City of Witches Chapter 147

Even in the heart of Sinchon, it inevitably quiets down past 2 AM on a weekday night.

Puddles bloomed on the cool night streets swept clean by a passing shower.

Sharon walked, hopping over those puddles.

"Tell me your story too."

That's how the conversation started, and even though he only briefly recounted how he ended up here and why he could use magic, the talk had stretched on this long.

The story of originally living in the Mortal Realm, getting captured and taken to Gehenna.

Living as a slave while researching escape magic.

Saving an apprentice witch of the Gemernai Family.

Getting injured during that process, recovering, and receiving a Brand.

Returning to the Mortal Realm to live under the grace of the Jemernai Count Family.

Among these, he particularly emphasized that the Countess was very grateful to Siwoo and that he had a close relationship with the Twins.

He figured this side would find it easier to guarantee his status and safety.

"Ah-ha, so that's how it happened."

"Yes."

But Sharon's reaction was utterly bland.

Well, it's not like he expected reactions like 'Whoa!! You succeeded in researching innate magic while being a slave?' or 'You were a crazy genius!' or 'A man with a Brand? My eyes are turning to your magical research value!'

Especially the last one was a reaction he really wanted to avoid.

But her indifferent response was as if she'd just heard something like, 'Oh, apparently a ship capsized far away in the Suez Canal, paralyzing logistics around the Mediterranean for a while.'

Because he hadn't known much about the Mortal Realm, he wondered if he had been worrying unnecessarily all this time.

"You don't seem as surprised as I thought."

"I was surprised though?"

Sharon opened her eyes wide and looked back at Siwoo.

In that moment, her fine hair fluttered, carrying a refreshing scent.

It's a slightly stray thought, but witches really are beautiful.

The lights of the 24-hour photo sticker shop were shining on her, making her look like she was in a pictorial.

"It's just that your reaction seemed minimal."

"Of course it's interesting. But want me to tell you something even more interesting? The money I've repaid in the Mortal Realm over 10 years is 1.3 billion won, but the principal has only decreased by 120 million won?"

"Ah...."

"What's even more amazing is that at this rate, the time I need to fully repay the principal and interest is 3,227 years and 8 months. Really amazing, right?"

He thought he understood what she was saying.

That curiosity, dreams, and passion for magic are only possible when life affords you the leisure.

58 billion won isn't some dog's name, and to Sharon, who's obsessed with repaying that debt, Siwoo's existence must be just an extra, nothing more.

In Gehenna, especially the witches around Siwoo were all economically affluent Great Witches, so he had thought witches were free from monetary concerns.

It seemed that was a hasty judgment.

"Sorry for no reason."

"Sorry for what... No, if you're sorry, buy me a meal."

"A meal?"

"Yeah, drinks are good too."

That much isn't difficult.

It seemed like the first time in over 100 days since coming to the Mortal Realm that he had such a long conversation with someone.

Siwoo, who fled to the Mortal Realm because he hated Gehenna, could only form a new connection with a witch who wanted to return to Gehenna.

It felt somewhat ironic.

Since there was a 24-hour McDonald's near the university, he brought one plum chiller and one pear chiller.

Honestly, she didn't seem like a bad witch, and as it was a rare chance for communication, he did feel the desire to talk a bit more.

He might be able to get various tips for living in the Mortal Realm from her, and perhaps even seek advice on the magic that had hit a dead end, so he should treat her well.

"Thank you. I'll enjoy it."

Sharon, taking the chiller from Siwoo, grinned.

A person's impression could change this much depending on their expression.

Who would have known she had such a personality when she just looked chronically exhausted back at the convenience store?

She was more bold and spirited than he had thought.

"It's not much of a substitute, but... can I ask you one thing?"

"Sure."

Sharon answered, holding the chiller in one hand and sipping it as if it were precious.

If he knew she'd like it this much, should he have bought her one more?

"What do you think other exiled witches would do if they saw me?"

"Hmm... Well? Case by case, right? Some will care, some will be like me, and some might want to cut you open. But with the Gemernai Family's guarantee, they probably can't just treat you recklessly, right?"

"Hmm..."

"Sluuurp.... By the way, why were you there? From what I heard, it seems you were hiding from witches, but I doubt you didn't know you'd inevitably encounter a witch if you loitered near a Homunculus."

Sharon asked, tilting her head as if puzzled.

"I saw a Homunculus killing a person. I couldn't just stand by after seeing that."

As soon as he finished speaking, Sharon stared intently at Siwoo's face for a while.

Siwoo, feeling awkward, drank his chiller.

Sharon said casually, as if passing by.

"Many die."

It was a tremendous shock to Siwoo, but to Sharon, it was a nonchalant tone as if it were an everyday occurrence.

Well, it must have been a fact she'd known for a long time.

"How many die?"

"Nobody knows exactly. It's not a frequent occurrence either. Especially for small fry like the one caught today, maybe one or two a year? The problematic ones are those with many 'eyes'."

"Eyes?"

"You tried to hunt without even knowing that? You're bolder than you look."

Sharon shrugged her shoulders as if finding it absurd towards Siwoo, who asked back without knowing anything.

"Homunculi have grades too. Usually, the danger level is measured by the number of eyes exposed externally. The ones with one are the weakest, and as you go up, they become more terrifying creatures."

"So it wasn't just running around."

Come to think of it, the black dog he faced after coming to the Mortal Realm was much easier to deal with than the one he met at the Latifundium.

Its attacks weren't particularly varied, and it didn't use any special magic either.

The one he met before at the Latifundium probably had three eyes, right?

"Right, the ones with many eyes are fewer in number and harder to find. But instead of petty acts like attacking humans one by one, they operate on a grand scale."

"In what way?""A disaster occurs. Whether it's a massive fire breaking out in reality, an epidemic spreading through an area, a building collapsing, or a natural disaster striking... Anyway, many people get hurt or die."

So, Homunculi weren't just guardians protecting legacies?

That such Homunculi were beings that brought calamities—I couldn't understand why they would do such things.

As if reading Siwoo's expression, Sharon spoke up.

"Homunculi are created lifeforms. But they're lifeforms created too long ago.

Therefore, to sustain their existence, they must kill Witches and steal their magic power. They must have lived that way for thousands of years.

But you know what? Compared to the past, the number of Witches now is less than a tenth, right? There's a shortage of prey?

After that, something went wrong, and the number of individuals who kill humans to steal their karma and life force to supplement their energy increased..."

Sharon, who had been spouting shocking stories for a while, suddenly froze stiff.

She was staring intently somewhere, so I followed her gaze—she was looking at a steamer billowing steam as if enchanted.

Her eyes were sorrowful, as if she had encountered a lover she thought had died on a deployment.

Even Siwoo felt a lump form in his throat, almost bringing tears to his eyes.

If it weren't for her half-open mouth drooling profusely, he would have surely mistaken it for that.

"Do you want to eat it?"

"Yes! Ah, no?"

Sharon nodded and shook her head as if asking what an obvious question that was, then tried to save face.

Siwoo scratched his cheek and was about to step into the store.

Seeing her drooling like that while clearly wanting to eat made him feel a bit sorry for her.

Given that she was working hard to save money by doing part-time work at a convenience store and still hadn't even paid off a fraction of the principal, she might be living a pretty tough life.

Even if that weren't the case, it didn't seem like a bad idea to build a rapport with her.

After all, she could share the knowledge she had accumulated over ten years as an Exile.

"Hey, I'm really fine, okay?"

"No, I want to eat it myself. It's about time for a late-night snack, and it'd be nice to talk while eating."

Siwoo stepped into the store calmly, with appropriate consideration, thinking that hasty sympathy might make her uncomfortable.

Sharon, who had been hesitating and declining, obediently followed Siwoo.

"Uh, maybe? It's not a bad idea..."

"Yes, I'll pay. In return, could you tell me more about life here?"

"Sure, I'll tell you all about it."

Siwoo's daily crustacean consumption averaged three king crabs.

Since he had eaten thirty just yesterday, it was only natural for the store owner to recognize his face.

"Hello."

"Oh my! Student! You're here again today!"

The owner, who had been watching TV in the empty store, brightened up and rushed over as soon as he saw Siwoo.

"How many should I pack for you today?"

"About ten of the biggest ones. Can we eat here?"

"What to do... We only do takeout and delivery from midnight..."

"...My house!"

As soon as the owner's words trailed off with reluctance, Sharon shouted loudly.

Then, she continued in a hushed tone.

"We can take it to my house and eat there..."

Perhaps embarrassed by her sudden outburst, Sharon's cheeks turned cherry red.

The owner and Siwoo blinked.

"Oh my~ I thought she was a foreigner, but your girlfriend speaks Korean well too. Got it! Wait a bit, student. I'll pack it up quickly."

"Huh? Okay."

The balding uncle seemed to have roughly grasped the situation and whispered to Siwoo, giving him a thumbs up without Sharon noticing, before heading straight to the tank to fetch the crabs.

"Do your best, student!"

It seemed like some misunderstanding had arisen.

Thinking there was no need to correct it, Siwoo stayed quiet.

Not long after, Siwoo was handed a bag filled to the brim with king crabs.

With each step, the bag fluttered, releasing the fragrant aroma of crab.

Sharon's footsteps were unusually quick.

Just moments ago, she had been strolling leisurely, but now she was striding forward as if participating in a speed-walking competition.

Her long hair, hanging down to her hips, swayed left and right like a puppy's tail.

She must really like crab.

But how long are we going to walk?

It felt like we'd been walking for over twenty minutes, and there was still no sign of stopping.

There are roughly three areas of studio apartments for college students in Sinchon: one is the upscale officetel complex near Sinchon Station where Siwoo lives.

Another is the steep studio apartment village carved into the mountain between the famous street and Ewha Womans University.

The last one is the bustling studio apartment village where Sharon and Siwoo were walking now.

The place Sharon finally turned into was a mixed-use villa with a bar boldly labeled 'ㅇㅇ Pocha' on the first floor.

"That was a bit far. We're here."

After climbing the first, second, third, fourth, and fifth floors, they finally arrived at the rooftop attic room.

"Don't be shy, come in."

"...Then, excuse me."

Honestly, just looking at the exterior from the first floor, it seemed shabby and like a building at least twenty years old, so I hadn't expected much.

Even so, the state of Sharon's room shattered any last expectations for an attic room.

"Sorry, it's a bit messy."

Actually, the mess wasn't the big problem.

Sorry to Sharon, but the room itself was the real issue.

First, despite being an attic room, it was extremely narrow, barely over 200 square feet.

Moreover, a pillar stood right in the middle of the room, making the already cramped living space even tighter.

The bed seemed to double as a wardrobe, with clothes thrown haphazardly all over it, and the yellowed wallpaper, unchanged for a long time, was heavily stained.

And then there was the sink and gas stove protruding from one wall...

I'd heard Sharon was in deep debt and struggling to pay it off, but this sight...

I felt like saying, 'I believe it, you really are in debt.'

It was a moment when any lingering wariness I had toward Sharon felt utterly useless.

As Siwoo stood dumbfounded in shock, he heard a gulping sound right behind him.

"Hey, when are we eating the king crab? I set up the table."

Turning around, he saw Sharon had unfolded a low-legged table and taken out plates, though he didn't know when she'd prepared them.

Author's Note (Author's Afterword)Does this child... know what it feels like to be full...??