Chapter 364
Chapter 364
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Translator: Ebonarch
Chapter: 364
Chapter Title: Diana's Restlessness
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"Miss Diana. You seem a bit unfocused today."
Yesterday had been outdoor activities, so today was Wizboard training.
Diana snapped to attention at Siu's sudden remark.
"Why do you say that?"
"Just... you missed details you never overlook normally. If you're not feeling well, would you like to take a short break?"
In truth, he was right.
Their usual matches between Diana and Siu were long games of 250 to 300 moves.
But today, every one ended around 100 moves.
Some were as short as 50 moves before she lost.
Moreover, Diana hadn't asked for post-game reviews or feedback from Siu today.
She played mechanically, started the next game immediately after one ended, and didn't say a word.
At least when it came to Wizboard, she had acknowledged Siu and sought to learn from him.
Diana stared straight at Siu.
They had played together for over three hours today, but this was the first time their eyes met.
"......"
Her emotions were complicated.
Her eyes held a look of bewilderment.
And faint concern.
Diana couldn't voice the lump in her chest.
"Yes, I'll take a break."
"Good work."
Diana replied in a listless voice and returned to her bedroom.
She flopped onto her custom bed, ergonomically perfect.
Her private sanctuary, decked out like a princess bed with flowing canopy drapes.
"Haa... What is this feeling...?"
Ever since realizing the secret relationship between her home tutor, Shin Siu, and her mother yesterday.
Diana had felt an emotion she'd never experienced in her life.
The improper image of her mother from the novel.
And the lie of assigning him as her tutor to keep him close.
It had given her a slight shock, but she'd sorted it out while sleeping last night.
Diana knew what love was, at least from books.
It was hard to accept that her mother, who always warned her to beware of men, had hidden such a secret.
But she tried to understand it all.
Because of Diana.
Because of others' gazes.
Unable to show her true feelings openly, her mother vented by writing sensual novels in seclusion. It even felt pitiful.
How lonely and isolated she must have been.
But there was something strange.
Diana had understood her mother's situation.
So even if her mother met a new man and shared secret trysts without Diana knowing, there was no reason for Diana to feel uncomfortable.
A bit surprising and bittersweet, but she'd mutter "Good for her" or "I'm glad" and that would be it—a minor thing.
She must have organized her feelings well and slept peacefully.
Sweet, sound sleep without tossing and turning.
The ripples in Diana's heart started when Siu came to see her again today, as always.
"Ugh... uuu..."
Diana buried her face in the pillow and kicked the bed like she was swimming.
Siu had arrived in his impeccably neat butler suit.
From the moment she opened the door and let him into the living room, phrases from the novel flickered in her mind.
Unlike women, his prominent Adam's apple from secondary sexual characteristics.
The firm forearms peeking from slightly rolled-up shirt cuffs.
Even the serious gaze fixed on the Wizboard.
Perfectly matching the novel's descriptions.
Her heart grew restless, and she kept her mouth shut tight.
Then she realized he would receive her mother's "private lesson" again tonight.
That's when Diana discovered another discomfort.
"This is weird..."
It bothered her.
He, who was stealing her precious mother.
He, who knew a side of her mother Diana didn't, was unbearably uncomfortable.
But at the same time, a tiny whisper of dissatisfaction didn't target Siu alone.
He's my home tutor.
I met him first.
She told me all men are wolves.
She couldn't understand it herself, and it was absurd.
But for a fleeting moment, she harbored resentment toward her mother.
"Ugh... uwaaa..."
Unable to make sense of anything, Diana pounded the bed again.
2.
Private lessons with Countess Yesod always happened in the evening.
But today, Diana had retired earlier than usual, and the Countess happened to have free time, so the lesson started in the afternoon.
"We're going to seriously look into controlling the Red Branch. It's like entering practical training."
"No more theory?"
"From here on, it'll be more efficient to supplement shortcomings through hands-on practice."
"Understood. But where are we going?"
"Hehe, it's a secret."
He thought they'd head to her private study as always.
But the path was different.
The Countess walked slightly ahead.
From what he'd observed, she was a witch who loved dressing up.
Apart from preferring white outfits, her clothes changed every time, always impeccably stylish.
As he spaced out wondering how much they cost, he noticed the Countess's hips swaying gently ahead.
The elegant leg line from her narrow waist contrasting with wide hips and high heels.
Captivated by their magnetic pull...
"Mr. Siu, staring at a lady's back so intently is rude."
Caught by the Countess, who had turned around.
She wasn't angry—instead, she gave a seductive smile and glanced at him reprovingly.
At a loss for words, he stammered something.
"Sorry. Your style caught my eye since it's familiar. Is it from Flora's Tailor Shop?"
"Hmm~ So that's it. Yes, good eye."
The Countess smiled knowingly but didn't pursue it.
Instead, the topic naturally shifted to the tailor shop.
Siu mentioned getting suits there before, that Gehenna nobles mostly tailored there, and so on.
Eventually, the conversation turned to the owner, Flora Arabesque.
"Flora Arabesque is an impressive witch. Until 200 years ago, no one ranked higher than her."
He was shocked—it was news to him.
"Really?"
"Yes, except for Kether Duke. If she'd kept at her magic research... Who knows? She was 22nd Hierarchy from ancient times."
He'd thought her laid-back.
But she had the aura of a true powerhouse.
As they chatted idly, they'd arrived at their destination.
"......"
"Shall we go in?"
Siu stopped upon seeing the entrance to the day's classroom.
It looked exactly like a bathhouse entrance.
"Is this the right place?"
"Yes, my private bath."
Asking just in case, the Countess answered matter-of-factly.
He stared at her, unable to understand why private lessons would be in a bath, but she tilted her head innocently.
"Any problem?"
"Seems like there are a lot."
"Since we started early, wouldn't it be nice to chat while sharing a bath first?"
The words "mixed bathing" made Siu's instincts scan Countess Yesod's body.
Yesterday's fishing felt date-like, but mixed bathing suddenly?
It felt like skipping several steps.
"The tub is big enough for two."
The Countess drew close and whispered sweetly.
His ears tickled.
These past few days, her teasing—or was it testing?—had him confused.
She chuckled softly at his dazed reaction.
"Just kidding. Follow me."
Not as grand as the large bath he'd seen before, but beautifully appointed.
Her private bath felt more like a luxurious hotel lounge than a bathroom—walking in was healing in itself.
Glancing around, there was a circular tub large enough for ten people, let alone two.
It was filled with water, and in the center floated the Red Branch he'd entrusted to her.
"The Red Branch was too wild, so I filled the tub with 99.9% pure mana heavy water chilled to minus 2 degrees."
"What's mana heavy water?"
"Oh, it's basic alchemy, but you don't know? It's mana water refined to minimize reactivity."
"Let's start by handling the Red Branch in there. If control fails, just dunk it in the water—it acts as a buffer and retardant."
He could tell it was different from regular water.
No refraction on the surface, clear view to the bottom without obstruction.
"Start by controlling it in the mana heavy water?"
"That's right."
"Got it."
"Ah, before that."
As Siu moved to step in after removing shoes and socks.
The Countess gently placed a hand on his shoulder.
"You should take off your top. It's set to a low temperature, so wet clothes will make it colder."
It was an odd request, but he wasn't a woman—what's a shirt?
Wasn't this skin-to-skin already?
After shedding jacket, vest, and shirt, he stepped in slowly.
He realized her advice was spot on immediately.
It was freezing cold.
But bearable.
"Can I really just grab it like this?"
"Yes. No problem."
In the water up to his waist, Siu carefully grasped the Red Branch in the center.
"Ugh!"
His palm tingled like gripping a shorting battery.
He'd felt something similar before—a sign of the ether body distorting.
But unlike the previous pain that felt like his whole body shattering, this was just hand-level.
Plus, no annoying red barrier popped out, making it much easier.
"Try wrapping it with your prepared spell and lifting it above the surface?"
"Got it. Pierce."
Siu calmly drew a single ribbon.
Applied with sealing and control spells.
The ribbon sank like a water snake, wrapped the Red Branch, and he carefully lifted it out.
He swallowed hard.
Unlike the tight sealing before, this was a thin single layer.
It might rampage the moment it left the water.
Finally, the Red Branch emerged.
Siu was moved.
The spear, which had ignored him stubbornly before, lay perfectly still.
Stable enough to use coordinate shift with it in hand.
"It worked!"
Countess Yesod watched quietly from the side and informed him gently.
"Your previous method had only about 72% shielding in normal state. Not much effect on ether bodies, but delicate artifacts nearby would break. Now it's nearly perfect shielding."
"Thanks to you. Really grateful."
"No need. I just gave basic advice."
She smiled back at Siu's beaming grin.
A pleased, warm smile.
"But we have a long way to go. The Red Branch reacts to impacts, right?"
"Yes."
When clashing with the Red Knight.
He couldn't forget the distortion field's shockwave that churned his guts just from weapon contact.
As she said, normal state was manageable now, but wielding it freely as a weapon needed finer control.
"Shall we start by giving it light impacts in that state?"
Still, huge progress.
He was confident of more improvements ahead.
Siu nodded and continued the experiment.
3.
Haa.
Eye candy.
Countess Yesod watched Siu fiddling with the Red Branch shirtless and smiled contentedly.