City ​​of Witches 966

Chapter 966 – #208_스캔들(2)

#960

1.
In this day and age, with advanced network technology, you can access all sorts of news and special reports just by turning on your smartphone, but witches still prefer to share information through printed materials.

It’s not just a matter of preferring the old-fashioned; it’s a matter of familiarity.

For a witch who has lived for decades, or even hundreds of years, reading is the act of deciphering black ink on a recording medium made of plant fibers.

Therefore, there are various publications in Gehenna.

First, there’s ‘The Gazette,’ a newspaper published twice a week by the Central City Hall.
There are also academic journals and society newsletters regularly published by various academic societies.
Catalogs are published monthly by the Adonai Trading Company and the Geminai Magic Tool Shop.
And there’s Kanar, which provides small updates on current trends in the mortal world from Border Town.

Since the essence of a witch is the study of magic, the most publicly beloved periodical is the academic journal.

You can find witches with academic journals tucked under their arms everywhere, and if a groundbreaking paper is published, like the one Siwoo recently wrote, everyone gathers around the journal.

However, as you know, not all refined witches are always engrossed in magical research.

There is a gossip magazine that holds an irreplaceable position in Gehenna’s tabloids, and its name is ‘Dandelion.’

The people who write the articles, the place where it’s published, and even the publication cycle and number of copies are irregular.

It masquerades as a neutral newsletter, but the content is not much different from a tabloid.

Love affairs, discord, breakups, affairs, various scandals, socialite feuds and conflicts, the debut of new witches, fashion trends, and the private lives of famous witches, and so on.

Even if you look closely at the ingredient analysis, you won’t find any nutritional value in the content of Dandelion.

Although it’s written in a formal and elegant style, it’s a piece of junk food in the publishing world, abandoning neutrality, starting with “I heard” and ending with “the author’s opinion.”

But it’s human nature to seek out sensational, thrilling, secret, and visceral news.

This gossip magazine, which boasts an 80-year history and is dearly loved by its shy subscribers, flies like dandelion seeds and gently lands in private salons, in the mailboxes of some witches’ backyards, and on secret bookshelves in the corner of bars.

Even though the content itself is terrible, how can you resist topics like ‘No Truce: The War of Nerves Between Baron Demer and Count Geminai,’ ‘Tightening Corsets for Show: A Lady’s Over-the-Top Dress as She Takes Her First Steps into the Abstinence Society,’ ‘Secret Garden Party: A Night Without Invitations Leads to a Scandal of the Century,’ and ‘A Fatal Love Triangle in the Secretary’s Office: Who Will Be the Final Winner?’

“There’s stuff like this in Gehenna…?”

Siwoo, who learned about its true nature for the first time, couldn’t hide his bewilderment and embarrassment.

“These vulgar women, really…!”

As Albireo, who receives a lot of envy and attention, has been burned by articles in gossip magazines many times.
Albireo scanned the article with a fiery gaze that even felt like hatred.

[In the Tree of Sefirot, a vote was held to appoint a successor to the barony, which has been vacant since Amelia Merrygold was stripped of her title due to the unfortunate magical power surge incident at the last harvest festival. The newly appointed successor is none other than the witch Shin Siwoo, who has recently emerged like a comet and caused a great stir in the witch society as a whole, and who can only be described as an incomprehensible being.]

[Baron candidate Shin Siwoo has been recognized as a supernova who will pioneer a new path in magic through his innovative research paper, ‘The Combination of Different Magnetic Magic,’ and the verification process in the Secretary’s Office, which was as shocking as the topic itself. However, regarding his private life, there have been numerous sightings and testimonies that are completely contrary to his potential as a promising witch.]

The article was densely packed, continuing on page 8.
It wasn’t just text; there were also supporting photos attached.

Photos of him entering a room with Sharon.
Photos of him kissing Amelia at the perfume workshop.
Photos of him walking side by side with his hand on his teacher’s waist.
Photos of him riding on a horse saddle with R’lyeh.
Photos of him going for a walk with the twins, and so on.

They were photos taken from various angles, clearly showing scenes full of love and affection.

“Wait, does Gehenna not have any portrait rights?”
“This isn’t a legal issue in Gehenna; it’s Siwoo’s problem.”
“That’s true, but…”

He felt his head spinning.

He had reluctantly started a harem, but Siwoo had been careful in his own way.

If the rumors and glares were only directed at Siwoo, it would be one thing, but if this kind of scandal broke out, it would surely draw curious gazes to his lovers as well.

Since there were only women in Gehenna, it served as a suitable smokescreen for Siwoo’s harem, and until now, except for a few witches, no one knew about Siwoo’s womanizing.

Even those were witches with whom he had some kind of personal connection.

“They’ve poked at a sore spot at a good time. It seems like they’ve been preparing for a long time.”

Albireo, who had read the entire article, said through gritted teeth.

Fortunately or unfortunately, there was no mention of Dorothy, Linne, or Count Yesod.
Also, his relationship with Deneb was not specifically described.

But that doesn’t mean there’s no problem.

The article not only mentioned Siwoo and his lovers but also subtly criticized the Count’s family by mentioning that Siwoo was the son-in-law of the Geminai family.

They were indirectly saying nonsense like a noble lady who was stood up and a mistress who couldn’t control her household.

Those who usually couldn’t say a word because they were weighed down by the family name had been given a ‘trigger.’
For a while, the Geminai family was sure to go through a bout of measles as they became the talk of the town.

“I’m sorry. I should have been more careful…”
“It’s Siwoo’s fault, but think about yourself first.”
“From now on, it’s certain that Siwoo will be in a disgraceful scandal.”

But Albireo and Deneb were cold.

It’s just a temporary scandal anyway.
The Geminai family is not strictly a party to the relationship and still has a solid foundation and reputation.

It means that they are not a ship that can be easily wrecked by this kind of storm.

But Siwoo is different.

Not all witches are closed off to dating and sex, but Siwoo was a bit too much.

Moreover, all of his lovers are great witches.
Among them is Duchess Tiferet, who is known for her integrity and who has declared herself his teacher and patron.

He’s just about to make a name for himself.
He’s about to be the first male witch in history to be awarded a barony.
Moreover, he’s in the process of purchasing land and preparing to establish an academy.

It’s undeniable that he’s already receiving dogmatic gazes or being looked down upon because he’s a man who became a witch, which is unprecedented.

He was kicked in the face with a scandalous scandal at a time when he was about to leap forward.
It’s clear that he will be subjected to a level of crude criticism and ridicule that cannot be compared to the Geminai family or his other lovers.

“Should we find them and turn them upside down?”
“No, we shouldn’t.”
“Of course not, Siwoo.”
“I guess so, right?”

Siwoo had briefly considered going to cause a ruckus, but that was obviously the worst possible move.

“If you cause such a disgrace in Gehenna, where honor and trust are valued above all else, you’ll really have nowhere to live.”
“Ha… man, this is… Am I a bit too much even in Gehenna?”
“Strictly speaking, yes.”

The only lovers he’s officially dating are Amelia, Odile, Odette, Sharon, Eloa, R’lyeh, Dorothy, and Linne.
There’s also Count Yesod, with whom he slept for research purposes, and if you add up the short encounters, the number increases even more.

“Haa, I’m such a mess.”

Albireo glared at Siwoo, who suddenly stiffened.
But she knew that even if she brought up the facts she already knew and grilled him, nothing would change.

“The charisma project is over, and the barony is gone too.”
“I’ll have to lie low for about 10 years and live like I’m dead.”

30% of the witches in Gehenna are ‘orthodox,’ and their views on chastity are not much different from the level that was recommended as a virtue for nobles in the past.

In the midst of all that, a lecherous head of the academy.
If such a derogatory term is branded on him like a stigma, the prestigious witches will naturally avoid the academy that Siwoo will establish.

Moreover, it has become difficult to readily accept the barony that has come his way.

“Why is that?”
“Siwoo, as I said before, the barony in Gehenna is an honorary position.”
“You’re caught in a scandal, and you’re trying to swallow an honorable title without any special justification?”
“It’s like committing social suicide to get a broken nameplate. It’s better to stay still.”

Looking at the details of the article and the attached photos, it’s not something that was prepared in a day or two.

It was a sniper shot that had been carefully buried and fired at the exact moment it was needed.
That is, at a time when Gehenna’s attention was focused on Shin Siwoo, and at a time when Siwoo was trying to expand his power through that attention.

“I made a mistake.”

No one wants to easily share power.

Especially since ‘Shin Siwoo’ is an outsider in the eyes of most witches, it might be even more so.
Intrigues and political checks were something that should have been expected.

“I didn’t think they’d move so quickly…”

However, one thing that neither Albireo nor Deneb had predicted was that the speed was too fast.

Even if you’re not an idiot, you can guess that someone deliberately inflated the scandal to check Shin Siwoo.

At the same time, it was tantamount to turning Duchess Tiferet, Count Geminai, two 23rd-tier witches, and one 21st-tier witch into enemies.

It means that it’s too early to take such a risk and act rashly.
There was no other way to interpret it except that someone was moving with hostility…

“Let’s end today’s class here.”
“We’ll be working on countermeasures.”
“Siwoo, don’t meet anyone and don’t go outside the mansion.”
“It’s a good thing it’s just this. What if it was a sex tape?”

Albireo and Deneb were about to disband without coming up with a clear solution.

At that moment.

-Bang!

The door opened.
A stylish beard and neatly combed pomade.
Despite wearing a swallow-tailed suit, he didn’t look vulgar at all.

“Who are you…?”
“Madam Rose Glass?”
“It’s been a while. Count Geminai, and Count Deneb.”

Albireo and Deneb recognized him because he had often shown his face at various gatherings since he had joined high society.

“I apologize for visiting you without notice.”

Mimaya Takasho, a man from Hokkaido, bowed politely without being intimidated in front of his two mothers-in-law.

“Hey, brother. Do you need help?”

Takasho’s unnecessarily bright teeth gleamed.