Chapter 35
Chapter 35
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Translator: Ebonarch
Chapter: 35
Chapter Title: Ars Magna Town (4)
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1.
A lobby so opulent it put palace reception rooms to shame.
Seated on the plush sofa, Amelia sat bolt upright, deep in thought.
Never forget your place.
You carry the great Merrygold name.
Maintain proper conduct, even beyond prying eyes.
On the path of sorcery, never slack—strive, ever strive.
Live nobly. Live as a witch should.
Those were the first stern words her master ever spoke to her, back when Amelia had snuck into the storeroom to dodge magic lessons.
Truth be told, if she had an apprentice witch now—one who loved nothing more than playing and slacking—she'd give the girl a sharp scolding, just like her master did.
Anyway, the teachings of her Merrygold forebears had sunk deep into Amelia's heart.
In her solitary moments, she'd summon her master's face, mull over those words, and etch them ever deeper into her chest, again and again.
"That's wrong."
She murmured low, fingers tracing the rim of her untouched teacup.
The scene from earlier replayed in Amelia's mind.
Jake and Flora.
They'd introduced themselves as lovers.
Nothing like the usual witch-and-male-concubine dynamic.
Even on the surface, Flora treated Jake as an equal.
She never chided him for strutting shirtless through the shop. She didn't hesitate to kiss him right in front of customers.
A witch and her slave... equals?
The clash with everything she'd learned, everything she knew—it muddled Amelia's thoughts.
It felt like sitting in a theater before a masterful play that demanded a standing ovation.
What if Siwoo treated her that way?
Acted toward her with the fierce love Jake showed Flora?
"Ugh!"
An inexplicable revulsion made Amelia's body shudder.
Gooseflesh prickled her skin.
Blasphemy.
She'd never allow it. Never.
What about a kiss, then?
"Hmm..."
In her imagination, Siwoo and Amelia writhed like copulating slugs, tongues locked, sucking and twisting, saliva swapping in a slimy tangle.
"Ugh..."
A thicker wave of disgust rippled through her.
That was just... wrong.
She couldn't fathom why anyone would mark love and affection with such filthy acts.
Amelia sighed, lifting her tea to banish the stray thoughts.
It had gone lukewarm.
And then—
"Associate Professor, I'm changed."
The person she'd been waiting for walked in.
Faster than expected. She'd been growing bored, sitting there alone.
"I've already paid the bill, so..."
Amelia tilted her head.
Who was that?
Familiar... but not.
Neatly slicked-back hair. A suit hugging his frame. Glossy black shoes.
The man stepped out, awkwardly tugging at his cuffs.
Amelia flopped back onto the sofa mid-rise.
No room to fret over the impropriety.
Hard to believe, but that sharp-dressed gentleman was Shin Siwoo.
"Thank you. I really like these clothes."
"......"
She hated to admit it—really, truly hated to—but they suited him perfectly.
Suddenly, she fixated on her breathing.
Inhales and exhales felt awkward, strained.
Her body didn't feel like her own.
How to name this sensation?
What shift in emotion triggered such a reaction?
Regrettably, Amelia's lexicon held no word for it.
Amelia shot to her feet.
"M-Much better."
"Feels that way. Fits great—easy to move in."
Siwoo flailed his arms, flaunting the fit.
Flora might toy casually with her slaves, but her tailoring was flawless.
No bunching or creasing in motion. Clung tight without discomfort.
From his usual sackcloth rags to this—he looked like a new man.
Amelia yanked her gaze away from Siwoo.
"Associate Professor."
Siwoo strode right up to her.
Amelia flinched, fingers twitching toward her skirt hem before stopping.
Something felt off.
"Thank you. Truly."
He bowed deeply, sincere.
First time he'd thanked her like that.
She'd heard his offhand gratitudes before, but this carried real weight.
Did she even deserve it?
Amelia pondered, then decided.
Of course.
She'd paid with two vials of Fatigue Perfume.
But recalling why she'd bought the clothes muddied it again. Compensation, sort of.
Stay composed, as always.
"No need. I just couldn't stand seeing you parade around in those rags."
Even aiming for calm, it emerged as a rebuke.
Siwoo's sunny grin faltered.
Still terrible at masking his face.
She'd gone too far.
Amelia patched it over.
"Keep dressing like this. It suits you."
"Got it."
Siwoo let out a subtle sigh.
Amelia let out a subtle sigh.
2.
Siwoo, now sporting his sharp new suit, hopped straight into a carriage back to Trinity Academy.
He wouldn't have minded poking around Ars Magna Town more, but witch-crowded spots always cramped his style.
Better to wrap up business and bail.
Amelia stared out the window the whole ride.
No words passed between them.
The carriage pulled up to Siwoo's barn. He packed his things.
Farewell, cozy barn.
Though he'd be moving that very night.
"Now to my quarters?"
Siwoo bundled his belongings into a towel-sling as he boarded the carriage.
"Yes."
Another carriage trek.
They arrived at an annex near the faculty center.
Garden, fountain—a sprawling mansion that rivaled any five-star hotel.
Blue roof, white walls. Striking.
"Associate Professor."
"Yes."
"Carriage took a wrong turn? This is your quarters."
This was Amelia's quarters.
The modest label didn't fit the grandeur.
"I know."
She knew?
Before Siwoo could question, Amelia stepped out and flung open the mansion door.
"Come in."
Siwoo blinked, following with a twinge of unease.
Amelia bolted up the central staircase.
No servants in sight across the vast place.
Yet spotless, like newly built—magic-maintained, no doubt. Even the high chandelier was dust-free.
Second floor, end of the hall. She led him to a room.
Even thick-headed Siwoo caught on by now.
"This one's yours."
"Uh, just checking... this my new place?"
"You're my exclusive slave. Isn't it obvious?"
Living in the same quarters as Amelia?
Felt like the sky crashing down, ground swallowing him.
Obvious? Hardly.
"B-But as your slave, how could I presume to share a building with the Associate Professor?"
"Plenty of rooms. It's huge. I can spare one out of magnanimity."
If she'd shown that magnanimity sooner, Siwoo might actually like her more now.
Whose benefit was this "generosity," anyway?
"Associate Professor, it's just... too much for me."
"Nonsense. You're my assistant now. Time you lived with suitable dignity."
Two massive issues with bunking in Amelia's mansion.
First off: Her reason for keeping him close was obvious.
To work him to the bone, duh.
No trekking to fetch him. Same roof.
Labor alone? Manageable.
The killer: 24/7 exposure to Amelia.
Already awkward and tense—now he'd see her face till bedtime. Way beyond clerical assistant duties.
Second: Magic research would stall.
His old barn sat on the academy's remote outskirts hill. Tiny mana leaks went unnoticed.
Here? Straight into her senses.
To dodge her eyes, he'd need late-night barn runs for tests.
Massive research delays.
Anything but delaying his escape.
"Associate Professor, no way this fits me. I'll head back to my old spot."
Meanwhile, Amelia couldn't fathom why Siwoo fought so hard to flee.
She'd planned modest servant quarters near the lab building. Decent enough.
But her past petty grudge had snowballed down that hillside, burying him—so compensation felt due.
Hence, hastily offering her old guest room.
Why the resistance?
"Drop your stuff."
His new home, revealed.
Siwoo, mid-escape plotting, gaped in shock.
Fancy mansions still gave servants shabby digs.
This? No servant room.
More like a pampered guest suite.
Ceiling sky-high—even prime Michael Jordan couldn't touch it full-tilt.
Sofa, cabinets, wardrobe—all screamed luxury. One ding, and he'd slave eternally to pay it off.
The carpet? Too plush to tread. Siwoo sidestepped it instinctively.
"This is the living room. That's the bedroom."
Plus two inner rooms.
The wide entry space was the living area; beyond lay a bedroom with bed and desk.
Mattress looked decadently plush, like the rest.
"Can I look around?"
"It's the Caretaker's room now. Suit yourself."
Siwoo beelined for the last door.
Adjoining the bedroom: a massive tub.
Faucet on—scalding water gushed like modern plumbing.
No more ice-bath showers.
Dazed.
"This really mine?"
"Yes. Holiday today—rest up. Lab building, morning tomorrow."
Amelia shut the door behind her.
Siwoo wandered, taking it all in.
For the moment, her sudden kindness slipped his mind.