At the age of seventeen, during a festival, I met a fortune teller. Accompanied by my elderly parents, she offered me a cookie. It was a fortune cookie with a slip of paper inside. Having seen others do it, I broke the cookie in half to read my fortune.
“A great sorrow will befall you, but it’s too early to despair. You will rise again.”
The fortune was accurate. That fall, my parents passed away within days of each other. I wept long after burying them in the leaf-strewn earth. Their passing was anticipated due to their age, yet the sorrow lingered.
Though I became an orphan at a young age, the trading company my parents had established and their substantial inheritance protected me. I had learned business management early on, and with the help of loyal retainers, I was able to stand up again without much difficulty.
The following year, when I turned eighteen, I sought out the fortune teller.
At the same festival, in the same spot, the aged fortune teller sat and urged me to pick a fortune cookie from her basket. Without hesitation, I chose one.
“The flow of fortune is not in your favor. Instead of pushing forward with your endeavors, perhaps caution is warranted?”
A spirited eighteen-year-old like me wouldn’t heed such superstitious advice.
I expanded my business recklessly and tasted bitter failure several times. During that period, I lost many people. When the trading company was faltering, I swallowed my pride and groveled before the nobility for investments.
At nineteen, twenty, and twenty-one, fortune continued to flow unfavorably.
“Your luck is weak, and you may find dissatisfaction in all your endeavors.”
“Maintaining the status quo is best. Remember, there is meaning even if you don’t achieve dazzling progress.”
“Now is the time to protect your nest. Danger lurks on all sides.”
I faced a series of minor setbacks and had to learn to move cautiously and carefully. There were many times I struggled just to pay the salaries of those working in the trading company.
Then came my twenty-second birthday.
Finally, fortune was on my side.
“The long darkness has passed, and a brilliant new day dawns. Both the sun by day and the moon by night are on your side. Leave the nest and spread your wings to soar to great heights!”
I had just finished planning a new business venture.
Without hesitation, I gathered the remaining funds and investments and poured them into the new business. Many advised against it, given my streak of failures, but I didn’t listen.
If this venture also failed, I thought I’d just find another job to pay off the debts. Honestly, I felt relieved. After years of not achieving any notable success since my parents’ passing, I was tired.
On the day of the product launch, I waited anxiously for the market’s reaction. The butler, who had gone to check on the situation, did not return until late at night.
Had it failed?
A foreboding feeling crept up on me, yet strangely, I felt at ease. Perhaps, after years of misfortune, I was waiting for a moment to fail spectacularly.
Then, the door to my office burst open, and the butler, drenched in sweat, rushed in. Despite the late winter chill, why was he sweating so much? Before I could ask a casual question, he exclaimed.
“It worked, it’s done!”
“What worked?”
Was he saying everything was ready for failure? I asked without getting up, but the butler approached, thumping loudly, and slammed his hand on my desk.
He was old but still strong. The ink bottle nearly toppled over. As I steadied the wobbling ink bottle, the butler shouted.
“It’s sold out! Thousands more orders have come in!”
“…”
What? Was I so desperate that I heard things? No, I wasn’t that desperate, was I?
Then, suddenly, the butler circled the desk and came to my side. He lifted me up and hugged me with all his might.
“It’s a huge success, a huge success! We’ve made it!”
I stood there, stunned, unable to hug him back. I couldn’t believe it. I had resigned myself to whatever would happen, but it had worked?
“Our poor young lady… You’ve worked so hard after losing your parents so early, and now… now your efforts have finally paid off…”
The butler suddenly teared up. I was too shocked to feel anything, but seeing him cry made me awkwardly pat his back.
Does this mean I no longer have to worry about paying people’s salaries? Can I give bonuses now? No need to grovel for investments anymore. I can pay generous dividends to the investors and continue to run the trading company!
Only then did I start to cry.
“Young lady, please don’t cry…”
“You started crying first, waaah…”
“Waaaah…”
“Waaah!”
Yes, I admit it. At that moment, both the butler and I were overwhelmed with emotion.
But what does it matter? Crying from success is a hundred times better than crying from failure!
After that, our trading company’s main product sold like it had wings. Even the royal family made bulk purchases, and we created an exclusive design for them.
I must introduce this remarkable product that has sustained our trading company for years.
The product’s name is ‘TokTok.’
With ‘TokTok,’ there’s no need to go to the post office to send a letter. Just type on the small typewriter attached to ‘TokTok,’ and with a tap of your fingers, it’s done. After entering the desired sentence and pressing the send button, the message appears on the recipient’s ‘TokTok.’
Why stay bound to paper and ink forever? Right? Letters have more disadvantages than advantages. Especially when urgent matters arise, and you can’t immediately notify someone, like receiving news of a parent’s death too late or not being able to clear up a misunderstanding with a lover in time.
So, it’s no wonder ‘TokTok’ sold like crazy.
Now, the people of the empire can’t even imagine life without ‘TokTok.’ They’ve grown accustomed to receiving replies within no more than 10 minutes.
I was literally sitting on a money cushion. The royal family even granted me a title. Nobles who used to snub me, even when I knelt before them, now lined up to reserve limited edition models.
Years have passed since then. The fortunes have always been the best. It looks like I’ll be able to spend the end of this year in luxury too. I stretched out my legs and enjoyed a leisurely tea time, savoring life.
“Grandpa Butler.”
Suddenly recalling the past, I felt so happy that I called out to the butler. He responded immediately, just like ‘TokTok.’
“Yes, Master.”
The butler is quite whimsical. Depending on his mood, he calls me young lady, master, or owner. Of course, I didn’t mind.
“Has the world always been this beautiful?”
“Oh, my goodness.”
“My fortune next year will be amazing too.”
The beautifully decorated greenhouse is warm and comfortable even in the middle of winter. Lying on the greenhouse sofa with a wood stove burning, I’m filled with optimism.
Ah, I feel good. The days of scrimping on heating costs seem far away.
“Are you going to see that fortune teller again this year?”
The butler asked, sounding displeased. I waved my hand lazily from the sofa.
“Of course.”
“Why don’t you stop? You’ve been so successful.”
“That’s why I have to go even more.”
“Aren’t you too swayed by fortune? Fortunes are just for fun.”
“Fun? Fun, you say? The fate of our trading company depends on it!”
The butler continued to nag for a while. But no matter what he said, I would rush to the fortune teller as soon as the New Year’s festival began. I have a good feeling about this time too.
The crackling sound of burning wood was peaceful and cheerful. If I fall asleep like this, I might have sweet dreams. As I gently closed my eyes, sleep tenderly embraced me.