Chapter 7 : Summoning (2)

Paah!

As I tore the teleportation scroll, I suddenly found myself in a space filled with nothing but pitch-black darkness.

One mysterious thing stood out:

even though it was all pitch-black, the obsidian round table ahead and its ten seats were clearly visible.

However, I moved forward without much thought and took a seat.

‘…Am I the only one who arrived on time?’

It’s always the same. That thought crossed my mind.

Considering that all the Qliphoth are notoriously individualistic, the fact that they even participated in a summons is a remarkable event in itself.

And that is likely proof of how strong Thaumiel’s influence is.

‘Thaumiel…’

The practical leader of the Qliphoth tree, who had requested this gathering and personally designated me to respond to the summons.

Thinking of him made my mood sink naturally.

He was probably the greatest obstacle in my path.

Paah!

While I was briefly thinking about him, I sensed the arrival of another presence in this space and turned my head.

“…Hmph? Ha, of all things, the first face I see upon arriving is you, Nahemoth. What bad luck.”

A girl with hair that looked like it had burned to ashes approached, frowning the moment she saw me.

“…Golab.”

“Don’t call me by that pathetic title. I have a much more beautiful name, ‘Asmodeus,’ compared to that uncultured and disgraceful one.”

The Burner, or The Tyrant.

Asmodeus, the demon of the Qliphah ‘Golab.’

She briskly passed by me and took her seat, glaring at me with annoyance as if she couldn’t help but express her disdain.

“Tsk, of all things, I have to share this space with you.”

I ignored her words and closed my eyes.

Despite her refined way of speaking, she had a temperament that was quite childlike.

From the beginning, I had no intention of associating with anyone during this gathering, but Asmodeus, whose mindset was juvenile and who held an intense dislike for me, was someone I had even less reason to engage with.

It seemed she felt the same way about interacting with me, as she soon clicked her tongue and turned her gaze away.

“Of all people, it had to be that human…”

An awkward silence lingered, but I didn’t feel uncomfortable.

While Asmodeus seemed visibly irritated, it wasn’t something that concerned me.

Time passed briefly in that state.

Paah.

The third Qliphoth to respond to Thaumiel’s summons entered the space.

Sensing a familiar energy through my heightened perception, I subtly shifted my gaze.

“…It seems I’m the third to arrive.”

A beautiful woman with pink eyes and lavender hair that almost appeared silver stood there.

Lilith, the demon of the Qliphah ‘Gamchicoth.’

She, whom I had seen just three days ago, had arrived in this place.

“Lilith, so it’s you. Come, join us.”

Asmodeus greeted her with a slightly brightened expression.

Lilith spoke.

“You’re unusually late. I was already suffering enough having to sit here with just that human.”

“Human… Is that so? Still, it seems you managed not to clash, at least.”

At those words, Lilith glanced at me briefly.

Our eyes met for a moment, but only for a moment.

Asmodeus spoke again.

“Indeed. No matter what, leaving ash or scorch marks in the meeting hall would be disgraceful.”

“…I see. You’ve held yourself back well.”

Lilith turned her gaze back to Asmodeus at those words and offered a faint smile.

Yes, a smile.

The woman who, just three days ago, seemed incapable of smiling now had one on her face.

A subtle, soft smile, like the gentle glow of the moon.

Yet, that refined smile suited Lilith perfectly, who never seemed to lose her composure or grace.

Asmodeus, too, visibly softened at the sight of her smile, as though she were someone he adored.

“It’s nothing. Anyway, take a seat. Standing there any longer must be uncomfortable, no?”

“Yes. Then… Please excuse me.”

With those words, Lilith took the seat next to mine.

Asmodeus frowned slightly at this, as if displeased, as though forgetting it was he who had invited her to sit.

In a tone that dripped with disdain, he muttered, “Tsk, Lilith, it must be unpleasant for you as well. Of all places, to sit next to that human. Why does Thaumiel insist on assigning specific seats?”

“It’s nothing of the sort. I merely took my seat. I don’t feel uncomfortable at all.”

“…If that’s the case, then good.”

Even so, Asmodeus continued to look visibly annoyed.

As Asmodeus mentioned, there were indeed assigned seats at the round table in this meeting hall.

To be precise, the seats were arranged according to the numbers associated with each Qliphah.

In this dark, void-like space, the seat that appeared to be the highest position was the first seat, belonging to Thaumiel.

Starting from there, the seats were arranged counterclockwise:

the second seat for Gagiel, the third for Satariel, the fourth for Ga’ag Sheblah, the fifth for Golab…

And so on, continuing in this manner.

Asmodeus’s seat was the fifth, Golab.

Lilith’s seat was the ninth, Gamchicoth.

My seat, as expected, was the tenth, Nahemoth.

Naturally, this placed Lilith next to me.

It was this very arrangement that seemed to bother Asmodeus deeply.

“Of course, by now, I hardly care anymore. It’s not like this is the first time Asmodeus has thrown a fit over something like this.”

“Tsk, more importantly, Nahemoth, why did you bother responding to the summons this time? Normally, you don’t even give a damn when one is called,”

Asmodeus asked, prompting me to slowly open my eyes.

She wasn’t wrong—normally, I don’t respond to summons requests.

In the early days after becoming Nahemoth, I occasionally attended, but only because I thought it was my duty.

Once I realized I could decline the summons without issue, I saw no reason to spend time among those who regarded me as little more than a hunting dog.

So I stopped attending.

But this time was different.

“I heard Thaumiel desired my presence,”

I said.

“Thaumiel? Hah, as if this human’s absence at a meeting would ever hinder the grand plan… Wait, you heard? From whom?”

Asmodeus tilted her head, puzzled by my response.

That’s when Lilith spoke up.

“I delivered the message. I was the one who relayed the summons to Telos as well.”

At her words, Asmodeus’s expression hardened. She then started to glare at me subtly.

“Lilith personally went to deliver the summons to you?”

“…Hah.”

And here we go.

I met Asmodeus’s gaze.

Her eyes swirled with a chaotic mix of contempt, jealousy, and obsession, making them appear murky.

Suddenly, I found the entire situation tiresome.

I spoke.

“She did. Is there a problem with that?”

“Problem? Are you seriously asking because you don’t know?”

Of course, I knew.

Asmodeus, the demon of the Qliphah Golab, harbored feelings toward Lilith that bordered on lust.

In Hyunjoon Lee’s memories—specifically from the game Elysion Academy—when Lilith died, Asmodeus became so unhinged that she derailed their plans and started a war on the spot.

Even as Telos, I had long been aware of her unusual feelings for Lilith.

One of the reasons she hated me was precisely because Lilith gave me any form of attention.

More specifically, it infuriated her that a human—a male, no less—whom she so deeply despised, was treated by Lilith not only as an equal but also as someone worth occasionally looking after personally.

Her anger at the fact that Lilith herself came to deliver the summons to me was rooted in that jealousy.

‘…Tiresome.’

Whatever Asmodeus felt for Lilith or what she wanted to do was none of my business.

I simply found it exhausting to be caught in the crossfire of her emotions.

Perhaps this irritation was another change brought about by my own growing emotions.

I couldn’t say for sure.

“Enough.”

I saw no reason to entertain her tantrum further.

When I said that, Asmodeus furrowed her brow.

“What did you say?”

“Whether it’s venting or throwing a tantrum, there’s a limit, Asmodeus. Save that kind of behavior for your subordinates. I have absolutely no interest in your feelings.”

Bang!

Asmodeus slammed the round table and rose from her seat abruptly.

Her fierce violet eyes glared at me with burning intensity.

Whoosh!

Purple flames flared up around her, crackling with menace.

“Say that again. What did you just say?”

“…Hah.”

I exhaled a long sigh and looked directly at Asmodeus.

“You’re childish.”

“What?”

“You remind me of a child—throwing tantrums, lashing out… Do you think that will make the world bend to your will?”

“…!!”

Her bloodshot eyes burned with fury as she glared at me, her teeth grinding audibly.

“How dare you…!”

The flames around her grew more intense as she stared at me with unrestrained anger.

Yet, even so, she didn’t attack.

It was strange, really—someone who looked at humans as if they were vermin hadn’t tried to kill me outright but instead resorted to tantrums and venting her frustrations.

Of course, the fact that, human or not, I am part of the same organization and hold an equal rank to her likely serves as a leash of sorts.

Still, it’s obvious she would love nothing more than to kill me and rid herself of the irritation I cause her.

At the very least, there are more effective ways she could harm me than resorting to these petty outbursts.

Yet, for some reason, she doesn’t act on them.

“Enough, Asmodeus.”

“Lilith….”

“Have you already forgotten the experience from two years ago, when you lost an eye to him?”

“…!”

She already knows—she’s experienced it firsthand.

Driven by nothing more than the fact that Lilith showed interest in me, she challenged me to a duel…

only to lose one of her eyes.

Although I didn’t use the Blade of Mortality, meaning her demonic regeneration eventually restored her eye, since that day, she has hidden the eye she once lost behind her hair.

Asmodeus bit her lip hard enough to draw blood, extinguished the flames around her, and sat back down, visibly holding back her frustration.

And so, the tension in the room settled once more.

I closed my eyes again, letting the silence resume.

It was then—

Paah!

“…Heh, what’s this situation now?”

A bizarre voice echoed through the space, accompanied by a foul stench.