Chapter 293
Chapter 293
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Translator: Ebonarch
Chapter: 293
Chapter Title: Return to Gehenna
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1.
The sensation of passing through a portal could be likened to the nausea that hits on a plane jolting through turbulence.
Siu might survive a crashing plane if he kept his wits about him, but the dizziness that struck the moment he crossed the threshold was too much—even for him. He collapsed flat on his face with a flop.
"Ugh..."
A groan escaped him involuntarily, and at the same time, Eloa gently patted his back.
"Siu, are you all right?"
"This... I just can't get used to it."
"They say the stronger your mana sensitivity, the worse the vertigo."
"But you're completely fine, Master."
"Heh, I'm not so lax as to look pathetic in front of my disciple."
Siu took Eloa's offered hand and stood up.
Her hand felt incredibly soft compared to the power she wielded.
Lifting his head, he scanned his surroundings. The familiar scene from his previous visit came into view.
The immigration lounge.
A platform linking portals to the modern world and Gehenna.
This made two times coming here?
He'd thought he'd never see it again.
Taking a deep breath amid the unexpected nostalgia, he caught the distinctive scent of Gehenna that he'd grown sick of over five years.
Clean air free of exhaust fumes or fine dust, slightly humid and cool from the misty rain.
As his senses sharpened, he felt the witches around him stop what they were doing and stare.
It was intensely awkward.
If they were just glancing, he'd brush it off, but they were covering their mouths with fans or hands, eyes wide as saucers.
Well, who could blame them? If the famous Tiphereth Duke showed up at immigration with some guy, they'd react the same way.
"...Shall we move along quickly?"
"That might be best."
Eloa gave a wry smile and headed toward the exit with Siu.
Thus unfolded the not-so-missed scenery.
Passing through the massive gate stretching beyond the coastline led to the harbor, where cargo ships came and went.
As expected, amid the scattering mist, men in raincoats bustled about unloading cargo.
It was quite the spectacle: modern-built freighters lowering containers with magic, then transferring the goods to horse-drawn carts.
"Hurry it up, you slow-ass slugs!"
Behind the slaves—nearly in their underwear as they hauled loads—a supervisor's sharp whip cracked.
The sight stirred old memories.
Amelia had once tried to kill a slave, and he'd intervened to stop her.
Who knew those slaves were all death-row inmates sent to Gehenna under international agreements...
Most countries avoided the death penalty for minor crimes, so it was a neat punishment system, perhaps.
Advanced nations often sentenced but never executed, just draining taxes instead.
"I need to meet with immigration briefly. Mind looking around?"
"Got it. Take your time."
"Don't follow any strange witches who talk to you. And no gorging on snacks. I'm planning a welcome-back meal for you."
As always, Siu pinky-swore with Eloa and crossed the pier.
Surprisingly, he drew less attention than at immigration.
They just glanced at the large item on his back—the red branch wrapped in black ribbon.
Well, Larissa—who'd betrayed him—and Fedor the mackerel man had dressed practically from the modern world, like all 'smugglers'.
Siu's outfit blended right in at this border town, especially with the eyepatch making him look like he worked there.
"Still the same old place..."
Smugglers huddled smoking.
Clustered houses with panel roofs in the distance.
Merchants haggling at the contact point, now grabbing collars in a fight.
A witch striding haughtily on her way.
"Hey, that."
Off in the distance, he spotted the cloud mushroom patch Sharon had obliterated with acorns.
He'd nearly spent a night at Sophia's villa with Amelia.
The Sleeping Serpent Shelter—where Larissa's gang tried to kidnap Amelia—was thriving far off...
Recalling his chaotic escape from Gehenna stirred complicated feelings.
By nature, he focused on the present, so Gehenna barely crossed his mind in the modern world.
But looking back, it had been grueling days.
Setting aside the lack of proper food, shelter, or clothing, the mental stress of risking death by offending someone was the worst.
Five years.
Not by choice, but he'd endured through grit during his prime youth.
And that wasn't all.
What tormented Siu for those five years? Amelia's bullying.
Until her late change, she was the boss who raked him over coals at every sight.
Did only bad feelings remain?
Not quite.
He now realized her whims and poor emotional expression were just clumsiness.
"I wonder if the chicken skewer lady's doing well."
The auntie who'd given him a 2+1 deal.
Eloa said no snacking, but he wanted to check on her. He wove through narrow alleys.
-Thud!
Careless for a moment, someone bumped his shoulder passing by.
The alley was too cramped for two, stacked with boxes.
"Where're your damn eyes, you punk-ass bitch."
Frontal collision should've been mutual fault, but the curse flew without hesitation.
Siu looked at the guy.
Dead-fish eyes gleaming unnaturally white, like a druggie.
A diagonal scar across his face, buzzed skinhead.
Muscles bulging as unevenly as Siu's spirit-doped body—clearly a slave thug.
"Ah, sorry."
The kind of back-alley punk who'd make past-Siu tremble at eye contact was laughable now.
No mana needed; he could flatten him easily.
"You little shit?"
But Siu's calm response seemed provocative. The thug slave sneered and grabbed for his collar.
Siu didn't want a brawl...
But on this muddy ground, a slam wouldn't kill. As he prepared to counter—
"Hey! Jack! Quit slacking and move it!"
A supervisor's voice rang out, likely.
The man called Jack glared murderously and spat,
"I'll remember your face."
Then bolted from the alley without lingering.
"What a retard."
Pretty laughable threat.
Unlikely to meet again.
Even if he did and attacked, Siu could yawn it off.
"Feels nice and relaxed."
If only public enemies and homunculi were this easy.
Siu wandered the town a bit before rejoining Eloa, who'd finished her business.
He didn't mention the thug scuffle.
2.
Gehenna entry had been delayed until Siu shielded the distortion field with the ribbon.
Uncertain how long it'd take, he hadn't told the Jemernai family or Sharon.
No point making them wait or come in vain.
So this was a sudden visit right after the shielding—but timing was off.
"Master, the portal's under maintenance."
"Maintenance?"
They'd zigzagged up cliffs and stairs to the border town's platform.
Regrettably, regular checks wouldn't finish until tomorrow afternoon.
The receptionist sighed about frequent inspections lately and recommended decent inns.
Saying they'd discount if he mentioned her name.
Probably getting kickbacks from the lodgings.
"Shall I arrange a carriage?"
"No need for that. Let's book nearby. Ah, if it's urgent, we could go straight... but I'd like to look around more."
"Yeah, that works."
If truly urgent, they could've run without a carriage.
But ignoring his master's wish to browse? No rush warranted it.
She wasn't advertising it, but Eloa was still recovering from that reckless battle.
The two braved the drizzle to the largest nearby inn: the Sleeping Serpent Shelter.
Biggest around, but bad memories made him want to avoid it...
The receptionist's pitch held true—no rooms elsewhere.
Border town lodging was still booming.
"Portal glitch keeping folks here, huh."
"Heard from immigration: many witches fleeing modern-world chaos back to Gehenna lately."
"Explains the unusual number of witches..."
The inn looked the same after so long.
Three-story brick frame, wooden interior.
First floor tavern selling booze and food; rooms from second up.
"Only place left... Not that great from what I remember."
"Don't worry. Back when I hunted a lot, camping was common. A bed's a luxury."
Not fond of the spot, Siu dawdled before creaking open the wooden door.
Noise exploded like a movie speaker cranked mid-scene.
Dizzying tobacco smoke and booze stench were bonuses.
"You just gonna drink yourself to death all night?"
"Who cares if others die? When'd I kick it for you to pay condolences?"
Gamblers amid the drinkers traded subtle barbs.
"Heh, end of days."
"This'll make booze imports tough again."
"Who smuggles mid-tier like Dom Perignon these days?"
"New bar opened in Renomond Town?"
Merchants huddled seriously over 'canards'—border town's newspapers.
"Try this! Sweet tropical fruit!"
A boy hawked pineapple chunks from ones dangling at his waist.
...Felt familiar.
Anyway, much like before.
Difference: five or six witches occupied corner tables alone.
In this racket, you'd expect glares, but they ignored everyone, focused on their own tasks.
Witches were definitely increasing in Gehenna.
Filling even rundown (by witch standards) inns like this.
"...Oh."
But the mood shifted the instant Siu and Tiphereth entered.
Unlike civilians just glancing at Eloa, the seated witches' eyes locked on them both.
No boredom or annoyance now.
Instead, shock, curiosity, scrutiny—thick in the air.
Like fangirls spotting their idol off-duty.
"Don't mind them. I'm right here."
"Yeah, not sweating it."
Eloa stroked Siu's back reassuringly.
She paid the innkeeper for a day's stay with breakfast and headed upstairs with Siu.
The witches tracked the pair with their eyes.
Then they rose and gathered slyly.
Impossible to endure without discussing this chaos.
"What... did I just see?"
"That was Tiphereth Duke, right? And the famous male witch beside her?"
"Together at an inn?"
"Booked just one room."
"No way?!"
The witches chattered endlessly to make sense of the unbelievable sight.