City of Witches Chapter 372

Since beginning his duties as Diana's tutor and Yesod's private lessons,

Siwoo had eliminated sleep from his schedule.

He was busy studying the rapidly progressing Distortion Field control formulas day by day and sparring with the Master.

Late at night.

He was holed up alone in the research lab, synthesizing and organizing everything he had learned so far.

Under the stand, with a cigarette in one hand and a pen in the other, he was establishing newly acquired theories.

Inspiration or impulsive ideas were volatile, so if he didn't organize them on the day they came to him, they would settle into vague lumps in his Unconscious.

Now that he had a Spirit Body, he didn't have to worry about lung cancer.

And he had enough money to spend as he pleased.

Stacking the leftover butts in the ashtray like cocktail shrimp, he made sure to spend at least six hours a day researching alone.

The silence that settled with the night dew was very much to his liking.

A visitor had arrived.

The Twins were already wandering in dreamland.

The Master, who often shared drinks with him at night, was strangely avoiding him.

She tried not to show it, but she was so unskilled at hiding things that it was all too obvious…

He didn't ask for a reason and just carried on as usual.

For that reason, there was only one person who would visit at this hour.

"Knock knock."

Hair of such a deep, dark emerald green that it looked black in the shadows.

Mysterious cyan eyes that felt refreshing just to look at.

A Witch with a slender waistline mismatched by fertile hips and voluptuous breasts.

Sharon Evergreen stood there, hands behind her back, leaning slightly forward.

Perhaps because something significant had happened today, even though he had seen her just the day before, it felt like it had been ages.

"You came?"

"Yeah, I wanted to see you."

Perhaps because of his first impression, Siwoo always thought of a stray cat when he looked at Sharon.

Even without a particular purpose, she would often wander into the research lab, chat with Siwoo, and then leave.

When he reached out his hand in welcome, Sharon promptly rubbed her cheek against his palm as if she had been waiting.

Her seemingly cold impression shattered instantly as she closed her eyes and acted cute.

Look at this.

Doesn't this posture also resemble a very affectionate cat?

"Hmm, cigarette smell."

Sharon sniffed the scent on his palm, then climbed up his arm and buried her nose in the collar of his shirt, breathing in.

"I usually hate cigarette smell, but strangely, when it mixes with your scent, it feels nice."

"You're saying something awkward again."

"What can I do? It's the truth."

Siwoo spread his arms for a while, letting Sharon smell to her heart's content.

In Sharon's words, it was a kind of ritual to recharge her "Siwoo power gauge."

"Haa… Done recharging for today!"

Sharon plopped down on the desk, smiling with happiness.

"How was class? Did Miss Diana not listen again?"

As busy as Siwoo was, Sharon was busy too.

After overcoming the incomplete succession, she needed some adjustment to skillfully handle the innate magic she had inherited.

Even with the same Brand, innate magic needed to be tuned according to factors like body size and the definition of the mental image.

Simply put, it was like breaking in an inherited set of clothes.

Because of this process, it was said that an Apprentice Witch who inherits a Brand enters seclusion for at least five to ten years.

But Sharon was also handling the Twins' elemental classes, so it made sense she was busy.

Anyway, for that reason, it seemed the series of events that happened in Border Town today hadn't reached Sharon's ears yet.

Actually, if it had been even slightly dangerous, he wouldn't have wanted to tell Sharon.

"What? A Homunculus with 17 eyes?"

"It was nothing. I just beat it like a dog until it surrendered."

"You're not hurt anywhere, right?"

"Of course not."

He didn't want to cause unnecessary worry, and since it ended so anticlimactically, it should be fine.

He mixed in a bit of boasting as he recounted today's heroic tale.

"So I just beat it like a dog with my spear, and…"

"Wow… Wow… Really? What happened next?"

Sharon's reactions were truly genuine.

Her eyes widened, sparkling as she listened to Siwoo describe the scene.

Like a child listening to a fairy tale read by their grandmother.

Men were biologically programmed to be unable to resist a woman's praise.

Even Siwoo, who hadn't been thinking much of it, found his shoulders perking up.

"Anyway, that's what happened."

"You did well, but still, you deserve a scolding from me."

Sharon pretended to be angry, furrowing her brow and placing her hands on her hips.

"It's true you were amazing, but what if you get hurt fighting recklessly like that?"

"Even if the opponent had been tougher, it was Border Town. The Witches around would have come to help."

"Look at you, talking back again."

Sharon reached out and pinched his cheek.

Since the mood wasn't very serious, both of them naturally laughed.

As the laughter subsided, Sharon scooted closer and asked,

"So, did you get anything good?"

"Ah, this. Want to see?"

The harvest from this Homunculus hunt was truly insignificant.

Aside from the Homunculus crystal embedded in Jack's arm after he turned human again, there was unfortunately no inheritance.

Though it wasn't much of a substitute, he had retrieved the item Jack used for the crime.

A headband decorated with frills.

According to Diana, when worn, it prevents the use of any magic power + makes it impossible to disobey a specific person (likely the Artifact's owner).

"An Artifact? What's its use?"

"If you wear this, you can't disobey commands. You can't use magic power either."

"Really?"

Judging by its appearance, it seemed made for a woman to wear, as it was very pretty.

Perhaps because of that, Sharon also looked at the headband with interest, turning it over in her hands.

"Should I try it on? Would it suit me?"

"Is there anything that doesn't suit you?"

Artifacts also have ranks.

Items like Dagon's Flute or the Red Branch felt dangerous and complex at a glance.

But from what Siwoo could see, this headband was the kind that could be mass-produced with enough time and money, like a music box.

"It's trying to interfere with autonomous defense."

"Think it'll break through?"

"Not a chance."

"I figured."

Sharon speaking in such a calm tone was for the same reason.

To put it bluntly, for a Witch above Hierarchy 15, this headband posed about as much danger as SM handcuffs.It was a pair of handcuffs with fluffy fur attached to prevent chafing on the wrists.

I tried them out experimentally, and even Siwoo, who lacks Autonomous Defense, could easily shake off interference.

After tilting her head and looking upward for a while, Sharon suddenly spoke up as if she had just remembered something.

"Siwoo, did you know? The Harvest Festival is coming up soon."

"Harvest Festival? Is it already that time?"

The Harvest Festival.

A grand festival held annually for three days starting from the third Monday of December, essentially Gehenna's version of Thanksgiving.

While the Mortal Realm typically celebrates Thanksgiving in October or November, Gehenna holds its Harvest Festival long after the winter barley sowing is completed.

The reason is as follows.

Though now incomparable in scale of power, Witches have historically clashed with various religious organizations, with particularly deep-rooted conflicts with Christian denominations.

For this reason, in Gehenna's early days, citizens were reportedly prohibited from holding various religious events.

However, the initial settlers of Gehenna were medieval people who even believed diseases were divine punishment.

This means their way of life and mentality were deeply intertwined with religion.

Invisible discontent simmered under Witch control, and the Witches, judging that suppression alone wouldn't suffice, promised religious freedom to the wandering medieval people.

Yet, without churches or parishes, faith could not be sustained solely through oral tradition.

Moreover, with beings denied by their faith right before their eyes displaying immense mystery, it would be stranger if their faith remained intact.

In less than a century, religious people naturally faded away, and the annual Christmas celebration, leaving only traces of a grand festival, transformed into what is now called the Harvest Festival.

Siwoo had also experienced five Harvest Festivals in Gehenna.

During the festival, a large fir tree is erected in the square of Border Town, next to the clock tower square.

Though the citizens don't know the origin of the Christmas tree, they each bring candles and decorations to adorn the fir tree, light large bonfires, wrap their arms around each other's shoulders, and dance to lively music.

Women bring heaps of home-cooked food outside, so the warm scent of food wafts from every street corner, and famously delicious beer is provided unlimitedly with support from the town hall's budget.

I've heard that in Renomment Town or Ars Magna Town, splendid balls are held everywhere, allowing even Witches usually holed up in their studies to occasionally enjoy the festive atmosphere.

It was one of the few enjoyable events during my time as a slave.

"Yeah, there's less than three weeks left. So, I was wondering if you'd like to spend it together?"

It was akin to asking to spend Christmas together.

Siwoo had no reason to refuse.

"I'd like that."

"Can Odil and Odette come too?"

Actually, even if Sharon hadn't mentioned it, Siwoo had been planning to ask, but he was inwardly surprised.

"Is that really okay?"

Sharon likes Siwoo, and the Twins like Siwoo too.

Ultimately, since he couldn't choose either side, he ended up with three lovers, and while he had received some permission from both the Twins and Sharon...

No matter what, he had been inwardly worried that there might be some sense of rivalry, but instead, Sharon brought up bringing the Twins along.

"Why wouldn't it be okay? It's good if we all get along well."

If she had been a bit more straightforward in personality, could she have handled this situation well?

Siwoo felt grateful to Sharon for rolling up her sleeves and taking on the coordination he should have been burdened with.

And she did so without any hint of boasting or acting like it was something special.

"Ah, I think it's done."

Before Siwoo could even say thank you, Sharon changed the subject.

Sharon tapped the hairband on her head with her hand.

She tried to take it off herself, but she only grunted as if performing a pantomime, unable to remove the hairband.

"I've deactivated Autonomous Defense."

"Huh?"

Sharon grinned bashfully and quietly approached Siwoo.

"It feels really strange. Like I've gone back to when I was really little. My magic power isn't moving at all."

"......"

For a Witch, Autonomous Defense is like their final lifeline.

And Sharon had shown it being deactivated so easily in front of Siwoo.

It was proof of how much she trusted him.

"Now I have to do exactly as Siwoo says, without a fuss."

If there was a difference between the Sharon from before and the Sharon now.

It was that she had developed this mischievous side.

The authority to command as he pleases...

How could anyone resist this?

Siwoo lifted Sharon up and headed toward the sofa.

Author's Note (Author's Afterword)

You can check the original Diana illustration and unpublished Sharon rough sketches in the announcement!

I planned to write continuously, but I got delayed coordinating various illustrations!

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350 chapters in just 3 days... You read incredibly fast! Please continue to enjoy!

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The Twins are cute, right? Haha

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