episode_0054

#5

Before I started learning about blood magic in earnest from Ryu Se-hwa, I received one question from her.

“What image comes to mind when you think of vampires?”

Image of a vampire?

Well, what could it be?

Aren’t the vampires usually depicted in the media as people who hate sunlight, are afraid of garlic and stakes, and can’t approach running water?

In addition, the image of someone with great beauty and who feeds on human blood.

…To put it simply, it means that he is close to being a villain.

“It’s a bit of a bad image. Sucking people’s blood and doing evil things is close to being a villain.”

“Are you stuck in your stereotypes about classic vampires?”

“Yes?”

“No… . Usually, these days, kids say things like, “Vampires are pretty. They’re handsome. I want to date them.” Don’t they?”

“… … ”

Somehow, I ended up being treated as an old fart who couldn’t read the times, but honestly, that wasn’t wrong.

Well, these days, many novels and comics are interpreting the character of vampires differently… .

Considering her age, I was trying to portray her as a classic vampire, but I never thought she would be attacked like this.

As expected, my thoughts were not wrong.

Vampires are perfect for the role of villains.

“Anyway, vampires are closely related to blood. Do you agree with that?”

“Yes, I agree.”

That feeling of sucking a virgin’s blood like a mosquito?

Wait, come to think of it, I’m a virgin now too.

Are you perhaps sucking my blood too?

“Blood magic is surprisingly simple. Just think of it as using your mystique to control the blood you have, or the blood of another being.”

“It seems easy to listen to… Is there any trick to it?”

“Tips… . Hmm… .”

She thought briefly, then snapped her fingers together, opened the carrier she had brought, and began to take something out one by one.

I watched the scene carefully.

“Icebox?”

“Yeah. An icebox is essential to keep fresh blood.”

“… … .”

Why is there a blood pack that you would only see in a hospital there? And Ryu Se-hwa handed it to me.

I accepted the cold blood pack, which still felt chilly, and a question mark appeared on my face.

What do you want me to do with this?

“Try it.”

“???”

“What are you doing? Not drinking.”

“No… . What are you talking about? Why am I drinking this?”

“I’m just trying to help you. You want to learn blood magic?”

“Ugh… .”

No, no matter what, you want me to drink blood?

Of course, in African culture, they drink blood because they lack water… .

As I was holding onto the blood pack she had handed me and not being able to do anything, Ryu Se-hwa scolded me with a rare stern look on her face.

“You want to learn blood magic, but you’re afraid of blood? How can you learn blood magic like that? If you can’t even do this, why don’t you just give up right now? What do you think? You want to quit? It’s easy and good for me.”

Although she didn’t raise her voice, I felt a little nostalgic for her as she nagged me about my attitude point by point.

When my teacher used to scold me, he had that kind of face.

“Huh. Do you think I can’t drink? Just keep quiet and watch.”

I eagerly took the blood pack she handed me and put it in my mouth.

And as I started to put it in my mouth, the pungent smell of blood rose up.

It was a little, no, a lot worse.

I think it would be better to eat Sol’s Snow Noodles instead.

I wanted to spit it out right away, but somehow I managed to drink all the blood inside the pack.

“Good job. Did you clean it up?”

“Ugh… .”

“There’s blood on the corner of your mouth. Come here.”

She took a handkerchief out of her bosom and tapped the area around my mouth.

At Ryu Se-hwa’s actions, I opened my eyes wide and met her eyes.

“What are you staring at? It’s burdensome.”

“No… .”

Do people always become tsundere when they teach others?

“So? Why did you feed it this? If I eat this, can I use blood magic?”

“To make blood familiar. You’re a witch, you say? You’re afraid of magic and reluctant to use it, but can you become a witch?”

“… That won’t work.”

“Okay, so now you’re feeling a little more familiar with the blood? By the way, that blood is mine, right?”

“What, what are you saying!?”

It wasn’t my blood!?

Why are you giving me your blood!!

“Aren’t we blood sisters?”

“No! When did I share blood with you!”

The sisters who shared the blood are Jinbada?

Not a lady like you!

“Oh my, I just shared it.”

“… … .”

“Puhahaha. Just kidding. It’s your blood. Oh. So, I have to draw your blood again later?”

“… Yes.”

You’re teasing me… .

After all, vampires are an evil species.

#6

I learned the basics of blood magic from Ryu Se-hwa, but the training period ended without me being able to properly manipulate blood flow.

The power of blood magic was in controlling blood and flesh, that is, the physical body, and unfortunately, I had no idea about it.

But if the magic that manipulates the flesh is blood magic… .

Maybe it will help cure Soojin’s illness?

I felt that hope and I became a little more motivated to learn blood magic.

Anyway, after Ryu Se-hwa’s class, I was finally able to meet Dorothy, the witch who was well-versed in healing arts that I had been waiting for.

The owner of the pawn shop, the witch Ina, seemed to have no acquaintance with Dorothy, as she merely made room for her, and after announcing the place and time, she left as if her role was complete.

“Is this the right place?”

6pm… .

Angel Bucks in front of Seoul Station… .

Yeah, that’s it.

Seoul Station looks pretty no matter when I see it.

With such silly thoughts in my mind, I entered Angel Bugs.

As expected from a place considered a landmark, the cafe was already packed with customers like bean sprouts. Because there were so many people, it was unusually noisy for a typical cafe, and it felt like I was in a market.

‘Why did we have to make an appointment at a place like this…?’

With that thought in mind, I searched the inside of the cafe for a woman who looked like Dorothy.

No, there was no need to do that.

As soon as I entered the cafe, a very eye-catching pink earthenware pot greeted me.

Even without the need to control mysteries, his whole body was radiating energy.

Even if a sensitive hunter passes by, he or she may be mistaken for a monster and be defeated…

What on earth are you thinking?

Haven’t you learned from your Master that you must thoroughly separate the other world from reality?

I don’t know if it was overconfidence in my own abilities or a foolish, thoughtless witch’s mistake, but either way, I went to the counter, ordered an iced Americano, and sat down across from her at the table.

There was also a story about Ina working in the United States.

As you can see from the name, Dorothy, she was definitely Korean, or at least not of Asian descent.

Although not as much as Nana Suho, her skin is quite pale and gives her a bit of a Nordic feel… .

However, since his face still had a somewhat boyish look typical of Asians, I thought he might be mixed race.

Yeah. There’s no reason to settle down in a neighborhood you have no connection to in the first place, so there’s a high probability that it will be like that.

But why is the pot pink?

“!?”

“Hello.”

“Why… a kid?”

… … .

ha.

Yeah, it’s true that my visuals are childish.

Well, let’s not get worked up over something so trivial as this guy didn’t say anything wrong.

It’s time to admit it.

Still, as Ina said, you speak Korean well.

“Are you Dorothy?”

“Huh? Huh! Ugh! Ok!?”

“… … .”

This is another novel answer.

Even though I had seen her speak Korean well, seeing her act like that made me suspect that maybe she couldn’t speak Korean.

“Ugh. Sorry. I bit my tongue.”

“Okay, it’s okay.”

“Ah. Yes, I’m fine. It hurts a little, but… . Uh, by any chance, my tongue won’t hurt, right? ”

Wasn’t it clearly a plain sentence, not an interrogative sentence?

This guy is a bit strange.

Are witches inherently strange?

No, then vampires are weird and witches are weird too?

If you think about it, that gumiho guy didn’t look like an ordinary guy.

I guess it’s not called a monster for nothing.

“Didn’t you say you deal with healing arts?”

“Oh, yes… . That’s right. If you’re a witch, you probably know, right? How famous is the name Dorothy?”

…is it a famous name?

Actually, I don’t know the names of other witches very well.

Eugene never taught me anything like that… and now that I’ve become independent, I guess I’ve started to take a little interest in other witches?

Well, if she’s that confident, she must have made quite a name for herself in the witch community, but it was a good thing for me.

If she is truly a skilled healing master, she will definitely be able to cure Soojin.

“I don’t know much about that field.”

“Hmm… Really?”

You look noticeably regretful.

Are you a narcissistic witch?

“Anyway, Dorothy. I’d like to borrow your healing skills.”

“Yes. I know the content. However! I have a condition on my side.”

“What are the conditions?”

Of course, I thought about the price of the transaction and other things from various perspectives.

I have no money and my total amount of mysteries is limited, so what can I offer her?

I thought about it over and over again, but I couldn’t come to a conclusion.

So, what does Dorothy ask of me?

I waited for her answer.

“Yes. I would like to ask you for the job first.”

“Huh?”

A request? To me?

…why?

If you need alchemy, shouldn’t you go to Eugene instead of me?

“What, what is it?”

“Ah. Before that, I have something to ask.”

“Please speak.”

What on earth are you asking with such a serious face?

“How old are you? You look like you’re 8.”

“… … .”