Astrology is a type of ritual that involves observing celestial phenomena to predict human fate and the future.
Through the movements of the sun, moon, various planets, constellations, comets, and meteors, it offers glimpses into the future or predicts the fortunes and misfortunes of others.
In simple terms, it's a form of prophecy.
Therefore, astrologers have been praised as prophets since ancient times, but there have certainly been periods of humiliation when 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 distorted by unexpected variables.
For example, even if someone prophesied that a massive storm would strike tomorrow, causing numerous casualties, if someone else prophesied that no such storm would occur, whose prophecy would come true?
Prophecy was merely a glimpse into a possible future; it had no power to determine the future.
"Could you please tell me your names and ages?"
"Choi Hyena, I'm 21 years old."
"Kang Hyunwoo, same age."
But what if the scope of the prophecy was limited to an individual rather than something global?
Of course, if that 'individual's' decisions altered the future of too many others, then that prophecy would also become uncertain.
'That's highly unlikely…'
Lumina Hircus, the sixth daughter of the chieftain of the Hircus tribe, had no doubts about her thoughts.
Of course, her father had told her to refrain from reading other people's fortunes, but she wasn't officially an astrologer yet, and she couldn't understand her father's view that simply reading someone's fortune would have a negative impact on the future.
'If that's how he felt, he shouldn't have taught me astrology in the first place…!'
Lumina was proud of her astrology, but due to her father and the tribe elders' opposition, she had few opportunities to practice it.
Her only small pleasure was helping out at her grandmother's shop and occasionally reading the fortunes of customers.
'I've done it a few times now, so there shouldn't be any problems…'
Moreover, reading the fortunes of customers who occasionally visited the shop with their partners was the greatest joy for Lumina, who had never been in a relationship.
Of course, the results of the readings weren't always positive, so she would slightly embellish them each time.
She wasn't so tactless as to tell them every negative thing that came up in the astrology, such as they would break up in a few days or that they had a bad relationship in a past life.
Because she was reading fortunes for the sake of others' happiness, Lumina was trying to provide answers that would make everyone happy.
"So… I'm going to read your fortunes now, do you agree…?"
"Yes."
"Yes, but is it okay to just say our names and ages?"
In a typical fortune-telling shop, they ask for the name, age, birthday, occupation, and even the time of birth.
"It's okay…! The important thing is that you both agreed…!"
Glimpsing the future through celestial bodies.
Deep personal information was unnecessary in the process.
"Then… shall we begin…?"
The three people's hands touched the crystal ball placed on the small desk. The crystal ball, which didn't reflect a single speck of light and even seemed ominous, lay beyond.
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, colorless reaches of space.
Even though she had experienced this situation several times, Lumina felt an indescribable stuffiness.
She could understand a little why her father had told her not to read fortunes. Of course, she would forget it as usual when she returned to reality.
As Lumina was falling into the darkness in her unconsciousness, 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 can glimpse an individual's past and future is also possible because it reads the celestial bodies of that microcosm.
Planets and constellations that shone red even in the dark universe, probably the universe of the woman named Choi Hyena.
'She was very pretty…'
From her trivial words and actions, her atmosphere, and her glamorous appearance, Lumina happily observed the universe, reminiscent of a noble lady.
The inner universe takes a different form for each person. The universe she was currently seeing had several planets orbiting a small sun, just like the solar system.
Usually, such a person had strong convictions and wasn't swayed by others. However, some constellations that made up the celestial bodies were very turbid.
In such cases, there was a high probability that they were secretly hiding a painful story.
'…And it seems quite old.'
[If you gaze long into an abyss, the abyss will gaze back into you.]
Just like a philosopher once said, the longer an astrologer looks into another person's microcosm, the more deeply they empathize with that person's emotions.
Lumina immediately shook her head. If she became too immersed in other people's emotions, her mind could suffer considerable damage.
In the worst case, her mind could be completely trapped in the microcosm, but she had taken thorough precautions against that, so she didn't have to worry too much.
'Still, it's a relief…'
Among the turbid constellations, several constellations shone brightly, clearly asserting their presence. However, judging by the complexity of their form, there was a high probability that they were in love that they didn't express outwardly.
'Could it be… that they're not really a couple, but a one-sided love…?'
For such a pretty person to be secretly in love.
Lumina recalled the face of the man who had come with her. He was tall and had sharp eyes, but other than that, he was an ordinary-looking person with no particular features.
It was somewhat puzzling, but Lumina didn't think that appearance was everything that made a person attractive, so she just brushed it off.
'Hmm… I think that's enough…'
To see the compatibility between lovers, they had to go through the process of observing and comparing each other's microcosms.
She had somewhat familiarized herself with Choi Hyena's microcosm, so it was now time to observe the microcosm of the man named Kang Hyunwoo.
Quietly closing her eyes and thinking of him, Lumina felt her mind moving towards somewhere.
Like a bird flying through the sky, like a fish swimming in the water.
She quietly succumbed to the flow.
'What kind of scenery will the man's microcosm be like…?'
Contrary to what people think, the form of the universe isn't bound by gender. In fact, a woman's microcosm was often more violent and rough than a man's.
In particular, the microcosm of a man who was as big as a bear sometimes had a smaller and softer feel than the microcosm of a woman who was as small as a squirrel.
Observing the various universes of various people, in a way, could be seen as one of Lumina's few hobbies.
Lumina, feeling that she had arrived somewhere, carefully opened her eyes with half worry and half expectation.
'...Huh?'
No matter how different the forms of each person's microcosm were, there was a law that could never be broken.
Depending on the person, there may be no constellations or no comets and meteors falling like raindrops.
However, there was no way that a 'human' who didn't even have one or more fixed stars and planets could exist.
Even though she opened her eyes, all Lumina could see was endless darkness.
Nothing could be seen.
Nothing moved.
Am I even opening my eyes right now?
Clearly, I 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 will gaze back into you.]
Why does that saying keep coming to mind?
Lumina's eyes, staring into the endless darkness where nothing could be seen, trembled pathetically like a lost lamb.
The darkness, which seemed like it would never be reached no matter how much she reached out her hand, seemed to be approaching more and more.
'I, is anyone there…? Please help me…! Please…'
Her cries, which didn't take the form of words, lingered in her throat and were repeatedly crushed.
No matter how much she struggled and shouted at the top of her lungs, all that returned was a terrible silence.
'…Ah.'
The moment when indescribable anxiety and fear covered her at the reality that there was no one to help her.
"Stop."
Lumina's consciousness, which was being buried in the darkness, could be rescued by the warm touch that covered her vision.
The air touching her skin and the streaks of light coming through the palms of her hands.
It was definitely reality.
"It seems too early for our baby to handle this."
Lumina, who had lost her tension, fainted like that.
***
Today is a strange day.
While on a date, a stalker pops out, and then an employee at a shop offers to read our fortunes even though it's not a fortune-telling shop.
Okay, fine. Let's concede that much for the sake of argument.
My date isn't just an ordinary girl, but Choi Hyena, who's so pretty she could outshine a celebrity, so it's possible that a stalker might appear. Moreover, meeting an employee who's into fortune-telling as a hobby is something that could happen once in a lifetime.
But what's with the employee who was supposed to read our fortunes suddenly starts bleeding from the nose and making these 'Ah, ah…' sounds like she's screaming?
Just as I was about to urgently call an ambulance.
"Shh."
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, somewhat worn-out-looking goat horns, and drooping ears.
Is she the goat girl's family?
"My granddaughter has caused you 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 seems like we can't just leave her here when she's bleeding from the nose and convulsing so badly.
"It's nothing serious, so you don't have to worry so much. You're a kind customer."
It was a low voice with no highs and lows, but it was a voice that conveyed kindness. The goat grandmother said she would be excused for a moment 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 hadn't gotten over it, and she didn't look at me after her short reply. 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 in return for my granddaughter causing you trouble, so please accept it without feeling burdened."
We received the pouch that the grandmother handed us with both hands.
Inside, there were several small candies, so delicate and pretty that they could be mistaken for jewels.
"Is, is your granddaughter okay?"
"Hmm?"
The grandmother's eyes, which had been half-closed, turned towards me. It was a gaze that seemed gentle, but even gave off a somewhat ominous feeling.
"…How strange."
After observing me for a while, the grandmother suddenly turned around and went to the counter, taking out a small notebook.
"I heard from Youngok. You wanted to commission me?"
"…Could it be that you are?"
"Hmm."
The goat grandmother nodded briefly.
"I'm Maruna Hircus, a 1st-class alchemist affiliated with the Gray Magic Tower."