City of Witches Chapter 214

The hour when dusk was gently settling.

Opening the door and stepping into the connection point.

Siwoo was startled.

Was it because they had entered so secretly? Or perhaps because it was placed in a remote corner?

Until just before opening the door and entering, he had imagined an atmosphere and scale similar to a black market, like the Blue Serpent connection point.

But this was more reminiscent of the night market scenes in Ulsan or Busan.

Because the interior space was much wider and more pleasant than expected.

"Wow, just how big is this place?"

"They say it's 2,000 pyeong."

Since a soccer field is roughly 2,200 pyeong, it could be said to be about twice as wide as Siwoo had anticipated.

Perhaps because the shops were temporarily set up, the basic structure consisted of tents displaying goods neatly lined up in rows.

Here and there, shops could also be seen that had converted an entire container house for use as a store.

The roughly 10-meter-high ceiling had mercury lamps strung along it instead of hoists, and there was even a proper ceiling, which reminded one somewhat of an Arcade Shopping District.

In short, it gave off a distinctly more modern feel than Border Town.

"It's incredibly spacious, more than I thought? And there are quite a few people too. I didn't see a single person when we came in."

"Probably because the intervals between connection points opening are sporadic... Once one opens, Witches from the surrounding area come even from far away, or so I've heard."

Hearing that and looking around, Witches could be seen wandering in every nook and cranny of the connection point.

Most wore Mortal Realm clothing, but they were recognizable at a glance.

If you see a woman wandering around with unrealistically good proportions, visuals on par with a world-famous actress? She's definitely a Witch.

Take Sharon right next to Siwoo, for example.

Even so, the number of Witches visible at a glance was roughly around ten or so.

Even considering the unseen spaces further back, it likely wouldn't reach fifty people.

"First, I'm going to slowly look around at the list of things we need to buy today. Don't get lost looking around, follow me closely."

"Don't worry, I'm not a child."

"Still, what if another Witch suddenly offers you something good and you follow her?"

"Am I a kid?"

Sharon teased Siwoo, giggling.

The two began weaving through the rows of stalls in earnest, searching for items.

All sorts of fascinating goods were gathered here.

The quantity and variety of items were incomparable to the small magical tool shops they occasionally visited in Tarot Town.

The quality was probably far superior as well.

The tent where Sharon stopped dealt in gemstones.

The merchant, who had been sitting quietly without soliciting customers, greeted them in a relaxed voice only after Sharon and Siwoo approached.

"Welcome! Beautiful Witch! And you, handsome sir, welcome as well."

From the white-haired old man with a monocle that suited him splendidly, one could sense the seasoned experience of someone who hadn't done this just once or twice.

That he wasn't selling mediocre goods could easily be inferred just from the tent's material and the display cases.

After all, eye-catching gemstones were brazenly displayed under the lights.

"What kind of product are you looking for?"

"I'm looking for gemstones used for Elemental Magic."

"Oh ho! You're looking for offerings! Then you've come to the right place. At Ruby Atelier, we never disappoint our customers. We handle all sorts of rare precious metals and gemstones from around the world."

He was different from the merchants who dealt with Witches inside Gehenna.

It felt more like watching a seasoned bartender, perhaps?

He exuded confidence and ease even when dealing with a Witch.

After all, he even greeted Siwoo, who was unexpectedly beside the Witch, without batting an eye.

Sharon's Elemental Magic required different 'offerings' depending on the element.

Naturally, the higher the quality of the offering, the more the Magic's power was enhanced, and the high-quality offerings mentioned here generally referred to gemstones.

Throughout history, East and West, shining stones inherently contained the accumulated ancient fantasies and symbolism within them.

"Is there anything specific you're looking for?"

"Can I see the Imperial Topaz first?"

Topaz, praised as the stone of the sun since ancient Egypt.

Topaz comes in countless colors, too many to enumerate.

Among them, the scarlet topaz traded at prices far exceeding other colored topazes is called 'Imperial Topaz' and is one of the indispensable offerings in fire rituals.

"Shall I show you the catalog first? Or..."

"I'd like to see and choose from the actual items."

Sharon conversed with a completely expressionless face, using a strict and cold tone.

At first glance, she looked like an arrogant Witch looking down on humans, but Siwoo, having experienced her ways until now, knew.

He knew that Sharon was straining not to be taken advantage of by the merchant who seemed skilled.

It was similar to the principle of women doing full makeup when going to request a refund.

Siwoo also had to stifle a laugh, feeling he should put on a serious expression for no reason.

"Oh, we happen to have several in stock."

The merchant went to the back of the tent, took out a wooden box lined inside with luxurious red cloth, and opened it.

Inside, Imperial Topazes of various sizes were fixed in place, sparkling and shining.

He brazenly presented them under a magnifying glass.

"See? A lovely orange hue like a well-aged whiskey, with a subtle pomegranate-red shimmer mixed within. Mined from a Brazilian mine. From extraction to cutting, undoubtedly the highest quality."

Sharon, having seen and handled many gemstones, could tell.

She could tell that the condition of the goods was all quite good.

"What are the prices?"

"Yes, the stones under 4 carats on the left are priced at 800,000 won per carat, and those over 10 carats on the right are priced at 1.6 million won per carat."

"Huh? Isn't that too expensive?"

Sharon's eyes widened as she argued.

She was so startled that her previously solemn tone vanished without a trace.

Since Gehenna has no mines of its own, the gemstones sold here come from the Mortal Realm to Gehenna.

But there's almost no price difference from buying at a precious metal shop in Gehenna!

"If you recognize the true value of this beauty, it's by no means an overpriced amount. Recently, topaz mining output has decreased while demand has increased, driving up market prices. Especially since Imperial Topaz production is inherently low."

The merchant parried smoothly, not batting an eye even as Sharon argued.

Before they knew it, he brought out a prepared balance scale and weights and asked.

"Shall I weigh them for you?"

"...Yes, these smaller ones here. And this one too."Sharon, feeling as intimidated as someone stepping into a luxury department store for the first time, selected a few small stones and one relatively large topaz.

Five topazes under 3 carats, 11.6 million won.

One topaz of 15.5 carats, 24.8 million won.

Total: 36.4 million won.

Now that she had earned a lot of money, she had planned to boldly flex under the pretext of reinvestment.

Perhaps because it had been so long since she last spent such a large sum, her hands trembled even while buying gems.

The problem was that aside from this, there were still many things left to buy.

Siwoo considered offering to pay for Sharon, who clearly looked troubled, but ultimately decided against it.

Showing off with someone else's money wasn't something to do more than once or twice.

Besides, Sharon hadn't even asked for help, and he felt it would be overstepping to intervene unnecessarily.

"Please wrap that separately. Next, show me pearls, jade, and coral."

"Yes, of course."

After selecting the offering for the altar of fire, she still had to buy offerings for the altars of water, wind, and earth.

Despite the merchant's soul-draining sales pitch, Sharon steadfastly succeeded in purchasing only the amount she had originally planned.

"The total comes to 111.3 million won. Will you be paying in gold coins?"

"I-I'll use my Witch Bank card..."

Sharon, holding the neatly packaged gems along with the jewelry box (for an additional fee), handed over her card.

Despite having halogen lamps on the display stands, the payment method was remarkably analog.

It was a method used in Korea as far back as the 1980s: placing the card under a slip and rubbing a carbon paper to imprint the card number.

The slip with the card number imprinted would be sent to the bank to collect the payment from the corresponding account.

Finally, after signing with her Witch Name, Sharon stepped out, carrying a box that felt far too light for something worth 111.3 million won.

"It's fine, Siwoo. I don't regret it at all."

"R-Really...?"

"Of course! You need to prepare this much to use proper Magic."

Sharon, who was fervently rationalizing without even being asked, immediately headed to a tobacco shop.

If she wanted to buy regular cigarettes, she could just go to a convenience store, so there was no need to purchase them here.

However, what Sharon intended to buy was a ceremonial pipe for Magic rituals.

It was to replace the pipe that had broken during her fight with Della last time.

"Welcome!"

This time, a slightly slick-looking clerk rubbed his hands together as he greeted Sharon.

For Witches of Gehenna, tobacco is one of the finest luxuries, so naturally, pipes are also high-end items.

However, using a carelessly made, mass-produced item would diminish its effectiveness as an offering.

Sharon had realized this many times: her innate magic was a money-devouring monster.

To some extent, her Magic had stagnated because she lacked the funds.

"If I may say so, this pipe is a model highly favored by Witches. The pipe is made from narwhal ivory. It's adorned with amber to enhance its elegance. It's an item so rare it's hard to come by. It was handcrafted by the renowned pipe artisan of Gehenna, Master Rond, and there are only ten like it in the world."

To be honest, calling it a pipe seemed a bit off; it was nearly 30cm long with a small combustion chamber, making it more fitting to call it a long-stemmed pipe.

For reference, the price was 15 million won.

No matter how luxurious it was, the price was utterly incomprehensible.

"Should I buy this for you?"

Siwoo, who had been watching curiously, couldn't hold back any longer upon seeing Sharon's shocked expression.

He cautiously asked, careful not to hurt her pride.

Sharon shook her head vigorously.

"No, the money I have is practically what you gave me anyway. I've already received so much, I don't want to take more."

"Then, since I'm buying one for myself, let's get one for you too. That works, right?"

"No, if anyone's buying it, I'll buy it for you."

"Don't be stubborn."

The merchant, who had been wearing a polite smile until now, was visibly stiffening slightly.

Well, if this was his first time seeing a man speaking casually to a Witch, or a man offering to buy something for a Witch, it was understandable.

Especially since the two of them bickered almost like a couple.

"I'm not being stubborn! I'll handle it myself, just wait. Do you have tobacco leaves? For ritual use."

Sharon finally shook Siwoo off and asked the merchant.

The merchant, briefly flustered by the unfamiliar scene, quickly regained his composure and asked,

"Ah, yes, yes. Here they are. Would you like tobacco leaves infused with various scents? The popular ones these days are coffee or cherry..."

"No, just the basic ones, please."

"Yes, of course."

Since it wasn't for enjoying the smoke but for the act of "swallowing fire," scents were unnecessary.

Frankly, Sharon didn't even like tobacco.

The merchant unfolded the tobacco leaves wrapped in oiled paper.

"Feel them once. They're made from tobacco leaves grown in the shade of Latifundium, fed on high-grade Magical Power. The moisture is just right, and they're unparalleled for replenishing magic power."

Roughly 50 grams, and again, the price exceeded 1 million won.

After purchasing the tobacco pipe and leaves, Sharon wandered around here and there, and within three hours, she had bought goods totaling 400 million won.

"It's fine, it's a necessary investment... a necessary investment..."

"Yeah, yeah, you bought it because it'll all be useful, right?"

"Right? You think so too, don't you?"

Siwoo quietly patted Sharon's back as she clutched her card and muttered to herself.

A mix of pity and affection made it hard to suppress a smile.

Author's Note (Afterword)

I wasn't late!!!