City ​​of Witches 264

Chapter 264 – #59_Salvation(3)

#262

1.
Witches, by nature, do not take orders from anyone.
They merely complete their tasks within a set system.
Therefore, grand titles like a duke of Gehenna or a branch manager of a location point did not grant the authority to command them.

Sua Agasa had personally visited and secured the assistance of seven witches for any unforeseen circumstances.
They each occupied a sofa in the branch manager’s office, sitting in their own comfortable positions.
To an outsider, it might have looked like a beauty pageant or an audition for a lead role.
With their diverse hair colors, eye colors, and skin tones, they were all exceptionally beautiful.

“Haaahm~ What’s the fuss so early in the morning?”

The ‘Witch of Agriculture,’ who appeared to be about 170cm tall, yawned widely and leaned back on the sofa.
Her healthy, tanned skin and revealing, provocative dress were disheveled, accentuating her firm thighs as she casually crossed her legs.

Everyone else was mostly silent, but the atmosphere was similar.
To be more precise, it felt like, ‘Do we really have to do this?’ or ‘This is such a pain.’
They seemed more interested in Siwoo, who had naturally joined their group, than in why the branch manager had called them.

“Hi? I’ve heard a lot about you, but it’s my first time seeing you in person.”

Evelyn Imhotep, the Witch of Agriculture, who was dangling her high heels from her toes, winked at Siwoo with a flirtatious gesture.

“Hello.”

Siwoo gave a perfunctory reply.

He wasn’t in the mood for such flirtation, especially today.
The news Della had delivered as soon as she woke up had shocked Siwoo.
To put it in an easier analogy, it was like hearing that a large-scale virus attack was planned in the middle of Seoul by a radical armed religious group.

It was no joke.
All ten million people living in Seoul were truly in danger.
Just like the horrific massacre that had occurred at the department store in the exhibition hall before.
The sight of the dark interior soaked in blood and scattered intestines was still vivid in Siwoo’s mind, making his stomach churn.

“I would like to express my gratitude to everyone who has gathered here today.”

Sua, who had prepared materials for the briefing, entered the branch manager’s office with a large chalkboard floating in the air with telekinesis.

“Indeed, it would have been sufficient to contact us by mail or on paper.”

The somewhat curt reply came from Patricia Kazad, the ‘Witch of Glass.’
With skin so transparent it was almost see-through and a complexion so pale,
she looked like a mythical snow woman brought to life.

“I sincerely apologize for summoning you with such short notice, as this matter is extremely urgent.”
“Hey, do you have to say it like that? You were probably just cooped up in your room scribbling magic anyway.”
“It seems the concept of wasting time doesn’t exist for witches who turn their backs on their duties and only pursue pleasure.”

Patricia and Evelyn seemed to be close, exchanging a few words with each other.
In fact, it wasn’t just them; the atmosphere was generally chaotic.
Even an elementary school class meeting would have shown more focus.

“Seoul is now facing an unprecedented crisis. It is a trap more significant than any disaster and more meticulously planned than any threat.”

Sua relayed everything she had heard from Della.
The Witch of Cowardice’s plan was a large-scale massacre.
The preparations for it were already complete.
She also revealed everything about the White Knight’s existence and strength, without hiding anything.
She even mentioned that getting involved in this situation was extremely dangerous.

The witches gathered here were not here to uphold justice.
They were essentially mercenaries hired with the promise of fair compensation.

If Sua were to lie, they would not hesitate to withdraw if they faced an unexpected crisis.
It was better to tell the truth from the start and ask for genuine cooperation than to have a plan tailored to the number of people fall apart.

“……”
“……”

As Sua calmly explained the situation, the chaotic atmosphere settled down.
Instead, the witches looked at Sua with different expressions.
Some were indifferent, some were shocked, and some were apathetic.

“Okay, I’ve heard enough. Let’s forget about our previous conversation.”

One of the witches, who was wearing a very old-fashioned witch’s robe despite being in the modern world, left without hesitation.
She was a witch from the Emerald Tablet, whom they had painstakingly invited from Gehenna.
It seemed she had given up quickly, thinking her compatibility with the White Knight’s characteristics was not good.

“I’m sorry. The story is very different from what I heard. I’ll be going now. Goodbye…”

Another witch from the location point, who had been hesitant, also got up and left.
Excluding Siwoo, Sua, Eloa, and Della, there were only five people left.

“I want to hear about the plan. Surely you’re not asking for help without any preparations?”

Evelyn asked, crossing her legs the other way, and Eloa, who had been silently observing the situation, stepped forward.

“Before the ‘altar’ created by the Witch of Cowardice is completed, we will enter the closed tunnel where she has set up her workshop.”

If they just sat here, the initiative of the situation would be completely taken over by Sochitl.
As Della had said, no matter how strong Eloa was, she couldn’t stop the rain with her bare hands.

Della didn’t know exactly what Sochitl’s altar was for.
However, if Sochitl let the White Knights run rampant, there would be casualties, and neither Eloa nor Sua wanted that.

“That seems too dangerous. If the hornet’s nest is stirred, the Witch of Cowardice won’t stay still.
She’ll realize her plan has been disrupted and lash out.”
“Sua has prepared a countermeasure for that. She will cast a barrier over the entire city of Seoul. Unlike a typical otherworld barrier, it will not allow free passage in and out.”

Over the past few days, Sua had placed pillars inscribed with binding spells throughout the location point.
The Witch of Cowardice’s goal was mass slaughter.
If she realized that there were no humans to kill even if she deployed the White Knights, she would surely attack to break the barrier.
The barrier Sua had set up was a very standard sealing technique, except for its massive scale.

“I will focus on maintaining and protecting the barrier.”

Sua’s role was to stop that and maintain the otherworld barrier to prevent civilians from getting caught up in it.

“Then what are we supposed to do?”
“Even I cannot face all the enemies at once. You will enter through different vertical ventilation shafts to disperse their forces.”
“In the end, it’s the same as having no plan at all.”

Patricia, who had been listening to Eloa, shook her head.
Her hair, whiter than the first snow, swayed back and forth.
It sounded plausible, but in reality, there were no safety measures or special strategies.
The three witches who realized this exchanged glances and left.

The only witches remaining were Evelyn, the Latina witch sitting with a bold posture, and Patricia, the Slavic witch with an icy expression.
They were confident in their own abilities and had a knack for magic that involved physical force.

Fewer people had remained than expected, but there was no choice.
If they delayed any longer and the ‘altar’ was completed, they didn’t know what variables might occur.
Now was the only gap where they could catch Sochitl off guard before she fully prepared.

“Thank you for staying.”

Eloa bowed respectfully to the two remaining witches.

“If they’re paying, I should at least pretend to work.”
“I’ll leave immediately if it gets dangerous. Don’t expect too much.”

The two witches replied as if it were nothing.
Siwoo quietly added his voice between them.

“I will also help in the battle.”
“Absolutely not!”

As expected, Eloa reacted with near hysteria.
And, exceeding expectations, she grabbed Siwoo’s collar with trembling hands.

“Come with me!”

Eloa, who had pulled Siwoo with a strength she hadn’t shown before, released his collar only after they were in the hallway.
Unlike before, when she had been maintaining her composure, her small frame was shaking like a bird caught in the rain.

“Do you know what you’re saying?”
“Yes, I know.”
“Didn’t you receive an ominous omen? You should be hiding and staying quiet, yet you want to jump into that chaos? Do you think you’re invincible just because you have a little bit of skill?”

Eloa was afraid.
She was terrified of losing Siwoo like this, of repeating another mistake.
That’s why she tried to break Siwoo’s will with a somewhat harsh tone and manner of speaking.

“Even the smallest bit of help is needed in this situation.”

Siwoo, who usually followed Eloa’s words without question, was different today.
He looked at Eloa with a straight gaze and conveyed his thoughts.

“I can handle quite a few White Knights now. Moreover, I have the clover that Periwinkle gave me as a safety measure, and the ‘contract’ that my master gave me. I won’t overdo it. I want to do anything I can within my limits.”
“I cannot allow it. I absolutely cannot allow it.”
“Master.”
“I will not listen. Your thoughts are not worth considering.”

Eloa covered her ears and refused to even start a conversation.
Siwoo’s hand gently rested on her shoulder.

Eloa wasn’t a fool.
She sensed that he had already made up his mind and that it was not something that could be swayed with a few words of persuasion.
Wasn’t the biggest reason Siwoo wanted to become stronger to protect people?

“You don’t have to worry too much. I have a teleportation device that allows me to escape at any time, and an music box that hides my presence, right? If I can buy just a little bit of time, I can run away.”

That’s why she wanted to stop him even more desperately.
Eloa vividly remembered what had happened to Lapi, who had said he wanted to fight for people.
She knew that Siwoo, who had overcome another wall, could certainly be used as a wildcard against the White Knights, but that was why she was trying to stop him.

Eloa grabbed Siwoo’s sleeve with a desperate voice and asked.

“Why do you insist on going? You don’t need to take such risks… No one will blame you. Even the witches with far more experience than you have left, haven’t they?”

In fact, what she said was not wrong.
No matter how much help they needed, it was uncertain how much of a contribution he would make to the battle.
He might end up killing a few White Knights at best and then having to run away.

“I know that too. I know that I can avoid this situation if I choose to.”

It was different from when he was forced onto the battlefield and had to risk his life.
Siwoo’s determination might be a reckless act, as Eloa had said.

“Then… why don’t you just avoid it? Why are you deliberately putting yourself in danger?”
“Master.”

Siwoo met Eloa’s crimson eyes with a serious gaze.

Siwoo didn’t think of himself as a special person.
He was full of mistakes, clumsy, and did incredibly stupid things.
Looking back, he had done so many foolish things that it made him laugh.

Shin Siwoo was a coward.
When a crisis struck, he wanted to close his eyes and turn his back, when he heard voices asking for help, he wanted to cover his ears and pretend he didn’t hear, and when death approached, he wasn’t composed and his legs would tremble.

However, one unwavering belief always remained in his heart.
That belief was what his life had taught him.

“If I had only run away every time I could have, I probably wouldn’t be here right now.”

If he had settled for a life of slavery where only the bare necessities were barely guaranteed, he would never have been able to use magic like he did now.
If he had chosen to run away from the terrifying homunculus and the public enemy, he and his twin might have become food.

There was always fear.
But the courage to take one step forward in those situations where he wanted to close his eyes was what had made Shin Siwoo who he was today.

What happened when he was paralyzed by fear and couldn’t do anything?
He almost lost Sharon to the vengeful spirit of a drowned witch.
At least in his life, there was never a time when the place he ran away to was a paradise.

“I understand your concern. I’m sorry, but I don’t want to see innocent people die. If I have the power, I want to help as much as I can.”

Eloa could no longer stop him.
She felt such a strong sense of déjà vu from his words.

At that moment, she even felt that if she told him, ‘It’s not your duty,’ and urged him to give up, she would go back to the time when she had ignored Lapi’s pleas.
To her foolish and immature past self.

Eloa closed her eyes.
Her long, beautiful eyelashes trembled with emotion.

“I understand. But don’t leave my side.”
“Thank you for understanding…”
“And…!”

Eloa said, holding Siwoo’s hand tightly as he tried to lower his head.

“If it seems even a little dangerous, run away without hesitation.”
“Yes, that was my intention from the start.”

Siwoo, who held the hand that was too small to have defeated such powerful enemies, reassured Eloa.