City of Witches Chapter 148

The single-person desk was completely filled just by spreading out two king crabs.

The savory aroma of crab rising from the fried rice piled high in the shells and carapace, which had been cut with scissors for easy meat extraction, was more than enough to fill the tiny attic room.

“I-It’s, it’s delicious...!”

“I’m fine with just one, so please take your time.”

“Mmm-hmm!”

Sharon, holding a fork in one hand and a crab leg in the other, began diligently scraping out the meat.

She seemed to be trying to maintain a somewhat dignified appearance, but the speed and rhythm were nothing short of frantic.

“It’s been so long since I’ve had crab...”

Even with crab crumbs smeared all around her mouth, she didn’t look the least bit unappealing.

Her eating style reminded Siwoo exactly of how he had devoured chicken when he first returned from Gehenna, so he refrained from pointing it out.

Her sparkling eyes and chewing lips above her puffed-out cheeks even looked cute.

“What do you usually eat?”

“Me? Usually, I eat leftovers.”

“Ah...”

Siwoo was a bit surprised.

Among Witches, many consider sleep unnecessary and never sleep at all.

But as far as Siwoo knew, he had never seen a Witch who skipped meals or ate carelessly.

Because the pleasure of gourmet food is one of life’s great joys, even for Witches who don’t require separate nutritional intake.

But a Witch surviving on leftover lunchboxes...

Thinking back after hearing her words, he realized there was no refrigerator in her home.

Just how pitiful had her life been?

“I do set aside one special meal day a week, but I often skip that too.”

Perhaps feeling better as she ate, Sharon began spilling details even without being asked.

It seemed she was investing even her monthly food budget—less than 200,000 won—entirely into repaying her debt.

“There’s a place near here that sells incredibly delicious soy sauce-glazed chicken? I’ll treat you next time as a thank you.”

Even Siwoo, who had explored all the nearby famous eateries, had tried it.

It was a famous soy sauce-glazed chicken place that had even been on TV, with small orders at 3,000 won, medium at 6,000 won, and large at 10,000 won.

Her once-a-week special meal was under 10,000 won...

Feeling an intense sense of frugality, Siwoo quietly set down the crab leg he was holding.

Let’s feed her well.

Then, a question suddenly occurred to him.

Something Sharon had mentioned casually when they first met on the rooftop earlier.

“By the way, do you make money by catching Homunculi?”

“Ah, yes.”

“How? You mentioned something about Witch Points earlier.”

Honestly, Siwoo couldn’t quite imagine it.

He knew that Homunculi dropped inheritances.

But Sharon had rummaged through the Homunculus corpse, which yielded nothing, and retrieved a crystal.

That crystal, which looked no different from a glass marble to Siwoo.

“Ah, you said you don’t know anything, right?”

“Yes.”

Sharon set down the crab she was eating for a moment and wiped her mouth with a tissue.

Then, she calmly began to explain.

“There are roughly two main ways to make money by hunting Homunculi. One, you probably already know? Acquiring and selling the Witch of Creation’s inheritance. That’s the shortcut to making a fortune, and I’m aiming for that too.”

“And the other?”

“You hand over the Homunculus crystal to Witch Point.”

Sharon took out the crystal she had kept in her pocket and showed it to Siwoo.

“Usually, a Homunculus crystal is proportional to the magic power the Homunculus possessed in life. This is the core that drives those monsters.”

“Like a sariras?”

“Similar. Anyway, the Witch Point branch in Gwanghwamun weighs them and pays 10,000 won per 0.1g. For a size like this, it’d be about 1.3 million won.”

“Does the crystal itself have any magical effects?”

From what Siwoo saw, it was just an ordinary bead of unknown material.

It wasn’t particularly pretty, nor could it store magic power.

“It does, but they’re almost useless. There are plenty of cheaper, easier-to-find, and better substitutes. Like glass, quartz, or crystal.”

Sharon stated firmly.

Then why would they buy this useless little bead for 1.3 million won?

“Explaining this might take a while... Can we finish eating first? I want to eat it before it gets cold...”

“Ah, yes. Please eat as much as you like. Do you drink, by any chance?”

“Alcohol? Sure!”

She looked like someone who’d walk the runway with a truly cold, aloof, and expressionless face, yet she got this excited over the mere offer of alcohol.

It was pitiful, or perhaps something else.

Since she seemed to be living robustly, it felt awkward to pity her rashly.

“Okay, then please let me know if you have a favorite drink. I’ll run to the convenience store in front.”

“Let me go with you. How can I let you go alone when you’re buying?”

“I was going out to smoke anyway.”

“Ah, then I don’t care about the brand, just get me a dark beer.”

“Sure.”

Leaving Sharon, whom he had seated back at the table, he stepped outside for a moment.

When he returned with the beer, Sharon had already taken out another crab and placed it on the table.

Siwoo also sat down and pretended to eat.

If he just sat there blankly, she might feel burdened.

In the end, those huge king crabs were gone in just two hours.

Sharon, with a face full of happiness, smiled brightly and swayed side to side.

She looked so happy that it made anyone watching feel warm inside.

It was like the feeling of feeding a hungry stray dog...

Though such thoughts were rude to Sharon, so he’d never voice them.

“Thanks to you, I ate well. It’s been 10 years since I’ve had something this expensive for free.”

“I’m glad.”

“Did I eat too much by myself?”

“No, I actually enjoy eating with people who eat a lot. It makes me feel full and happy too.”

Just in case, they resumed their conversation while eating pudding he had bought as dessert.

Strictly speaking, it was a lecture/Q&A session with Sharon, a veteran of life in the Mortal Realm.

“So, where were we?”

“About why Witch Point buys Homunculus crystals for money.”

“Ah, that was it? First, I should explain about Witch Point.”

Sharon took out her phone.

It looked like a model that was at least five years old.

It was a phone that was being given away for free even before Siwoo was taken to Gehenna.

She opened a map and pointed precisely to a building near Gwanghwamun.

“This is Witch Point. The Seoul branch of the outpost base for Homunculus and public enemy subjugation, established by Duke Tiferet 100 years ago. It’s a kind of community for Exiles.”"You can tell by looking at me, but not all Exiles are incompetent Witches. Of course, there is one like that. Anyway, it's a place where Exiles gather to exchange information or goods."

"Duke Tiferet?"

A bit more explanation followed.

Apparently, after an Apprentice Witch lost her life to a public enemy, Duke Tiferet, consumed by rage and sorrow, created this organization across the world.

The founder herself still roams the Mortal Realm, capturing Homunculi and public enemies.

This is just speculation, but the name seems to be derived from 'Watch Point,' with just one letter cleverly changed.

"I see..."

Anyway, through Sharon's explanation, I could understand.

That Homunculi are a great calamity is only true for 'humans' who have no means to deal with them, not for 'Witches.'

Honestly, a one-eyed Homunculus that doesn't even drop decent loot is something you can either catch or leave be.

However, having personally experienced the pain of loss, Duke Tiferet took the initiative to establish this agency to prevent second victims.

"Did Duke Tiferet herself offer the bounty as an incentive?"

"Half right. It was like that at first, but not anymore."

"Huh?"

"Within ten years of Duke Tiferet posting the bounty, her entire fortune was depleted. With cores pouring in from all over the world, even the wealthiest would buckle."

Then what on earth is funding the bounty payments now?

"In modern times, a hotline exists between noble Witches and political and financial figures from various countries. And humans in high places would be extremely wary of calamitous beasts that they can't handle no matter what methods they use, right?

So they made a certain Contract with the Witches. To have state-level subsidies funneled into Witch Points worldwide."

"So my taxes were used like that..."

Exiles earn pocket money from Homunculus cores, which are otherwise useless.

Nations can resolve an unsolvable headache with money, which is good for them.

Thus, two groups that seemed to have no connection in the Mortal Realm had formed a peculiar symbiotic relationship.

"Then why do you work part-time at a convenience store?"

"Silly, how could I have earned 1.4 billion won by just working part-time at a convenience store for ten years?"

"I meant wouldn't it be better to just keep hunting Homunculi?"

At 1.3 million won per head, that's roughly 144 hours at minimum wage.

"I also need to keep replenishing my magic power, and Homunculi aren't like RPG mobs that just spawn in hunting grounds. I need a steady income too."

"That's true."

Even that reason was somewhat bitter.

"Anyway, I really ate well today. Since you live and work nearby anyway, come ask if you're curious about something. You said you get bored too."

"Yes, I will."

It must be getting very late.

Siwoo started preparing to get up.

Sharon also finished tidying up roughly and rose from her seat.

"You really don't need to see me out."

"No, I have things to do outside too."

As she said that, what Sharon took out from the wardrobe was a thick stack of flyers.

Siwoo, momentarily falling silent with indescribably complex feelings.

"You do that too?"

"Witches don't need to sleep anyway, right? Despite how I look, I'm known for posting them meticulously in every nook and cranny, so I get 100 won per sheet. It adds up nicely, you know."

With a snapback pulled low and sneakers on, Sharon and Siwoo stepped out into the night streets again.

She's really an amazing person.

If an ordinary person had that much debt, they'd likely give up in despair or compromise.

Even if she used Magic to gain unfair profits, Siwoo wouldn't dare criticize her.

But Sharon, without resorting to such shortcuts, steadfastly saves money in a way that doesn't shame herself.

Somehow, a heartwarming feeling, as if watching a young girl supporting her family, washed over him.

"This way, while posting flyers, I scout for Homunculi, and if I find one, I hunt it. It's the same since I have to keep searching anyway."

"You're very positive."

"I get that a lot."

Sharon tore off some tape, stuck a flyer on the wall, and smiled faintly.

Knowing it might be rude, Siwoo unintentionally voiced what he'd been thinking since earlier.

In fact, it had been on his mind since he stepped out for a smoke earlier.

"Should I help you a bit?"

"No, it's something I should do."

"No, not the flyers... that... paying off the debt."

"Do you have some good money-making scheme?"

Sharon, seemingly intrigued, perked up her ears and prepared to listen.

Well, there might be ways to make money if you look, but how often do you come across such a large sum?

However, Siwoo had an enormous amount of money, more than he could ever spend in a lifetime, received as a token of gratitude from Countess Gemernai.

It's not even money he earned through effort, so would it be bad to help her, who is trying so hard to live earnestly?

"No, I happen to have ample spare money. I could help by covering the interest payments or something..."

And it didn't take long for him to realize that statement was a misstep.

Because Sharon's face, which had been happily content with fullness and mild intoxication, hardened stiffly.

She roughly hugged the stack of flyers and shot him a look that said she was extremely displeased.

Her lips twitched, but in the end, she didn't say anything.

Seeing that reaction, Siwoo thought, 'Oh no.'

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to upset you."

"Yeah, I was extremely, really upset. Don't ever say something like that again."

"I'm truly sorry."

Even if it was pure goodwill and kindness from Siwoo's perspective, you never know how the recipient might take it.

Perhaps she felt it was petty pity, got angry, and her pride was hurt.

It was clearly Siwoo's fault for making a rash proposal in an improper form out of a desire to help.

But Sharon didn't seem inclined to harsher words at Siwoo, who was bowing his head in apology.

Instead, she patted his shoulder.

"It's fine, everyone makes mistakes. I'll get going now. See you next time."

Sharon, coolly forgiving Siwoo for his rudeness under the guise of kindness, waved her hand and disappeared into the opposite alley to post flyers.

"Sigh..."

Watching her retreating back, he felt a bit of regret.

Author's Note (Author's Afterword)Thank you for visiting again today~