[ The humor was not making it through the four or five thick layers of cultural separation between them, at least not quickly. But give her ten minutes and she'll get that it was sarcasm. ]

It has been theorized that belief is the foundation of magic in some cases. That there need not be a god or well or font of power to draw from but if one can convince enough people to believe in something than that thing can become empowered.

Perhaps that was his goal?