Chapter 288 – #64_Twins And Sharon
#286
1.
After the events in Seoul had come to a close.
Siwoo sent word through Elroa that he would be heading straight to Gehenna.
He had also heard that Sharon, who had collapsed after being attacked by the drowned witch, had recovered, so he wanted to see her face.
He had to see the twins, who were probably waiting eagerly for their assistant.
He also had to play with Takasho, who was left alone and lonely without any friends.
And he also had a lot to say to Amelia, who had faced the worst kind of farewell… but.
An unforeseen situation occurred, and his trip to Gehenna was slightly delayed.
“Hmm… this is a problem, a problem.”
Siwoo was looking at the ‘Red Branch’ placed on his desk.
Around it, a complex magical formula was embroidered on a magic scroll that was rolling around.
Recently, Siwoo had been diligently trying to control the Red Branch.
He had become a spirit and couldn’t die from old age, and he had also become the first male witch.
He didn’t know what would happen in the long life ahead of him.
Putting aside his sense of justice, you could say he felt the need to prepare for his old age?
“Haa… is this even possible?”
Generally, an artifact refers to an object that contains magic within it.
For example, an music box that plays the Song of Serenity semi-permanently, or the Janissary that the twins carry for self-defense.
But going a step further, an artifact that exerts magic comparable to magnetic magic or acts as a catalyst is called an ‘Emblem’, like the wand that Sharon carries or the Red Branch.
To explain a bit more, artifacts are relatively easy to mass-produce or create, making them rare items, while emblems are unique or legendary items.
But as they say, there’s no such thing as a free lunch.
He had obtained a good item, but Siwoo couldn’t even touch the Red Branch properly.
“I have no idea where to even start.”
Siwoo sighed as he looked at the Red Branch, which was wrapped in a black ribbon and had become almost as thick as a tree trunk.
The delay in going to Gehenna was all because of this Red Branch.
Even though it was thoroughly wrapped in ribbon, the coordinates of the pass were messed up due to the extremely powerful distortion field.
If he tried to enter Gehenna like this, he didn’t know what kind of trouble would occur, so he gave up for now and was stuck at home analyzing it.
“It would be great if I could use it properly…”
The Red Branch, which constantly emitted a dangerous distortion field like a nuclear fuel rod.
He had managed to make it ‘portable’ by using the Maiden’s Loom and manipulating the weaving method, but this was only a temporary measure.
Even though Siwoo put his heart and soul into weaving the ribbon, the distortion field slowly corroded it.
Therefore, even if it was wrapped so thoroughly, he had to replace the entire ribbon every day, and it still scattered a subtle distortion field around it.
But conversely, if he could fully harness this terrifying power, it would mean that Siwoo’s preparations for his old age would also take a step forward.
So, he was seriously researching it…
But it wasn’t as easy as it sounded.
No matter how much he looked at the flow of magic with his eyes, his current magical knowledge had clear limitations.
The distortion field itself was difficult to interpret, as if it were a kind of magnetic magic.
He had a unique item in his hands, but he couldn’t use it because of the usage restrictions, which was a bit disappointing.
“Is it not going well?”
Just then, the door creaked open and Elroa walked in with a light step.
Her ponytail, the color of spring cherry blossoms, swayed gently from side to side.
She was holding a tray with coffee and fruit on it.
“Thank you, Master. This is harder than I thought.”
Siwoo got up from his seat, took the tray, and sat on the sofa.
Elroa often provided snacks for Siwoo, who had been engrossed in research all day for several days.
Elroa smiled warmly and looked at the magic scroll that Siwoo had scribbled on.
“It would be nice if I could be of any help. How about moving your body a bit? Sitting at your desk all day will only narrow your thinking.”
Of course, Elroa was also an excellent witch.
But unfortunately, she used a language magic that did not use magic fields at all, so she could not help with the interpretation of the Red Branch.
Also, even if she took enough time to interpret it, there was no way that Siwoo could follow the Red Branch, which was interpreted according to Elroa’s magnetic magic system.
“You’re already helping me a lot. I think I’ll postpone training for a while. I want to go to Gehenna first.”
Siwoo smiled wryly and expressed his reluctance to Elroa’s suggestion.
It was true that sparring with Elroa was beneficial and fun, but it also consumed a lot of his stamina.
It seemed right to focus on research for now.
“If I go to Gehenna, I can use better quality materials and research equipment, so I’m thinking of changing the weaving method of the ribbon just enough to carry this through the portal.”
“How long do you think it will take?”
“If it’s just that much, I think two or three days will be enough.”
One of Elroa’s eyebrows rose slightly in surprise.
According to his words, it meant that the research had progressed to the point where he could completely shield a type of magic field that he had never dealt with before in less than a week.
In fact, he should be proud of himself, not just groaning like that.
It was so like Siwoo not to boast about such things.
“I thought you were just spinning your wheels because you looked so frustrated. You are indeed my disciple.”
“You’re doing it again.”
Elroa, who had gotten a taste for praising him, smiled slightly as she watched Siwoo scratch his head awkwardly.
Although it was temporary, it was a teacher’s joy to see her disciple grow.
But these days, she enjoyed teasing Siwoo and seeing him flustered even more.
Yes, this level of distance was just right.
This relationship, which was warm, harmonious, and full of mutual trust.
Elroa thought so and fed Siwoo an apple that she had poked with a fork.
2.
While Siwoo was still pondering how to cross the portal with the Red Branch.
Sharon was pacing in front of the twins’ study room.
She was circling around on the red carpet that covered the entire hallway to prevent the class from being disturbed by external noise, trying to calm her troubled mind.
“Huu…”
Last night, Sharon had visited Albireo and accepted her proposal.
It was easy to explain and easy to say, but it was a decision she had made after a lot of thought.
So that when she met Siwoo again, she could be a confident lover who could stand side by side with him.
She wanted to transform from Sharon, who had only received, to Sharon, who gave generously.
If that part was somehow mentally prepared…
The real problem was that her stomach was more upset now that she had to start teaching.
“Okay, no problem.”
Sharon, who had been circling like a dog chasing its tail, took a deep breath and opened the door to the classroom.
What she saw as soon as she entered was a fireplace that took up one side of the wall and a window overlooking a beautiful garden.
Desks placed side by side opposite the teacher’s desk and blackboard.
At those desks sat the aristocratic twin young ladies, who looked exactly alike.
Their unrealistically glossy black hair and their trademark, signature large half-bonnets immediately caught her eye.
Sharon, who had been carrying various teaching materials she had prepared to teach the twins, and had been pretending to be calm.
As soon as she entered the classroom, she realized that her expectations were somewhat correct.
“……”
“……”
A cold silence, not just a feeling, filled the air.
Sharon and the twins had met before.
When the twins had made a surprise visit to the present with Count Deneb, they had watched movies together and eaten delicious things.
At that time, the twins had felt like cute younger sisters.
In fact, the twins had followed Sharon well like an older sister.
But.
The feeling was completely different now that they had reunited.
“……”
“……”
Sharon swallowed involuntarily.
The twins were staring intently at Sharon with eyes that were as cold as ice.
Their eyes, more beautiful than jewels, locked onto Sharon as she moved from the door to the front of the teacher’s desk.
It was exactly the same as when they had first discovered Sharon living with Siwoo.
Wary.
Suspicious.
Eyes that seemed to have some kind of dissatisfaction and scheme hidden deep inside.
This was somewhat expected when Count Albireo directly intervened in their love life.
If winning love was a war, then Sharon was clearly recognized as an ‘enemy country’ by the twins.
The count hadn’t said it herself, but the fact that she was so actively involved in the love life of a novice witch meant that the twins had likely asked her to do so.
But there was no reason to be intimidated already.
After all, the twins were just novice witches.
Sharon was a 20th-level great witch who had completely overcome incomplete succession.
Even if they were rivals or whatever, and were competing for Siwoo, class was class.
To lead the twins, who looked like tomboys, it was essential to take the initiative.
“Hello, I’m Sharon Evergreen, and I’ll be in charge of the lectures on the theory of the four elements and elemental application magic from today.”
However, despite her bold heart and cold appearance, Sharon was a bit of a scaredy-cat.
Even as she spoke with a solemn tone, her heart was pounding.
“Hello. I’m glad you’ve recovered.”
“Hello. I’m glad you look healthy.”
The twins also greeted Sharon with polite respect, as if they had made a promise.
It was different from how they had acted affectionately during the short time they had spent together in the present.
It was a subtle battle of nerves that made it easy to feel the distance.
She was bitter and secretly upset by the twins’ changed attitude, whom she thought she had become somewhat close to.
Without showing it, Sharon grabbed the chalk and immediately started the OT for the class.
Before starting the class, she had to talk about what parts she would teach and what parts needed preparation.
For a novice witch, studying magic was like laying the foundation before building a building.
How firmly they built it would affect the degree and speed at which they acquired magic from their imprints, so it was very important.
“Okay, so we’ll be learning a total of 12 parts over the course of a year. You’ll be given assignments based on what you’ve learned each week. And we’ll check your academic progress through regular exams at the end of each month.”
“Yes.”
“Yes.”
The conversation ended with a curt answer, leaving no room for further discussion.
“Do you have any questions?”
The twins exchanged glances.
Without saying anything, they nodded to each other and then spoke.
“No.”
“No.”
“…Then let’s start with the first chapter.”
Sharon referred to the textbook and quickly wrote an elemental magic formula on the blackboard.
It was time to find out the twins’ skills first.
“First, Odile, would you like to solve this problem?”
“Yes.”
Odile got up from her seat and walked to the blackboard.
Today’s class continued in a state of tension, like a truce negotiation table from beginning to end.
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Amelia’s second fan art drawn by Haet Eomuk!
I didn’t know that a witch’s outfit could be so seductive!
The panty line on her hips is so artistic that I forgot to control my pace and ended up writing a lot of chapters…!
Thank you so much!