Chapter 1135 – #269_Possession And Non-Possession (4)
#1129
1.
The Witch of Fortune.
Kibele Periwinkle.
There are more than one or two things to be grateful for to this older sister.
First of all, she saved Sharon, who was dying from the homunculus ‘Drowned Witch,’ and then immediately saved Siwoo, who was about to suffer the same fate.
At first, her intentions were suspicious, so I was wary, but she predicted Siwoo’s upcoming misfortune and gave him a clover, and as a result, he was able to barely survive the battle with the Red Knight.
After that, she saved Takasho’s host bar, which was in financial trouble, with the Periwinkle Alley Host Bar Project.
Rose Glass has since become the best host bar in Gehenna, in name and reality.
And that’s not all?
Takasho, who was taken hostage by Bianca and thrown into the sea, was also able to make a dramatic return in exchange for one of his testicles, thanks to Periwinkle’s arrangement.
Siwoo’s survival from Bianca’s clutches was also largely due to the clover she had given him.
Her power was also helpful when he drew on a part of his subconscious in the most recent battle.
A savior of life.
Her dark past, hidden from the one who made Siwoo who he is today.
“This time, I will help you.”
There are plenty of reasons to help.
“Thank you.”
But her reaction was lukewarm.
She has stopped crying and is smiling faintly, but it doesn’t seem like she has high expectations.
It’s the reaction of someone who secretly gives up because they’re afraid of being disappointed if they expect too much.
But if she were to show such a sign openly, it would be like ignoring Siwoo’s good intentions, so she’s trying not to show it.
“It’s nice to hear you say that. But it’s okay. It was a long time ago, and I’ve gotten used to it now. It’s not something you need to worry about.”
Therefore, she expresses a kind refusal.
I dare to guess that the ‘adaptation’ that Periwinkle mentioned here is something like this.
Not having too much greed.
Drawing a line in all human relationships that would not be intrusive.
Just accepting luck as luck and giving up control.
“No, that won’t do.”
The corners of her eyes slightly lifted.
This is a way of life that she has built up over a long period of contemplation and deliberation.
She must have experienced many setbacks in the process, and finally compromised and barely accepted reality.
How would Siwoo’s appearance, saying that such a method is ‘wrong’ and ‘needs to be changed,’ be seen by Periwinkle?
“Shin Siwoo. I’m telling you again, thank you so much. But I’m still satisfied enough.”
Therefore, her repeated refusal in the gentlest tone of voice means that she has made many concessions compared to her usual temper.
“You’re not satisfied.”
“……”
“There must be a reason why you told me your old story, right?”
She quietly closed her lips.
After a long time of choosing her words, she said in a calm tone with a sigh.
“It was a whim. You’re a good guy and we’re close. From the point where you wiped away my tears after I poured out my heart, the expected value of me telling this story has been met. That means your role was up to that point.”
Periwinkle drank the rest of her cold tea and put it down.
Siwoo’s cup is also empty, but she doesn’t pour new tea.
It was an implicit sign that there was no more conversation to be had between the two.
“I got carried away with my emotions and said unnecessary things. Well, now I have to go to work, Chairman. Shall we just remain good older sister and younger brother?”
Siwoo tried to gently soothe Periwinkle as if he were coaxing her.
“I can fix it. It’s true that conceptual magic is tricky and difficult, but I also handle the same kind of magic. If I can find a way to control Periwinkle’s self-magnetism by applying distortion…”
“Stop!”
For the first time, Periwinkle raised her voice to Siwoo outside of the bed.
Siwoo guessed another fact from the sudden, even cold atmosphere.
“Didn’t I tell you to stop? I told you your role was over.”
This is not just a reaction because she denied the attitude she chose in life.
It is a deliberate coldness intended to shake off Siwoo.
“Didn’t I tell you? I’m satisfied enough as I am. I’m fine with this state. Why are you trying to be nosy? Did you think you could act like my boyfriend just because we’ve been together a few times? Ah, I see. You just want to plant me in your flower garden and pick me whenever you feel like it, right?”
“……”
Periwinkle’s attitude toward Siwoo, even mixed with sarcasm, seemed painful.
But Siwoo did not show any unpleasantness at all, even with the sarcasm.
He just calmly pointed out Periwinkle’s heart.
“You’re scared, aren’t you?”
“Ha, did you hear what I said?”
“It looks like you’re trying to run away from me because you’re scared.”
“…It’s not a wise choice to go against my feelings.”
That’s right.
Forcibly going against the will of Periwinkle, who is favored by the world.
A witch like Siwoo wouldn’t die anywhere, but he would be hindered in every way until his passion for annoying Periwinkle was diminished.
Didn’t Valentina do that?
Valentina, who was particularly ostracized in society and was bullied by everyone, and Periwinkle, who was annoyed by her friendly advice.
When the relationship between Periwinkle and Valentina improved, she naturally blended back into society.
Periwinkle didn’t think it was a coincidence.
“Don’t act like you understand my heart just because you heard a few words. It’s disgusting.”
“I know.”
Periwinkle bit her lip tightly and then opened her mouth as if chewing.
“What? Why I made this decision, why I had to. How great is your pathetic good will that you can conclude that my decision, which I’ve built up for over a hundred years, is the act of a coward?
What guarantee is there that the situation will definitely improve? What if all your efforts were just a rookie’s optimism and I wouldn’t be disappointed? Are you telling me to go through that painful time again? Do you have the right to say that?”
There’s no way she wouldn’t be grateful.
There’s no way she wouldn’t be pleased.
Maybe he could miraculously change the fate that Periwinkle had given up on and accepted.
There’s no way she wouldn’t secretly expect it.
“Please…”
That’s why she’s afraid.
She’s afraid that she might come to regard Siwoo, who has crossed the line she has drawn, as special.
She’s afraid that the result will be a catastrophe that Periwinkle doesn’t want.
“…Don’t make me expect anything.”
With those last words, Periwinkle didn’t say anything more.
2.
After Periwinkle locked her heart.
Siwoo immediately headed to the research workshop where the two of them were working together.
This is because there are various research records that Mistilteinn, Periwinkle, and Siwoo have collaborated on, with strict barriers in place.
It’s a place where you can get a glimpse of Periwinkle’s self-magnetism.
“…Wow, this is crazy.”
It’s truly absurd that Siwoo fell twice on his way to the joint research workshop, and once he tumbled down the stairs.
It’s like, ‘How dare you bother Periwinkle? Misfortune starts until you give up!’
I guess this debuff will follow him until he’s sure that Siwoo won’t bother her anymore.
Well, I was planning to endure this much.
“This one, and this one…”
Siwoo collected and organized only the documents that Periwinkle had left behind.
The goal is ultimately to try to control Periwinkle’s uncontrollable luck.
Unless she cooperates, he has no choice but to gather the previous data and make an estimate.
Most of it is about Mistilteinn, but it also contains Periwinkle’s magical perspective and information about her self-magnetism.
“……”
He spent two whole nights interpreting the data.
A lot happened during that time.
A broken candlestick suddenly tried to burn the documents, he kept stubbing his toes on the corners of furniture while moving, and a bird suddenly flew in and broke the window…
Each one is trivial, but when several of them overlap, it becomes a very annoying trouble that happens all the time.
There’s no need to find the cause.
‘Luck’ is preventing a situation that Periwinkle doesn’t want.
But he has no intention of giving up.
If she really intended to kick Siwoo out, paradoxically, it wouldn’t have ended with such trivial annoyances.
But the problem was somewhere else.
“Is this even magic…?”
It’s the ambiguity of ‘conceptual magic’.
Siwoo had previously succeeded in completely interpreting the Red Branch, and eventually brought the concept of ‘distortion’ under his control.
Compared to the Red Knight, whose Red Branch is like a dedicated item, he is somewhat lacking in terms of application, but he has succeeded in incorporating it as part of his self-magnetism.
However, the difficulty of Periwinkle’s self-magnetism, when actually organized, was truly extreme.
It’s understandable why the Periwinkles of the past gave up on ‘control’.
To give an analogy, it’s like looking at a maze with layers upon layers, or spaghetti code where bugs pop up with the slightest touch?
What does what, what does what, and what happens if you touch what… It’s a structure where such common sense predictions are impossible.
It’s not for nothing that there are few witches who have built up a high rank among conceptual witches.
I think I understand how great Lydia’s achievements were, even though she was a crazy woman.
With this ambiguous magic, she broke through the 23rd rank, and eventually the 24th rank, and used totems in the right places to create walls and moths, right?
“Okay, there’s no other way.”
There is only one way to solve this difficulty.
He immediately got up and went to see his teacher.
“Teacher.”
“Siwoo, didn’t I tell you not to come for a week? Is something wrong?”
“I’m going to do an internal ejaculation on Periwinkle.”
Eloa, who was kind but dignified, was speechless at the bold declaration of her disciple, who had made a mistake and been scolded.
