Chapter 664 – #134_A Peculiar Date (5)
#664
1.
Compared to the modern world where news from the other side of the globe reaches you in minutes, the witch society is still slow with rumors.
First of all, there isn’t a solid community among witches.
Unlike the current world where you can access various news through social media and articles, witches tend to reject the latest technology.
Therefore, rumors are spread through letters or word-of-mouth, preferring the old ways.
Given this situation, Dorothy, who was enjoying a leisurely time on a secluded island after parting with Siwoo, only realized ten days later that he had been captured by Hexennacht.
Even Dorothy, who has considerable influence among the Qliphoth, was so late to receive the information, so Gehenna probably hasn’t even noticed yet.
What was Dorothy doing during that time?
She was swamped with work.
In an elegant office with a view of the jade-colored sea, Dorothy was holding a phone between her chin and shoulder while flipping through piles of documents.
“Sell all of it.”
[Excuse me? Are you going to sign the contract at this price?]
“What’s the big deal?”
[If you refuse just twice, you could get $20,000 more per unit.]
Dorothy calmly replied to her worried subordinate witch.
“It’s okay~ It’s okay~”
[…Then I will proceed as such.]
As you can tell from the fact that she’s been dealing with nuclear submarines for decades, Dorothy’s business is on a different scale.
Even this phone call was an encrypted communication through her own communication satellite.
As a businesswoman with excellent intuition and thorough planning, who has never lost a penny, Dorothy could easily increase her wealth in an instant if she used this war well.
However, in this golden opportunity.
She just lost at least ten million dollars with one phone call.
It was a foolish choice that even R’lyeh wouldn’t make if she were in Dorothy’s place.
“Ugh~ This is annoying.”
Dorothy put down the phone and carelessly threw the documents aside, her face clearly showing her annoyance.
“Can’t someone just take over?”
The reason she’s been so busy since returning to the workshop wasn’t because her business was bustling due to the war.
It was because there were so many things to take care of in the process of winding down her arms dealing business.
The witches she had as subordinates all tried to dissuade her as if she had gone crazy, but her decision was firm.
The reason why she was closing down a business that had been doing well, during this peak season.
Dorothy just brushed it off as a whim, but
unfortunately, she was too smart to be fooled by her own lies and excuses.
“How ridiculous.”
So, what was the reason?
It was because Shin Siwoo had expressed his dissatisfaction with her arms dealing business in the past.
Like a child who was scolded for not cleaning their room and then diligently cleans it, expecting praise.
She was cutting open the belly of the goose that lays golden eggs just because she wanted to see the happy expression on his face when she reunited with him and said, ‘I’ve closed down my business~’.
For the same reason, she also withdrew her investment in Hexennacht.
Decisions and reasons that Dorothy would have scoffed at just a few months ago.
“Like a naive maiden.”
Still, she had no regrets.
2.
Dorothy, who was spending her days busily, heard a surprising rumor from a subordinate witch who was giving a report.
It was the news that Shin Siwoo had been captured by Hexennacht.
Although she didn’t receive a fancy mansion and title because she withdrew her investment, Dorothy was still a senior executive of the Qliphoth.
She took her citizenship and went straight to Hexennacht to eavesdrop on additional rumors.
Fortunately, it wasn’t difficult to hear about him.
Unlike Gehenna, which had already lost interest, Hexennacht was buzzing with stories about the male witch.
According to the rumors, the male witch and the sword witch were lovers.
They were seen kissing each other at the auction house.
No, they were master and disciple.
The male witch was seen calling the sword witch ‘master’.
No, they were master and lover.
They were clearly enjoying a scandalous affair in private, though they were master and disciple in public, and so on. There were countless speculations and rumors.
Among them, if you filter out the sensational gossip and combine only the facts.
It was true that he was captured by the sword witch.
It was also true that he was casually walking around with her, not being treated as a prisoner or slave.
It was also confirmed that they were staying together at Hyangwolru.
“What kind of combination is this…”
Even if she didn’t know anything else, one thing was certain.
He was not staying in Hexennacht of his own free will.
As far as Dorothy knew, Shin Siwoo was not a man who belonged in this city.
He wouldn’t be rolling around among the public, saying he liked being a pure and innocent boy, except in bed.
He owed her a debt.
Therefore, she naturally made up her mind to rescue him.
If she didn’t repay it now, when would she?
“Well~ I’ll have to wait and see.”
However, Dorothy didn’t rashly contact him.
The world only sees Linne as a sword demon obsessed with swords.
As Dorothy had some interaction with the sword witch, she knew her tendencies well.
Linne was suspicious and quick-witted, unlike her appearance.
If Dorothy approached her suddenly, she was likely to be on high alert.
While she was pondering how to pursue a natural meeting.
“Lady Dorothy!”
A blue-haired witch with a flushed face came to find Dorothy, she was the ‘Gale Witch’.
It was a sudden visit, but Dorothy quickly listed the information about her in her head.
Her real name was Randa Sylphid.
Her rank was 19th.
She wasn’t a great witch, and her rank was low, but she was a key figure in the ‘Solidus Trading Company’ led by the ‘Golden Coin Witch’.
Dorothy, who was actively doing business, had been indebted to her several times.
Also, a long time ago, she seemed to have tumbled in bed with her a few times while drunk.
“Randa~ It’s been a while? What’s going on?”
“It’s perfect timing. I have a favor to ask, would that be okay?”
“A favor?”
“There’s a nasty guy I want to teach a lesson to.”
Although she said it was a favor, she was half-convinced that Dorothy would grant it.
Even though she was much lower in rank than Dorothy.
The reason why Randa, who was only a 19th rank, could casually ask Dorothy for a ‘favor’ was because of her special ability.
It was her unparalleled money laundering skills.
To use the huge profits earned through underground economic activities, which were not legitimate, money laundering was essential.
This process was especially important for those who were public figures and those who were exiled with public tendencies.
If you were lazy because you thought the 10% or 20% commission was a waste, it was common for your account to be frozen or your vault to be seized overnight.
If you got angry and tried to overturn it, the Witch Points, led by Duke Tiferet, were watching with their eyes wide open…
Such frustrating things happened frequently.
Even in the witch society, where rank and power were everything, it was still a society where people lived.
Among the public figures with money, few refused Randa’s advice or laundering.
In short, Randa was a witch with political backing and a lot of money.
“So, you see…!”
Randa, who still couldn’t calm down, was explaining the situation with gestures.
Randa’s tantrum, which she thought was just a troublesome request, unexpectedly brought a good opportunity.
It was an opportunity to naturally contact Shin Siwoo.
3.
“Is this the guy who looks so arrogant?”
Siwoo didn’t think that the witch he had a scuffle with earlier would buy him Melona as he had asked.
But he was even more surprised that she brought Dorothy with her.
“……”
Well, it wasn’t that strange.
Wasn’t Hexennacht a city of public figures?
Among the many witches, the fact that the witch she brought as her backer was Dorothy was probably a coincidence, no matter how you looked at it.
“Are you feeling special because people are curious about you as a male witch? You need to be taught a lesson~.”
She didn’t greet him as if she was happy to see him, nor did she act like she knew him.
Although it was a short exchange, Siwoo immediately guessed her intentions.
She was going to pretend that they had no acquaintance at all.
“How is it? I told you I’d see you again, right? Did you think I was easy to deal with because my rank is low?”
The blue-haired witch was jumping around, interpreting Siwoo’s dumbfounded face as a sign of distress.
She was puffed up with arrogance, even snorting.
“It’s not too late, so cry and beg for mercy.”
Dorothy boasted a clout that was no less than Linne’s.
Since a mere man had dared to pick a fight with her, she intended to punish him accordingly.
“What’s your business?”
Then, Linne’s sharp voice, which had been slurring after drinking half a bottle of soju, was heard.
“Sword Witch, I was publicly insulted by this male prostitute. I demand that he pay the price.”
She wasn’t just making a scene without a plan.
It wasn’t because this was Hexennacht, where fighting was strictly prohibited, that she was acting so confidently.
There were a basketful of witches who would be in trouble if something happened to Randa’s well-being.
Even the Sword Witch wouldn’t be able to withstand the political pressure and criticism if she directly harmed Randa. It was a frontal breakthrough based on that calculation.
“Explain the situation.”
“Linne, how have you been?”
It was Dorothy who responded to Linne’s words.
“As you can see~ this male witch seems to have said some very harsh words to our cute Randa. She suddenly came to me and asked me to protest. So, I came.”
“Is that true?”
“…That’s right. But there are circumstances.”
He could explain the whole situation if he wanted to…
But he had no idea how the situation was unfolding.
How could a witch with a low rank use a big shot like Dorothy in a trivial fight?
What was their relationship in the first place? He couldn’t figure out anything.
He decided to play it safe, as half the battle was won by staying still.
“Anyway, I just couldn’t stand it, so I rushed over here, you know?”
“Yes, right now! Kneel down and apologize!”
“……”
In the midst of the chaos, Siwoo felt a sense of crisis.
It was because Linne had grabbed the hilt of her sword under the table.
Her hand, which had been trembling due to intoxication, was now steady, and she was quietly pulling out her sword with her thumb.
He didn’t know what the blue-haired witch was relying on to act so cocky, but as Siwoo had observed, Linne had an unconventional side.
The suppressed killing intent that could only be felt right next to her proved it.
She was going to draw it.
And she was going to cut anything.
If Linne’s position was shaken, Siwoo’s position as her prisoner would also be shaken.
Just as he was about to stop her from causing a disaster.
“It’s Randa, who is so naive that she thinks she can order around the great Dorothy, and that the Sword Witch would be her enemy with just one word from her.
When such a childish person comes back with a flushed face, saying she was insulted, how could I not come~”
Dorothy turned the arrow towards a strange place.
