Chapter 190
Chapter 190
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Translator: Ebonarch
Chapter: 190
Chapter Title: Twin Rush (4)
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Normally, Siwoo had two ways to tell the twins apart.
Eye contact and speech patterns.
If he really wanted to get picky, the feel when he stuck it in their back doors... but that wasn't something he could use in everyday life, so he'd set it aside for now.
Odile's gaze was always brimming with fierce determination.
The courage and pride born from that strong will never faltered, no matter the situation, and even in daily life, you could see her resolute proactivity shining through.
In contrast, Odette was the picture of a delicately raised young lady—introverted and passive.
You might think, "What kind of fortune-teller judges people by their eyes?" But once you saw it, the difference was clear as day.
But honestly, he didn't even need to look that closely.
Both twins called him "Assistant," but Odile followed it with casual speech, while Odette mixed in polite honorifics.
In other words, even Siwoo—who could easily distinguish them under normal circumstances—would struggle immensely in a dim room where their eyes were hard to make out, especially if Odette was dead-set on imitating Odile.
That was why it had taken him so long to realize the one he'd thought was Odile was actually Odette.
"You always leave me out... That's so mean, completely..."
Odette started pouring out her grievances, her voice trembling as if she were on the verge of tears.
"I couldn't even spend the last day with you... You only played with Sis every day..."
"At that time, Lady Odette was asleep..."
"You could've woken me up and taken me along! I wanted to go on night walks with you too... I wanted to swim in the fountain and tour the windmills together..."
Oh dear.
Siwoo sighed inwardly.
The truth was, on that final night in Gehenna with the twins, Siwoo—still reeling from a hangover—had only spent time with Odile after waking up.
And the moment they got back, he'd been hit with a restraining order from Count Gemernai, so Odette had been harboring that resentment all along.
"You say I'm cute too, so why do you only like Sis? You say I'm good too, so why do you only play with her alone?"
"Lady Odette... there were circumstances."
Siwoo patted her shoulder, trying to offer some consolation that wasn't quite consolation.
But it seemed that level of comfort wasn't enough to make up for all the hurt she'd bottled up.
"Liar! You're totally mean. You only did it from behind with Sis first, and you only played alone with her... You're so mean!"
"Ah..."
"Sis teases me about it every day... It's not like I just blindly follow her. If it weren't for you, I never would've done it with anyone else!"
"Lady Odette, please calm down first..."
"You always tell me to calm down. Did Sis tell me to calm down when she was like this? Unfair, unfair, waaah, so unfair."
Odette pounded on Siwoo's chest to vent her frustration.
Her tiny fists didn't hurt at all.
But he could feel all the pent-up disappointment she'd been carrying.
How left out and lonely must she have felt to come to him imitating her sister like this?
The thought left a bitter taste in his mouth.
"Lady Odette."
"No, I don't wanna hear it. I haven't finished being mad yet!"
Odette plugged her ears and huddled up.
Siwoo realized her emotions weren't the jealous possessiveness of a lover, but more like petulance from "Why won't you play with me more?"
She'd never shown any particular monopoly over him, after all.
"I'm sorry. For not taking better care of you. How about we go on that night walk together now, just the two of us?"
"Really?"
"Yeah. You might be a bit tired tomorrow, but I'll show you around. Nighttime has its own charm."
"Really, really, really?"
Her eyes, which had seemed ready to spill tears like morning glory seeds at the slightest touch moments ago, now widened into perfect circles.
"Yes! Let's go! Right now!"
Odette trembled with joy, practically vibrating with excitement.
She was adorable, and it tugged at his heartstrings.
And since it had been so long, they had plenty to catch up on.
"Alright, then I'll get dressed and ready. I'll find some clothes for you too, Lady Odette."
Heading out without protection carried some risk, so he took extra precautions.
He brought the music box artifact to mask her presence and aura.
Going out in her usual attire would advertise her as a witch, so he dressed her in his oversized hoodie and Sharon's shorts—enough to fool even a bad witch's eyes.
"How do I look? Modern outfit?"
"It suits you well."
Siwoo swallowed a laugh as he looked at Odette, layered in drawers and an inner dress beneath.
The hoodie, with its sleeves rolled up three times, still hung loose on her, and if she wore the hood, it would probably cover her mouth entirely.
Sharon's shorts turned into capri pants on her, so he'd cinched them with a belt.
In short, overfit upon overfit.
The sizing was already beyond fashionable comprehension, but seeing the already cute Odette swallowed up in oversized clothes made her even cuter.
"I'm so excited, Assistant. What do I do? I'm too excited."
Odette bounced in place in front of the elevator, unable to hide her glee.
Siwoo stood beside her, umbrella in hand.
She'd barely stepped out to the entryway, but already she was glancing around, hunting for novelties.
"I've been wondering since we got here—is this a decorative light? It seems to turn on automatically when people approach."
"It's a sensor light. Unlike in Gehenna, we don't use decorative lamps or oil lamps; we use electricity to light bulbs. In the modern world, we use electricity a lot instead of mana for things like this."
"Electricity?"
"Uh... it's complicated. Hard to explain."
Talking about electron flow would lead to explaining electrons, and beyond that, non-expert Siwoo would run out of answers.
"It's okay, Assistant! You don't have to know everything!"
"Thanks for understanding."
Fortunately, with her good mood, that minor mystery wasn't a big deal to her.
Her cheerful reassurance marked the end as the elevator they'd been waiting for arrived and the doors slid open.
Just automatic doors opening, but Odette watched with the fascination of discovering something wondrous.
Then, like Armstrong stepping onto the moon, she boarded the elevator with solemn care.
Her reverence was so profound, Siwoo found himself holding his breath.
"Assistant."
"Yes."
"I just press the button with the '1' on it, right?"
"Yes, that's right."
"I'll do it. Master pressed it when we came up here."
"Sure."
Odette carefully pressed the elevator button.
When the red LED lit up on the square '1' button, she glanced up at Siwoo with eyes screaming, "How'd I do? Good job, right? Praise me!"
"Impressive, Lady Odette!"
"Such excessive praise. Anyone could do it."
Siwoo clapped earnestly, and Odette couldn't hide her rising smile as she feigned modesty.
Her mouth formed a sideways '3' rotated 90 degrees.
But as the elevator began to move, anxiety hit, and she gripped Siwoo's hand tightly.
"M-my body feels like it's floating upward."
"It's fine. Safer than it seems."
"You'll protect me if something happens, right?"
"Of course."
"Are we going down now?"
"Yes."
After a fairly long descent, the elevator reached the first floor, and the doors opened to reveal...
-Rumble!!!
The street, engulfed in storm winds.
'Storm winds' typically meant massive waves whipped up by wind on water, but here it was a perfect metaphor.
The street was ankle-deep in water, with tiny waves rippling over it.
The news had called it a once-in-ten-years typhoon.
He'd dismissed the weather forecast's usual scaremongering, but now it hit home.
"........."
"Whoa... amazing...! It seems like even more rain than before."
The wind battered so fiercely that water droplets splattered into the lobby.
Siwoo stared blankly at his umbrella, wondering if it would even help, while Odette's eyes sparkled with delight.
Then again, Gehenna's backworld barrier meant dramatic weather like this was rare.
"Um, sorry, Lady Odette—I suggested we go out first..."
"Come on, Assistant!"
Before he could suggest heading back in to think it over, Odette dashed outside.
Her gray hoodie turned black in under three seconds.
"Pfft... heh..."
Far more rain than expected pelted her face, turning it into an impromptu face wash.
Siwoo rushed out with the umbrella, holding it over her.
Just opening it produced a snap, and one rib broke.
Maybe a stroll in this weather was too much.
"What are you doing! You'll catch a cold!"
"I don't get colds! It's so refreshing and cool!"
Winds howling between buildings like wailing ghosts forced them to shout.
Siwoo had meant to drag her back, but her beaming smile sapped his resolve.
If she was enjoying it, was there any need to force her otherwise?
"Lady Odette! I'll guide you then! Let's go!"
"Yes! Assistant, away we go!"
Siwoo and Odette splashed through the alleys.
2.
"Haa... haa... This is so thrilling! So exciting!"
After dashing through alleys together for a while, splashing more than puddles, they ducked into a commercial building.
The sky poured like a hole had opened in it, reminiscent of a tropical downpour.
Even deep inside, the scent of rain wafted strongly.
In the thick haze where front and sides blurred, they'd run blindly into what turned out to be the station building of Sinchon Train Station.
A commercial spot under lien.
Incidentally, the umbrella had been wrecked by the gale and tossed in a trash can, so they sought shelter drenched to the bone.
Stepping into the indoor space shielded from rain and wind drew a natural sigh of relief.
Outside, every breath filled nose and mouth with water.
His spiritual body wouldn't tire physically, but mentally drained Siwoo contrasted with Odette, whose tension soared like a watered seedling.
"It feels like getting pelted by raindrops! Master would never let me do this!"
Odette's fresh, vibrant voice echoed through the shuttered interior.
"Shh, Lady Odette—you can lower your voice now."
"Ah, right, Assistant. Shh. The echoes make it feel just like a ballroom."
Odette curtsied slightly, like a noble lady accepting a waltz invitation.
She'd always seemed more reserved.
This midnight escapade must have invigorated her.
The wet fabric weighing her down, she flung off the hoodie hood.
Her hair, soaked and clinging inside, made her already small head look fist-sized.
Her mythical fairy-like violet eyes gleamed with excitement and thrill.
"Does that ease the hurt feelings now?"
"Yes! An experience I'll never have again in my life! Everything's so novel—the traffic lights, buildings, shops, cars. Even this building!"
"Glad you had fun. Time to head back soon. Catch our breath a bit first."
Siwoo bowed his head, wringing out his hair.
Droplets pattered down.
Seeing it, Odette mimicked him, twisting her hair like a towel and pleading.
"Can't we explore just a little more? This place is so fascinating..."
Odette pouted sadly.
Truthfully, it was already too late.
"Please, Assistant. I don't wanna go back yet... it'll be such a shame."
Outdoors felt risky, but inside a building? Manageable.
Thinking that, Siwoo nodded readily.
"Sure, okay."
"Yay!"
Having won him over, Odette hopped excitedly toward the stopped escalator.
"Lady Odette! You'll trip!"
"I'm fine! Hurry and follow!"
Seeing her more lively than ever, Siwoo couldn't bring himself to stop her.
He followed Odette without protest.