Chapter 337
Chapter 337
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Translator: Ebonarch
Chapter: 337
Chapter Title: The Witch of Sloth (2)
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A week had passed since Siu took on the role of promotional ambassador for Rose Glass, Gehenna's host bar.
There hadn't been any particularly noteworthy events.
Sharon had dropped by to hang out, and the twins had shown up from time to time.
In a sense, that meant Takasho's host bar business was growing smoothly.
No trouble meant they'd successfully secured regular customers without any major issues.
In fact, sales had been steadily climbing in an upward graph from day one, and there was a thick stack of business cards from witches who had expressed their intent to return.
"Feels like it's picking up already."
About an hour before opening time.
Siu, dressed in a sharp suit, leaned back on the break room sofa and ran a hand through his hair.
This slicked-back style, once the source of nothing but ridicule, had finally started to feel natural.
He was just about to light up a cigarette and kill time leisurely when he glanced out the window.
There was a witch arguing with the doorman, Paul.
Her ash-gray hair fell to her waist, tied off at the end, and she stood with her chin raised in a dissatisfied expression.
"Apprentice witch."
Her youthful features made it obvious at a glance.
And judging by that parasol—probably worth as much as a mid-sized sedan—she seemed to be the daughter of some prominent witch.
She wasn't speaking loudly enough for their conversation to carry over.
Moments later, Paul bowed his head repeatedly and led her inside the host bar.
It wasn't long before the break room door burst open.
"Siu hyungnim. Help a guy out."
Paul, drenched in cold sweat and wearing a look of utter distress, pleaded with Siu.
"Business hasn't even started yet, but she insists on seeing you no matter what. I explained it goes against fairness with the reservations backed up, but she won't hear it... Keeps repeating, 'Perfect timing before open. I'll pay whatever it takes, so call the male witch.'"
"I get the picture. I'll handle it. Who's the guest?"
"Uh, Diana Yesod, apprentice witch of Count Yesod..."
"Yesod?"
Well now, that was a heavyweight.
No wonder Paul—who usually sent away even the grumpiest witches without issue—was begging for backup.
Count Yesod, one of Gehenna's Seven Counts.
Her apprentice would be a big fish even among the customers who'd visited so far.
Countless witches had come and gone from the host bar up to now, but none of the great witches or nobles had shown.
Siu was guessing it was something like their pride—ignoring a department store sale event, unwilling to line up just for fifteen minutes in a crowded place.
"What can you do? Bring her in. I'll meet her."
"You sure?"
"Entertaining all day anyway—one more won't kill me."
"Yes sir! Thank you!"
Paul's face lit up as he dashed back downstairs.
Siu gave his outfit one last check and headed to the table.
It was a thoroughly calculated move.
From shoulder-surfing Takasho's management, Siu had realized that 'entertaining witches' was just the entry point of the business.
The real key was connections.
The networks built from entertaining witches and securing regulars held boundless potential incomparable to mere gold coins.
They could lead to revenue from totally unexpected angles or let him gather witch-only rumors to form new investment plans.
In that light, a count's apprentice was prime clientele.
If he could turn her into a regular, it'd be an enormous boon to Takasho compared to any other witch.
"That's secondary, though."
Truth be told, something even more crucial was at play: this apprentice hailed from the Yesod family.
The Yesod clan's Nature Magic specialized in barrier manipulation.
In fact, most of the library references Siu had consulted were papers by Count Yesod.
If he could befriend this apprentice through this opportunity, maybe she'd help interpret the Red Branch?
That selfish angle weighed heaviest.
Getting pointers from the top authority in the field was no small thing.
"Welcome. Thanks for gracing us with your visit. I'm Shin Siu, assigned to entertain Witch Diana Yesod."
Siu greeted her with his professional smile.
Up close, she had an incredibly distinctive aura.
For starters, her outfit was entirely white.
From the frill-laden dress to the gloves, shoes, and even the thigh-high stockings, everything gleamed pure white.
Her gray hair was long and lustrous, not the dull, frizzy ash tone.
And those crimson eyes stood out sharply against the monochromatic palette.
But that was just the surface—her vibe was something else entirely.
Languid eyes that looked ready to yawn at any moment, corners softly drooping.
She gave off an utterly apathetic, motivation-free impression that clashed with the typical apprentice witch.
The twins, for example, had those wide-eyed, sparkling gazes full of wonder at everything.
This one looked like she'd lived life a dozen times over.
"Nice to meet you."
Diana ignored Siu's offered hand for escort and took her seat.
This happened often enough that Siu joined her naturally.
But since she was an apprentice, he sat across instead of right beside her.
"It's an honor to meet an apprentice of the Yesod house. What brings you here?"
Up to this point, Siu didn't think dealing with Diana would be tough.
The only apprentices he'd handled so far were Odil and Odet.
Stubborn, sure, but more innocent than most witches.
And he wasn't a slave anymore, was he?
Seemed straightforward enough.
"You know magic, right?"
But the moment those pretty lips parted with the classic line from stubborn, prideful witches, Siu reset his mindset.
And those eyes.
Intensely skeptical, refusing to acknowledge him even as they scanned him head to toe—he couldn't exactly relax.
"For the time being, yes."
"Anyway, a promise is a promise. Drinks first. Bring the most expensive thing here."
The most expensive drink?
Treating this like a regular bar would be a mistake.
With luxury liquors prepared for witches, Rose Glass's top-shelf stuff ignored cost-performance entirely.
"We've curated a selection tailored to witches' tastes. How about browsing the catalog and picking what strikes your fancy?"
But blurting out 'our drinks are pricey—can you even afford it?' was a bad play.
Apprentice or not, she was still Yesod nobility.
No need to bruise her ego.
"No thanks. The most expensive. I already promised the doorman out front."
With that, Diana pulled a slim metal card from her sleeve and set it on the table.
It was a credit certificate, just like Siu's.
She scribbled the drink name and price on a receipt and showed it.
"This work for you?"
"Fine."
He hadn't ordered the absolute priciest out of sheer obliviousness.
Families like Jemernai and Yesod were renowned for wealth, but Gehenna tariffs plus host bar premiums pushed prices into the billions.
So he'd shown her a top-tier from the mid-range lineup.
He didn't want rumors of Rose Glass ripping off apprentices.
Wondered if it was still too much, but Diana nodded readily.
"Understood. This includes a champagne tower event, so please wait a moment."
"No. Skip it. I came to talk to you. Sit."
"As you wish."
Customer with clear intent.
The type thinking, 'A male witch? No way. Gotta see and verify myself.'
From experience, Siu could predict the rest.
"Three frauds so far have boasted of mastering Nature Magic in Gehenna."
Surprisingly, he'd heard this anecdote from other witches' lips.
"I see. I wouldn't have believed it if it were just rumors either. Pure luck on my part."
"I only believe what I see."
"Shall I demonstrate?"
"Go ahead."
Courteous words, but the high-handed vibe made it feel anything but.
Count Yesod clearly knew how to raise them right.
An apprentice already exuding such witchly poise.
But Siu's salesman smile didn't falter.
He swallowed a wry internal chuckle and, as always, summoned black shadow in his palm.
Undulating black particles.
Darkness that seemed to devour every scrap of surrounding light churned in his grasp.
Whether from her pronounced double eyelids or those subtly cute, drooping corners...
Diana's sleepy-looking eyes widened just a fraction.
"......"
"Feel free to inspect it."
The Law of Shadows formed the raw material for most of Siu's magic.
Armor, weapons, ribbons—all crafted from these particles.
Yet he could demonstrate so casually before other witches because he'd already refined it thoroughly.
For armor and gear, he recombined it using elemental magic from Sharon.
For ribbons, he wove threads via the separate Nature Magic known as the Virgin's Loom.
Thus, this demonstration was the raw, original form from the Gnosis Egg—nothing too advanced.
Most witches were stunned just by a man using magic at all, of course.
"......"
Diana carefully examined the shadows swirling atop Siu's hand.
Magic distinctly divergent from public spells.
Undoubtedly Nature Magic.
She'd never heard of, let alone witnessed, a form like this.
But somehow...
This frail wisp, like it'd scatter on a mere puff of breath.
-Pop!
Diana conjured a reverse field from her hand.
A thin, disk-shaped magic circle designed as a touchstone for observing various spells.
She dabbed at the shadow with her fingertip, spreading and classifying it with ease.
A fine magic circle shaped like a hook.
Characteristic: clings to other spells, disrupting their deployment.
Clear weakness against overwhelming mana, offering no real resistance.
She grasped it in an instant.
Just this level...
Diana felt disappointment mingled with secret glee.
Disappointment that the magic she'd bothered traveling far to verify was something even she could mimic with a bit of practice.
Elation that it was pathetically underwhelming, just as her hypothesis predicted for a self-proclaimed male witch.
Her theory checked out.
"Interesting. I get it's decently skilled. Real Nature Magic too."
But the man stood there beaming smugly with that level of magic on display.
Impressive for a first-generation effort, sure—but she itched to remind him of his place.
Couldn't deny the petty motive, but for Diana, it was a rare spark of motivation.
Maybe all the forced outings lately had made her a tad more diligent?
Self-congratulating, she spoke up.
"But this alone doesn't let me gauge your level."
"Command away. Per our deal, the next forty minutes are yours."
Forty minutes was perfect.
Even as an apprentice, Diana had confidence handling some shoddily made 'male witch.'
Not that she planned any vulgar magic brawls.
Way too much hassle, obviously.
There was a perfect way to judge magical literacy right from their seats.
"Then, got a Wizboard?"
A game powered by magic.