City of Witches Chapter 272

Battles are always chaotic when they break out, but once they end, they become disappointingly simple.

An Enemy Knight kneeling with his upper body fallen backward, and a Red Branch lying flat on the ground.

Siwoo, who had been held in someone’s arms and barely managed to stand up, and Eloa supporting him.

The rainwater tunnel, which had expanded abnormally, had already returned to its original size.

Probably because the magic that had been deployed disappeared as the owner of the Red Branch met his death.

The massive fissure crossing the ceiling still remained, so it was possible to distinguish the brother-in-law without deploying separate magic.

“Haa… Ugh…”

Once the battle ended, the adrenaline that had been numbing the pain vanished.

The hand that had gripped the Red Branch throbbed.

It felt slightly numb too…

But strangely, there wasn’t a single wound.

However, what was even more burdensome was the aftermath of the distortion that had violently struck his entire body while piercing through the armor with the Red Branch.

Though his life was spared, his stamina was only enough to walk or lightly jog, and his brain felt scorching hot from the continuous repeated amplification and shadow control.

Naturally, his left eye, which had been exposed to high-pressure magic power, also throbbed to the point of becoming blurry.

Eloa supported the staggering Siwoo and asked,

“Are you alright?”

“My body always feels wrecked after a fight.”

“Lean on me a bit more.”

“No, Master must be tired too.”

“It’s fine, I’ve been through this many times. But isn’t this your first?”

“Well… I’ll take you up on that. Thank you.”

While entrusting his body to Eloa, Siwoo reflected on the fierce battle moments ago.

The trick of shaping shadows like Ribbons to deceive the enemy.

Though it was good to thoroughly show the appearance of a weakling to induce carelessness, it didn’t matter now.

The scene that left the deepest impression on Siwoo’s mind was the moment he threw himself into the center of the densely sprouting barrier from the Red Branch.

A desperate move of mutual destruction, charging into the gaping maw of death while trusting in Periwinkle’s four-leaf clover.

What would have happened if the barrier hadn’t luckily become loose due to the explosion of magic power?

Siwoo brushed off his chilled heart.

Probably because he had always faced formidable opponents.

He prided himself on having worked quite hard to become stronger, yet it always seemed like he had to improvise and win through risky gambles.

Even though he actually preferred a stable and comfortable life.

Siwoo took out the pale green four-leaf clover he had been treasuring in his embrace.

It was the item that allowed him to make the all-or-nothing gamble somewhat without burden.

Even though its stem was broken, the clover, which had been radiating vivid vitality as if freshly picked, was now dried and twisted, crumbling like dust upon touching his fingertips.

It seemed to have fulfilled its duty during the recent duel.

Meanwhile, the pink clover, though slightly wilted, remained intact…

What on earth was this given to him for?

“…….”

Seeing Siwoo lost in emotion, Eloa couldn’t decide whether to praise him or scold him.

As a comrade, she felt like applauding him for successfully defeating the Enemy Knight with a clever move that caught the enemy off guard, but as a Master, she felt the need to reprimand her disciple for recklessly risking his life.

But now wasn’t the time to ponder such trivial concerns.

Having defeated the Enemy Knight and the White Knight, the remaining opponent was the Cowardly Witch.

They needed to advance to defeat her, who had settled in the hollow and completed the altar.

Or rather, they wanted to advance.

“What should we do now?”

“…Indeed.”

She wanted to provide a clear solution here.

She wanted to, as a Master, convey the plan ahead with a composed posture and attitude for Siwoo, who had achieved a splendid victory…

But reality wasn’t that easy.

Both Eloa and Siwoo were in tatters now.

At best, they could only support each other and stagger along.

“Let me say this in advance. Though it’s shameful, I can no longer continue fighting.”

Her magic power was depleted, and the Contract was in the process of fulfilling its price.

Though she was barely standing upright through sheer willpower, Eloa’s condition might be worse than Siwoo’s.

Having performed movements far exceeding the durability of her Spirit Body, her muscles felt as if they were melting.

There were probably countless tiny cracks in her bones.

A condition requiring at least a week of proper rest.

If she had even a bit of magic power left, she might have forced her body to move, but as mentioned earlier, Eloa had exhausted all her magic power in the battle.

“How strong is the Cowardly Witch?”

“…As a public enemy with abundant combat experience, she won’t be an easy opponent. We don’t even know how much Combat Power she possesses.”

The four-leaf clover that was supposed to protect his life was gone.

Even if Siwoo could repeatedly amplify his magic power, it didn’t mean he could cast magic infinitely.

The magical circuits spread throughout his body had clear fatigue, and the same went for his brain, which performed the Computations.

Now, at best, he could only produce one or two Ribbons that would feebly dangle.

He couldn’t even create a Gauntlet, let alone armor, leaving his half-torn clothes exposed.

“Then it’ll be tough…”

“Straighten your shoulders. Things can’t always go according to plan. I’m just relieved that you’re safe. Even though you’re exhausted, didn’t you finish off the Enemy Knight?”

Even as she said that, Eloa wasn’t entirely at ease either.

Since they had swept away both the White Knight and the Enemy Knight, it could be said that they had prevented the calamity Della warned about—the massacre that would occur in Seoul.

To prepare for a Terror Calamity of this scale, Sochitl would likely have to go into seclusion and gather strength for a while.

But public enemies were no different from beasts that had tasted blood.

They no longer cared about means or methods.

Moreover, if the Cowardly Witch, who had experienced failure once, were to act again, it was obvious she would cause an even greater disaster based on more thorough preparations.

“Then, should we retreat?”

“Unfortunately, it seems we must.”

Siwoo looked up at the massive fissure reaching all the way to the surface.

If they exited through here, it seemed they could return directly without having to find the vertical ventilation shaft.

Though it seemed like he’d have to carry Eloa on his back to get out… Wouldn’t that be possible?

Then.

“Ah!”

At a completely coincidental moment, he slipped on a stone underfoot.

Eloa, who had been supporting him under one armpit, also tried to catch the falling Siwoo but ended up collapsing onto the ground with him.It happened because he was so drained of strength that he couldn't even support a single person, but the outcome was quite embarrassing for both Siwoo and Eloa.

"……"

"……"

Eloa, lying on the rough ground.

Siwoo, covering her as if pouncing on top.

A cliché so common it appears not only in romance genres but in any drama with even a hint of melodrama.

That scene where the male and female leads get extremely close for some reason.

"Ugh…"

The damp rainwater tunnel, far from cooling the beads of sweat clinging to Eloa's skin, did nothing to relieve her.

The nearly torn, meaningless windbreaker she was barely wearing, the sports bra underneath, and the slender nape of her neck, collarbone, and cleavage not covered by the sports bra—all were dewed with sweat like morning dew.

Eloa's eyes, tinged a deep magenta as she looked up at Siwoo, were wide like a startled rabbit.

Her long eyelashes, like a thick layer of cherry blossoms, fluttered open and closed.

A distance so close they could feel each other's breath.

If this were a bed instead of a rainwater channel, it would naturally lead to a kiss.

Both Siwoo and Eloa remained stiff, staring at each other.

Even after countless sparring sessions, it felt like the first time they had looked at each other so closely and so still.

She truly is beautiful.

Her uniquely mysterious eyes and hair seemed to mesmerize, paralyzing his mind so much that he couldn't even think of moving away.

"I-I'm sorry."

"Ah, it's fine."

Finally, after a long moment, he startled and pulled his body back.

Eloa, who had been holding her breath the entire time she was lying down, groaned as she sat up, panting softly.

"Huh…?"

At that moment, a flash of insight struck Eloa's mind.

The memory she had suppressed out of embarrassment unfolded like a panorama.

There was no doubt that the recent mishap had acted as a kind of switch.

The moment she ended up in a position as if being pounced on by Siwoo overlapped with a scene from her memory.

The image of Siwoo pouncing on Periwinkle, which she had witnessed through the 'Guardian's Contract.'

A path that Eloa's way of thinking and preconceptions hadn't even considered as a possibility was now recalled alongside the embarrassing memory.

"At this height, we might be able to climb up using the Ribbon. We should probably take that Red Branch too, right? Wrapping it around with the Ribbon might do something…"

Siwoo rubbed his nose as if trying to hide his embarrassment and extended a hand to Eloa.

He must mean to get out of here.

But what if we leave here?

The Cowardly Witch would most likely hide her body.

Then, inevitably, many sacrifices would occur someday.

"Siwoo, before that, there's one thing I want to ask."

"Yes, Master."

The address 'Master,' which Siwoo always used with a sharp Fragrance and sounded so comforting.

Why did it feel particularly constricting to her chest now?

"Have you ever lied to me until now?"

"No."

Siwoo answered without even hesitating.

At that sight, Eloa's eyes wavered once.

A desperate measure to suggest a way out of this situation where she couldn't plant the final flag and had to retreat.

The clue was connected to observing Periwinkle's intercourse.

The day she witnessed Sharon and Siwoo having intercourse.

Siwoo, who came to find Eloa, explained.

For some reason, he could amplify and return magic power through intercourse.

A shocked Eloa asked.

Placing another's magic power into a Brand is an extremely dangerous act.

Why would he do such a reckless thing? she rebuked.

And Siwoo's response was…

She clearly remembered him saying that the magic power returned that way was pure magic power, magic power with no impurities mixed in, which anyone could instantly make their own and use.

"Siwoo."

"Yes."

Eloa weighed her own ethics against the ominous future approaching.

For a master and disciple to mingle their bodies was unspeakable.

No, even before that, being conscious of each other as a man and a woman itself was a blasphemous thing that should never happen.

However, is the unwritten rule between master and disciple a golden rule worth upholding even at the cost of abandoning countless lives?

In countless morals, religions, ethics, and philosophies, was there anything placed above the lives of innocent humans?

Eloa quietly closed her eyes.

"Master? Are you okay?"

Siwoo approached Eloa, who was standing dazedly in place with her eyes closed.

"Could you close your eyes for a moment?"

"My eyes?"

First, she asked if he had ever lied, then fell into thought alone, remaining silent, and now a request to close his eyes.

It was somewhat puzzling, but his affection and trust for Eloa were near their peak.

Siwoo closed his eyes.

"They're closed."

"Now, breathe slowly and deeply, would you? Like when sparring ends."

"Deep breathing? Is there something wrong with my body?"

"Not that. Slowly, and breathe deeply."

"It shouldn't be hard. Hoo, inhale…"

Siwoo took deep breaths with his eyes gently closed.

His body really must be in bad shape.

Just taking a deep breath made everything from his lungs to his abdomen ache sharply.

"I'm sorry."

Siwoo, battered to that extent, couldn't react in time.

He never could have imagined Eloa would do such a thing.

-Thump!

Even with his eyes closed, he could feel it.

The fact that Eloa had rushed into his arms as if embracing him.

And the scent, as if Fragrance had been sprayed right under his nose, lingering thickly.

"Huh!"

Siwoo was shocked.

Opening his eyes, he saw Eloa, who had risen on her tiptoes and brought her head right under his nose.

He tried to push her away belatedly, but she held his arms tightly and wouldn't let go.

Instantly, his heart rate doubled in an instant.

Desire, as if setting his body ablaze, and an impulse unbearable by human patience surged through his chest.

He had already inhaled the scent too deeply, too closely.

It was almost at the level of burying his nose into the crown of her head, and Eloa was drenched in sweat too.

"I'm sorry, but I truly believe this is the best course now… I will take responsibility for today's events until the day my life ends…"

Siwoo desperately tried to suppress the impulse with sheer willpower.

Eloa, wearing an extremely apologetic expression towards Siwoo, moved her adorable lips.

"For now, recharge me with your magic power."

Master Tiferet resting after training, illustrated by Quemong-nim!!!

It came out so beautifully! Thank you!!!

A Word from the Author (Author's Note)

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