## Chapter 87 – 87. Astrology (2)
#87. Astrology (2)
Astrology is a type of ritual that involves observing celestial phenomena to predict human destiny and the future.
Through the movements of the sun, moon, various planets, constellations, and even comets and meteors, it offers glimpses into the future or predicts the good and bad fortunes of others.
In simple terms, it’s a form of prophecy.
Therefore, astrologers have been praised as prophets since ancient times, but there have also been periods of humiliation where they had to endure all kinds of contempt and insults.
Prophecy was merely a glimpse into one of the countless possibilities that the future could hold, so predictions were always subject to unexpected variables.
For example, if someone predicted a massive storm would strike tomorrow, causing numerous casualties, and someone else predicted that no such storm would occur, whose prediction would come true?
Prophecy only offered a glimpse into a possible future; it didn’t have the power to determine it.
“Could you both tell me your names and ages?”
“I’m Choi Hyena, 21 years old.”
“Kang Hyunwoo, same age.”
But what if the scope of the prophecy was limited to an individual, rather than being global?
Of course, if that ‘individual’s’ decisions drastically altered the future of many others, that prophecy would also become uncertain.
‘That’s highly unlikely…’
Lumina Hirkus, the sixth daughter of the Hirkus tribe’s chieftain, firmly believed in her own judgment.
Of course, her father had told her to refrain from reading fortunes for others, but she wasn’t officially an astrologer yet, and she couldn’t understand her father’s view that simply reading someone’s fortune would negatively impact the future.
‘If that’s how he felt, he shouldn’t have taught me astrology…!’
Lumina was proud of her astrological skills, but due to her father and the tribe elders’ opposition, she rarely had the opportunity to practice it.
Her only small pleasure was helping out at her grandmother’s shop and occasionally reading customers’ fortunes.
‘I’ve done it a few times before, so there shouldn’t be any problems…’
Moreover, reading the fortunes of customers who visited the shop with their partners was the greatest joy for Lumina, who had never been in a relationship herself.
Of course, the results of the readings weren’t always positive, so she would slightly embellish them when necessary.
She wasn’t so oblivious as to tell them everything astrology revealed, like they were going to break up in a few days or that they had a bad relationship in a past life.
She read fortunes for the sake of others’ happiness, so Lumina strived to provide answers that would make everyone happy.
“So… I’m going to read your fortunes now, is that okay with you…?”
“Yes.”
“Yes, but is it really okay with just our names and ages?”
In a typical fortune-telling shop, they ask for your name, age, birthday, occupation, and even the time you were born.
“It’s okay…! The important thing is that you both agreed…!”
Peering into the future through celestial bodies.
Deep personal information was unnecessary in that process.
“Then… shall we begin…?”
The hands of the three people touched the crystal ball placed on the small desk. The crystal ball was so dark that it didn’t reflect any light, and it even looked ominous.
Flash-
A small light flickered.
It was a light that Kang Hyunwoo and Choi Hyena couldn’t see, but from this point on, Lumina’s mind flew into the deep, dark, monochrome depths of space.
Even though she had experienced this countless times, Lumina felt an indescribable stuffiness.
She could understand, even if only slightly, why her father had told her not to read fortunes. Of course, she would forget about it as usual when she returned to reality.
As Lumina was falling through the darkness in her subconscious, her vision suddenly brightened.
A vast universe unfolded before her eyes.
‘Wow…’
Lumina was speechless at the sight of the ever-beautiful scenery. Even though she had seen it countless times, it was still so vast and mysterious that she couldn’t take her eyes off it.
Humans are a microcosm.
The reason why astrology allows you to glimpse into an individual’s past and future is because it’s possible to read the celestial bodies of that microcosm.
Planets and constellations were shining red in the dark universe, likely the universe of the woman named Choi Hyena.
‘She was very pretty…’
From her subtle words and actions, her atmosphere, and her glamorous appearance, she resembled a noble lady. Lumina happily observed the universe.
Each person’s inner universe takes on a different form. The universe she was currently observing had several planets orbiting a small sun, much like the solar system.
People like this usually have strong convictions and aren’t easily swayed by others. However, some of the constellations that made up the celestial bodies were very murky.
In such cases, there was a high possibility that they were secretly hiding a painful story.
‘…And it seems to be quite old.’
[If you gaze long into an abyss, the abyss also gazes into you.]
Like a philosopher once said, the longer an astrologer looks into someone else’s microcosm, the more deeply they empathize with their emotions.
Lumina immediately shook her head. If she were to become too immersed in someone else’s emotions, her mind could suffer significant damage.
In the worst case, her mind could be completely trapped in the microcosm, but she had thoroughly prepared for that, so she didn’t have to worry too much.
‘Still, it’s a relief…’
Among the murky constellations, several brightly shining constellations were clearly asserting their presence. However, judging by their complex forms, there was a high possibility that she was in love but not showing it outwardly.
‘Could it be… that they’re not really a couple, but a one-sided crush…?’
For someone so pretty to be secretly having a crush.
Lumina recalled the face of the man who had come with her. Aside from being tall and having sharp eyes, he had a plain appearance with nothing particularly distinctive about him.
It was somewhat puzzling, but Lumina didn’t think that appearance was the only thing that made a person attractive, so she just brushed it off.
‘Hmm… I think that’s enough…’
To see the compatibility between lovers, you had to observe and compare each other’s microcosms.
She had somewhat familiarized herself with Choi Hyena’s microcosm, so it was time to observe the microcosm of the man named Kang Hyunwoo.
She quietly closed her eyes and thought of him, and Lumina felt her mind moving somewhere.
Like a bird flying in the sky, like a fish swimming in the water.
She quietly went with the flow.
‘What will the man’s microcosm look like…?’
Contrary to what people think, the shape of the universe isn’t restricted by gender. In fact, a woman’s microcosm is often more violent and rough than a man’s.
In particular, the microcosm of a man who was as big as a bear sometimes felt smaller and softer than the microcosm of a woman who was as small as a squirrel.
Observing the diverse universes of various people, in a way, could be seen as one of Lumina’s few hobbies.
Lumina, feeling that she had arrived somewhere, cautiously opened her eyes with a mixture of worry and anticipation.
‘……Huh?’
No matter how different the forms of each person’s microcosm were, there was an unbreakable rule.
Depending on the person, there might not be any constellations, or there might not be any comets and meteors falling like raindrops.
However, there had to be at least one star and planet.
There was no way that a ‘human’ without even that could exist.
Even though she had opened her eyes, all Lumina could see was endless darkness.
Nothing could be seen.
Nothing moved.
Am I even opening my eyes right now?
I definitely can’t see anything…
‘…Why do I feel like I’m making eye contact with someone?’
[If you gaze long into an abyss, the abyss also gazes into you.]
Why does that saying keep coming to mind?
Lumina’s eyes, staring into the endless darkness where nothing could be seen, were trembling pitifully like a lost lamb.
The darkness, which seemed impossible to reach no matter how much she stretched out her hand, seemed to be approaching.
‘I-Is anyone there…? Please help me…! Please…’
Her cries, unable to take the form of words, lingered in her throat, repeatedly being crushed.
No matter how much she struggled and shouted, all that returned was a terrible silence.
‘…Ah.’
The moment an indescribable anxiety and fear engulfed her as she realized that no one existed to help her.
“Stop.”
Lumina’s consciousness, which was being buried in the darkness, was rescued by the warm touch that covered her eyes.
The air touching her skin and the streaks of light coming through the palm of her hand.
It was definitely reality.
“It seems like it’s still too early for our baby to handle.”
Lumina, whose tension had been released, fainted.
***
Today is a strange day.
Not only did a stalker pop out during a date, but a store employee offered to read our fortunes even though it wasn’t a fortune-telling shop.
Okay, well. Let’s concede that much.
My date isn’t an ordinary woman, but Choi Hyena, who’s so pretty she could outshine celebrities, so it’s not surprising that a stalker might appear. Besides, meeting an employee whose hobby is fortune-telling is something that might happen once in a lifetime.
But what’s with the employee who was going to read our fortunes suddenly having a nosebleed and making noises like ‘Ah, ah…’?
Just as I was about to call an ambulance in a hurry.
“Shhh.”
A grandmother appeared from somewhere, covered the employee’s eyes with her hand, and carefully held the employee, who was losing consciousness and collapsing, in her arms.
Wrinkles on her face, worn-out goat horns, and drooping ears.
Is she the goat girl’s family?
“My granddaughter has caused trouble.”
“Not at all. More than that, shouldn’t we take her to the hospital?”
Choi Hyena pointed to the goat girl with a worried voice. It didn’t seem right to leave her as she was, convulsing severely with a nosebleed.
“It’s nothing serious, so you don’t have to worry so much. You’re a kind customer.”
It was a low voice without any inflection, but it felt kind. The goat grandmother apologized for the inconvenience and went inside the store with the goat girl in her arms.
Left alone in the quiet store, Choi Hyena and I looked at each other with bewildered expressions.
“I hope it’s nothing serious.”
“…Yeah.”
Choi Hyena still seemed upset, and after a short reply, she didn’t look at me. As I was secretly watching her back as she looked around the store, the goat grandmother reappeared.
She was holding a small pouch in her hand.
“Thank you for waiting. This is a thank you for my granddaughter causing trouble, so please accept it without feeling burdened.”
We received the pouch that the grandmother handed us with both hands.
Inside were several small candies, so cute and pretty that you could mistake them for jewels.
“Is, is your granddaughter okay?”
“Hmm?”
The grandmother’s eyes, which had been half-closed, turned to me. It was a gaze that seemed gentle, but also made me feel uneasy.
“…How fascinating.”
After observing me for a while, the grandmother suddenly turned around and went to the counter, taking out a small notebook.
“I heard about it from Youngok. You want to commission me?”
“…Could it be that you’re?”
“Hmm.”
The goat grandmother nodded briefly.
“Marna Hirkus, a 1st-class alchemist affiliated with the Gray Magic Tower.”
