Chapter 205 – #45_Those Who Almost Lost (4)

#203

One.
Duke of Eloa Tiphareth.
Lost her apprentice witch 100 years ago to the Witch of Aquarius.
Created a location point.

I had heard a lot about this and that from Sharon, but it was the first time I had ever had a proper conversation like this.
What we had at the shopping mall today was too one-sided to be a conversation.
Maybe that’s why I was able to observe her a little more closely.

Pink hair, never seen before in Gehenna, where there are all kinds of hair colors.
Walking around Hongdae area in Shinchon, I can say that there are people who dye their hair pink like that after completely bleaching their hair.
That there would be no one with that hair that suited him better than Tiphareth.

Firm lips and solemn, well-groomed eyebrows.
And maybe because of his unique serious atmosphere, I thought he was quite an adult until now, but he’s smaller than I thought.
Slightly larger than the twins and slightly smaller than Amelia?
Especially because of the color of her eyes and hair, she tended to look a little younger.

I know it’s an evaluation that doesn’t fit the situation at all, but it’s still beautiful.
Should I call it surreal beauty?
Those tightly closed petal-like lips opened, waiting for a question to come, but there was no word for a long time.

“Oh, do I have to ask first?”
“That’s right. The explanation was insufficient.”

Siu opened his mouth without hesitation.
Pretty is pretty
I wanted to ask this even though I was a little angry.

“I know you misunderstood, but isn’t it too much for you to attack me without thinking? Besides, it wasn’t just me, but other people were also caught up in it. Even if I could have done that under the circumstances, you even attacked the witch next to me… Why did you do that?”

When she first met her, her embarrassment subsided and she had time to calm down, and her displeasure popped out.
Siuya was using the ribbon, and at the time, even his face was covered with armor, so let’s say it was an unavoidable misunderstanding.
But Sharon felt that she had done something wrong and that she had to face it.

“…We should be able to find out whether it’s a misunderstanding or not. And I have a suspicion that you are either Ea Sadalmelik himself or related to her. Even now, there is no change. She thought that the witch might be a hindrance or collaborator disguised as a third party in the case of her, so she only stopped it.”
“So, Sharon… You mean she was going to harm the green-haired witch too?”

The Duke, who lost a loved one and wandered the world for revenge, may turn a blind eye.
Siwoo was able to make extenuating circumstances up to that point.
He got sick for a while anyway, but he got better and wasn’t particularly traumatized.
But she saw Sharon sad.
She had no intention of ever forgiving him.

“One question at a time.”
“Ask me anything.”
“……”

Tiphareth was quietly silent at Siwoo’s words, which had a hint of rebuke, and then continued.
Siwoo also cooled his head, which was burning with excitement, and crossed his arms.
I don’t think it would be good to have more emotions than this.

“What is your relationship with Ea Sadalmelik?”
“It’s a bitch. Because that bad bitch came in and tore out my eyes. At that time, his head was also injured and he was near death.”

It was an immediate answer.
In fact, Siwoo’s feelings toward Ea were atrocious.
It was because he was the one who dug out his eyes with his thumb as if he was having fun at the fact that the murder of several witches and apprentice witches, in itself, gave rise to physiological disgust.
Just thinking about her face replays the pain I felt then.

As soon as Siwoo’s reply cut like a knife, one of the three flashing letters turned off.
Tiphareth looked at the letter with trembling eyes.
This is because it proves that they exchanged a question and answer with each other, and that there was no lie in the question and answer.

It was confusing.
Seeu’s question again.

“It is the same question as before. Did you mean to hurt Sharon on the spot too?”
“…Not that frivolous. She intended to scare her to some extent so that she would tell the truth…”
“Is that why you bother him so much? Do you know how much he cried when he came home?”
“……..”
“Anyway, I have nothing more to ask. Ask the rest.”

On the contrary, Eloah is being pushed as if being oppressed.
It was a very shrunken look, no matter where the dignified look from earlier had gone.

“…Then, why are you using the magnetic magic of Sadalmelik and my apprentice witch?”
“I do not know.”
“What?”
“I really don’t know. She collapsed after a few months and when she woke up again, she was naturally branded. Above all, I learned for the first time today that the duke’s apprentice witch’s magnetism magic was in me. Until then, I hadn’t even figured out what kind of magic was on my stigma.”
“……..”

Siwoo said things he didn’t bother to ask.
No matter how much you don’t like the duke’s attitude or behavior, it’s a burdensome opponent to hold grudge against.
I wanted to clear up all possible misunderstandings.

The duke quickly turned his head and looked at the letter of the contract floating around.
One letter that had been shining this time also disappeared.
That his words are true.

This contract creates a space where no lies can be made.
It also has great deterrence.
A plausible trick that cleverly twists words, a powerful device that blocks tricks such as “I didn’t lie” Is at the source.

In other words, he is only hostile to Ea, and he doesn’t even know why he uses two types of magnetic magic.
The problem is that it’s not a perfect explanation.
I don’t know if he explained how he got the magic, ‘I don’t remember’.
If it is innocent, it is innocent, and if it is suspicious, it is suspicious… It is an ambiguous answer that differs depending on which side you look at.

“Finally… Are you still doubting me?”

Siwoo swallowed and asked.
While answering, Siu felt that how Duke Tiphareth would accept this answer depended on her attitude.
She replied with a confused look on her face.

“I don’t know… I really don’t know.”

Eloa has encountered many military figures so far.
An evil that has been corrupted from the root.
Born to be good for others.
Neutrality that compromises appropriately by looking at the situation, etc.
The natural temperament of a person could be read in the palm of a few words of conversation.

And according to various circumstances, Siwoo was an extremely good man.
He’s also less angry for his friend who almost hurt himself than he hurt himself.
Not a person who will never do bad things around, but also talking with their mouths.

If his confession is added to that, the weight tends to be that he is a good victim caught up in the incident rather than having an ulterior motive.

“Ask one last question.”
“Is it Siu? Why is it taking so long?”

While I was contemplating what to say, the roof door opened and a person entered.
She was the witch we met on the roof of the shopping mall today, crying and handing over a card asking for help.

“What, what! Are you here again?”

As soon as she saw Eloa, her complexion hardened.
She hurriedly raised her wand and hid her Siu behind her own.
Even though she would know that she would not be an opponent once they clashed, she showed her hostility as if to protect him.

“Siwoo! Run away quickly! I’ll take care of this!”
“……”
“……”

Sharon misunderstood that Eloa had come to kill Siu again.
However, when the two of them stood there without any reaction, he quickly turned his head and looked at Siwoo and Eloa alternately.
Then she quietly unsummoned the wand.

“What, what is it? Isn’t this?”
“Uh… Well, I don’t think so.”

Elroa looked at Siu with her hardened eyes.
The letters of the contract floating around her disappeared as they were sucked into the sword.
There is nothing more to ask.

“I’m sorry.”

Oh! Before he had time to do anything, Eloah knelt down in front of the two of them.

It is said that a person’s usual behavior and actions can be known through the evaluation of the people around him, not the person concerned.
If it was simply his words, there were still many suspicious corners and many parts that I did not understand.
But if not one, but four people defended him desperately, he could come to a conclusion.

This man will have nothing to do with Ea.
Even if there is a relationship, it is not an accomplice or partnership relationship, but a complete victim.

“I want to deeply apologize for persecuting you without looking into the details. Also, I don’t know how to ask for forgiveness for trying to drag the other person next to him on his own.”

But Elroa didn’t stop there and bowed her forehead to her floor.
Her shiny hair is scattered in a fan on the floor.

“I have no face… I’m forever silent… Could you allow me to make a reasonable compensation?”
“I-you don’t have to do this…”
“I-I’m fine now…”

Siwoo and Sharon were flustered, not knowing what to do.
Siu didn’t have such bad feelings towards Eloah in the first place.
She was very sick and resentful that Sharon was caught up in it, but Elroa’s actions I’ve heard so far are more humane than any other witch.

And so was Sharon.
Losing a loved one and suffering is something anyone can do.
However, her righteous behavior, risking her life and capturing the homunculus and her achievements, robbing her of all her wealth for someone she didn’t know so that such an incident would not happen again, was worthy of praise.

Even if such a duke had a misunderstanding, he had to personally kneel down and ask for an apology.
The more you want to complain, the more you can’t complain.

“Wake up. The misunderstanding was resolved and I received an apology, so it’s really okay now.”
“I’m so sorry. Let it stay like this.”

Siwoo leaned over to raise Eloah, but she did not budge from the floor.
I don’t know why it’s so strong.
When Siwoo glanced at Sharon, Sharon ran to her and joined her.

“Duke Tiphareth, raise your head. I’m sure what happened today made me really, really angry, and resentful, but I’ll forgive you.”

It wasn’t until Sharon stood up that Eloa raised her head.
Both Siwoo and Sharon were surprised.
It was because of the tears forming around Eloa’s eyes, which looked solemn and strong.
I didn’t know it at all because my voice didn’t tremble at all.

“It’s my fault, it’s all because of my incompetence and foolishness… It’s not enough to apologize for cheating by holding the person I love hostage.”
“Sah, my dear…”

Embarrassed Sharon.
After thinking for a moment, she knelt down in front of Elroa.
Then he stretches out his arms and hugs her.
Eloa’s body was shaking.

I want to be like this, but…
As someone who knew her sad past, I wanted to give her even this trivial comfort.

“It’s okay, don’t cry. Anyone can make mistakes.”
“I’m sorry… I’m so sorry… I did something I shouldn’t have…”
“Ah, it’s okay…”

Before she knew it, Sharon also gently stroked Elroa’s head, her eyes welling up with tears.
The hearing, which started abruptly, ended with a scene like a reunion of separated families.