City ​​of Witches 967

Chapter 967 – #208_스캔들(3)

#961

1.
Rose Glass isn’t just a host bar that offers decadent entertainment.

It’s a high-end hospitality establishment catering to wealthy witches. Hosts with striking looks and thoroughly trained manners provide a variety of services.

They don’t just sit beside you and fawn; they participate in activities like shooting, horseback riding, and picnics. They also act as escorts and dance partners at balls, and are often hired as temporary servers at social gatherings.

Given this, it’s not unusual that Takasho, the madam of Rose Glass, has built up connections with high-ranking witches. More than anything, he was the fiancé of Count Adonai, so he had started frequenting the Red Roof Salon not too long ago.

However, that doesn’t give him the right to barge into Count Jemina’s office without any prior notice. The only one who has ever committed such an outrage was the young witch Lulue, who doesn’t know the first thing about boundaries.

“Great Master…! I’m so sorry! This gentleman suddenly asked where Shin Siwoo was! I told him he’d be in trouble for coming without an appointment, but he just wouldn’t listen…!”
“It’s alright, Pecha. Go back to your duties.”

Albiereo dismissed Pecha, Odile’s personal maid, who had belatedly followed and was wringing her hands in distress.

“……”

Albiereo stared at Takasho with cold eyes. In fact, Albiereo would be well within her rights to kick Takasho out on his rear right now.

It was a huge breach of etiquette, and more than anything, Albiereo didn’t like Takasho very much.

It wasn’t about the lowliness of his profession or the fact that he was a human, not a witch. No matter the circumstances, if there was a mother-in-law who liked a friend who asked her son-in-law to work at a host bar, she wouldn’t be a witch, but Buddha himself.

“Was your name Takasho?”
“That’s correct. I apologize again for visiting without prior notice. However, when I realized that my friend Siwoo was in trouble, I couldn’t help myself.”
“Perhaps you could have helped yourself…?”

Far from being intimidated, he spoke and explained himself without hesitation.
Albiereo pretended not to hear Deneb’s mutterings and postponed kicking the host bar madam’s butt a little longer.

“It sounds like you have a good solution.”

Because Albiereo couldn’t find a good solution to this scandal, and Takasho was a straw to grasp at in this moment.

“I believe you are deeply worried. Is this tabloid the cause?”
“Yes, it’s giving me a real headache.”
“If things continue like this, not only will he be caught up in the scandal, but his barony and the faction he was building through the academy president will also be ruined.”
“That’s exactly right.”

Takasho nodded, confirming what he already knew.

“Yes, I think there is a way to resolve this situation.”

His tone was confident, without a hint of doubt. Even Siwoo wanted to say, ‘Hey, hey, take it easy,’ his confidence was so excessive.

“I heard that Count Jemina recently started a project with Shin Siwoo to teach him noble etiquette and dignity, a charisma project.”
“That’s right.”
“But in my opinion, the results seem to be lacking. I couldn’t shake the feeling that it was about 2% short.”
“You’ve got some nerve.”

Albiereo raised an eyebrow, looking at Takasho with interest. Even if he was confident, to so easily say something that could offend the count.

It was leverage that could make a strong impression, but if he failed to persuade her properly, it could make him look twice as obnoxious.

However, Albiereo shared Takasho’s assessment, so she listened quietly.

“Of course, it must have been a class with a level of formality that cannot be compared to a commoner like me who learned etiquette in a crash course. But I couldn’t shake the feeling that the focus was off.”
“You’re saying they didn’t get the point…?”
“That’s right.”

Takasho deliberately paused to draw attention.

That was also one of the speaking techniques Siwoo had learned from his great mother-in-law during their lessons. The difference was that Takasho used various speaking techniques as naturally as breathing.

After creating that tension, Takasho said one thing.

“I dare say, Shin Siwoo was born under the star of a host. He has outstanding talent and natural gifts that cannot be compared to mine. He has the overwhelming ability to captivate any woman.”
“…So?”

Albiereo’s expression was that of someone who had just heard her son-in-law’s friend say, ‘Your son-in-law is the god of hosts!’ Her base expression was blank, but she didn’t look happy.

“The 2% lacking charisma, the point. Don’t you still get it?”
“No, I don’t.”
“You fill Shin Siwoo’s lacking charisma with charm towards the opposite sex.”
“…Sis, you know you have to hold back, right?”
“…I know. Madam, if that’s all you have to say, please leave.”

Deneb quietly tried to calm her sister.
Albiereo’s reaction was calm, but Siwoo knew.

Takasho was essentially doing squats on top of his great mother-in-law’s explosion switch.
Behind that calm, there was a clear indication that they would both be getting their joints broken, starting with a seven-octave gradient shout.

“Hey, hey, stop it.”

Siwoo, grateful for his concern, put his arm around Takasho’s shoulder to calm him down.
But Takasho did not give in.

“Count Jemina, please give me three days.”
“I don’t understand. In a situation where a scandal has broken out and everything has gone to waste, you’re going to fill the lacking charisma with charm towards the opposite sex? So you’re saying you’re going to turn Siwoo into some kind of legendary Casanova?”
“Yes.”

His tone was gentle, but a blue vein pulsed on her forehead.
After Albiereo took a deep breath.

“Are you out of your mind!!!!!”
“Sis! Relax! Relax!”

As a result of her singing magic, the Jemina family’s specialty, the mother-in-law’s roar, based on her enormous vocal range, echoed loudly.
Siwoo swallowed hard at the ringing in his ears and the vibrating windows.

“Casanova was a playboy, but he was still loved by many. Moreover, the noble women of the time considered having an affair with Casanova to be a kind of heroic feat. He was treated like a star in society wherever he went and gained the favor of many influential people.”

But Takasho did not give in.

“I know that Siwoo already has many lovers. That’s what caused this difficult situation in the first place. This is the time for a head-on approach. He has the talent to back it up.”

Takasho remembered.
The way Siwoo, who had only taken a few days of lessons, had charmed a picky witch with his natural behavior.

That was something that couldn’t be taught.

“Instead of being ashamed and avoiding it, we should make Siwoo a star in society.”
“The witches aren’t stupid! Do you think that will work!”

“Yes, it will work. Look, his lovers are all extraordinary people. At this point, wouldn’t the public be curious? ‘How amazing is he that he has so many amazing lovers?'”

Albiereo, who had been grinding her teeth, paused.

“I’m not saying he should actually have affairs. Rather, he should just create the atmosphere and draw a firm line.
Wasn’t the original purpose of the charisma project to create an image? The result of the acting will just be slightly different.

A noble and sharp man, but in reality, a horny dog obsessed with women. A cold and aloof man, but one who steals women’s hearts, yet is unattainable like a flower on a cliff. Which one would be more favorably received by witches?”

His strong belief in his friend and his deep understanding of women’s hearts.
Based on these two things, Takasho’s eloquence was fluent.

“The fatal flaw of an image based on charisma is that once the dignity and supernatural authority are damaged, it collapses uncontrollably. This article must have been written with that in mind. Then we can use the article to our advantage.”
“……”

Albiereo thought deeply.
Honestly, she couldn’t say whether Takasho was right or wrong right now.
If public opinion was so easy to predict, why would so many incidents and accidents happen?

But if things went as Takasho said, it would be the best possible outcome.

The gazes towards Siwoo’s lovers and his twins would be filled with admiration rather than contempt and ridicule.

In the entire witch society, there was no one closer to a prince charming than Shin Siwoo.
After all, even witches were women.

Albiereo and Deneb exchanged glances.

If they continued like this, the situation would only get worse.
There was no point in just standing by and watching.

“Alright. I’ll give you three days as you said. I’ll be busy for a while anyway.”
“In the meantime, try to complete Siwoo’s image-making according to the picture you’ve drawn.”
“I won’t disappoint you.”

Having persuaded the two counts, Takasho gave Siwoo a thumbs up.

“Hey, brother. Trust me on this.”
“Is this really the right thing to do?”

Right or wrong.
The die had been cast.