City ​​of Witches 916

## Chapter 916 – #199_Transaction(3)

#910

1.
Whether it would be conveyed to Duke Tiferet verbatim was another matter, but he had delivered all the necessary information.

“Truly cunning.”
“It’s the life of a Public Enemy.”
“Convenient, I must say. You can justify any action with the excuse that it’s for the Public Enemy.”
“Oh, Duke, you wound me. It’s not as if I’ve betrayed a comrade.”

The current Hexennacht was effectively under the control of the hardliners, the Qliphoth.
Lydia’s misstep, the subsequent fall from grace, was the decisive factor.

The hardliners, as if they had been waiting for this moment, took much from Lydia and tarnished her honor.

If that was what they called comrades, well…

“Let me summarize. What you want is to prevent the two Public Enemies from the hardline faction from obtaining the floodgate.”
“Yes, that’s right.”
“While I am not obligated to fight, if a conflict arises, I will subdue them both.”
“That’s also right. To be honest, killing them would be the cleanest solution.”

It was almost certain that this incident was Urshula’s unilateral action, not the Qliphoth’s consensus.

They had received intelligence that she had not reported to the Qliphoth because she wanted to keep it a secret until she obtained the floodgate.

However, regardless of whether Urshula reported it or not, if she obtained the floodgate, it would lead to the strengthening of the hardline faction.
Urshula was affiliated with the Qliphoth, and she would operate it for the hardliners in exchange for some kind of compensation.

The Qliphoth, who already held power in Hexennacht, would enter their second golden age with control over the flood.

Lydia, who had been the leader of the moderates, would have her position weakened even further, and the Solidus Merchant Guild, which was struggling to run its above-board business in the chaotic world, would also falter significantly.

It was obvious what the Qliphoth, who had eliminated their rivals and taken everything, would do.

They would either cross the Red Line, which Gehenna was closely watching, in their quest to conquer the world, or perhaps even declare war on Gehenna altogether.

“I don’t want war. If we engage in an all-out war with Gehenna, Hexennacht will ultimately lose.”

Many Public Enemies might be captivated by their explosive growth and dazzling debut in the mortal realm, but Lydia was different.

She had a clear understanding of Gehenna’s power.

Public Enemies who had honed their magic to survive in the land of the survival of the fittest were certainly powerful.
However, Gehenna, where the best witches had gathered and engaged in endless discussions and research exchanges, had increased their power to a level far beyond that of the First Great War.

That was why Gehenna was the lair of a lazy dragon.

No matter how much Hexennacht flew and soared.
Even if they mocked and despised Gehenna’s witches as pampered weaklings.
Even without their leader, Duke Keter, that fact would not change.

“The most ideal scenario for me is for Hexennacht to exist as a moderate threat.”

Strong enough that Gehenna could not easily decide to engage in an all-out war.
At the same time, strong enough to not be perceived as a threat by Gehenna.

That was the most ideal balance.

Therefore, there was no room for justice in Lydia’s demands.
She was only pursuing her own interests.

“Wouldn’t you say we’re on the same boat now?”

Eloa could obtain the floodgate and stop the flood.
Lydia could prevent the expansion of the hardline faction and carry out her personal revenge.

At this moment, Lydia argued, their interests aligned.

Eloa closed her eyes.

She understood everything the Golden Witch wanted.
She thought it was quite reasonable, not just a simple bait.

“What about Dorothy?”
“I’ll return her safely when everything is over. I swear on Magnus’s name.”

Lydia swore on a witch’s name.
How much could one trust a vow made in the name of a Public Enemy?

Eloa didn’t know either.
She just needed one more confirmation to believe that she had seen through her.

“One last question. What do you desire?”

A sharp gaze like a blade was directed at Lydia.
Lydia shrugged and got up from her seat, joking.

“It’s always been like this. I can’t rest until I get back what was taken from me, with interest.”

That was the root of the philosophy that ran through Lydia’s life.

2.
Originally, Siwoo and Eloa were planning to take a lukewarm approach to the floodgate that would soon appear.

They didn’t know what dangers lurked there, and their available forces were limited.

They were planning to take action, but that didn’t mean they would rush in as soon as the pocket dimension opened.

However, with Lydia using Dorothy as a hostage, they had no choice.

“So, Dorothy is safe, right?”
“That’s right.”

Siwoo, who had been called by Sharon and waited for Eloa’s communication to end.

“Then we have to go save her.”

After hearing the situation, Siwoo said without a moment’s hesitation.
Eloa, Amelia, and Sharon all knew that he would do that.

However, what was surprising was that Siwoo was maintaining a rather calm demeanor.

“It’s definitely suspicious… but is there really any other way? Lydia isn’t asking us to hand over the floodgate, but for us to take control of it, right?”
“That’s right.”
“Then we have to stop the flood and bring Dorothy back.”
“Siwoo, but…”
“I’ll go myself.”

Of course, it was dangerous for Siwoo to move.

Stepping into a place where they didn’t know what kind of tricks had been set up was a danger that was incomparable to simply being in the mortal realm.

However, Dorothy had been detained.
Dorothy had risked her life to betray Hexennacht for Siwoo.

The opposite was also true.

“I’ll prepare.”

It was only then that the three realized that Siwoo was not his usual self.
Ignoring their worried and dissuading gazes, Siwoo left Eloa’s room.

In his hand was a satellite phone.

Siwoo had called Dorothy several times a day, even though he couldn’t reach her.
He knew her number well enough to dial it with his eyes closed.

Before the ringing had gone on for long, a cheerful voice came from the other end of the line.

[Is there a problem?]

Lydia had left a way to contact her.
She needed a way to convey her answer to the negotiation and a device to exchange opinions in real-time in preparation for any variables.

This was also a device that showed Lydia’s confidence that she could get away at any time, even if they tried to trace her.

“Hello?”
[Oh, it’s you? It’s been a while, Si-soon.]
“Yes, it’s me. How have you been?”

Lydia laughed heartily with her characteristic tinkling laughter, as if she was very pleased.

Lydia had said that the reason why the witches tended to look down on Siwoo was that, regardless of gender, they saw Siwoo, a young witch, as someone pretending to be an adult.

The reason why Lydia was laughing like that was probably because Siwoo, who had contacted her individually while pretending to be relaxed, looked like a child who wanted to act like an adult.

[I’m doing great. I’m drinking champagne in a top-class hotel room, going to see plays, and sometimes I even self-soothe myself with the memory of that night with you, Si-soon. We were so hot back then, weren’t we?]
“Well, we were.”
[That’s why I’m so glad to hear from you. Anyway, why did you call? Did Duke Tiferet order you to?]
“No, I contacted you individually.”

Lydia, who had been spouting nonsense, fell silent.

As far as she knew, Siwoo was a disciple under the protection of Duke Tiferet.
And yet, with his lover Dorothy kidnapped, he had contacted her individually?

She was probably racking her brain to figure out the situation.
Soon, she came up with the most reasonable guess.

[Are you suggesting a hostage exchange?]

In other words, she guessed that Shin Siwoo, unable to bear seeing his lover held captive, had chosen to be held hostage instead.

And that was an offer that Lydia would accept with open arms.

An exchange of a 22nd-ranked witch and the world’s only male witch.
It was an exchange ratio that she would accept even if it meant the floodgate fell into the hands of the Hexennacht hardliners.

“Of course not, why would I?”
[What a letdown.]

Siwoo scoffed at that guess without hiding it.

[Then why did you call? To ask me to put Dorothy on the phone?]
“That’s not it either.”
[……?]
“I’m calling to tell you that I accept your offer. And while I’m at it, there’s one more thing I’d like to say.”
[I’m listening. Go ahead.]

Lydia’s cold reply, as if she was displeased, came back.

“I used to be a slave of Gehenna. For five years, I only dabbled in magic and tried to escape. Even after becoming a witch, it wasn’t easy. I’ve faced many near-death experiences, and there were several crises that seemed impossible to overcome. But in the end, I survived and somehow managed to reach the level of a Great Witch.”
[Ah, I see. Send me your resume by email.]

In front of Lydia, who was openly showing that she had lost interest, Siwoo continued to speak silently.

“I honestly don’t know what you’re up to, Lydia. I think you might have set a trap, or maybe the conditions are as they seem… It’s really difficult. But, I have to say one thing.”

Bianca had said.
If you have transcended humanity, you must break free from its shackles.

It was easy to say, but very difficult to follow.

Because Siwoo himself thought he was a very weak person.

He held onto grudges like a petty person, and forgiveness didn’t come easily.
He laughed so hard that his teeth showed when he was happy, and he cried and sobbed when he was sad.

The righteous sense of duty to live for others just because he had special powers was vague, and he didn’t think of looking down on or despising others either.

As Dorothy had pointed out, it was an innate weakness that he couldn’t shake off.

But it was different when it came to his people.

“If this is a trap, and if anything happens to my lover because of it, I will come for you.”

He was willing to tear off his weakness and get his hands dirty.

“No matter what impossible dangers and crises there are, I will survive by any means necessary. I will become your most feared enemy and reappear. I will definitely do that. So…”

He could hear the sound of someone swallowing on the other end of the line.

The queen, who sat on a golden throne and commanded countless Public Enemies, felt a moment of threat from the rookie’s threat.
There was a strange spirit in his words that made her feel a sense of crisis even in the face of an absurd threat.

“Behave yourself.”
[Haa…. Haha]

A sigh mixed with laughter escaped her, as if she couldn’t believe it.

But Lydia was a queen, and Shin Siwoo was a rookie whose princess had been taken hostage.
Nothing would change with spirit alone.

Nevertheless, Lydia replied very satisfyingly.

[Good luck, hero.]

The call ended.
Siwoo picked up the Red Branch.

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