Chapter 56
Chapter 56. Witch × Young Lady (1)
Penelope couldn't quite grasp the current situation.
What on earth was happening in the dead of night?
The big fish she'd been trying to hook by watching for any opportunity had jumped out of the water, opened the hotel door, and walked in on its own.
"Give me another glass."
Moreover, Isolde seemed to really like the Cola, gulping it down enthusiastically.
"My throat stings...."
"It's because of the carbonation. There's plenty, so drink slowly."
This was definitely a windfall if anything....
How should she put it?
It was more nerve-wracking than expected.
Just as the Hanbin she respected handled 'Creation,' which was called the realm of gods, Isolde was a legendary alchemist who handled 'Life.'
She was an existence that anyone walking the path of alchemy couldn't help but look up to.
At first, even Penelope, who was never intimidated anywhere, had been overwhelmed.
Not just called a legendary alchemist in name, but truly a 'legend' itself.
Naturally, she'd expected someone filled with some kind of unrealistic dignity, fairy-tale-like mysticism....
"Burp—!"
Watching Isolde burp from drinking too much Cola and surprising herself....
It kind of shattered the illusion.
"I keep burping."
"As I mentioned earlier, it's because of the carbonation. You must really like the Cola?"
"I don't like this aspect. But will you give me another glass?"
"Yes, of course. I'll pack some for you to take on your way back."
"Thank you."
Thanks to that, her tension dissipated quickly, so now it was time to get to the main point.
Just as she was pondering how to grease the wheels without being too obvious.
"Can I see your hands?"
The timing was stolen.
"Pardon?"
"Both hands."
At the strange request spoken so casually, Penelope extended her hands in bewilderment.
Isolde's slender fingers interlaced with hers, joint by joint.
Their palms touched in interlocked hands.
At that cool and soft sensation, Penelope was considerably flustered.
She couldn't pinpoint exactly what to say, but wasn't this a bit too intimate a way to hold hands?
"Isolde...?"
—Woooooong
Before she could even gasp, magic power surged and flowed into Penelope's circuits.
Penelope, who had been flustered by the sudden skinship, snapped to attention.
"Isolde! What are you doing right now! The magic power...."
"Shh. Stay still."
She tried to raise her own magic power to resist, but it was no use.
Isolde's magic power pressed down on Penelope's resistance and flowed in steadily.
Pushing magic power into another person's magic circuits was something even very close people didn't do.
If the one injecting had even slightly bad intentions, they could turn someone into a semi-cripple,
And even without malice, a small mistake could cause a catastrophe.
Even without both malice and mistakes, if they weren't constitutionally compatible, it would cause a rejection reaction like transfusing incompatible blood types.
Either way, it was a major accident.
'What is she doing?!!!!'
Penelope screamed internally, worried that Isolde's concentration might waver.
The magic power had already penetrated.
Forcibly tearing it away in this state would only lead to trouble.
Just as her spine tingled and cold sweat was about to flow.
Penelope felt warmth spreading through her circuits.
"Ah...."
The magic power that entered from Isolde's palm was extremely mystical.
Like great nature itself, not even making her think of resisting.
Like deep green vegetation, overflowing with vitality.
Warm magic power like being held in a mother's embrace.
A cool and pleasant freshness spread through her magic circuits like putting mint candy in them.
"Done."
The magic power that had been wandering through her circuits was gathered back to Isolde.
Isolde let go of her hands.
Penelope, who hurriedly released her hands, also clenched and unclenched her fists for no reason.
"This is...."
It was an unfamiliar sensation she'd never felt before.
A feeling of her magic circuits being purified? Expanded?
Her body felt indescribably light.
"What was that just now?"
"I worked on your magic circuits a bit. There was useless stuff piled up all over, so I cleaned it while I was at it."
Worked on her magic circuits? Cleaned them?
Magic circuits weren't coal stoves—could that even be done?
"Would you try raising your magic power?"
"Right now?"
"To confirm it was cleaned well."
"Ah."
She lightly raised her magic power as Isolde said.
"Huh?"
Penelope was shocked.
The condition of her magic circuits was different.
The amount of magic power she could hold had increased by what felt like 1.2 times or more.
Right now, she felt like she could create flames even without a catalyst.
Because Penelope had seriously walked the path of an alchemist, she could tell immediately.
Isolde had bestowed great favor upon Penelope.
However, one question still remained.
"Why would you do this for me...."
"Just because."
"Perhaps you have some relationship with the Rosemore Count Family...."
"No."
Then again, she'd often heard rumors about Isolde.
Looking at Rosemore and doing something for them—Isolde was originally a reclusive eccentric filled with mysticism.
Considering her abilities and achievements, she could have easily received a count title and more, but reportedly had no faction she'd built up.
No matter how she looked at it, there should be no connection whatsoever with Penelope....
If it was neither this nor that....
"Perhaps... do I have genius talent as an alchemist?"
Had Isolde recognized that talent and bestowed this opportunity?
"No, your talent is ordinary."
It wasn't that.
Penelope's lips pouted slightly.
"No, it's not ordinary."
Penelope brightened up with a smile.
"Slightly above ordinary. About 6.5 out of 10."
Penelope was disappointed again.
Without even time to recover from her disappointment, Isolde stood up from her seat.
Her attitude suggested her business was finished.
"You're leaving already?"
"Little one, will you participate in this Red Moon subjugation?"
"Huh? Yes, for now. I'm not a little one though...."
"What's your assignment?"
"Actually, I was going to ask you about that...."
"Come into my team. I need a kid to assist me."
"...!"
"I'll take the Cola."
Isolde disappeared as suddenly as she'd appeared.
Penelope, who had been dazed as if bewitched by a goblin, soon came to her senses.
"I did it! I did it! What is this?"
She didn't know what was what.
Really didn't know at all, but things worked out incredibly well!
She'd been planning to ask Isolde to get her a good position, but beyond her wildest dreams, she'd ended up joining Isolde's team for the subjugation.
With this, she could even aim for a medal awarded by the royal family.
What kind of medal it would be depends on performance, but all medals came with 'tax reduction benefits.'
Including corporate tax!
"Hehehe...."
She felt like her spoils from this Red Moon would be much more substantial.
***
The Richfield Hotel had various lounges.
From the lobby lounge that was a meeting plaza for social circles, to the library lounge where one could enjoy reading and contemplation, to the exclusive lounge for the highest-grade room guests.
Among them, the club lounge was a small-scale lounge for private conversations.
Though small-scale, befitting the hotel's reputation, everything from the wooden bookshelves to the leather sofas was top-grade.
Cultured classical music flowing from the phonograph and incense imported from the East.
It was a space crafted by gathering only the stylish parts of the eastern and western continents.
In the rented-out club lounge, four heroes were raising their glasses late into the night.
Though they were grouped together as the Six Heroes of the Great Subjugation, they each had their own responsibilities and positions in daily life, so they couldn't meet often.
This gathering with comrades they'd shared hardships with for five whole years was rare.
They had much to discuss, and naturally the drinking session grew long.
Kaylus the 'Sword Saint' spoke with a face flushed from alcohol.
"But Isolde and Hanbin really don't get along, right?"
"Now, now, Kaylus. You're quite drunk."
"Brok, you're curious too, aren't you? That's why Hanbin hasn't come once when we've gathered. He says it's because of work, but isn't it because it's awkward to see Isolde?"
"Kaylus."
Old Man Brok tried to gently admonish him, but for some reason, even Ravina, who usually mediated, took Kaylus's side.
"I am curious. From what I remember... those two looked almost like lovers."
"That's what I'm saying! There was definitely something brewing between them, but by the end of the subjugation they'd completely split."
"...Was it a lovers' quarrel?"
"Hmm, that makes sense."
Even Stella, who would normally call a stop in this situation, joined in.
She too had held this as a lingering question.
"Now, now. Gossiping about someone in their absence isn't proper."
"Old Man Brok, we're not doing this for fun. If we want them to get along like before, we need to know why they fought, don't we?"
"If you're that curious, why not ask Isolde directly?"
"Stop joking. I'm scared of Isolde. I can't even tell what she's thinking."
Isolde was also a comrade during the Great Subjugation.
However, she was a heterogeneous presence in the team.
Rather than others excluding her, she herself had no will to blend in at all.
She wasn't the warm type to respond when spoken to, so even emotional exchange was kept to a minimum.
As a result, there was a psychological distance compared to other colleagues.
A distance that seemed close at first glance but would never narrow.
If Hanbin hadn't played the role of mediator, they'd still be strangers even now.
"Actually, I saw it once."
"Saw what?"
"The scene of the two of them arguing. I was far away so I couldn't hear well, but...."
"Really?!"
Stella cautiously spoke up.
She said she'd witnessed from a distance the two of them arguing while sparks flew.
The atmosphere seemed so serious that eavesdropping didn't seem right, so she'd withdrawn.
Since they were such close friends, she'd inwardly thought they'd make up soon, but the result was as everyone knew.
Their relationship had become irreparably strained.
"It's puzzling. Hanbin, who cared for Isolde so much... why did they fight?"
"Curious?"
Everyone's hearts nearly jumped out.
Because Isolde, who definitely hadn't been there moments ago, had suddenly appeared in the lounge.
"I-Isolde? Wh-when did you arrive?"
"Ka-Kaylus! Kaylus started it! That bastard's the problem!"
"Hey, hey! Why just me!"
Isolde quelled the commotion with her characteristically flat, plain tone.
"I'll tell you."
"Pardon?"
"You said you were curious."
"Well, yes, but...."
Isolde didn't seem particularly angry about the gossip.
However, she stroked her lips as if pondering something deeply, then opened her mouth.
"During the subjugation of the eastern Deep Sea Demon Realm, we got caught up in the Order's ritual. It was a ritual to summon an avatar of 'The Devourer.'"
As always, Isolde's explanation wasn't kind.
However, Stella, the church's saint, understood immediately.
"Wait a moment. Did you say a ritual to summon an avatar?"
"Avatar? What's that?"
"An avatar is... a form where an evil god descends to this world through a proxy's body. It's essentially a dangerous entity no different from an Apocalypse Class monster."
Not everyone had Stella's knowledge about dark mages.
Their enemies were monsters, not 'the Order.'
However, everyone knew the danger level of 'Apocalypse Class' monsters.
Apocalypse Class.
A danger level ranked exactly five times in human history.
Each time one appeared, heroes and champions who dominated the continent died by the dozens, and there were cases where a nation mobilized its full power to subjugate one and then walked the path of decline.
During the Great Subjugation, they'd barely succeeded in subjugation, but it was a monster they never wanted to encounter again.
"Only me, Hanbin, and Beatrice were there."
"Beatrice?"
"I stopped the summoning by sacrificing Vic. Vic's circuits were optimized for sealing."
"...?"
"Thanks to it, the summoning ended incomplete, but Hanbin seemed very angry."
Silence fell.
Everyone was staring at Isolde with blank expressions.
"Ha, hahaha...."
Kaylus was the first to burst into laughter.
Starting with that, everyone let out awkward laughs.
After all, the words that flowed from Isolde's mouth were far too absurd.
To begin with, they'd never even heard the name Beatrice, and Isolde, who was spouting such serious words, didn't look serious at all.
Her matter-of-factness seemed like a gentle rebuke for rude curiosity.
"Isolde, if you don't want to talk about it, you don't have to. I feel somewhat sorry...."
"I should have cut it off appropriately.... To be honest, I wanted to see Hanbin and the Witch reconcile."
"It's not true, right?"
Isolde stared at such colleagues and opened her mouth.
"It's a joke."
"Phew."
"What kind of joke is that?"
A round of deflated laughter flowed.
"I don't know what you fought about, but I hope it works out well so Hanbin can join us next time."
"Right. The kid's annoying, but now that I don't see him, I kind of miss him."
"Witch, please sit down. We met after so long—isn't this too cold? We should do what we always did before going out."
"Ah, I forgot about the toast."
Isolde nodded.
"I brought something just for this."
Isolde rummaged in her cloak and pulled something out.
"Hmm? Oh! Isn't that Cola?"
"Cola? What's that? Alcohol?"
"It's a beverage popular in the North. I saw it during the march—everyone was holding one."
It was the seven bottles of Cola she'd packed after working on Penelope's magic circuits earlier.
"Oho, the bottle has quite an unusual shape."
"But why seven bottles?"
"Hanbin's share."
"Even including Hanbin who's not here, there are six of us."
Kaylus expressed his doubt, but.
"Just because."
"Aha."
He was convinced by Isolde's clear explanation.
Right! The Witch has always had a unique character anyway!
Leaving two bottles of Cola on the table, the remaining five held bottles in their hands.
"Now then, let's vigorously crush them again this time and return!"
The mouths of the Cola bottles clinked together with a clink.
Abundant Cola foam overflowed in the process.
"What is this! It's incredibly delicious? Heh heh heh heh!! Ah, my throat stings!"
"Hey! Kaylus! You stupid bastard, seriously! It's all splashing!"
"Ooh, how fascinating! I should pack some when I go back."
"The taste is good, but... it's not made with impure ingredients, is it?"
Isolde stepped back from her noisily chattering colleagues and watched them quietly....
"......"
She shifted her gaze to the two remaining Cola bottles and clinked them together as if toasting.