Chapter 116: Couple Competition

The perfect demonic seed in the human mind could not be removed. As a conceptual entity, it was naturally impossible to extract it through surgery. And since it had already assimilated with the host, neither divine power nor magic could distinguish it.

There were only two ways to eliminate the seed: either expel it through one’s own willpower or kill the host.

Once the seed germinated and the demon within awakened, it would transform into a powerful demon based on its potential. In severe cases, it could become strong enough to threaten all of humanity—perhaps even surpassing the level of a top-tier demon.

‘That was the case with Dinua.’

Once, Ian had saved Dinua by driving out the seed that had embedded itself in her heart. It was proof that what he was trying now wasn’t entirely absurd.

“So—”

After hearing Ian’s explanation, Stella looked at him with a baffled expression.

“What? You’re going to make her fall for you and then trick her into thinking that being evil is meaningless? And you did the same with Senior Dinua?”

Just hearing it made her head spin. But more than anything else, the theory had one major flaw.

“How do you know she’ll like you?”

“Is there a reason not to?”

‘There it is—that confident attitude.’ That arrogant demeanor could extinguish a thousand years of affection in an instant.

‘If not for that, he would’ve been the perfect man. Honestly, if it weren’t for that flaw, probably every female cadet in the Academy would’ve been chasing after him.’

Stella thought of that and thought of a reason why Caroline might dislike him.

“…You’ve got a terrible personality.”

“Me?”

“Yeah.”

At least, that’s what it seemed like to others. 

In response, Ian began to list what he had, as if it were absurd not to acknowledge them.

Boundless wealth. 

A guaranteed future title as duke. 

Favor from the emperor. 

A hero with several summons.

Given that people in this world often sought out the seeds of those who summoned high-ranking creatures, Ian was a highly desirable figure—both in terms of power and, frankly, as a stud.

Even if he had been disfigured or overweight, that might have been another story. But externally, Ian was flawless.

“You need to have at least one flaw to still feel human.”

That’s why Ian didn’t mind when people called his personality unpleasant. If anything, he took it as a compliment.

After all, didn’t that mean the only fault they could find was in his personality?

“And what if my personality has a few flaws?”

Most importantly—

“Even with flaws, there are still women lining up for me.”

Whether he had ten or a hundred flaws, it didn’t really matter.

So what if he replaced his partners every month and !mpregnated every woman he touched?

He just had to seduce them first.

Hearing that, Stella glared at Ian, clearly exasperated. But unfortunately for her—he wasn’t wrong.

***

“Um, so?”

“Huh, I’m there—”

“Okay?”

After that, Ian did everything he could to win Caroline over. 

Fortunately, she showed great interest in him as well.

If the Ian on Earth had been nothing but a nobody complaining about wanting a girlfriend, the Ian in this world was a Casanova who naturally attracted women.

The secret of his popularity didn’t lie solely in his appearance—it was in how he behaved.

“Excuse me.”

“Ah, yes…”

First of all, Ian didn’t show excessive interest in them. Unlike other cadets who ogled Caroline as though she were a prize, laughing nervously or trying to get close, Ian behaved differently.

Even though he didn’t actively pursue them, he naturally drew interest. His overwhelming confidence—rooted in both his strength and looks—only increased their curiosity about him.

“What did you ask?”

“Well, you don’t ‘have’ to eat it…”

Things that might have felt off-putting from anyone else turned into heart-fluttering moments when Ian did them.

At some point, Caroline found herself developing feelings for Ian—without any help from Pink or Sylphy’s powers. That was when Ian began to stimulate the seed inside her.

“So, did you think about what I said?”

“Yes, Marquis. I, Caroline Crespy, will obey the Marquis’s request.”

The seed within her had germinated from her deep-rooted low self-esteem. The theory was that once her confidence was restored, the seed would disappear on its own.

“Please do well on the midterm.”

For a student, nothing demonstrated confidence better than good grades.

***

”Couple Competition.”

This test had been specially requested by Ian from the principal. 

In truth, it had been designed for Caroline.

It was a modified version of the midterm exam from the first semester, where two people fought as a team. But there was one major difference this time—

‘There is no limit on summons.’

Previously, 1-star, 2-star, and 3-star Summoners were grouped together in an attempt to create a fair balance.

But now? No such restrictions applied.

Ian had a 4-star summon and had teamed up with Caroline, who possessed a 3-star summon. He had already explained to the girls that he would be teaming up with her and why, so there were no complaints.

However, Ian couldn’t help but feel a little uneasy.

‘Why are you all so quiet…?’

These girls usually complained about everything. But now, they were backing off simply because they thought another girl might become a demon. 

Ian hadn’t realized just how much the idea of demons had affected them. They were constantly battling, and his mind wandered briefly to the situation in North Korea.

‘No… this feels worse. It’s because we’re facing each other in battle every single day.’

Still, there was nothing bad about the current arrangement. Caroline was happy to be teamed up with Ian, and Ian was glad to eliminate the risk of Caroline becoming the Chapter 4 boss.

And so, test day arrived.

Ian suddenly understood why no one had objected.

”Ian Clark, Caroline Crespy.”

”VS”

”Stella Eritz, Aire Elnes”

‘…Are they a couple?’

Two people with 4-star summons had formed a pair. It was being called a “Couple Competition,” but there was no rule stating that a couple had to be a man and a woman.

That misunderstanding had come from the stereotype tied to the name.

“Marquis.”

“Yes?”

“I will definitely win.”

“—Yes.”

Fortunately, Caroline didn’t lose her nerve and instead became fired up.

Stella Eritz—the enemy of a lifetime. This was her chance to defeat her.

When Ian saw Caroline like that, a thought crossed his mind. ‘Could Stella have predicted her condition and appeared now, as her greatest obstacle? Was she trying to confront Caroline’s trauma head-on?’

‘No way.’

Stella Eritz wasn’t that kind of person. It was more likely that she simply disliked Ian’s approach and was trying to challenge it directly.

And just like that, test day began.

Surprisingly, Ian had been right.

“Ian, I’m sorry.”

“Stella.”

“I understand what you’re trying to do. But you don’t think it’s going to be that easy, do you?”

True to the pride of the Eritz family, Stella believed that there was no point in overcoming trauma with someone else’s help. Trauma that was easily overcome was bound to return just as easily. And when it did, it would come back stronger.

“If suffering is easy, then it isn’t really suffering,” she said calmly.

Caroline glanced at Ian and shook her head.

“—Summon.”

“Summon!”

Ian and Caroline released their summons, which immediately flew toward their respective targets, as if predetermined.

Ian faced off against Aire, while Stella took on Caroline.

Well—only Stella and Caroline were really ‘fighting.’

“Nyahahaha! Ian, what do you think? Do I look cool?”

“Uh—yeah, cool.”

“Really? Then how about this?”

The two of them chatted like they were out on a playdate. Had there been any spectators besides the instructor, who was serving as judge, they would have been scolded for not taking it seriously.

Fortunately, no one else was watching, and even the instructor was too busy focusing on the heated battle between Stella and Caroline.

“You d*mn stray cat!”

‘I’m gonna burn that hair of yours to ashes!’

Stella’s fury was transmitted directly to her summon, Ifrit. Fueled by her emotions, Ifrit turned her anger into fire and unleashed it.

Caroline tried to block it by summoning her winter-type summon, but the difference in their power levels was too great.

A 3-star versus a 4-star summon. Level 1 versus level 2.

Either one of those alone would have been enough to tip the scales—but Caroline was facing both disadvantages at once. There was no way she could beat Stella.

‘Again… I’m losing?’

She lost every time. So maybe it didn’t matter if she lost again.

‘No—I hate this.’

“I…!”

Caroline Crespy. Daughter of Earl Crespy. The one who defended the East.

“I will never lose to you!”

With that declaration, Caroline activated her Origin Art. It was a special move meant to obliterate anything in its path—but it still wasn’t enough to overpower a summon of a higher rank.

“It’s no use.”

“Ah—”

She had lost again. And again.

‘Why do I always lose? Why?’

The trauma buried deep in her heart was stirred once more.

And the seed of the demon fed on that emotion—and began to grow.

‘Tuk.’

The demon’s horns started to prick at her heart.

She could sense the invisible form of the demon taking shape before her.

‘—I need strength…’

“You did well, Caroline.”

Ian stepped forward, casting aside the shadowy image and meeting her gaze. Her heart, which had always pounded at the sight of him, beat faster without her even realizing it.

Ian smiled and embraced her.

“Leave the rest to me.”

“Huh, Marquis…”

He kept his promise.

In a 2-on-1 battle, without suffering defeat—he brought her victory.

In the face of that overwhelming sense of triumph, the seed that had taken root in her heart completely vanished.