City of Witches

༺ Twin Rush (1) ༻

1.

After knowing that Deneb didn’t come to demand repayment or to collect the debt money after hearing that her debtor had collected a substantial amount of money, Sharon let out a sigh of relief.

In hindsight, the 58 billion won Sharon borrowed was like a drop of water compared to Gemini Household’s vast fortune.

They didn’t really care for the money in the first place as what they wanted to do was to gain access to Evergreen’s magical research materials.

Unlike Sharon, whose face was ridden in anxiety, Deneb casually greeted her with a nod before entering the living room.

Siwoo, noticing the messy living room table, tidied up the table before he guided Deneb inside.

Seeing what happened, Sharon didn’t stay idle either; She took out some fruit from the fridge and started washing it.

Meanwhile Deneb alternated her glance between the two of them before handing out a paper bag to Siwoo.

“This is a housewarming gift.”

“Ah, thank you.”

From its shape, weight and sloshing sound it made, Siwoo could guess that the bag in his hand was alcohol.

At this point, he couldn’t help but notice.

If Deneb’s intention was to hold a housewarming party, then she’d at least look like she’d be in the mood for it, but that didn’t seem to be the case as she had only been sitting there with a straight face.

Albireo was someone who’d consider Siwoo’s situation so he could be more at ease with her, but Deneb was a different story, so he felt unusually anxious.

“Ahem…thanks to Countess’ generosity, I’ve been living comfortably.”

Trying to break the uncomfortable silence, Siwoo awkwardly coughed and tried to start a conversation.

Hearing his words, Deneb, who had been scanning every corner of the room with her gaze, responded to him.

“I was a little worried when I heard that you turned down my offer to stay in the Gemini Household as our guest and went back to the modern world instead, but it seems that you’re doing well. That’s great to know.”

Siwoo wasn’t sure if she was sincere in saying that or not, but at the very least she was polite to him.

Nevertheless, there was a sense of unease lingering in the air.

Ultimately, the reason why Siwoo was kicked out of Gehenna was because Albireo was afraid of him forming an overly intimate relationship with the twins and crossing the line they should never cross.

And now, within a year, he somehow lived with another witch.

It wasn’t strange that he was worried about how Deneb would react to this situation.

“Regarding your day-to-day life, is there a problem you’re struggling with?”

“Thanks for the Gemini Household’s thoughtfulness, I’ve been living a good life.”

“I see.”

However, Deneb didn’t seem to dwell on the matter.

When they last met, it was clear that she drew a line between them, but even so, she had been treating him quite politely.

So, there was no way that he’d go out of his way to say something like, ‘Your sister was the one who kicked me out…’ to her face.

“P-Please feel free to eat these…”

“Thank you.”

At that moment, Sharon, who had been cutting up fruits in the kitchen, placed the sliced pears and apples on the table with a reserved demeanor.

Since she didn’t know the full story between the two, she felt as if she was a prey sitting next to a predator that might pounce on her at any given moment.

“I appreciate your kindness to visit me, but…may I ask why you came?”

Upon hearing Siwoo’s question, Sharon held her breath.

Meanwhile Deneb took a time to munch on her apple before sighing.

“…It’ll be quicker if I just show you.”

“Sorry?”

Deneb’s cryptic words left Siwoo bewildered.

There was a hesitation on her face, but she stood up anyway.

And then she lifted up her wide dress, all while maintaining her dignified, ladylike impression.

Due to the sudden action, Siwoo couldn’t react in time to cover his eyes.

Nevertheless, he didn’t get to see what color the noble Countess Deneb Gemini’s underwear was.

What came out of the hem of her skirts were two familiar faces.

“…”

“…”

They were none other than Odile and Odette.

Rather than wearing their trademark half-bonnet, they had styled their hair into multiple strands before elegantly pulling it up into a princess-like updo.

Their mature black dresses complemented their doll-like features, showcasing their endearing cuteness.

Siwoo showed genuine surprise.

The twins popping out of nowhere was surprising enough for him, but the fact that the overprotective Countess would actually bring them to the modern world was even more surprising to him.

“For your information, these troublemakers were the ones who planned this whole surprise.”

“I think I could have figured that out on my own…”

Deneb quickly tidied up the disoriented hem of her skirt in embarrassment as soon as the twins emerged from it.

Siwoo noticed that her expression slightly softened. Which meant that her previously stern face stemmed from her reluctance to go along with the twins’ pranks.

“…”

“…”

However, Odile and Odette, who had seemed ready to pounce on Siwoo a moment ago, suddenly froze in their tracks.

With wide, amethyst-like eyes filled with immense shock, they looked at Sharon.

Specifically for Odette, she had her mouth half open.

“Kids?”

Seeing their reaction, Deneb raised an eyebrow.

They had been excited to meet their assistant, so they roamed the hallways all night long and eagerly prepared themselves for this surprise since early in the morning.

But despite them finally meeting him, they didn’t even greet him.

This breach of etiquette prompted Deneb to lightly tap their backs.

“It’s been a while Mr. Assistant.”

“You seem well.”

After being prompted a couple times, the twins eventually greeted him with impeccable manners, showcasing a refined elegance that even a strict etiquette teacher would find faultless.

It was a grace born from their innate nobility, something that no ordinary people possessed, the kind of elegance a ‘noble’ refined from birth.

“Y-Yes, it’s nice to see you too. It’s been a while isn’t it?”

“Indeed.”

“Yes.”

Perhaps because Deneb was still here, they seemed to be more careful than usual.

Though he felt joy seeing them here, he also felt surprised at the distance they set between them.

As the three of them exchanged their greetings, Deneb, who had been patiently waiting, chimed in.

“They’ve been fussing about wanting to see you, so I brought them here since I have work to do in this world as well. We’ll be staying for about four days.”

“Um?”

“Originally, I was going to get a separate room for them, but…well since I’ll be here, it shouldn’t be much of a problem. I’ll pay you for letting them stay.”

“Are you sure…?”

“Am I sure? Of what?”

Siwoo then explained to Deneb why he asked such a question.

“Isn’t the modern world dangerous? There are Exiles roaming around, there are also the Homunculi and all sorts of things…”

His concern wasn’t unfounded.

He was well aware of Albireo and Deneb’s deep concern and love for the twins.

That was why he couldn’t understand why they’d willingly take on the risk of venturing into this dangerous world just to accommodate the twins’ stubbornness.

“Well, if you’re planning to stay here forever, yes it’ll be dangerous, but this world isn’t a lawless place. Your case is special due to a lot of things, but for them…well, there are a lot of Exiles who raised their apprentices in this world, aren’t there?”

To put it simply, bringing an apprentice witch to the modern world was like bringing a kid to a late-night stroll on the street. It was dangerous, but it wasn’t as dangerous to go on a tour in a war-torn area.

Or at least that was what she added.

“I’d appreciate it if you could take the two of them to sightsee when the sun is up. I’m afraid I won’t be able to accompany them due to my busy schedule. You see, as apprentice witches, it’s important for them to gain various experiences…”

“Yes, I understand.”

“Also, if you don’t mind, Siwoo, can you accompany me outside for a moment? Odile, Odette.”

““Yes, Master.””

“You two behave yourselves and wait here quietly.”

““Yes.””

Leaving the twins behind, who replied in the calmest manner Siwoo had ever seen, he and Deneb made their ways to the rooftop.

To ward off the strong wind and rain, Deneb created a thin barrier with a gesture.

“You smoke, right?”

“Yes, I do.”

“Want to have a chat while we smoke?”

She casually put a cigarette in her mouth, while Siwoo turned his head to lit up his.

The smoke they exhaled swirled as they dispersed in the gusty wind.

With her dazzling beauty, Deneb took a deep breath, signaling the start of their conversation.

“How’s life in the modern world?”

“It hasn’t been trouble-free, but thanks to your various considerations, I can live well here. The ring you gave me back then has been a great help too.”

“That’s glad to hear. Honestly, I wished that you stayed in Gehenna. Really, I’d be having trouble sleeping if something were to happen to you…”

Surprisingly for Siwoo, Deneb was being really friendly to him. It was unthinkable that this was the same woman who was so furious at him after catching him kissing (this was what she believed) Odile back then.

“Sorry for being so insistent on returning…”

“…Actually I heard about it from Albireo later. You were coerced to leave, weren’t you?”

“T-That’s…”

“I apologize.”

Looking at how calm she was, Siwoo figured that she hadn’t heard the full story of why he was forced to leave to begin with.

After a pause, she continued.

“So, what’s your relationship with the woman you’re living with?”

Caught off guard by the sudden question, Siwoo hesitated.

Even he himself couldn’t start to describe what exactly their relationship was.

“Sorry for bringing her into the house without permission…”

“Boy, I’m not here to reprimand you.”

“…We are…friends…it just so happened that the situation aligned, so we ended up living together.”

Hearing his answer, Deneb seemed to be contemplating for a brief moment.

“Can I take it as you two aren’t officially dating or in a relationship of that sort?”

“Yes.”

He was about to add ‘Not yet…’ but he ultimately decided not to.

Deneb wore a more troubled expression than before.

In fact, she had always been troubled by this situation.

Though she had never experienced a deep relationship with a man, she had lived long enough to understand the complexities of such connections.

As she pondered over the scene where the twins had come face to face with Siwoo, she actually had sensed something.

It was clear as day that they had feelings for Siwoo, she didn’t even need to investigate further.

In her opinion, he was a good man who could be a suitable partner for either of them in the future.

Moreover, now that he also had a spirit body, there was no need to worry about his lifespan.

But, because of their lack of trust in him, and their rash actions…

They ended up ‘kicking him out’, ‘robbing the twins’ chance to have a good relationship with him’. And thanks to that, there was a huge possibility that the opportunity went to another witch.

Deneb felt both guilty to Siwoo for what her family had done and felt bad for the twins for things to turn out this way.

Obviously she had no intention to allow the twins to be in a relationship that would endanger their future as witches

That would be akin to leaving them to play with a live grenade.

However, she did have other plans.

Like, she could always arrange situations where they could spend quality time with him, leaving a lasting impression on him.

With wonderful memories of each other, even if they were to be separated for a while, Siwoo would still be able to remember the twins.

“Since I’m quite busy, I won’t be able to stay by their side for long. Please take care of them for me, Siwoo.”

“Sorry?”

“Besides, it’s been a while since you’ve met each other, no? It’d be awkward if I got in your way.”

“No…I’m sure they wouldn’t mind even if you were there, Countess Deneb…”

Deneb was pleased with his response.

If he had ulterior motives, he wouldn’t refuse an opportunity to be alone with the twins.

She admitted that she had misjudged him due to shock the first time she heard that Odile was having a boyfriend.

‘There’s no way someone who had risked his life twice for them would recklessly reach out to them and ruin their bowl.’

“I’ve sent gifts to the twins, so make sure that they put those gifts to good use. I’ll be staying at a nearby hotel so call me if you need me. Oh, also, can you tell them that I have to leave early because of an urgent business?”

“I understand.”

After she handed him her business card, she made her way down the stairs, leaving him standing there, bewildered.