Book Eater

Chapter 249: Ominous Identity (2)

“What can I do for you?” Theo’s tone was naturally wary as the dark presence around the mysterious Shim Samho set off alarms in his head.

He didn’t think she could win if she tried to fight him, but she had something other than combat prowess. As long as he didn’t know her identity, he wasn’t confident in defeating her.

Despite Theo’s calm attitude, Shim Samho’s coy tone didn’t change, “Huhu, you’re still the same. Didn’t we promise to meet again?”

He replied curtly, “I don’t remember us being that close.”

“It is a relationship that is meant to be more intimate,” Shim Samho said as she stepped gracefully over the threshold. It was so natural that even the nervous attendant couldn’t stop her.

“Excuse me. Can I get a cup of tea?”

“Sure.” Theo sighed reluctantly.

It couldn’t be helped, so he went along with her pushiness. Moreover, she was a notary of the emperor. Theo instructed him to keep people away from this area. It would be safer if things devolved into a battle.

Shortly afterward, an attendant placed a tea set between Theo and Shim Samho. Jade colored tea was poured into the cups, and a refreshing scent filled the air.

It was a tea that even the richest person had to wait three years to obtain.

It was proof of their former glory that the Lee family had several tins of these fine tea leaves in their house. It was mainly reserved for the head of the family, but Theo had little interest in tea. Therefore, he usually only brought it out when serving guests of a particular status.

“Oh, my. This is great Longjing tea,” Shim Samho hummed in appreciation as she took a sip.

Tea leaves were graded depending on when they were harvested. Leaves that were plucked just before they were ready for harvest were treated as the finest quality since there was a low production rate and they had the finest taste. These tea leaves were only available for the ones with the largest wallets.

Theo looked at Shim Samho and left his tea untouched. “Stop talking about meaningless things. If you want good tea, I’ll give you a few sachets. So, why are you here?”

“There is no need to be in a rush.” Shim Samho chuckled throatily as she put down her teacup. “Just like a draft is necessary for a story, this conversation needs context. My lips are sealed in the presence of such good tea.”

“... How verbose.”

There was nothing else to say. Theo fell silent as he waited for Shim Samho to finish her tea and talk. After she had finished two cups, she spoke, “I was very surprised to hear that Theo chose to become the temporary head. Unifying the Fairy Dance Lee family in just three months... it isn’t something that could be done with mere force.”

He shrugged. “I have competent subordinates.”

Shim Samho placed her cup back on the table. “There is no need to be so humble. Moreover, it is amazing that you can learn martial arts with the body of a magician.”

“Um,” Theo examined the woman sitting across from him. “Magic... You know it well.”

Theo had realized something after a few months in the East Continent. While magic had penetrated deeply into daily life in the West Continent, it was difficult to find shamanism in the East Continent.

It seemed there was a heavy prejudice against it. Shamans were extremely reluctant to reveal their identities, so they hid from the public eye. Therefore, Eastern citizens often didn’t know the distinction between magic and shamanism.

Yet this Shim Samho seemed to know far more about magic than the average Eastern Continent citizen. Her knowledge seemed to rival that of a Magic Tower’s library. How had she studied the magic of another continent when she was a high-ranking notary of the emperor? The more Theo talked to her, the more mysterious her identity seemed.

He didn’t know if she was strong or weak, and her presence was also a factor which made her identity questionable.

“Are you curious to see my face?” Shim Samho seemed to interpret Theo’s gaze in a strange manner as she playfully touched the edge of her cotton veil. He hesitated before nodding. In some ways, it was a chance to figure out her identity. It was only when Shim Samho lifted her cotton cloth that Theo immediately realized...

His decision was a mistake.

***

“――――Ah.”

Thoughts instantly scattered as blood boiled up in his body like a furnace the moment he saw Shim Samho’s face. Her beauty, which was too fatal to be praised as beautiful, pierced Theo’s eyes. He couldn’t explain the features he was looking at. The sight of this beauty which was outside the human domain of cognition was almost like a mental attack.

No, it could only be expressed as a mental attack.

D-Damn, what is with this face?!

His eyes felt like they were melting away as he looked at Shim Samho’s face.

Then her natural scent tickled his nose.

His five senses were running wild with desire, urging him to let go of his strained strings of reason. If even the mind of the highly disciplined Theo couldn’t withstand this, then other masters wouldn’t be able to endure at all.

Theo could still hold on. It would be the end if he let go. But at that moment, Shim Samho moved to stand before him.

“Haa... If you look at me with those eyes, will the heat go away?”

The corners of her mouth rose slightly as lightning flashed through her eyes. As Theo trembled, her fingers slowly reached up to curl around the belt that held her robes together… and pulled.

Sururuk.

Theo stopped breathing. She wasn’t wearing anything underneath, so her intent was obvious. Otherwise, her clothing wouldn’t have been removed so easily.

This was a sin.

Theo’s reason completely melted away when he saw Shim Samho’s naked skin. Before he knew it, he leaned forward. Her white skin which was as smooth as porcelain and her beautifully curved body that fit the golden ratio... It was impossible for any male creature to resist her. Theo’s instincts stopped responding as soon as he realized this fact.

If he persevered more than this, his brains would boil up and he would die.

“Urgh.”

The moment that Theo’s left hand touched her soft skin...

[The mental interference of a myth-grade existence is detected on your body.]

[Gluttony resists the dreadful curse.]

[You have succeeded in resisting the ‘Burning Carnal Desire.’]

It was like a bucket of ice water fell over his mind. He had been hit by a curse that could even dominate a master’s mind and couldn’t be stopped even with preliminary preparation. Theo looked at the situation calmly and did what he thought was best.

His seven Circles rotated vigorously, and magic power emerged from his left hand, which was still in contact with her skin.

Peeeong!

The shockwave hit Shim Samho’s chest, throwing her back. Blood spattered across the ceiling. It was an instantly fatal wound.

... Did I do it?

However, that didn’t mean anything.

- Not dead.

What?

At that moment, Shim Samho’s body, which sported a gigantic hole, lurched up.

“What?!”

In shock, Theo immediately sprang backward. No human could take that kind of fatal damage and still move. This was a monster. No, this was almost like the tenacity worthy of being called immortal that Pride had shown in the past. Theo panicked as he realized where his thoughts were headed.

No, it isn’t playing around. What is this?

Blood was pouring out of the gigantic hole in Shim Samho’s chest. From the first time they met, Theo had felt like his combat ability would be no use. She looked more like an undead than a human being. Shim Samho bit her lips like she was embarrassed.

- What? How did a mortal escape my mind control??

Shim Samho’s alluring voice rang out in a low-frequency range which couldn’t be heard by human ears. She was an existence at a higher level than a human.

If it hadn’t been for Gluttony’s strength, Theo would’ve lost his reason entirely, despite being a 7th Circle magician who possessed a divinity. Even an 8th Circle warlock wouldn’t be able to control him if Theo resisted, yet Shim Samho had easily crushed his mental defenses.

Was she a senior demon? Or perhaps a grimoire? Theo tried to find the answer to his questions.

However, the answer came from Gluttony.

- I thought I heard a familiar mental wavelength. So, it was you. I didn’t think you would cross over to the East Continent.

- ... Eh? So it was you, Gluttony.?

Shim Samho’s expression changed after she heard Gluttony’s voice. Shim Samho was an existence that transcended beyond humanity, so the speed of her thinking circuits was far faster than humans.

At the same time, Theo guessed her identity.

Gluttony is a grimoire that eats grimoires, so other grimoires are just food to Gluttony. A regular grimoire would just be eaten if Gluttony encountered it. Then that means this person...

-?You guessed right.?

Gluttony read Theo’s mind and confirmed his speculation.

A grimoire that Gluttony knew...

A power that could suppress the mind and stimulate human sexuality...

Theo concluded that this must be one of the Seven Sins grimoires.

- She is one of the Seven Sins, Lust of the carnal desires. A grimoire who exerts its power through sexual stimulation, an existence that no man can deny... It seems this empire has fallen into her hands.