City of Witches

༺ Genius (1) ༻

Siwoo was under the post-nut-clarity state for a long period of time, too long in fact.

Even though it had been two days since his departure from Tarot Town, he still couldn’t help but grasp his head with frustration and self-loath whenever he remembered the events that transpired in that trip.

“Fuck… Why the fuck did I even go out of my way to do all that?”

Of course, it wasn’t him who started all this. Odil and Odette, the twin witch apprentices, were to be blamed for starting this farce, in the first place.

However, Siwoo also shared some of the blame for playing along with the whims of the dastardly twins.

If he were to say that he felt bad for tricking the twins and enjoying the whole process, then the only response to that statement would be that he was lying his ass off.

Of course, he felt immense joy in taking advantage of those damn bitches! Replying with anything else would be a straight-out lie on his part.

However, the sense of immorality wasn’t Siwoo’s concern at the present moment. There were much more pressing matters that contributed to his anxiety.

Halfway through the act, Siwoo started manipulating the twins for his own whims and even actively took part in the whole farce.

In hindsight, that was a really risky thing to do on his part.

If this incident was to be ever revealed in the future, there would be a significant difference between defending with words along the lines of, “I was merely tied up and beaten!” and saying the ugly truth that, “I wanted to feel the warmth inside of their mouth, so I made them suck my dick.”

The former, even though extremely tough, still had the most minuscule chances of his survival. However, the latter would only result in a straight-out death penalty for him. There was not a single doubt in his mind about that being the only outcome.

Even if, in some miraculous way, Siwoo was revealed to be a wizard with high prospects, Even if Siwoo was a wizard, they would never spare the unscrupulous man who messed with an apprentice witch — or in this case, witches — who was the equivalent of a child at most.

“Yet, it felt so good.”

Abruptly, a fleeting memory of the events that transpired that day played in his mind.

The twins’ soft tongue and hot mouth, followed by the dizzying sense of ejaculation and intense unforgettable euphoria.

The sensations frequently resurfaced in his psyche like phantom pain.

Just thinking about those lewd events was enough to make his dick start hardening with vigor. He had no choice but to hit his little brother a few times to calm it down before getting on with his work of sweeping the living quarters with his trusty broom.

As there were no lessons today and Amelia didn’t assign him to do any of her petty tasks, which were simply acts of bullying in disguise, all his work had been completed before the advent of dusk.

The living quarters had been a place of solace for him, so he had been diligent in keeping it as clean as he possibly could. From the moment he had chanced upon this barn almost five years ago, he had never neglected at maintaining the hygiene of this place.

“Why are you in such a good mood?”

“Argh!”

“My, my! How noisy!.”

The unexpected squeaky sound of a feminine chuckle greatly startled Siwoo…

“Hello? How have you been doing, Mr. Assistant?”

“Hello”

The unexpected visitors, in this makeshift home of his, were none other than Odil and Odette.

Since that fateful day, two days had already passed. He wasn’t called to attend the class as an assistant, in the meantime, so it had been two days since he had met the twins.

Whenever he saw Amelia and the twins, he realized that beautiful people had the innate power that could influence the atmosphere around them.

With the appearance of the twins, he couldn’t help but mistake the run-down stable for a ballroom. That was just the kind of presence the twins held.

Both the twins were so identical, that it was mind-boggling. The same appearance, the same hairstyle done up in a bun, the same jewelry, the same attire.

The two gorgeous girls with mischievous smiles had such similar figures, he felt a weird sense of awkwardness whenever he saw them together like this.

He tried his best, even today, to deceive Amelia and not let her get any inkling of his connection with the twins.

However, nobody knew if his arduous efforts would succeed or fail, in the end.

“So, what brings you here, honorable madams?”

Cautiously, Siwoo tilted his broom and asked them a simple question.

He honestly didn’t know how to cope with their presence. A sense of guilt was washing over him as he saw them right now which made it hard for him to keep eye contact with them.

“Why did you come here? This is an employee’s quarter! What if someone suspects something? We’ll both be in trouble if that were to be the case.”

In 9 out of 10 cases, someone would definitely become suspicious if the twins, who had never been personally involved with Siwoo before, suddenly went out of their way to visit the barn he called his home.

That line of thought was more than enough to fright Siwoo out of his wits.

“Suspect something? I don’t remember doing anything that would make us suspicious though…

“You call this shabby place home…? My sincere condolences, Mr. Assistant…”

While Odil replied accordingly, Odette, on the other hand, was much more concerned about his living conditions rather than the pressing matter at hand. It was evident from her reply that she couldn’t help but be shocked by the fact that someone could live in a place that could only be called an animal cage at best.

Siwoo honestly felt perplexed.

Siwoo wanted the sisters gone from his residence, that too as soon as humanly possible. He didn’t have the mind to give a shit about their contradicting reactions.

The pair of apprentice witches were fundamentally more flexible than Amelia, a full-fledged witch. However, they were still witches, at the end of the day. They simply had no regard for other people’s problems or circumstances.

“How rude of you!!. We actually came to this rundown place to give you a gift, you know?”

“Gift?”

Ignoring the gaze of vigilance that Siwoo was directing towards them, Odette, with utmost elegance, handed a luxurious wooden box over to Siwoo.

The box was so luxurious that…any ordinary person would use it as a jewel box without a second thought. However, for someone of Odil’s stature, it was hardly anything more than a simple wooden box.

“What is this?”

“This is the compensation that Mr. Assistant was supposed to receive it from the shop owner the other day. He asked me to hand it over to you.”

“Oh”

Hearing the charming witch’s explanation, he was reminded of the incident that happened on that fateful day, just before his naughty time with the pair of aspiring witches.

Soon after, Siwoo opened the box.

The box’s items consisted of a small leather pouch full of silver coins, a bundle of high quality magic paper, which appeared expensive at a glance, and a small bottle full of unknown liquid.

There was a small note placed under the contents of the box.

『Dear Mr. Siwoo, I apologize for the incident which transpired the other day. I’m so ashamed, I don’t think I have it in me to raise my face before you ever again. I forgot about the most vital characteristic of a merchant: trust. So, I implore you to let me have a go at it again. Will you come to the store again if you don’t mind? I’d like to treat you to a meal, my savior.』

It was a short letter, barely containing any words. However, oddly enough, that characteristic made it seem oddly genuine and heartfelt to Siwoo.

He didn’t realize it at first because he didn’t have enough time, but eventually the realization of what he actually did dawned upon him.

Siwoo risked his life to confront a witch for a dying scammer.

“He must have been ashamed due to his conduct. He also wrote a letter to me, but I guess I must have ignored it. I removed it from the box too, so you don’t need to look for it there.”

He was thrilled to be the protagonist of a fairy tale for a change.

“This is mana water?”

“Well, it is, but it’s a bit more special. It’s a product of the Emerald Tablet Society’s communal workshop. It is quite hard to get if I say so myself.”

Odette gave a more detailed explanation of the product to Siwoo.

Tucking it between the bundle of magic paper, preventing it from any chances of breaking, Siwoo carefully lifted the bottle up and examined it with his eyes.

A wax seal was placed on the label of the bottle to prove its authenticity and its sealed state.

The liquid inside the bottle was extremely clear, enough for him to see through the other side, and gave off a bright blue color.

Clearly, it was a high-purity magic potion used by the witches for research.

Suppressing the rising smirk that was about to form on Siwoo’s lips, he asked her a pressing question…

“Can I have all of them?”

Odil waved her hand indifferently, signaling her consent to him.

“Fine by me. Well, to me, these things are unimportant. Besides, why not just fix this ugly house with that money while you’re at it?”

“Thank you very much.”

Siwoo bowed his head in gratitude.

This was an astronomical gain for a slave like him.

Not only had he acquired a magic potion for enhancement purposes, but it also turned out to be a high quality potion that was manufactured by the esteemed Emerald Tablet alchemy society.

But, even though it was such a high-quality potion, there was no way for him to retrieve its contents after using it to complete his magic circle.

Still, he found solace in the fact that… The amount of mana concentrated in the potion was enough to activate Siwoo’s magic.

“I want to treat you to something, but…as you can see, this is merely a rundown barn. But I promise that I’ll do my best to repay your kindness somehow. Then, I’ll be seeing you off now.”

“Wait a minute.”

Thinking about his massive harvest, Siwoo was beaming with delight. However, as he was about to lead the twins out of his residence, their sudden refusal made him stiffen on the spot.

Wild delusional thoughts began spiraling in his mind. Maybe this time around, they were attempting to practice sex education a little differently than the normal method.

Siwoo resolved himself. No matter what they asked of him, he would surely refuse and drive them away from his residence, by hook or crook.

“The magic of opening the gate to your homeland that you said you were creating. I can take a look at it for you. “

“Pardon? I’m grateful for your offer, but I don’t feel that to be necessary.

What was this all about again?

It would undoubtedly be of huge help to him if Odil, the Count’s apprentice witch, could aid him in adding or modifying the theory he created through his arduous research.

However, this sudden show of kindness from a witch was so uncharacteristic of them that Siwoo couldn’t help but be taken aback by this gesture.

Besides, since it was the goodwill of Odil in question, Siwoo was hesitant as she could be up to something… Something that only spelled trouble for him…

“Didn’t you actively collaborate with us as well? So, we’ll assist you in your escape. I have discussed it with Odil and she agrees too. “

“What do I have to do then?”

Siwoo cut straight to the heart of the situation, boldly asking her what they wanted in exchange for the help they would provide to him. There was no hesitation in his voice as he demanded their terms.

A bold and knowing smile framed Odil’s enchanting face. Her subtle expression made clear that she knew that Siwoo would be able to catch the subtlety in her speech and also agree to this matter,

“Yes, just as planned. From now on, come to Tarot Town’s hideout every weekend without exception.”

That was great.

All he had to do was to keep his mouth shut and accept their offer.

But that didn’t mean it was a loss for him.

Moreover, if Odil had already decided on the matter then there was no way that Siwoo could reject her anyways.

Even if she just pretended to negotiate with him, it was a thing to be appreciated.

“Alright.”

He pulled up the straw with his hand and revealed the box hidden underneath.

It was a magic theory book with 228 sheets of paper, all of them being the size of an A4 sheet.

The formulas and calculations that Siwoo had made for the creation of the magic circle, the blueprint for drawing up the mana formation, as well as the expected values and thoughts related to it that were determined through deep experimentation were all inside the theory book.

“Here you go.”

Odil looked astonished for a moment as she took the paper with letters and formulas written on both sides.

2.

Making a magic circle with a certain amount of complexity was not dissimilar to composing a symphony.

A magnificent symphony of strings, percussion, woodwinds, brass, keyboards, and so on and so forth.

Similar to how numerous melodies were blended to form a beautiful harmony, diverse magic formulas, letters, and magic must be combined to create a beautiful harmony of magical creation. It was a form of art so to speak.

Could a gifted composer even create a symphony with his eyes closed?

No, it was impossible.

Even a witch with a keen intellect couldn’t create all of the magic circles above a certain size and complexity using mental arithmetic alone.

They calculated and completed the detailed form of the magic circle through painstaking efforts and research, memorized it, and then casted it.

In this sense, activating magic was similar to making a composition.

Witches, like musicians, needed appropriate directions and corrections in order to be successful with their magic.

Anyway, Siwoo had spent three years painstakingly writing down the draft of the magic circle that would open the door leading to his home.

The draft contained all of the calculations, split experiments, and conceptions; he was about to complete the massive magical circle by connecting the entire map to create a cohesive whole, the formation that would allow him to get out of this hell.

Odil and Odette sat side by side, intently studying Siwoo’s draft of the magical circle.

It had been about 3 minutes since they started skimming through his theory book.

Were they properly reading it? Odil’s hand, which was turning the pages at an inexplicable speed, stopped as soon as he had that thought.

“”UNBELIEVABLE….!””

Odil and Odette both yelled at the same time.

Lowering his face, Siwoo fixed his gaze on the page the twins were reading currently. Seeing their incredulous reaction, he was worried that the magic formula that he had developed through painstaking research might be flawed.

Since he didn’t have the ‘Brand’ of the witches, Siwoo had integrated a different method into his formula to activate the magic formation. Calculating the raw mana required to trigger the formation, he developed a formula to use the magic potion to compensate for the mana provided by a witch.

“Is there something wrong with the formula?”

To his question, Odette spoke out instead of Odil. In response I closed my mouth and frowned.

“Did Mr. Assistant really write all this?”

“Yes?”

“Without any assistance or corrections made by anyone? Are you sure?”

“Yes. I’m sure.”

“You’ve never been taught magic, right? So, you acquired the knowledge all on your own, right? “

“Something like that… Yes.”

After the sudden questionnaire session ended, Odette couldn’t help but leak out an astonished sigh.

Hearing Siwoo’s remarks, the twins couldn’t help but be astonished once again, both now lost in a plethora of thoughts. Meanwhile, Siwoo remained ignorant of the situation. He couldn’t figure out just what in hell happened for the twins to react like that…

“Did I mess up something?”

Siwoo felt anxious that he might have made a blister.

The magic circle, which unlocks the “gate” finally developed by Siwoo, was a variable magic method consisting of six ductility, n changes (flexible changes depending on variables), and one development.

To ensure the greatest amount of stability and flexible adaptation to any circumstances, Siwoo implemented a formula with 540 runes of 34 types as the magical composition of the formation. Moreover, a composition of approximately 258 ‘branches’ were used between the comprising magic circles.

As it was simply impossible for someone like him, with no ‘Brand’ to utilize mana, to test such a large magical formation, he decided to divide the formation in 88 individual sections. Then he tried to check them for any errors, write down the results on paper, then activate all of them separately and again measure them for any errors and judge their functionality.

His experiments produced fruitful results back then… However…

Could there have been some issues after they were combined to form the formation?

His heart was pounding hard from the worry he felt. He just couldn’t accept the fact that his three years of hard work may all have gone down the drain. He was anxious and scared of the results.

“I don’t get it. How can this formula be even derived? I think probably only three calculations were overlooked…”

“Hey…if both of you don’t mind, could you explain to me what the problem is in the formula?”

To his question, Odil couldn’t help but direct a look packed with absurdity toward Siwoo…

“Problem?”

Siwoo gulped when she heard him reply. This was it… The moment of truth that would determine his fate.

“Do you mean, Mr. Assistant is a man who can wield self essence magic without a brand?”

“Yes?”

Why is she talking about self essence magic suddenly?

“It’s a one-of-a-kind and new derivative magic formula that you created here. It is a method that deviates from the existing model, creating something completely unique. I’ll be honest with you, Mr. Assistant… I’m not sure if I understood even half of it. I believe Odette is the same.”

“It’s not true! I understand about 55% of the formula.”

Odette’s ranting simply went unheard as Odil totally ignored her.

“It’s structurally perfect. The layout of the runes is also correct. Yeah, you asked me what’s wrong, right? The biggest problem is that there is no way to calculate and verify this formation. As this is a self essence magic unique to you, only you may be able to employ this magic.”

Odil had an odd mix of confusion and bewilderment plastered on her face. She just couldn’t believe what she was seeing with her own two eyes.

“”You are a genius, Mr. Assistant. And that too of unparalleled proportions.””

“Well, maybe not as much as us though…”

Odette quietly added to the mix, but her voice was ignored once again. She herself didn’t believe that after all.