Chapter 351 – #77_Tutor
#349
1.
My beloved daughter.
Countess Yesod’s project to boost Diana’s motivation and establish diligent living habits for the listless Diana.
The project name is grand, but in truth, Countess Lucy is confident that she has already done everything she could for Diana.
The tearful expulsion from the house was nothing, and she had even searched for medicines that were good for her health.
The amount of money spent to find hobbies that Diana would enjoy could have bought several fine villas in Lenormand Town.
The result, as you can see, was the same.
For a short time, an hour at the shortest, a week at the longest, she would show interest or seem to break free from her slug-like existence.
But in the end, she would always return to square one.
It only added to Countess Yesod’s sighs.
However, recently, things have been a little different.
Due to a ‘certain variable’ that had never existed before, Diana was showing unprecedented enthusiasm and passion, seemingly breaking free from her reclusive life.
That variable was the male witch Diana had met at the host bar.
Moreover, the fact that she became dejected as soon as she could no longer see that witch seemed to fit the situation quite well.
Therefore, Countess Yesod decided to prepare a gift and a rehabilitation strategy for Diana.
She was thinking of making the male witch Diana’s tutor.
“Hmm…”
Thus, she gave a heads-up to Count Jemenei in the morning and visited his mansion in person.
She was curious about the male witch who had been making a stir in Gehenna lately, but more than anything, she couldn’t just put any man next to Diana.
She didn’t think for a moment that Diana, who was so picky and proud, would fall for a man.
If there was a problem, it would be that the male witch, upon seeing the world’s prettiest and cutest Diana, would fall head over heels and become clingy.
“Is this the research lab…?”
The 12th research lab in the mansion.
The countess held her breath and quietly opened the door.
As expected of the Jemenei family, which has shown outstanding results in various magic tool businesses, apart from self-magnetic magic, the experimental equipment in the lab was also of high quality.
At first glance, it looked like she had entered an antique shop, with a parade of old-fashioned objects, and she could see the back of a man.
A table that allows observation while minimizing stimulation to the subject of analysis.
On it, a pillar wrapped in something like a black ribbon was floating.
But at this moment, Countess Lucy’s gaze was naturally drawn to something other than that unidentified test subject.
“Oh my…?”
They say a man speaks with his back?
The man’s broad back, with a towel around his neck and examining a magic device in his hand.
The sharply cut muscles, unobstructed by body fat, reflected even the slightest movement.
It didn’t feel like a bodybuilder’s showy display.
Rather, it felt like the muscles were tightly packed and compressed inward.
Countess Lucy, who had been frozen in a daze for a while, shook her head.
What a ridiculous thing to do.
Of course, it was a very pleasing back to look at, and just looking at it made her smile with satisfaction, but the purpose of her visit today was not to feast her eyes.
“Excuse me.”
She cleared her throat and called out to him in a voice befitting a countess, elegant and refined.
When he turned around, having been so focused, Countess Lucy held her breath for a moment.
It was the first time she had seen a male witch.
Naturally, it was also the first time she had seen a man who was a spirit.
There are several benefits to becoming a spirit.
The most noticeable of these is that they become beautiful.
As if undergoing a metamorphosis, scars and blemishes disappear, and the body takes on the optimal form in which it can naturally exist.
And his appearance was indeed beautiful enough to glimpse the effects of being a spirit.
Like his back, his black hair was slightly damp with sweat, his eyes were filled with melancholy, and his jawline was sharp.
If she only saw this much, he would clearly be the pretty-boy type that Countess Lucy disliked the most.
But the prominent Adam’s apple and the muscles that were just as impressive as his back, like those of a gymnast.
Adding to that, the leather eyepatch that seemed to have gone through quite a few hardships, gave off a masculine vibe.
The man, who had been looking at the countess in surprise, smiled and bowed politely.
“It is an honor to meet such a noble person.”
At this point, the countess was a little more surprised.
She could feel the polite tone and the etiquette that seemed ingrained in him.
With his outstanding appearance and gentlemanly attitude, the countess felt her heart tighten.
To be excited by a man.
It was a feeling she hadn’t felt for a very long time, a sensation that was familiar but had become unfamiliar.
“You must be Countess Lucy Yesod.”
When he identified her and even called her by name.
The countess had to suppress the corners of her mouth from rising with satisfaction.
She was pleased that she was so famous that even a newly turned witch could recognize her, satisfaction stack 1.
“Do you know me?”
“Yes, I was deeply impressed while studying the First Law of Yesod’s Magic Field, which you wrote, Countess.”
While lowering his gaze, he did not appear subservient.
She was pleased that her magic research results were praised with well-controlled movements, satisfaction stack 2.
The countess composed her twitching lips and subtly averted her gaze as she asked.
No.
Actually, she wanted to avoid his gaze, but her eyes kept going back to him.
He had a very solid-looking body…
A desire to touch him suddenly arose.
“By the way… do you always do research in that attire?”
“I apologize. I just finished sparring.”
The man, not at all flustered by the countess’s comment, put on a white shirt.
The white fabric fluttered, and a wild, sweaty scent wafted over.
This was also a scent she hadn’t smelled in a very long time.
The way he adjusted his shirt cuffs was so distracting that the countess bit the inside of her cheek to regain her composure.
She had come without much thought, but he was so handsome and had such a great body that she was shaken, but that was it.
No matter how lonely she had been for a long time, if she were so easily distracted by this level of stimulation, she would have met another man long ago.
Therefore, she had no intention of being swayed by a momentary impulse or showing him a disgraceful side of herself.
Let’s test him at this point.
“May I ask what brings you here?”
Countess Lucy calmed her recklessly beating heart and looked at him.
He was even more amazing up close.
This was not to satisfy her personal desires, but for a test.
She repeated this to herself as she unbuttoned his shirt one by one.
“Your buttons are misaligned.”
She had been licking her parched lips with her tongue since a while ago, and she unbuttoned his shirt one by one.
Unfortunately, the pectoral and abdominal muscles that had been hidden by the shirt reappeared.
She gently placed her hand on his chest, which she had wanted to touch since earlier, and stroked it lightly with her fingertips.
It was perfectly firm.
And it was still hot, as if the heat from his workout was still lingering.
“Is this research lab… frequently visited by people?”
If he was a man who was weak to temptation, he would have fallen for her here.
He might wrap his arms around her waist with those bulging veins and say, ‘Shall we go somewhere quieter?’
If that were the case, then it would be a shame…
A shame…
A shame?
Anyway, it would be a shame, but he would no longer be qualified to be Diana’s tutor.
It would mean that he couldn’t control himself even with such a light temptation.
“Count Jemenei often visits. And I haven’t received an answer as to why you came to see me, Countess.”
With his sharp refusal and his shaking off of the countess’s hand, the countess sighed inwardly.
The test was passed.
As Deneb had told her before, he didn’t seem to be an unreasonable person.
But what was this feeling of having to just lick the surface of a delicious sugar-coated donut and put it down?
Now that it had come to this, it was time to get to the point.
“The reason I came here is because I have a proposal for you.”
2.
Countess Yesod was a witch who spoke in a very old-fashioned manner, like a queen who had popped out of a play.
As she guessed, after some kind of test was over.
Siwoo sat quietly in a chair and listened to the countess’s proposal.
“A tutor? Me?”
“Yes, as I explained earlier, it’s a tutor to cure our Diana’s… laziness.”
Siwoo wasn’t a witch with a magically solid foundation, and he wondered what she meant by suddenly saying he was a tutor.
And her proposal was much simpler than Siwoo had thought.
“How am I supposed to cure her laziness?”
“By keeping Diana company during her leisure time and finding things to play with… I guess?”
“Is that really all?”
“Yes.”
Countess Yesod stated her intention to hire a tutor to cure her apprentice witch Diana Yesod’s laziness.
The only image of Diana he had seen so far was her rushing at him, demanding to play games, so he hadn’t noticed at all.
It seemed that she had such a nature from the beginning.
“Of course, I don’t intend to use you without compensation. If there’s anything you want, tell me. Our Yesod family is sure to give and take.”
The countess made another proposal, as if she could see him hesitating.
This was a golden opportunity.
If he could get the help of the Yesod family, the problem of controlling the Red Branch, which Siwoo was struggling with alone, would also get on the right track.
It meant that he wouldn’t have to go through the bumpy trial and error process of pulling a cart with his bare hands, as he was doing now.
But would they help with magic research that utilizes self-magnetic magic just for being a playmate for an apprentice witch?
Therefore, he asked cautiously.
“I’m studying things related to fields… could you help me with that?”
“You want help with your research? Okay. Let’s do that.”
Fortunately, Countess Yesod readily nodded and looked at the Red Branch on the table.
“You want to handle this, right?”
“Yes, that’s right.”
“Hmm, it might be rude to say this when you’re asking for a favor, but… I’ll consider this contract to be renewed every week, not permanent. If Diana doesn’t like that…”
“It’s Shin Siwoo.”
“Thank you. Anyway, if Shin Siwoo doesn’t please her, I don’t need to take the time to help you.”
“I understand.”
That was within his expectations.
Compared to a baron, which was practically an honorary title, a countess was often heavily involved in the management of Gehenna, and just looking at Count Jemenei, he was incredibly busy with magic research and business.
In the first place, being able to receive research help from a countess-level witch in exchange for a simple job as a playmate was an exploitative exchange.
“Shall we take a look right away? This is the Red Branch that the Red Knight is said to have.”
“Right now?”
“Yes, I’m also personally interested. Would you release the seal?”
The countess was more proactive than Siwoo had thought since earlier.
It was like a high-level player stepping in to help him with a stage he was stuck on.
There was nothing to hold back, but there was one thing he was worried about.
“Countess Yesod, with all due respect, there are too many magic tools here. If we release the seal here…”
At Siwoo’s worried expression, Countess Yesod smiled as if she was tickled.
Her eyes, full of laughter, turned to Siwoo as if he was cute.
“Oh my? You’re more cautious than you look. I can handle that much. If you’re really worried…”
Countess Yesod unfolded a white fan with a snap.
With a silver magical reflection that resembled a clear moonlight, her beautiful voice recited the activation words like a song.
“Pure intellect.”
At the same time, several layers of fields enveloped the research lab.
The lab seemed several times brighter due to the light emanating from the field itself.
At the same time, the magic power inside the field was stabilized.
It had turned into a sterile place, fixed so that no variables could occur.
Siwoo could barely imitate one field, but she could unfold dozens of them as naturally as breathing.
Even Siwoo, who was lacking in his studies of fields, could understand why she was so famous as a countess.
“Now, release it, Mr. Shin Siwoo.”
The countess poked Siwoo in the side, who was looking at her with surprised eyes, and urged him on.
