Chapter 292
Chapter 292
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Ebonarch
Chapter: 292
Chapter Title: Twins and Sharon (5)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
1.
Know yourself and know your enemy, and you will be invincible in a hundred battles.
This famous formula for victory isn't limited to battlefields stained with blood and flesh.
The twins had been drilled by their maids that love battles were equally ruthless arenas, rife with invisible spears and bloodstains of jealousy.
"We'll end today's lesson here."
A grueling schedule squeezed every last drop from them, like pressing oil from withered olives—a murderous routine of classes.
Sharon assigned homework as usual and turned to leave the shivering classroom.
She had grown accustomed to the twins' pressure, so she didn't always flee like this anymore.
But her instincts, sharp as a beast scenting rain, detected the calm before the storm.
That's why she was trying to bolt.
"Evergreen Teacher."
Odet's call grabbed Sharon's nape like a vice.
Sharon recalibrated her trembling gaze and turned around.
"Do you have a question?"
Her voice came out icy and frigid, spiked with frost from excessive tension.
But the twins showed no intimidation and opened their mouths.
"You've had us rushing through classes without a single break so far."
"Right, orientation flew by in a flash, so we haven't even had a proper chat with you, Sharon unnie."
Sharon unnie?
It was a welcome title to her ears.
And at the twins' tone, seeking genuine closeness rather than their usual businesslike talk, Sharon brightened.
The timid Sharon had been under no small stress wondering how on earth she endured five years of these ice-rink lectures.
"R-Really?"
"Yes! We have nothing after this class."
"If it's okay with Sharon unnie, we'd love to treat you to some drinks."
"We've prepared some fine wine!"
Sharon pretended to ponder briefly before nodding.
"Sure. Let me just drop this off, and I'll be right there. Where to?"
"No need to go far."
"It's right out front."
A bit puzzled, Sharon followed their lead and quickly realized.
They truly hadn't gone far.
A carriage parked squarely in front of the classroom had been prepped for their drinking party.
"Come on in."
Sharon initially wondered, 'Drinks inside a carriage?'
But the moment the door opened, her doubts vanished.
The carriage, engraved with a pair of birds on its doors, looked luxurious enough from outside—but the interior surpassed her wildest imaginings.
Space-warping magic on a mobile carriage, not some fixed building.
And to support an interior cramming in a full salon, lightweight spells must be at work too.
It was a showcase of Jemernai engineering prowess.
"Hurry!"
Urged warmly by the twins, Sharon stepped inside.
-Clack!
The door shut.
The twins darted to either side—Odil fetching a wine bottle, Odet simple snacks like cheese and glasses.
In the blink of an eye, a modest drinking setup spread across the central sofa table.
"The Jemernai family is truly impressive."
"Sharon unnie! This is totally off the record, so feel free to relax."
"Yeah, it's just for fun!"
"Really? Alright then."
"Yes!"
Sharon nodded at the twins' approachable demeanor, just like before.
Soon, a light wine-opening ceremony.
Handcrafted by Gehenna artisans—not mass-produced—the quality was exceptional.
No decanting needed to filter sediment; the gem-like wine poured prettily into glasses.
"This is that one. You know, the '72 vintage from Mendel Hills grapes!"
"We saved up our allowance to buy it!"
"Three bottles, even!"
Mendel Hills wine cost as much as a commoner's annual salary.
Allowance money could buy that?
Sharon felt the gap in their wealth anew, from the carriage to this.
Maybe her self-esteem was too low, but these little things nagged at her.
"Cheers!"
"Cheers!"
Still, a rare good time.
Feeling a needless pang of inferiority, Sharon clinked glasses with the twins and downed the wine steadily.
The talk started mostly on studies.
Sharon checked if they'd missed anything; the twins eagerly dove into questions they'd held back.
Yes!
This is what I wanted!
Despite suspicions of rivalry, Sharon disliked bad blood with the twins.
"Um, Sharon unnie."
"Hm? I haven't finished my glass yet."
"Not that. There's something I want to ask."
"Still more questions? Should've asked during class instead of clamming up."
Sharon smiled softly, ready for the cute twins' query.
"What's your relationship with the assistant?"
But Odil's follow-up chilled Sharon's head like ice water.
Conversation isn't just content.
Timing, tone, context—all factor in.
In that light, Odil's question was awkward and burdensome for Sharon.
Unpleasant, too.
Who schemed to split Sharon and Siu?
The twins, even begging their master and offering terms.
And lately, their silent pressures made her watch her step.
So why pretend ignorance on what they knew? No good intent there.
"...What?"
She'd heard clearly, yet snapped coldly.
No denying the hot surge inside.
I thought they called to bond.
To sort things out.
Naive of me.
This wasn't for friendly laughs.
It was interrogation and warning.
Like a drama ex ambushing the hero's almost-girlfriend for drinks.
"Just curious! Last time, you said he was a friend teaching magic and putting you up."
"It's been a bit since then! Still just friends?"
The twins pressed on, feigning obliviousness.
Too much.
Humiliating.
She wanted to storm out.
But she swallowed her anger.
Just endure five years.
In a witch's long life, that's a blink.
"Sigh... That's personal, so I can't share."
Sharon regained reason barely.
"But we're curious..."
"Can't you just tell us?"
Their sulky voices, unsatisfied, felt like taunts to burdened Sharon.
She inhaled deeply to calm down.
Downed her wine like cold water—one shot.
A winemaker would weep.
"Just friends? No."
And in booze-fueled rage...
She spat it out.
"Sex friends."
How's that!
Sharon writhes when stepped on too!
Unable to take the local provocations, she counterattacked.
Twins wanted distance from Siu for their opening.
If external pressure kept things vague, better crush spirits with overwhelming dominance.
As apprentices, they couldn't do sex anyway.
She didn't know for sure; her gut screamed to.
"......"
"......"
Chill.
Daggers to the heart.
The twins synced perfectly—eyes bulging, mouths agape.
Frozen in shock, trembling Odet mumbled through chattering teeth.
"Se... Sex...?"
"Told you. Satisfied?"
Sharon smirked inwardly at their sight.
Actually, some misunderstanding between Sharon and twins.
Twins' subtly hostile attitudes.
Al bireo's insane reward unexplained by 'wanting to give him a good match.'
Sharon assumed Count Al bireo intervened at twins' request.
Teased or pressured on Siu, even she couldn't stay quiet.
Meanwhile, the twins.
Odil and Odet consulted full-time maids as chiefs of staff on this tangled mess.
Solution: 'Clarify their relationship first,' 'No hard evidence yet'—cautious approach.
No need to see heavy homework or tight classes as 'combat intent.'
So today's drinks weren't for fighting.
A step for adjustment and probing.
Sharon subtly checked with homework storms,
They threw a kitty punch to probe back,
Only for a full-power backspin elbow to spin their jaws.
Stunned by the tongue-numbing shock, the twins.
But recovered fast.
No eye contact needed—they realized simultaneously.
Sharon unnie was a definite rival eyeing the assistant!
"Ah, I see..."
Odil steadied her quaking rage-voice, playing cool.
Tension like liquid nitroglycerin trickling.
"Since Sharon unnie was honest... We'll share some info too."
"S-Sis...! That's...!"
Odet, clinging to reason, tried stopping her—too late.
Odil crossed arms, pointing at Sharon's sofa with one hand.
"The assistant took my first right on the sofa you're sitting on... Heh, fond memories now. Very hot ones."
"Wha... What...?"
Odil's counterstrike.
A full-power dropkick rattled Sharon's head.
But she caught the slip.
Apprentices couldn't anyway.
Sex would shatter their vessels.
Realizing, Sharon crossed legs with a victor's smile.
"Oh?"
"You think it's a lie."
"Yeah, you're apprentices... So it's a lie."
"Sis, no! That's not it!"
Fooling around with the assistant was the twins' secret.
A dangerous one even their master didn't know.
Too risky a card for mere ego wins.
Sharon might snitch to the master.
"Urk..."
Odil realized too, biting lip, shoving words back down.
This luxury carriage felt no more spacious.
Like cramming three beasts in a tiny cage.
"Too bad. I wanted to get along with Sharon unnie."
"Pot calling kettle."
Sharon and Odil glared sharply to the end, then grabbed glasses in unison—
Downed them—
Bang! Slammed down.
"I won't yield the assistant!"
"M-Me too!"
Odil declared coldly; Odet chimed in solidarity.
"Me neither! I won't just take it lying down!"
The instant Sharon and the twins' cold war turned overt full-scale.