City of Witches Chapter 84

“In the end, he didn’t sell you out.”

Sophia spent about ten minutes explaining what had happened at the Border Town inn.

How the Witch of Aquarius had schemed to kidnap Amelia.

How Siwoo hadn’t yielded to the sailors’ trickery and, after requesting rescue, Sophia had been able to save her.

Of course, she kept quiet about the suspicions that Amelia might take sensitively.

Even if there had been no other way, she judged there was no need to add to the confusion unnecessarily.

The concepts of force majeure and extenuating circumstances exist for a reason.

“........”

After hearing Sophia’s words, Amelia froze, completely stunned.

Barely managing to grasp one question, she asked Sophia.

“Then… why did he keep it a secret… from me?”

“I didn’t know the details back then either. I think he was worried you might find out while he was preparing the escape. But please don’t think badly of him. He had the option to sell you out and flee to the outside world. But he didn’t take it.”

The truth was, Amelia wasn’t afraid of death.

The only reason Amelia lived was to carry on her Master’s Magic.

Even if that were cut short by an unexpected accident, she might feel a moment of regret, or a flicker of anger if that legacy fell arbitrarily into another’s hands, but she wasn’t afraid of her life itself ending.

Because she had been empty since her Master left.

Because she felt empty, and couldn’t bear that void, she had forced upon herself the duty of Magic Research, pushing through it stubbornly.

It was merely like inertia, carrying that burden and climbing a steep slope.

Siwoo must have been different.

Wasn’t it because he wanted to live and get out, by any means, that he researched Magic like that?

A mere human, he had faced death to protect Amelia.

And for a Witch he didn’t even like that much, he had even given up his own chance to escape.

It was a huge debt.

“.........”

“Siwoo also mustered that much courage for you. And yet, you’re thinking of running away here? Don’t you have anything left unsaid to him?”

“Why… why would he go that far…”

“How about asking him directly? That’s the surest way.”

Amelia stopped her tears.

There was no time to be crying.

The compass in her heart, which had been spinning aimlessly, now pointed fiercely in one direction.

Go back to him immediately.

Offer a proper apology and express your gratitude.

His face, which had felt so terrifying just moments ago.

She wanted to see it.

“Hic… hoo…”

The joy that surged from her chest like pollen, feeling so fresh and new.

She had only thought she was hated.

She had only thought she was being rejected.

But wasn’t it possible that Shin Siwoo, by not handing Amelia over in that situation, valued her to some extent? Such a bold thought kept trying to lift the corners of her mouth.

That joy simultaneously made Amelia feel ashamed.

She felt her selfish, narrow-minded, almost childish tantrum-like words and actions being compared to his actions.

“I’ll… apologize…”

“Good thinking.”

“I’ll… go to the Mortal Realm with him too…”

“What?”

Sophia was startled.

This was the first time Amelia had spoken of going to the Mortal Realm for leisure.

Someone who had long been confined to their own world typically hesitates to set foot in a new one.

Whether it’s new emotions or accumulating different experiences.

In that sense, the Mortal Realm was a very unfamiliar and frightening place to Amelia.

Sophia had proposed leisure trips several times, but Amelia hadn’t even listened with half an ear.

Outwardly, she said she didn’t want to waste research time on such useless leisure, but from Sophia’s perspective, the emotion Amelia held towards the Mortal Realm was closer to fear of the unknown.

“Because… I want to do what he wants too.”

Amelia, who had been scared, shrinking back, and busy retreating.

Seeing her about to take her first step, how could one not smile?

Sophia wore a proud smile.

“Thank you, Sophia.”

As if responding to that face, Amelia wiped the tears from her cheeks with her sleeve.

She’d had various connections with Amelia over time, but this was the first time she’d heard a word of thanks.

But there was no time to hug her for being cute or pinch her cheeks.

“Go on.”

Sophia gave her back a gentle push.

Amelia nodded and threw open the door to the small room.

Another step into a new world she hadn’t known.

To walk forward.

“What are you doing?”

Ea tilted her head, watching Siwoo absorb Magical Power.

Having already seen him use Water Lizard Step, she wasn’t particularly surprised anew.

But by that time, Siwoo’s consciousness was already erasing the presence of the terrifying Exile.

His consciousness, as if being sucked into a vortex, instantly dug into the depths of the Unconscious.

The empty black space revealed itself once more before Siwoo’s eyes.

The new Magic accepted from the Gnosis’s Egg obtained by hunting the Homunculus.

‘The Law of Shadows,’ which erodes and interferes with the Magic Circle, ultimately inducing collapse.

The shadow architecture, now a new structure, welcomed Siwoo, spinning fiercely as if delighted, forming the shape of a magnificent nebula.

Having taken just a single step, the distance between them narrowed instantly.

This was ‘Ain,’ the world of consciousness and concepts.

A space of freedom where physical measures impose no constraints.

-Whoooom!

From the Law of Shadows now directly before him, a rumbling vibration sound came.

It sounded like a reproachful voice asking why he had only come now. Siwoo unconsciously gave a bitter smile.

“I needed to have the time.”

If he’d known this would happen, he would have carved out time from nowhere to build up proficiency.

“Give me a little help.”

Though it was impossible for Magic to have a self, the shadows began to coil lengthily towards his outstretched hand, as if for a handshake.

Siwoo received control of the shadows from the Magic Circle.

No, saying he ‘received’ it was slightly off.

This power was something that should have obeyed his commands from the start.

It had only now come perfectly under his control.

The shadows enveloping his whole body began to flow like snakes.

They moved freely, as if handling a newly sprouted arm according to Siwoo’s will.

However.

This alone wouldn’t be enough.The opponent was an Exile who boasted of being a match for Amelia.

To buy time, more thorough preparation was needed.

What rose in Siwoo's mind was armor and a spear.

Kneading the shadows like dough, he shaped them to drape over his body and created two spears.

Simultaneously, Siwoo's consciousness returned to reality.

"Oh my?"

Though it felt like several minutes had been wasted in Ain, in reality, barely a second had passed.

Ea, as if startled, covered her mouth with her eyes wide open.

Before she knew it, the shadows that had welled up from Siwoo's body had transformed into armaments to confront the enemy.

There was none of the light-reflecting gloss or ornate patterns commonly seen in fantasy games.

Just pitch-black armor that absorbed moonlight, gauntlets enveloping both hands, and two straight spears held within them.

"Hoo..."

As Siwoo inhaled, the shadow stretching from behind his back wrapped around his head, forming the shape of a sleek helmet.

It felt as natural as something he'd done long ago, even carrying a strange sense of familiarity.

A Miracle that allowed him to use an entirely new Magic without any particular proficiency.

This was the product of 'Gnosis's Egg,' which forcibly expanded human cognition.

"You must like RPG games, huh?"

"It was already a trash game, and with five years passed, it must be truly ruined now."

That was the extent of Ea's outward impression, but inwardly, she was very surprised.

So much so that she paid no mind to Siwoo's curt reply.

A slave using Magic is not an entirely impossible thing.

However, the shadows undulating like fine iron filings or smoke over the armor covering his entire body—

That is not merely a 'phenomenon' manifested by Magic.

Each tiny particle was an extremely, extremely minute Magic Formula.

No matter how much of an Exile she was, as her essence was that of a Witch, she couldn't help but feel interest in unfamiliar Magic.

"Originally, I was only interested in your body... but now I'm interested in you yourself. I'll take you too and use you for research."

Gazing at the ribbons fluttering like seaweed drifting in the sea, Siwoo spoke to the Twins.

"Jump back right now."

"What?"

And immediately, he threw one of the two spears at Ea and simultaneously shot the other toward the barrier behind him.

-Whoosh!

It wasn't thrown with arm strength.

He consumed magic power to impart kinetic energy to the shadow itself.

The result was a fierce assault from a javelin that accelerated without any forewarning.

First, as the spear that flew a short distance touched the Water-Bearer's barrier, ripples instantly spread.

As the shadow, melting into the delicate barrier and propagating contamination, spread like paint, the entire Water-Bearer swayed greatly for a moment.

-Crackle-crackle!

Meanwhile, Ea watched with indifferent eyes as another spear flew toward her.

"How foolish."

The ribbon tentacles writhing behind her as if to protect her surged forward in a rush.

It was the activation of Autonomous Defense to intercept the Magic threatening its master.

Without any particular command, the smoothly extended ribbons snatched the Spear of Shadow from the air as if coiling around it.

-Sizzle-crackle!

The sight of the ribbons shattering as they blocked the spear was like orchid leaves being devoured by a swarm of locusts.

But Ea was not the least bit flustered.

From observing the magic power waveform, it wasn't difficult to guess it was a type that directly interfered with Magic Formulas.

The more delicate the Magic, the more likely it was to induce fatal flaws and cause a short circuit, she presumed.

"Your effort is admirable, but pitiful."

The Spear of Shadow, losing speed each time it tore through a ribbon, was eventually halted in its reckless charge.

The shadow Magic, wrapped layer upon layer by dozens of ribbons, lost its structure and scattered on the spot.

"What did you hope to achieve with just that much magic power?"

Although the laws of shadow hold a compatibility advantage over most Magic, that's only true at a mediocre level.

The solution is simple.

Just overwhelm it with immense magic power, as Siwoo had done.

A High-Rank Witch like Ea couldn't possibly have failed to notice such a simple answer.

"Assistant..."

"........."

Siwoo looked at Ea, who had thwarted his attack without any effort.

And when he cast his gaze over his shoulder, he saw the barrier, similarly intact.

The moment it was pierced by the spear, it had rippled like water droplets falling on a surface for a very brief moment, but as soon as a gap large enough to insert a finger appeared, it repaired itself.

The time it took for the barrier to self-repair was far ahead of the speed at which the shadow could collapse it.

He hadn't had high expectations.

Siwoo knew his place well enough.

Still, he had hoped to at least buy enough time for the Twins to escape...

As if reading Siwoo's intentions, Ea offered another proposal at a perfect timing.

"But since it was unexpectedly fun, I'll give you a chance."

A golden opportunity to buy time.

"Assistant, don't give up. We'll help too."

"That's right. Together, we can win."

"Please wait a moment."

As the Twins, realizing that trembling alone would solve nothing, began to recite an Incantation, Siwoo stepped forward to stop them.

"If you would do that, I'd be grateful."

Judging by her confident attitude, Ea Sadalmelik was undoubtedly a formidable opponent.

All her actions were based on the premise that she could overpower Amelia head-on.

Whether that was mere arrogance or delusion, it was certainly not a level that Siwoo or the Twins could contend with.

"Since we have time to spare anyway, good. Let's see how many of your limbs remain by the time Marigold returns."

Composure.

He had to make the most of the carelessness she could afford, thinking of Siwoo and the Twins as fish in a bottle.

"I'll do it instead!"

Odil pulled Siwoo's arm back and stepped forward.

Seeing this, Ea let out a scornful chuckle.

"I have no desire to see the tiresome Magic of Gemernai. It's probably just an inferior copy of those ill-mannered Twins anyway. What I'm curious about is that slave's Magic."

While Odil couldn't retort, Siwoo grabbed her shoulder and persuaded her.

He appreciated the sentiment, but they couldn't overlook the fact that this opportunity depended entirely on Ea's whim.

"Lady Odil, not now."

"But Assistant, you were like this last time too...! This time, I'll protect you...!"

"We have to follow that Witch's wishes. That's our only chance."

"Assistant..."

Odil, tears welling up in her eyes, buried herself in Siwoo's waist.

Siwoo stroked Odil's head and said.

"Let's make sure we survive this time too."

"...If we survive, I'll let you cum on my face again."Pushing Odil aside with a light shove after he made a joke with a serious face, Siwoo stepped onto Ea’s experimental platform.

“Enough of the clichéd melodrama?”

Siwoo nodded.

From beneath his helmet, eyes hardened with resolve shot a piercing look at Ea.

“Shall we begin, then?”

One of Ea’s hands traced a horizontal line in the air.

As if responding to her command, a single Ribbon twisted and coiled in midair.

Stretched to its elastic limit, the Ribbon traced a spiral trajectory and lunged at Siwoo like a venomous snake.

Author’s Note (Afterword)

I wish I could practice writing every day, but it’s not easy...ㅠㅠ

I’ll definitely make time to practice on weekendsㅎㅎ

Oh, and I can’t reply to every single reader’s commentㅜㅜ

Even though I want to reply as much as possible, sometimes I worry it might accidentally spoil something, and other times I just don’t have the right words to respond.

Please don’t be too disappointed!

Thank you for visiting again today!

• Thank you, [User], for the 100 coins.