City of Witches Chapter 5

Associate Professor Amelia's research building was located in the northeast annex of Trinity Academy.

Since there was no separate corridor leading to the annex, Siwoo stepped into the research building while being pelted by cold rain.

Amelia Marigold.

Although she was currently referred to by the title of Associate Professor, just looking at this research building alone, one could sense something was off.

Amelia, who was neither a full professor nor a senior professor, was using an entire building that could easily accommodate at least five people all by herself.

"What's it to me."

Probably because Amelia was a noble or something.

It wasn't an important issue for Siwoo anyway.

It's just that thinking about cleaning this disgustingly spacious research building all alone already made him want to sigh.

He took off his raincoat, hung it in the entrance hall, and fetched cleaning supplies from the storeroom.

-Creak!

Unlike the splendid main building of the Academy, the annex was a modest wooden structure.

Because it was old, it creaked with every step.

After climbing the stairs to the second floor and passing through a large door, he entered Amelia's workshop, which looked to be at least 20 pyeong (approx. 660 sq ft).

The sharp scent of tobacco hit him as soon as he entered.

Filling the vast space were:

Glass bottles containing liquids emitting mysterious light, Magic books, scrolls made of parchment, shelves lined with various reagents sorted and tagged, dreamcatchers hung by the window instead of curtains, and candles illuminating the darkened research building here and there.

The atmosphere was like mixing an occult café that was once popular with a medieval alchemist's laboratory.

It was quite authentic; if it were in a place like Hongdae, it would probably have gained a cult following.

In the middle of the dimly lit workshop sat Amelia.

With one hand propping her chin and the other holding a cigarette, she was scanning something with a troubled look in her eyes.

She seemed so deeply lost in thought that she didn't even notice Siwoo had entered.

Well, she's disgustingly pretty.

Even with that defenseless expression, as if she didn't care about being seen by others, there was no flaw to be found.

Siwoo aimlessly lingered in front of Amelia, holding the cleaning supplies.

Because if he started cleaning without a word and got scolded, that would be annoying in its own way.

This is completely off-topic, but the cigarette Amelia smokes is a modern product called Lucky Strike.

Having been on the market since 1847, it's a long-standing brand and a tobacco favored among smoking Witches.

"Ah...."

Only when Siwoo had fidgeted his way to about ten steps in front of her did Amelia blankly open her mouth.

The dullness in Amelia's eyes, which had been gazing into the distance, cleared, and a sharp light returned.

"Associate Professor Amelia, I've come to help organize the research building. Where should I start?"

Siwoo asked as obsequiously as possible.

He had sensed it since entering the research building: to clean this place into something resembling a human dwelling would take not 3 hours, but easily 12.

For now, the best strategy was to appease Amelia and minimize the punishment.

"When did you get here?"

"I just arrived a moment ago."

Amelia glanced at Siwoo with a naturally condescending look.

Rolling up her sleeves to avoid ink stains, she gestured here and there with a quill pen, moving her slender wrist as she gave instructions.

"Organize the Magic books by category. Don't dust the shelves; wipe them with a damp cloth. Books with leather covers go over there. Sort the thesis files in order and place them on the bookshelf. And don't touch the items on the table."

"Yes."

"Handle it quietly so as not to disturb me. And also..."

After listing various other instructions, Amelia fluttered her palm dismissively without even looking at him.

Suppressing a sigh, Siwoo picked up the bucket and broom and began cleaning from the corners of the research building.

It wasn't that he had never cleaned her workshop before, but he had never seen it this dirty.

It was as if someone had deliberately made a mess.

For a while, the only sounds echoing desolately in the workshop were Amelia's pen scratching and Siwoo's cleaning noises.

Having to clean was miserable enough, but now he had to hold his breath for fear of making any noise...

He felt so wretched he could almost shed a tear.

About an hour later.

Just as he finished organizing the first bookshelf, Amelia's voice called out.

"Caretaker."

"Yes."

What's she going to nitpick about now?

Holding back a grimace, Siwoo turned to Amelia with a smiling face.

She wore an unreadable, expressionless look and calmly moved her lips.

"Come here."

Taken aback by the unexpected summons, Siwoo blankly pointed a finger at his own chest and asked again.

"Huh? Me, me?"

It seemed Siwoo's behavior, which Amelia preferred to be crisp and direct, was grating on her nerves.

Amelia's eyebrows twitched slightly.

For reference, that body language signified about a 25% Hysteric Gauge. If it exceeded 50%, a sharp reprimand would follow, so he needed to hurry.

"I'll finish organizing this and then come."

"Enough."

As Siwoo hurriedly tried to wring out the rag into the bucket.

Amelia shook her head and flicked her finger.

-Snap!

A Wave of Magical Power, palpable even to Siwoo, swept through the interior of the research building.

And then, all objects began to float up gently.

Items that had been drifting through the air as if dancing began to arrange themselves into their proper places without a single error.

Telekinesis was a very basic Magic, but even so, Amelia's high level was evident.

She interfered with hundreds of objects simultaneously with her magic power, yet there was no tangling or disarray.

The thickly risen dust clumped together like balls in the air and settled into the bucket, completing the cleaning.

The workshop transformed so cleanly it wouldn't feel out of place in a semiconductor fabrication process.

Siwoo watched the entire spectacle with a sense of emptiness.

No wonder she's a 'Baroness.'

Siwoo, who understood even a fragment of the greatness of Magic, couldn't help but feel awe, forgetting his old grievances.

Siwoo crossed the research building, now spotless without a speck of dust, and stood at attention beside Amelia.

Perhaps because of that incident this morning, her white hand was oddly conspicuous.

No.

If he got an erection here, he would truly be disqualified as a human.

With that single resolve, Siwoo suppressed the sexual desire that was about to push its head out."Sit down."

At Amelia's chin gesture, an extra chair slid smoothly aside to make room.

What kind of whim is this?

Siwoo tensed up at Amelia's eccentric behavior, which had no common ground with her usual self whatsoever.

Amelia tapped a cigarette from the pack and placed it between her lips.

As she drew in a breath, a small flame ignited at the tip.

"Phew..."

Amelia swiveled her chair to face Siwoo.

She crossed her legs with perfect composure and offered the cigarette pack to Siwoo.

As her skirt hem lifted, revealing a glimpse of her pale thigh skin folding slightly, Siwoo hastily averted his gaze.

"Have one?"

Cigarettes.

Here in Gehenna, modern cigarettes are extremely precious items.

At least for Siwoo, a former slave, they were.

While enslaved, he couldn't bear to quit entirely, so occasionally sharing one with Takasho was all he had.

Siwoo barely managed to ignore the clamor of his body craving nicotine and tar.

Honestly, it's a bit frightening.

Kindness from Amelia, of all people.

He'd rather drink the opened Welch's on the bench.

"N-no, thank you. I'm fine."

"If you don't want it, so be it."

Amelia didn't insist further.

Placing the cigarette pack back on the desk, she drew in the smoke with a look of great relish.

In the dimly lit research building, Amelia's profile reflected in the stand lamp was as captivating as if torn from a fashion magazine.

She stubbed out the half-smoked cigarette in the ashtray.

Wasting half of such a precious thing.

Siwoo, who had been trying to inhale as deeply as possible to get some secondhand smoke, tightly shut his eyes.

This won't do.

He didn't know what trick she was playing, but falling for a wicked Witch's scheme would only leave him with humiliation.

Wasn't there a famous saying?

Don't be a satiated pig; be a hungry human.

As if reading Siwoo's thoughts, Amelia spoke up with perfect timing.

"Are you hungry?"

"No, I'm fine."

A plate floated gently down before Siwoo, who was acting as stiff as a new recruit on high alert.

One landed in front of Siwoo, another before Amelia.

The lid covering it like a bell was removed, revealing a slice of cake.

A cake made with cherry brandy, fresh cream, and chocolate—'Schwarzwälder Kirschtorte,' or 'Black Forest' cake.

Fresh cream generously filling the layers of chocolate sponge, cherry filling simmered in sugar to preserve the fruit's texture, and finally, cherry brandy syrup sweetly enveloping it all—the finishing touch.

Amelia took a fork, cut a piece of the cake, and put it in her mouth.

Siwoo was deeply shocked.

Anyone who has served in the military could easily relate, but during slave life, what was most lacking wasn't meat or anything else—it was 'sugar.'

In Gehenna, where even sugar and honey were traded at high prices, sweet foods weren't something a slave could easily taste.

His sense of smell, sensitized to sweet scents, detected the cake's aroma, and saliva immediately began to pool in his mouth.

"Go ahead, eat."

"A-are you really sure?"

What good is pride if it means not eating this?

He couldn't hold back any longer.

Just as Amelia had done, he cut the cake with a fork.

The substantial weight felt at the fork's tip seemed to speak of the cake's sweetness.

"Ah..."

It was exquisite.

The intoxicating aroma of cherries spreading so delightfully it made his head spin.

The moistness of the fresh cream caressing his tongue and the sweetness of the chocolate.

Each taste bud, encountering sweetness after so long, seemed to rise in unison, screaming with joy.

"Hahp...!"

Siwoo forgot Amelia was even there and devoured the cake ravenously.

The palm-sized cake disappeared in under a minute, without a crumb left.

"S-sorry."

It seemed his reason had briefly flown away.

Seeing Amelia watching him with an inscrutable expression, Siwoo came to his senses.

Amelia licked the fresh cream from her lips and pushed her portion onto Siwoo's plate.

"If you're still hungry, have this too."

"Is that really okay?"

Amelia gave a small nod.

This isn't like Amelia at all!

Something is going very wrong!

Despite his inner voice urging caution, Siwoo's tongue and stomach craved more of the sweet cake.

After devouring the extra cake portion as well, Siwoo looked at Amelia.

He suddenly felt embarrassed.

Because Amelia had been staring intently at him the entire time he ate.

"Thank you very much."

But why was Amelia suddenly acting like this?

After five years of consistent torment, had she changed tactics to persuasion because he hadn't broken?

If she thought a mere cake could compensate for all the past misery, she was sorely mistaken.

That nasty Witch! I'll just take the benefits and advantages.

Just as he was recalling Takasho's advice and entertaining sinister thoughts...

Amelia opened her mouth.

"Do you know how that cake was made?"

In a gentle, measured voice—the one she used when teaching the Twins in the classroom.

For some reason, an extremely ominous premonition sent a chill down Siwoo's spine.