THE DEMON GIRL

THE DEMON GIRL

Usually, Templar magic required the gathering of magic from creatures' hearts using a magical mat or heart lantern. Most of the hunted creature's other parts were usually wasted because they were useless. 

By manufacturing magic gathering incense, all the other body parts of magical creatures that were thought to be useless could be used to the fullest in making the incense cakes and the number of magical hearts required would be reduced. 

Although making the incense wasn't a new discovery it was inefficient to make them previously, so most people couldn't be bothered. 

But with our Apothecary, Templars could now purchase gathering incense for less than half the cost that they would have spent buying magical creature's hearts, while we still managed to make plenty of profit.

Soon the Apothecary division of the Noten family became extremely profitable and I shared part of the profits and gained almost an endless supply of magical incense for my templar magic gathering.

-----

My trip to Pallantium took almost the entire season and I skipped so many classes that it was impossible for me to catch up with school work, so I spent a lot of time studying during the summer month. 

My Lunas were quite happy living with me since I gave them the cottage that I reserved for Greenduff and they were familiarizing themselves with life as normal humans living in the town.

This was a far better condition than being imprisoned as slaves of the Stonecrest family in Pallantium.

"You have a challenger, Orion", Minna told me when I came to school one day.

"Huh I already said I won't accept challengers who can't beat Ivor Burgess", I said to Minna.

"She beat Ivor already", Minna told me.

"Who beat Ivor Burgess?" I asked Minna.

"It's the Demon girl", Minna told me.

So, I went to the battle arena to meet with my challenger who was a girl about my age that just joined our school, whom I had a familiar feelings for, to my surprise.

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The girl who would challenge me held a captivating blend of innocence and wickedness, a mesmerizing contradiction that drew all attention to her. Cascades of crimson red hair cascaded down her shoulders, framing her enchanting face.

Her eyes possessed an enigmatic glow, flickering with a supernatural intensity. They revealed a glimpse into the turmoil within her soul. They held secrets that only the bravest would dare to explore.

The Demon girl exuded an eerie and intimidating presence yet there was some part of her that captivated me.

With each step, the ground trembled beneath her, hinting at the raw energy coursing through her veins. Her presence was both enticing and chilling, captivating with a mixture of curiosity and apprehension. 

She emanated an aura of control, hinting at the immense power she wielded although that power was not manifest yet. Invisible shadows swirled and danced around her, like loyal attendants, paying homage to their dark mistress. 

The air grew heavy with the scent of fiery magic, as her loyal attendants patrolled her surroundings leaving traces of sulfur and hellish ash in her wake.

"Who the hell is this girl?" I asked myself but I had a strange feeling when I first met the girl.

It was like I could feel her feelings and emotions toward me which wasn't kind or gentle, probably because she was my opponent. But the feeling was more than the feeling or reciprocity when opponents meet, I could feel her like I was a psychic who could enter her heart and mind and even soul.

----

"Are you Orion, the number one ranked in school, I am here to defeat you from your first rank", the Demon girl said to me arrogantly.

"Who are you? Have we met before", I asked her.

"I am Eirot and that is the last you shall hear of my name from me", she replied to me.

The demon girl was definitely not too friendly with me, and I could feel her heart boiling, anticipating a tough and dangerous fight with me.

"Duel begins"

The girl was a Mercury Level 10 templar who was almost just a step from joining the prestigious rank of a Venus tier. She was strangely powerful despite her young age and lack of financial or family backing. 

She was a nobody who suddenly appeared in town.

The Demon girl doesn't seem to wear any magical item that would boost her abilities like those from noble families, yet she managed to defeat Ivor Burgess easily.

Like me, she probably depended on herself to advance to the current stage rather than the tuition of a rich family.

Suddenly the girl appeared right before me, readying to throw a punch at me, which I avoided at the very last moment.

"Damnit how could she be this quick?" I asked myself.

Although her punch wasn't too powerful her speed was devilish. In my estimation she must have had more Momentum stars in her templar skies than the usual maximum of her magical tier, which wasn't possible. Unless she was another freak affinity like me.

The Devil girl pounced at me again and I barely evaded her.

"Huh, you are not too bad", the Demon girl told me.

"Your speed is devilish", I replied to her appreciating her unique ability.

"How is it possible to achieve more Momentum stars than the maximum in your tier?" I asked her.

"You should ask that about yourself", she replied to me.

Then I remembered about my own situation. I had the Angel Affinity which gave me more Templar stars than other people. 

"Perhaps the girl has an Angel Affinity like me?" I asked myself.

The girl suddenly punched my chest, and I was thrown back for a few steps. Although she managed to hit me, her strength was insufficient to breach my bald eagle armor and my body armor conferred by my Constitution magic.

Although the girls' Momentum magic was far beyond possible, her other templar realms were ordinary. She wasn't one with an Angel Affinity.