Chapter 3: Vol 1- Episode 3
What team Virgo did was ban Sungjin’s three main champions, and then they picked up one of the remaining main champions first. It was simply a strategy against Sungjin.
Hmph. I can feel your determination. Good!
Sungjin smiled even though he felt a blade pointed at the back of his neck. He felt that this would be a really good match. This would be a valuable match that no one in the world would know about.
Even the ministry of Gender Equality and Family can’t hinder us. I will play with all my might…
“You, with the name of Devil Commander.”
Hm?
Such a strange voice rang in his ear. It was too formal a tone to think that someone among these members spoke. Above all, this voice was very different—it was elegant, graceful, and soft. It was clearer and brighter than that of lightly quivering crystal gla.s.s. But there was also a strength under its softness, and an image of a woman having an iron hand in a velvet glove popped into his brain immediately.
“According to the ritual hidden under the shadow of G.o.d, destroying all the seals will open the door to the Other World, and you can come here by walking along a path straight to the source.”
Strong light filled Sungjin’s room the next moment. He closed his eyes reflexively.
* * *
In a world not found on Earth called “Valhalla,” maids admired the beauty of a person standing before them.
Their splendidly flowing golden hair was like a waterfall swallowing the sun, and their emerald-colored eyes had the same freshness of a forest. Their pale, clear skin and bright red lips were full of natural forces that made all make-up an unnecessary thing, and their elegant eyebrows glistened as if they were sprinkled with pearl powder. Their sharp nose held much pride, and the presence of raised b.r.e.a.s.t.s like peaks completed this cla.s.sic beauty.
Just like the famous painting of an era where elegance and grace were brought together, the aura of n.o.bility flowed naturally all around this beauty.
Their calm smile and soft eyes were a pure as a lily—her name was Ereka di Violdi Sevrantina, princess of the Kingdom of Sevrantina located on the outskirts.
She smiled wistfully while looking at the dress before her.
Every night, she saw, touched and fixed this dress after a day of work.
She went to bed happily imagining a day when she would marry a man who she loved while wearing the dress she made herself.
Oh, it was a dream.
May would be better because the flowers would be in full bloom and white, billowy clouds would fill the clear sky. It would be best to walk in a garden with a respectable man having a caring and good-natured personality while accompanied by bands of celebration.
Then she would wear her dress instead of her armor for the first time. She would respect and serve him, and he would love and care for her.
An oathful kiss in the presence of an officiating priest… the man in the illusion approached her slowly. Her full lips and the man’s thick lips overlapped slowly.
Temperature, love, and the vows of the two people were exchanged. Everyone was blessed to witness this moment.
Oh, what am I thinking?
She touched her cheek in shame. Still, the thought was so happy and sweet.
Although she was busy keeping the vacant abode of her father now, she always dreamed of meeting a good man someday.
I was so… happy, even in my imagination. I was eager to love and be loved…
I’ll make food for him, and I’ll make clothes for him. In his firm arms, I’ll give birth to his child, and I’ll be happy every day with the person I love.
The maids saw the princess who touched the dress with a shy smile, crying breathlessly behind her.
Princess…
Princess Ereka did not only make dresses for herself. As she said, “Love with a good man is a woman’s dream,” she would always gift these handmade dresses to her subordinates at their weddings.
“Your Highness… this precious thing… this is something you should wear… inferior people like us…”
“You have always been working hard in the palace, haven’t you? Marriage is a once in a lifetime moment. The time when a woman must s.h.i.+ne the most. Take it as my gift.”
With best wishes that the happy days of a glittering wedding are continued afterward, she gave them the handmade dresses.
The princess who was buried in the king’s political affairs was also a girl who dreamed and was happy when she gave dresses as gifts.
The day when such a grateful princess would wear her own dress… has come finally.
Ding. Ding.
A bell rang, and Ereka’s smile disappeared.
“It’s about time.”
She changed her dress, but the dream that she had always wanted didn’t come true.
No, it could never be done. Today’s opponent is not the kind, good, wonderful man she had always dreamed of, but a flagitious and scary demidevil instead.
This country was divided into two groups, and they were fighting.
The faction of Princess Ereka claimed Merciful Rulers.h.i.+p, and that meant that the powerful ruling elite, the hero cla.s.s, had to protect and care for the weak people, or the extra cla.s.s.
On the contrary, the faction of Riad, the Blood King, claimed Divine Birth Privilege, meaning that people were living property by G.o.d’s will, and it was the right of the ruling cla.s.s to use them as they saw fit.
Against the invasion of the Blood King who sacrificed the people to the Magic Sword, Ereka fought hard on the behalf of the late king, but only this castle remained after being defeated.
As a last attempt, Princess Ereka opened a forbidden ritual paper sealed in the royal obituary. It was the ritual paper to summon a powerful demidevil from the Other World that was hungry for blood and s.e.x. The princess was going to sacrifice herself in this ceremony, and offer herself up as a pure and beautiful maiden to his l.u.s.t.
Poor princess! She’s so pretty! We’re so sorry that she had to wear armor and wield spears and s.h.i.+elds to protect us… Her beauty is now being sacrificed… How can the G.o.ds abandon such a lady?
The maids sighed.
Count Rittier beside her bowed his head and said in an unarousing voice, “Your Highness, will you change your mind now? How can you offer your n.o.ble body as a sacrifice to a demidevil? Of course, Your Highness has to be the most beautiful lady in the kingdom. But can’t we deal in quant.i.ty instead of quality by choosing some of the women from the extra cla.s.s who have some level of beauty?”
The words changed the atmosphere around Princess Ereka. Her shyness went away, and she stood up proudly and scolded him with a solemn face.
“Don’t say that again. The king’s mission is to protect the people, and the knights that you swore to protect are the weak too. How can we gain strength at the expense of the people?”
There was not an inch of disorder in her eloquent words. There was only truth.
“I know… but… some sacrifices to protect the whole… can’t be avoided…”
“I am the sacrifice, and I’m the only one.”
A little while ago, she was definitely the girl who dreamed of a romantic love affair. But she was the protector of the people who discarded all ordinary wishes and exclaimed that she was sacrificing herself. Both sides were her truth, and what she finally chose was a royal princess who abandoned herself to protect all.
She was a hopeful girl who really wanted to be loved, but she was working hard to become a ruler. That was Ereka.
Earl Rittier couldn’t say anything more.
A little girl beside him spoke after him. The girl looked like an elementary school student.
“Your Highness, I’ll help you too! I’ll deal with the demidevil!”
A handful of hair shook in the middle of the brown girl’s head; it looked like a tail. Those big brown eyes compared to her small face showed wisdom, and they looked like a puppy claiming to protect its owner. She was still small and cute, but she looked like she would be a great dog someday.
Now, her tail was shaking. Fear of the demidevil, whom she said that she would help, filled her whole body. But even though she was afraid, she tried hard to convince herself to help the princess so that she wouldn’t have to suffer alone. In spite of her fear, she was eager to engage her opponent first.
“I’ll use the badger game with you together!”
Princess Ereka hugged Jenna even though she was equally nervous.
“Jenna, you’re already doing a lot of work just by staying on the battlefield and fighting. The last thing I’d want is for you to have to deal with the demidevil. It’s such a terrible thing for a woman! You must stay out of it.”
If there were any other way, they would never have held such a ritual in the first place.
“I’m a level 4 wizard, too! Plus, I am the head maid of the royal family!” Jenna exclaimed as she tried to make herself taller by standing on her tippy toes.
She was one of the two heroes left on Ereka’s side. She was also the heir of the Allencia family that had been serving as the head of the Royal Maids for generations.
However, Ereka saw Jenna as a cute and talented child.
“I know, Jenna, but you’re 12 years old now. A badger game against him… is not a child’s job.”
“Princess…”
With tears in her eyes, Jenna turned her head to the side.
Then she showed a worried face and muttered in a low voice, “Why not? Look at how many perverts there are in the world!”
“What? Jenna? What did you just say?”
“I’m so worried about Your Highness.”
Jenna looked at Ereka with tears in her eyes again.
“Thank you for your concern, but I’m fine. I’ve already set my dreams as a girl to the side since I chose the royal road.”
Ereka’s hands trembled even though she was comforting Jenna.
Actually…
Still…
She kept dreaming while she made her dresses.
Now, she was busy in fulfilling the king’s mission, but someday she would meet a good man and leave the country in his arms. She dreamed she could be happy.
But it was time to throw away that dream completely.
I will be trampled on by the demidevil. I will be violated. What kind of humiliation will I be subjected to?
…
“Ahhhh…”
The demidevil dug deep wounds into her white flesh like a carving knife, and she groaned painfully.
“Good. Try to hold back your scream just like that,” he said with satisfaction. “Groans that are forced out make me more excited.”
Ereka’s arms and legs were tied up in chains, and the demidevil was satisfied with teasing her. Even though she tried not to lose her pride, tears flowed from Ereka’s eyes due to an inevitable sense of humiliation.
The demidevil licked it with a flick of his tongue.
“Yet. It’s sweet and delicious. Cry more.”
Then his hand clenched her breast roughly.
“We’re bound by a contract with each other. So give in to me.”
Ereka trembled in shame and fear. This was what it was like to be a mistress of a demidevil.
From now on, my life will be painful and difficult, far from being loved as a woman, and even the minimum amount of dignity will not be left. I seriously wanted to avoid this if I could, but even more so, I couldn’t let others do it.
I’m afraid, but I can’t let other people get trampled on.
…
“Come on, Jenna. Wait by my side. Listen to me.”
As she was pushed aside, Jenna mumbled inwardly again, “Oh, Princess.”
What do you know? I’ll take care of it.
She was only 12 years old…
But as the head of the Royal Maids, she was also in charge of the royal family’s “nights,” and an early education had already been given to her. Only the princess didn’t know about it.
Ereka stood in front of the ritual circle.
“Let me look for the last time. Am I beautiful enough to captivate the demidevil? Am I dressed properly?”
The maids in charge of makeup answered, “You’re perfect, Your Highness. Please stand tall. Just do as you’ve practiced, please.”
“I’ll keep that in mind. I’ll start, then.”
She began to recite ancient ritualistic words and sprinkled powders mixed with ground gold and silver.
[You, the one named Devil Commander.]
The magic circle responded, and the air in the hall fluctuated.
Tch, immense pressure.
Even though she managed to recite the ritual words, under all the pressure, Princess Ereka had mixed feelings of fear and antic.i.p.ation at the same time.
According to the transmission, the demi devil from the Other World was a fearsome, absolute being hungry for blood and s.e.x. This power could surely save this country against the Blood King, but at the same time, it could also be disastrous.
She had to bind her body to him with a contract when he was first called out so that no more sacrifices could be offered.
This was truly a dangerous gamble.
“Come here!”
Light streamed out of the magic circle.
A boy who knew what pain was, who knew what being trampled on felt like, and a girl who kept the weak from the pain of being trampled on—they met like this.
* * *
Sungjin opened his eyes and checked the surroundings. This was a totally different scene; he wasn’t in his room like before.
He was in a wide and magnificent hall, and the ground was full of strange patterns like a magic circle. In front of him, there was a girl in a see-through dress that had holy innocence at the same time.
She stood ritualistically, with an aura of mixed elegance and eroticism at the same time. Her beauty was likely to attract many men.
“I’m going to say h.e.l.lo to you, my demidevil of the Other World.”
Listening to a clear voice like a crystal bell, Sungjin realized it was an unknown language. He could somehow understand a language that he didn’t know.
It was magic.
“I’m Ereka, Princess of the Kingdom of Sevrantina in Valhalla. Welcome to the long road beyond the walls of the dimension.”
So… did this girl summon me?
It was a truly embarra.s.sing situation, but Sungjin tried to keep his composure. In times like this, one has to keep a cool head to make the right decision.
Even so, he could not fully control the turbulence of his mind. Judging from the current situation, it seemed that he was summoned to this world where real magic existed.
Others can be tricked by a set facility on earth, but only magic explains why I can understand a language that I’ve never heard before.
Unaware of his simmering heart, Princess Ereka continued, “I’ll ask you for a contract based on the old ritual and oaths.”
Once again, a language with magical powers began to germinate from her. The magic circle lit up and authenticated the moment of the “holy contract.”
“I’ll be your bride, so please be my sword.”
While laying her hand on the valley between her b.r.e.a.s.t.s, she expressed that she would offer her pure body up to him. Ereka smiled, and the curvature of her smooth body gave rise to a fragrance that made even the flowers shy.
She wanted to avoid his gaze in shame, but she couldn’t.
I just have to do as I practiced—make sure that the demidevil feels like conquering me, the princess thought.
It was possible to rape a n.o.ble princess at one’s beckon, so she had to make the demi devil agree to that desire.
I’m really afraid.
Her legs trembled under her dress because she wished to run away. The opponent had a strong and hard body with a wild look and a manly face. He must be a fierce, blood, and s.e.x-hungry beast.
But if he helps me to protect the people of this land, then he will be a benefactor to me. It is my duty to give my body and heart to respond to his every desire. I will prepare to serve him with all might from now on… In bed… or anywhere else… and do whatever he asks.
Sungjin replied to the girl’s proposal that was full of hidden fear and dignity.
“No need!”
“What?”
“Because I don’t need a face with that much makeup on! Bring me back to where I was before right now!”
These were Sungjin’s first words to Princess Ereka.
* * *
Sungjin was angry.
What kind of corruption is this?
Ten people had raised their individual skills to the highest level for a whole week just for this moment, and it was finally time to compete! This was a moment of pure compet.i.tion between them, in spite of the interference of the Ministry of Gender Equality and lack of understanding of the world!
It was the last game between the former world champions, but this one-sided summoning threw everything off.
The royal princess of this different world, who pretended to be polite in her speech but actually had a lot of arrogance in her mannerisms, seemed to be worse than the minister of Gender Equality. She was confident that she could control her opponent at her disposal.
She had dazzling beauty and the status of the princess, so she must have always had support and acceptance. However, no one had the right to kidnap another person and ruin the promise between men.
“Huh…? makeup… how… disrespectful…”
Her hands trembled.
I wore clothes and makeup, something that I didn’t do before and even got my posture corrected. I tried so hard to look pretty, but I can’t believe all this wasn’t needed…
Blood flowed from her torn pride.
“Disrespect? You called me in, and did this.”
“I’m going to dedicate myself as your bride.”
“I don’t need that.”
“Tch.”
Ereka’s face was distorted.
She felt sad and miserable and wished to cry loudly. But she couldn’t cry because she decided to be the ruler of this country, not a princess who could cry her heart out. Her father wouldn’t cry about this.
I’m going to put up with it… he is sure to be the fierce and strong demidevil of the Other World. I have to try to appease him into signing a contract. If I fight with him, it will bring about a crisis more serious than the Blood King to the people.
She forced a smile.
“I didn’t summon you for trivial matters. I prepared so much in return, so please listen.”
Sungjin snorted coldly at the sight.
This is worse.
How dark is it beneath the mask of pure beauty? Had it not been for a woman, his fists would have gone out already.
“I don’t need that.”
“You have to listen to me first. Then, we can discuss next.”
“Hah. What do you want?”
Sungjin replied coldly because he didn’t know how to go back home.
“Speak as you like. Even though I’m still going back.”
“Thank you.”
Hiding her trembling hands behind her, Ereka continued. It was necessary to make the demidevil of Other World understand the present situation.