By evening, the western sky glowed red. Ye Chui and Debbie arrived at an abandoned house near their cabin to practice spells. Debbie used her summoning key to open a portal, calling forth Xiululu, the blue, fluffy creature. Clearly, yesterday’s ordeal as bait still lingered, as Xiululu cautiously emerged, eyeing Ye Chui warily before settling on Debbie.
“Meow~” Xiululu scratched the air with a chubby paw, blinking at Debbie with big eyes, looking somewhat cute. “Miss Debbie, aren’t I adorable, meow meow~~?”
“Heh heh heh.” Debbie smirked wickedly, grabbed the fur on his back, and tossed him out. “Off you go!”
“Aaah!” Xiululu wailed, flailing in a star shape before hitting a nearby wall.
“Let’s get started,” Debbie said, waving to Ye Chui.
Ye Chui summoned his iPad spellbook and opened the camera. Watching Xiululu slide down the wall, he felt a pang of guilt. “He’s your summoned pet. Isn’t this a bit harsh? I feel bad hitting him with spells now.”
Debbie rolled her eyes. “Xiululu is a fantasy pet, born from my imagination. He doesn’t truly exist. His abilities and sensations depend on my thoughts. As long as I don’t let him die, he won’t. When he acts hurt, it’s not real pain, just me making him seem that way.”
“I see,” Ye Chui said, nodding thoughtfully. “So what’s with him going on strike against you?”
Debbie’s face flushed slightly, and she stammered, “I created Xiululu when I was eight. I thought a pet that argued with me would be the cutest…”
“Alright, I get it.” Ye Chui nodded, realising Debbie’s quirky nature was innate.
Thanks to her explanation, Ye Chui set aside his concerns about harming Xiululu. He began using the creature as a target to hone his spell-casting skills. Naturally, he kept his attacks light. Most attack spells could be adjusted for power, allowing him to control their strength.
When Riken used [Flame Snake] against Ye Chui, his deep resentment led him to pour all his magic into the spell, exhausting himself and leaving him vulnerable to Ye Chui’s counterattack.
After installing [Lightning Strike] on his iPad spellbook, Ye Chui discovered it had three power settings: high, consuming about fifty percent of his magic; medium, using twenty percent, which he used against Kaimis; and low, requiring only five percent, ideal for multiple practice attempts.
The low-setting [Lightning Strike] fired a small bolt, not too powerful, certainly not lethal.
“Meow! My job is to be cute, damn it!” Xiululu wailed, darting around the dilapidated house. Ye Chui tracked him with the iPad, firing spells to familiarise himself with combat.
Sizzle. Boom.
The ruined furniture and walls suffered further damage, punctuated by Xiululu’s cries. Ye Chui’s magic soon ran dry, and, slightly pale, he left with Debbie, satisfied with the practice.
“Once I master [Target Lock]’s rhythm, I’ll hit every shot. For the next few days, I’ll practice whenever my magic recharges. Shame it doesn’t earn points,” Ye Chui noted.
Fighting earned points, but he needed to master a single spell, not learn more. Even with many spells, he needed magic to cast them.
Back at the cabin, Ye Chui was delighted to find the once-messy place transformed. The walls were free of soot, the floors spotless, and the cluttered dishes and furniture neatly arranged. A tempting dinner spread adorned the dining table.
Afu, the all-purpose maid in her uniform, stood respectfully at the door. Before leaving, Debbie had summoned her to clean, as they’d be staying here for a while.
Seeing Ye Chui and Debbie, Afu performed a noble curtsy. “Welcome back, Miss Debbie, and someone.”
“…” Someone? Seriously?
“Nice work, Afu,” Debbie said, inspecting the place with approval. She sat at the table, where a pot of simmering soup waited. Inhaling deeply, she sighed contentedly. “My favourite mushroom barley soup. Afu, serve me a bowl, quick.”
“Of course, Miss Debbie.” Afu deftly ladled a bowl and placed it before her.
Ye Chui sat too, feeling a rush of emotion. This was the life a transmigrator deserved: a clean home, meals ready, a pretty maid at his service. Smiling, he said to Afu, “Get me a bowl too.”
Thud. Afu slammed a bowl in front of him, soup sloshing out.
Ye Chui sighed, recalling Debbie’s comment about Afu disliking men. Whatever, a cold maid was its own kind of charm, right? He chuckled, scooped up some soup, and sipped it as Debbie took a gulp. A quiet thought crossed his mind: “This is the life…”
Then, “Pfft!” Both spat out the soup.
“So salty!”
“So spicy!”
Debbie stuck out her tongue, gasping, annoyed. “Ugh, I forgot. Afu is nearly perfect, skilled at cleaning, sewing, healing, everything, except one flaw: she can’t cook, and…”
“And what?” Ye Chui asked, pushing the bowl away.
Afu loomed beside them, holding a kitchen knife, stroking its gleaming blade with a chilling smile. “Miss Debbie, and someone, are you dissatisfied with my cooking?”
“…” Ye Chui froze.
“And her favourite thing is cooking. She seizes every chance to show off her skills,” Debbie continued, her face pale. “If her food isn’t eaten completely, she won’t leave.”
Ye Chui: “…”
Girl, are all your summoned spirits this quirky?
