#24
1.
While Amelia was taking a long bath, Siwoo, having been kicked out of the treehouse, was puffing away on a cigarette.
“Ha, this is bitter…”
In a way, it was a bit of a shock.
Amelia, who tormented Siwoo every day, suddenly being so kind.
Honestly, wasn’t there enough room for confusion?
Telling him to come to her lodgings after work in the dead of night.
What man would hear that and think, ‘Oh, she just wants me as her assistant’?
And Takasho’s fanning the flames from the side didn’t help either.
Saying Amelia was smitten with Siwoo, that she looked like a lovesick teenager.
Maybe Siwoo himself wanted to believe it.
Shame washed over him along with the dreary sound of rain.
How ridiculous must Amelia have found it when he said, “Weren’t you trying to have sex with me back then?”
He had to spend the day alone with Amelia in this villa after she finished her bath, and he was already a bundle of nerves.
He heard the bathroom door close, and Siwoo hesitated for a long time whether to go in or not.
Truthfully, he’d rather curl up on the terrace, even if he fell off in his sleep.
He couldn’t bring himself to face her again.
Siwoo swallowed hard and opened the door.
She would have put on all her clothes inside anyway, and if the witch’s bath was over, the slave had to attend to her.
The lame excuse that he was getting some fresh air wouldn’t work on Amelia.
“……..”
Amelia was intently staring at something that was placed on the bed.
Her cheeks were flushed peach-pink, as if she had just finished her bath.
Her starlit eyes were filled with contemplation.
Siwoo also saw the object Amelia was examining.
It was a baby doll nightgown.
Thanks to Amelia picking up the nightgown without noticing Siwoo’s return, he could see its design in more detail.
Hmm.
What should he say?
First of all, it was see-through.
Not some cheap, racy costume from an adult store, but an expensive silk one, so sensual that the skin underneath would be completely visible the moment it was worn.
Amelia tilted her head, examining it for a long time.
Siwoo immediately recognized it as a ‘nightgown to please a man,’ but Amelia was different.
In Amelia’s eyes, a ‘useless piece of cloth’ that was completely see-through was not clothing.
But since it looked like clothing, she couldn’t help but wonder what it was for.
However, having guessed that all of this was Sophia’s doing, Amelia soon figured out the purpose of the rag.
-Rip!
The baby doll nightgown, which had never been one with its owner, let out a death cry as it met its end in her hands.
“Such a pointless… thing…”
Amelia shook her head in disbelief, then noticed Siwoo standing close by.
She froze, holding the two pieces of the nightgown in her hands.
“Ah…”
Pink flames erupted from Amelia’s hand before she could stop them.
“Wait a minute!”
At first, Siwoo instinctively cowered, thinking she was going to throw the fire at him.
But unlike what he expected, it was the nightgown in her hand that was engulfed in flames of thousands of degrees.
The nightgown evaporated without leaving even ashes.
And Amelia acted as if nothing had happened, pretending to be oblivious.
“The room is chilly.”
Siwoo pretended not to notice, knowing what she wanted.
This villa belonged to Amelia’s friend, and she was probably a witch who really liked men.
That’s why the villa was decorated like a love hotel, and that’s why such a nightgown was prepared.
“Is that so? I’ll start a fire in the fireplace right away.”
This villa, small as it was, had everything.
Just as Siwoo was walking towards the fireplace,
He felt something strange.
Black smoke was billowing from the window above the fireplace, which was meant for ventilation.
“What’s this?”
Siwoo opened the window and climbed onto the fireplace, looking down.
And he saw it.
At the base of the giant oak tree that carried the treehouse, the same pink flames that had incinerated the baby doll nightgown were flickering.
“Um, Amelia.”
It wasn’t a normal fire.
Her magic-fueled crimson flames were greedily seeking something to burn, climbing up the tree trunk with incredible force.
“I think we’re in big trouble?”
“What’s wrong?”
“I think we need to get out of here quickly.”
“Where are you going at this hour…”
-Whoosh!
Less than fifteen seconds after Amelia’s reply, the beautiful treehouse was engulfed in magical flames.
2.
Creating flames with magic is very easy.
Because it’s one of the four elements—fire, wind, earth, and water—it can be easily manifested with just one path, without needing complex transformations.
It was such a basic magic that it was impossible for Amelia, who had reached the staggering 22nd rank, to make a mistake in controlling it.
The flames, which were rushing into the villa like a flamethrower, vanished as if they had never been there the moment Amelia flicked her fingers.
But the villa, already ravaged by the fire, was no different from ruins.
As soon as Siwoo and Amelia landed on the ground side by side, thanks to Amelia’s magic,
-Screech! Thud!
The tree, which had turned to charcoal all the way to its core in that short time, collapsed to the side.
Naturally, the cozy villa was also shattered, like a bird’s nest blown away by a typhoon.
“Associate Professor.”
“……..”
“What do we do now?”
“……..”
Amelia and Siwoo stood in the rain for several minutes, like displaced people caught in a natural disaster, staring at the broken tree and the treehouse.
“I can’t possibly spend the night in such a vulgar place.”
“Are you going to burn the house down then?”
“Be quiet.”
It seemed Amelia was planning to subtly gloss over her earlier magical mishap. Siwoo, feeling guilty for his own mistake, didn’t say anything, and a heavy silence fell between them.
-Caw! Caw! Caw!
The mournful cries of a crow echoed from somewhere.
2.
Amelia, unlike Siwoo, was a precious being.
There was no way she would be camping out in the morning dew and drizzle.
Eventually, they walked for a long time, leaving the forest path and returning to the docks of Border Town.
At least three hours had passed since earlier, and it was well past midnight, but the docks were still bustling with slaves carrying cargo. As the port responsible for all of Gehenna’s supplies, it operated 24 hours a day.
“I’ll look for a place to stay nearby.”
Siwoo, holding an umbrella for Amelia, scurried around, searching for lodging.
Inland towns like Taro Town or Lenormand Town didn’t have any accommodations.
The citizens of Gehenna were essentially serfs, so they weren’t free to travel. Even when they had to visit other towns or villages for work, they would usually pay a small fee at a tavern to stay in an empty room.
However, Border Town was different. There were many sailors and captains constantly traveling between the mortal realm and Gehenna, and many witches who lived in the mortal realm would briefly visit Gehenna, so there were quite a few large lodging facilities.
The problem was that all those lodgings were packed with other guests. Occasionally, a room would be vacant, but there was nowhere with two rooms available.
After searching every inn, the last one Siwoo found was the Slithering Serpent Shelter.
It was a three-story wooden building, and like most inns, the first floor was a tavern, while the second and third floors had guest rooms.
“Cheers!”
The tavern was incredibly crowded. Men with tanned skin and rugged bodies, clearly sailors, were talking loudly in boisterous voices.
“Everyone, pay attention! Next, we’ll have a toast from our captain!”
“Boo! Just drink!”
Pushing his way through the laughter and jeers, Siwoo asked the innkeeper at the bar counter about available rooms.
“Do you happen to have any rooms available?”
The man looked more like a thug than an innkeeper. Chewing on a cigar, he glanced over Siwoo’s appearance before answering.
“We have rooms, but we can’t take any guests.”
“If it’s because I’m a slave…”
“It’s not that. The Naga Ho sailors have rented out the entire inn today.”
This was a problem.
This was the last inn.
Just as he was feeling troubled, an unexpected face suddenly appeared next to the bar counter.
“Boss, aren’t you being too harsh?”
It was Larisa who had been diligently servicing Siwoo’s goods at the rendezvous point around lunchtime today.
She seemed pleasantly drunk, her face uncharacteristically flushed.
“What are you talking about? I thought you guys were going to have a wild time together.”
“Still, you could at least lend a bed to someone who looks like they have nowhere to go.”
“Well, if that’s the case, I’m all for it.”
The innkeeper shrugged and put down the glass she had been diligently wiping.
“It’s 1 shilling per person for a double room, including breakfast. There are plenty of rooms left, so pick any you like.”
“Thank you!”
Having successfully secured a place to stay, Siwoo bowed to Larisa as well.
“Thanks to you, I found a place to sleep.”
Larisa smiled, revealing her white teeth at his polite greeting.
It was a smile that made him feel like he was looking at a playful puppy.
“So, you missed me that much? You wanted to squeeze me between your breasts?”
Larisa giggled, subtly gathering her cleavage.
It was a sight that made him envious of the necklace dangling between her ample valleys.
“That’s not it. I didn’t even know you were here, Larisa.”
“Oh my, who doesn’t know that I’m the only woman here? The ship that supplies goods to the Blue Serpent rendezvous point is mine.”
Hearing that, it was understandable how she might have misunderstood.
She probably thought that Siwoo, having heard the sweet promise, couldn’t wait a day and had rushed to this inn where she was.
“But it’s really not like that. The witch is still waiting for me outside.”
“A witch? That person from earlier?”
Larisa’s eyes seemed to change in an instant.
But that was only for a moment, as she returned to her usual bright and seductive smile.
“After all, you came here to sleep too, right, Witch? If you have time at night, come to my room.”
It’s going to be a problem if this keeps getting delayed.
As Siwoo glanced towards the door, feeling Larisa’s hand tickling under his chin, a savior appeared.
“Larisa, are you trying to pick up another guy? Stop that and come to me. What’s so charming about this weakling?”
The man who joined the conversation with a rough voice was a giant, aptly described as a mountain of muscle. He looked like he could have a fifty-fifty chance in a serious wrestling match with a gorilla.
“I hate it, Fyodor. You look so stupid. Guys like you think that if you just use your strength in bed, that’s all there is to it?”
The old woman’s face was a roadmap of wrinkles, each line a testament to the years she had weathered. Her eyes, though clouded with age, still held a spark of mischief. She sat on the porch, a worn shawl draped over her shoulders, watching the world go by. The sun was beginning its descent, painting the sky in hues of orange and purple. A gentle breeze rustled the leaves of the ancient oak tree that stood sentinel in her yard.
“Another day gone,” she murmured to herself, her voice raspy like dry leaves crunching underfoot. She reached for the wooden cane leaning against the porch railing, its smooth surface worn from years of use. With a groan, she pushed herself up, her joints protesting with each movement. She shuffled towards the garden, her footsteps slow and deliberate.
The garden was her sanctuary, a riot of colors and scents. Roses of every shade imaginable bloomed alongside vibrant sunflowers and delicate lilies. She ran a gnarled finger over the velvety petals of a crimson rose, a small smile gracing her lips. “You’re still the prettiest one,” she whispered, her voice filled with affection.
She spent the next hour tending to her plants, her movements slow but purposeful. She watered the thirsty soil, plucked the withered leaves, and gently coaxed the drooping stems back to life. As she worked, she hummed a tuneless melody, a song that had been passed down through generations of her family.
The sun had dipped below the horizon, casting long shadows across the yard. The old woman straightened up, her back aching from her labors. She looked at her garden, her heart filled with a sense of peace. “Another day done,” she said, her voice a little stronger now. She turned towards the house, her silhouette a dark outline against the fading light.
The sound of the rain was fierce. It was the kind of downpour that made you wonder if the sky had sprung a leak. I was sitting on the porch, watching the rain lash against the garden, when I heard a car pull up. It was a sleek, black sedan, the kind that always seemed to be driven by someone important.
A man got out, holding a large black umbrella. He was tall and imposing, with a sharp, angular face that seemed to be carved from stone. He wore a dark suit, and even from a distance, I could tell he was someone who commanded attention. He walked towards the house, his shoes making a soft squishing sound on the wet pavement.
I stood up, brushing off the seat of my pants. I wasn’t expecting any visitors, especially not someone like him. I watched as he approached the porch, his eyes scanning the house. When he saw me, he stopped, a flicker of something unreadable in his gaze.
“Are you the owner of this house?” he asked, his voice deep and resonant.
“Yes, I am,” I replied, trying to keep my voice steady.
He nodded, his eyes still fixed on me. “I am here on behalf of Mr. Kim,” he said, and then paused, as if waiting for me to react.
Mr. Kim? The name sounded vaguely familiar, but I couldn’t quite place it. “And what does Mr. Kim want?” I asked, my curiosity piqued.
He reached into his jacket and pulled out a small, white envelope. He held it out to me, his expression unreadable. “He wishes to speak with you,” he said, his voice still calm and measured. “This contains the details.”
I took the envelope, my fingers brushing against his. It was cool and smooth, and I couldn’t help but feel a sense of unease. I looked up at him, but he was already turning to leave. He got back into the car, and with a soft purr, it pulled away, leaving me standing alone in the rain.
I looked down at the envelope in my hand. It was plain and unmarked, except for a small, almost invisible seal on the back. I turned it over, my heart pounding in my chest. I had a feeling that my life was about to change, and not necessarily for the better.
Pload, as if amused by Larisa’s unwavering defiance, let out a hollow laugh.
Piotr suddenly grabbed Siwoo’s shoulder as he carefully tried to slip out of the conversation, which had abruptly shifted from 19+ to 29+.
“Hey, kid. Don’t get any funny ideas and just go to sleep. Unless you want your back to fold in half and become a cripple.”
“Stop it, you moron! Why are you scaring the kid like that!”
“Just kidding, just kidding.”
The mere act of him patting Siwoo’s shoulder sent a shockwave through his head.
Siwoo tried his best to ignore the gorilla and said goodbye to Larisa.
“Anyway, thank you for your help, Larisa.”
“No need to thank me. Let’s grab a drink later.”
“If I have time, I’ll definitely go.”
Siwoo waved goodbye to Larisa and headed out of the inn to pick up Amelia.
