A low hum vibrated through the air. Shade watched with a tightening chest as Loki stumbled blindly toward his newly summoned Seventh Circle creature. Panic flared in her heart. Sensing danger, she dropped the protective barrier without a second thought.
"Loki, hold on! I'm coming!"
She triggered her magic, casting Blink Teleport.
With a sharp buzz and a flash of light, Shade materialized instantly beside the two fallen figures. The massive snake lamia was deathly injured, its body covered in deep gashes, yet it still clung tightly to Loki like an iron coil. Shade tried to pry the heavy coils away, but the creature’s grip was unyielding even in unconsciousness. Turning her attention to Loki, she quickly checked his vitals. She let out a breath of relief—he had only fainted from exhaustion.
Placing her gentle palm against his pale cheek, Shade channeled her mana to cast a Fifth Circle spell.
"Dearest Loki, wake up. Mental Recovery!"
Among mages of all classes, this iconic spell was known as the ultimate "magic cup of coffee." It possessed the incredible ability to instantly shock a person awake, erase mental fatigue, and suppress fear. Because Shade was a high-level mage, the soothing effect would wrap around Loki's mind for the next seven hours.
A cool, refreshing sensation flowed into Loki’s mind, and his long eyelashes began to flutter.
I was trapped in a fleeting nightmare of Earth. In the dream, a gargantuan black mamba had pinned me to the bedroom floor, its dripping fangs sunk deep into my neck and shoulder. Just as I felt myself slipping away into a freezing, dark abyss, a jolt of cool energy snapped me back to reality.
"Snakes... why did it have to be snakes?"
I bolted upright, unconsciously blurting out the classic line from that old Earth movie.
As the fog cleared from my brain, a heavy, metallic scent hit my nose. I was absolutely drenched in blood, and the heavily wounded lamia was still cradled tightly in my arms. Shade stood over us, her eyes wide with worry.
Thump-thump.
I looked down at the sleeping beauty resting in my lap, and my heart violently skipped a beat. A sudden, overwhelming urge to squeeze her tightly washed over me. What is wrong with me? I thought, panicked. Why am I falling in love with every single sexy woman I cross paths with lately? Am I cursed, or is this damn Summoner bond messing with my head?
"Shade, I'm okay," I said quickly, forcing my racing thoughts aside. "But my new summons is on the verge of death. Call a healer, please!"
Before the last word could even leave my mouth, Shade was already thrusting a crystal vial into my hands. It held about eight ounces of a glowing, vibrant green liquid.
"This minor healing potion should stabilize her," Shade said urgently. "Force her to drink it, or pour it directly onto her worst wounds."
The moment my fingers wrapped around the glass, something strange happened. As I twisted the cork open, a massive flood of foreign information burst into my mind. It felt as though centuries of intense alchemy practice had suddenly unlocked inside my brain. Without even thinking, I knew the exact properties of the liquid—this minor potion carried the exact same regenerative value as a low-tier Small Heal spell.
I carefully pried her soft jaw open. Up close, I noticed a pair of sharp, delicate fangs and the slightly forked tip of her tongue. Gently, I tilted the vial and let the glowing fluid trickle down her throat. The potion worked instantly, sealing up her bleeding vessels, initiating a ten percent rapid recovery of her flesh, and kickstarting her natural healing.
As a soft green aura enveloped her body, yet another wave of strange monster lore filled my head. This creature wasn't just a standard yuan-ti or a regular snake lamia. She was a Royal Yuan-ti—the absolute genetic peak of her entire race, and easily one of the most powerful entities in her realm.
Watching the creature’s chest begin to rise and fall in a steady rhythm as her deep sword wounds knitted together, Shade looked down at me with a puzzled expression.
"Loki, why did you pass out like that?" she asked. "Normally, when a Summoner calls a creature, the mage doesn't suffer a physical backlash. I've witnessed several of these rituals before, and none of them looked like this."
I sat up fully, shifting the heavy but soft weight of the unconscious lamia. In the West, humans simply grouped her kind under the blanket term 'lamia,' which was accurate enough for now.
"My brain completely overloaded," I admitted, rubbing my temples. "The moment the contract finalized, her skills flooded into my mind at the exact same time mine were transferred to her. The sheer volume of information knocked me cold."
Shade tilted her head, her beautiful features twisting in deep confusion. "Loki... summons don't share their skills or knowledge with their masters. That's not how the magic works."
I blinked, processing her words. "Maybe it's a unique trait of her Royal Yuan-ti lineage? A racial ability, perhaps?"
Shade glanced around the clearing, her expression turning serious. "Whatever it is, you, she, and the ground beneath us are covered in her blood. We need to get back to the mansion immediately to clean both of you up. If anyone catches sight of a Royal Lamia right now, your secret Summoner class will be exposed to the whole world."
I nodded quickly. Shade stepped forward, placing one hand on the creature's scales while pointing her other hand toward the open space beside them.
"Send my husband's summons home—One-way Portal!"
A tense ten seconds ticked by before a magical rift, spanning roughly six feet wide, tore open in the air. The edges of the gateway hummed with a pale blue radiance. Peering through the glowing tear, I could clearly see our master bathroom on the other side. I guided the lamia toward the threshold.
With a soft, echoing pop, her massive form was pulled through the rift, and the portal snapped shut.
Without missing a beat, Shade turned her magic on me, casting the same spell to send me straight back to the mansion to join my new summons—whose name had finally settled into my memories.
Shehuang. The Snake Queen-Empress.
With another quiet pop, I materialized directly onto the tiled floor of the master bathroom. I immediately twisted the brass valves to start a bath, desperate to wash away the thick coating of blood. A second later, a rustle of wind announced Shade teleporting in right behind me.
While I stripped out of my ruined, blood-soaked clothes, Shade set to work delicately removing what little remained of Shehuang’s tattered garments.
"Loki, the soul contract rules dictate it is impossible for your summons to harm or betray you," Shade said, wiping her brow as she walked toward the door. "I will go search the estate to see if Sylvia has arrived yet."
"Good. Thanks, Shade."
Once the door clicked shut, I stepped into the steam.
I had to admit, while Earth easily took the crown when it came to massive public infrastructure, electricity, and city plumbing, the fantasy world of Myst had engineered some magical comforts that were just as good—if not better. This massive, sunken tub was entirely powered by a high-grade Water Core. Bound by a basic magic circle, it could endlessly summon pristine, fresh water on command. A single core lasted for months before needing a replacement. Right next to it, a Fire Core ran along the pipes to perfectly heat the water to a relaxing, steamy temperature.
And the best part? There was no clunky sewer system. A specialized Time-Space Core created a localized miniature vacuum pocket. The moment dirty water or toilet waste entered the drain, it was entirely swallowed by the void, likely drifting aimlessly through outer space.
I quickly scrubbed the dried blood off my skin, then turned my attention to the sleeping snake lady, carefully resting her long, dark tail over the marble ledge of the tub so she wouldn't displace all the water.
"Honestly, I think Shade's magic is actually curing my phobia," I muttered to myself, staring at the scales. "Or maybe a giant monster lady just doesn't register as a real snake to my trauma." It seemed only normal vipers and demonic beast snakes triggered my survival instincts.
As I gently scooped handfuls of warm water over Shehuang’s pale upper body to rinse away the crimson stains, her eyelids fluttered. When her eyes opened, a pair of piercing, golden orbs locked onto mine. Up close, I could clearly see the dangerous, vertical slit of her pupils.
But there was no malice there. Bound by the absolute loyalty of the Summoner's contract—and an intense, innate affection for me—she didn't panic or strike. Instead, a deeply satisfied, mesmerizing smile spread across her lips as she bathed in my care.
"Shehuang, right? Are you feeling any better?" I asked softly. "You were at death's door out there..."
Before I could finish, a slender, warm finger pressed against my lips, silencing me. Having thoroughly digested the massive library of memories I had inadvertently gifted her through our shared-skill magic, she parted her lips and spoke in flawless Western Common.
"Do not worry, Master~!" she purred, her voice dripping with sweet allure. "My baseline physique is incredible. It will heal quickly and be perfectly ready for your use... husband~!"
My left eye violently twitched. Hearing this exotic lamia casually call me both 'master' and 'husband' in the exact same breath without a shred of modesty caught me completely off guard.
"Look, I'm your Summoner now, and I'll take care of you," I stammered, clearing my throat to regain my composure. "But why the hell are you calling me husband? We literally just met. Besides, I'm a human, and you're a..."
To be fair, my unlocked memories reminded me that in the culture of the Eastern Wastelands, the term 'husband' wasn't strictly tied to a legal marriage certificate. It was frequently thrown around as a playful term of endearment for a lover, a favored concubine, or a chosen partner.
"My mother always told me that the man who saves my life would become my one and only husband," she said, letting out a musical giggle. "And that man is you, Masssssster~! Oh, and as for my current appearance... eheh, watch this."
Suddenly, a heavy, bronze-colored metallic aura erupted from her skin, enveloping her entire form.
Right before my eyes, her incredibly long, black snake tail split, shifting and reshaping itself into a pair of flawless, slender human legs. The sharp slits of her golden eyes widened into soft, human pupils. Her lethal fangs retracted into smooth, white teeth, and her forked tongue flattened out entirely.
The monster lore echoing in my mind confirmed the transformation. As a Royal, she possessed the rare ability to shapeshifter between a pure human appearance and a giant serpent, though her hybrid lamia form remained her truest, most powerful state.
I swallowed hard. If she wasn't still covered in a dozen angry, healing sword slashes, holding this completely naked, breathtakingly beautiful five-foot-six Eastern woman in my arms would have triggered some seriously inappropriate thoughts.
This time, when Shehuang spoke, she switched entirely to English, her exotic snake-like lisp vanishing completely.
"Master, as you can see, I am a true shapeshifter. However, this human form is far weaker, like an ordinary human woman. I cannot use any of my Swift Knight abilities while I look like this... But tell me, husband, do I look sexy?"
Splash! Splash!
To drive her point home, she flashed a dazzling smile and playfully kicked her newly formed legs through the water, sending warm droplets flying. Her smile grew wider and more mischievous as she felt my heart rate violently spike against her chest.
Desperately trying to ignore her blatant attempts to seduce me right then and there, I cleared my throat and quickly deflected, switching back to the world's common language.
"Shehuang... let's talk about that skill transfer. Why exactly did I just inherit your masteries in Alchemy, Pill Refining, and Formation arrays?"
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