Chapter 1096 – #261_His Return
#1090
1.
Three nights and four days.
The love-filled staycation with Dorothy, who had returned, was over.
“I’m so~ tired…. My legs are still shaking.”
“…But it was good, right?”
Dorothy looked haggard despite having her magic fully recharged, and next to her, Siwoo, though joking, also looked like he had lost at least five kilograms.
The joy of reunion, how terrifying!
For days, they were constantly clinging to each other, doing it, playing, showering together, eating, and then doing it again. Even a strong spirit wouldn’t survive that.
“It was so~ hot.”
Linne watched the two of them with a strangely sulky expression.
She had thought it would only be a day or two at most, but it had been three nights and four days.
This was not part of the plan, was it?
Linne hid her dissatisfaction and tugged at Siwoo’s collar.
It was Linne’s silent ‘My lord, pay attention to me too’ sign.
“My lord. I’ve packed all my things.”
Linne’s luggage was simple.
Just one small carry-on.
As an extreme minimalist, Linne didn’t have much luggage besides her clothes and a few precious items.
“Oh, you packed so efficiently? Good job.”
Siwoo ruffled her hair, and Linne looked satisfied.
“What about Dorothy?”
“I’ve packed everything too.”
In contrast, Dorothy’s luggage looked like she had divided her entire house into carry-ons.
There was a whole brigade of them.
“Is all of this Dorothy’s luggage?”
“I bought so many things, and they just piled up like this? You’ll give me a big room when I go to Gehenna, right?”
“Of course.”
And with that, the preparations were complete.
They returned to the location point in advance and visited Branch Manager Sua, and went through the official procedures to transfer the two people who had been held in the Seoul branch.
Both Linne and Dorothy had finished their preparations to enter Gehenna.
“Well, shall we go?”
“Let’s go~!”
Holding their citizen IDs, they approached the Han River, and with the strange distortion unique to the ‘Gate,’ their vision reversed.
“……”
His stomach felt heavy.
It always did, but it felt a bit more uncomfortable than usual.
They had spent happy days, and now it was time to face reality.
He had kept it a secret from the two lovers, but their entry into Gehenna would probably not be smooth.
It had taken a tremendous amount of help just to bring Dorothy into Gehenna temporarily for treatment.
His teacher, both mothers-in-law, and even Yesod Mama had stepped up to vouch for their identities.
Even though Gehenna was currently conducting a project to restore the rights of exiled individuals.
Even though the two had made significant contributions during the ‘Flood.’
And even though they had leaked a lot of Hexennacht’s internal information to Gehenna.
They could only barely be granted temporary residency with the joint guarantee of one duke, two counts, and one baron.
That was the weight of the original sin that ‘public figures’ bore.
In the history of Gehenna, there had never been a case where a public figure, not an exile, had their citizenship restored.
Gehenna’s way of handling things was like how the law valued precedents; they valued tradition.
Therefore, Siwoo’s plan was half-forced.
He just didn’t want to leave the two of them in a dangerous place anymore.
The scenery of the Han River faded, and the view of the VIP waiting room at the immigration office appeared.
And from afar, the head of the immigration office, whom he had seen a few times, approached.
The moment had come.
“Could you wait here for a moment?”
He checked his attire one last time and walked towards the head of the office.
He simulated the conversation with the head of the office in his head.
Siwoo: I’d like to take my girlfriends in.
Head: Huh? I haven’t received any such notification?
Siwoo: Now, now, look here. According to Gehenna law, nobles of count rank or higher can submit a discussion regarding the restoration of exiles to the council. They will stay at the Hesed Academy while they are being reviewed.
Head: No, that’s about exiles. The two behind you are public figures. It’s already chaotic because of the recent border town attack. Don’t make such absurd demands.
Siwoo: I’m Shin Siwoo, who was considered for the next count title for cleaning up that mess. Look at these two. Don’t they look kind and good-natured? Hexennacht even labeled them as traitors and tried to execute them. There’s no chance they’re Hexennacht’s spies, so there shouldn’t be any problems, right?
Head: Still, we can’t make exceptions to the rules.
Siwoo: Oh, oh, it seems like we can’t talk nicely…. Hey, you! Do you know who’s behind me? I’ve trained with Duke Tiferet, whom you respect! We’ve sparred! We’ve slept together! And I’m a count of Gehenna! I know how to operate the ‘Gate,’ so should I cut off your lifeline? Call my teacher! Call my mothers-in-law! Call Yesod Mama too!
Head: Look at this guy? You become a count and the first thing you do is bring public figures into Gehenna as your girlfriends? You just wait. You think you’re the only one with connections? I have them too, you bastard!
“…Hmm.”
Of course, it wouldn’t go as far as such a vulgar fight, but Siwoo was desperate.
If the two of them remained in the mortal realm, there was no guarantee that this wouldn’t happen again.
And then, there would be no way to turn back.
As a fierce debate was expected, Siwoo brought out his charismatic persona for the first time in a while.
“Baron Shin Siwoo. It’s been a while. You still have unusual companions.”
“It’s been a while.”
Contrary to his expectations, the head of the office greeted him politely with a gentle tone and a bow.
Siwoo, who was about to turn into a demanding customer and bark with all his power and connections, was taken aback.
“It’s an unusual situation, so I decided to speak with you directly.”
“Yes, I have something I wanted to discuss about that…”
“Baron Shin Siwoo and two companions. Entry has been officially approved under the authority of the head of the immigration office.”
“……?”
“Temporary residency permits have also been issued, so you should have no inconvenience during your stay.”
“…Is that really all?”
“Of course.”
Something was going too smoothly.
It was ominous.
Was it perhaps some kind of political trap?
His conversation with Count Caliostro had gone relatively well, so the only one left was Duke Erelim of the Truth and Enlightenment Academic Conference.
He had always seen Siwoo as a thorn in his side, so he might have set up a dirty trap.
The head of the office gave a subtle smile to the bewildered Siwoo.
“As a citizen of Gehenna, I express my respect. It seems there was a reason why you were Duke Tiferet’s disciple. Then, I hope to see you again…”
The head of the office quietly turned his back without losing his smile in front of Siwoo, who was making a puzzled expression.
“My lord. Is there a problem?”
“Hmm~ Well, let’s not worry too much. I know it’s not easy. I’m touched that they’re doing this much for us.”
It seemed that the two of them had noticed that Siwoo was pushing himself quite a bit.
“They said we can just go in.”
“Huh? Not to the underground prison where we were locked up before?”
“Yes, they said it’s officially approved.”
“……”
The three of them tilted their heads in unison and walked towards Border Town.
They said it had been attacked before, but it seemed they had repaired it cleanly with magic.
The docks were bustling as usual, and the drizzle that dampened their collars was no different from usual.
However, the moment Siwoo’s group was detected by the witches, explosive murmurs erupted from everywhere.
“Huh? Isn’t that…? The Sword Witch….”
“Huh? That Sword Demon? Why is she here?”
“Are you that slow with the news? She was in the location point penal unit a while ago. She was also attacked this time.”
As expected, Linne was being watched with caution.
The fact that they didn’t immediately assume it was an attack was probably because she had walked out of the immigration office unscathed and Siwoo was next to her.
“Then, the one next to her is the Witch of the Path? Her chest is huge. Isn’t it heavy?”
“Wow… So Baron Shin Siwoo is trying to get revenge for that woman…”
“Not just revenge, but also to revive her like that…”
The whispers continued.
Those Gehenna aunties.
He felt like he would hear something he didn’t want to, so he strode forward, and they shut their mouths as if nothing had happened.
And when they were within a distance where they could have a simple conversation.
Siwoo couldn’t help but doubt his eyesight.
The witch who was sipping a drink on the inn’s terrace, the witch who didn’t seem very interested in Siwoo’s group, and even the witch who had been making a fuss just now.
They all placed their right hands gently on their chests and bowed their heads lightly without saying a word.
“……”
Siwoo knew what that gesture meant.
It was a sincere sign of respect that witches, who were terribly proud, arrogant, and intoxicated with the privilege of being special, very, very rarely showed.
When he walked with his teacher, there were often witches who bowed in that way.
And the person this bow was directed at was none other than Siwoo.
“Ahem.”
Siwoo, who was planning to politely protest that they would die if they kept picking fights, had no choice but to naturally turn and continue on his way.
“Ooh~ Darling~ You’ve got some power? Those proud snobs are showing you respect?”
Dorothy, who was more excited than Siwoo, poked him with her elbow and grinned.
“Is being a count of Gehenna that great?”
Linne also looked a little surprised.
“It is great. But that’s a bit… what is it? Did they all eat something wrong?”
He didn’t understand.
If they had reacted like that as soon as they entered Gehenna, he might have understood.
However, even though he had stayed in Gehenna for quite a while for Dorothy’s revival, he hadn’t received that kind of treatment.
But after having sex for a few days and coming back, they suddenly acted like this, so he couldn’t help but be bewildered.
“Could it be that they’re trying to get on your good side because you’ve been promoted to count?”
“I don’t think so. If they were going to change their treatment just because my rank went up, it would have been different when I received the baron title and founded the Hesed Academy.”
He walked a little further to see how far this strange phenomenon would go, but there were no exceptions.
They all just bowed their heads when they saw Siwoo.
“I’ll have to go back and ask.”
It was also the time when his teacher would be at the Tiferet residence.
He took Dorothy and Linne with him to pay his respects.
“Duke~ It’s been a while. You’re so~ cute today too?”
“Dorothy, I’m glad you look healthy.”
“Of course. I played with Siwoo all day yesterday.”
Siwoo, who had returned with a fully charged lotus, was hesitant to speak, and his teacher, without any hesitation, gave up the lotus for Dorothy.
She watched with gentle eyes and even cheered them on.
That was the right path that Eloa Tiferet had set.
After the two finished hugging, Eloa faced Linne, who was once her rival.
“You’ve come well too.”
“……”
Linne turned her head away, unable to make eye contact.
It was because she had built up a series of shameful dark histories last time when she had tried to learn how to drink and had a drinking contest.
“Teacher.”
“What is it?”
“What on earth is going on in Gehenna?”
After a brief reunion, he asked what he had been curious about.
