Evil Duchess Summons Me, the Heavenly Demon

The vital energy gathered in the Yongchun acupoint of my soles stirred. As soon as I came “outside,” I stepped on the walls and roof a couple of times, and my body soared into the air.

Below my feet, buildings with a proper blend of white and blue colors stood like a fortress, surrounded by dense greenery.

I could immediately tell it was a fairly large “island.”

The bridge leading to this place was connected to some mainland, and its length was quite considerable. Long enough that it would be better to ride a carriage or horse rather than walk.

A soft glow shattered before my eyes.

Two moons.

It was clear to anyone that this was not an ordinary world.

Well, even if I had truly tripped into the medieval era or somewhere else, there wouldn’t be two moons or such abundant “qi” in the atmosphere. Those things are all fictitious…

“Hmm. That child blabbered about ‘summoning’ from the beginning.”

That child with the obviously twisted character had, without any shame, spouted nonsense about a great covenant and soul companions.

If that bold girl—Ephren or Espresso or whatever—had been in Jamadong, it would have been her escaping that place instead of me.

“Tsk.”

The martial world is a place where the beginning is filled with the stench of blood, and the later years are dominated by tedium and boredom.

I was ambivalent about whether to be glad about leaving that place, or to be perplexed about being thrown into this Western-style civilization full of green-eyed foreigners.

If they were truly from beyond the Western regions, belonging to some new continent, it might at least be interesting to clash with them… hmm.

‘No. I don’t necessarily need to think that way.’

Come to think of it, this place also holds “mysteries” I never tasted as the Heavenly Demon. It’s like a new continent. The continent that my foolish subordinates begged me to visit, but I never did.

I haven’t seen it, so I don’t know it.

I haven’t experienced it, so I can only imagine.

In a sense, it might be a new challenge given by providence to Muk-Yeom Heavenly Demon, who was suffering because there were no more obstacles to overcome, no more realms to ascend to, and no more worthy opponents to face (or perhaps I was kicked out because I was too much to handle).

Whatever the reason, there’s no need to be disappointed at all.

For the Heavenly Demon is one who forges his own path by burning himself.

Just then, I detected suspicious presences with my naturally extended qi-sense.

How should I put it? Unlike the other children inside that Western-style building, there were one—no, two people outside in this late night. There was also another one nearby.

No matter how uncivilized this place might be, lacking the Confucian teachings that the righteous martial world follows and the emperor establishes by law, shouldn’t there be at least the basic human distinction between men and women?

The teachings of my sect strictly commanded that boys and girls over seven should not sit together (I should clarify, this was out of concern that the sect’s saplings might die before reaching adulthood).

But these lowlifes?

I immediately wrapped qi around the acupoints of my eyes and spotted two rather good-looking youngsters. Though there wasn’t particularly a lustful atmosphere flowing, I was quite displeased.

I immediately kicked off from the air and shot toward their surroundings.

Whoosh…

The leaves of the tall trees swayed slightly in the wind.

Grass-Treading Technique.

A name given by the common people because even when running on grass, the leaves don’t collapse. With the refined body cultivation technique of someone like me, it’s possible to make them not even sway at all. The swaying just now was due to the wind.

In any case, I looked down at the insolent ones below and channeled energy to the Wangol acupoint behind my ear. Soon, I could hear their soft voices, which had been smaller than the sound of insects.

—That Ephre. There’s a limit to being arrogant, isn’t she going too far? And the chairwoman too. How much money is she receiving under the table to still be protecting her?

Regardless of the place, the world of women is always vicious and treacherous.

To my eyes, they all seemed to be of similar level, but it appeared they had their own hierarchy, factions, and power struggles.

A voice different from the previous one, seemingly having just passed puberty, comforted her.

—Don’t worry. That crazy girl will be gone soon enough.

—Why? Did you hear something?

—Not particularly, but if things continue like this, her expulsion is certain, right? We won’t be seeing her anyway in the future, so teasing her a bit shouldn’t be a problem.

—That’s true, but… how? Despite appearances, her family is fucking rich. So she probably has quite a bit of influence bought with money. Orlando, you know that too, right?

The man called ‘Orlando’ grinned, then briefly scanned the surroundings. After confirming no one was around, he put his index finger to his lips and said:

—It’s a gift I received from my father’s friend this time. They say it’s an artifact that can cast 1st-rank wind magic.

What he pulled out from inside his clothes was something that looked like a compressed conch or snail shell. I guessed that if one channeled energy into it, one could cast the aforementioned magic.

Of course, contrary to my interest in new martial arts and techniques, the child opposite him showed clear disappointment, as if not at all impressed.

—What’s that? Are you going to use that to flip her skirt or something? This is ridiculous. Were you always this childish? And do you think that venomous Ephre would even blink at that little thing? More importantly, even if her summoning magic is garbage, what if she learns something when she goes home? Besides, if you get caught with that, you’ll immediately get this, this.

As she spoke, the girl repeatedly made chopping motions with her hand against her neck. It probably wasn’t immediate execution, but rather getting expelled from the academy.

—Balangke, listen to me. How do you think I could have this in the first place? Inside Summoner, magic other than summoning magic—that is, power used through summoned creatures or magic manifested from power obtained from them—is forbidden. Naturally, things like this are strictly controlled too.

—Uh… then?

—Exactly, even the school doesn’t know about this. They just think it’s an ordinary decoration or something picked up from the coast.

A flush of excitement colored the girl Balangke’s face. Whatever she thought could be done with it, she urged him to give her an answer quickly.

—Since it’s not magic through a summoned creature, it won’t leave any traces, you know? So we use this to completely strip Ephre! We’ll flatten that proud nose of hers. Wonder if she can still make that sharp face then, huh?

Orlando’s breathing had become a bit rough. It was extremely unpleasant to my heightened senses. The lust of a boy whose blood has barely dried from his head…

Whether she knew this or not, Balangke was twisting the corners of her mouth.

Considering she had pointed out his foolish statement earlier, she seemed to be aware that the man in front of her harbored twisted desires, but it appeared Ephre’s accumulated evil deeds were greater.

‘Grudges must have piled up. If one lacks ability, one shouldn’t cause trouble. One shouldn’t leave behind aftereffects that can’t be handled.’

I inwardly clicked my tongue as I listened to their conversation.

I also watched the object Orlando was holding.

If I could get my hands on it and test it, perhaps I could create a new martial art. Maybe I could use a technique that can only be used in this world, this continent, and if I reached its ultimate principle…

‘Returning to the martial world, or perhaps completely…’

Having already tasted bitter failure several times, I swallowed even my murmurs. The greater the expectation, the greater the disappointment.

I leapt down with a single bound.

Crash!

The earth trembled under the Thousand Jin Stomp I lightly unleashed. Kyaak. Uaak! Such sounds were heard. A bit later, moans mixed with screams and sharp screams too.

I looked not at them but at the two people in front of me, and politely expressed my intention.

After all, even in the martial world, it’s basic to identify oneself and show courtesy. I am fundamentally different from the random evil sect’s minions or the sect’s underlings.

“I wish to examine that object in detail, so hand it over. I will personally spare your lives.”

♦♦♦

After barely, barely succeeding in summoning through hellish days of torture, Ephre was desperate.

A human form… no, perhaps a being that could only be confirmed in legends. From the immense magical power to breaking unbreakable bindings and leaving—everything pointed to that.

Though it would be proper to scold him for destroying her bedroom and the dormitory building, she could overlook it just this once as a cute quirk. Money would somehow be managed if she asked her family.

“Where on earth did you go!”

She ran and ran following the direction of the hole. Her skirt tore while pushing through the undergrowth, and her nightgown was scratched here and there. Leaves clung to her disheveled hair like hairpins about to fall.

—@!#$%^@?

Voice.

Reflexively swallowing the curses that were about to burst out, she tried to put on the best, kindest, and gentlest face possible.

Without flattery, she did have quite a beautiful face. If only the riffraff around her didn’t irritate her nerves, she would have been praised for her beauty with a smiling face always.

“Don’t worry. That crazy girl will be gone soon enough.”

A voice that made her frown involuntarily. Hiding behind a tree, she peeked out her head slightly. Orlando and Balangke. Lowlifes who always badmouthed her behind her back.

She wanted to jump out and grab their… hair right away, but she held back because it was night. Because she had manners. Absolutely not because it was two against one in a deserted forest.

However.

The more she listened, the more Ephre unconsciously began to tremble. First with anger. Then with embarrassment. Finally with shame and humiliation… fear.

Just as her teeth began to chatter, perhaps due to the cold wind.

Boom!

The ground shook. Kyaak. She reflexively let out a scream she couldn’t suppress, then quickly covered her mouth. As the vibration subsided and she cautiously peeked out, there was her summoned creature.

“Are you the impudent ones trying to harm my master?”

That’s roughly what he said.