Chapter 3

## Raising Funds

**"Raising Funds"** is the third chapter of the *Wandering Witch* manga.

## Summary

Low on funds, Elaina becomes a fortune teller in an impoverished country that is wrapped up in a counterfeit coin conspiracy.

### Plot

Finding out that her funding was low in some no-name town, Elaina recalls that her funding could at least buy her a loaf of bread and a stay at a cheap inn. However, the prices of the two are out of her price range. She does though learn from the innkeeper that due to the incompetence of the new king, that counterfeit currency has flooded the market. Because of this, the country's currency value has plummeted, which is why the prices of everything are so sky-high.

Afterward, while Elaina laments on her predicament, she drinks from a fountain in a park and is chastised for it by a couple sitting on a bench. Using her wand, Elaina breaks the bench the couple sit on and later contemplates on how to solve her money troubles. Ultimately, she devises a plan to be a fortune teller and cons a man into meeting the love of his life in front of a fountain by a broken bench. Elaina has the man tie a ribbon around his arm and wait at the predetermined location at night and wait for the love of his life there. Sequentially, she grabs the attention of a woman and later that night watches the man and woman interact with each other. Her scam a success, Elaina earns enough funding to last her for the rest of the month.

From there, Elaina continues her fortune-telling business and eventually, is approached by a group of soldiers who inform her the King wishes to see her. In her meeting with the King, he asks Elaina to divine the future of his country. Before she does it, Elaina inquires if his request is due to the scandal involving the counterfeit currency. The King elaborates more about the said situation going as far as to claim that the coins being spread aren't fake and are not being spread by him. He details that his aide who was also the aide to the previous king is the one doing it. Said aide is also responsible for the country's economic policies and it was his idea to create coins and disseminate them to the people of the country. However, this plan hasn't gone by smoothly whatsoever. This is due to the rumor that counterfeit coins have been spread had arisen, even though an expert has confirmed the validity of them. Forlorn, the King notes that he trusts his aide and that if the throne wasn't abdicated hereditarily the aide would get the throne. Noting his confusion as he wants to trust in his aide, the King is anxious about the countries future. All of this too is having an effect on not only his country's economy, but it's affecting the nearby countries as well. Noting how pure and innocent the King is, Elaina gives him two conditions before she agrees to help. One of the conditions is to allow her to stay in the castle for a day.

Later, in her own room with a blueprint of the castle in her possession. Elaina transforms into a mouse and through a small mouse hole finds the King's aide's room. From a crack in the ceiling just above the aide's room, Elaina eavesdrops on a conversation between the King's aide and his son. The son is revealed to be the guard that leads Elaina into the castle and he voices his concern about their devious plot being found out. Unfazed by his son's declaration, the Aide notes that the King admires him and doubts Elaina is a real fortune teller, but just a scam artist. Their conversation continues until Elaina falls into the room after her transformation spell breaks. Using her magic, Elaina accosts the two men and after she does, the royal guards enter the room.

Eventually, the Aide and his son were arrested and confessed to their crime of creating counterfeit money. Furthermore, it's revealed that the expert hired that proved the valdity of the coins was hired to lie to the King. All of this was a nefarious plot to overthrow the King and take over the country.

For her efforts, Elaina is given a purse of coins, however, most of the coins are sadly counterfeit. It's also noted that the King doesn't want his fortune told as his problem was solved, which covers up Elaina's lie. One thing the King does note is his regret that he didn't notice his Aide's deception sooner. Elaina then details that lairs always maintain a calm expression at all times.

## Characters

* Elaina
* King