Chapter 598 – #121_I’M Back (6)
#598
1.
“What? That spaced-out, chuunibyou witch from before?”
“Is she really a deep-sea witch?”
“More importantly, did you really bring another girlfriend? Assistant? Seriously?”
“I’m glad you’re back safe… but are you going to keep doing this?”
“Yeah! How many is it already, Assistant!”
“It’s like you’re an irresponsible butler bringing home cats!”
The twins, who were happy about Siwoo’s safe return, realized the whole truth and began to nag him relentlessly.
“Siwoo…. Haa….”
Deneb, having confirmed his safety with her own eyes, was relieved and went back to her self-improvement.
“Where did those two go? Hah…! Deneb…! Not again…!”
Albiereo, who had been searching for the twins, rushed into a nearby room, experiencing Bluetooth bliss after several months.
“Ugh….”
L’Riel was barely able to gather herself and was walking down the hallway.
“Ha, how absurd. I was lenient because they were apprentice witches, but to think they would act this way.”
She had looked quite pathetic in the face of Odile and Odette’s combined attack, but L’Riel’s mental fortitude was beyond imagination.
She was already under a penalty anyway.
Once she recovered, she could repay them two or three times over.
“Next time we meet, I will not be lenient and will teach them a lesson.”
With that, she quickly recovered and chose to explore the mansion alone.
The witch city of Gehenna was aesthetically superior and more refined than L’Riel’s small world in the sea, making it feel insignificant.
Especially this mansion, every place your eyes landed was beautiful, worthy of being called a palace.
“Someday, it will all be under my rule.”
L’Riel was carefully observing the beautiful scenery, imagining herself ruling this magnificent city someday.
And coincidentally, at that time, Amelia, Sharon, and Eloa, who had gone to the mortal realm for the search, had returned to Gehenna.
It wasn’t because Albiereo had intentionally delayed the message that ‘Siwoo had returned safely,’ but purely a product of coincidence.
Originally, Amelia was busy paying off her fines, Sharon was busy teaching the twins, and Eloa was busy fixing the chaotic order of the mortal realm, each for different reasons.
However, Siwoo’s safety and life were more important than those things, so they had continued their search with everything they had.
However, Siwoo’s safety became 99.9% certain due to the recording tape that L’Riel had secretly inserted.
They continued the search because of their anger at the audacious deep-sea witch + 0.01% of uncertain possibility, but after an additional month of searching, their motivation was starting to wane.
The nature of the search was also not as desperate and urgent as before.
Therefore, the three agreed to take a temporary break from the search.
They decided to return to Gehenna and rest.
“Hmm, that fountain is quite impressive as well.”
L’Riel, who was walking along a secluded path lined with orderly rose bushes, like well-stacked blocks, suddenly stopped.
She had discovered a very unusual presence in front of her.
It was a witch dressed in mortal realm clothes, wearing comfortable shorts and a windbreaker.
In Akula, it was very difficult to even see a witch’s face, but this was a city of witches.
It was not strange to see a witch in mortal realm clothes.
The reason L’Riel classified this witch as an unusual presence was because of her unique appearance.
First of all, the color of her hair, tied back in a ponytail, was strange.
It was a light pink, like cherry blossom petals falling from the sky.
And the color of her eyes was also strange.
A vibrant magenta that seemed to shine even without using magic.
The witch also seemed to have noticed L’Riel, and stopped in her tracks, staring intently.
Even when their eyes met, she didn’t look away, but rather stared back challengingly, causing L’Riel’s eyebrows to twitch.
“Why are you staring so intently?”
“……”
From the impertinent maid, to the twins, and now a witch who was openly looking her up and down as if observing her.
This city did not have basic respect for the queen.
“If you have something to say, then speak. But if it is not important, it would be best to pass by. I am in a very bad mood right now.”
However, there was also Siwoo’s message not to cause any trouble, and more importantly, L’Riel had confirmed through experience that her physical condition was not good.
L’Riel was about to pass by the witch, who was staring at her without saying anything, and continue her sightseeing.
“Stop.”
A firm voice grabbed L’Riel’s sleeve.
It was a voice that was devoid of emotion like a machine, yet clearly etched with an undeniable passion.
Most witches living in the mortal realm and Gehenna knew about the pink-haired duke.
The 23rd-ranked Duke Eloa Tiferet.
They knew how many battlefields she had crossed.
How many homunculi she had defeated in her lifetime.
Why the rampaging public enemy would run away with its tail between its legs when it saw magenta eyes.
They knew it well.
“Oh? Did you just tell me to stop? A mere commoner?”
But unfortunately, L’Riel did not know her identity.
So, she turned to look at Eloa with a smile, as if she had been waiting for someone to pick a fight with her.
And at that moment.
She flinched.
She trembled without realizing it.
Her lips were firmly pressed together, showing a resolute will, and her gaze was piercing.
Despite being slightly shorter than L’Riel, she felt a crushing pressure, as if she was being pressed down by a mountain.
The opponent was just putting her hands in her windbreaker pockets, but the sharpness of a very sharp sword was aimed at her, making her spine tingle.
It was the first time in her life that she had felt this much pressure.
Could this pressure really come from another witch?
“I have something to ask.”
With each step the pink witch took closer, she found herself instinctively stepping back.
And she was filled with humiliation.
Even if she was weakened, how could the queen of the Nukelavi Dynasty be stepping back in fear of an approaching opponent?
“What is it! Don’t come any closer! Ask from there!”
It was unacceptable.
L’Riel raised her voice as much as she could, puffed out her chest, and glared.
The pink witch stopped in her tracks, as if she had succumbed to her majesty.
“Do you recognize this?”
She rummaged through her pocket and pulled out a small, palm-sized magnetic tape storage device, a cassette tape.
It was a familiar object to L’Riel.
It was the one she had secretly inserted, recording her relationship with Siwoo and her declaration of war.
In other words, the fact that she had pulled it out of her pocket meant that this pink-haired witch was also one of Shin Siwoo’s lovers.
“I see you recognize it.”
Although she didn’t say anything, the pink-haired witch guessed her identity just by L’Riel’s reaction, like a seasoned detective.
L’Riel was confident in her abilities.
She was confident that she could defeat any powerful enemy with the help of her familiars and the power of the sea.
Even if she was weakened, she was also optimistic that she could somehow resolve the situation with the dignity of a queen, so she was walking around the mansion without any worries.
However, seeing the opponent carelessly stuffing the tape into her pocket, her optimism began to crack.
What did she record back then?
She had said something that would make the other person very angry, like she would allow a commoner to be a concubine.
She never thought that her karma would come back to her like this.
“A-are you also Shin Siwoo’s lover?”
“Yes, and you must be the deep-sea witch, right?”
“Wait! I told you not to move from there!”
Seeing Eloa approaching with frighteningly fast steps, L’Riel felt fear for the first time in her life.
“Then I have one more question. Where is Siwoo now?”
First, she had to get away.
The opponent was a strong person who she couldn’t guarantee a victory against even in her full state.
She could almost see herself being beheaded by the vicious witch of Gehenna.
“Sink deep!”
Although she lacked experience, L’Riel was a great witch.
Learning from her failure against the twins earlier, this time she used her limited power to cast a flawless spell.
Waves of magical power crashed in from the left and right.
She intended to use this as a distraction and run away with all her might.
“Just you wait! I’ll deal with you when I regain my strength! Keck!”
However, L’Riel, who had her neck grabbed, fell backward in the same position she was running in.
When she looked up, she saw the face of her opponent, who was expressionlessly pressing down on her.
“H-how…?”
She had clearly seen the defenseless opponent being swept away by the waves.
Even if it was magic that was only at the level of an apprentice witch, it was not a weak spell.
Without magic, it wouldn’t be strange for her bones to be broken and rolling around.
But the opponent had come out of the gap without using magic and had subdued L’Riel.
“Hic…!”
L’Riel was terrified when she saw the fist clenched and casting a shadow on her face.
If that clenched fist were to hit L’Riel’s face, she would have no choice but to give it up defenselessly.
It was bound to hurt terribly!
“……”
However, even after waiting for a long time with her eyes tightly closed, tears welling up, there was no pain or impact.
When she cautiously opened one eye, she saw the face of the pink witch, who was hesitating as if she was in trouble, instead of being angry.
In addition, the force pressing down on her neck had also loosened.
In fact, Eloa had realized L’Riel’s identity as soon as she had faced her.
Unlike the twins, who had not been able to listen to L’Riel’s recording tape due to moral issues, she clearly remembered her unique way of speaking and voice.
According to Siwoo, she was not a bad witch, but since she had made such an audacious provocation, it was only natural that she should pay the price.
Originally, she had intended to teach her a lesson until tears streamed down her face, but….
For some reason, the deep-sea witch was unable to properly exert her power.
Moreover, judging by her actions, she was clearly a childish young witch who was full of flaws.
She wondered if it was worth it to seriously scold her.
“Did you come back with Siwoo? Is he safe?”
“Y-yes!”
L’Riel quickly got up and brushed off her clothes.
“Where is he?”
“He is in that mansion over there.”
The pink witch nodded when she pointed to the main building she had come out of earlier.
She hesitated for a moment, then turned away without delay, showing her back to L’Riel.
She had retreated from a battle she had completely won.
Could this be?
The opponent had essentially gained the upper hand, but had retreated without inflicting further damage.
Could it be that this time, she had realized that she should not mess with L’Riel’s majesty?
In other words, could it be that L’Riel’s charisma had won over mere power?
“Pink hair!”
When the distance between them was far enough.
L’Riel, regaining her confidence, shouted at the back of Eloa’s head.
“I may have shown a disgraceful appearance now due to my limited power, but I wish to have a rematch in a week, no, three weeks! I will not let you go so easily then!”
Eloa’s expression, who had been hurrying to see Siwoo, became slightly blank.
Of course, it wasn’t because she was overwhelmed by L’Riel’s charisma or because she was scared, as L’Riel’s happy circuit was imagining.
In the first place, she was prioritizing finding Siwoo over dealing with L’Riel, who still had questions to answer.
And then, to hear a request for a duel at that moment.
It was the first time in her life.
“Enjoy the happy moments of your remaining life until that day!”
Eloa stared at L’Riel’s back for a long time as she ran away after saying what she wanted to say.
