City of Witches Chapter 292

Know your enemy and know yourself, and you can fight a hundred battles without defeat.

The famous maxim that to know your enemy and know yourself is to ensure victory is not limited to the bloody battlefields where flesh and blood reign.

The Twins had been instilled with the belief that the battlefield of love is also a ruthless warzone, teeming with invisible spears and the bloodstains of passion.

“Let’s conclude today’s lesson here.”

The grueling schedule of classes was like squeezing oil from a withered olive—relentless and exhausting.

As usual, Sharon assigned homework and attempted to flee the tension-filled classroom.

By now, she had grown accustomed to the Twins’ pressure, so she no longer fled as hastily as before.

Yet, Sharon’s instincts, like an animal sensing the scent of rain, detected the calm before the storm.

That’s why she was trying to make a swift exit.

“Professor Evergreen.”

Odette’s call seized Sharon by the scruff of her neck, halting her retreat.

Sharon recalibrated her trembling gaze and turned around.

“Do you have a question?”

Her voice, overly tense, was as cold and icy as frost-covered blades.

But the Twins showed no sign of intimidation and spoke up.

“We haven’t had a single break since classes started.”

“That’s right. Even the orientation flew by so quickly that we didn’t get to have a proper conversation with you, Sharon unnie.”

Sharon unnie?

It was a pleasantly familiar form of address.

And the Twins’ tone, which seemed to aim for intimacy rather than sticking to business as usual, brought a smile to Sharon’s face.

Sharon, being sensitive, had often wondered how she managed to endure five years of such precarious teaching.

“Oh, really?”

“Yes! We have no plans after this class.”

“If it’s okay with you, Sharon unnie, we’d like to treat you to some drinks.”

“We brought some good wine!”

Sharon pretended to think for a moment before nodding.

“Alright. Let me just put this down, and I’ll be right there. Where are we going?”

“No need to go far.”

“It’s right here.”

Sharon, slightly puzzled, soon realized what the Twins meant.

They truly didn’t go far.

The carriage parked conspicuously in front of the classroom was the venue prepared for their drinking session.

“Please come in.”

At first, Sharon wondered, “Drinking in a carriage?”

But as soon as the door opened, her doubts vanished.

The carriage, with two birds intricately carved into its doors, was luxurious on the outside, but its interior surpassed Sharon’s imagination.

A spatial distortion Magic cast not on a fixed building but on a moving carriage.

Moreover, to support the interior space, which could easily accommodate a salon, a Lightweighting spell must have been applied as well.

It was a masterpiece of magical tool engineering, seemingly designed to showcase the prowess of the Gemernai Family.

“Come on!”

Urged warmly by the Twins, Sharon stepped into the carriage.

—Thud!

The door closed.

The Twins scurried to their respective sides: Odil fetched the wine bottle, while Odette prepared simple snacks like cheese and glasses.

In the blink of an eye, a modest drinking setup was arranged on the table between the sofas.

“The Zemnarai family truly is impressive.”

“Sharon unnie! This is a completely private setting, so feel free to speak casually.”

“That’s right. We’re here to have a good time!”

“Really? Then I suppose I can.”

““Yes!””

Sharon nodded, charmed by the Twins’ warm approach.

Soon, a light wine-opening ceremony commenced.

Though produced in Gehenna, where winemakers oversee every step of the process by hand rather than in factories, the quality was exceptionally high.

Thus, without the need for separate decanting to filter sediment, the beautiful jewel-toned wine flowed smoothly into the glasses.

“This is the one, the one! Made from grapes grown in the Mendel Hills, vintage 72!”

“We saved up our allowance to buy it!”

“Three whole bottles, too!”

Wine from the Mendel Hills could rival an ordinary citizen’s annual salary.

Was this something one could buy with saved-up allowance?

Between the carriage and this, Sharon was reminded anew of the wealth gap between the Twins and herself.

Perhaps it was due to her low self-esteem, but every little detail like this felt unsettling.

“Cheers!”

“Cheers!”

Still, it was a rare and pleasant occasion.

Feeling ashamed of her unwarranted inferiority complex, Sharon exchanged glasses with the Twins and steadily emptied her wine.

The initial conversation revolved mostly around studies.

Sharon asked if there were any parts the Twins hadn’t fully understood, and the Twins eagerly discussed topics they hadn’t dared to ask about before.

Yes!

This is what I wanted!

Though the issue of their presumed rivalry remained, Sharon had never been comfortable with being on bad terms with the Twins.

“Um, Sharon unnie.”

“Hmm? You haven’t finished your glass yet.”

“It’s not that. There’s something I wanted to ask.”

“Still more questions? You should’ve asked them promptly during class.”

Sharon smiled warmly, ready to listen to the Twins’ adorable questions.

“What’s your relationship with Assistant Siwoo?”

But at Odil’s follow-up question, Sharon felt her head go cold, as if doused with icy water.

Conversation isn’t formed solely by its content.

Timing, tone, and context must all be considered.

In that sense, Odil’s question was particularly awkward and burdensome for Sharon.

It was also an unpleasant question.

Who was it that tried to drive a wedge between Sharon and Siwoo?

It was the Twins, who had even asked their mentor to set conditions.

Moreover, in recent classes, they had subtly pressured Sharon, making her feel uneasy.

So, what was the intention behind asking about something they already knew, pretending ignorance?

It didn’t seem like good intentions at all.

“…What?”

Even though she heard it clearly, she asked coldly in return.

There was no denying that something hot was boiling inside her.

She thought they called her to become friends.

She thought they called her to resolve their issues.

How naive she had been.

This gathering wasn’t planned to share lighthearted laughter and foster camaraderie.

It was a setup for interrogation and warning.

Like a drama where the ex-girlfriend arranges a private drinking session with the male lead’s current love interest.

“We’re just curious! Last time we met, you said you were friends—teaching Magic and receiving room and board.”

“Some time has passed since then! Are you still just friends?”The Twins continued their pressure, pretending not to notice anything.

This is really too much.

It's humiliating.

I want to get up and leave right now.

But I swallowed my anger.

I just have to endure for five more years anyway.

In the long, long life of a Witch, five years is but a fleeting moment.

"Hoo... That's a personal matter, so I don't think I can tell you."

Sharon, barely regaining her composure.

"But I'm curious..."

"Couldn't you just tell us?"

It was a voice sulking from unsatisfied curiosity, but to Sharon, who was already feeling extremely uncomfortable, it felt like a provocation.

Sharon took another deep breath.

It was a calming breath to suppress her anger.

She downed her wine glass in one go as if it were cold water.

A sight that would deeply sadden the winemaker who crafted it.

"He's not just a friend."

And then, fueled by alcohol and irritation.

She blurted it out.

"We're friends who have sex."

How about that!

Sharon squirms when stepped on too!

Sharon, unable to endure the continuous localized provocations, counterattacked.

What the Twins wanted was to create distance between Sharon and Siwoo to find a gap for themselves to enter.

If an ambiguous relationship was being maintained due to external pressure anyway, it would be better to assert overwhelming superiority and crush their spirits.

Since the Twins are Apprentice Witches, they probably can't have sex.

Actually, she wasn't sure, but her chest was telling her to do it.

"......"

"......"

It's cold.

A dagger flies and pierces her chest.

The Twins' reactions and expressions were in perfect sync.

Their eyes widened simultaneously, and their mouths fell open in unison.

Odette, frozen in shock, mumbled with a trembling chin.

"Se...sex...?"

"I told you, so that's enough, right?"

Seeing their expressions, Sharon smiled inwardly with relief.

Actually, there was a slight misunderstanding between Sharon and the Twins.

The Twins' subtly hostile usual attitude.

Countess Albireo's outrageously generous reward, which couldn't be explained simply by 'wanting to give them a chance to find a good partner.'

Based on this, Sharon thought Countess Albireo's intervention was at the Twins' request.

In that situation, being teased or subtly pressured about her relationship with Siwoo, even the patient Sharon couldn't just sit still.

On the other hand, the Twins.

Odil and Odette hired their exclusive handmaidens as chief advisors to consult on this complex and difficult situation.

The resulting solution was a cautious opinion: 'First, let's clarify what their relationship is,' and 'There's insufficient evidence so far.'

After all, simply assigning a lot of homework or conducting rigorous classes doesn't necessarily have to be interpreted as a 'declaration of war.'

Therefore, arranging this separate drinking gathering today wasn't meant to start a fight.

It was a step for appropriate coordination and probing.

So, from the Twins' perspective, Sharon had been subtly checking them with homework and a storm of rapid lessons,

so they threw a probing, playful punch,

only to have a combat power backspin elbow that makes the back of your head dizzy smash into their jaws.

The Twins were stunned by the shock, enough to make their tongues tingle.

But they regained consciousness quickly.

Without even needing to exchange glances, they realized simultaneously.

As expected, Sister Sharon is a definite enemy targeting Assistant-nim!

"Aha, I see..."

Odil, her voice trembling with anger, composed herself and spoke nonchalantly.

A tension akin to liquid nitroglycerin trickling down filled the air.

"Since Sister Sharon was honest with us... we'll specially share some information with you too."

"Uh, unnie...! That's...!"

Odette, who retained a bit more reason, hurriedly tried to stop Odil, but it was already too late.

Odil crossed her arms and pointed with one hand at the sofa where Sharon was sitting.

"Assistant-nim took my first time on that very sofa Sister Sharon is sitting on now.... Huhu, thinking about it now, it's all memories. Very hot memories."

"Wha...what...?"

Odil's counterattack followed.

An impact like a full-power dropkick rang through Sharon's head.

But she realized there was a flaw in that statement.

After all, the Twins are Apprentice Witches.

If they had intercourse, their Vessels would be damaged, so such a thing couldn't possibly happen.

Realizing this, Sharon crossed her legs with a victor's smile.

"Is that so?"

"You think it's a lie."

"Yeah, you're Apprentice Witches... so your words must be a lie."

"Unnie, no! That's not it!"

The 'play with fire' with Assistant-nim is the Twins' secret alone.

A dangerous secret even the Master doesn't know.

It was too dangerous a clue or piece of information to use simply to win a battle of nerves.

There was a risk Sharon might report this fact to the Master.

"Ugh..."

Perhaps Odil also realized this in a flash.

She bit her lip hard and swallowed the words that had risen to her throat.

This place was no longer the spacious, luxurious interior of a carriage.

It was like shoving three beasts into a very narrow cage.

"What a pity. I wanted to get along well with Sister Sharon."

"Look who's talking."

Sharon and Odil, glaring sharply at each other until the end, simultaneously grabbed their wine glasses without a word of who went first, gulped them down,

and slammed them down with a thud.

"I won't yield Assistant-nim to anyone!"

"Th-that goes for me too!"

Odil declared coldly, and Odette chimed in, uniting their intent.

"Me too! I won't just sit back and take it!"

It was the moment the invisible cold war between Sharon and the Twins escalated into a visible all-out war.

Author's Note (Author's Afterword)

I'm getting vaccinated this week ㅎㄷㄷ (haha, nervous)