City of Witches Chapter 307

At the dead of night when even the moonlight hid tightly behind the clouds and the insects had fallen into a deep slumber.

In the dim room, along with the twins' whispers, came the sound of bubbling liquid boiling.

"Odette, check again. This isn't it."

"Huh? You're right. Wait a moment, sis…."

The place where Odil and Odette were huddled together, whispering with their heads close, was the alchemy workshop attached to the old library.

Since Count Gemernai, the head of the conglomerate, had it built saying, 'It'll be good for our kids' education~', it was filled with cutting-edge equipment and materials that would make even seasoned alchemy-oriented Witches envious.

Compound distillation tubes and centrifuges, scales and magic power heating plates, precision measuring test tubes and reagents—hundreds of alchemical tools were lined up, making it extremely professional.

The twins, with their robes pulled up high, had a book spread open under a dim lantern.

Odette was diligently preparing the materials needed for alchemy, while Odil was drawing a Magic Circle on a chalkboard to place the Witch's cauldron on for heating.

The thick ancient tome spread open on the stand, which the twins kept glancing at intently, was none other than Volume 2 of the 'Forbidden Mysterious Potion Brewing Guide' they had discovered in the old library today.

Odil and Odette were desperate.

Until now, they had a strong awareness that they were fighting, pushing and shoving, to win Sharon's love.

They had treated her as an equal opponent all along.

But the assistant who had shared passionate intercourse with Sharon and the intimate relationship between the two had far exceeded the twins' expectations.

Moreover, they had seen with their own eyes that Sharon possessed an alluring charm that the twins could never match no matter how hard they tried.

To break through this clearly disadvantageous situation, they felt a sense of crisis so intense they would have borrowed even a monkey's paw.

In search of a game-changing, one-shot reversal move, they meticulously combed through the library and finally found the desired potion brewing guide.

Without a moment's hesitation, they immediately began brewing.

They were now in the midst of alchemizing the Mysterious Potion.

Under the gloomy lantern light, the twins' faces were cast in backlight.

Their faintly gleaming, crazed purple eyes were truly those of a mad scientist or a Witch.

"Odette, it says to operate the magic furnace I prepared for 3.3 seconds, five times."

"Huuu, it's really hard, sis…."

"Give it here. I'll do it."

In truth, Gemernai's Magnetic Magic and alchemy aren't heavily related.

But an Apprentice Witch is akin to a medical student.

Just as one must accumulate knowledge and practical experience in the entire human body, whether aspiring to be a surgeon or a plastic surgeon, the twins too were studying magic from various schools.

Learning Elemental Magic from Sharon followed the same logic.

Among these, if one had to pick the field the twins excelled in most, it was this Mysterious Potion brewing.

Naturally, because it was magic that made it easy to play all sorts of pranks.

"It's harder than the potion we made that grew a beard on Master's chin…."

"The potion that made you sleep for three whole days after taking it wasn't this difficult either…."

The 'Viking's Potion', which made a beard grow on the chin, brewed as a prank.

The 'Hibernation Potion', created from the idea: 'If you don't want to go to class, wouldn't it be fine if you just slept all day so no one could wake you?'

Both were potions boasting considerable difficulty, but not to this extent.

Perhaps because it was Volume 2, it felt like the difficulty level had definitely increased.

By placing the carefully prepared and processed alchemical materials into the cauldron and heating them with magical heat on the correct magic furnace for the correct duration, the potion would take on a mysterious property, true to its name.

After struggling for quite a while, Odil and Odette finally produced a beautiful purple substance.

-Sssss!

"Phew…."

"That was a long and arduous battle."

Odil placed the flask, from which steam was gently rising, into ice water to cool it down, marking the end of the brewing process for now.

Only one step remained.

"If we add the reagent and a snowflake pattern forms inside, then it's been made correctly."

It's inefficient to verify whether a potion has been brewed correctly by personally drinking or feeding it each time.

Therefore, most potion brewing guides included a test reagent that could confirm success through a reaction experiment.

Like the transparent liquid in the dropper Odette was holding.

"Alright, let's do it."

"We've already failed three times…. This must really be the last one."

"Odette! That's negative talk!"

"S-sorry, sis…."

The twins gulped and dripped a few drops of the test reagent into the flask.

Simultaneously, a beautiful snowflake bloomed inside the flask.

"Wooaah…!"

"We did it…!"

As if celebrating the twins' efforts, a beautiful crystal bloomed and then faded inside the flask.

"Sis! If we give this to the assistant!"

"Yeah, we can give him a taste of his own medicine in front of Sharon."

The twins hadn't agreed to a one-night, two-day trip with Sharon without any thought.

Sharon herself might not be aware, but if she showed them such a jealousy-inducing scene, shouldn't she pay it back?

What the twins had created was the male version of the 'Potion of Eros'.

It was a 'Sweet Potion' that made the man fall in love at first sight with the woman he looked at after drinking it.

Its effect was slightly different from the Potion of Eros, which simultaneously increased sexual desire and affection, but the context was the same.

What if they showed Sharon, who would be all high and mighty, the assistant hopelessly smitten with the twins?

There was no better revenge than this.

"Odette, let's raise the torch of counterattack!"

"Yeah, sis! We have to show our true colors!"

"Hehe…."

"Uhu-huhu…."

On the faces of the twins, who had almost stayed up all night, a sinister smile bloomed, forgetting their fatigue.

One might ask what kind of sea it is in late autumn.

However, the Blue Strait, Gehenna's sole resort beach, has a typical Mediterranean climate: hot and dry in summer, and not too cold but humid even in winter.

If one were to pick a place on Earth with a similar climate, it would be the coastal region of California.

Anyway, Odile Odette passionately argued that even though the seawater was cooler than in summer, one could still play to their heart's content.

From the early dawn, the carriage carrying Siwoo, the twins, and Sharon arrived in front of Flora's Dress Shop.

For reference, they tried to go find Master in the morning to coax her along, but Eloa didn't even open the door.

She only answered from behind the door in a voice that crept in, 'I'll find my way. You go ahead first.'

Since it was a picnic organized by the twins in the first place, and it felt awkward to make them wait longer, they boarded the carriage for now.The reason for stopping by the tailor shop instead of heading straight to the cove.

What is necessary for having fun at the beach?

It's a swimsuit.

"Is it really necessary to go this far just to get swimsuits fitted?"

Siwoo was a bit taken aback.

He thought they would just wear something procured from Border Town at most...

Custom-made swimsuits, and they're not even professional swimmers.

"Of course! Assistant. Swimsuits are also a legitimate part of fashion and a quality a Lady must possess!"

"We get our swimsuits tailored here every year! They make them very pretty and fast."

The Twins were already in high spirits.

Pushing and pulling Siwoo's hands from both sides, they dashed into the cathedral-like tailor shop.

He remembered coming here with Amelia once before to get a suit tailored.

Once during his slave days, and once when he had no memory.

The majestic exterior like a cathedral and the solemnity that made it hard to believe it was a clothing store remained the same.

"Hello! Witch of Arabesque."

"Hello!"

"Long time no see, noisy Gemernai twins."

"We came to get swimsuits tailored today!"

"I was starting to wonder when you'd show up."

The Twins cheerfully raised their hands in greeting.

Flora, still with a languid expression and holding a pipe, puffed out smoke as she returned their greeting.

They seemed more familiar than expected, as if they had seen each other fairly often.

Well, for twins of their status, it wouldn't be strange if they got all their dresses tailored here.

Flora, who had been slowly looking around, turned her gaze toward Siwoo.

"Oh my? So you're that child? The famous one lately."

"Yes, you remember me."

"I never forget anyone I've made clothes for."

Flora tapped her own head lightly and acted familiar with Siwoo.

What was slightly unexpected was that Flora didn't show as much intense interest as other Witches.

Then again, considering she was someone who loved making clothes so much she even gave up advancing her Hierarchy, it made sense.

For Siwoo, who had been enjoying the feeling of becoming a rare Pokémon since returning to Gehenna, her reaction was quite welcome.

"So, I just need to make one set for everyone here, right?"

"Yes!"

"M-me too?"

"We asked you to come with us first. Of course we have to get one for you too!"

"Th-thank you."

Sharon, who had thought she was just tagging along, was surprised by the Twins' words.

She had naturally assumed she would pay for it herself.

Feeling a pang of conscience since she wasn't keeping her promise with Albireo.

"Shall we start with the twins then?"

After the Twins and Sharon, it was finally Siwoo's turn.

Flora was indeed a master who had reached the pinnacle of tailoring.

The fact that it took less than 15 minutes to make clothes for three people proved it.

Even considering that making swimsuits (probably) with less fabric area required less work, it was still a factory-foreman-like speed.

Seeing Siwoo enter the fitting room after pulling back the curtain, Flora smiled faintly.

"You're quite capable, aren't you? A Baron, an Apprentice Witch of a Countess's house, and a famous elemental Witch tucked under your arm for a picnic."

"It's not like that."

"What do you mean 'not like that'? All three of them asked me to make them look pretty for you. Especially the twins, they were so fussy. They're usually lively, but I've never seen them this bad."

"They are very energetic, indeed."

It was a slightly awkward topic, but as if it was just part of casual conversation, Flora didn't pry further.

Instead, without taking separate measurements, she began creating a swimsuit in mid-air, moving it this way and that.

Even seeing it again, it was a mysterious, almost surgical-level precise display of telekinesis.

"No need to take separate measurements. Should I make it a bit roomy? Or skin-tight like spandex?"

"Is something like shorts possible?"

"Good. You'll be the first man to wear three sets of clothes I've made, so be proud."

"Yes, I'll consider it an honor."

Hawaiian-style patterns began to be vividly engraved on the black fabric.

Suddenly curious, Siwoo asked.

From what he remembered hearing, she loved making clothes so much she even set aside developing her Magic.

So, what was her original Magic?

"May I ask one thing?"

"Sure, I'm bored anyway."

"Was the Countess's Magnetic Magic originally for weaving clothes?"

Flora glanced at Siwoo.

"Why? Curious?"

"Since each Magnetic Magic seems to have its own unique characteristics, I wanted to ask."

"Nothing I can't tell you. I was originally a Witch who wove threads. I used to create clothing with threads spun from my magic power."

"I see..."

"Clothes I weave with intent can defend against most ordinary Magic. But I found it better to have pretty Witches wear pretty clothes I made, rather than seeing them get tattered in fights. Here, try it on."

"It's already finished?"

It felt like a very short conversation, but an impressive resort-style swimsuit was already complete.

He thought it might feel slightly frivolous, but despite being covered in flower and palm tree patterns, it looked very simple and neat.

"Men's clothes aren't much. The two Witches' swimsuits will be worth looking forward to. I put considerable effort into them."

Trying it on in the fitting room, the perfect fit warmly enveloped his package.

Frankly, it felt better than most underwear.

"Nice body."

With the swimsuit fitting complete, Siwoo carefully gathered his clothes and boarded the carriage.