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One might wonder, if the high-ranking witches were to hold a social gathering, where would they hold it?

The answer was, they’d host it at one of their private estates, at Countess Yesod’s Levana Grand Bath, and a few other places. But, one place that stood above the rest was none other than the First Red Roof Salon in Ars Magna Town.

Since its full name was a mouthful to say, most witches simply called it the Red Roof Salon or just the Salon. The grand red mansion was where the witches would cultivate their social circles with great enthusiasm.

Even outside that, the place was a hub for magical and luxury goods auctions. But of course, the witches would still come here to enjoy even if not for social gatherings or auctions.

They’d gather for lively debates on magic, relaxing by the sunlit windows, playing old games like Witch Boards, lounging on the plush sofas, or sipping tea as they flipped through some books.

In short, the place was a high-society club for the wealthy and idle witches of Gehenna.

“Rose Glass? I hear it’s all the rage these days. I even applied for membership myself. Their hospitality is impressive.”

“Oh my, a host club? Don’t you think it’s beneath us witches to visit such a place? Ohoho.”

“Oh, really? That’s rich coming from the woman who flew all the way to Greece to find a boy-toy. Ohoho.”

“My my, you run your mouth like a little bitch. I told you, I was there for business.”

“Oh my, was that it? My mistake, then.”

From refined conversations like that.

“By the way, when’s Countess Adonai going to host her next auction?”

“Lately, the Modern World is in a chaotic state. I heard that the smugglers are having a hard time moving their goods.”

“Speaking of which, have you heard the latest gossip?”

To the latest rumors that went around Gehenna, whispered from ear to ear.

But one should never be deceived by their soft laughter, fragrant perfume, dazzling smiles, or elegant rustle of their dresses.

When a bunch of beautiful women gather in one place, a competition was bound to happen.

The Salon was a battlefield in its own right.

Who had honed their beauty with the most meticulous care?

Who had adorned themselves with the most exquisite jewelry?

Who had mastered a style that suited them best?

Who had displayed the most elegance and poise without a single misstep in etiquette?

Every witch in the room kept their senses sharp, constantly evaluating one another.

The graceful ladies gathered here willingly stepped onto this cutthroat stage, proving their worth through the unspoken scorecards of high society.

Even the witches sprawled lazily on sofas with drinks in hand, or ones who coyly concealed their smiles behind fans as they chatted weren’t exempt from this.

In fact, those guys were putting on their most calculated displays.

“...Hmmm~ It’s hot out here.”

Take, for example, the blue-haired witch lounging on one of the sofas.

She stretched lazily, enough to let her sleeves slip and reveal her wrist, or, more precisely, the stunning bracelet wrapped around it.

It was a masterpiece made of silver, adorned by an enormous blue diamond called ‘Demers’ Syndrome’, a limited edition piece crafted by a renowned artisan in the Modern World.

After a fierce bidding war, it was awarded to an anonymous bidder, and it seemed that the glorious winner was none other than the blue-haired witch, Baroness Demer.

A few witches who caught sight of the bracelet casually strolled over, drawn like moths to a flame.

“Isn’t that the bracelet from the recent auction, Baroness? And here I was, wondering who won it. So it was you!”

“Can you believe it? A bracelet this gorgeous shares my name. It’s like fate. Of course I bought it, almost in a trance!”

“Would you mind if I take a closer look?”

“Of course. Take a look, as much as you like.”

“Such a shame. I was bidding on it until the very end, but I lost. Congratulations, Baroness.”

“Oh dear, really? Now I feel bad.”

Jealousy simmered behind their forced sighs and envious gazes.

Demer’s chin lifted ever so slightly, basking in the attention as she flaunted her wealth and refined taste, but then she spotted Countess Albireo entering her line of sight.

Hailing from one of Gehenna’s wealthiest families and a noble countess by birth, Albireo was a real powerhouse, even in this Salon.

Whenever she visited the Salon once in a while, she’d adorn herself with never-before-seen accessories and dazzling outfits, effortlessly becoming the center of attention.

But today was different.

“Oh my, isn’t it Countess Albireo? It’s been a while since you’ve visited.”

Demer welcomed Albireo with an unspoken challenge.

Today, the countess was dressed in a plain black dress.

Normally, she commanded the room with the grace of a black swan, but Demer figured that with the bracelet she was wearing for the first time today, she had a real chance of winning.

“Yes, it has been a while indeed. How have you been, Baroness Demer? You look absolutely stunning today.”

“Oh, me? I just put in a little extra effort, that’s all.”

Albireo flashed a graceful smile, elegantly spreading the hem of her dress.

Demer had already played her hand, displaying her bracelet for everyone to see, so now it was Albireo’s turn.

But instead of revealing anything, she simply stood there, smiling with quiet confidence.

At first glance, it looked as if she was humbly conceding defeat.

And just as Demer was about to savor her victory over the esteemed countess in front of an audience of witches....

Something unexpected happened.

“Speaking of, does anyone notice the wonderful scent?”

“Now that you mention it...”

“It’s the scent of a rose? No, this is...”

The witches gathered around Albireo and Demer began sniffing the air.

There was a soft, alluring fragrance drifting through the room.

A scent that wasn’t overpowering, yet was distinct enough to evoke a vivid image in their minds.

Like the sense of reverence and sanctity one felt when gazing upon a masterpiece of art.

The more sensitive witches among them were the ones who were naturally enchanted.

“This scent... It’s like a single rose in full bloom, confident in its beauty yet never boastful...”

“It feels like walking through a garden of geraniums and roses... Bending down to kiss the most elegant rose queen among them...”

“Breathtaking! A deep, rich embrace of rose otto, but with a spicy sharpness that pricks the senses... I never knew that such a fragrance exists...!”

Countess Albireo may have worn a modest dress.

But perfume, though invisible, was just as much a part of fashion.

And the perfume gifted by Amelia, ‘One Rose’, was proving its worth spectacularly.

“Countess, is that Marigold’s perfume? I’ve sampled her older blends, but... There wasn’t anything like this...”

“You have a sharp eye, or rather, a sharp nose. Yes, I was fortunate enough to receive it as a personal gift.”

“I considered buying one, but the price made me hesitate... I suppose I’ll have to visit her shop after all.”

As more and more witches gathered around Albireo, Baroness Demer, now pushed to the sidelines, clenched her fists in frustration.

2.

And so, for three days straight, Amelia’s perfume shop was swarming with witches.

Some had placed pre-orders after hearing rumors, while others, having experienced the remarkable scent firsthand, rushed in at the last minute to make a reservation.

The tiny shop, tucked away in a corner of Malkuth Gallery, couldn’t possibly accommodate such a crowd, so Sophia took charge of managing all the reservations.

While that was happening, Amelia sat at the front counter, carefully gauging each customer’s preferences before blending essential oils with high-purity alcohol to create their perfect perfume.

Meanwhile Siwoo found himself acting as both bellboy and assistant.

His job was to welcome visitors and retrieve ingredients and empty bottles from the storage rooms on the second and third floors whenever something was needed.

At first glance, it seemed like an easy job, but in reality, it was anything but.

The shop’s shelves were designed like an organ, maximizing storage for as many fragrances as possible, but even then, only a few hundred could fit on the first floor.

But the problem here was Amelia used tens of thousands of different scents, each one of them was custom-made for the customers’ unique personalities.

Even if the oils were extracted from the same type of flower, the differences in production location, variety, and even the year of harvest altered the scent. So, under Amelia’s request, he had to meticulously check all the labels and fetch the exact oils she needed.

As he repeatedly brought and put back the essential oils, he even felt like he had become an SCV.

“Phew.”

On average, Amelia spent about an hour with each customer.

Between them, she spared a brief moment to breathe, and right now, having just seen one witch off, was that moment.

She counted the gold coins from her latest sale and stashed them in the safe under the counter.

The small safe was already packed with a dazzling pile of gold, enough to make anyone’s eyes widen.

Though this money would eventually be used to pay off her debt, seeing this much money made her feel proud.

“Assistant Shin Siwoo, are you tired? If you want, I’ll make an exception and let you take a break.”

“No, I’m fine. There’s no way I could rest by myself.”

“So you’re rejecting my generosity?”

Her voice was flat, her expression just as unreadable.

Those who didn’t know her well might think that their relationship was either bad, or they just had a business-like relationship.

Ever since their roleplay sex back at the Academy, she had been acting like this, and there was nothing he could do about it.

It wasn’t out of malice or anything though, it was just her way of teasing him.

She had a habit of speaking in that subtly authoritative and rigid manner in the first place, but the moment an opportunity arose, she’d slip in a hint of playfulness, something devastatingly cute and dangerous for the heart.

Especially at night when they were done with work and it was just the two of them inside the shop. She was the perfect example of ‘proper by day, wild by night’.

No matter how many times he saw it, that contrast never got old.

“When we’re done for the day, I’ll make sure you pay for your insolence.”

In any case, the fact that they could joke like this now meant the gap between them had started to fade.

He wasn’t sure why, and he never asked, but he had a good guess.

Perhaps this was her way of slowly shedding the guilt she thought she could never atone.

The mistakes that she just couldn’t forgive herself for no matter how many times he tried to reassure her.

“Why are you staring at me like that? Are you refusing me?”

“No, I’m not, it’s just, last night you said the same thing and you ended up crying your eyes out. What made you think you can handle it today?”

“Hmph. Just you wait.”

Regardless, to Siwoo, this change in their dynamic was a great thing.

After all, this made Amelia, who had been acting subservient to him, constantly gauging his reactions to everything he did, finally stood on equal ground with him.

Before, their relationship was one where one of them constantly felt indebted to the other, making them cling and tiptoe around the other constantly.

Some might like that kind of relationship, but Siwoo hated it.

Because that wasn’t what a healthy relationship looked like.

As they exchanged playful words, Siwoo leaned slightly over the counter.

The curtains were drawn, and as long as there was no one suddenly barging in, they should be fine.

Assistant! W-What if someone sees..?”

“Are you embarrassed?”

“Who said I was embarrassed?”

“Your expression says otherwise, Ms. Amelia.”

Just as their lips were about to meet...

-Ding-dang!

The cheerful bell rang, and a customer stormed in.

Judging by the way the door nearly slammed off its hinges, it was clear that whoever it was, wasn’t in a good mood.

“Wow, guess I showed up too early.”

Emerald-green hair and fresh, mint-colored eyes.

Unlike her usual casual look, the witch, Sharon, had gone all out today.

Amelia, wide-eyed like a startled rabbit, and Sharon, staring her down.

A strange tension began to fill the air between them.