...I have never seen anything like this…”

‘I wonder if this is how others feel when I use Appraisal on them.’ Ray sighed, giving up on the stubborn woman.

“It is weird. How did you find me, Professor Ray?” Rohan, who was sitting beside his mother, questioned me.

“It wasn’t that hard. I just asked around among some of your classmates, and they quickly told me your address. You will find it surprising how gossipy teenagers are.” Ray felt proud of his resourcefulness in gathering information.

‘That doesn’t really seem something to be proud of, you stalker.’ Deus quickly humbled him.

“You are a very strange young man.” Lavanya seemed to have finally reached her conclusion.

“Strange? How so?” Rohan looked at his former professor suspiciously, remembering the rumors surrounding him.

Sweat began to form on Ray’s forehead after hearing the weird words of the weirder woman. 

With all the different and unique Skills that Awakened inside people, it wouldn’t be strange for a few to have something that can detect souls and could see that he wasn’t actually Ray.

Unfortunately, there was no way for him to confirm this suspicion. 

The moment Ray entered the shop, his habit of appraising others kicked in. However, the Appraisal Skill didn’t work.

No… Saying it didn’t work was inaccurate. 

The status screen, or should he say screens, were displayed as usual, but they were completely illegible to Ray. It was like various letters were overlapping with each other, as if he were not appraising one person, but instead hundreds of people; all their status screens had stacked upon each other, rendering the Skill useless. 

“...If I had to divine his fate, it's like someone extended a small stream of the River of Fate and added it to another River of Fate.” The porcelain woman in the goth Barbie get-up spoke as Ray collected his thoughts.

“You mean to say a Demon took control of his fate?" Rohan spoke with no hesitation or caution, fearfully looking at his professor.

“I bring no harm!” Ray raised his hands to show his peaceful surrender.

“How do we trust you?” 

Damn, this kid had serious trust issues.

“Be at peace, my boy!” Lavanya grabbed her son’s hand, encouraging him to relax. “A River of Fate doesn’t only represent the individual. It represents the people around him. The surroundings. The entire world. No demon in this world has the power to affect Fate in such a way.”

“Then what is he?” Rohan asked, still not abandoning his suspicions of the former professor.

“That I am not sure about. Though I suppose you might.” She turned to their guest.

“Maybe I know. Maybe I don’t.” Ray smiled at her teasingly, relieved that his secret was safe.

“I see you plan to keep it a secret. Indeed, many secrets in this world are better left as secrets. Not because the information is dangerous, but because often the discoverers of the secret are not able to bear the responsibility of the knowledge they have gained.” Lavanya spoke in a wise-man sort of tone, though her words seemed pointed towards her son rather than Ray.

“I have already seen your River of Fate. You can take Rohan.” Lavanya gave her permission, before getting up to leave.

“Huh, what does that mean?” Rohan was confused by what had happened. Earlier, they were talking about Professor Ray’s fate, and now the topic was suddenly on him.

“The gentleman over there wants to make you a part of his team. A team of Heroes that can protect the world.”

“We…just discussed that I wouldn’t be following that Fate you saw. And forget even controlling my powers, you want me to protect the world?”

Lavanya gently took her son’s hands in hers. “Rohan, I always told you that you would one day reach great heights with your powers. You were not destined to fear ghosts, but to rule over them. That man can teach you that and so much more. So, go with him. Think of it as your training at the Academy.”

Although he occasionally fought with his mother regarding her stubbornness about his Fate, Rohan loved and respected his mother dearly. He had seen her bring happiness to a lot of people, despite the spookiness with which she conveyed her words.

He knew she only wanted him, her only family, to experience the same happiness she had brought to so many others, but…

“I am still scared. What if I can’t do it?”

“I know you can…And if you can’t, who cares? I know you tried your best and that’s enough. Now pack your bags.” Like a poor bird whose mother kicked it out of her nest, Rohan climbed up the stairs to his room dejectedly.

“I didn’t think you were that trusting a person.” Ray finally commented from the sidelines, not wanting to come between a mother and her son’s private conversation.

“You are a kind man, Mr. Ray. I won’t worry about the safety of my child in the hands of someone who would reveal his deepest secrets to save a Cursed boy.”

“...” Ray was surprised to hear that come from her mouth. 

‘So she can’t see things about your previous life but can see things about this one?’ Deus whispered in his mind. ‘That’s definitely some version of clairvoyance.’

“You and your Spirit can rest assured that I won’t reveal your secret.” Lavanya’s doll-like eyes darted straight to his neck, where Deus was quietly nestled, hidden in his tattoo form. “After all, the dead tell no tales.”

Ray nervously swallowed the spit in his mouth. “Dead as in…”

“The ghosts within me, of course. It seems even that Extraordinary Skill of yours is not omnipotent. You should train with it well if you are to use its full potential.” Lavanya advised him, taking her seat back on the table.

“So you do have Clairyovance?” Ray voiced his thoughts, hoping she would affirm his guess.

This was a great opportunity for Ray. After all, Clairvoyance is an extremely rare Skill in the world. Even with his knowledge of the novel, there was only so much he could know about the future. Not to mention all the things he had done that caused this world to move away from the timeline he had read about.

Having someone who could read the flow of time would be beneficial to him in being prepared for the future. He was glad he had come to pick up Rohan.

“Clairvoyance…People sure love to throw that word around a lot.” An eerie smile curled on Lavanya’s doll-like, flawless face, sending shivers down both Ray and Deus’ spines.

She took the veil that she had discarded before from a nearby chair and covered her face once more.

“Would you like me to read your future?” She asked politely as a deck of cards magically appeared in her hands.

“Sure.” Having nothing to lose, Ray quickly agreed.

The lights of the cafe suddenly went off, as glowing balls of blue fire floated around them in a circle, creating an atmosphere perfect for dabbling in the mystic arts.

“Pick any number of cards you like.” Lavanya instructed, spreading the deck on the table. 

“How about three? Isn’t three supposed to be a spiritual number for these sorts of things?” Ray pondered, slowly pulling out the cards one by one.

“Every number has some sort of meaning; some more than others. Though three is indeed one that has quite a bit of meaning attached to it, both spiritual and otherwise.”

She flipped the first card to reveal a nomad traversing the road. Over his shoulder, he held a single stick with a bundle tied at the end, with a dog following him at his heel. 

The 0th Card of The Fool.

As she turned the first card, he could feel mana swirling around the newly displayed card, as if the entire fate of the world was revolving around this single piece of paper.

Lavanya continued her story, as her fingers teasingly fluttered over the second card.  

“Even before the Great Catastrophe, clairvoyance was a power that awakened within many. Oracles of Greece, Prophets of Christianity. Druids of the Celtics. They all communed with God and Nature to learn about the future. Do you know what they all had in common?”

“...Their love for God?"
‘Nah, I think they were sent down on Earth by God.’ Deus whispered in my mind.

Lavanya flipped the second card—a wheel with ancient symbols held in the sky by a devil, as a sphinx sat on top of it. Surrounding the wheel were four creatures: the angel, the eagle, the bull, and the lion, lazily sitting on clouds.  

The 10th Card of The Wheel of Fortune.

Even this time, he could feel the tug of mana and fate swirling around the card.

“Unfortunately, neither of you were correct.” Her voice sounded disappointed at their uneducated guesses. “It was their greed. Their desire to stand above their mundane, ordinary peers. And God punished them with the gift of prophecy.”

“How is seeing the future a punishment?”

“The Oracle of Delphi wielded great powers over the future, but once her prophecy was spoken, it was sure to come true in ways one could never imagine, unable to be changed - whether the fortune be good news or bad.”

“Cassandra was blessed with the ability to divine disasters, but she was also cursed so that no one would ever believe in her prophecies. Some prophets were plagued with hallucinations while others learned much through their visions but were cursed to age by 13 years every time they revealed what they saw to anyone. That is why many of the prophets you see in history are old men or mental patients.”

“Then what kind of curse do you have for your powers?” Ray asked out of curiosity.

“I suppose I am lucky that I am not cursed with anything for divining the future. Hehe!” The voice under the veil was unmistakably laced with pride and narcissism.

“And you say those priests wanted to be above their mundane, ordinary peers.” Ray silently interjected as snickers escaped his and Deus’ mouths.

“WHAT WAS THAT?”

“Nothing…” Ray immediately turned silent.

“Hmph!” Finally, she flipped the third card, and with it, he could feel the entire mana in the room shaking.

In the centre of the card stood a tall tower, with people on fire jumping out of it as lightning hit its roof.

The 16th Card of The Tower.

“The Fool is a card of new beginnings. You have been given a second chance to live your life, to correct the wrongs of your past. Share this happiness with others and help them live new lives as well.” Lavanya began her interpretation of his future.

New beginnings, huh? 

That certainly aligned with his new life here and the achievements he had acquired. He had saved Mike from his future as a Fallen, Izzy from the inevitable fall of the Laxon Family, and Ryder from his death from the Demon’s Curse.

He had given them all a second chance at life.

“What does the second card say?” Despite, or maybe, because he was from a world of science, he was kind of excited to experience the true powers of the fortune-telling tarot cards.

“The Wheel of Fortune is a card that depicts the perpetual cycle of good and bad fortune. That is why everyone must remember that good times always come to an end, but so do the bad ones. Remember this, and impart this lesson to someone near you who is in desperate need to hear it.”

“Someone near me needs to hear this…” This was confusing. The first card about the new beginnings actually made sense, but this time, it was completely confusing. 

“Could you…point me in the correct direction or tell me who it is? Cause this sounds kind of urgent and a bit disastrous to me…” Ray tried to pry a few more clues out of her, but Lavanya remained unhelpful.

“The future isn’t always clear for one to see and understand. If it was, then that means there’s no hope of changing it.”

“...Nothing? Just a tiny hint?”

Lavanya sighed in defeat. “Why don’t we move to the third card? The Tower…hmm.”

“Is something wrong with this card too?” Ray asked nervously, as Lavanya remained silent.

A second deck of cards appeared in her hand, which she placed on the table. She picked the top card from the pile and placed it beside the Tower Card.

In the new card, a hooded figure stood at the edge of a river, his head bent in regret. Scattered around him were five cups made of gold.

“The Tower, along with the Five of Cups... You will soon meet someone from your past—a reunion with your previous life. Though be warned…the past isn’t always kind to those who have denied it. You will be confronted with a cruel truth that will leave you abandoned and betrayed.” With this final sentence, Lavanya completed her tarot reading, the ghostly candles disappearing as the lights of the cafe turned on.

“Wait, betrayed by something from my past. I don’t know…that seems kind of impossible.” Ray looked at the new card suspiciously. There was no way someone from his past could come here. 

‘I mean, we aren’t even in the same dimension.’

“Believe me or not, but the cards do not lie. You will be wise to remember that.” Lavanya gently advised him.

As the reading reached its end, the unstable mana in the room settled down, and the fireballs she had summoned extinguished. Instantly the cafe lights turned back on.

“Now that will be 2000 R. Would you pay with cash or card?” Lavanya extended her hand, a wide customer-service smile peeking below her veil.

“Wasn’t this for free?” Ray was taken aback by the sudden demand for fees.

“A shop doesn’t run on free service.” Her hand was still raised, unfaltered at the blatant display of shamelessness. 

With a suspicious side-eye, Ray handed her two 1000R notes. “I will be checking if your fortune-telling works. Otherwise, I would like my money back please.”

“No refunds allowed.” She quickly pocketed the notes, leaving Ray speechless.

“I am ready.” Rohan's voice called out as he climbed down the stairs.

Seeing the scamming, ahem, monetary transaction happening, he sighed. “Mom, I told you not to read fortunes randomly and ask them for money.”

He turned to his professor and bowed his head. “I am sorry. My mother... isn't always conventional in her ways of accepting clientele.”

“...It’s fine.” Ray quickly accepted the apology.

“Then let’s take our leave. Goodbye, Mom.” Setting his duffle bag down, he grabbed his mom in a quick hug.

“Be careful, my son.” Lavanya gently wrapped her hands around her son. “As a mother, I should say you are always welcome to come back home, but seriously, don’t give up. I know you will do well.”

“Alright!” 

“Please take care of my boy.” Lavanya requested Ray as the two exited the shop. 

Ray’s car was parked nearby, so they didn’t have to walk far.

“I noticed this last time, too, but don’t you have a dimensional ring?” Ray asked curiously, grabbing the bag and teleporting it inside his ring.

“Those rings are pretty expensive. I can’t afford one.” Rohan explained, sitting in the passenger seat.

Hearing this, Ray realized for the first time how lucky he was that he was reborn in a body that was born with a golden spoon. I mean, sure, he and his family being executed for associating with the demons was dangerous, but poverty would have surely been unkind, especially in a strange, foreign world.

As Ray started the car and took to the roads, Rohan’s first question came out of his mouth. “I know this is a bit late to ask, but may I know what you plan on doing?”

“Considering how you didn’t ask me anything in the shop before you went to pack your bags, I thought you were just some obedient boy who did whatever your mother told you to do.” Ray joked, trying to forget the atmosphere he had experienced in the cafe.

“It’s not that. I have never seen my mom be wrong about anything she saw about the future. So if she said this would be good for me, she’s not likely to be wrong about it.”

“About that. Do your mother’s fortunes always come true? No offense, but I have met a couple of fortune tellers before. They turned out to be scammers, so I wonder how much I should rely on her words.”  

“Your fortune wasn’t good, was it?” Rohan was quick to catch on. “I don’t think you need to worry about much. It’s true that her divinations come true, but the things she 'sees’ are usually far off in the future. With any luck, you will forget about them and not even remember what she said, until the event’s well passed away and it will be just a distant memory.”

Despite the young boy’s comforting words, Ray was far from reassured as he drove back to Indigo Road.