CS Chapter 31

Junseo picked up the white envelope without a second thought. At first, he assumed it was just an advertisement flyer, but upon closer inspection, he saw a familiar name written on it.

 

“Mom! Mom! We got a letter from Noona!” 

 

Junseo, recognizing the sender, gave the letter to Hyunsook with a beaming smile. He was overjoyed to receive a letter from his beloved sister.

 

“Is it really a letter from Seowoo…?”

 

“Mom, open it quickly!”

 

Hyunsook tore open the envelope, her face quickly turning pale. Something unexpected was inside, causing her hands to tremble.

 

“…Th-this is…”

 

“Mom, what’s wrong? What is it?”

 

Sensing something strange as Hyunsook froze, Junseo snatched the letter from her hand.

 

“Huh…? Mom… is Noona getting married?”

 

Junseo’s face hardened. It was a wedding invitation, announcing his only sister’s marriage.

 

* * *

 

It was a night when the owl’s hooting sounded particularly eerie.

 

After collapsing unconscious, the Cheonsin Bosal finally opened her eyes after three days.

 

“…”

 

She slowly looked around the quiet room and then sat up. A damp towel, placed on her forehead by Taerim, who had diligently nursed her for three days, slipped off.

 

“Oh, Mother! Why have you been away for so long! I’ve been waiting for you! Sob, sob!”

 

Just then, a sharp cry escaped the Cheonsin Bosal’s lips. She hurriedly knelt before the Buddha statue, muttering to herself and performing 108 prostrations despite her weakened state. 

Translator’s Note: 108 prostrations (108배 – 108 bae) is a common Buddhist practice of bowing 108 times to repent for sins or accumulate merit.

 

As soon as the Cheonsin Bosal awoke,  Taerim rushed into the room. Although the Cheonsin Bosal had collapsed, even bleeding from her nose, Taerim had calmly handled the situation, waiting patiently for her to wake up. 

 

When Taerim was first receiving her spiritual calling, the Cheonsin Bosal’s collapses were frequent occurrences. At that time, the Cheonsin Bosal’s spiritual power was at its peak, and she would often become possessed by her spiritual mother’s body. Since she was receiving a divine entity into her human body, she would exhibit unusual behavior, unable to withstand the spiritual energy.

 

“Cheonsin Bosal, you’re awake?”

 

“Taerim! Bow to Mother quickly, quickly! Sadabaya Maha Sadabaya Maha Garo Nigaya Om Sarva Bayesu…” 

 [Translator’s Note: A mix of Buddhist and distorted Christian incantations, suggesting the shaman’s confused spiritual state.]

 

The Cheonsin Bosal’ face, still prostrating, looked incredibly anxious. Like someone who had committed a grave mistake, she fidgeted restlessly, calling out to her spiritual mother.

 

Cheonsin Bosal’s wrongdoings had begun years ago. Unable to hear her spiritual mother’s voice anymore, she refused to acknowledge that her spiritual powers had faded. She even resorted to mimicking the voice of the divine to deceive people.

 

Plots devised by human cunning, not divine prophecies from a God. Naturally, her fortune-telling became increasingly inaccurate, and the Cheonsin Bosal’s reputation plummeted.

 

Unable to bear this, she even hired people to stage fake events to fulfill her own false prophecies.

 

“Cheonsin Bosal! Just as you said, my husband had a terrible accident! What am I going to do?!”

 

“Tsk tsk. What did I tell you? You needed a talisman to avoid misfortune! It looks like he had a car accident in the early morning! A hit-and-run at that!”

 

“H-how did you…! Oh, Cheonsin Bosal, I was foolish. I’ll do anything you say from now on, even pretend to die. So please, pray that my husband returns alive from the ICU!”

 

“Goodness! It’s too late for a talisman now! Even dozens of shamanic rituals might not be enough.” 

 

“I’ll give you any amount of money, Cheonsin Bosal!”

 

Toying with the lives destined by the gods. It was an act deserving of divine punishment, but perhaps because she pitied the powerless shaman, her godmother hadn’t yet held her accountable.

 

Was it because she took this for granted? The Cheonshin Bosal grew increasingly reckless. She not only acted arrogantly, as if her own voice was the voice of the god, but even reached the point of equating herself with the divine.

 

Just then, the candles lit in the room were all extinguished at once.

 

Feeling the air grow chillingly cold, the shaman muttered to herself with vacant eyes. It was clear that the god, unable to bear the Cheonshin Bosal’s transgressions any longer, had finally come to deliver divine retribution.

 

“Mother, oh, Mother……. I, I, I was wrong! Forgive me! I won’t do it again, so please……!”

 

Pale with fear, the shaman repeatedly bowed her head, begging for forgiveness.

 

“Mother…… my Mother……! I’ll accept the heavenly decree. I’ll live as quiet as a mouse from now on.”

 

Wheezing—without warning, a fierce gust of wind slammed the paper doors open and shut repeatedly. It seemed like the final warning from the god.

 

* * *

 

“Our Seowoo is getting married to the eldest grandson of Daehan Group?”

Daniel burst into incredulous laughter after confirming the wedding invitation Hyunsook handed him.

 

A few days ago, when Pastor Lee Yeogyeong briefly explained the situation, he dismissed it as absurd.

 

Ji Seowoo, who had been designated as the Sky Bride, was getting married to a chaebol, no less than Cha Minjun, the heir to Daehan Group. He’d heard that Cha Minjun had personally offered her compensation for not becoming the Sky Bride.

‘That business card. I thought it was a lie.’

 

He’d assumed it was some ridiculous con artist’s trick and hadn’t thought much of it, but a few days later, news of Cha Minjun’s marriage was splashed across headlines. The news, social media, and everyone was talking about Cha Minjun’s marriage so much that it was impossible to ignore.

“Seowoo, quite impressive.”

 

Daniel casually tossed the invitation down and smirked. While it was a shame he couldn’t have Seowoo for himself, he calculated that this opportunity might allow him to make a hefty profit.

“I, I’m truly sorry, Elder. What should we do about this? Our Seowoo is getting married unexpectedly……”

“E-Elder! If my sister gets married…… if she can’t be the Sky Bride, what will happen to us……?”

Both Hyunsook and Junseo bowed their heads like sinners before Daniel.

Junseo’s face, in particular, was drained of color. Thanks to the Elder’s blessing, he had been able to live a somewhat normal life, but the thought of experiencing that excruciating pain again made his vision go dark.

“Brother Junseo. What do you mean, what will happen? Marriage is a joyous occasion. We simply offer our wholehearted blessings.”

However, Elder Daniel, contrary to expectations, smiled kindly and patted Junseo’s shoulder.

“Everything happens according to God’s will. God must have entrusted our Seowoo with something even more important than being the Sky Bride.”

Hyunsook and Junseo seemed relieved by Daniel’s words, but their faces quickly became puzzled. They seemed curious about God’s intention to entrust Seowoo with something more important than being the Sky Bride.

 

As if waiting for this, Daniel let out a soft groan. His furrowed brow was etched with worry.

 

“It’s a bit awkward to say this, but…… the church’s finances haven’t been very good lately.”

 

“Oh my…… Don’t worry, Elder. I’ll work harder on missionary work!” 

 

“Yes, Elder. My health has improved a lot, so I’ll tell more people about the miracle you showed me.”

 

“Just hearing those words makes me feel very reassured.”

 

Daniel smiled faintly and continued, looking alternately at the two faces.

 

“It would be great if we could ask Seowoo to help us secure some donations from Daehan Group…… Do you think that’s possible?”