CHAPTER 487: CHARITY EVENT (5)

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Eleven in the midnight, a late night stroll.

Naturally, Siwoo and Amelia chose Malkuth Gallery as their walking route.

The arcade itself was only 400 m long, but when the shops that extended into the alleyways outside the glass dome were included, there was plenty more space to explore. It would easily take up a full hour to go through the route.

Malkuth Gallery was one of the few places in the otherwise quiet and refined Lenomond Town that had a bit more energy and liveliness in it.

But at this hour, all the beauty salons, theaters, and most shops selling magic supplies had already closed, except for a few bars and a handful of stores that stayed open late.

Even though witches were capable of staying active 24/7, the ordinary citizens running these businesses couldn’t.

Most had already locked up and gone home for the night.

Even stores run by witches, which were more like side businesses, usually closed by 2 pm at the earliest and 6 pm at the latest.

Witches were big on work-life balance, after all.

Hence why, the gallery, which was usually bustling with witches, was now eerily quiet.

A few witches, dressed in traditional attire, gave them curious glances, but unlike before, no one approached them for conversation.

After all, Siwoo was no longer an unknown face, and word had spread that he had defeated the Witch of Desire, he concealed sharp fangs beneath his quiet demeanor. Meanwhile, Amelia was the main culprit of a recent major incident.

Besides, rank came before everything in the witch’s society.

“Why grocery shopping so suddenly? Is there something you need so urgently?”

Siwoo glanced at the streetlights flickering along the paved road before turning to Amelia, who was walking beside him.

Her hair swayed as she kept her body hidden in the wool cloak that fell below her knees. From her gait, she seemed somewhat uncomfortable.

She looked awkward, perhaps even a little embarrassed.

Regardless, she answered Siwoo’s question without hesitation.

“No, I just wanted to take a walk with you, Siwoo.”

It was as he had suspected, the shopping thing was just an excuse.

“I wanted to...go on a date...with you...”

She stole a quick glance at him as she spoke, finally revealing her real reason.

Before, they’d just danced around each other, hesitant and unsure, but now it wasn’t the case at all.

Even though a recent incident had made things a little awkward, the bond they shared now was on a whole different level.

Hearing her words, Siwoo felt a little relieved.

He still wasn’t sure why Amelia had been keeping her distance, but at least he knew their relationship hadn’t fallen apart.

Though they didn’t talk much, there was a nice atmosphere between them.

And so, he decided that this was probably a good time to ask what had been on her mind.

“By the way, Ms. Amelia, you’ve been avoiding me lately. If it’s because you’re embarrassed about what happened, it’s okay.”

“Ugh!”

Siwoo had no intention of bringing up the hallway incident directly, so he hinted at it instead.

But even that was enough to get a strong reaction out of her.

With a whoosh, she quickly turned her head away and clenched her hands together, her fingers trembling slightly.

Amelia had once told him she would do anything for him.

But Siwoo never expected that much from her in the first place.

He was just grateful that she, despite her clumsiness, was slowly keeping pace with him.

Honestly, even that impulsive move of hers, dragging him into a secluded hallway for a failed titfuck attempt, wasn’t something he had minded. If anything, he found it kind of cute.

“I appreciate the effort you’re willing to put in. Even your thoughts already made me feel grateful.”

“Yeah...”

“But, there’s no need to rush.”

Amelia’s grip loosened, as if she felt the sincerity in his words.

But the stiffness in her shoulders and the way she subtly avoided his gaze still persisted.

She walked hesitantly, looking visibly uneasy.

What happened that day was understandable. The event that she had come up with through two days of desperate agonizing and brainstorming was still in progress at this very moment.

Underneath the thick cloak she carefully wrapped herself in, her outfit for tonight consisted of nothing but her bare skin and perfume.

It wasn’t the usual fresh floral fragrance she liked.

This was the ‘Perfume of Seduction,’ a special blend passed down from her master, with her own personal touches added.

The fragrance was loaded with sensual aromatics that trigger arousal—supposedly potent enough to seduce even the most devout priest into breaking his vows.

Even when she sprayed it on herself earlier, she had been caught off guard by how blatantly provocative the scent was.

From the first whiff, a thick, pink, powdery aroma filled the air—like the scent of a dancer’s vanity.

A soft sensation of a foundation brush grazed her nose, mixed with her own natural scent, now amplified several times over by the perfume’s magic.

The erotic fragrance seemed to whisper, ‘I’m lonely. I want you to hold me right now,’ making it clear why her master had named it the ‘Perfume of Seduction.’

In any case, beneath the soft, fluffy wool cloak, Amelia wore nothing but her naked body and that seductive scent.

This was the reason why she had been so stiff and tense.

Through her conversation with Sharon, she had already figured out Siwoo’s preferences.

And if she wanted to appeal to those preferences, she knew she had to steel herself to do something incredibly embarrassing.

Wearing nothing but perfume under a cloak, she had prepared herself for the ‘outdoor’ play that Siwoo seemed to like...

She had even prepared a line to retort when she met Sharon again, ‘Siwoo’s favorite outfit isn’t nakedness, it’s perfume!’ and had diligently thought about what to do after revealing this strange attempt to him.

But now that she was actually walking through the streets, completely naked under her cloak, her heart was pounding out of control.

The cool breeze sneaking in beneath the fabric made her extremely aware of just how bare she was.

The soft, fluffy wool brushing against her skin sent shivers through her body, rekindling the heat she had only ever felt when Siwoo touched her.

What if someone noticed?

‘What if, because of some tiny mistake, someone caught a glimpse of what I’m hiding?’ The thought made her heart race even faster.

The sheer level of courage this took made her feel a newfound respect for Sharon Evergreen, her rival in love.

“Siwoo.”

“Yea?”

“It’s nothing...”

But that wasn’t even the real problem.

The bigger problem here was where and when she should make her move.

There were still too many people around, and unlike the secluded Tarot Town, the Malkuth Gallery was lined with streetlights, making it far from an ideal spot for a secret rendezvous.

But if she just wandered around like this and went home, all her planning would go to waste.

As she kept walking, staring at her feet, Amelia finally lifted her head and glanced around.

She realized the scenery had changed a bit.

“You look a little tired.”

At the intersection where the gallery’s main street met a smaller alley, right on the corner of what looked like a four-way crossing, there was a café.

It was a cozy open-air café that served alcohol, wine, and simple dishes.

Siwoo led her here, thinking she might need a place to rest.

“I’ve been here before. It’s a nice place. Let’s take a break here.”

If she were wearing proper clothes, she would’ve nodded without hesitation.

However, perhaps because there weren’t many places open late at night, there were witches scattered throughout the café.

Amelia was dressed so lightly that even the smallest mistake could leave her practically exposed.

This whole thing was supposed to be a special surprise for Siwoo, so if anyone else saw her like this, she’d probably pass out from embarrassment.

“Uh...? Siwoo....”

“Welcome! it’s an honor to have you here.”

Before she could stop him, a polite waitress had already led Siwoo and Amelia to a quiet table.

Wearing nothing but a cloak, Amelia sat down, sweating nervously as she darted glances around the room.

If she’d been a little more composed, she might’ve realized that flashing a little skin in public could really turn a guy on.

But that was way too much for Amelia to handle.

“I’ll have this...and this... Ms. Amelia, do you want anything?”

“Ah, anything’s fine.”

The waitress, taking their order with a professional attitude, casually checked off Amelia’s request before walking away, as if it was nothing unusual.

“If this is too much for you, you should’ve said something.”

“I-It’s not that it’s too much....”

“Really? Your expression doesn’t look too great....”

“No, really... But thanks for worrying about me.”

This wasn’t how she wanted things to go, but at least one thing was working in her favor.

The café was dimly lit.

And since there was plenty of space between the tables, as long as nothing went wrong, she should be safe from any humiliating accidents.

Since the cafe’s night menu was mostly simple dishes, their food arrived quickly.

A thin layer of pâté made from lamb’s liver spread over bread, pickled olives, and two glasses of wine.

Amelia moistened her parched lips with a sip of wine.

“Is the shop opening tomorrow?”

“Yeah, the major extraction work is done. Thanks to your help, we finished quickly.”

“You’re going to be busy for a while, huh?”

As the tension eased and the alcohol started to kick in, their conversation became more relaxed.

-Click-clack. Click-clack

But, at that moment, the sound of footsteps and heels clicking against the floor grew closer, then a voice suddenly chimed in.

“Who do we have here? Isn’t it my cutie pie?”

Ultramarine blue hair and eyes.

The witch was tall and striking, wearing a form-fitting dress that showcased her sensual figure, and teetering on dangerously high heels that looked like they might snap her ankles at any moment.

It was none other than Periwinkle.

“Ms. Periwinkle, what brings you here?”

“Oh, I drop by this place every now and then to get some air.”

Amelia was shocked twice over:

First, by the sudden and unwelcome intrusion of a witch in the one place she’d wanted them to be alone.

And second, despite looking right at Amelia, Periwinkle didn’t hesitate to lean in and press a kiss against Siwoo’s cheek.

In Gehenna, cheek kisses were a common way to greet someone.

But an actual kiss where lips touched skin, rather than just pressing cheeks together and making a sound was reserved for people who were really close

Especially between opposite sexes.

“More importantly, when are you going to repay the favor? You little rascal, you~”

She playfully poked Siwoo’s side with her fingertip, flashing a bright, teasing smile, her behavior making it obvious that the two were very familiar with each other.

Amelia suddenly remembered something Siwoo had mentioned before.

When Siwoo was in danger, when fighting against the Witch of Desire, he received great assistance from the Witch of Fortune.

It brought back the question of how close they were exactly.

“Ms. Amelia, this is Ms. Periwinkle. She’s helped me out a lot. Ms. Periwinkle, this is my...”

“His lover. Amelia Marigold.”

Driven by sudden anxiety, Amelia made sure to emphasize the word.

“Oh my, am I interrupting a date, then?”

Periwinkle turned to look at Amelia, and without blinking, acting as if she had only just noticed her now.