Chapter 565 – #117_Sleeping With The Enemy
#565
1.
Unless you possess convenient magic like my master or Count Demer, you can’t uncover the truth simply by asking questions.
So, what is needed to grasp hidden intentions?
Questions.
And a lot of them.
It’s easy to tell a lie once, but it’s difficult to tell a perfect lie.
By repeatedly asking questions, you can find contradictions or loose connections between answers, allowing you to gather fragments of the truth.
“So… you’ve known my predecessors for nearly 300 years.”
“It’s 352 years, you know~”
“And you brought the military textbooks from the library yourself?”
“It’s my field, so I gave them a few to keep them from being bored~ I didn’t know they’d like them so much. As you can tell, this submarine is also one of the items I was in charge of. It was a hard-won item to smuggle out.”
However, at least during the exchange of questions and answers, Dorothy’s statements had no errors or discrepancies.
Was I underestimating the witch’s memory too easily? Could I even uncover her true intentions with such a one-dimensional method?
I also felt a bit of skepticism.
“Why do you call Luelle ‘Queen’?”
“You call her ‘Your Majesty’ too~? Isn’t it cute? By the way, I used to call her ‘Princess’ before.”
Leaving aside the possibility of her being a benevolent public figure,
at least so far, Dorothy seems no different from an ordinary witch who is fond of her friend’s disciple.
And she fits very well with Luelle’s kingdom concept.
“Are the questions over now~?”
“No, there are still many left. How long do you plan to stay here?”
“I don’t plan to stay that long. Maybe three or four days at most? I have my own business to attend to~ I can’t just laze around.”
“I think this is rude to say…”
“What are you talking about after being so rude?”
“…Doesn’t it bother you at all that many people are dying because of your business, Dorothy?”
At the continuous barrage of questions, Dorothy only looked up at the sky with her eyes and then let out a shallow sigh.
She had answered other questions with an unconcerned air, but this time, she seemed to ponder a bit.
“I’m sorry to the benevolent investigator~ but I don’t feel an ounce of guilt.”
It seemed more like she was trying to figure out how to avoid this troublesome topic rather than trying to change the subject.
“Even if I didn’t do it, someone else would. You seem to be mistaken~ what I sell isn’t death. It’s just tools made of iron, gunpowder, or electronics. If no one points them at people, they’re no different from computers or smartphones.”
If she had been determined to receive a good evaluation, she would have paid more attention to the nuances.
However, Dorothy acted as if she had no qualms about what she was doing, and she didn’t try to please Siwoo, as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
If she were plotting a dark scheme, wouldn’t she have tried to appear a little more virtuous?
It’s ironic that her insincerity and arrogance, shown as they are, make her seem trustworthy.
“Has there ever been a time in human history without bloodshed? When there were no guns, they used swords and bows, and when there were no cold weapons, they even broke off stones to make weapons. Even if iron and gunpowder disappeared from the world~ humans would kill each other again with their bare fists and stone axes.”
“……”
“Since they’re going to kill each other anyway, isn’t it better to have guns and bombs that are more convenient and comfortable?”
Judging by the way she said it with a smirk, it seemed to be her own kind of black joke.
I could have argued back as much as I wanted, but there was no need to continue the conversation on this topic.
It wasn’t directly related to the current situation anyway.
I had only reaffirmed the fact that even if she were a ‘benevolent’ public figure, I could never get close to her.
“I see. I guess you’re not wrong. By the way…”
This time, I got more to the point, directly.
“If Luelle’s mark could help with your research, would you take it?”
It was a direct question that I was worried might have crossed the line, even though I knew Dorothy was a public figure, and it was also the question I wanted to hear the truth about the most in this situation.
If she got angry at this rude question and revealed her true colors, that would be what I wanted.
Dorothy’s lips curled up.
“Not interested.”
It would be great if I could tell if it was a lie or the truth by looking at her expression.
Then, a white hand reached out towards Siwoo without warning.
I tried to quickly pull my body back, but Dorothy was faster.
No.
I was definitely much faster.
Even though Siwoo, whose specialties included martial arts and spirit body enhancement, shouldn’t have been caught by such a slow gesture, her hand had definitely touched me.
It was a strange feeling, as if reality was distorted.
This phenomenon was probably due to her magnetic magic.
Dorothy nonchalantly put her fingers between the collar of my shirt and pulled me towards her like a hook.
“What I’m interested in is~ you. A male witch. It’s so fascinating to see one in person. I didn’t know you’d be this handsome~?”
“I’m sorry, but I’m not interested?”
“It’s okay~ I like prickly men too.”
I wiped the cold sweat off my forehead as I pushed away her white hand.
This was no joke.
Even though I was off guard, I had allowed her to get to my vital point.
Considering the distance between my shirt collar and Adam’s apple, it was the same as Dorothy being able to take my life if she had wanted to.
“More importantly, can I ask you some questions now~? I think I’ve answered quite honestly in many ways.”
“…What is it?”
So far, there had been no suspicious signs at all.
I was a little worried that I might be wrongly accusing an innocent person, so I felt a sense of obligation.
Of course, that didn’t mean I would answer all her questions.
“Will you let me study you?”
“I refuse. That’s a proposal I’ve received about 1,000 times.”
“Right? Everyone would be curious about a male witch.”
Dorothy turned her body towards Siwoo and crossed her legs.
Her sensual lines, reminiscent of a gourd, and her white thighs gleamed between the flowing skirt.
What kind of nun’s habit has a side slit?
I was quite flustered by the sudden exposure.
“Then… a personal question. Tell me, what part of my body is the most eye-catching?”
The moment I heard those words, I reflexively scanned Dorothy’s body.
I reacted reflexively, regardless of my will.
Her breasts, which were resting on the table, looked even bigger than Professor Sophia’s when viewed from the front.
Her overlapping thigh flesh looked so soft and supple that it seemed like it would wrap around my hand, and her slender waist, unlike her hips that protruded from the chair, looked somewhat unrealistic.
Her ash-colored hair and cool silver eyes.
Even though her eyes were slightly drooping, she had a strangely languid and beautiful atmosphere.
If there were a goddess of motherhood, she might look like this.
I knew that this act itself was what she was aiming for, so I immediately looked away, but it was already too late.
Dorothy had a mischievous smile on her lips.
“If you’ve enjoyed it, please give me your evaluation~”
“Your breasts. They’re fucking huge.”
I spat out the words as if I was throwing them away, because I was extremely displeased with the situation, and Dorothy smiled even more deeply.
No matter how much I like pretty women with big breasts, I’m not foolish enough to fall for the seduction of a public figure.
It was about time the conversation was losing its value.
With the sound of the door opening, Luelle walked in with quick steps.
It was time to stop the interrogation-like conversation.
“Did you two have a good talk?”
“Yes~ Your Majesty~ It was a very beneficial time.”
“I think I misunderstood.”
“That’s great! That’s great! What do you think, you two! Wasn’t I right!”
“Yes, as Your Majesty said, she’s a humorous person.”
“That’s right~ She’s really handsome.”
Luelle, who had approached without hesitation, stopped abruptly at Dorothy’s words.
She looked back and forth between the two people sitting across from each other with that same posture.
“Handsome?”
“Yes~ He’s very handsome.”
Luelle immediately became displeased.
Siwoo immediately realized that Dorothy was teasing Luelle, but Luelle looked at Dorothy with a serious expression, and then discovered her exposed thighs.
“Where! Where were you looking!”
“Ack! Ack! Why are you doing this to me!”
Luelle rushed over and pinched Siwoo’s side.
This hurt much more than the slap on the cheek from earlier.
“Dorothy! What’s with that lewd outfit!”
“Your Majesty~ My nun’s habit always had a side slit, you know?”
“Then you shouldn’t have crossed your legs! Or are you trying to seduce the national treasure of the Nukelavi Kingdom right now? Stop it immediately! There are already too many vixens to purge!”
I don’t know if Dorothy is a bad witch or a good witch.
I just know that we are extremely incompatible on a personal level.
She’s the kind of woman I wouldn’t want to be friends with even if you paid me.
However, Luelle seemed to be enjoying herself even while she was fuming.
It seems she’s three times happier when her friend and her friend get along.
Then, wouldn’t it be okay to go along with Luelle’s rhythm for now?
After all, I had confirmed that even if I asked her to ‘keep Dorothy away because she’s a public figure!’, it wouldn’t work.
On the contrary, the worst-case scenario would be if Luelle, who was furious at my unfounded direct words, distanced herself from Siwoo and stayed alone with Dorothy.
I need to keep both of them within sight for now.
Even if Dorothy had bad intentions, Luelle is a 23rd tier, and Dorothy is a 22nd tier.
If you add the geographical advantage to the difference in tiers, even Luelle, who hasn’t overcome her trials, wouldn’t be easily defeated.
Then, if I could somehow defend against a surprise attack that took advantage of Luelle’s carelessness, the danger would be greatly reduced.
“By the way, Dorothy, when are you planning to go back?”
“Oh my, are you already thinking about sending me away~? I’m disappointed~”
“No! I wish you could stay as long as possible!”
‘That’s a bit…’ I didn’t even have a chance to interject.
She had given the same answer as in the previous Q&A.
“I also want to stay with you very much~ but it seems like a war is about to break out soon~ I think I’ll be staying for about a week.”
“Is that so? That’s a shame. Now we can play poker with three people…”
Luelle looked dejected, as if it was already time to say goodbye.
Dorothy, who was watching her, used telekinesis to pull one of the suitcases stacked in the corner of the bar.
“By the way, Your Majesty, I have a gift for you~ It’s the first edition of a military magazine! A total of 10 years’ worth!”
“Kyaaaaak! It’s mine! It’s mine!”
Luelle slid on her knees on the bare floor and frantically dug into the suitcase.
She looked like a mole digging in the ground and kicking up dirt.
“……”
I reaffirmed that I need to keep my head straight.
And so, the bizarre cohabitation of Dorothy, Luelle, and Siwoo began.
