Chapter 366
Chapter 366
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Translator: Ebonarch
Chapter: 366
Chapter Title: Sewer Rats
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1.
Diana had known nothing about men until now, limited by the restricted information and education she'd received.
She had only recently learned about "sex" through the sensual novel her mother had written.
And just yesterday, she had accidentally spied on her mother and him sharing intimate moments, right up to the foreplay.
Acts she used to dismiss as dirty and impure, turning away in disgust, had now become a secret curiosity.
That curiosity had naturally turned toward the only man by her side: Shin Siu.
Though Diana unconsciously denied it all.
Even as she drifted off to sleep in bed, his muscular naked body lingered in her mind, her imagination inevitably shifting to the manhood her mother had gripped.
Especially since it had happened just yesterday.
Walking side by side with him right now felt unbearably awkward.
"Hey."
"Yes, Miss Diana."
"Can't we go somewhere closer?"
"Wandering around various spots is nice anyway. Today, I'll show you modern goods here and explain them."
The outdoor activity zone for today was the town closest to the modern world.
Border Town, the city on the frontier.
He had actually considered something tame like shooting practice, but when he learned Diana had never been to Border Town, he chose this instead.
Smugglers' contact points stocked all sorts of modern items, and the twins had definitely enjoyed them.
He had also vaguely heard that Diana liked modern snacks and drinks, which was another reason for the choice.
"Haa..."
But it seemed like a poor decision after all.
Diana pouted under the drizzling fog rain, holding up her umbrella.
Her expression was worse than it had been on their fishing trip together.
"Not really curious. The modern world is dangerous, isn't it?"
"Still, there are lots of wondrous things. You'll find parts to enjoy as you look around."
He said that, but as they descended the winding cliff path overlooking all of Border Town, he felt a twinge of regret.
Even with an umbrella, the misty rain soaked their collars heavily, and the unpaved road turned into sticky mud.
Every time mud splattered onto Diana's white shoes, his heart sank inwardly.
"......"
But surprisingly, Diana kept her lips pressed shut like a clam, saying nothing.
He had expected complaints along the lines of That's enough! Let's go! I'm upset! Let's stop here!
"This way."
After reaching the pier where slaves toiled all day, he guided her to the pre-arranged contact point.
It was the "Fat Mermaid Contact Point" where he had bought fishing gear before.
A single-story building with high ceilings, like a warehouse mart, its maze of shelves stacked with various modern goods.
Not many high-end items since anyone could just barge in, but surely novel enough for Diana.
"They have those snacks you like, Miss Diana. Shall I buy a box?"
"...We have them at home anyway."
"How about this one?"
"Not interested."
Another misstep.
Diana merely glanced around with bored eyes, showing no hint of wonder or admiration.
She had watched him with keen interest during fishing, though.
Given the situation and their contract, he had no choice but to keep going, standing on tiptoe.
But trying to entertain someone who looked utterly unmotivated was exhausting.
As he swallowed an inward sigh...
"Hey."
Diana suddenly called out to Siu.
"Yes, Miss."
She had called him first but kept her lips tightly shut for a long moment.
Dressed like a frilly little princess, she tapped the floor with her muddied shoes before finally speaking.
"Is tutoring fun?"
"Tutoring... Do you mean what we're doing now? With the Wizboard?"
Diana shook her head slightly instead of answering.
"Ah, you mean the tutoring with Count Yesod."
Diana's shoulders twitched.
She seemed bothered by the mud on her shoes, staring only at her neatly pressed-together toes as she gave a subtle nod.
"Of course. The Count is a master of barrier magic. I'm getting a lot of help every day."
"...Anything else?"
"What do you mean, anything else?"
For the first time, Diana's magenta gaze met Siu's directly.
Even just making eye contact seemed burdensome to her, her expression heavy.
"...Hiding nothing?"
What?
Diana's demeanor was far from casual.
She seemed faintly angry, somehow.
The biggest issue was that Siu couldn't guess at all why she was mad or why she was asking that.
He didn't think he'd done anything wrong.
"Could you explain a bit more clearly?"
At his puzzled, innocent expression, Diana clenched her fists.
He was lying.
There was clearly something going on, yet under the guise of private tutoring, he was doing that every day.
And he wouldn't give her a straight answer to her question.
It pissed her off. She didn't like it.
It was strange.
Truthfully, Siu and Diana's relationship was that of tutor and student.
Not some profound master-disciple bond, but a laughable "play teacher" dynamic.
Whether he lied or not was hardly her concern, and she had no business prying into his relationship with her mom.
If anything, she should appreciate him for keeping her mother's secret.
Diana disliked Siu.
She hated being dragged into annoying outings, hated how annoyingly good he was at Wizboard, hated that he was her mom's secret lover.
She just disliked him, period.
But lately, they'd been talking more, and his unexpected thoughtfulness had made her think, Maybe he's not so bad?
To learn that all the kindness and indulgence was just because he was after her mom...
In other words, she was merely a stepping stone.
Ultimately, he was the same breed as the men her mother had warned her about.
Diana had simply been mistaken.
As her thoughts reached that point, a surge of betrayal from her hasty expectations welled up.
Snapping back to reality, she found herself twisting her lips and glaring at him accusingly.
"...You're detestable."
"Pardon?"
"You piss me off."
"Suddenly?"
His utterly bewildered expression didn't seem like acting at all.
The old, clueless Diana might have fallen for it.
Including that, she disliked Siu even more.
"So you're the first male witch—think that makes you special? Don't forget you're just a firefly compared to the halo of the Yesod family."
"Well, that's obvious."
If he would just get angry or stiffen his face, she could at least savor a moment of petty satisfaction.
But he just blinked vacantly, without a trace of malice.
It's all in the palm of my hand anyway, right?
That attitude infuriated her.
"Forget it. I'm done for today."
"Huh? Did I say something wrong?"
"No!"
As she stormed toward the exit, Shin Siu hurried after her.
Unable to hold back, Diana whirled and glared.
"Follow me, and I'll fire you tomorrow."
She probably couldn't fire her mom's favorite with a single word.
But she had to say it or she'd never vent her frustration.
Leaving the halted Siu behind, Diana strode quickly out of the contact point.
2.
"Huu..."
"Gulp..."
Sighs and swallows.
Cold sweat from tension seeped into their skin with a sour stink.
Twenty eyes tracked the witch in her flashy dress, utterly out of place amid Border Town's scenery.
"That's her, right?"
"Yeah, exactly like the photo."
It was Knife Jack, who had clashed with Bianca before, and his ten captains.
Hiding behind crates and building rubble, they exchanged tense glances.
"Boss, what now? We really doing this?"
"......"
"She's an apprentice witch from a count's family."
A short while ago, a public enemy witch had visited their hideout and offered two artifacts in exchange for one request.
"Fuckin' stay still. Why you chatterin' like a damn girl? Count family or whatever, if we're caught, we die either way."
Amid his ragtag crew, Jack's eyes gleamed sharply.
How long had he waited for this moment?
Captured by witches, living worse than beasts, he had waited.
Waited to take revenge on those witches who strutted about with chins held high.
And his wish had come true.
Through a contract with the devil, he had obtained his final spear.
Jack gazed impassively at the Cathusa in his hand.
This was one of the fangs granted by the witch: the "Ring of Subjugation."
According to the self-proclaimed good fairy who granted people's desires—Bianca—it suppressed mana in witches lacking autonomous defenses, forcing obedience to any command.
Much less so for an apprentice witch, far weaker than a full-fledged one.
In short, slip it on her head, and the game was over.
Nothing difficult about it.
His only worry was whether these trash would stick to the plan until the end.
Even Jack lacked confidence to take on a witch apprentice alone.
Then, one of the captains whined in a trembling voice.
"Boss, c-can't we just quit? This feels all wrong... Let's aim for next time."
There it was.
The weakling already spreading anxiety through the group.
The kind that disrupted a revenge crew steeled with resolve.
Jack's response was simple.
"Guk...!"
In an instant, he drew his dagger, jammed it into the man's throat, and twisted before a scream could escape.
It happened in the blink of an eye.
"Gek... guue...!"
The man with his windpipe shredded couldn't even scream properly, twitching pathetically in his death throes before dying.
Jack wiped the blood from his cheek with his sleeve and swept a ferocious glare around.
Success or failure, they'd die anyway.
The worst case was dragging it out and a snitch emerging.
Having resolved for today, this was the surest, safest cleanup.
"Anyone else wanna do 'next time'?"
He bared his teeth at the rigid captains.
"You cowardly shits. This is what you wanted. The ones singing about wanting to fuck a witch, and now that you get to pay one back, you're chickening out?"
No one had the guts to argue with the fresh corpse right there.
"You think the witch who found us looks like a volunteer? She gave us magic gear and shit—if we say we did nothing, you think she'll go 'Aw, too bad, I'll take it back' and leave?"
"......"
"Then we die without doing jack shit."
"Y-yeah. If we're dying anyway, might as well fuck an apprentice witch first."
The pale pig-man nodded vigorously, and the others gradually chimed in.
They were dead-end convicts anyway.
Men who would vent their piled-up rage as lust on an apprentice witch and smash their lives to pieces completely—that was enough for them.
"Pig boy's right for once."
"A-alright... fuck, let's rape and kill."
"Order by lots?"
Bloodshot eyes, thrilled and tense, already fixed on the apprentice witch's back as if she were stripped bare.
"Let's vent properly. Stick to the plan."
The apprentice witch obligingly headed toward a deserted spot.
The nine men began their silent pursuit, quiet as mice.