I sat at the table adjacent to the window of the cafe, with a street view, the sun shining bright as ever. I quietly observed the passerby fiddling with the wooden table, then averted my gaze back to the cafe.
The cafe was simple and old, most customers ordered takeaway. There was a table calendar on the table next to me reading the date 1955, Month of Lucen, 19th, with a questionnaire beside adjacent to it. I slightly shifted in my seat and extended my arm to grab it.
I went through the questions, each had four options to answer, and each option carried points from one to four randomly. Once we are done answering, we should use the table at backside of sheet, which carries the points of an option in each question, and the total is obtained, we will get the Luminary we are most related to.
"Let's try it out, I don't have anything else to do," I said, sipping on the black coffee, and then started to fill out the form.
It was printed in the language of Filarence, consisting just sharp vertical and horizontal lines and two diagonals, each pattern making a word. These lines could intersect, be adjacent, or not even be present. The questions started out as normal, most of it was choosing between different colors or random animals. The middle part was the hardest, it was more like "what will you do?" kind of questions. I wondered what to do if my answer isn't in the options, but most of it was logical and rational. The last part was similar to the first part but a lot more personal.
"Got your answer?" I heard the voice of the waitress, the tone rigid but feminine, and took a glance at her before calculating my score.
"Answered the questions, now calculating it."
"Refill?"
"Sure."
The woman bent down slightly and refilled the cup; her brown apron, which she wore above her white shirt and skirt, rode up slightly, and she adjusted it with her pale fingers.
"Marin"
"Marin? So that's what you got as your luminary," she said, tucking her flax colored hair behind her ear, leaning backward on the table beside me.
"Yeah, a total of sixty-seven points."
"Marin, that's a nice one. I guess you are a person who is often kind and brings joy to people who are in turmoil, "a person who endures everything and keeps moving no matter what happens or even if something is in the way, just like the water in rivers."
"Flattering me won't make me tip you extra," I said, looking through the other answers.
"Hehe, got me."
"What did you get?"
"I am a Vour."
"Oh, a person who strives to achieve their dream and has an insatiable hunger for success."
"Flattering won't get you a discount."
"Haha, well, I am not a cheapskate who asks for a discount for a coffee that costs two Lumes."
"I've seen people like that, in fact, many."
"So you are a Vour today?"
"No, I have always been Vour."
"But the questionnaire changes every day."
"Just because the questions change doesn't mean a person's affiliated Luminary will change."
"So if I do tomorrow's questionnaire, I would still get Marin."
"You should try it out."
"Don't worry, I plan to become a regular here."
"Haha, guess I will keep your order in mind."
"I believe this questionnaire is fake…fake wouldn't be the right word, but planned and skewed."
"What makes you say that?"
"What if the person answers the question wrongly? They would end up with the wrong Luminary, wouldn't they?"
"No, even if you say you are a cat person but choose the dog, and you repeat the process of choosing everything opposite to your likes. Your luminary will most likely be the same as when you choose what you like because choosing the contradiction is also part of your personality, and it affects you as a whole."
"Hmm, that makes sense. Still, if someone knew the points for each option in each question, he could manipulate his score into a desirable one," I said as I finished the coffee.
"The desirable one he achieved is also the one he is affiliated with as a whole; his choices will always lead to the same Luminary because his personality will be revealed no matter what."
"That's even more confusing, but this is all a bunch of crap. The person who prepared it can skew it, right?"
"I am not the one to judge, but it wouldn't be skewed; it's the authorized Liturgy of Luminaries."
Liturgy of luminaries? So that's this questionnaire's formal name.
"Oh? And who made these?"
"This is distributed by the local House of Sybils."
"Sibyls?"
"Mhm, yeah, seers, prophets, fortune, and many more."
"Do people believe in that?"
"Everybody does since they have abilities cut out for that field."
"Hm, so these guys make this stuff up?"
"I wouldn't put it like that, but yeah."
Should I check for my fortune? They could help me after all! I could know why I am going through this.
"And where is this House of Sybils?"
"It's three kilometers from here."
"An address, if possible?"
"It's on Railspur Road. Cross the railway station's second gate and take the fourth right; it will lead to a red brick street. Take the first left, and the House of Sybils will be in that lane on the right."
"Thank you, and you know the address well; you must be a regular."
"Not a regular, but most customers often ask where it is, so I memorized it. You could even say the house receives a lot of clients from referrals and this liturgy."
"Hehe, I see. Are these guys good or a bunch of frauds?"
"Hmph, most of them aren't frauds," she said, crossing her arms.
"Most? so there are few, and by the looks of it, it seems like you got an experience with a fraud."
"Let's not talk about that bastard, but they are good at it, and they helped me."
"Oh, and what may that be?"
"They are the ones who helped me find my soulmate a year back."
"Sounds like a matrimonial service company to me."
"Well, we are engaged after all."
"Congrats, but I am not trying to find a bride."
"And what does a young man like you want to do with a seer other than to find a bride?"
"Heh, most women don't prefer a cabby to be their soulmate."
"Some sure might anyways. What are you heading there for?"
"Well, want some interpretation?"
"Just leave it in their hands; you will get your answer."
"You should have gone to sales instead of a waitress; the sales pitch was amazing," I said as I got up and checked my wallet for cash, taking out three one-lume notes and giving them to her.
"Haha, thank you, and the tip is rather generous," she said, looking at me with a skeptical look.
"It's for the nice conversation," I said and gave a parting wave and left the cafe.
I turned the keys, the car door unlocking with a pop. I sat in the stiff cushioned seat and turned the car, and it jerked forward, then it started to rumble.
"Red brick street, huh? Time to check my fortune out," I said as I started to head towards the House of Sybils.