The Lord's Summons
The mist of dawn had yet to fully lift when Astra, Baekseol, and Lilia gathered at the training grounds.
"Lilia, I heard that with Baekseol's help, you no longer hear the demon's voice. Is that correct?"
"Yes, I haven't heard it once so far."
"Good. To defeat the demon inside you, you must first properly understand the power of your Demon Eye and make it your own."
"Yes!"
Lilia responded with a resolute expression.
Baekseol watched Astra silently.
Her blue eyes brimmed with curiosity and intrigue.
'It must be fascinating. She doesn't know—and probably no one in this world does—the true power of the Demon Eye that I do.'
But since he couldn't satisfy that curiosity, he had no choice but to play ignorant.
"In a word, the Demon Eye is an eye that sees and manipulates negative mana."
"Negative mana..."
"That's right. Negative mana includes black magic power and demonic energy. And..."
Astra paused for a moment and stared straight into Lilia's eyes.
"Even humans who use normal mana will appear as dark crimson to the Demon Eye if they're consumed by negative emotions like hatred, rage, or despair."
"Ah... so that's why."
Lilia murmured as if realizing something.
"Exactly. And the key point here is..."
Astra emphasized with a raised finger.
"You don't just see it—you can manipulate and utilize it."
"Manipulate... and utilize it?"
"Simply put, you can interfere with others' magic power. Especially when it's tainted by negative emotions, it's even easier to control."
Baekseol listened to Astra's explanation in stunned shock.
'What an absurd, cheat-like ability...'
Her mind raced with calculations.
Could anyone truly fight in battle without negative emotions?
The intent to harm the enemy, the desire to win, fear of death, anger and hatred... Wasn't battle itself a convergence of negative emotions?
In other words, Lilia could interfere with an opponent's mana in virtually every combat situation.
'And if the opponent uses black magic or demonic energy...'
It would grant overwhelming superiority.
Like water to fire—a natural predator.
Unaware of Baekseol's astonishment, Astra continued his explanation.
"From now on, you'll train by interfering with and controlling the mana I generate."
With that, he summoned black magic power onto his palm.
Dark crimson energy coiled around his fingers like a serpent.
"Look at this magic power with your Demon Eye and try to interfere with it."
Lilia widened her eyes dramatically, glaring at the black magic as if challenging it.
But Astra didn't expect much.
The Demon Eye was uniquely a conditional ability that also relied on proficiency.
Awakening it didn't mean instant mastery.
Its basic passive, 'Negative Mana Detection,' worked right after awakening, but interfering and manipulating required extensive practice.
'Of course, it's an ability with incredibly high growth potential.'
In the game, Demon Eye users started weak but dominated late-game.
A fully mastered Demon Eye was the natural enemy of black magic and demonic energy.
'And reality differs from the game.'
In the game, it only countered demons and black magic users, but here? Killing intent, rage, fear—these emotions actually influenced mana during battle.
The fine details unrepresented in the game would function here.
'For now, start by learning how black magic looks and getting a feel for handling mana.'
"How about it? Can you do it?"
* * *
Lilia focused on the mana in Astra's hand.
'Ugh...'
She could see it clearly. The black magic rose like dark smoke, vividly reflected in her purple eyes. But it didn't respond to her call.
"You look strained."
Astra said calmly.
"Seeing and manipulating are entirely different realms. That frustration you're feeling is normal."
Cold sweat beaded on Lilia's forehead.
She could see the flow of black magic with her Demon Eye, but it felt like trying to grasp something beyond a glass wall—her hand couldn't reach it.
"Focus. Don't just stare—find the weakest point in the magic power."
Even as she listened to Astra, Lilia kept sending her will toward the mana.
'Follow me... obey my will...'
Like taming a wild horse, she relentlessly signaled the magic power. But Astra's black magic didn't budge.
"Focus. You can do it. You just haven't realized it yet."
Despite Astra's encouragement, the black magic stubbornly rejected Lilia's will. Her breathing grew ragged.
"Ugh... I can't, Captain."
Finally, Lilia sighed and lowered her head.
The faint glow in her purple eyes slowly faded.
Her face looked pale from the strain of using the Demon Eye.
"No helping it. The Demon Eye is that powerful—and difficult to handle."
Astra withdrew the black magic from his hand, speaking matter-of-factly.
The dark energy dispersed like smoke.
"Morning training ends here. Meet back here after lunch."
With those words, Astra left the training grounds.
Only Lilia and Baekseol remained.
Lilia stared down at her hands, lost in deep thought.
"Are you alright?"
Baekseol approached and placed a hand on Lilia's shoulder. A cool energy gently enveloped her weary body.
"Ugh... I'm frustrated."
"Hm? About what?"
"I can't even master the basics and just keep needing help. Revenge is my duty... I have to kill the demon who murdered my brother myself, but I can't even do this."
Despair tinged Lilia's voice.
Baekseol gazed at her with a momentarily hollow look, then quickly softened her expression to comfort her.
"Ria, interfering with someone else's magic power is nearly impossible to begin with."
Baekseol began explaining the fundamentals Lilia didn't know, step by step.
"Magic power may look the same, but each person has their own unique properties—like fingerprints. Even with the Demon Eye, manipulating someone else's is never easy."
A cooler energy flowed from Baekseol's hand, soothing Lilia further.
"Especially from someone as strong as Astra. You've only just started."
"B-but... ugh!"
As Lilia tried to say more, Baekseol's white tail softly wrapped around her waist and lifted her gently.
The fox tail was astonishingly soft, like being enveloped in a fluffy blanket.
"Let's go eat first, Ria."
Baekseol said with a smile.
Her blue eyes held a sisterly warmth.
"P-put me down!"
Lilia flailed in embarrassment, but Baekseol's tail only hugged her more snugly.
"You can't do anything properly on an empty stomach. Demon Eye training included. Eat well and rest—you'll see better results this afternoon."
Baekseol slowly left the training grounds with Lilia cradled in her tail. Lilia's face flushed red, but somehow her heart felt a little lighter.
* * *
"Captain Cervantes, we've detected suspicious movements in Beltria and Carmen."
In the dark room, the floor undulated with blood that gleamed red even in the shadows.
Several people lay slumped before Cervantes, as if tortured. Their groans occasionally shattered the silence.
"Beltria and Carmen?"
Cervantes swirled his wine glass lightly, murmuring. The red liquid vortexed within.
"Yes, small kingdoms bordering the Lunaria Empire closest to us. They're also on the surveillance list you ordered, Captain."
A sly smile spread across Cervantes' lips at his subordinate's report.
Unlike his usual nonchalant grin, this one harbored cold madness.
"Is that so? Then bring the relevant parties here."
He stood, stepping indifferently over the fallen bodies.
"We're already quite sorry for not finding what the Captain seeks... and now these interlopers. That won't do. Understood?"
"Yes, we'll handle it immediately."
Cervantes was a loyal subordinate before Astra, a sly colleague to other executives—but to enemies, an endlessly cruel demon.
"Ugh... you demon bastard! Why did you bring us here? We're from the Lunaria Papal Court... aaagh!"
One of the slumped men raised his head with effort and shouted, but his words cut off in a scream.
"Who gave a worm like you permission to speak?"
Cervantes turned slowly.
Red light flashed in his eyes, and an invisible force crushed the man—his legs mangled.
Agonized screams filled the dark room.
The subordinate beside him swallowed dryly at the sight.
Those dragged here were all family, relatives, and even loose acquaintances of Lunaria Papal Court priests.
Cervantes had selected priests to infiltrate the Papal Court, tolerating not a single mistake or contingency.
"Intelligence Captain... we've already secured all necessary information. Habits, speech patterns, gait, even unconscious tics..."
The subordinate reported cautiously.
"Really? Then it's the final stage."
Cervantes snapped his fingers, and assassins in black emerged from the shadows.
Their faces began morphing like wax, soon identical to those on the floor.
"It must be perfect. Not a shred of suspicion."
Cervantes set down his wine glass. The red wine rippled gently.
"Inherit their memories, relationships—everything."
"We're ready, Intelligence Captain."
One disguised assassin replied. Even his voice matched the fallen priest's.
"Good."
"Y-you... are you truly demons?!"
At that moment, the mangled-legged priest spat blood and wailed.
How horrific. His wife, children, relatives, even casual acquaintances... everyone even remotely connected to him tortured here.
"God... God will never forgive you!"
"God?"
Cervantes approached the priest slowly.
Each step echoed like a death knell.
"God... to us, there is only one."
Cervantes gripped the priest's chin and lifted it.
Seeing the madness in his eyes, the priest forgot his pain in horror.
"That is Astra."
Despairing tears fell from the priest's eyes.
For them, only an unreachable darkness existed.
"You're no longer needed..."
Cervantes commanded the disguised assassins.
"Kill the originals and become the real ones. Return home, assimilate perfectly. No suspicions, no mistakes tolerated."
"Yes, Intelligence Captain."
The assassins bowed in unison.
As Cervantes left the room, agonized screams erupted behind him.
The wails continued until the iron door slammed shut—like a chorus from hell.
Walking the corridor, Cervantes told his trailing subordinate,
"Bring the relevant parties from Beltria and Carmen quickly."
"Yes, we'll handle it immediately."
"If someone Astra seeks is there and harmed by our negligence..."
Cervantes' eyes gleamed coldly.
"That would be an unforgivable failure. Be cautious—but swift."