Chapter 7 – #02_Twin Witches
#07
One.
Tired of mind and body from hard labor all day long.
The only thing that comforts them is this inn.
Siu trudged open the door of the shabby building.
Surprisingly, Siwoo’s accommodation is very spacious.
It was natural that it was made by remodeling a barn that raised twenty-pillar horses.
A dirty wide ceiling that is enough for 10M, a haystack that substitutes for a bed and sofa.
The great sky view seen through the open log roof is an advantage.
“The fact that there is no rent is also an advantage.”
Minor downsides are that because it was built in an eco-friendly way, rainwater flows when it rains, bones are cold in winter, and the smell of excrement permeating the floor stings your nose in summer.
Still, humans are animals of adaptation.
This barn, which is not as good as the beloved hamster’s house, is comfortable and comfortable after living there for 5 years.
“Oh, fuck. Anyway, it rained heavily.”
Perhaps because of the heavy rain, the entire barn was soaked with rainwater.
It was because the overflowing rainwater overflowed the living space beyond the furrows dug in preparation for this kind of rainfall.
I took off my janitor’s uniform and headed for the haystack that was filling my bed.
Inside is a small glass bottle.
It was a very classy and pretty looking empty bottle because it was a perfume bottle that Amelia had used and discarded in the past.
“This one is almost gone.”
A whitish liquid that dripped at the bottom of the perfume bottle.
This colorful, softly sparkling liquid is the essence of magical power liquefied by ‘Fixed Alchemy’.
The academy’s professors are all wealthy.
Just as rich people don’t lick the cap of Yoplait, witches just throw away the few drops of magic water left at the bottom of the bottle.
Even though one or two drops of that could buy a pack of cigarettes.
“If I didn’t have this, everything would have been empty.”
It was a genius opportunity for Siwoo.
It was because I was able to collect the remaining magic water one or two drops while cleaning up all kinds of research waste.
“Just a little…”
Siu tilted the empty bottle and put about half a drop of the liquid on his fingertips.
Unlike women, men cannot store mana.
However, the essence of the mana that touched the body was able to be utilized before it volatilized.
Light chant.
“Bloom.”
The bells of magical power awakened by Siwoo’s words begin to glow blue and emit light.
It was embarrassing to know that he could use magic, so he refrained from performing magic as much as possible outside of research, but today he wanted to sleep on the soft hay.
Siu, concentrating his mind, remembered Amelia’s telekinesis today.
A subtle law is embroidered in the black world behind the eyes.
Magic is the power to create anything.
Psychokinesis is magic that uses invisible physical force.
Today, Amelia has manifested her magic into hundreds of circles with different orbits.
Like the trajectories of celestial bodies determined by the laws of the universe, hundreds of objects were controlled one by one without overlapping or colliding at all.
It is impossible for Siwoo to use that level skillfully right now.
However, it is not difficult to control only objects with light mass.
Therefore, Siwoo arranged Amelia’s mental movement.
Siu slowly opened his eyes.
A haze like smoke swirls in the corners of his eyes.
It is a magic reflection light that naturally occurs when the human body utilizes magic power.
Thousands of water droplets floated around him.
It is the condensation of the moisture that had stuck to the floor, burrowed into the mud, and dampened the straw pile.
Each drop of water glistening in the moonlight was as beautiful as a small jewel.
Magic is, after all, realizing the scenery of images according to certain rules.
The image Siu recalled was of Amelia gathering dust.
All the water droplets gather in one place.
And…
“Ah…”
Siu let out a soft sigh.
For a moment, his concentration was shaken, and his calculations were twisted.
The magic circle that Siwoo improvised for mental movement requires a total of three paths: one conversion, one change, and one deployment.
However, magic collided and twisted in the part of the ceremony that was in charge of transformation and development.
The formula was developed by focusing only on collecting light water droplets, and when the water droplets coalesced and the mass increased, one pass was overloaded to the extent that it was difficult to handle.
As a result, the water flow that floated up like a water fairy spread all at once to the floor.
Fortunately, even though there was a puddle across the ditch, the water did not splash in the place Siwoo used as a living space.
“Failed to calculate conversion overload factor.”
After all, it was difficult to cast unfamiliar magic.
Siu threw himself into a pile of straw.
After all, it was not easy to develop formulas only with mental arithmetic and impromptu.
Still, it was a great improvement compared to the past.
Because in the past, it seemed that his head would explode just by shaking a candle.
If this is the case, there may not be much left to open the ‘door’ to get out of this city.
“If I add about 3 conversion axes to the connection between my transformation part and the deployment part to dampen the shock during deployment…”
I can’t.
I am so tired today.
Siu, who closed his eyes and reviewed the magic he had just performed, quickly fell asleep.
2.
After finishing his morning work, Siwoo and Takasho headed to Taro Town after having a rough lunch.
Because it was the horse of Sophie the witch who commanded the beast, the carriage running without a coachman was as fast as flying.
Only about 30 minutes had passed, but before I knew it, I was standing in the middle of the noisy and bustling Taro Town.
“We’ll be in front of the fountain by 10pm, just like before!”
He waved her hand vigorously for Takasho, who was leaving for the mansion today to become Sophia’s joyous person.
“Whoa.”
Siu stood still at the fountain in the square to catch his breath and looked around him.
To express the appearance of Taro Town in one word, it is ‘high technology in renaissance’.
The well-paved roads that stretch to every corner, the towering buildings that cannot be believed to be stone or wooden buildings, and the crowds and hustle and bustle of the streets fill the streets, reminiscent of a modern metropolis.
In fact, the inside of Gehenna has been cut off from the outside world for over 600 years.
If magic were added to the 600 years of history that had flowed peacefully without war or plague, it wouldn’t be strange to achieve this level of prosperity.
Unlike ‘Ars Magna Town’ or ‘Lenormand Town’, which are top-tier towns, Taro Town was a living place for ordinary second-class citizens.
It is also a place where various tailors, blacksmiths, watchmakers, jewelers, molders, confectioners, etc. Live for the pleasant life of Gehenna.
“Today’s apples are five pennies in a box!”
“Come to the Beluga Tavern where there are fun performances and music! They even have cold beer!”
“It’s a popular embroidered dress among witches, welcome!”
A coachman who calms a horse startled by a loud noise, touts who come out to the store and catch passers-by, a boy who sells newspapers, a merchant who bargains for goods with a smoking pipe, and an artist playing a flute under a fountain.
Due to the nature of the central square, it is always a lively and noisy place.
A fantasy-like noise pierced his ears, and Siwoo stepped down from the carriage road and headed towards his destination.
From the plaza, follow the road to the west and enter the alley.
The alley was not properly paved, so the road was a bit muddy.
Perhaps because it was a holiday, I passed the Beluga Tavern, which was overflowing with customers in broad daylight, and when I crossed the tunnel, I saw a stone building nestled in the shade.
The reason why Siwoo went all the way here, spending precious weekend time, was to stop by the magic tool shop in the basement of that building.
“Hello.”
Since the door was very low, Siwoo crouched down the stairs.
It is a small shop about 10 pyeong with a unique faint smell of sulfur.
In fact, I don’t think it’s that narrow at 10 pyeong, but it looks especially narrow because there are so many furniture and sales items piled up.
The shelf behind the counter is full of colorful specimens, and unidentified withered animals hang from the ceiling.
“Oh, is the bachelor here? I was worried because I couldn’t see Tong’s face lately.”
The shop owner, wearing round monocle glasses, welcomed Siu.
He folded the newspaper and got up.
“So, what did you buy again this time?”
“Did you get the telegraph?”
“Let’s see.”
After skimming through the stock list, the store owner pulled out a bundle of paper tied with rope from a drawer.
“Something just came in. Are you going to buy a single sheet this time too?”
“Yes, please. How much is it?”
Siwoo took out the pocket he was holding dearly in the middle of his chest.
Coins the size of his thumb nails glittered inside.
It was the five pennies that Siu received a week, which he saved without spending a dime for three months.
12 pennies mixed with copper and silver must be gathered to have the value of one silver coin, so what is in this is exactly the value of 5 silver coins.
I had been saving it to buy this anyway, but I felt like I was about to burst into tears when I was about to spend the money.
“I’ll give you three for a silver coin.”
“Yes? Is it that much? It was two sheets last time.”
“In the fortress, you are the only one looking for this. I’ll give it to you cheaply, so take what you have.”
“Go, thank you!”
What kind of bullshit is this
Originally, I was planning to enjoy eating out after a long time with a penny left.
If this is the case, things are different.
Siu robbed all the silver coins and handed them over to the owner.
“By the way, do you, a slave, have anything to use a war horse?”
“Well, there are several reasons.”
“Well, I just need to sell stuff. I’ll find you again next time.”
After a satisfying transaction, Siu looked back with a rampant smile and stood firm.
“Hi? Assistant.”
The witch tilted her head in curiosity and her purple eyes twinkled.
Her older sister’s side of her twin who takes Amelia her lessons.
That is, Odile.
“Oh, you sell magic tools in a shabby place like this? Wow! What is this? It looks like a mummy!”
Even when he saw Odile fiddling with a strange bone hanging from the ceiling (somewhat like a dried-up salamander), the proprietor was speechless.
A dress decorated with gorgeous lace, a half bonnet with a ribbon wrapped around the chin, and shoes that look classy.
No, apart from all that, Odile shows off his innate splendor and nobility like a luxuriously decorated doll.
Anyone could tell that she, as her high-ranking witch, had the nerve to tell her not to touch her wares.
Why is Odile here?
Siu felt his head getting cold.
He keeps it a secret that he knows how to use and understand magic.
Because it was the only way to get him out of this disgusting slave life.
“But why did my assistant, a mere slave, come all the way to the magic tool shop in Taro Town?”
Odile giggled and circled around Siwoo.
Siwoo tried to hide the former maji bundle in his hand, but it was a meaningless action anyway.
“Can’t you answer me?”
He met the worst opponent in the worst place.
“A funny thing happened.”
Unlike in his academy, Odile, dressed in fancy street clothes, raised his grin.
