Chapter 243 – #56_Fortune
#241
1.
The night air had grown quite chilly.
Siwoo was loitering around the vicinity of the Location Point Building.
With all sorts of administrative facilities gathered here, and the headquarters of massive corporations lined up one after another, the expression “the heart of Seoul” didn’t seem out of place.
There were many cars on the road, but hardly any people on the sidewalks.
Those standing in line at the bus stops were probably the lucky ones.
The huge buildings, brightly lit for the sake of employees working overtime, made the city forget the night.
As he lingered in front of the bus stop on the main street, a rumbling sound came from afar.
“What’s that?”
“It looks like a toy.”
“Hey, hey, hold on, let me hang up the phone.”
“Let’s take a picture.”
A man who had finished his hard day and was waiting in a long line for the bus, a woman with a tired expression and slumped shoulders, and a middle-aged man who was wearily pressing his temples—all of them began to be drawn to the unfamiliar supercar that had appeared in the middle of the city.
Black with a luxurious sheen like a limousine.
A low chassis, aesthetic and flowing curves rarely found in entry-level cars, air intakes on the sides that sucked in air, a long, protruding hood, and a horseshoe-shaped grille.
Siwoo, who wasn’t particularly interested in cars, understood at once.
It was a ridiculously, ridiculously, ridiculously expensive car.
Even the taxis, which usually cut in front of others, and the impatient buses were keeping a wide distance, trembling, so that said it all.
“Ah….”
The hypercar, scattering a deep exhaust note, leisurely cruised along the inner lane before making a stylish illegal U-turn and screeching to a halt at the bus stop.
In other words, right in front of Siwoo, who was just loitering by the side of the road.
Next to the dark blue license plate, instead of a regional name, the word “Diplomacy” was written.
If a stranger saw it, they might think it was some high-ranking royal from an oil-rich Middle Eastern country, but…
Somehow, he had a hunch.
He had momentarily forgotten that some witches were so rich that their sense of money was skewed.
Sharon and Eloa, whom he had been observing for a while, were very frugal witches.
“Long time no see?”
The passenger-side window opened, and Periwinkle, wearing gradient sunglasses, leaned out to greet him.
For some reason, it reminded him of the sunset on a Maldives beach—a green-to-pink gradient.
Now that he looked at it, they were more like fashion-tinted glasses than sunglasses.
He could only see a little of her outfit, but she was dressed up as if she were a movie star.
“Get in.”
The surrounding gazes were focused on Siwoo.
Not just gazes.
Who is that person? Is he an acquaintance? A host bar ace? A third-generation chaebol? And so on.
The whispers were so loud that his face flushed.
Unable to bear the awkwardness, Siwoo quickly got into the car.
As soon as the car door closed, the sports car, which cost 30 million won just to change the engine oil, smoothly drove away, leaving behind only the murmurs of the people.
2.
Siwoo cautiously looked around the two-seater sports car, which he was riding in for the first time in his life.
It had sounded quite loud from the outside, but surprisingly, it was quiet inside.
Quiet enough not to disturb the old pop music that was flowing inside the car.
The seats, dashboard, and even the door panels were finished in leather.
The luxurious leather, which seemed like it would be cheaper to skin people and sell them, was so exquisite that he felt guilty just sitting on it.
The seats, which seemed to cling to his body, were ergonomically designed, providing a comfortable, almost reclining feel despite not being very spacious.
Parents often teach that you shouldn’t get into a car with someone you don’t know.
But if it were a car this cool, even his parents would probably hop in without hesitation.
“Is there anything you want to eat?”
“No, I’m fine.”
“Are you feeling okay?”
“Thanks to the witch, I’m fine.”
Periwinkle had saved Siwoo from a near-death experience before.
Siwoo knew how much of an existence beyond common sense a great witch was.
The 15th level of merging instinct and self-magic.
From this stage, a witch does not suffer self-inflicted injuries from her own magic unless she intends to.
Since survival and living are human nature, the magic within the body refuses self-harm.
The activation of “autonomous defense” against surrounding threats is also in the same context.
The 20th level, which can only be reached by jumping five levels from there.
From this point, a witch’s self-magic twists the order and mysteries of the world.
She is recognized as a great witch who ignores the laws of nature, the laws of physics, and even the validity of the real world.
Siwoo had encountered many great witches since his days as a slave, but it had been a long time since he had felt this nervous.
Perhaps it was because he didn’t know what the other party’s intentions were.
“Why are you so nervous? You can be a little excited. Don’t you like cars?”
Periwinkle, who had been driving smoothly without getting caught by a single traffic light, turned to look at him and asked.
She asked, casting a subtle gaze through her sparkling glasses lenses.
“No, I like them. But I’m just so amazed. I never thought I’d ever ride in a car like this.”
“Right? There are only three in Korea. The government gave it to me as a gift for building a hotel.”
No wonder the license plate was a bit different…
Korea wasn’t some desperately poor third-world country, so there was no way they would give her a car worth billions of won just for building a hotel.
Perhaps it was because a witch building a hotel in Seoul =〉she would stay in Korea often and for a long time for management =〉she would also hunt homunculi as a side job, so they would try to keep her here with a gift offensive… or something like that.
Well, it was just a guess.
“It’s amazing.”
At Siwoo’s response, Periwinkle laughed.
When he looked at her questioningly, she turned her gaze to the passenger seat and said,
“You’re still nervous and clueless.”
“Ah, it’s late, but thank you so much for saving me back then.”
“That’s not what I meant. Oh, right, how’s that girl? Was it Evergreen?”
“I heard she’s unconscious, but it’s not dangerous. That’s also thanks to you. Thank you so much.”
“It’s fine, it’s not like I did it for free.”
The last words sent a chill down his spine.
In fact, the reason Siwoo couldn’t just relax and enjoy the car was because of that context.
There’s no such thing as a free lunch.
How exactly was she going to collect the debt of two lives?
Rather than feeling uneasy and agonizing over it, he was contemplating whether to ask her directly when they seemed to have arrived at their destination.
It was a fine dining restaurant operating without a sign in Myeongdong.
“You said you weren’t hungry, but I made a reservation for this place. It’s a shame to just leave, so how about we have a meal together?”
“It’s not like I’m in a position to refuse.”
“Good answer.”
Periwinkle got out of the car, tossed the keys to the valet parking attendant without looking back, and walked ahead leisurely.
A restaurant that could probably fit up to 100 seats if packed to the brim.
In the restaurant, which had a wide and high ceiling like the barn Siwoo used to live in, only one table covered with a white cloth stood like a lonely island.
“Let’s go.”
As if it were natural, Periwinkle was guided to her seat by a server, ordered an aperitif, and then put a napkin around her neck.
“Did you rent the whole place?”
“Sometimes I’m drawn to the hustle and bustle, but not today. Was your name Siwoo? A toast to Siwoo’s safe return.”
“Thank you.”
As they awkwardly raised their wine glasses, Periwinkle chuckled and elegantly sipped her wine.
Siwoo also took a sip of wine and glanced at Periwinkle, who was sitting across from him.
Earlier, she had been sitting right next to him, and he hadn’t had a chance to observe her properly, but now he could see her quite leisurely.
As expected of a witch, she had the beauty of a femme fatale.
Her dark navy blue hair, which couldn’t exist naturally, was casually tied up, yet it didn’t look out of place.
That’s how well it suited her.
Her sensual figure was clad in a tight-fitting shirt dress, with a couple of buttons undone, revealing a cleavage as deep as Sharon’s. Her full, rose-colored lips shone redder than the wine, adding a touch of sensuality.
Finally, the natural beauty mark under her eye was so captivating that it could instantly capture any man.
It was an atmosphere that only a woman who had honed her innate sex appeal and knew her charms could exude.
“You can stare more. It’s not like I’ll wear out.”
Periwinkle, who was definitely savoring the wine with her eyes closed, somehow knew and gave Siwoo a sly smile.
Siwoo was flustered, not expecting to be caught.
“You were really looking?”
He realized he had been had when Periwinkle laughed so hard that her chair rattled.
Periwinkle was a completely different type of witch from Sharon, who was quite clumsy, and the equally clumsy Tiferet.
She was like a sly fox.
“If I may be so bold, you asked me to fulfill a request that day.”
“I did, in exchange for killing the drowned witch.”
“Could I hear what that request is first?”
“It’s not a difficult task.”
Siwoo swallowed hard.
“Fulfill 100 of my requests.”
He barely managed to swallow the words “That’s a bit gangster-like” that had risen to the tip of his tongue.
Just as he was wondering whether this childish remark was serious or not, Periwinkle chuckled again and emptied her second glass.
“You don’t get any of my jokes. Why are you so serious? And speak more casually. It’s not like anyone’s going to eat you.”
If it were that easy to be casual just because someone told you to, no one would have a hard time.
Periwinkle fiddled with her fingertips and muttered, “Then what should I ask for?”
It was as if she was enjoying watching Siwoo squirm.
“Ah! This would be good. From now on, follow me around for the rest of your life.”
“Excuse me…?”
“Follow me on trips, go for drives like today, and sometimes have meals together. How about it?”
Siwoo barely managed to grasp her intention.
In fact, he should have already guessed what she would ask for after hearing the proposal at the contact point.
She wanted a male pet to stick by her side.
And that request was difficult to fulfill.
“I’m sorry, but I don’t think I can do that. I’m really grateful for saving my life, but…”
“Really? Then just hang out with me for a day, or maybe two.”
The hurdle dropped as easily as flipping a hand.
A day or two out of a lifetime.
She seemed to say it without any hesitation, so he couldn’t tell what was serious and what was a joke.
“What’s your answer?”
“If it’s just that much, I can do it.”
“And one more thing, act like a natural boyfriend. I can’t stand things that are stiff and boring. I won’t scold you for being rude.”
“I’ll try my best.”
“Then, would you tell me your story? How did a man become a witch? I want to hear it from your own mouth.”
He hesitated for a moment, but then, along with the amuse-bouche that had just arrived, he began to unfold his eventful life story.
