Chapter 35
Chapter 35
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 35
Chapter Title: The Witch's Provocation is Even More Stimulating
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Kirke's arrival cast an awkward silence over the three of them.
Diana, who had been blissfully savoring the touch of Kal's hands on her ears, belatedly came to her senses.
"Huh? Looks fun."
Kirke strode right up to the two of them.
She then pulled Kal toward her, as if the whole situation rubbed her the wrong way.
"What exactly are you doing right now?"
"Oh, I was learning archery from Diana."
"By massaging her shoulders?"
"Well, it's a free lesson. Gotta give a little something back."
Kal answered lightly, shrugging his shoulders.
Logically speaking, there wasn't anything wrong with it.
After a workout, a massage wasn't out of the question.
If anything, Diana was at least two hundred years older than Kal.
And she held the upper hand, teaching him for free.
But even that didn't sit right with Kirke.
"Daring to make someone else's husband do this? Are you in your right mind?"
"Wh-what? It's not like I did anything wrong."
Maybe because she felt a slight pang of guilt.
Diana's rebuttal lacked her usual arrogance.
"I allowed archery lessons. But this kind of labor is a different story entirely. Especially with my husband."
Kirke glared down at Diana with icy coldness.
Her eyes were so sharp, it seemed like flames might burst from them at any moment.
"...Don't be too hard on her, Kirke. I offered to do it."
Kal stepped in to shield Kirke.
That only poked at her temper even more.
"...You are the husband of the Great Witch Kirke. Letting others treat you like a servant damages my honor."
This was the justification behind Kirke's strong reaction.
But Kal was a master at wriggling out of situations like this.
"So, do you want me to be the kind of guy who doesn't know gratitude, Kirke?"
"...Huh?"
"Diana's teaching me archery—an elven specialty—for nothing in return. I don't think you want to dismiss that kindness."
"Ah, no, that's not what I—"
"And if she's teaching me, that makes her my teacher too. Ignoring a teacher's pain while bringing up status? That doesn't seem right, does it?"
Kirke's mouth clamped shut.
It poked at her already soft heart and her conscience,
while cleverly emphasizing only human decency, not personal desires.
If Kirke had been even a little more selfish, she might have argued back.
But she was a witch who could count the people she'd ever disliked on one hand.
"I-I..."
Above all, Kirke already harbored affection for Kal—and a subtle sense of submission.
Kal had slyly trained her that way.
Even if a retort came to mind, she worried first about whether he'd hate her for it.
"...I know you're just worried about me, Kirke."
At that point, Kal gave her an escape route.
In a gentle voice reserved only for his beloved wife.
"Still, try not to treat me too special. I need to learn to stand on my own."
"Mm, I see. I think I got too emotional. Sorry."
And just like that, Kirke was the one apologizing.
Even though Kal had been the one cozying up to another woman.
"Ahem! R-right! Kal's like my temporary disciple. He can handle this much."
Diana, who had been watching nervously, chimed in carefully.
Unlike her beloved husband, that brazen attitude grated on Kirke terribly.
"...Insensitive bitch."
"Wh-what?!"
Kirke's mutter was quiet, but not quiet enough for elven ears to miss.
Ignoring Diana's stunned expression, Kirke licked her lips in frustration.
'...She really gets under my skin.'
Kal was undoubtedly her husband.
But letting this elf stick to him all day for training?
Men and women touching skin to skin like that?
'...And what's with that slutty outfit?'
Kirke glared at Diana's clothes with clear displeasure.
Her belly, sides, and curves all on display.
From Kirke's perspective, it looked like nothing less than an outfit meant to seduce a man.
And Diana had indeed chosen it with that intent, to no small degree.
'This elf wedging herself between us just to mess with me...'
Kal's position made it hard to complain outright.
But backing down felt bitter.
So Kirke's next move was a bit impulsive.
"Kal."
"Yes?"
"Well, I'll be going then. Say your goodbyes. Like. You. Always. Do."
"Mm?!"
As if it were no big deal, she said it lightly on purpose.
Then Kirke wrapped her arms around Kal's neck and kissed him on the lips.
"Mmwah... slurp..."
Kal was caught off guard for a moment.
But he quickly caught on, embracing her and responding in kind.
"Mm, mmm... smooch, haa..."
A sticky kiss, sucking on lips and tangling tongues.
As if to show off deliberately, Kirke was even more aggressive than usual.
"Wh-what?"
Diana blinked at the sight in disbelief.
She never imagined that boring Great Witch would deep-kiss right in front of her.
"Haa... so good... haa! More... ♥"
To provoke Diana's earlier actions, she pressed her body even closer.
Hugging Kal tight, she shared a kiss with her beloved husband.
With a blissful expression, devouring him.
She sneaks a glance.
Turning only her eyes toward Diana.
That look clearly held feminine rivalry—and a sense of superiority.
'That... bitch...?'
It wasn't the gaze of someone looking at a guest.
It was closer to one aimed at a romantic rival.
And her actual feelings probably weren't far off.
'Ha. Unbelievable.'
So Kirke was 'deliberately' kissing him to flaunt it.
Showing that she and Kal could kiss like this in front of others, and it didn't matter.
Sure, couples do that sometimes—but at this timing, so blatantly?
The intent was so transparent that Diana felt her insides boil even more.
Especially since she had to just watch the overt provocation.
'...No wonder it stirs up desires that weren't even there.'
As the rumors went, elves were the type to want something even more when provoked.
The throne of the Great Witch Kirke.
And Medeia, Kal's dedicated maid.
She had spent a long time with Kirke.
Since Kirke had taken her in at birth,
their bond was no different from mother and daughter.
They treated each other as such.
Though propriety was maintained due to their positions as Great Witch and secretary,
their feelings were no less than any other mother and daughter.
So Medeia could read Kirke's mood perfectly.
'She's in an even worse mood today.'
She'd been low-energy since morning.
I thought she'd perk up after lunch,
but it got worse—she was even biting her nails.
'...What happened this morning?'
Kirke was kind and gentle to everyone.
It was rare for her to show her emotions this strongly.
Making the Great Witch feel better was part of a secretary's duties.
Medeia cautiously spoke up.
"Great Witch, is something bothering you?"
"Huh? Oh, no. Bothering me? Why would I let something like that get to me?"
She hadn't even mentioned anything specific, yet this response.
Definitely serious.
'...I've never seen Kirke like this before.'
It was probably that pervert's fault.
Kirke had changed a bit since meeting him.
Medeia personally viewed the change positively,
but with the elf arrow issue ongoing, this was inconvenient.
"Is it that man, Kal?"
"H-hah! No! It's not like that!"
Strong denial often means strong affirmation, they say.
Kirke's flustered face was blatantly obvious.
"If you need my help, just say so anytime. I've been observing him up close, after all."
"Ah, mm..."
As if struck by sudden realization from Medeia's words,
Kirke pondered, then asked cautiously.
"Um, Medeia."
"Yes, Kirke?"
"This is about a friend of mine, not me."
...Does she really think that excuse will fly?
Medeia, ever the top-tier maid, let it slide.
"Her husband only has eyes for her, but she wants even more of that. Though she's already loved plenty compared to what she's done."
"......I see."
"So, what do men usually like women to do for them?"
"You're talking about Kal Mars, right?"
"Eek!"
Kirke's face flushed red as she nodded.
"Y-yes. Right. Thinking of my husband just makes my heart race..."
Her expression was that of a girl freshly in love.
Any ordinary man would pledge eternity just seeing that face.
Kirke was utterly lovable right now.
It meant her feelings for Kal ran that deep.
'...She's really hung up on that man.'
Medeia's mind and heart, meanwhile, remained ice cold.
To her, he was a repulsive, trashy pervert.
She couldn't fathom how he came up with such twisted ideas.
But she acknowledged his competence in his own way.
At least as a husband, he was fulfilling his role.
Kirke truly loved him now,
and their nights... were more active than expected.
'Ways to please a man like that.'
It didn't seem hard.
"That man likes lewd things."
"Pfft! Th-that's... well, true."
Even Kirke couldn't deny it.
"And his tastes are particularly perverted. He enjoys women serving him."
"...Kal does have a mischievous side."
Could you really call it just 'mischievous'?
No—even sweet Kirke described her husband that way.
Medeia hadn't witnessed their sex life firsthand,
but Kirke had surely endured plenty.
'Tch.'
Clicking her tongue lightly at the thought, Medeia continued.
"Among those, he seems especially into women's outfits—cosplay, that sort of thing."
"Cosplay... like Halloween costumes?"
"Yes, something like that."
Witches were women too, and they enjoyed dressing up.
They kept up with all sorts of fashions.
Some sensual styles from the human world had trickled in.
To an all-female witch society, they were just fashion.
"Why not try a sexy outfit for a fresh experience? He's simple—he'll love it."
"A fr-fresh experience. Hmm~ I see."
Kirke blushed faintly and nodded.
She seemed to have an idea.
'...Did I do the right thing?'
Medeia wondered inwardly, but she was confident.
If this beautiful, lovable Kirke dressed in something 'special',
that man would pounce like a dog in heat.