#61
“Hey, assistant, if you’ve learned something new, there’s something you need to try, right?”
Odile urged Siwoo, who was half-dazed, repeatedly staring at his palm. It seemed she wanted to see his new ability.
In fact, Siwoo also wanted to try manipulating this shadow right away. If he could integrate it with his existing magical knowledge, he was confident he could wield magic at a much higher level than the homunculus had used earlier. However.
“It’s impossible.”
Siwoo gave a bitter smile.
“The circuits inside my body are tattered, so I can’t use it right now.”
The visible wounds were just the twelve injection holes and his swollen ankle, but the inside was not okay. The magical circuits that had been burning hot still felt intermittent pain.
“Oh, right. Then, shall we go back to the mansion for now?”
“Yes! I’ll ask my teacher for treatment. It’ll be much faster and more comfortable than just leaving it!”
But would that be okay?
To heal Siwoo’s body, it would inevitably reveal the fact that he used magic. There were already three people who knew Siwoo could use magic, including the Sophia twins. After a moment of hesitation, Siwoo declined.
“It’s alright.”
It was true that he had saved the life of a precious apprentice witch, but regardless of the circumstances, it was also true that he had physically engaged with that apprentice witch.
If the three of them kept their mouths shut, nothing would happen, but he still felt a little guilty. A seasoned witch who had lived for over a hundred years might quickly pick up on the suspicious atmosphere.
“Is it because you’re worried about being discovered that you can use magic?”
“That’ll be fine. We’ll explain it nicely. You might even get a huge gift!”
Perhaps they hadn’t considered that aspect, but the twins seemed eager to introduce Siwoo to their teacher. After firmly declining, Siwoo began to sort out the situation.
In fact, just thinking about how to smoothly cover up this incident was already making his head spin. Nearly half of the trees in the Latifundium were broken, and the traces of the battle were obvious. Could they really cover this up as if nothing had happened?
“Hmm… what should we do? We also want to help you keep things quiet, assistant.”
“But even if we say we caught the homunculus, our teacher won’t believe it. And you even took the Gnosis’s egg, Siwoo.”
“Isn’t there some kind of magic to restore things to their original state?”
“This kind of mess is impossible.”
Actually, he hadn’t asked with much expectation. He had discussed various things with the twins as they left Mount Yeong, but the scale of the incident was too large. It was clear that Jemernai would pay attention to Siwoo in some way.
“…There really seems to be no solution. I’ll think about it some more.”
The twins had been encouraging him, saying it wouldn’t matter if their teacher found out, but why did he feel so uneasy?
However, Siwoo and the twins’ worries became meaningless. As soon as they left Mount Yeong, the person who appeared right in front of them was the reason.
“Ah! Teacher!”
“You troublemakers!”
Two women approached at the same time, each flicking Odile and Odette on the head. What else could be said?
The apprentice witches’ teacher and the current Countess Jemernai.
Albireo Jemernai, the teacher of Odile and Odette.
And Deneb Jemernai.
2.
It was such a sudden encounter that Siwoo was only able to observe the two Jemernais, Albireo and Deneb, after getting into the carriage.
To be more precise, it was while the two teachers were sternly scolding the twins that he could observe them.
“Teacher, that’s not it…!”
“Who told you to go into Mount Yeong without permission!”
“I’ve repeatedly told you it’s dangerous because the mana is tangled!”
“W-we’re sorry…”
First of all, what should he say?
It was very unexpected.
Having only seen the mischievous twins, he had imagined that the Jemernai countesses would also be lively and energetic.
But seeing them in person, they felt like refined noblewomen.
“So, a homunculus appeared!”
“While we were distracting it, the assistant went *wham*! and defeated it with magic.”
“Look at these two! What are you so happy about!”
“Ugh…! It hurts… it hurts…”
Of course, right now, as they were scolding the twins, they looked exactly like mothers who loved their children.
“Go over there and stand with your hands up.”
“Hmph.”
“Yes….”
After about 30 minutes of explanations and scolding, the noisy carriage became a little quieter as the twins knelt side by side with their hands up.
“Haa…. Deneb, prepare the tea.”
Albireo, who seemed to have a fever, brushed a strand of her disheveled hair behind her ear and approached Siwoo, who was sitting like a stone.
“I heard you saved our troublemakers?”
Albireo spoke first.
Her violet eyes and black hair were very similar to Odile, but everything else was completely different.
Her neatly tied-up hair in a bun and her fitted dress that revealed the curves of her body made her look very mature.
Perhaps it was also because of her chest, which was as ample as Sophia’s.
At first, she had been scrutinizing Siwoo with suspicious eyes, but by the time the twins’ explanations and excuses were over, her gaze had changed.
Perhaps because of their passionate defense, which was almost like a hymn, her eyes were now filled with warm favor.
“I was just doing what I had to do.”
“Oh my, you’re so modest.”
Deneb was the one pouring tea into Siwoo’s teacup as he bowed his head in response.
She seemed to be the younger sister.
The first thing that surprised Siwoo the most when he saw the two Jemernai countesses was Deneb’s appearance.
Like Odile and Odette, they were clearly twins, with similar appearances and builds, but there was a striking difference.
Deneb had snow-white hair, which distinguished her from Albireo.
Her eyebrows and eyelashes were all pure white, giving her a mysterious and sacred aura.
So that’s why they’re called the black and white twin birds.
Siwoo nodded inwardly.
“So, you’re a slave from the modern world?”
“To wield this much magic without a brand. You’re impressive.”
The tea time began naturally.
He felt unnecessarily nervous.
Two pairs of eyes, identical in every way except for the color of their hair, were staring intently at him.
“Yes, thank you for seeing me in a good light…”
“Wait, before that.”
Both hands reached out to Siwoo’s cheeks at the same time.
As soon as the fragrant fingertips gently caressed Siwoo’s cheeks, he felt the lingering pain in his whole body disappear completely.
“Your body was such a mess, so I’ve healed it.”
“Are you alright?”
“Th-thank you. I feel much better.”
It was amazing.
In less than a second, all the pain had vanished instantly.
The magic circuits that had been tattered and torn, and even my swollen ankles, were healed in an instant.
Truly, the Geminai, bestowed with the title of Count.
They were a family famous for their magical tools, but their mastery of magic was on another level.
“I’m grateful that you bravely saved our little rascals, but it would be best if you didn’t use such reckless magic in the future.”
“Yes, I’ll keep that in mind.”
“Still, it’s amazing that you managed to defeat the homunculus by using your wits. I’m impressed.”
“Not at all.”
Siwoo lowered his head deeply again.
For the same reason as before, Siwoo felt very uncomfortable in this place.
Right now, of course, they would treat him like a benefactor.
It was no different from being a hero who had saved their precious daughters.
But if they found out what Siwoo had done behind Odile and Odette’s backs, would they continue to be so welcoming?
“If one receives a favor, it’s only right to repay it.”
“Is there anything you desire? Tell us anything.”
The twins’ peculiar way of speaking, which they occasionally displayed, unfolded before his eyes without the slightest deviation.
It was as if they were sharing each other’s thoughts.
Whatever their way of speaking, Siwoo had already decided on his answer in case Count Geminai asked what he wanted.
“Could you possibly let me leave Gehenna?”
He couldn’t take back the words he had already spoken, but he still felt somewhat intimidated.
The two of them had been staring intently at Siwoo after hearing his request.
“……..”
“……..”
Even though it wasn’t a difficult request, the Count’s silence was long.
Feeling uneasy for no reason, Siwoo cautiously asked again.
“Is it a difficult request?”
“No, it’s a very easy request. But it’s a bit unexpected.”
Unexpected?
He was tired of his life as a slave here, so what was unexpected about that?
While Siwoo was tilting his head, Deneb continued to explain.
“Given your achievement in defeating a homunculus in such dire circumstances, I thought you would have a little more attachment and passion for magic.”
“Since there’s no better place to learn magic than Gehenna, I naturally assumed you would stay here.”
That was true.
When Siwoo first started his magic research, his only thought was to get out of Gehenna.
But as time passed, his thoughts had changed.
Magic, which was merely a means to an end, had given Siwoo a new sense of accomplishment and curiosity.
Most importantly, the image of Ain he had seen today still remained a great shock, making his heart pound.
“Yes, I want to go home.”
Still.
Still, he wanted to go home.
He missed the cola, the chicken, the pizza, the noisy car sounds, the smog-filled cityscapes, and even watching porn in full HD.
“Is that all you want?”
“You’ve received the favor of the Geminai family, you know? We could give you citizenship and hire you as an assistant to help with your magic research.”
The Geminai seemed puzzled by Siwoo’s simple wish.
But soon, their interest waned.
For Siwoo, escaping Gehenna was the wish of a lifetime, and this table was a negotiation table to gain that freedom.
But for the Geminai, it was just a small request from a slave who wanted to return to the modern world.
An easy request that they had no problem granting.
“We’ll start the procedures right away.”
“Which organization do you belong to? If it’s the academy, it would be the city hall, right?”
“Ah…”
At that moment, something he had overlooked came to mind.
“Actually… I’m Amelia’s exclusive slave. Will that be a problem?”
“Exclusive slave?”
Although they quickly composed themselves, perhaps for the sake of their dignity, Siwoo did not miss the fleeting look of bewilderment on the twins’ faces.
This felt ominous.
“Hmm…”
“What should we do…”
A light sigh.
Siwoo’s unease soon became a reality.
“In Gehenna, an exclusive slave means private property. If you were just under the city hall, we could just pay your price, but in this case, we’ll need Baroness Merrygold’s permission.”
“Don’t worry too much. If we offer her a reasonable compensation, she won’t necessarily hold onto you.”
If he had known it would turn out like this, he wouldn’t have become Amelia’s exclusive slave, even if it meant being nagged at.
‘I shouldn’t have taken that coin back then!’ As Siwoo’s expression darkened, Albireo spoke up.
“Don’t worry too much.”
“We’ll prepare and offer her a price that she’ll find satisfactory.”
“Thank you.”
Was that it?
The witches sipped their tea and said nothing more.
“So, when will I be able to leave?”
“The Count’s family has official duties, and we also need materials to negotiate with the Baron…”
“About a week?”
That’s all?
He had waited five years.
A week was nothing.
Dazed, Siwoo, having obtained his freedom coupon, hid his desire to do a somersault on the spot.
Wasn’t his magic research over the past three years a waste?
If it weren’t for that magic research, he wouldn’t have received this special treatment.
“Thank you!”
“It’s nothing.”
“We should be the ones thanking you.”
It was uncertain how Amelia would react, but surely nothing bad would happen?
The Geminai family was already known for being wealthy.
If they were preparing a price to repay their debt, it would be enough to satisfy even Amelia.
“Then we’ll go check on the twins’ condition first. You little troublemakers~”
“Yes!”
“Yes! Teacher!”
Odile and Odette, who had been raising their hands in the corner, rushed to the table as soon as the words were spoken.
“Did you thank him properly?”
“Of course!”
“Regardless of status, if you receive a favor, you need to show proper respect.
That includes not only material things but also the sincerity of bowing your head.”
Albireo and Deneb took the lead and bowed their heads to Siwoo.
“We owe you an unpayable debt.”
“Thank you once again.”
“P-Please raise your heads. It’s too much.”
Siwoo was startled.
Even though he had saved the twins, Siwoo was just a slave, and the Geminai were Counts.
Counts, of which there were only seven in this world.
“Showing proper respect to a benefactor is also a virtue that nobles must uphold.”
“May the blessings of mana be with you on your path.”
The Geminai kissed Siwoo’s hands in turn, who didn’t know what to do, and then nudged the twins.
““Assistant, thank you so much for saving us!””
The twins hid their embarrassed smiles and bowed politely.
