Chapter 16
Chapter 16
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Ebonarch
Chapter: 16
Chapter Title: Border Town
-----------------------------------------------------------------
1.
The moment he woke up, he did some light stretching.
With such an uncomfortable bed, if he didn't properly loosen up right away, he'd be in agony all day.
Siwoo took his time, spending about fifteen minutes working out the kinks.
It was nice to sleep in for once thanks to Amelia's summons, but going shopping alone with that finicky woman was honestly nerve-wracking.
"Oh, right."
As he stretched his back, Siwoo belatedly realized something.
He'd completely forgotten because Amelia's attitude yesterday had been so suspiciously meaningful.
"I've got to head to Tarot Town today."
He'd made plans with Amelia the day before.
So he hadn't given Odile and Odette any heads-up.
The twins would sneak into the Tarot Town mansion as usual and wait for Siwoo, who wouldn't show.
"This is bad..."
Standing them up when they were so excitedly looking forward to it would make things incredibly awkward afterward.
But he couldn't exactly ask Amelia for permission to make a detour to Tarot Town either.
"Well, if I explain it properly, they'll understand."
That was all he could hope for.
The silver lining was that he'd grown pretty close to Odile over the past few days.
Unlike Odette, who acted friendly but kept a subtle distance, Odile treated Siwoo like a real person.
Whether that stemmed from mere curiosity or respect for a human who'd achieved some magical proficiency, no one knew.
Even her empty threats had become much rarer lately.
Siwoo threw on his clothes and stepped out of the stables.
2.
To explain 'Border Town,' a bit more about the witches' city of Gehenna was needed.
As science advanced over time, the witches' hiding spots grew ever narrower.
Science pushes out the mystical as it progresses, or so they say.
In the past, witches had blended into society as prophets, fortune-tellers, wizards, priests, shamans, alchemists, apothecaries, and more.
But they felt their foothold shrinking.
Starting around the 14th century, when persecution of the mystical truly began, great archwitches with powerful magic set about building a city for their kind.
In remote wilderness untouched by human feet.
They gathered forgotten ancient ruins like scraps of cloth and wove massive barriers around them.
This birthed the 'Backworld' of Gehenna—a space that clearly exists in this world yet doesn't, observable yet unobservable.
"You're not late this time."
At the ornate fountain.
Amelia stood like a magazine model beside the sparkling spray of water droplets.
A unique perfume scent he'd never smelled before tickled his nose.
Even with the fragrance wafting so strongly, it suited her perfectly without being overpowering.
Amelia, dressed like a fantasy-era princess.
She looked beautiful in any outfit, but today she was especially glamorous.
Her dress was adorned with jewels that were clearly no mere rhinestones.
She could head straight to a ballroom and dance without a single flaw.
Siwoo swallowed the urge to ask if she really needed to dress up that much just to go to Border Town.
Instead, he offered a light compliment.
"You look especially noble today."
"Do I?"
Taksho had once said there was no woman who disliked being called pretty.
Siwoo awkwardly broached the praise.
For some reason, Amelia just glanced at him without retorting.
Normally, she'd have shot back with something like, 'Do I only become noble if you acknowledge it?'
"Yes, especially without that stuffy robe of yours."
He said it with the brightest smile he could muster, wondering how it would land.
Contrary to expectations, Amelia's brow furrowed slightly.
According to Siwoo's mental scout, that was the face she made when feeling 75% displeased.
Hitting 75% displeasure in one go.
A new record.
"Sorry. It's just that your master's relic looks so constricting."
Oh, right, damn it.
Distracted by the compliment, he'd overlooked something he knew full well.
Before the flustered Siwoo could stammer an excuse, Amelia cut in.
"Whatever. I didn't dress up to impress the Caretaker anyway. Absolutely not."
She turned away as if he wasn't worth another word and headed toward the western classroom building.
Her neatly braided golden hair swayed side to side like a ponytail.
Some actions just didn't suit certain people, after all.
Siwoo silently berated his blunder and followed behind Amelia.
Gehenna was quite vast, built up over time by steadily annexing land since its creation.
He didn't know the exact size, but it was said to be about the area of Jeju Island.
From the academy at Gehenna's heart to Border Town at its edge would take a full day by carriage.
To avoid such hassles, witches had installed portals crisscrossing Gehenna.
Magical devices based on the 'gates' in Border Town.
"Hello, Associate Professor Amelia."
"Round-trip tickets to Border Town, two please."
The bespectacled receptionist stood and bowed politely.
A young witch handling both research and portal reception duties.
To witches, 'young' meant recently imprinted with a stigma and newly awakened as one.
Hence her deferential attitude, like a commoner before royalty.
After the greeting, the receptionist eyed Siwoo curiously.
"Going together?"
"Yes."
It was unusual, to be sure.
Rarely did witches from upper towns personally visit Border Town.
Usually, Siwoo handled the trips alone, paying his own fare.
But today, Amelia—who normally holed up in the research wing—was tagging along.
"Any issue?"
"N-No...! Fare is two pounds per person."
Classic Amelia.
Just a slightly sharp tone was enough to silence another witch.
Amelia extended her hand, placing four jingling gold coins into the receptionist's palm.
"Take the fourth staircase down."
Without looking back, Amelia strode off; Siwoo bowed politely and followed her down.
The portal had a fascinating structure.
The stone stairs resembled a path to a wine cellar, descending underground, with water sloshing about halfway down.
Not ordinary water, but mana essence diluted to transparency, glowing faintly like it hosted luminescent plankton.
You could breathe in it without issue, and it didn't soak your clothes—a wondrous liquid.
Siwoo slowly descended, watching Amelia's figure submerged up to her head.
The V-shaped stairs went down, then almost immediately up, connecting to Border Town via portal.
With a dizzying vertigo, Siwoo stepped into Border Town.
3.
Amelia gazed pityingly at Siwoo as he dry-heaved from portal sickness.
Having ridden it only three times, he still couldn't adapt to the sensation.
"Caretaker, just puke and get it over with."
"N-No... I'm fine now."
Amelia flicked off a droplet of mana essence rolling down her clothes and climbed the remaining stairs.
Compared to the academy's somewhat presentable platform, Border Town's was downright shabby.
"Whoa..."
Emerging from the half-ruined, temple-like platform, Siwoo couldn't hold back his awe.
Border Town nestled in a harbor-facing canyon carved into terraced cliffs.
Moss-covered walls formed massive layers providing living space for residents.
Smog and sea fog shrouded the air, blocking sunlight, leaving the town in perpetual overcast or drizzle.
The rain gear Siwoo hated so much was essential here.
From the portal's high perch—the town's highest point—Siwoo overlooked it all.
The cliffs embracing the harbor in a horseshoe shape, buildings perched atop them, and the people scurrying about were spectacular, but what truly overwhelmed him was the massive circle two kilometers in diameter floating over the sea.
Otherwise known as the 'Gate.'
Inside, smugglers' ships of all sizes ferried goods.
Some carried items airlifted from the modern world; others, slaves like Siwoo.
Still more bore foodstuffs for town citizens, since Gehenna couldn't be fully self-sufficient.
Yes.
The meaning of Border—'boundary'—Town.
It linked the backworld of Gehenna to the modern era.
"By the way, Associate Professor, what are we buying today?"
Siwoo asked, watching ant-like figures bustle in the distant harbor.
"Cigarettes and perfume."
Nothing special.
Siwoo could have handled that alone easily.
This wasn't really a date pretext, was it?
"We need to head to the Blue Snake Contact Point. Follow me."
"Got it."
As Amelia started walking, Siwoo held his large umbrella over her.
Not some cozy couple sharing shelter, of course.
He took all the rain himself, holding it solely for her.
"Come to think of it, Associate Professor."
She didn't need to wind down the cliff paths.
She could leap down with magic and land smack in the harbor.
Or use flight magic.
"If you go ahead, I'll jump down and catch up soon."
Truth be told, he wanted to shake off this intimidating girl for even a moment.
It wasn't a tough request, but Amelia looked blankly puzzled for a second.
Worried he'd slipped up again, he quickly added,
"Wouldn't want your lovely new dress getting soaked."
"........."
Yet Amelia just wore that ambiguous expression, saying nothing.
Over five years of being tossed around by her, this was a first.
As cold sweat trickled down his back, Amelia let out a light sigh.
"Haa..."
"Sorry."
Whatever it was.
He apologized first.
"Stop backtalking. It's annoying."
"Yes, ma'am."
Siwoo clamped his mouth shut and trailed her, umbrella steady overhead.
The heights were nearly deserted, but midway down the terraces, people appeared.
Rough-looking musclemen draped in burlap instead of raincoats.
A gaunt youth who could pass for a pirate if handed an AK-47.
A sinister old woman lurking about.
Living without sunlight made everyone look gloomy and shady.
Strolling through dystopian-fantasy-perfect Border Town as a slave was honestly scary.
Siwoo always hurried through errands alone, no sightseeing.
But now, he had no worries.
With Associate Professor Amelia Merrygold passing like a lantern, all heads bowed and eyes averted—no better bodyguard existed.
"Caretaker."
Siwoo turned at her chilly voice and panicked.
Distracted by the sights, water droplets from the umbrella tip had been dripping onto Amelia's head.
Bracing for whatever rebuke came,
"Hold the umbrella straight."
Luckily, today's Amelia was oddly lenient.
She evaporated the moisture with magic and let it slide without complaint.