Evil Duchess Summons Me, the Heavenly Demon

It felt like someone had beaten her entire body.

And if that wasn’t enough, as if she had been thrown into boiling water, unable to breathe, and once all the moisture had been drained from her body, she was wrung out tightly one more time.

This sensation, which Ephre was experiencing for the first time in her life, felt strange.

That’s right, feet shoulder-width apart. Arms stretched forward and buttocks pushed back… what’s with that look?

It was a relatively secluded place where academy students rarely passed by. Timing-wise too.

But that didn’t provide much comfort for having to assume an embarrassing posture.

How could one reveal the curves of their buttocks in front of a strange man, no, other people? It felt just like being naked. Though it wasn’t actually so, it was shameful just to imagine.

…Thump.

For some reason, her heart ached when he treated her without a hint of hesitation, but this was surely due to shame and dismay.

When she said she couldn’t do it, Cheon Sang-geuk said:

I see, is the clothing the problem? Indeed, it does seem bothersome.

The man frowned with great dissatisfaction and looked up and down her body, or rather, her clothes.

At that moment, Ephre was about to scream.

That crazy summoned creature was someone who acted as he pleased, wasn’t he? If he weren’t a summoned creature, and if he didn’t possess such formidable power, he would surely have been nothing more than a blockhead among blockheads.

He was the kind who broke doors and walls because they were in the way.

And from the mouth of such a Cheon Sang-geuk came the words “Is the clothing the problem?” Ephre’s hair stood on end. Immediately, in front of others, tearing it to pieces…

Ah-ugh, no! N-no! I’ll do it like this! I’ll do it! I can just do that training, right?!

Though a slightly strange sound mixed in because she shouted urgently, the meaning seemed to be conveyed properly. Cheon Sang-geuk nodded in a manner that suggested agreement.

What was the thought that came next?

Not relief, but anger and humiliation, frustration and contempt, pain and blood-sweat-tears. Well, minus the blood.

At first, it was manageable.

Not bad, spread them more.

She did so.

You need to push your buttocks out more. Don’t you even know the basics of the horse stance?

She was furious but endured it. For the sake of magic.

Tsk, why aren’t you pushing your chest out? Think of it as hugging a large log. Do you only touch shoulders when you hug? If you haven’t done it before, I’m sorry, but continue.

What kind of thought process and views on romance does he have to be able to say such things without hesitation!

Just as moans began to escape from Ephre’s mouth.

He laughed silently. She clearly saw it. His smile deepening.

Good.

That fucking bastard?

Deciding she could no longer go along with this pervert, she tried to stand up abruptly, but Cheon Sang-geuk praised her with a satisfied face.

To be honest, I thought you’d collapse at this point. I thought you’d roll on the ground screaming like a childish kid. But you endure this? I commend you. I’ve confirmed that you at least have a basic aptitude for mar… no, magic.

Praise.

A storm of praise.

At that moment, Ephre felt as if her body had been washed clean and lightened. Even though sweat-soaked hair clung to her face and clothes stuck to her bare skin, for some reason, her mouth was smiling.

It wasn’t flattery meant to sound good, nor was it cursing based blindly on rumors.

He was purely praising Ephre’s capabilities, her perseverance and determination, her effort and posture. Her servant, who uttered arrogant words without hesitation whenever he opened his mouth.

And so, she transcended the limits of her physical strength once.

That’s why she could endure even though her arms and legs were trembling madly.

And about five more minutes passed. No, five hours?

Ephre broke down.

It’s natural, if natural can be said.

A duchess who has lived an easy life all her life can’t shake off physical hardship just because she heard some genuine praise.

Later, she endured out of sheer stubbornness, plus not wanting to waste all she had done so far, and hoping to hear the words “that’s enough” from the mouth of that spiteful summoned creature.

In the end, she did collapse.

…And so now.

For some reason, Ephre was being held in Cheon Sang-geuk’s arms.

Thump-thump-thump-thump!

Her heart beat so fast it felt like it would burst. His body, pressed against her, was hard as stone. No, steel? She wasn’t sure.

Below her feet, the open space where they had practiced magic had shrunk to the size of a toy. It might have looked like that because they had risen so high.

Her amazement at the floating magic that could fly so high while carrying a person lasted only for the first moment.

In Ephre’s mind:

‘D-d-d-do I s-s-smell of s-sweat? I-i-is it o-okay? I-i-if p-people are passing below, my s-skirt might… N-no, n-no, w-why is Ch-Cheon Sang-geuk h-holding me, w-what, w-why…’

Her eyes spun dizzily. Her mind was the same.

Perhaps she had lost her mind due to acrophobia from rising too high.

Suddenly, his words brushed her ear.

It seems I need to start by fixing your mentality.

M-m-m-mentality? H-how?

While swallowing her dry saliva, her consciousness seemed to leave her body with a whoosh.

Huh? No. Her entire body was being drawn to the ground as if falling.

“Uwaaaaaaaaa!”

Boom!

A thick cloud of dust rose. Birds flew with a flapping sound, beating their wings, and due to the vibration and shockwave, the water beneath the waterfall defied gravity and created a spray.

Shaaaa.

While being hit by water droplets that were falling back down like rain, Ephre stood on the ground with trembling legs. Cheon Sang-geuk had let her down.

“Since ancient times, nothing has been better for unifying the mind and body than sitting in meditation under a waterfall… Hmm? What are you doing? I haven’t explained the method yet.”

Ephre couldn’t answer. She shouldn’t answer. She shouldn’t look back. She just crawled as fast as possible. With all her might.

With legs already drained of strength, she crawled on her arms. Even a nobleman’s wife with an awful hobby wouldn’t act like this.

Splash… plop, splash.

Eventually, without anyone telling her to, Ephre turned around only after completely soaking her body in water.

Transparent dew formed in her eyes full of moisture. Her closed mouth trembled.

“D-die, drop dead.”

She suddenly cursed.

♦♦♦

‘Despite her words, it seems to be effective.’

I was inwardly satisfied.

I hadn’t directly administered corporal punishment or inflicted great psychological persecution.

I simply indirectly informed her that she could do such things once her martial arts achievement reached a certain level.

Indeed, the effect was remarkable.

Before the word ‘waterfall’ was even finished, she crawled on her own towards the water, didn’t she? Judging by the humidity and temperature in the air, the water in that waterfall must be cold enough to jolt one’s senses.

Even if it’s not directly under the waterfall but in a pond-like area where the water from it flows, it would still be cold.

If she were a modern person, I would have had to give her heart massage beforehand, such as dabbing water on her chest, but indeed, the villain duchess with a strong backbone…!

While seeming as if she would never give in, she docilely entered that water on her own.

Shiver.

It certainly seemed cold. Although it wasn’t very welcome that she glared with venomous eyes and tears, that too was a talent.

Isn’t it true that one can achieve great accomplishments only if they have their own tenacity, rather than easily submitting?

Even if the relationship is that of master and disciple… oops.

Even if it’s a relationship between a summoned creature and a summoner.

Ahem, I cleared my throat and was about to recite the next teaching.

That was until a girl appeared beside me without a presence.

Foam broke over her flowing silver hair. The expressionless-faced girl looked alternately at me and Ephre.

Then, looking at Ephre’s legs with a frown, she opened her small mouth.

“…Unclean, impure, forbidden entry.”

She seemed like a child whose mind was not fully formed, much like Ephre. While I couldn’t understand exactly, I could somehow roughly grasp that she was feeling bad.

It was as if children with very faint or few emotional expressions were pouting with a blank face.

I didn’t understand why she was wearing an Oriental, no, Japanese shrine maiden outfit, but I let it be. After all, in a world where two moons hang in the sky, why would that be a big deal now?

The girl continued.

“That is Liriel’s place. The bathroom is over there.”

Hmm?

The child who introduced herself as ‘Liriel’ uttered such strange words and pointed to one side. At those words, Ephre screamed as if having a seizure.

“N-no, it’s not!”

“?”

“It’s not, I’m telling youuu.”

Liriel tilted her head. Faced with that confident frown that suggested she couldn’t understand, Ephre muttered in a shrinking voice. Gurgling, she foamed at the mouth and went deeper into the cold water.

Liriel frowned even more, and I clapped my hands once.

“Well done, knowing how to act on your own.”

Such proactive attitudes would surely be a considerable advantage for her future life as a martial artist… no, as a summoner. One might say it was a fairly smooth start for a beginner.

The corners of my mouth naturally curved upward. Perhaps she had been stimulated by the appearance of this girl. She seemed to be surrounded by a mystical energy at a glance.

“Well… done? Are you the one who made her do that in Liriel’s place?”

The silver-haired, expressionless shrine maiden took half a step back.