Chapter 108 – #24_회귀
#106
1.
“Ugh… hnn… ugh…”
Ea staggered to her feet.
Her body, which had been rolled on the ground like an animal, forcefully pinned down and raped, was covered in red handprints, dirt, and dried moss.
As she stood unsteadily, semen flowed endlessly between her legs.
Each time Ea’s buttocks, which had been brutally violated for two hours, twitched, they pumped out white baby seeds.
He repeatedly stole Ea’s magic.
Compared to the first time, the power to draw out the magic engraved on the brand was weaker, so he couldn’t steal it as easily as when he took her virginity.
Even so, Ea had one more magic formula stolen from her.
The ‘vessel’ she had obtained when she hunted the apprentice witch of Duke Tiphereth in the past.
“Haaam…”
Shiwoo yawned widely and sat on a rock, ignoring Ea.
He was waving his hand in the air, checking the spoils he had obtained.
The spoils were so luxurious that he had no energy to pay attention to anything else.
“Another… another tier…”
Tier 13.
Her lower abdomen, which had been covered with brands, was now bare.
In just two hours, a tier that would take at least a hundred years of desperate hunting to achieve had been taken away.
She had become a half-baked witch who couldn’t even activate her autonomous defense.
Ea gritted her teeth and glared at Shiwoo, who was writing something in the air with his finger.
“I’ll kill you.”
This place was full of mana.
There wasn’t enough time to convert the absorbed mana, but if she took a little risk of damaging her mana circuits, she could start round two.
Ea, her brow furrowed, glared at Shiwoo resentfully, then turned her back sharply.
It hadn’t been long since she had been defeated by letting her emotions get the better of her.
Her whole body’s instincts, her intuition, and her accumulated battle experience were telling her.
No matter what preparations she made, this fight was ‘guaranteed to be lost.’
“Kuh…! Just you wait! I’ll repay this humiliation a hundred, a thousand, no, a billion times over!”
Ea shouted at Shiwoo, who didn’t even glance at the loser.
At the loud noise, Shiwoo’s gaze briefly turned towards Ea.
“Ugh…!”
His appearance when he overwhelmed her in magical combat without a single breath out of place.
His appearance when he raped her mercilessly.
His appearance when he stole her precious magic afterward.
Just a fleeting glance was enough to ignite a fear that had been hammered into her bones.
Ea.
Ea Sadalmelik, feeling fear towards a mere human man.
That was more humiliating than being raped.
“J-Just you wait!”
Ea, her steps faltering, disappeared through the gap created by the barrier separator, never taking her eyes off Shiwoo.
And soon, the narrowed gap reflected the tranquil scenery of Latifundium as if nothing had happened.
All that remained was Shiwoo, sitting on a rock, lost in thought.
2.
Amelia, who had brought her belongings to the research building and continued her research, felt a heavy lead weight pressing down on one side of her chest.
Even if she tried to think about something else, even if she smoked, the regret and sadness kept swirling in her head.
She knew that this sadness and pain would eventually fade.
As before, time would erase the traces of loss as if it were a lie.
She would forget someday, and someday she would even forget that she had forgotten.
Apart from such empty comfort, her mind was still repeatedly drawing only one scene.
“You… bitch…”
Shiwoo, who had thrown a harsh word at Amelia as soon as he woke up.
At that time, Shiwoo was not in a state where he could properly identify anything.
His brain was operating solely for magic, and all other emotional areas were just on the periphery.
How much did he hate her?
How much did he dislike and despise her that he would utter such curses even in that state?
Every time she thought of that, Amelia felt like her heart was breaking.
It felt like her heart was stretching very thinly and breaking into strands.
“………”
At that time, Amelia had said.
That she would not give up until he could forgive her,
That she would wait until then.
But was that really the right thing to do?
When he came to his senses someday, would it be right to make Shiwoo, who hated her so much, apologize by clinging to him and begging with only her feelings of love?
In fact, Amelia knew.
He was a good person.
He was also a sincere and kind person.
He was not a heartless person who could say harsh words to someone who was crying and begging for forgiveness.
Perhaps her choice was made considering even Shiwoo’s nature?
Wasn’t she trying to save herself from the throes of guilt by relying on his softness and kindness?
If so, that was a selfish and cowardly act.
It was forcing him to do something he didn’t want once again.
Wanting to be forgiven by him was also just Amelia’s wish.
Wanting to go to the present world with him was also just Amelia’s wish.
Wanting to convey her feelings of love for him was also just Amelia’s wish.
Shiwoo’s will was not involved at all.
She might be about to do something similar again after crying so much in regret.
“I’m… disgusting…”
She knew it was nothing more than a vain delusion.
Because Shiwoo’s condition was unknown when he would recover.
Self-reproach upon self-reproach upon self-reproach chased its tail, making Amelia depressed as she spun in place.
Just as she was about to sigh out of habit, the door burst open.
Amelia frowned.
She had told them not to receive any guests for the time being.
“P-Professor!”
The person who had burst through the door was ‘Catherine,’ a researcher who was in charge of the administration of Trinity Academy.
“What is it?”
Amelia would have been displeased under normal circumstances, but she didn’t even have the strength to do so now.
She answered in a depressed voice, and when she looked at her, Amelia guessed that something unusual had happened.
Catherine was a witch who was famous for admiring and imitating Baroness Marigold.
Despite her modest circumstances, she wore dresses similar to Amelia’s, and her perfume rotation was similar to Marigold’s.
Of course, she also imitated her cold and haughty behavior and clumsy sarcasm.
If she had rushed in like this, losing her own concept, it must be something unusual.
“A… a… a… a… reply…”
“Explain slowly and clearly.”
A white envelope was placed in Amelia’s hand, which had become equally urgent.
A clean envelope the size of Amelia’s palm.
The sealing wax, which was sealed to prevent anyone else from opening it, had a seal on it.
A seal with a crown pattern.
Catherine, who had been coughing like an asthmatic patient having an attack, finally reported in a loud voice.
“A reply has come from the Ivory Tower!”
This letter was from Duke Keter.
3.
If you were to ask the witches, if they were to choose the second most beautiful building in Gehenna, opinions would be divided.
‘Trinity Academy,’ a place of learning reminiscent of the Palace of Versailles.
‘The Great Bath of Levana,’ a more sophisticated recreation of the Roman public baths.
‘The First Red Roof Salon,’ where you can enjoy all four seasons and see blooming flowers all year round.
‘The Hanging Garden’ of Duke Tiphereth, who is known for her excellent aesthetic sense.
And so on, they would name various buildings according to their individual tastes.
However, if you were to choose the most beautiful building, all witches would unhesitatingly name the Ivory Tower, which stood tall in the middle of Ars Magna Town.
The Ivory Tower, which is said to have been completed solely by Duke Keter from design to construction, is made only of marble and stained glass created by special alchemy.
This was all that could be said to describe this building.
Because it was not easy to describe it with any plausible words.
The Ivory Tower did not follow any architectural style of any era.
The unprecedented, unique architectural style was built according to the perfect golden ratio based on precise calculations, making it impossible to find even a single flaw.
A building that exists for appreciation and admiration, not for evaluation and comparison.
Likewise, Duke Keter, who resided alone in that beautiful tower, was not an object of evaluation, let alone an object of comparison.
An existence that all witches looked up to and revered.
The highest and oldest witch who had reached the realm of 30 tiers alone without achieving a single brand succession.
It had already been 82 years since she, who was secluded in the Ivory Tower, had shown her face anywhere, but the area around the Ivory Tower was still crowded with witches seeking her teachings.
Not only did they visit her directly, but it was said that 20% of the letters going to and from Gehenna were sent to the Ivory Tower.
Of course, there was no memory of hearing news that Duke Keter had replied.
Amelia had also visited Duke Keter in person, and she had sent her more than 70 letters, but there had been no news.
Catherine looked very curious, but Amelia firmly sent her out.
Even if it was a legitimate curiosity, there was no reason for Amelia to take responsibility for it.
Amelia took out a silver paper knife and carefully removed the seal.
When she unfolded the letter paper, which was neatly folded in half inside the envelope, she saw a white piece of paper.
It was a blank letter with no writing on it.
Letters in Gehenna do not always come in a completed form.
This was a ‘remote letter’ that used two magically linked pieces of paper, where writing on one side would appear on the other, acting like a fax or messenger.
Duke Keter, who was shrouded in all sorts of secret veils, had the impression of being a mystic, but the reply she received was a crude form of magic, which was new to her.
Amelia picked up a pen with a tense expression and waited for a while, and then letters began to appear on the letter.
[Have you been well?]
The cursive script, written with a natural greeting as if they had known each other since the first meeting.
It was a very elegant and refined script, as if she were a professional calligrapher.
[A slip of the tongue. I have read each of your letters, so I think you must be in deep sorrow]
Amelia, who had been wondering what to say, quickly wrote a reply to Duke Keter’s words that she had read the letters.
[Did you reply to grant my request?]
[To answer from the conclusion, yes. With my skills, I can heal your beloved with ease]
Amelia felt her heart pounding.
It was like wandering in the pitch-black darkness and finally facing the light.
But that joy plummeted again due to a suspicion that arose in her heart.
Was this really what he wanted?
Even though the current state, which Amelia saw as abnormal, might be a new happiness for him?
Who really wanted to take away the magical power he had newly gained?
Amelia wanted to respect his choice.
A new letter appeared during her brief hesitation.
[I observed his condition in my garden at noon today]
[It is only natural for a witch to feel regret at losing such talent and ability]
She had observed his condition directly?
Just as Amelia was wondering, a sentence that solidified her decision appeared.
[But if this continues, he will die. Since ancient times, excessive talent that overworks the body has brought about a short life]
She asked without hesitation.
[What do I need to do?]
Duke Keter, who ignored hundreds of letters a day, would not have helped Amelia, whom she had never met, out of pity.
This was a trade proposal from Duke Keter.
[It’s good that we understand each other]
Seeing the sentence ending with a period, Amelia was certain that Duke Keter behind this paper was smiling.
