Chapter 42
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 42
Chapter Title: 10. The Reason for Being Late
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Team Leader was gone without a trace after saying that.
Of course, she must have used teleportation.
I dried my still-damp hair and stared for a moment at the spot where she had stood.
The presence I'd felt right beside me until just moments ago had vanished in an instant, creating a profound sense of dissonance.
"Anyway, the first experience wish list..."
It would be great if all the apprentice witches I'd be assigned in the future were this straightforward and easy.
After roughly drying off, I slipped into comfortable clothes and checked my smartphone.
But there was still no email from Team Leader.
I recalled her saying she'd send it later.
It seemed to be taking longer than expected.
Maybe she was hesitating over whether to really hit 'send'...
I plugged the charger into the bottom of my smartphone and flopped onto the bed.
"Hoo..."
So, why on earth had Erzel gone out of her way to interfere midway?
I pondered it to myself before asking her directly someday.
If Erzel were some old-fashioned Christian witch obsessed with premarital chastity, I'd understand completely, but unfortunately, I had a rough idea of her sex life.
She didn't block men from coming to her. If a guy tried to run, and he suited her tastes, she'd pursue him a few more times.
She was the type who'd even personally check Neria's hymen and push me to sleep with Team Leader.
Yet now she was meddling like, "Hold on, are you two actually going to have sex?"
It just didn't make any sense.
"Tricky."
Unfortunately, even lying in bed and thinking calmly yielded no clear reason.
Q. Isn't it because Neria's semen supply would decrease?
A. It wouldn't drop that much, and eventually, if I take on other apprentice witches, the amount would naturally decrease anyway. Besides, right now, I'm just lounging at home playing games, aren't I?
Q. She approached him multiple times but got politely rejected, so maybe she didn't like seeing her friend Team Leader seemingly about to succeed easily?
A. Pfft. Would the great Water Witch Erzel stoop to such pettiness?
Q. Maybe Erzel wanted to see Team Leader Eve's reaction the moment her virginity was about to be taken, when a 'sex ban' hits?
A. Oh, that one's plausible...
In summary, that was about it.
If I had to pick the most likely, it was number three—wanting to watch Team Leader Eve swallow her frustration and suffer inwardly—but even that felt like a stretch.
Erzel wasn't a spying witch; she was the Water Witch.
Though, like in some fairy tale, she might have basic mirror magic with an incantation like "mirror, mirror..." Still, speculating like this could go on forever.
The only sure way was to bow my head and ask her directly next time we met.
"Ugh, sleepy..."
With that, I scrunched my tired body under the covers.
Maybe because bedtime is infamous for stray thoughts, a rather idiotic idea floated up like mist, even to my own eyes.
"......"
The Witch of Space.
With Team Leader's unique ability...
Even if Erzel pried open Team Leader Eve's pussy herself, she wouldn't know.
"...Hmm."
Couldn't she make a wireless onahole too?
Of course, this brilliant idea stayed just that—an idea.
If I were the team leader and Eve were the subordinate, maybe—but even then, it would be wrong—but as the underling, suggesting something so ridiculous to my superior felt outright improper.
Suddenly blurting out, "With your magic, Team Leader, couldn't you make a wireless onahole?"
Setting aside my prediction that she'd hesitantly nod, let's table this for now.
'Ah, she finally sent it.'
On the subway, quieter than most people's commutes.
With my 9-to-6 life giving me an extra hour of leisure, I stood in the corner and checked my email.
And there it was.
All sorts of erotic stories perfectly tailored to her tastes—they were there.
However, they weren't exactly as I'd seen before. Probably for camouflage, the folders and files with random numbers were now properly labeled.
Folder name: 'Nam Dowon Civil Servant'
The file titles inside... well.
They were so explicit that even I, thinking of the old experimental code-like names, glanced nervously around.
"......"
Fortunately, no one was beside me, but I flinched when my eyes met those of an elderly man sitting in front.
Unlike everyone else glued to their smartphones with earbuds in, he seemed to have boarded just to people-watch.
In the end, I looked away first.
'There's quite a lot, more than I thought.'
My first—no, second—impression of the erotic stories folder was how substantial the quantity was.
Last time, I thought there were about ten, but now there were exactly thirteen.
They varied in length by file size—some short, some long—but the sheer number was impressive.
And the titles felt freshly renamed to match their contents perfectly.
That must be why it took so long to send the email.
With that simple deduction, I scanned the file list.
What I learned was...
'She really loves roleplay scenarios.'
Maybe because they were all novels, but each had incredibly detailed situations.
It made wicked thoughts flit through my mind, like wondering if she'd eagerly do cosplay sex too.
I felt deeply sorry for instantly imagining something like "Unlike Her Youthful Looks, the Team Leader's 120% Shame in Age-Inappropriate Cosplay Sex".
I'll ask her someday when we're closer.
"Young man."
It was then.
The elderly man whose eyes I'd met earlier while glancing around.
He'd been sitting in the priority seat, quietly observing me, but suddenly stood and spoke.
His cane, which he poked the ground with using his right hand, looked well-worn, suggesting leg issues.
At first, I thought he was addressing someone else, but as he approached me despite the rocking subway, it was clear he wanted to talk to me.
At this distance, he could've just stayed seated.
He must have been frustrated that I didn't catch on right away.
Seems like a bit of a hasty personality.
"You, young man."
"Ah, yes. Sir. Do you need something from me...?"
"Mind helping me with directions?"
With that, he pointed his cane at the station guide above the subway door, listing names densely.
He gripped the handrail with one hand, looking precarious, but I didn't intervene.
"To get to the art museum, they said Yongsan... get off at the next station. Right?"
"Well, I'm not into art museums, so..."
"Even if you pass by, you don't know at all? Geez?"
"Sorry. I take the subway around here, but..."
"Tch..."
I'd only just learned there was an art museum nearby.
But apparently dissatisfied with my answer, he clicked his tongue and looked up at me.
A few seconds later, as the door-opening announcement began...
For some reason, he nodded a few times and started pushing my back.
"Get off first."
"Pardon?"
"I said get off. Too chatty."
"W-Wait... what is this..."
This doesn't make any sense.
Despite my protests, he shoved me out of the subway with surprising force.
How does an old man with a cane have such strength? It was baffling.
It was a power that crushed any will to resist, like being pushed by a massive boulder.
And another odd thing: despite the commotion, no one around us paid us any attention.
Not even a glance as I got off; they were all just fiddling with their phones.
They could've at least filmed it, but with nothing like that, a slightly eerie thought crept in.
"Head to the men's restroom first."
"......"
I had no choice but to go.
With a high chance she was a 'witch' holding me at gunpoint metaphorically.
For now, I'd follow her lead.
Sadly, passersby showed zero interest in us.
It felt like my surroundings were cut off from the world.
And as a result, I was dragged all the way to the men's restroom, where I met a new witch.
"You're the one, right? The kid Erzel said tripled her mana."
Calling Erzel so casually meant same generation.
Or even older.
High chance she was a master witch.
Plus, unlike any witches I'd seen before, she wore truly witchy attire.
As I took in the lavender-embroidered robe under her large, curved black pointed hat, she snapped curtly.
"Mind answering quick? If you're not him, I'll have to wipe your memory and stuff you on the next train. I like living efficiently."
"Y-Yes, that's me. Sorry."
"Good, good. So you're the one Eve's rolling around in the Rehabilitation Support Department..."
So you dragged me to the restroom to fuck me right now?
I barely swallowed the words that reached my lips.
She stepped closer, gazing up at me appraisingly from below.
...And a witch's appearance was,
consistently,
dangerously beautiful.
"This level...? Hmm, maybe not... Handsome guys like him are rare, but not nonexistent... Still, worth a try..."
"......"
She even knew Eve's name, so they must be acquaintances.
Or maybe the witch community was so small everyone knew everyone.
As I crammed in the info, she extended her hand to me.
She'd just been judging my looks—what now?
"Judging's not my call anyway. Lend me your phone?"
"...Here. Unlocked it."
"Got it. I'll add my number. One sec..."
I couldn't see clearly since she held it upside down, but she saved it as 'Kiha Sed'.
Name? Surname?
Either way, I had info to ask other witches about.
Then she called her own smartphone from her robe pocket to save my number.
At this point, she didn't seem like a dangerous witch...
Having gotten what she wanted, she hummed cheerfully, so I cautiously asked.
"Um, what do you plan to use my number for...?"
"Oh, that. Eve keeps saying follow the order, bumping our girl back."
"I see..."
"Plus, your job's risky now, you're too busy for consultations—nearly a year of discrimination. Got fed up, so I came myself."
"......"
"Erzel was raving about her current charge being a jackpot too."
Honestly, maybe Eve feels less close to this witch than to Erzel.
No need to point out that painful truth, so I kept quiet about what I knew.
What bugged me now was that "risky job" comment.
One thing immediately came to mind, making me swallow hard involuntarily.
"...B-Busy is true. I was heading to an apprentice witch's place right now, actually."
"I know. Busy fucking Erzel's girl."
"Yes..."
"So, could you check out our girl next? Keep it secret from Eve."
"Uhmm..."
Just provide semen and she'll handle the rest—that apprentice witch introduced before Neria.
...That one from before must be her apprentice.
As I tensed, the pointed-hat witch before me smiled faintly and continued.
"My disciple says she'd rather be an idol than keep studying magic to make a living."
"......Ah."
"I'll ask properly later, so remember?"
With that, she vanished meticulously from her toes up.
"......"
A smartphone now with the phone number named 'Kiha Sed'.
And leaving me with a 20-minute delay.