Chapter 204 – #45_Those Who Almost Lost (3)
#202
1.
Just like Sharon when she first encountered movies, the twins’ reactions were also very positive.
A romance film was playing in such high definition that you could almost count the pores on the actors’ faces.
As a work famous for its visual beauty, it completely captivated the twins’ attention.
The twins, who had been clinging to Siwoo, shut their chattering mouths and focused until the screening began.
Well, for about 15 minutes?
“Koo….”
“Gurr….”
Sharon picked up the remote and turned off the TV.
It was just when the main story was about to unfold, but the twins’ snoring had begun.
“Like twins, I tell you.”
“I know… it’s really amazing. They fall asleep at the same time without even a second’s difference. Even their nodding rhythm was the same.”
One-piece pajamas that had to be put on like a mascot costume, starting from the legs.
The twins, who had somehow chosen pajamas that matched their personalities, were now sprawled on the sofa, fast asleep.
Well, considering today’s schedule and the events that had occurred, it was understandable that they were tired.
There were many things that were mentally exhausting, and physically as well.
Especially Odette, who had even gone for a late-night walk through the typhoon yesterday, it was a wonder she had lasted this long.
“Oh my, they’re so cute. I shouldn’t say this, right? But they’re just so cute…”
Sharon had the expression that women make when they see a very small and cute kitten.
Her lips were pursed together, her hand covering her mouth in a feminine way.
Even her eyes were sparkling, almost tearful.
Siwoo carefully pulled his arm away so as not to wake the twins.
“Uung… uung….”
Both Odile and Odette frowned in their sleep, grabbing and tugging at his sleeve.
Still, they didn’t wake up.
“They’re sleeping so well~.”
“Yeah, we can’t let them sleep here… I should move them to my room.”
“Do you want me to help?”
“No, I can do this much on my own.”
“Oh~ Siwoo, you’ve become so admirable.”
Siwoo took out a ribbon and twisted it into a hammock shape.
It was worth the special training he had been doing lately, using it in various ways in his daily life.
The number of ribbons he could use at the same time had increased to two, and he could even weave such complex shapes.
Considering that he was misunderstood and hit because of it today, he felt a little wronged…
But right now, he could deliver the twins safely without waking them, so he shouldn’t overthink it.
He laid the angelically sleeping twins side by side, covered them with a blanket up to their necks, and closed the door as he left.
They both tossed and turned for a moment, but they didn’t wake up once, hugging each other tightly and sleeping soundly.
When he came outside, Sharon was sitting on the sofa, looking at the turned-off TV and swinging her legs gently.
“What are you doing there?”
“Just, sitting.”
Sharon, who had been quiet for a moment, looked at Siwoo and smiled.
“What’s with you all of a sudden? Making me feel attached.”
“It’s just, I was thinking about what Odile and Odette were doing. Aren’t they too cute?”
“They are.”
If Odile and Odette became witches with experience over time, would they become dignified witches like Count Geminai?
Honestly, based on what he had seen so far, it was hard to imagine.
“At first, I thought they would be really scary. It might be a prejudice, but you know, that, that…”
“Just by looking at them, they give off the feeling of pampered noble young ladies. Like they would pick a fight just because the tea doesn’t taste good. Like they would throw a handkerchief in your face.”
“That’s it!”
Sharon clapped her hands in delight, as if the expression was appropriate.
“Anyway, I was a little wary because of that feeling. But they’re just so pretty, so innocent. I even want to take them home and make them my younger sisters.”
“If you actually did that, it would be quite tiring, you know? I know because I’ve been through it.”
There was no denying that the twins were cute and pretty, but innocent…
As someone who had been completely caught off guard by their fantastic teamwork, Siwoo found it hard to agree.
Now, he could laugh and joke around with the twins, but when he was first caught off guard, Siwoo had been chilled to the bone.
“I’m going out for a smoke, what about you? Are you going to watch the movie?”
“No, I’m going to get ready to sleep too. I feel like I’ve been sleeping a lot more since I met you. I didn’t used to sleep much.”
“It’s good to clear your head without thinking.”
“Yeah.”
He tapped his head lightly, finished the conversation casually, and went up to the rooftop.
Even though the typhoon had passed, the night air was still heavy with moisture.
The only good thing was that there was a cool breeze.
He lit a cigarette, and the plain smoke filled his lungs.
“Hoo…”
His eyes stung even though he hadn’t done anything.
He felt tired, probably because his body was so strained.
He couldn’t rule out the mental shock either.
He wasn’t a veteran soldier, but he had seen so many people die, no, be massacred.
It was suspicious that he could get over it so calmly.
Usually, when people watch movies, they throw up and have nightmares just from witnessing a murder scene, right?
Siwoo was struck by a strange feeling as he realized his own coldness.
-Ding ding
The phone rang.
It was a number he had received a long time ago, but had never actually contacted first.
It was Deneb Geminai.
“Yes, I’ve answered the phone.”
[Are you feeling alright? Ah, please leave it there.]
Judging by the surrounding noise, ‘please leave it there’ was probably not directed at him.
The reason why the twins were left alone in the officetel right after such a big incident.
He had heard that it was because Deneb was busy organizing the aftermath of the incident.
“You must be working hard until late.”
[It’s my job, and I’m getting paid for it, so it’s not like I’m suffering. Are the twins doing well?]
“Yes, they were eating and drinking to their hearts’ content until just now, and now they’re fast asleep.”
[They’re not particularly scared or anxious?]
Here, instead of saying, ‘Yes, not at all. They collapsed from exhaustion after eating,’ it would be better to say,
“They said they missed you a lot, Count. You should come back soon.”
It was flattery, mixed with old memories.
[Hehe, those rascals miss me? When the assistant who was singing my praises is right next to them? That’s impossible. You’re being sly.]
“Haha.”
His intention was immediately seen through, but a relaxed smile could be heard in Deneb’s voice, which had been tired.
He thought that was a success.
With Deneb saying ‘just a moment,’ the noise around him subsided a little.
[The reason I called you separately is not just because of the twins.]
“Yes, please speak.”
[Thank you for safely returning the twins this time as well. I am indebted to you.]
Actually, unlike last time, he wondered if anything would have been much different this time even if the twins had been by his side…
It seemed that Deneb was grateful for Siwoo’s decisive actions themselves.
[I can’t just let this pass without any compensation, it would be a disgrace to my name. Is there anything in particular you would like?]
“No, there’s nothing I particularly need. What you’ve already given me is more than enough… Ah.”
[It seems like something came to mind.]
Come to think of it, the Geminai family was among Sharon’s creditors.
Considering Sharon’s reaction to just seeing the Geminai ring, a significant amount of the 50 billion won debt must have been borrowed from the Geminai family.
“No, it’s nothing. Could I tell you next time?”
But he hadn’t even asked Sharon’s opinion.
The Geminai family was already providing a lot of support.
It didn’t seem right to bring up such a large sum of money for something as trivial as this.
He should discuss it with her later when he had the chance.
[Well then, I’m not free right now either, so I’ll ask you formally next time.]
As she seemed about to hang up, Siwoo asked urgently.
“Count, may I ask you just one thing?”
[Yes.]
“Do you happen to know why I’m using the self-nature magic of Aea Sadalmelik…?”
[Haa… So you really didn’t know yourself. That’s actually the question I wanted to ask you.]
As expected, it wouldn’t be solved so easily.
But he couldn’t ask Deneb, who seemed so busy, to put her head together and think about it.
“Yes, I’m sorry for bothering you when you’re busy.”
[It’s nothing, please feel free to contact me if anything happens.]
With those words, the call ended.
The cigarette had burned down to the filter, emitting a foul odor.
Siwoo suddenly offered a short prayer for the innocent people who had suffered today.
He felt like he should, for some reason.
“Let’s go back and get some sleep.”
He shook off the gloom and stretched languidly, but then froze in that position.
A witch had suddenly appeared on the rooftop where there had been no one.
“……..”
The very person who had mistaken Siwoo for Aea today and had unleashed a terrifying blow.
It was Duchess Eloa Tiferet.
She was looking at Siwoo without saying anything, with an expression that didn’t reveal what she was thinking.
A chill made his balls shrink, and goosebumps rose all over his body like a flock of chickens.
In the chilling scene, Siwoo spoke first.
“I’m sorry, but if you’re going to hit me again, please avoid my liver. I’ve been drinking a lot lately, so my liver isn’t in good shape.”
At the same time, was it because a sudden surge of strong fighting spirit arose?
Or was it because his liver had actually been smashed and was now swollen during the recovery process?
Siwoo was blurting out such ridiculous words without realizing it.
He was embarrassed even after saying it himself.
“……..”
Just when he was agonizing over his slip of the tongue, which was closer to sarcasm or provocation than a joke.
The duchess, dressed in white, pursed her lips and glared at Siwoo.
However, there was no initial hostility.
It was a hesitant, wavering gaze.
“Who… are you?”
It was the same frail and high-pitched voice he had heard half a day ago.
Unlike her fists, which had been as firm and full as a crab in season, it was weak and as if she would collapse at any moment.
Tiferet, who had almost hurt Sharon and had half-destroyed Siwoo.
He thought he would want to shower her with a barrage of curses, but…
Behind the cold mask, he glimpsed a weak appearance, a precarious atmosphere that seemed like it would crumble if touched. Siwoo unconsciously held back his words.
It wasn’t like he would gain anything by getting angry and attacking her.
“I will make a contract.”
But he belatedly realized that it wasn’t the time to feel leisurely pity.
Eloa had taken out a sword from mid-air and was chanting an incantation.
It was a beautiful sword with 12 unknown characters engraved on its side.
“Bloom!”
The twins had said that the misunderstanding was resolved, but was it a mistake to believe that so readily?
When he thought about it, neither Deneb nor Siwoo himself knew why he was using Aea’s ribbon or the self-nature magic of the duchess’s apprentice witch.
There was no room for explanation in the first place.
And the opponent was a great witch among great witches.
She was a 23rd-tier witch who could crush Siwoo like a worm, even though he had gotten a little stronger lately.
As black armor covered his body, Siwoo was thinking of ways to survive.
Eloa threw the sword down at Siwoo’s feet.
But that didn’t mean he could relax.
He had confirmed half a day ago that she could send Siwoo to the afterlife with her bare hands, hadn’t he?
“I have no intention of fighting right now.”
As if she knew that, she even raised both hands in surrender.
More than that, what did she mean by ‘right now’?
Even if they fought later, he would still get beaten up.
Cold sweat trickled down his back.
“However, I want to ask. Who are you?”
And Siwoo saw the manifestation of an extremely powerful magical power beyond his eyepatch.
A magical power so dense that he had never seen anything like it before was emanating from the duchess’s mouth.
A word of power.
A magic that takes shape the moment the caster’s will is spoken.
A high-level magic called a dragon word was being realized before his eyes.
In resonance with the duchess’s word of power, three of the characters engraved on the sword glowed.
The characters spread out around them and enveloped Siwoo and Eloa.
“I want to make a contract. It is a contract where we can each ask three questions and cannot lie. Do you agree?”
Fortunately, it wasn’t the kind of magic that felt hostile, as she had said.
“If you had something this convenient, you should have used it sooner…”
Siwoo felt a little wronged.
If she had used it earlier, Siwoo wouldn’t have been beaten up, and Sharon wouldn’t have been in danger.
Of course, that was only if the misunderstanding had been resolved with this magic.
He raised his hand and placed it on the string of characters flickering around Siwoo.
At the same time, he felt an unknown, intangible force binding his body.
It was a completely different feeling from the Oath of Confession.
Unlike the Oath of Confession, which unilaterally forced a confession, he could feel a strong, irresistible restraint, as the subject of the magic had requested consent.
“I agree.”
And so, a hearing was held in the middle of the night.
