Chapter 448
Chapter 448
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Translator: Ebonarch
Chapter: 448
Chapter Title: Reunion (2)
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1.
“Gasp!”
With a sharp intake of breath, Si-woo bolted upright and glanced around.
His mind sluggishly pieced together the memories.
The massive uproar in Tarot Town, the journey to meet Amelia, and its conclusion.
As he caught his breath, feeling the cold sweat soaking his back, a warm sensation emanated from around his knees.
“Mmm...”
“Kuu...”
One on his left leg, one on his right.
The tops of the twins' heads were visible, bundled in microfiber blankets and using his legs as pillows as they drifted in dreamland.
They were sleeping soundly, their mouths slightly open, drool trickling out as he carefully withdrew his legs.
“...”
Normally, he'd spend a good hour just admiring their cuteness, but now was not the time.
He must have collapsed from exhaustion—what had happened to Amelia? How had things wrapped up afterward?
Feeling urgent, Si-woo threw off the covers and started to get out of bed.
“Hm?”
His left arm was there.
As far as he remembered, magic had cleanly severed it near the wrist.
Yet it moved freely just as he wished, veins and muscles visibly pulsing beneath the skin.
If not for the unmistakable hospital room and bed, even Si-woo might have thought it was a dream.
And upon closer inspection...
“No sensation.”
It felt like someone had exquisitely grafted on another person's hand—zero feeling in it.
It could play piano right now, yet no sensation whatsoever.
A profound sense of wrongness overwhelmed him.
“It's a prosthetic arm made of porcelain that Count Kohav transplanted. The fundamental structure of your spirit body was damaged, so the procedure was unavoidable. Please understand.”
“Ack! Count? W-when did you get here?”
A clearing of the throat made him turn, revealing Count Deneb Jemernai reading by lamplight.
She had been so silent and presence-less that he startled and asked.
“S-Si-woo! What's with the jumpiness?”
The startled count raised her elegant eyebrows sharply, scolding him instead.
“Ah, were you nursing me? Thank you.”
“Nursing~? I was just watching to make sure you didn't leap out of bed and do something lewd to the twins.”
“No way.”
“No way? I confiscated the toys you prepared for your lewd antics on Harvest Festival day! How do such shameless items even exist? They need to be incinerated and purified!”
She shook a box—clearly repackaged after being unwrapped once.
“What's that?”
“Don't play dumb!”
“I really don't know...”
Of course, Si-woo had no idea about the twins' surprise items.
And naturally, the count wasn't about to accept his excuses gracefully.
“I'll be keeping an eye on you always, so keep your conduct proper! Men and their lust...”
Tsking her tongue, she crossed her arms.
Her lips twitched as if debating what to say, then she sighed instead.
She noticed his unusually serious expression—no usual embarrassed look.
Of course. She knew everything that had happened while he slept, a whirlwind of events, but to him freshly awakened, it was all a black void.
It was natural to worry about Baron Merigold, whom she presumed held tender feelings for.
“Ah, thinking about it makes me mad again.”
“Pardon?”
Evergreen, the twins, even Count Yesod—and now simultaneous affairs with Duke Tiphereth too? Adding one more portion?
Seducing innocent twins with adult toys no less?
Deneb suppressed the urge to throttle him and demand if he had a conscience.
If he weren't a patient fresh from bed, she'd have blasted him with magic.
Absolutely not because that one night they shared made her hesitant to lay hands on him.
“Fine. You want to know about Baron Merigold, right?”
“Yes.”
At least he knew his place, answering in a subdued tone. Deneb gripped her patience anew.
“She's confined in the underground prison, undergoing Count Kohav's interrogation. It started the day you collapsed, so about two days ago.”
“Two days?”
“Accumulated fatigue in her spirit body is severe. You know what that means.”
Spirit bodies typically don't tire easily.
They endure grueling labor that would fell a human.
For a witch to feel fatigue and sleep soundly, it takes heavy machinery-level work or intense magic use.
“...I've been pushing my body pretty hard lately.”
“I'll introduce you to a good spirit tuner—get it fixed.”
“That's secondary. What about Lady Amelia...”
The important thing wasn't Si-woo's condition anyway.
Deneb continued about Amelia.
“My sister and Miss Evergreen held off Duke Erelim's 'judgment' for about fifteen minutes. In that time, you barely managed to retrieve Baron Merigold. But her actions, rivaling a Gehenna invasion, can't be overlooked, even for a baron.”
“Of course.”
“An investigative committee formed under the Tree of Sephirot. She's cooperating while confined...”
“Is it serious?”
Deneb leaned back sharply to dodge his eager lunge.
With a reluctant expression, she shook off his hand gripping her sleeve.
“Good grief, I get you're anxious, but stop interrupting.”
“S-sorry.”
“She won't be designated a public enemy or exiled. No civilian casualties, and the Whispering Witch's involvement provides context.”
Clara had incited her rampage, per Amelia's memories.
At the name from his lips, Deneb tilted her head.
“Clara, you say...?”
“You knew?”
“No, just happened to learn the name. But that's not the point...! I can testify to the circumstances that dragged Lady Amelia into this!”
“...I said no interrupting. Anyway, she'll pay hefty compensation and fines, but her title will help in sentencing. Don't worry too much.”
Only then could he exhale in relief at Deneb's firm assurance.
He asked cautiously.
“Can I see her now?”
“Sure, you can—...”
Before the words finished, Si-woo's figure vanished.
Deneb muttered the rest into empty air.
“...go. Sigh.”
What to do with this philanderer.
Seeing the peacefully sleeping twins irked her anew.
Deneb readjusted their rumpled blankets, clucking her tongue and sighing repeatedly.
2.
The reunion between Sophia and Amelia after months apart.
They poured out all the conversations they'd postponed.
How they'd been faring, the nitty-gritty of why this happened.
Plans to have tea together once the investigation ended.
Though Sophia's rage at Lilith—for goading Amelia into the chaos—took up half the talk.
Amelia gently stroked Sophia's hair, comforting her friend who'd suffered heartache over such a foolish companion.
It was warm.
Not the false comfort completed in solitude.
A heartfelt conversation with someone genuinely worried—a warm time.
Yet even in this moment, Amelia felt a nagging stone in her heart.
The same emotion she'd felt during the investigation, staring blankly at the stone wall afterward.
Guilt? Anticipation? Regret? Gratitude?
She remembered Si-woo reaching out to her in endless darkness.
His arm scattering like petals, yet still embracing her.
Si-woo had said he was fine.
Soothing her as if forgiving the unforgivable, with eyes and voice full of understanding.
But Amelia had hurt him.
Pathetically, with magic she couldn't control properly.
Like pointillism painted in dozens of colors, myriad emotions blended into one massive feeling.
How to face him now? What to say?
An apology first, probably.
For injuring his arm, and for her arrogant goodwill, waiting for misunderstandings to vanish.
“So anyway...”
“...”
Sophia, who'd been rambling tearfully with Amelia seated, suddenly stopped.
Amelia held her breath quietly.
-Thud thud
Heavy footsteps echoed from the stairs leading to the underground prison.
Definitely not a woman's.
At this late hour, unannounced—it sharpened their guesses.
Shin Si-woo.
Realizing it, Amelia's heart plummeted.
Dozens of nightmares and happy dreams she'd had wandering the mortal realm.
Nightmares: bitter recollections of their perfect fallout that day, imaginings of a mismatched reunion yet to come.
Happy dreams: moments stacking memories in the cabin together, possible joyful reunions.
The time to face the result had arrived.
Si-woo had embraced Amelia.
Said it was okay, sorry it was so late.
But that was right after surviving a near-death crisis—an overly dramatic moment.
Emotions follow atmosphere.
No guarantee his feelings then matched now.
Besides...
Didn't a lover boldly occupy the spot beside him?
This might not be a happy reunion, but like the nightmares haunting her repeatedly.
A crushing rupture. Not the worst breakup, but emotions diluted by various reasons, ending as strangers.
“I'll step aside.”
“...”
Sophia gently stroked the back of Amelia's hand.
Amelia gripped Sophia's skirt hem tightly as she rose.
But soon released, letting her go.
Si-woo came to save her.
Overcoming arduous trials, risking death—he'd mustered courage for her twice already.
Fleeing now would betray that courage, she murmured to herself.
“You'll do great.”
“Yeah, thank you, Sophia.”
Sophia encouraged her, then headed toward the shadow pacing the corridor corner.
While murmurs drifted briefly, Amelia hastily straightened her posture.
Sitting rigidly on the hard wooden chair, unsure, she stared only at her toes.
-Step step
Approaching footsteps, presence.
His scent from dreams tickled her nose.
Calming her pounding heart, Amelia quietly looked up at Si-woo.
“...Si-woo.”
She called the name she'd whispered alone so many times.