Chapter 135
Chapter 135
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Ebonarch
Chapter: 135
Chapter Title: Wrapping Things Up (5)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Time flew by in the blink of an eye.
Siwoo quietly finished his preparations to leave Gehenna.
In truth, there wasn't much for him to do.
No luggage to pack, and the only person worth saying goodbye to was Takasho...
Amelia went without saying, and whether Count Gemernai was keeping a tight leash on the twins or not, neither Odile nor Odette so much as showed their faces.
"Odette must be pretty bummed out."
At least Odile had that nice memory of their night stroll, but Odette's timing never lined up, so they hadn't even exchanged greetings.
He'd come to see her as a friendly acquaintance, so it was only natural to feel a twinge of regret.
He hoped this wouldn't spark a fight between her and Odile.
It worried him a little.
Anyway, with things as they were, his days lacked any real variety.
He'd drink alone at best, then saunter over to the academy once Takasho's workday wrapped up for a chat.
Days filled with pit stops at Tarot Town for beer and whatever snacks caught his eye.
For Siwoo, now bearing the stigma and transformed into a spirit body, food and sleep were mere afterthoughts. Yet old habits from his living days persisted—he made sure to eat three square meals and hit the sack on schedule.
But maybe it was because he'd spent every waking hour drunk?
Every moment felt like it was unfolding in a hazy dream.
His long-awaited return to the mortal world was right around the corner, yet he felt utterly indifferent.
No excitement. No anticipation. Just a numb sense of reality, as if it had gone offline.
"Two days left."
While he let time slip away in a daze, the date Count Gemernai had promised to return was now just two days off.
He trudged back from the market in Tarot Town, a ham tied to a leash dangling from one hand.
"...Excuse me?"
At first, the voice was so soft and timid he wasn't sure it was meant for him.
Siwoo kept walking until a poke at his back made him turn around.
There stood a woman he'd never seen before.
Hair tied up in a casual bun, a comfortable dress with a brown cardigan draped over it.
Ample breasts, wide hips built for childbearing, gentle eyes, and large, captivating pupils.
No denying it—she was stunning.
"Were you calling me?"
Siwoo pointed at himself with a puzzled look.
The woman stared at his face for a long moment before breaking into a delighted smile.
"Shin Siwoo... right? Have you fully recovered?"
"Ah."
Come to think of it, there had been a witch who'd treated his body when it was little more than a wreck.
Takasho had mentioned she was probably Korean.
This woman approaching him on the street had porcelain-pale skin, but her features screamed East Asian.
Which meant...
"Are you Witch Smirna, by any chance?"
"Yes! Yes, that's me."
"Nice to meet you. I've heard so much about you. They say you went through a lot because of me—thank you."
"Oh, no! It wasn't a hardship... As a doctor, I couldn't even fulfill my duty properly..."
"No, that's not true."
All Smirna had been able to do was stabilize Siwoo when he was barely more than a half-corpse, turning him into a mindless magical automaton.
After that, he'd blocked all further healing attempts, leaving her helpless.
Still, seeing her former patient up and about, healthy as could be, stirred fresh emotions in her.
"........."
"........."
For Yebin, he'd been more than just a patient—she'd watched over him nearly 100 days straight, her first real case and her first... intimate experience. But Siwoo had no recollection of any of it.
He only knew she'd fought to save his life. To him, she was little more than a stranger.
This awkward emotional gap hung between them, summoning silence.
"Um... since this must be fate, why don't you come over to my place for some tea?"
"Ah... sure, why not?"
In the end, Yebin broke the ice.
Siwoo couldn't exactly turn down the woman who'd toiled day and night to heal him, so despite the awkwardness, he accepted.
"Then, this way..."
"Ah, okay."
With suffocating awkwardness trailing them, the two headed toward Tarot Town's central square.
2.
As payment for healing Siwoo—imperfect as it was—Yebin Smirna had been granted citizenship in Gehenna.
Count Gemernai had gone further, arranging a residence wherever she pleased. She'd chosen Tarot Town, the most populous spot in Gehenna.
After failing to fully heal Siwoo and confronting her own limits, Yebin threw herself into magical research while opening a free clinic to aid the locals with her talents.
The place she'd brought Siwoo to was a two-story stone building.
The first floor served as her clinic; the second was her home.
"It's a bit messy, huh?"
She shut the door behind them and tidied up with an embarrassed smile.
It was obvious what the space was for.
The sharp tang of alcohol disinfectant mingled with faint scents of various medicines.
"So, you're running a clinic?"
"Yeah. Gehenna's medical infrastructure is pretty lacking. I know my abilities are limited, but I wanted to help however I could..."
As she spoke, Yebin felt like she was bragging and flushed, quickly changing the subject.
"I'll, uh, get the tea ready right away. Just wait there a sec."
Yebin vanished into another room.
Siwoo sank into fresh reflection.
A witch opening a clinic to help others... It clashed sharply with the image of witches he'd built up—ones who wielded their powers purely for themselves.
Yebin returned with tea steeped in simple, unflashy cups, accompanied by modest fruit.
"Truth is, I've been wanting to chat with you. But you probably know—I'm Yebin Smirna."
"Yebin? Wait..."
"Yeah, we're from the same neck of the woods."
That explained the oddly familiar vibe.
"Shin Siwoo. I'd been curious to meet someone like you—turns out you're doing some really great stuff."
"Aw, it's nothing like that."
Yebin bashfully stroked her hair over and over.
Having only seen witches use their gifts selfishly, her selfless aid left a strong positive mark.
"You're pretty impressive yourself. Standing up to the authorities to save an apprentice witch? Takes real guts."
"Nah, no big deal."
Now it was Siwoo's turn to feel sheepish.
If it'd been someone else's story, he'd think, Damn, that's badass. But as the guy who'd done it, even reflecting now, it just felt like the obvious choice.
"What'd you do back in the outside world?"
Once the mutual flattery wrapped up, Yebin's question kicked off proper conversation.
Maybe it was the inkfish-like stupor of his recent days.
Or maybe this witch just had that calming aura.
Either way, Siwoo found the long-overdue chat downright enjoyable.
Plus, both being Korean expats who'd missed home but couldn't return made things click even more.
Conversation thrives on shared ground, after all.
"Ah, man, I miss chimaek so bad... Chicken as a midnight snack during all-nighters was the best."
"Same here—that's half the reason I'm heading back. But now that you've got citizenship, can't you go out whenever?"
"Sure, but my combat skills are zilch compared to my rank. I'm paranoid about getting dragged into something outside... Plus, the clinic's still finding its feet, so I need to stick around."
Trivial chit-chat like that.
"You remember those stickers they sold at the corner stationery shop?"
"Oh, the little round paper ones with characters on top?"
"Yes! Exactly. And water rockets on Science Day?"
"Whoa, I never got one to work. They'd always bust right after I made 'em."
Even nostalgia for those innocent stationery-store days.
Lost in ticklish old memories and homesickness, two or three hours slipped by before they knew it.
It was the kind of fun, soul-unblocking talk he'd desperately needed—a true healing session.
The sun dipping low made it all the more regrettable.
Yebin felt it too; catching Siwoo glance at the clock, she looked reluctant.
Her situation wasn't much different from his.
Forced to leave Korea, unable to return for ages.
They'd bonded over that subtle shared vibe.
"I've kept you way too long. It was a great talk."
"Yeah, felt like a demo run back home in Korea. Really enjoyed it."
Watching Siwoo's happy grin, Yebin smiled back and leaned forward to clear the table.
Even as a guest, sitting idle felt wrong, so Siwoo jumped in to help.
"You don't have to."
"Come on, gotta have a conscience. Can't just mooch and bounce."
"Utility room's that way, then."
"I'll handle it."
With their distance suddenly closing, a sweet scent wafted gently from her.
Sweet powder? Or milky...
Not perfume, but it teasingly brushed his nose.
He got hard.
Rock-hard, like he'd chugged some stamina potion.
What the fuck? Sudden much?
Siwoo frantically crossed his legs, pinning down the beast straining against his pants, and forced a smile.
"Ah, it's nothing. Where should I put this?"
Siwoo's pants were comfy slack-likes.
And the angle was all wrong.
Not tucked upward properly, blood-rushed erection now pitched a perfect tent, hoisting the fabric skyward.
The second he left the table, Yebin would see everything.
Couldn't exactly send her instead after volunteering.
Sure, erections were natural, physiological even without a thought. But why risk weird suspicions?
As he brainstormed, salvation appeared.
He scooped up the napkin from under the table too.
"Might as well tidy the napkins while I'm at it."
"That'd be great. You know, I noticed during our chat—you're super meticulous, huh?"
"Yeah, kinda."
Yebin didn't sense anything off, so all he had to do was drop the napkin over his crotch on the way out.
Without a hint of suspicion, he brushed past her toward the utility room with the dishes.
"...Hoo."
Yebin glanced at the empty kitchen and let out a held breath.
It had to be, right?
Probably.
Truth was, when she'd spotted Siwoo by chance, she'd hesitated to approach.
For one, even if it was for treatment, the fact that she'd had sex with him without permission nagged at her—super embarrassing.
Still, he was her first patient, someone she'd desperately wanted to talk to at least once, so she'd invited him over.
From their careful chat, it seemed he had zero memory of their intimate connection.
So what was that about?
The massive bulge jutting from his pants.
The thing the napkin had covered...
A huge dick. Was he playing dumb while remembering everything?
"Nah."
She didn't peg him as the sleazy type.
Just... memories from her time at Baron Merrygold's estate, treating him.
Straddling his naked body, gasping atop him.
Siwoo gripping her hair, pounding her roughly from behind.
Nights where she'd curled up in bed, squirming uncontrollably.
She'd told herself it was unavoidable for the job, vowed to forget it all.
But now, alone with him fully recovered, her thoughts kept veering lewd.
His smiling face every time he spoke. The way he adjusted his sleeves. His throat bobbing heartily with each sip of tea. And finally, that imposing bulge visible even through his clothes.
Every masculine detail drilled into her, stirring torment.
"Ugh... I'm losing it."
Yebin patted her burning face.
She knew she leaned horny, but never like this with a real guy right there.
And then Siwoo returned.
"Thanks for the great tea. Guess it's time for me to head out."
Yebin's eyes zeroed in on his crotch.
The proud tent between his legs had deflated into a slump.
Meaning it hadn't been her imagination earlier.
What to do?
Just let him go?
As she agonized, her eyes lightning-struck the ham he'd set on the table.
Yebin pointed at it and said,
"Doesn't that look perfect as a drinking snack?"
"Pardon?"