Chapter 47
Chapter 47
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: uly
Chapter: 47
Chapter Title: The Girls Earning Their Keep (8)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Yuseong wasn't twisting his words out of some prickly personality.
His point was straightforward: the mages in movies and the mages of Midgard were worlds apart, which was why he was stating it so bluntly.
"Different?"
"They do use magic. But it's nothing like chanting a spell and firing off an attack like you might imagine."
"In what way?"
"Think of magic as... artificially triggering natural phenomena."
"...Huh?"
"You know how they make rain fall during droughts or summon snow?"
"I-Is that even possible!?"
"That's what I was telling you. It's not like the mages you're picturing."
"Th-That seems like more than just a little different..."
In a sense, her eyes widened in shock—wasn't this superior to movie magic?
Make it rain? Summon snow?
How could anyone but a god pull that off...!?
"Ancient history records pharaohs masturbating in front of three thousand people to stop the Nile from flooding, or primitive tribes holding naked rituals. Magic's like that."
"So mages are shamans now?"
"Exactly. They're also called 'priests' or 'shamans.'"
"......"
It was just a casual remark, but it hit the nail on the head.
The story was so absurd it bordered on ridiculous.
"Of course, those primitive methods are ancient history now. Once runes and circles were established, they skipped all those side rituals."
"...Skipped them?"
Thanks to circles and runes, magic evolved into something more systematic, like an academic discipline. But at its core, nothing had changed.
Mages were still the greatest priests and shamans, communing with nature to avert disasters.
And Luxy was...
"The kingdom's top mage. Know what that means?"
Luxy chanted runes like a song, her body swaying like a dance.
As if offering song and dance in prayer to the gods!
'No, that's not prayer.'
It was a demand. A shakedown.
One they couldn't refuse!
She was chanting runes, dancing, pouring in mana—hand over the power now, or else. A blatant threat.
That's why mages were bandits.
Bandits who seized power by force and claimed it as their own.
In that sense, the kingdom's top mage was...
"The ultimate bandit."
"......"
The cheap explanation felt almost crude at first glance, but Kang Gamchan was too stunned to even register it.
It wasn't dismissal of Yuseong's words.
"Th-The sky..."
Rumble!
Dark clouds surged across the drought-stricken sky.
...Unnaturally sudden.
Drip...
Plip...!
Platter-platter-platter!
Raindrops soaked the parched earth, one by one.
In this driest stretch of weather lately, the downpour intensified, seeping into soil, thirsty trees, and mountains.
The weather bureau was in chaos.
They'd already declared low rainfall, and now this torrent—it was a total embarrassment.
Not that they'd ever been reliable anyway.
People cared only about the rain and wind washing away the choking fine dust.
"Ugh! Rain at last!"
"Fine dust was killing me. Finally, some clean air!"
"It'll be back once the rain stops. Why celebrate?"
Some killed the vibe.
Sure, the sky would gray again after.
But for now, that brief clear sky and fresh oxygen mattered.
Did anyone realize?
The dark clouds and rain were just the opening act.
"Huh? What's up with the sky...?"
Professors monitoring winds and forecasts, weather stations—clueless mutters everywhere.
Such a freak weather shift!
And gradually...
"Wha—? If this keeps up..."
The dust would all boomerang back to China...?
......
......
"Man, no need for air purifiers anymore."
"B-Boss... w-we won't get caught, right?"
"......"
"Boss!?"
"We won't... probably."
"Gasp!?"
"Kidding."
"......"
A heart-attack joke.
Over 70% of Korea's heavy fine dust and yellow sand blows in from China.
They deny it, gaslighting with nonsense like "Your tiny country spreads it worldwide!" But everyone knows.
Ah, classic gaslighting that fools no one.
Most comes from their factories and such, worsened by crypto overheating—a well-known fact.
Annual pleas to pause factories fall on deaf ears. No real government fixes, just booming air purifier sales.
Then this sudden atmospheric shift—no, anomaly.
Fine dust over Korea abruptly U-turning midway to China!
Some blamed melting poles, but results oddly favored Korea.
"The sky... was it ever this vivid blue?"
"...Clear."
Even the dust blanketing Korea's skies had retreated to the continent. The heavens stayed pristine, dust-free.
Fall-worthy azure skies made rush-hour commuters pause in awe.
"Hope it's like this every day."
Someone muttered a wish, but without real hope.
It'd cloud up soon enough.
For now, savor the crisp moment with smiles.
"━No worries for the next 10 years."
"......"
"No matter what they try, it's useless. Try redirecting winds with machines? Lightning strikes. Winds won't budge."
Science? Humanity's 5-million-year pinnacle, sure.
But no civilization stands against nature's wrath.
1.4 billion people?
Irrelevant. With nature on our side, numbers mean squat.
"...Insane! L-Luxy is basically a goddess, right?! How does she...!"
"Not a goddess. In Midgard, I'd counter that spell easy. But these folks don't know magic—sitting ducks."
"......"
So in this world...
'She's god-like, at least!!?'
Kang Gamchan screamed internally, gazing at the younger Luxy with fear and reverence.
'Can't talk casual to her.'
Age be damned—might get zapped!
Meanwhile, the others witnessed the miracle casually.
Thrilled, even.
"Ah! Outdoor shoot tomorrow!"
"Nice, have fun."
"Alicia! Get ready!"
"Hmph! I did it once already. Why again?"
"Filming in Gyeongju. Croffles with glutinous rice and black rice are trending. Topped with handmade ice cream that melts in your mouth!"
"And? Till when?"
"Sounds tempting. Mind if I join?"
"You're out!"
"...Harsh."
"Am I the only one amazed?"
No reaction.
For them, it was everyday stuff.
Rain and reversed winds?
Cute parlor trick.
They'd seen thousands of hectares burn, or lab-induced ice ages freezing Japan-sized islands.
Experience gap—pure nonchalance.
The next day, Mirni headed straight for the outdoor shoot.
And there was that Chinese guy again at the site.
The fidgety Rong Chao—too pathetic for words—had dark circles under his eyes.
Spotting Mirni, he charged like reuniting with family.
"M-Miss! Y-You're finally here!"
"......"
"Miss! I have a question... if you would...!"
"I. Don't. Speak. Chi. Nese."
"...!!?"
"Can't understand you."
Deliberately in Korean, feigning ignorance. Rong Chao's face flushed beet red, nearly exploding.
After such fluent speech before—what now!?
He yelled something, then paled, going meek.
Begging nonstop, but Mirni stonewalled with confusion.
'Rough nightmares, huh.'
Modern humans had zero mana resistance; her pheromones hit hard.
No clue how bad, but the raging old coot turned lamb in days—clear suffering.
No pity.
'Karma.'
Chinese can't tolerate insult, right?
'Sorry, but she's Midgardian.'
Insult there meant death.
His—and 'their'—misfortune: landing in Korea with Midgardians around.
"Don't you feel sorry for him?"
"Why should I?"
"......"
Truly none of her business.