City of Witches Chapter 257

“Is it because of this?”

Siwoo took out the pink four-leaf clover he kept in his cigarette case.

The clover, with its mystical color that looked as if it would scatter and crumble if blown on, was slightly more wilted than when Periwinkle had handed it to him.

Something she made as a test.

Its duration was one week.

That was all she had told him.

She hadn’t said anything else about what exact effect it had.

Moreover, Periwinkle had left for Guam right after parting with Siwoo without even providing an overseas contact, so there was no way to ask.

And look at this bizarre color.

Doesn’t it just look like it’s hiding something shady and scheming?

“Should I throw it away…”

If Siwoo’s guess was correct, then no matter how well-intentioned the gift was, it was an unnecessary present.

What on earth did she give it to him for, when it kept creating troublesome situations without a moment’s rest?

He covered his fingertips with shadow, intending to crush it, but…

“Hmm…”

He stopped.

No one actually knew what effect it might have, and perhaps it was a backup device given to him in case the greenish four-leaf clover was consumed.

In any case, Siwoo, who had neatly arranged Eloa’s bedding.

Lately, he had been sleeping in the same room as her.

Four hours a day—essential sleep was, in another sense, no different from the most dangerous time for Siwoo.

Therefore, to ensure that Siwoo could immediately wake Eloa and get help in a crisis, they slept as close as possible.

Of course, they weren’t sharing a bed; they compromised by placing two separate beds side by side.

-Swoosh!

The door to the opposite room opened, and Eloa, wearing pajamas, toddled out.

Describing a grown adult woman—and no less than the esteemed Duke Tiferet—as “toddling” bordered on disrespect, but it was unavoidable when she was wearing those pajamas.

The pajamas, which Siwoo had roughly estimated and bought, were two sizes too large, with sleeves that completely covered her hands.

Seeing her dragging the hem of the pants she had rolled up, such an expression naturally came to mind.

“I’ve arranged the bedding. Would you like some milk before you sleep? I warmed it up.”

“Thank you, as always.”

“Not at all. It’s nothing much.”

Siwoo handed her a mug of warm milk he had prepared earlier in the kitchen using a double boiler.

During their time together, he had learned that Eloa was quite a severe alcoholic.

Since a Spirit Body couldn’t become physically addicted, it was likely a psychological dependency.

He didn’t intend to comment on that itself, but since they had to sleep anyway, he thought warm milk would be more helpful for a good night’s rest than soothing a troubled heart with alcohol, so he had been serving her hot milk like this for the past few days.

Given that he was already receiving help in various ways, shouldn’t he at least assist like this?

“Hmm, good.”

Eloa sat on the edge of the bed, sipping the milk adjusted to the perfect temperature.

Perhaps pleased by Siwoo’s thoughtful care, she wore a cozy smile and swung her legs gently.

Seeing her like that, she looked no different from someone the same age as the Twins.

If you excluded her unique way of speaking, that is.

“Siwoo, I have a request.”

Just as Siwoo was about to head to the kitchen to tidy up the mug.

Suddenly, Eloa stopped him.

“Yes, please go ahead.”

“Could you give me a massage?”

A massage?

Suddenly?

Of all times, now?

Siwoo was as startled as if he’d heard a friend suggest going clubbing in the middle of a pandemic.

Even staying still, things strangely got tangled up.

But urging physical contact when they were both wearing only pajamas?

In fact, pajamas, with their focus on comfort, belonged to the category of clothing with very low defensive capabilities.

The fabric was thin, and the buttons were loose, so even a slight bend could cause the garment to gape open, revealing what was underneath.

Even now, the outline of Eloa’s panties was clearly visible through the pajama pants she was wearing.

“Why are you making a face as if you’ve seen a ghost? It’s not such a difficult request, is it?”

“Well, yes, but…”

Eloa acted as nonchalantly and calmly as possible.

The reason she suddenly made this request was because of her earlier resolution.

Until now, she had thought of him as a disciple while subconsciously being aware that he was a man.

Eloa’s behavior had projected onto Siwoo, causing him to also perceive Eloa as a woman.

Thus, they ended up blushing and reacting awkwardly to every little thought.

So, a shift in perspective.

What if Eloa didn’t overreact to various situations and responded calmly?

What if she maintained her role as a mentor, showing that she didn’t pay attention to her disciple’s gaze or contact?

Naturally, Siwoo would also break down the awkward barrier and establish a perfect mentor-disciple relationship.

Just like she had with Raphi in the past.

“I’ll ask this of you.”

“Well, alright.”

Siwoo seemed reluctant, but he didn’t refuse Eloa’s request.

He climbed onto the bed where she was sitting and knelt down.

Just steel your heart.

What’s so special about a massage?

You just have to knead the shoulders.

“Wait a moment.”

Eloa tied up her hair with the hair tie she wore on her wrist, just like during sparring.

It was to prevent her hair from getting in the way while her shoulders were being massaged.

Thanks to that, Siwoo could closely observe Eloa’s white nape.

To avoid smelling her body scent as much as possible, he straightened his back and breathed through his mouth as much as he could.

Carefully, as if disarming an explosive, he placed his hands on her shoulders.

“…Eek!”

The loose pajama fabric was full of gaps.

The moment Siwoo’s rough hands touched the bare skin where the shoulder line and neckline met, forming a graceful curve.

Goosebumps rose on Eloa’s smooth nape.

Moreover, her shoulders tensed up tightly, as if she’d been given an electric shock.

And he hadn’t even applied proper pressure yet.

“Does it hurt? I haven’t done anything yet…”

“Ah, no. Please continue.”

Siwoo hesitated for a moment before starting to knead her shoulders.

Even Eloa, who had been stiff, gradually relaxed as time passed.

Soft.

Not only the parts where bare skin touched but even the areas covered by the thin pajama fabric were as soft and fluffy as marshmallows.

It was as if they were proclaiming, “This is a woman’s body.”

Her back, which had always seemed so large.Now that I had placed my hand like this, her shoulders were very small.

They looked endlessly small, both for bearing sorrow alone and for shouldering the immense burden she had imposed upon herself.

"Does it feel refreshing?"

Eloa nodded her head up and down.

The thought that nothing was caught on my fingertips meant she was probably braless under her pajamas, which flashed through my mind.

It was a thought that surfaced for only a brief moment, but my gaze reflexively turned toward Eloa's chest.

Though always tightly wrapped in a sports bra to avoid hindering movement, her breasts were actually quite full.

Even while sitting, they were impressively lifting up her pajama top.

Siwoo quickly organized his thoughts.

Think good thoughts, think good thoughts.

Maybe because there have been many embarrassing incidents lately, my mind keeps drifting in that direction...

Not good.

"Hmm..."

Unaware of Siwoo's troubled state of mind, Eloa's body only grew more and more relaxed.

Her previously stiffly upright waist had also comfortably relaxed at some point, looking as if she might lean back completely.

Siwoo steadied his wandering mind and asked.

"Does it feel refreshing?"

"Very refreshing. You're quite skilled."

"I used to do this often for my parents when I was young. Could you tilt your head back for a moment?"

"Tilt my head back?"

Eloa, though puzzled, laid her head on Siwoo's palm.

Siwoo firmly pressed the acupressure point below the back of the head, the Fengchi point, often pressed firmly during complimentary massages at salons.

"Haaah..."

I could see Eloa's eyes, half-lidded as her head tilted back, grow hazy and her mouth fall slightly open.

The crescent-shaped eyebrows floating above her round forehead also twitched slightly.

Yes, that's the reaction.

The natural reaction when a massage hits the right spot.

Praising his own unrusty skills, Siwoo diligently pressed firmly on Eloa's nape.

Normally, the weight of the head alone provides considerable acupressure, but since her head was so small and light, he had to apply extra force.

"Y-you're proficient."

Eloa, swaying like a cat intoxicated by silvervine.

Her body seemed to lean back more and more until she was almost lying back.

"If it's uncomfortable, would you like to lie down completely?"

"Is that alright?"

"Yes, it would be more comfortable for me too."

"Understood."

Eloa lay down completely, and Siwoo slipped his hands under the back of her head as if tucking them in.

He repeatedly kneaded her entire neck.

But an unexpected variable occurred.

The supine position inevitably meant more of Eloa's body entered Siwoo's field of vision.

Perhaps the pajama top had ridden up a bit as she lay back, revealing Eloa's cute navel through the gap in the parted hem.

It was a navel that was indented but formed a long, cute crease.

"To think there was such a miraculous method..."

Simultaneously, a protrusion caught his eye.

Over Eloa's fluttering, lifted pajama top, two particularly prominent curves came into view.

That shape right at the center of her chest.

Then it must undoubtedly be her nipples...

"Urk!"

"S-sorry."

Flustered, he inadvertently applied force. As he tightly gripped the back of Eloa's neck, she opened her eyes in surprise.

"Not at all, it's very comfortable. Please continue as you were."

Eloa closed her eyes again and entrusted her body to Siwoo's kneading hands.

Feeling inwardly pleased, at that.

Thinking back, it was undoubtedly a brilliant move.

When Siwoo's hand first touched her nape, she had flinched slightly.

Even though they had bumped into or hit each other during sparring, there had never been this kind of subtle physical contact.

His hand was unexpectedly rough, thick, and cold, and as it coolly touched her skin, she even worried if she had made the wrong choice.

But once the actual massage began, it was nothing.

Even with this kneading physical contact, she felt nothing at all!

At first, Siwoo was also hesitant, but as Eloa approached with a pure heart, he responded with equally pure reactions.

Confirming that not a hint of awkwardness was felt between them, Eloa finally felt relief that a proper master-disciple relationship was beginning to form.

If we just continue like this from now on...

"Hmmmm..."

Drowsiness was gradually creeping in.

It would be nice to fall asleep like this, receiving a massage from his hands.

In her dizzy head, only the sensation of his hands refreshingly kneading the back of her neck remained.

Just as Eloa, feeling a languidness as if being sucked into the mattress, slightly shifted her body...

A chilling sound reached her ears.

-Tap, tap, tap

Exactly three times, a very faint sound, and for some reason, a strangely empty feeling in her chest.

As she shifted her body this way and that, and as the hem of her clothes got tangled and moved about during the massage.

Three of the already loose pajama buttons had naturally come undone.

Moreover, due to Eloa's shifting, the unbuttoned front of the pajama top fell open, exposing her breasts directly to the air.

Simultaneously, Siwoo's hands, which had been kneading her neck, also came to an abrupt halt.

Even with her eyes closed and not knowing the exact situation, Eloa could sense this much.

That the series of incidents that kept happening lately had now occurred on a tremendous scale.

Namely, by a coincidence, she had exposed her chest openly before Siwoo.

And also, that he had witnessed it.

Feeling a dizziness that threatened to stop her breath, Eloa struggled to remain calm.

Nothing has changed now!

Hadn't she resolved that if such a thing happened again, she would handle it very naturally?

If she could look up at the sky without a shred of shame, then naturally Siwoo would also stop being conscious of Eloa.

So, pretending it's nothing, she should adjust her collar and say coolly, 'What are you getting flustered about?'

"......"

"......"

A prolonged silence.

Contrary to her resolve, her mouth and body wouldn't move.

"......Zz, zzzz... zzzz..."

Eloa deployed the tactic of pretending to be asleep!

A Word from the Author (Author's Note)

Readers not particularly interested in talk about other works can skip this!

Because I'm about to introduce a work I really like.

The work I want to introduce today is 'Kill the Queen' by author AmyRazor.

The author's writing skill, their sensual and sensuous prose, is so superb I dare not even attempt to evaluate it, so I'll keep it brief.

Starting with the overarching plot:

It's about a male prostitute protagonist (very pretty, strong, smart, a dictator) who holds absolute power as the President and schemes a revolution.To put it cautiously, this story has many elements that could be called so-called 'entry barriers.'

The setting is as dark as a dystopian worldview, the protagonist's enemies are chillingly powerful and meticulous, and in comparison, the protagonist's strength is pitifully weak.

Just from this brief description, it's clear this is not a work that could be labeled 'mainstream.'

However, if you read just a little, you'll find yourself endlessly drawn into its unique charm.

It has a distinct, profound flavor that's hard to find in other works.

I, too, remember reading about three episodes before devouring the rest without even taking a breath.

The gripping narrative, the precise and realistic worldbuilding that reflects the author's deep knowledge, and the relentless hardships will make your palms sweat.

Watching the protagonist persevere through adversity and gradually push forward will warm your heart and make you want to sing praises to humanity.

And the occasional sex scenes, as seen in the author's previous work 'Women of the Moonlit Night,' are of perfectly verified quality.

When I conceive a story, I always set my mind on 'writing an irreplaceable work,' but I still feel endlessly inadequate.

And 'Kill the Queen' is the very 'irreplaceable work' I aspire to create.

I even cheered when I heard the author had returned with a remake after shedding tears upon hearing the work was discontinued.

Novels that fizz and sweeten like carbonated drinks are good, too.

Stimulating and visceral things are always enjoyable. I like them as well.

But how about occasionally indulging in the pungent flavor of blended whiskey?

Even if it feels unfamiliar at first, you might find yourself staring at the empty glass with a sense of emptiness, already anticipating the next pour.

That's how it is for me.

Let's suffer together!