Chapter 678
Chapter 678
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Translator: Ebonarch
Chapter: 678
Chapter Title: Turning Point (3)
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Let's review the rules of the Locus Board at this point.
Having dug through old game records to humor Diana before, recalling his former instincts wasn't difficult.
Si-woo's computational prowess and magical reasoning placed him in the upper echelons even among great witches, a fact that shone through clearly on the Locus Board.
The occasional casual matches with his lovers had shown that, aside from Amelia, none could truly match him.
Thus, he had some confidence heading into the match against Roji.
His plan to use the Locus Board wager to reclaim Manya and Malisha wasn't mere bravado.
"Wow, you're pretty good, huh?"
The game had reached its midpoint.
Roji lounged half-reclined on the sofa, scrutinizing the board intently.
She played in the most orthodox style, while Si-woo—even with his penchant for bizarre tactics—stuck to fundamental strategies.
Mana sources spread across an appropriate expanse, skirmishes over key runes vital for spell completion, grand clashes to seize the center with finished spells—these cycles repeated endlessly.
Roji's skill was undeniable.
Diana was decent too, but the gap in playtime was evident.
Roji showed no gaps, handling everything with deft precision.
True to her veteran status, her surprise maneuvers and clever tricks brimmed with strategic maturity, snatching advantages from unexpected angles.
Yet the overall balance favored Si-woo 55 to Roji's 45.
A razor-thin lead for him.
This stemmed largely from Si-woo's use of cheats.
At its core, the Locus Board was a magical battle.
The Magic Eyes' ability to read mana flows rivaled a map hack.
Not only could he discern his opponent's intentions, but even elements his mind might overlook were visible to the naked eye.
In other words, Roji had managed to hold her own in a near-even game against Si-woo, who wielded his Magic Eyes to full effect.
But he intended to lose this one.
Like luring a mark at the gambling table, he'd stage a thrilling last-second reversal to draw her into the wager.
Honestly, after seeing her ‘collection,’ he had no desire to even converse face-to-face, let alone play.
It stemmed from a visceral disgust at her sacrificing others freely for her pleasure and amusement, without a shred of remorse.
Perhaps she'd grown too complacent in her ways.
Like with Dorothy, he wondered if talking might reveal some common ground.
The malice she exhaled like breath, her warped moral compass.
Wasn't that the stereotype of a villain?
"Roji."
"Hm? What?"
Still, he opened the door to conversation.
Even Diana, lagging a couple of moves behind, had spotted Si-woo's handicapping during the review.
To pull off a subtle handicap against Roji, several tiers above, he'd need to distract her.
"About your collection."
"What? Regretting turning down Mama now?"
"No, nothing like that. Just curious about something."
"Ask away."
"Are the ones in the other two rooms witches too?"
Si-woo pointed to the two doors visible behind Roji's back.
"Yeah, Mama, Manya, Malisha, and Pina—my four prized possessions."
As expected, Manya and Malisha were in there too.
About a week had passed since Alice was sold off, but seeing the black witch made him worry unnecessarily about what atrocities they might have endured.
"Strictly speaking, Manya and Malisha aren't part of my collection."
"Pardon?"
"I'm just borrowing them to play with. Ownership belongs to Rinne. Sold them as a set with Alice a while back."
Information he'd heard straight from Alice's mouth.
That made them even more suitable as wager prizes.
He wasn't seeking full ownership of witches worth tens of billions—just borrowing rights.
"Speaking of, how's Alice doing? I doted on her plenty. Heard you begged Rinne to buy her?"
"Yeah, she's doing well."
"Hahaha!"
Roji burst into sudden laughter.
Men are drawn to women who laugh easily, but now that he knew her true colors, all he could think was, What the hell is wrong with this psycho bitch?
"What's so funny?"
"It's hilarious. She acted all devoted, slaving away to protect Manya and Malisha, but the moment she slips out alone, she's living it up."
"..."
"This is why you can't trust women's friendships. Your turn."
He glanced at the board.
The runes each controlled were starting to form coherent spell shapes, signaling the endgame's approach.
With steady advances and retreats without heavy attrition, a massive melee loomed.
The perfect setup for faking a mistake to throw the game.
"Oh, not curious about this?"
"Huh?"
"How Mama became Mama."
In truth, he'd deliberately avoided mentioning her.
As mentioned earlier, he likely lacked the capacity to rescue ‘Mama.’
Unless luck struck and circumstances aligned perfectly, his situation didn't allow such meddling.
Plus, maintaining composure while she bragged might prove impossible.
He lacked confidence in hiding his revulsion.
"Mama was originally the ‘Black Witch.’ 17th Hierarchy—I bought her with an apprentice witch named Pina. She's in the room opposite Mama's."
Regardless of Si-woo's wishes, Roji launched into her unwanted boasting.
From Mama's conversation with Roji, he'd inferred a hostage situation.
The tender bond between Mama and the hostage being priestess-like.
That much he'd pieced together.
"Mama was super wild at first, wouldn't listen to a word. Like a rabid raccoon trying to bite me. So on the third day after capture, we made a contract."
"I see."
"If she played the Mama role well and obeyed me, I wouldn't touch Pina. After ten years like that, I'd release them both."
"..."
He'd planned to cut the chat short.
But his eyes locked onto the third room involuntarily.
Did the twins flash in his mind?
His hand, moving to the Locus Board, froze mid-air.
He couldn't name the emotion.
A thick, boiling tar of feeling surged up his throat, the nausea he'd barely suppressed earlier refluxing again.
"Did you keep the promise?"
"What do you think?"
If Roji casually said, "I'm not an idiot; of course not," with a laugh, a dangerous impulse to snap her neck would surge.
A shiver ran through him.
Roji, savoring the silence, flashed a wide grin revealing white teeth.
"I always keep my promises. Never laid a finger on Pina after. Though Mama never quite believed me. Well, can't blame her—we kept them apart."
"How much time's left on the term?"
"Hmm, about a month? Time flies."
"You'll release them then?"
Roji blinked in bewilderment, as if he'd asked something obvious.
"What're you saying? Of course. Mama kept her end perfectly."
Using a child as hostage to torment the mother was fine, but breaking promises wasn't?
Where did her twisted logic even begin?
Still, a corner of Si-woo's heart eased.
He wasn't sure how much to trust her word, but if the promise held, he wouldn't need to overextend himself.
"Looks like I win."
"Yeah, seems impossible to turn it around now."
After exchanging another fifty moves or so, the first game concluded.
A stable early game of consolidation.
A midgame of measured clashes and counters.
A late game slamming accumulated spells head-on.
A textbook match worthy of any Locus Board primer.
Si-woo succeeded in conceding victory by the slimmest margin.
Frankly, given her skill up to that point, he'd expected an easier reversal.
Did their conversation blunt her focus?
Her edge dulled noticeably, letting him hand her the win only at the very end.
"Fun. Been ages since a match this close. You can really play—had me worried there."
"First time facing someone your caliber, so it was a thrill for me too."
As Si-woo casually floated the seed while resetting the board, Roji perked up.
"Oh? Wanna go another round?"
"Sure, but how about we up the stakes with a little wager?"
"A wager?"
"Games are more exciting with some skin in it, right? Nothing too heavy—just something simple."
"I'm game."
He'd pitched it lightly, like friends betting drinks.
Roji bit the bait, hook, line, and sinker.
"So, what do you want?"
Ideally, sneak Manya and Malisha out now.
But even if not, alternatives worked.
If Dorothy received the magic formula and completed a dimensional transfer spell, borrowing them for half a day would suffice for escape.
With that in mind, he spoke.
"I'd like to take Manya and Malisha to the Fragrant Moon Pavilion as my maids."
"Ah, so that was your goal from the start?"
He'd planned heavier initial terms, gradually lowering them.
But Roji nodded knowingly right away.
"It's not—"
"No need to hide it. Alice must've sweet-talked you good."
Was that how she saw it?
Saved him the excuses.
"Well, something like that."
Roji stared at Si-woo for a moment before replying.
"Eh, they were tricky for me to handle anyway. That much is fine."
No probing questions or attempts to haggle down.
She accepted readily, buoyed by her recent win.
"Anything you want, Roji?"
"Nothing jumps out right now. Can I think during the game? Not pulling anything shady—just something fair."
"...Sure."
Si-woo had entered with heavy concessions, and the negotiation favored him greatly.
To keep the deal intact, he'd hear her demand later.
Even if unreasonable, winning the game nullified it.
"Shall we?"
Si-woo and Roji each claimed three new mana sources.
The second match began, with Manya and Malisha's fates on the line.