Chapter 307
Chapter 307
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Ebonarch
Chapter: 307
Chapter Title: Before the Trip (4)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
1.
Moonlight had tucked itself away behind the clouds, and even the crickets had dozed off into a deep slumber in the dead of night.
In the dim room, whispers from the twins mingled with the bubbling sound of liquid simmering away.
"Odet, check it again. This isn't right."
"Huh? You're right, sis. Hold on just a sec..."
This was the alchemy workshop attached to the old library, where Odil and Odet were huddled together, murmuring.
Countess Jemernai, the family head with her vast wealth, had built it saying it would be "great for the kids' education~" So it was packed with top-of-the-line equipment and materials that even seasoned alchemist witches would envy.
Compound distillation tubes, centrifuges, scales, mana heating plates, precision test tubes, reagents—the place was lined with hundreds of alchemy tools, making it feel intensely professional.
The twins, cloaked in deep robes, had a book spread open under the faint glow of a lantern.
Odet was diligently prepping the ingredients needed for the potion, while Odil drew a magic circle on the chalkboard to heat the witch's cauldron.
What they kept glancing at intently was a thick tome propped up on a stand.
It was the second volume of the "Forbidden Elixir Recipes" they'd discovered in the old library today.
Odil and Odet were desperate.
Until now, their mindset had been all about fighting tooth and nail with Sharon for love.
They'd always treated her as an equal rival.
But seeing Assistant Siu locked in passionate sex with Sharon, and their intimate bond, had shattered the twins' expectations.
On top of that, they'd witnessed firsthand Sharon's irresistible allure—something the twins could never match no matter how hard they tried.
To break out of this clear disadvantage, they felt a crisis so acute they'd borrow a monkey's paw if they could.
After scouring the library for a game-changing reversal, they'd found the elixir recipe they wanted.
No hesitation—they dove straight into brewing it.
That's what they were in the thick of now.
Under the shady lantern light, the twins' faces glowed in silhouette.
Their violet eyes sparkled with a manic gleam, straight out of a mad scientist—or witch's—playbook.
"Odet, run the mana furnace I set up for 3.3 seconds, five times."
"Ughhh, this is seriously tough, sis..."
"Give it here. I'll do it."
In truth, Jemernai's Nature Magic had little direct connection to alchemy.
But apprentice witches were like medical students.
Whether aiming to be a surgeon or a plastic surgeon, they needed broad knowledge and hands-on experience across the human body. Similarly, the twins studied various schools of magic.
Learning elemental magic from Sharon was the same principle.
And among those fields, the twins excelled most at elixir brewing.
It was perfect for all sorts of pranks, naturally.
"This is harder than that potion that made Master's chin sprout a beard back in the day..."
"Even the one that knocked you out for three straight days wasn't this bad..."
The "Viking Elixir" that made beards grow as a joke.
Or the "Hibernation Elixir," born from the idea: What if you just slept all day to skip class, no matter who tried to wake you?
Both were elixirs of considerable difficulty, but nothing like this.
Being volume two, the challenge felt ramped up.
Once the carefully prepped and processed alchemy ingredients went into the cauldron and heated with mana flames at precise timings on the right mana furnace, the elixir took on its mystical properties, true to its name.
After a grueling struggle, Odil and Odet produced a lovely purple potion.
-Sssssss!
"Phew..."
"That was a long, long battle."
Odil plunged the steaming flask into ice water to cool it, wrapping up the brewing for now.
Just one step left.
"Add the reagent, and if snowflake patterns form inside, it's a success."
Tasting or feeding every elixir to check was inefficient.
Most recipes included test reagents that confirmed success via reaction.
Like the clear liquid in the pipette Odet held.
"Alright, let's do this."
"We've failed three times already... This has to be the last one."
"Odet! Don't jinx it!"
"S-Sorry, sis..."
The twins swallowed hard and dripped a few drops of the test reagent into the flask.
At once, beautiful snowflakes bloomed inside.
"Whoaaa!"
"We did it!"
As if congratulating their efforts, exquisite crystals blossomed and faded in the flask.
"Sis! If Assistant Siu drinks this!"
"Yeah, we can land a solid hit right in front of Sharon."
The twins hadn't tagged along on Sharon's 1-night, 2-day trip invitation without a plan.
Sharon might not realize it, but after flaunting that jealousy-inducing scene, didn't she owe them one?
What the twins had brewed was the male version of the "Eros Elixir."
The "Sweet Elixir," which made the drinker fall head over heels for the first woman he laid eyes on.
Unlike the Eros Elixir that boosted lust and affection simultaneously, the effect was slightly different—but the gist was the same.
What if they showed Sharon her smug self while Assistant Siu was utterly smitten with the twins?
Nothing could top that revenge.
"Odet, time to raise the banner of counterattack!"
"Right, sis! We gotta show 'em what we're made of!"
"Hehe..."
"Heh heh heh..."
After pulling an all-nighter, sinister smiles bloomed on the twins' faces, fatigue forgotten.
2.
One might say the sea in late autumn? What sea?
But Gehenna's sole resort beach, the Blue Narrow Sea, had a classic Mediterranean climate: hot and dry summers, mild and humid winters.
On Earth, it'd be like California's coast.
The water was cooler than summer, sure, but Odil and Odet insisted it was plenty swimmable and raved about it.
The carriage carrying Siu, the twins, and Sharon arrived at Flora's Tailor Shop in the early dawn.
For the record, they'd tried visiting Master first thing in the morning to coax her along, but Eloa wouldn't even open the door.
She just mumbled through it, "I'll find my own way. Go on ahead."
Since it was the twins' picnic anyway, and waiting longer felt awkward, they boarded the carriage.
They didn't head straight to the Narrow Sea but stopped at the tailor shop first.
What did you need for fun in the water?
Swimsuits, obviously.
"Do we really need to go this far for swimsuits?"
Siu was a bit stunned.
He figured they'd just wear whatever was airlifted from Border Town...
Custom swimsuits? They weren't pro swimmers.
"Of course! Assistant Siu, swimsuits are totally part of fashion, a must for any lady!"
"We get ours here every year! They're super cute, and they make 'em fast."
The twins were already hyped.
They dragged Siu into the church-like tailor shop, one tugging his hand, the other pushing from behind.
He vaguely remembered coming here with Amelia once before for a suit.
Once during his slave days, once when he had no memories.
The grand facade like a cathedral, the heavy atmosphere that screamed anything but clothing store—it was all the same.
"Hello! Arabesque Witch!"
"Hi!"
"Long time no see, noisy Jemernai twins."
"We're here for swimsuits today!"
"I figured you'd show up around now."
The twins saluted briskly in greeting.
Flora, puffing lazily on her pipe with a drowsy expression, returned the nod amid wisps of smoke.
They seemed surprisingly chummy, like frequent customers—which made sense for the twins.
They probably got every dress custom-made here.
As Flora's gaze slowly swept the room and landed on Siu...
"Oh? You're that kid, huh? The famous one lately."
"Yes, you remember me."
"I never forget anyone I've dressed."
Flora tapped her temple with a grin at Siu.
A bit unexpected—she didn't show the hot interest other witches did.
Made sense for someone who'd abandoned climbing the hierarchy just to make clothes.
After returning to Gehenna and feeling like a rare Pokémon, Siu welcomed the low-key reaction.
"So, one each for everyone here?"
"Yes!"
"M-Me too?"
"We invited you first, sis. Of course we cover yours too!"
"Th-Thank you."
Sharon, who'd figured she'd just be tagging along, was startled by the twins' words.
She'd assumed it'd be on her dime.
Especially since she hadn't kept her promise to Albireo, it pricked her conscience.
"Twins first, then?"
3.
After the twins and Sharon, it was finally Siu's turn.
Flora was a true master tailor, no doubt.
Sewing for three in under fifteen minutes? Even if swimsuits used less fabric, it was factory-line speed.
As Siu parted the curtain into the fitting room, Flora smiled.
"You've got some real pull, huh? Baron, apprentice witches from a countess house, famous elemental witch—all on your arm for a picnic."
"It's not like that."
"Sure it isn't? All three begged me to make 'em look pretty for you. The twins were especially rowdy. They're cheeky usually, but that level? First time."
"They are pretty energetic."
A touchy subject, but Flora let it drop like casual chit-chat.
Instead, without measuring, she started shaping swimsuits in midair with telekinesis.
Still mesmerizing—precise as surgery.
"No need for measurements. Loose fit? Or skin-tight like spandex?"
"Boardshort style possible?"
"Good call. You're the first guy wearing three of my outfits. Be proud."
"Yes, it's an honor."
Colorful Hawaiian patterns etched into black fabric.
Curiosity struck Siu.
If she loved sewing so much she'd set aside magic development, what was her original Nature Magic?
"Mind if I ask something?"
"Sure, I'm bored."
"Was your Nature Magic always about weaving clothes?"
Flora glanced at Siu.
"Why? Curious?"
"Nature Magic has unique flavors for everyone. Had to ask."
"Nothing wrong with sharing. I was always a thread-weaver. Made clothes from mana-spun threads."
"Ah..."
"Clothes I pour my heart into block most magic. But seeing pretty outfits shredded in fights? Nah. Better on pretty witches. Here, try it."
"Already done?"
Short talk, but a slick resort swimsuit was complete.
He'd expected tacky, but the floral and palm motifs looked surprisingly understated and neat.
"Men's stuff is simple. The witches' suits? You'll like 'em. Put some real effort in."
In the changing room, it fit perfectly—cozy wrap around his junk.
Better than most underwear, guaranteed.
"Nice build."
With swimsuit fitting done, Siu carefully packed his and boarded the carriage.