City of Witches Chapter 335

"Huff…."

"Kooo…."

The storm-like orgy of sex had subsided.

Odil, who had been bouncing up and down on top of Siwoo in a frog-leap position.

Odette, who had been receiving him from behind while sharing a passionate kiss with her sister.

Now they were sleeping soundly, embracing each other affectionately.

It seemed to be their sleeping habit to cling to each other like that.

"Sleep well."

Siwoo stroked the heads of the angelically sleeping Twins once each.

Even though he had been half out of his mind enjoying the hot intercourse, forgetting about the master concept midway, it truly had been an ecstatic time.

"Hmya…. That… thing, not going in…."

"Apprentice…."

He tucked the Twins back in properly as they muttered in their sleep, perhaps sharing love even in their dreams, and stepped outside for a moment.

Nicotine replenishment after sex is a classic move.

Just as he stepped onto the terrace and put a cigarette in his mouth.

"It's a disgustingly beautiful night."

"Gyaaah…."

He couldn't help but jump in surprise, dropping his cigarette.

Because there was a visitor on the terrace of the Outpost Base, where no one but the Twins should have been.

A dress black as pitch revealing a deep cleavage, black hair, and violet eyes.

Countess Albireo Gemernai, who made one instinctively think, 'Wouldn't Odil look like that if she were much more mature?', had already occupied the terrace and was smoking a cigarette.

"Uh…."

Only one thought came to mind.

Fucked.

The evidence of the tryst was clear.

Not far away, just beyond a glass door, the naked Twins were sleeping.

Moreover, just a while ago, he had been taking turns piercing their back holes, spending a heated time.

Anal intercourse is not a strenuous act for a Vessel.

It has been verified multiple times.

But the mere fact that he had been caught in a sex scene with the Apprentice Witches by the Countess, who was practically like a mother to them, made a psychological burden grow rapidly.

Just as he was anxiously wondering what reaction she would show.

Albireo exhaled a long stream of cigarette smoke and reassured Siwoo.

"It's fine, I already had an inkling…. They suddenly begged to stay out overnight, so I followed them, and sure enough."

"I'm, I'm sorry…. Actually, it was me who started it first…."

He opened his mouth to defend the Twins first, but Albireo waved her hand, cutting off his excuse.

"They say raising daughters is useless…. There won't be any problem with the Vessel, right?"

"Huh? Yes, that's true but…. I'm truly sorry, but since when have you been here?"

"Since about an hour ago."

An hour ago was right around the time he was stacking an ass tower with Odil and Odette and taking turns thrusting into them.

Fuck.

That meant she had seen all the important scenes.

Amidst a mix of awkwardness, shame, embarrassment, and fear, he subtly checked Albireo's expression.

"Shall we have a little talk?"

"Yes."

Even if she said it was fine outwardly, he didn't know what she was thinking inside.

Even while being incredibly nervous, he quickly sat down on the terrace chair as she instructed.

Even being interrogated for murder would be less burdensome than this.

Moreover, Siwoo was currently dressed only in a robe, as if saying, 'I just had wild sex.'

"I told you not to be so tense. I already said it. I had an inkling."

Even as she said that, it was bothersome that she was holding her head as if she had a slight headache….

Sitting as if on pins and needles, his buttocks tingled.

"It's probably been going on for a while now, right? Did you do it like this last time you were caught?"

"By 'like this,' you mean…."

"From behind, did you have intercourse?"

"……."

Maybe his senses had become somewhat dulled because he had enjoyed it as if it were natural from the first experience.

But the acts Siwoo had with the Twins were clearly abnormal.

No matter how much they emphasized being two-in-one as Twins, he was clearly sharing love with sisters in the same bed, and not through normal intercourse but through a maniacal method.

What on earth was Albireo thinking, having witnessed that scene just a while ago?

"…Yes."

"Have the Twins ever demanded anything else? For example, um, demanded intercourse from the front. Or if you almost inserted it wrongly…."

"That hasn't happened. Even if it did, I would have to be careful."

"I see…."

Having this sweat-inducing conversation made him really crave some alcohol.

Glancing at Albireo, it seemed she felt the same.

She had a dazed expression with all sorts of complicated thoughts heavily etched on her face as she held the cigarette in her mouth.

To describe that face in two words…

Distraught.

There couldn't be a more accurate expression.

"The wind is chilly. May I escort you inside and serve you some alcohol?"

He mustered his courage to speak.

It was half based on the experience he learned at the Host Bar.

Albireo slightly raised her eyebrows at Siwoo's sudden suggestion and chuckled.

"Are you trying to seduce me too, not satisfied with just the Twins?"

"Ah, no, that's not what I meant…."

Siwoo, startled by the unwarranted misunderstanding, waved his hands and spoke.

Albireo smiled and replied to the flustered Siwoo.

"I know, I just wanted to see your panicked expression because I was a bit annoyed."

"…I am speechless…."

After exchanging some small talk, he escorted the Countess down to the first-floor reception room.

There was about half a bottle of alcohol left that he had bought to gift the Twins today, so he poured it into glasses.

"It's good alcohol."

"It's insufficient compared to what I received from you, Countess."

"That's right. You've taken the hearts of the Twins I raised so preciously, so no fine wine in the world would be enough."

Look here.

For someone saying it's fine, hasn't there been a hidden edge in her words since earlier?

Even if her reason understood, her heart probably didn't.

Just thinking from her perspective a little made it understandable.

Perhaps, as she said earlier, she might just want to keep seeing him flustered.

Just as he was considering whether to prostrate himself like Takasho or not.

Albireo roughly set down her glass and shot Siwoo a piercing glare.

It was a dramatic change, as if she had taken off a mask.

"Ahh, it's annoying after all. No matter how much I think about it, it seems right to be angry."

Not giving him a chance to reply, the Countess began pouring out her words rapidly.

"I'm grateful you saved their lives. Of course, I understand the Twins liking you too! But! Actually seeing that scene made my head complicated! And I'm pointlessly angry at you and want to slap your cheek! Can I slap you? I'll do it gently. No, I'll slap you a little harder!"

It wasn't the always dignified and elegant tone of Albireo.

It was the tone of vanity and pretense stripped away, much like when Odil threw a tantrum."Well, fine. Let's say I understand everything! But why on earth is there someone else by your side, and not just the Twins? I know love between a man and woman is inevitable, but I told both the Twins and you, Siwoo, to wait just a little longer!"

Albireo, gasping for breath, gulped down her drink intermittently as she vented emotions that were hard to define—whether irritation, anger, or something else entirely.

Her words seemed to spill out unfiltered, growing increasingly disjointed.

"I wish you were just a rotten person instead. Then I wouldn't have hesitated and would've disintegrated you at the atomic level! But you saved the Twins' lives twice, so I can't even do that! I'm going insane!"

Was it because the perception of her as the Twins' mother was ingrained?

Or was it because Albireo always wore heavy makeup and dressed elegantly?

The bare-faced Albireo, seen for the first time, looked incredibly youthful and young.

Judging by appearance alone, she seemed to be in her early twenties—likely much younger than Siwoo had been before becoming a Spirit Body.

Well, she was a Witch, so it wasn't that strange.

"You can slap my cheek as much as you want. Until you feel better."

I am the sinner, Siwoo.

Truthfully, Siwoo had nothing to say in his defense.

If Siwoo had twin daughters and saw them fooling around with a man in such an unusual way, and that man had another woman on top of it?

It would be shotgun baptism.

In fact, he thought Albireo's reaction was remarkably restrained.

Slap!

"Gahk!"

Without any hesitation, Albireo set down her glass and slapped Siwoo's cheek with all her might.

The Witch's hand was sharper than expected.

But seeing Siwoo, undeterred, offer his other cheek, Albireo paused.

"Gulp, gulp, gulp!"

She drank so fiercely that the alcohol spilled down her chin, then took several deep breaths.

"Phew, sorry for hitting you out of nowhere. I must've looked pathetic. I've calmed down a bit now."

"Not at all. It's all my fault..."

There was no reason to feel resentful after being slapped.

He considered it a lenient mercy that he hadn't been struck with Magic.

Albireo slumped back into the sofa, her energy seemingly drained.

"I hope today can be a time for us to have an honest conversation. It feels like we've already seen the worst of each other."

"I'll do as you wish, Countess."

Out of habit, Siwoo refilled her empty glass, and Albireo sat hugging her knees, looking somewhat sullen.

Whether it was because thoughts of the Twins and Siwoo's relationship lingered in her mind or because she felt belatedly ashamed of her unrefined, wild outburst, only she knew.

"Siwoo, may I ask you something?"

After a brief moment of contemplation, Albireo spoke.

Her tone was that of someone seeking counsel, ready to pour out her worries.

"Of course."

"Is sex really that good?"

"...Is this part of the honest conversation?"

"I just can't understand why the Twins are so obsessed. You might find it surprising, but I've never done it before."

"Uh, well... I suppose I should answer from a man's perspective?"

"Right, you wouldn't know the woman's perspective either."

Albireo burst into laughter, perhaps realizing how absurd her own question was.

The Albireo who once exuded an aura of charismatic leadership now seemed different.

Somehow, she felt more approachable.

"...There will probably be many more incidents like this with the Twins in the future, won't there?"

"I'll do my best to restrain myself."

"No, it's fine. As long as the Twins aren't in danger, let them do as they please. Oh, and don't let Deneb find out. She wouldn't stop at just slapping your cheek."

"That's a rather chilling thought."

After venting her frustrations, the atmosphere grew calmer, and Siwoo also felt somewhat relieved.

For some reason, he felt like he had weathered the crisis.

"My honest feelings are that I'd prefer if you didn't... but men are weak to temptation, aren't they? Especially you, Siwoo—you seem incredibly, incredibly weak. And the Twins won't stop either..."

"......"

It was sad that he couldn't refute it.

"Then, until the Twins grow up, could I satisfy you with my body? Unlike the Twins, I'm a proper Witch. There's no risk of unexpected dangers, and honestly, I'm quite pretty, aren't I?"

With a shyly flushed face, glancing at Siwoo with innocent eyes, Albireo dropped her bombshell declaration.

It was an unexpected, overwhelming move.

Siwoo unconsciously opened his mouth in astonishment.

"I'll make time whenever you want, Siwoo. Since it's my first time, it might be a bit awkward... but I'm confident I'll get good at it quickly."

Fidgeting with her fingers as she finished speaking, Albireo looked at him with her beautiful violet eyes sparkling.

As she subtly crossed her legs, the hem of her dress lifted, briefly revealing her panties.

Black.

Separate from the shock, it was a tempting offer.

To freely enjoy one of the dignified Countesses of Gemernai in bed?

And even from behind?

Any man would be drawn in by such a suggestion.

Even Siwoo nearly blurted out, "Yes, Countess! There's a bed on the third floor—shall we go there?"

But upon further thought, he felt, "This is a bit..."

"Wouldn't that be morally problematic? After all, you're practically the Twins' mother... And I'm not meeting the Twins just for a physical relationship either."

"......"

"I understand what you're trying to say. But that would be really difficult. I'm sorry. I'll be as careful as I am now going forward."

Albireo, who had been sitting slouched, straightened her posture and smiled brightly.

"No need to apologize. It was obviously a joke."

The youthful vibe from moments ago vanished as Albireo drank her alcohol with composure.

The sudden change in attitude left Siwoo puzzled, but a moment later, a clear intuition made cold sweat break out.

"If it wasn't a joke... does it feel like a booby trap?"

"Exactly. If you had eagerly agreed, I was planning to make you pay a fitting price alongside some truly, truly great disappointment."

"...You have a taste for dangerous jokes."

"When you've lived in a tough world for over a hundred years, your sense of humor tends to get twisted. You'll probably be the same, Siwoo."

Albireo smiled, looking somewhat satisfied or perhaps relieved.

Her benevolent smile was even more frightening than the expression she wore when slapping his cheek."Anyway, please keep it a secret from the Twins that I came here. I have classes tomorrow morning, so please send me back appropriately."

"Of course."

"Well then, I'll take my leave. I apologize for the intrusion."

With a final farewell, Albireo exited the Outpost Base, swaying the hem of her dress as she walked.

Author's Note (Afterword)

You can check it out in the character sheet announcement for Amelia, gifted by Spider Author-nim!

They mentioned it's just the outfit matched before the illustration work begins, but it's so pretty that I got permission and am sharing it.

Please think of it as roughly what she'll be wearing when she appears~!