Chapter 5 – #01_Slave Of The Witch City (5)
#005
1.
Associate Professor Amelia’s research building was located in the northeast annex of Trinity Academy.
There was no corridor leading to the annex, so Siwoo entered the research building while getting hit by the cold rain.
Amelia Marigold.
She’s called an associate professor, but just looking at this research building, you can tell something is off.
Amelia, who is neither a full professor nor a senior professor, is using an entire building that could easily accommodate five people all by herself.
“What’s the point of knowing?”
It’s probably because Amelia is a noble.
It wasn’t an important issue for Siwoo anyway.
It’s just that the thought of cleaning this ridiculously large research building alone already made him sigh.
He took off his raincoat and folded it at the entrance, then grabbed the cleaning supplies from the storage room.
-Creak!
Unlike the dazzling main building of the academy, the annex was a simple wooden structure.
Because it was old, it creaked with every step.
After going up the stairs to the second floor and entering a large door, he stepped into Amelia’s workshop, which was easily over 20 pyeong.
The first thing he noticed was the faint smell of tobacco.
The vast space was filled with:
Glass bottles containing liquids that emitted a mysterious light, magic books, scrolls made of parchment, shelves lined with various reagents with tags, dream catchers hung instead of curtains by the window, and candles that lit up the dark research building here and there.
It was like an occult cafe that was popular in the past, mixed with a medieval alchemist’s laboratory.
It was quite authentic, and if it were in a place like Hongdae, it would have gained a cult following.
In the middle of the dark workshop, Amelia was sitting.
She was resting her chin on one hand and holding a cigarette in the other, her eyes deep in thought as she scanned something.
She seemed so deep in contemplation that she didn’t even notice Siwoo had entered.
She’s damn pretty, though.
Even with an unguarded expression that she wouldn’t show to others, there was nothing to criticize.
Siwoo fiddled with the cleaning tools and loitered in front of Amelia.
He thought that if he started cleaning without saying anything and got scolded, he would be angry.
This is a complete aside, but the cigarette Amelia smokes is a modern product called Lucky Strike.
As it’s an old brand that has been on the market since 1847, it’s a popular tobacco among witch smokers.
“Ah….”
It was only when Siwoo was loitering about 10 steps in front of her that Amelia blankly opened her mouth.
The hazy look in Amelia’s eyes, as if she were looking into the distance, returned to a clear focus.
“Associate Professor Amelia, I’m here to help clean the research building. Where should I start?”
Siwoo asked, bowing as much as possible.
He had felt it since entering the research building, but cleaning this place to make it look like a place where people live would take not 3 hours, but easily 12 hours.
Right now, it was best to appease Amelia and minimize his punishment.
“When did you get here?”
“I just arrived a little while ago.”
Amelia glanced at Siwoo with a naturally condescending look.
She rolled up her sleeves to avoid getting ink on them, then flicked her slender wrist and pointed here and there with a quill, giving instructions.
“Organize the magic books by category. Don’t dust the shelves, wipe them with a damp cloth, put the books with leather covers over there, and file the thesis papers in order on the bookshelf. Don’t touch anything on the table.”
“Yes.”
“Do it quietly so you don’t disturb me. And also….”
Amelia rattled off various other instructions and then waved her hand without looking at him, as if telling him to go.
Siwoo sighed and picked up the bucket and broom, starting to clean from the corner of the research building.
It wasn’t like he had never cleaned her workshop before, but he had never seen it this dirty.
It was as if someone had deliberately messed it up.
For a while, the workshop was filled only with the sound of Amelia’s pen scratching and Siwoo’s cleaning.
It was already upsetting enough to be cleaning, but to have to hold his breath so as not to make any noise…
He felt like he could cry from the unfairness.
2.
About an hour passed.
Just as he was finishing organizing the first bookshelf, Amelia’s voice was heard.
“Manager.”
“Yes.”
What kind of fault is she going to find this time?
Siwoo forced a smile and turned to look at Amelia, trying to hide his grimace.
She calmly moved her lips with an unreadable expression.
“Come here.”
Surprised by the unexpected summons, Siwoo blankly pointed at his chest and asked.
“Me? You mean me?”
Siwoo’s behavior seemed to annoy Amelia, who liked things to be clear-cut.
Amelia’s eyebrows twitched slightly.
For reference, that body sign meant her hysteria gauge was at about 25%. If it exceeded 50%, a scolding would be unleashed, so he had to hurry.
“I’ll just finish organizing this and then go.”
“It’s fine.”
Siwoo was flustered and tried to rinse the rag in the bucket.
Amelia shook her head and snapped her fingers.
-Snap!
A wave of magical power that even Siwoo could feel shook the inside of the research building.
And all the objects floated into the air.
The objects, which had been hovering as if dancing, began to be placed in their proper places without a single error.
Telekinesis was a very basic magic, but even so, Amelia’s high level of skill was evident.
She was able to manipulate hundreds of objects with magic at the same time without any tangling or mess.
The dust that had risen thickly was gathered into balls in the air and put into the bucket, completing the cleaning.
The workshop had been transformed to be as clean as a semiconductor factory.
Siwoo watched the whole scene, half in a daze.
There was a reason she was called a ‘Baroness’.
Siwoo, who understood the greatness of magic even in fragments, couldn’t help but feel awe, forgetting his old feelings.
Siwoo stood next to Amelia, crossing the spotless research building.
Perhaps because of what happened this morning, he was overly conscious of her white hands.
No.
If I get an erection here, I’m a failure as a human.
With that single thought, Siwoo suppressed the lust that was trying to rear its head.
“Sit.”
At Amelia’s nod, a spare chair slid out, making room.
What kind of whim is this?
Siwoo was on edge, completely bewildered by Amelia’s bizarre behavior, which was so unlike her usual self.
Amelia took a cigarette from the pack and tapped it out.
As she inhaled, a tiny flame sparked at the tip.
“Hoo…”
Amelia turned her chair to face Siwoo.
She casually crossed her legs and offered him the pack of cigarettes.
Her skirt shifted, revealing a glimpse of her pale thigh, causing Siwoo to quickly avert his eyes.
“Want one?”
Cigarettes.
Here in Gehenna, modern cigarettes were extremely rare.
At least, that was the case for Siwoo, who was a former slave.
He couldn’t bring himself to quit while working as a slave, so he would occasionally share one with Takasho.
Siwoo barely ignored the cries of his body, craving nicotine and tar.
Honestly, this is a bit scary.
It’s Amelia’s kindness, of all things.
I’d rather drink a Welch’s that’s been left open on a bench.
“N-no, thank you. I’m fine.”
“If you don’t want it, then so be it.”
Amelia didn’t insist.
She placed the pack back on the desk and took another satisfying drag.
In the dim research building, Amelia’s profile, illuminated by the desk lamp, was as captivating as a picture torn from a magazine.
She stubbed out the half-smoked cigarette in the ashtray.
To leave half of such a precious thing…
Siwoo took a deep breath, hoping to get some secondhand smoke, but then he squeezed his eyes shut.
This won’t do.
I don’t know what she’s up to, but giving in to this cunning witch’s tricks will only leave me feeling pathetic.
Isn’t there a famous saying?
Better to be a hungry human than a satisfied pig.
As if reading Siwoo’s thoughts, Amelia spoke at a perfectly timed moment.
“Are you hungry?”
“No, I’m fine.”
Before Siwoo, who was acting like a soldier on high alert, two plates floated down.
One landed in front of Siwoo, and the other in front of Amelia.
The lids covering them were removed, revealing a slice of cake.
It was a ‘Schwarzwälder Kirschtorte,’ or ‘Black Forest’ cake, made with cherry brandy, whipped cream, and chocolate.
The layers of chocolate sponge were filled with whipped cream, the cherry filling was made with sugared fruit pieces, and the whole thing was topped with a sweet cherry brandy syrup.
Amelia picked up a fork and cut a piece of cake, putting it in her mouth.
Siwoo was in shock.
Anyone who has served in the military would understand, but the thing most lacking during his time as a slave wasn’t meat, but ‘sugar.’
In Gehenna, where even sugar and honey were traded at high prices, sweets were not something a slave could easily get their hands on.
As soon as his heightened sense of smell detected the cake’s aroma, his mouth began to water.
“Go ahead and eat.”
“Are you sure it’s okay?”
What was this pride that was stopping him from eating this?
He couldn’t hold back any longer.
He cut a piece of cake with his fork, just like Amelia had done.
The heavy weight he felt at the end of the fork seemed to represent the cake’s sweetness.
“Ah…”
It was magnificent.
The cherry aroma spread, making his head spin with bliss.
The moistness of the whipped cream and the sweetness of the chocolate caressed his tongue.
He could feel every taste bud, which had been dormant for so long, rising up in unison and screaming with joy.
“Haa…!”
Siwoo forgot that Amelia was in front of him and devoured the cake.
The palm-sized cake disappeared in a minute, leaving not even a crumb.
“S-sorry.”
It seemed like he had lost his mind for a moment.
Siwoo came to his senses when he saw Amelia staring at him with a strange expression.
Amelia licked the whipped cream off her lips and slid her plate over to Siwoo.
“Have this too, if you’re still hungry.”
“Is it really okay?”
Amelia gave a small nod.
This isn’t Amelia!
Something is going wrong!
Despite his inner consciousness urging him to be wary, Siwoo’s tongue and stomach wanted more of the sweet cake.
After finishing the extra slice of cake, Siwoo looked at Amelia.
He suddenly felt embarrassed.
Amelia had been watching him intently the entire time he was eating.
“Thank you so much.”
But why was Amelia suddenly acting like this?
After five years of constant torment, had she changed her tactics to a more conciliatory approach since he hadn’t given in?
If she thought she could make up for all the past suffering with just a cake, she was sorely mistaken.
That wicked witch! I’ll just take all the benefits and advantages I can get.
As he recalled Takasho’s advice and began to have some sinister thoughts, Amelia opened her mouth.
“Do you know how that cake was made?”
Her voice was calm and composed, just like when she was teaching the twins in the classroom.
For some reason, a very ominous premonition ran down Siwoo’s spine.
