Chapter 897 – #195_제안(4)
#891
1.
“Whew, that was awesome.”
Reviewing it bit by bit, both the result and the process were satisfying battles.
The legion’s landing was blocked far out in the East Sea.
In the process, no witch died or was critically injured.
If there was a disappointing part, it would be that they failed to subdue the stag and nip the bud of future trouble, but isn’t this good enough?
Moreover, all three new techniques that I refined and established with Ms. Sua proved their practicality in actual combat.
The very first technique was ‘Crimson Bloom’ that defeated the werewolf.
Simply put, it’s a method of using the crimson branches like syringes to inject poison.
It condenses the distortion field and its unique sparks, then detonates them all at once the moment the attack is embedded into the enemy’s body.
The second technique was the distortion barrier that blocked the giant’s sword.
It’s a defensive technique that distorts the space around it to create a curved surface, then flows the impact force outward.
I completed it by training with Ms. Sua, which I had practiced with R’lyeh before.
The last technique was ‘Three Piercing Fangs’ that subdued the giant.
Literally, it’s a technique that stabs three times with all one’s might, and I succeeded in concentrating the power into one extreme point, which originally spread into three branches because I couldn’t control my power delicately.
As a result, a technique with superior firepower than the previous ultimate move, ‘Javelin Throw,’ was born.
It can be said that the magic of handling crimson branches has made great achievements.
Since I showed such great performance, it was inevitable that the already high level of attention would double.
After returning to the Hokkaido branch’s emergency response headquarters, I wanted to go straight to my lovers, but I was caught by the witches who were swarming in without a moment to breathe.
“Shin Siwoo, you’re quite something.”
“I thought you were just so-so since you’re a male witch, but wow, you’re ferocious.”
“Hey, you know what? Would you like to have a drink alone with me at a hotel?”
“Ah, yes, yes. Of course. Thank you. No. I’m sorry.”
I’m already getting a little anxious.
If it’s like this here, will I be able to leave the house when I go back to Gehenna later?
“Ah, that was fun.”
“Mr. Shin Siwoo, remember our promise.”
“Let’s go back.”
The Gehenna witches, who had been surrounding Siwoo for a long time, showering him with questions and flirtatious remarks, returned to Gehenna with lighthearted smiles after enjoying a festival.
I thought they would stay in the mortal realm for a little while, but it seems that the witches of Gehenna have no intention of staying in the unstable mortal realm.
Perhaps they were personnel that couldn’t have been forcibly brought out if there hadn’t been an offer.
Anyway, after barely managing to deal with the witches’ excessive attention and taking a breather, the government officials and exiles dispatched for this incident also showed great interest in Siwoo.
“Mr. Shin Siwoo, nice to meet you. I’m Park Oh-joon from the Anti-Witch Management Bureau.”
Agents from the National Intelligence Service, as well as the CIA and MI6, agencies I’d only seen in foreign movies, approached me.
I knew it when I briefly met Congressman Kim Jun-beom last time, but Shin Siwoo, who became a witch while being a man, was a great point of interest for the higher-ups.
Without having to think too hard, if I were to guess the reason, it would probably be that the humans are also looking for their own solutions to homunculi.
I already knew it, but I was convinced after seeing today’s scene.
Witches are fickle beings, and it would be a burden to entrust world security to such beings.
They said they would agree to all the conditions I wanted. Please cooperate. They would be grateful if I contacted them.
The nuances were slightly different, but they were generally along those lines.
After receiving business cards from the agents who came in waves for a long time, I was finally freed from the crowd.
Somehow, this feels more draining than fighting.
“Haa…”
“You did a good job, Siwoo.”
Finally, I met my lovers.
Amelia and Sharon, who each played a big role, approached Siwoo with bright smiles.
But somehow, the numbers are a bit short.
My teacher is busy going around the headquarters because of the cleanup issues, so that’s understandable, but Rinne, R’lyeh, and Dorothy are nowhere to be seen.
“Sharon, where’s R’lyeh?”
“Ah, R’lyeh? She’s been over there since earlier?”
When I turned my head, I saw R’lyeh leaning against the wall with her arms crossed, standing arrogantly.
Around her, several exiles from the Witch Point were whispering while keeping a proper distance.
“You try it.”
“What are you saying, you crazy… I’m scared. You go.”
“Seriously, but her aura is extraordinary… It’s like an aura is flowing.”
In witch society, especially among exiles who are governed by the logic of power, hierarchy is directly linked to class.
It’s not very strange that they would feel admiration and awe for R’lyeh’s great performance today.
At first glance, it wasn’t obvious at all, but Siwoo and Sharon could tell.
R’lyeh was pretending to be nonchalant while listening to all the praise and respect.
It seemed that she decided to stay there because she knew that if she came to Siwoo’s side, she would only show a foolish side of herself.
“Should we just leave her like that for a while?”
“She looks happy, so that’s good enough.”
“Ah, wait a minute. Ms. Amelia, would you please stay here for a moment too?”
Siwoo, who was looking around, found a kimono hem sticking out at the end of the hallway and asked Sharon and Amelia for their understanding.
Everyone is chatting happily in the joy of victory right now.
As expected?
“Ms. Rinne, you were alone.”
“My lord.”
Rinne, who had played such a big role, was completely alone.
Not only witches, but even humans who were exhausted but filled with relief and joy, did not go near her.
It’s only natural.
Rinne’s words and actions, except when dealing with Siwoo, are no different from when they first met.
It’s like a cold atmosphere that pushes away everyone who approaches.
“You should have come to me.”
“I cannot cause trouble for my lord.”
In addition, Rinne, who is from a public background, understood the repercussions that would occur the moment she called Siwoo ‘my lord.’
Therefore, she was watching from a distance, pretending to be a complete stranger.
“Is that why you called me like this?”
“…I didn’t call you.”
Instead, she subtly showed her kimono hem, sending a signal that said, ‘I’m here, so please come to me.’
Rinne has a cute side to her, as she is secretly not honest.
“Oh, right. Did you do your homework well?”
“……”
Rinne hesitated for a moment, then nodded her head with difficulty.
Here, homework refers to Siwoo’s special prescription to treat Rinne’s monotonous life.
It’s a diary where she writes down one enjoyable thing she did each day and her feelings about it.
“Shall we take a look now?”
The notebook that Siwoo had given her came out of Rinne’s arms.
There’s no way she would have gone to fight with this, so it’s twice as cute to think that she ran to her room to get it so that she could be praised by Siwoo.
“I have one request instead of my lord.”
“Yes, what is it?”
“…You must never laugh.”
“Hey, of course.”
I nodded my head at Rinne’s words, who was making a serious request, and opened the diary.
I was a little surprised.
It hasn’t even been a month since I gave her this homework.
However, Rinne’s diary was filled to the end of the thick notebook.
It wasn’t just about ‘hobbies,’ but she wrote down everything that happened that day in chronological order, including her inner thoughts.
At this rate, it feels like I’m a stalker who’s secretly peeking at a real diary.
“…You wrote it very diligently.”
“It’s something my lord ordered. I wrote it without hiding anything.”
“I didn’t expect you to go this far… I feel sorry for no reason.”
“It’s okay.”
I flipped through the pages.
I could see that Rinne had made a great effort to follow Siwoo’s words.
She went around to restaurants, and she went shopping at department stores.
She bought various things and started flower arranging, and she even watched TV shows.
The conclusion of the monotonous writing style, written in elegant handwriting, was always ‘I missed my lord’ and ‘I wanted to be with my lord,’ so I felt a shy gratitude.
“Oh, you even had a drink with the teacher.”
The moment Rinne’s expression turned dark and lifeless.
“Y-yes, I did.”
Somehow, she’s even stuttering.
Rinne, who was fidgeting like a child who had been caught doing something wrong, grabbed Siwoo’s sleeve tightly.
“My lord, I ask you again, but you must never laugh.”
“Hey, I’m not such a bad person.”
It was only a page later that sweat started to bead on Siwoo’s forehead, who had made such a bold statement.
Rinne had recorded all of her drunken behavior and disgraceful actions.
She had begged the teacher for praise, clung to her, spoke her drunken thoughts, and even asked her to sing a lullaby.
Even the fact that she called her ‘Mama.’
In fact, if Rinne had wanted to hide it, she could have hidden it as much as she wanted.
The diary isn’t exactly for interrogation, and privacy is always important.
However, Rinne carried out whatever Siwoo ordered like a straight arrow.
She did not allow any lies or falsehoods to herself.
“Oh, um… I’m sorry.”
“…Don’t apologize.”
I never thought that such a nature would open Pandora’s box in this way.
Looking at Rinne’s ears, which had turned red, I had many thoughts.
Putting aside this embarrassing feeling, it seems that what Rinne lacked the most was family love.
Then, does that mean Siwoo is Papa, and the teacher is Mama?
“Ahem.”
Siwoo cleared his throat once and reached out his hand to place it on Rinne’s head.
He lightly stroked her hair as if brushing it aside, and Rinne flinched and slowly turned her head to look at Siwoo.
“Thank you. You did a good job.”
“Really?”
“Of course.”
Doing this made me feel good.
As if by magic, Rinne’s cheeks relaxed.
Just when the atmosphere was about to get better.
-Beep! Beep! Beep!
Suddenly, a phone bell, like a scream, started ringing from the headquarters table.
The lively chatter also turned into a murmur filled with sighs and shock.
Wondering what was going on, Siwoo ran to the headquarters with Rinne and saw it.
A large screen that drew the attention of witches and people even in this chaotic mess.
The video being shown there.
The sky stained with black smoke.
Aircraft carriers and battleships sinking after being completely destroyed.
A witch walking leisurely on the burning sea.
“What on earth is going on?”
I asked the witch next to me, who was pale.
“The Hexennacht sank a U.S. Navy fleet.”
That in itself is certainly surprising.
However, the following words helped me understand the surrounding reactions.
“Without deploying the otherworld barrier… They released that video to the world.”
The mystery that had not risen to the surface in history.
The existence of witches was revealed to the world.
