A Demon’s Grimoire

My father had explained to me, with meticulous care, just how powerful Aria truly was. He'd spoken of her overwhelming potential, her unmatched grade, and the sheer force she could bring to bear.

And yet, witnessing it firsthand was something else entirely.

The sight of her crushing the Golden Lion with such effortless precision sent shivers down my spine. Her movements were fluid, controlled, and terrifyingly efficient, as though every punch, every step, was an immutable law of nature rather than a decision.

She was on a completely different level.

The Golden Lion, a Beta Luminara Divine Beast, was by no means weak. It radiated power and divine energy, an opponent that would have been considered a nightmare for any summoner in the kingdom. Yet Aria neutralized it as though it were a minor inconvenience.

What made it even more unsettling was the knowledge that she hadn't even tapped into her full potential. She had relied solely on her physical strength and divine energy.

She hadn't used her miasma.

Nor had she shown any sign of drawing upon her Tertiary Trait: Voracious Mind, the trait that allowed her to adapt and learn at a terrifying speed.

My heart pounded as I tried to steady my breathing, my hands gripping my grimoire tightly. I had known she would win. Of course, she would win. She heavily outclassed her opponent in every conceivable way. But knowing and seeing were two entirely different things.

This was an Eterna. No, this was a Prime Eterna.

And I was her summoner.

The weight of that realization settled over me, both thrilling and suffocating. Now I understood what my father and Headmaster Medea had meant. Their warnings weren't just words—they were an attempt to prepare me for the reality of what I had summoned.

Aria, even now, was far from reaching her full potential. With only two cores, she was still in the early stages of her growth. Her power, overwhelming as it seemed, was just the beginning.

The thought was exhilarating and terrifying in equal measure.

In summoner theory, my father had explained the relationship between biological grades and core strength. To bridge the gap between major biological grades—say, from a Prime Terra to an Alpha Astra—the difference was approximately four cores. For subdivisions within a grade, such as from Beta Astra to Omega Astra, the gap was one core.

By that logic, Aria, as a Prime Eterna, was so far beyond her opponent that it was laughable. The Golden Lion, despite being a formidable Beta Luminara beast, would only stand a chance if it had fully matured with all twelve divine cores.

The thought made me gulp, a cold bead of sweat tracing its way down my temple.

Aria turned her golden gaze toward me, the faint glow of her Duality trait still lingering in her transformed hair and dress. There was no arrogance in her expression, no gloating over her victory. She simply stood, as calm and composed as ever, waiting for the next command, the next task.

And that, I realized, was what made her so frightening. Her power wasn't wild or unrestrained. It was precise. Measured. The kind of strength that didn't just conquer—it obliterated anything foolish enough to stand in its way.

But as I stood there, trying to steady my trembling hands, I couldn't help but wonder: Was I truly strong enough to handle what I had summoned?

"The first match is over," Medea announced, her voice cutting cleanly through the tension that hung in the air. She descended from her observation point, her steps measured, her violet eyes briefly resting on Aria before turning to Mary and her wounded summon. "Here, I'll assist."

Her Gold grimoire fluttered open with an almost musical hum, its gilded pages catching the sunlight as it revealed another of her summons.

Omega Luminara Divine Beast: Crystal Fairy.

A figure emerged, delicate yet radiant. The creature was roughly human-sized, its resplendent crystal wings reflecting the light in a kaleidoscope of colors that danced across the training grounds. The Crystal Fairy moved gracefully toward the Golden Lion, extending its shimmering hands. Tendrils of divine energy flowed forth, weaving themselves into the Lion's battered form. Slowly, its injuries began to mend, the brilliance of its mane returning as it let out a low, grateful growl.

"Your summon is already intelligent enough to understand battle on her own," Medea said, her gaze sharp as she scrutinized Aria. "I suppose that's to be expected from an Eterna, though I wouldn't know for certain. This is, after all, the first Eterna I've ever seen."

Her tone was calm, but the weight of her admission was not lost on me—or anyone else present. Medea Solaryn, the most powerful summoner in the kingdom, was openly acknowledging the unprecedented nature of my summon.

"Anyway," she continued, her expression softening slightly as she turned to me, "well done, Elara Veylin."

I nodded, the words "Thank you" escaping my lips almost automatically. My grip on my grimoire tightened as I glanced back at Aria.

She was no longer bathed in divine radiance. Her golden hair and eyes had faded back to their original dark hue, her dress flowing in quiet ripples of black fabric. She stood there, calm and unassuming, as though the battle had never happened.

The contrast was unsettling. Moments ago, she had been a force of nature, a Prime Eterna who had shattered her opponent's attacks with ease. Now, she looked like the same doll-like girl I had first summoned.

I pursed my lips, unsure of what to feel. Pride? Awe? Fear?

"Come," I said quietly, opening my Diamond grimoire. Its crystalline pages shimmered, and Aria glanced at me with a brief flicker of something—recognition? Obedience?—before stepping back into the subspace within.

The grimoire's pages closed with a soft, almost reluctant sigh, and I exhaled, the tension in my chest finally easing.

Around me, the murmurs of the other students began to rise again. I could feel their gazes, a mix of curiosity, wariness, and envy. But I ignored them, my thoughts consumed by the image of Aria standing amidst the battlefield, her power barely tested, her potential still a vast unknown.

As Medea turned to address the next match, I found myself clutching my grimoire a little tighter. The crystalline surface, cool against my fingers, grounded me, though my thoughts remained a whirl of emotions.

The second match was about to begin—Rank 2 versus Rank 3. My brother, Kael Veylin, squaring off against Prince Valkas von Thane.

Their summons stepped into the arena, the tension thickening as the crowd fell silent. On one side stood Kael's Royal Dragon, its scales gleaming like freshly fallen snow, each movement radiating an effortless grace that belied its immense power. Opposite it loomed the Infernal Boar, an imposing beast wreathed in brilliant blue flames, its body dark and jagged as obsidian.

The contrast was striking. The dragon was a symbol of elegance and refined strength, while the boar embodied raw, unyielding ferocity. Both creatures exuded an aura that set the spectators on edge, yet the difference between them was clear to me.

In my mind, the outcome was almost certain.

Kael's Royal Dragon wasn't just a Prime Luminara—a creature at the very apex of its genus—it also possessed two divine cores.

Prince Valkas's Infernal Boar, by comparison, was an Omega Luminara, one grade below the dragon. And while the boar was formidable, it only carried one miasma core.

The gap in their biological grades alone was significant, but the difference in cores made the result feel inevitable. It wasn't just a question of who would win—it was a question of how long the Infernal Boar could hold its ground before succumbing.

Even so, I couldn't help but watch intently. There was something mesmerizing about Kael and Valkas as they prepared for the match. Kael's composure was steady, confident without arrogance, while Valkas carried a palpable determination, his red eyes gleaming like embers.

Medea's voice rang out, commanding and clear. "Begin!"

The crowd leaned forward in unison, breaths held, as the two summons moved.