Chapter 11 – The Summoning Mishap (That Was Absolutely Not Cheating)

Their professor, an Elite Demon with curved black horns and a smug grin, hovered above the group, arms crossed. His black coat billowed dramatically in the wind, as if he had spent an unnecessary amount of time ensuring it would.

"Listen up!" he called out, his voice carrying over the crashing waves. "Today, you will summon your familiars. Your lifelong partners. The ones who will aid you in battle and reflect your power!"

Carrion, leaning lazily against a boulder, was already bored.

"You will always summon something stronger than yourself," the professor continued. "So don’t embarrass yourselves."

Several students gulped.

"Familiar ranks range from Soldier to Emperor," the professor explained, "and, of course, the mythical Primordial Rank that no one has summoned in epochs." He smirked. "Not that any of you will."

Carrion scoffed.

The first student, a dragon-kin girl with shimmering silver scales, stepped onto the summoning platform. She raised her hands, chanting an ancient incantation.

The air hummed with energy. A magic circle blazed beneath her feet, and from the depths of a swirling portal—

A Wyvern emerged.

The creature flapped its leathery wings, letting out a screech that rattled the air.

The professor nodded approvingly. "A Captain Rank summon. Good work."

The class clapped politely.

A few more students stepped up, each summoning creatures ranging from large wolves to elemental spirits—all within the Soldier or Captain rank.

Nothing impressive.

Nothing worth Carrion’s attention.

Then came Elena’s turn.

Elena swallowed nervously and stepped onto the summoning platform. She had studied summoning theory for years, but now that she was here, what if she messed up?

Carrion, watching from the sidelines, yawned.

He felt the mana forming in the summoning circle. Weak. The creature about to be summoned was nothing more than a low-ranked Soldier.

Unacceptable.

Elena deserved better.

With a casual wave of his hand, Carrion subtly hijacked the incantation, twisting it to his will.

The magic circle flared violently.

The sky darkened.

The air turned heavy.

Something huge stirred in the portal—and every single student backed away.

Then—

A figure emerged.

A tall, black, faceless humanoid demon, draped in a tattered, shadowy cloak.

The moment it appeared—all the other summoned familiars shuddered and collapsed, bowing their heads to the ground.

The Wyvern? Shaking.

The elemental spirits? Quivering.

Even the professor, an Elite Demon, took a step back, his eyes wide.

“W-What in the abyss is that?” someone whispered.

The black demon-like figure lifted its head, revealing nothing but pure darkness where a face should be. Then, it released an invisible pulse of power.

BOOM.

Every familiar dropped even lower, their bodies trembling.

The students? Speechless.

The professor? Sweating.

Elena?

“…Whoa.”

Carrion, standing off to the side, grinned.

"This," the professor muttered, his voice unsteady, "is a Marshal-Rank summon. Something only elite summoners should be capable of controlling…"

He slowly turned his head toward Elena. "And you…"

Elena beamed. "It’s mine, right?!"

The demon glanced at Elena, then gave a small nod of acknowledgment.

The professor rubbed his temples. "This is ridiculous. How did you—" He stopped mid-sentence. His gaze snapped toward Carrion.

Carrion whistled innocently.

"…No. No. There’s no way you had something to do with this."

Carrion, expression unreadable, merely tilted his head.

"I am but a simple observer," he said, his voice dripping with false sincerity.

The professor narrowed his eyes.

Then—

He sighed heavily.

"Whatever," he muttered. "If it listens to her, it's hers."

Elena pumped her fist in victory.

Meanwhile, the rest of the class was still recovering from the sheer presence of her new familiar.

One student—pale and shaking—whispered, "What… what is Elena really?"

Another choked out, "She must be a monster in disguise."

Carrion, hearing this, smirked.

"Indeed," he said casually. "She is my mate, after all."

Elena choked on air.

"DON’T JUST SAY THAT IN FRONT OF EVERYONE!"

By the time the class teleported back to the mainland, the entire school already knew what had happened.

"Did you hear?! Elena summoned a Marshal-Rank demon!"

"And Carrion totally helped!"

"I heard her familiar made the professor bow."

"It didn't! But the professor definitely looked nervous!"

"Are they dating?!"

"I dunno, but Carrion called her his mate!"

"WHAT?!"

Meanwhile, Elena dragged Carrion by the sleeve, whisper-screaming.

"You totally interfered!"

Carrion, unbothered, shrugged. "So?"

"SO?! I was supposed to summon something natural!"

"You did."

"NO, I DIDN’T!"

Carrion tilted his head. "Would you prefer I left you with that weak Soldier-Rank thing?"

Elena opened her mouth—then closed it.

…Okay, maybe she did like the demon.

But still!

"Next time, don’t mess with my magic!" she huffed.

Carrion grinned.

"No promises."