Chapter 245
Chapter 245
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Translator: Ebonarch
Chapter: 245
Chapter Title: Divination (3)
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Fine dust: Excellent.
Ultrafine dust: Excellent.
It was a clear, cloudless moonlit night right in the heart of Seoul—one rarer than wild ginseng.
Siu, who had changed into his swimsuit first, sipped his drink while taking in the dizzyingly plunging neckline below.
The room Kybele Periwinkle had shown him into.
He'd been a bit scared when he saw the swimsuit plopped right there on the bed.
At least she hadn't barged in to help him change or demanded he help her—that was a small mercy amid the misfortune.
Was she ruthlessly meticulous? Or the type to bulldoze straight through according to plan?
Looking back, it felt like he'd been collared and dragged along.
If he didn't stay sharp, he'd end up plucked clean like a well-prepped fish, he thought involuntarily, and the alcohol just wasn't hitting.
"Did I keep you waiting too long?"
The large glass door slid open smoothly, and Kybele Periwinkle stepped in.
Siu's eyes went wide.
A white monokini where the side fabric connected top and bottom into one... It was one, sure, but incredibly daring.
The top barely covered half his chest—if her body shifted even a little, her areolas would peek out. The bottom had such scant fabric that if she hadn't groomed her bikini line, her pubic hair would show.
Her toned navel, fully exposed, gleamed with a sparkling belly piercing.
Even with the dramatically increased skin on display, her confident stride never wavered.
Kybele Periwinkle, flaunting her figure under the urban lighting, evoked the image of a model strutting a runway.
And of course, she put most actual models to shame in coolness.
"Oh, nice body? Been hitting the gym hard?"
Kybele Periwinkle closed the distance casually and pressed right up against him.
Maybe it was her laid-back vibe or just her proportions, but from afar she'd seemed bigger than Siu. Up close, though, she was a full head shorter.
"Not really. Lately I've been trying harder, though."
"You gonna stay all stiff like a tax auditor? I remember you begging me to make tonight fun for you. Loosen up a bit. Come on—one, two, three!"
"........."
"Can't do it? You've had plenty to drink."
Some way to dodge death or whatever...
If he could just figure that out, he'd bolt right now. But hyping up the mood? That was asking too much.
Especially with the cushioned mat underfoot like she was making it that much easier.
Kybele Periwinkle let out a deflated chuckle and headed toward the pool first.
Her tone carried a subtle reprimand.
"Should I slip you some weed?"
"S-Sorry. I'm just not that bubbly by nature."
"You gonna stand there like a statue? Trying to be a lighthouse?"
"I'll get in too."
Siu followed Kybele Periwinkle into the waist-deep pool with a splash.
He'd worried it might be chilly with the night dew settling in, but...
His concern was unfounded—the water was warm.
No way they'd piped in hot spring water to central Seoul, he thought, only for the extravagance of wasting hot water like this to flash through his mind. But he kept his mouth shut.
Then again, they were burning hundreds on a single drink—hot water bills were pocket change.
And so the two slipped into the water together.
Kybele Periwinkle snapped her fingers, and gentle music fitting a romance movie began to play.
"Nice atmosphere, right?"
"Seems as good as the view inside. Thanks for showing me around such a great spot."
"First time I've come in here myself. Not bad."
"Yeah, agreed."
A very brief exchange, followed by awkward silence.
So... what were you supposed to do in a pool like this?
He really had no clue.
No swim cap or goggles, so it wasn't like they were doing 50-meter freestyle.
As he stood there awkwardly in an awkward pose, Kybele Periwinkle's voice rang out.
Might've been his imagination, but it felt rough, like sandpaper.
"That's it?"
"Huh?"
"Nothing else to say? Really?"
"What would I even have to say... Pfft!"
Suddenly, Kybele Periwinkle scooped up pool water and splashed it right in Siu's face.
"You're really no fun."
Her voice had turned icy, piercing his ear like a needle.
Less outright anger, more like subtle mockery and disdain.
"I warm you up with tea~ Feed you fine liquor~ Bring you to a swanky hotel~ Even kiss you~ And we get in the pool together, but you're still meh. Cute face, kinda intriguing, so I figured I'd play around a bit. But you suck at everything."
".....Ugh..."
Her sharp nails poked at Siu's bare chest.
Kybele Periwinkle had flipped suddenly.
Had his lukewarm reaction pushed her patience to the limit?
Maybe the idea she wasn't picky was a misconception.
"Sorry."
He hadn't had to do it lately, but flashing a forced smile and laying it all out in front of someone pissed off was one of Siu's specialties.
Hadn't he endured all sorts of outrages for nearly five years as a slave?
Siu plastered on a cookie-cutter smile and faced Kybele Periwinkle.
Whether her words were empty or not, he wanted confirmation to avoid backlash later—and he was the one at a disadvantage.
"Sorry fixes everything?"
Every syllable of "sorry fixes everything" left another nail mark on his chest.
And yeah, it actually stung pretty good.
"...I'll do better."
"If I'd known you'd be this boring, I should've left you alone. Wonder if it was worth using magic to save you."
"........."
"You don't seem motivated, so let's change the deal. Forget the price for saving your life last time. If you want my help with your divination, make me happy."
"How exactly?"
He'd thought she was at least somewhat decent.
Too careless from the start.
He'd gotten too comfy around witches who were kind and pliant.
Just his luck.
Siu forced an awkward smile outwardly while sighing inwardly.
"One question. You suck at leading conversations or hyping the mood, so I'll just go wild, okay? Higher chance that'll make me happy. Cool with that?"
"Yes, fine."
The pool water, which had felt warm before, now chilled him anew.
Kybele Periwinkle smirked like a poisonous herb as she eyed him up and down.
"You've been with a witch before, right?"
"What do you mean?"
"Don't play dumb. Weren't you shacking up with that Evergreen girl? The glares she shot me from your side back then—like she wanted to devour me."
The sudden prying into his private life nearly made Siu frown before he caught himself.
If she was just messing with him, fine—but dragging Sharon in to mock? He worried if he could keep rolling with it.
"........."
"Was that too tough a question? Need more booze? Or you mad 'cause it sounds like you're cheating?"
Kybele Periwinkle pressed relentlessly, like laying barbed wire.
There was this shitty interview style called stress interviewing—must feel exactly like this.
"How good in bed is she to make you so stiff? Oh! I get it. She prays hard, huh? You're totally whipped."
"Ms. Periwinkle, if there's anything you don't like, tell me. I'll fix it."
Siu bowed his head, polite but firm.
Sure, he lagged behind Kybele Periwinkle in social standing and magic, but it wasn't the yawning gap from his slave days.
He held citizenship in Gehenna as a witch in his own right.
Plus, messing with someone favored by both Duke Tiphereth and Countess Jemernai was dicey—unless you were already a wanted criminal off the rails.
In other words, Siu's line was a very, very, very polite "cut it out."
Whatever attitude she showed, she was still his lifesaver—and he'd promised a favor.
Humiliation or pickiness aside, you could only throw tantrums while alive.
He soothed himself like that, bowing low and humbling himself.
In that moment, one person flashed through his mind.
Weirdly similar situation, leaving a bitter pang in his chest.
Funny to think of her now.
After fleeing with just a note, expecting Amelia to reach out first was probably thief's guilt.
If he visited Gehenna to see the twins, maybe swing by?
She'd thrown every fit imaginable at the end—might've soured her completely. He'd find out if they met.
Not like she'd promised to see him anyway.
Some psychological escape mechanism?
All sorts of thoughts bubbled up.
Anyway, back to the unpleasant reality.
The brief distraction had cooled her flared temper a bit, like letting the fire die down.
"........."
"........."
What gaze was boring into the back of his head?
Siu waited anxiously but silently for Kybele Periwinkle's reaction.
"Heehee... Ahaha!"
Laughter burst out of nowhere.
Kybele Periwinkle patted Siu's shoulder, chuckling, then pulled him upright.
"Why so serious? I was just testing how 'nice' the nice guy really was. Did I hurt your feelings bad?"
Siu eyed her warily—what fresh nonsense was this?
She was like a coin toss.
Flip her anytime, heads meant this, tails that—her behavior was unpredictable.
"I'm asking if you're upset? I won't scold you—be honest."
"Not great."
Siu answered flatly.
She was free-spirited and my-way-or-the-highway, sure—but any notion she wasn't bad had vanished ages ago. Still, he owed her his life.
"Got some pride after all? I nearly got disappointed thinking you were some pathetic guy ruled by his dick under a witch."
But he had to say this.
"I'm fine taking criticism myself, but mentioning Sharon too is hard to hear. Tell me what you want, and I'll do my best."
"Protecting your girl, huh?"
After her baseless, arrogant display, Kybele Periwinkle climbed out of the pool and headed back inside.
'This could end in a scream-filled death 50/50,' 'one slip and I'm done'—he chanted inwardly, clinging to reason.
Was she mad he took her card but never called? Or really just bored with his reactions? Said something dumb?
Pondering endlessly, Siu followed her toward the bedroom.