The Book Eating Magician - chapter-249

“What have you come to me for?” Theodore’s tone was naturally wary
as the dark presence around the mysterious Shim Samho touched on his
nerves.

He didn’t think she could win a fight against him. However, she had
something which wasn’t combat power. As long as he didn’t know her
identity, he couldn’t be confident that he was superior in force.

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

“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 over the threshold. The action was so natural that
even the nervous attendant at the back couldn’t stop her.

“Excuse me. Can I get a cup of tea?”

“Sure.” It couldn’t be helped, so Theodore sighed reluctantly. He
couldn’t go against that pushy attitude. Moreover, she was a notary of
the emperor. Theodore beckoned to the attendant and instructed him to
keep people away from this area. It would be safer if there was a battle.

Shortly afterward, a tea set was placed between Theodore and Shim Samho.
Jade colored tea was poured into the cups, and a refreshing smell rose.

It was a tea which even a rich person had to wait three years to obtain.

There were several tins of the finest tea leaves stocked in the Lee
family’s warehouse, proof of their glory days. The tea was mainly
enjoyed by the head of the family, but Theodore had little interest in
tea. Therefore, he usually only brought it out when serving guests like
this.

“Oh, my. This is great Longjing tea,” Shim Samho said admiringly as
soon as she took a sip of the tea.

Tea leaves were graded depending on when they were harvested. Those which
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 weren’t available for anyone without a
thick wallet.

Theodore looked at Shim Samho and spoke without drinking the tea, “Stop
talking about meaningless things. If you want good tea, I’ll give you a
few bags. So, tell me why you came here to visit.”

“There is no need to be in a rush.” Shim Samho laughed as she put
down her teacup. “Just like a draft is necessary for a story, this
conversation needs context. My lips are closed at this moment when I’m
drinking tea.”

“…How verbose.”

There was nothing else to say. Theodore fell silent as he waited for Shim
Samho to finish her tea and talk. After around two cups worth of time (30
minutes)…

“I was very surprised to hear that Theodore became the temporary head.
Unifying the Fairy Dance Lee family in just three months… it isn’t
something that could be done with mere force.”

“I have competent subordinates.”

“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,” Theodore answered in a short manner before glaring at the woman
sitting opposite him. “Magic… You know it well.”

There was something Theodore had realized after spending a few months
here. Unlike in the West Continent where magic penetrated deeply into
real life, it was difficult to find shamanism in the East Continent.

It could be due to the prejudice against it. Shamans were extremely
reluctant to reveal their identities, so they hid from the public eye.
Therefore, the Eastern people often didn’t know the distinction between
magic and shamanism.

So, what about the person called ‘Shim Samho’? Her knowledge of magic
was far beyond that of the Eastern people. Rather, it was equivalent to
the knowledge stored in the magic towers. How had she studied the magic
of another continent when she was a high-ranking notary of the emperor?
The more Theodore talked to her, the more her identity fell into a bog.

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
Theodore’s gaze in a strange manner as she playfully touched the edge
of her cotton cloth. He hesitated before nodding. In some ways, it was a
chance to figure out her identity. At the very least, he could get a
clue. Shim Samho lifted her cotton cloth, and Theodore immediately
realized it…

This decision was a mistake.

* * *

“――――Ah.” It was disorienting. His reason broke down, and
blood boiled up in his body like a furnace. His thoughts stopped the
moment he saw Shim Samho’s face.

Her beauty, which was too fatal to be praised as beautiful, pierced into
Theodore’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 Shim Samho’s body odor neared him.

His five senses were running wild with desire her, urging him to let go
of his strings of reason. If even the mind of the highly disciplined
Theodore couldn’t withstand this, then other masters wouldn’t be able
to endure for a very long time.

Theodore could still hold on. It would be the end if he let go. As he
thought this, Shim Samho moved.

“Hah… If you look at me with those type of eyes, will the heat go
away?”

The corners of her mouth raised slightly raised, and lightning flashed
through her mouth. As Theodore shook, her fingers held the strings of her
loose clothing. Then she pulled without hesitation.

Sururuk.

Theodore 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.

Theodore’s reason completely melted away when he saw Shim Samho’s
naked skin. Before he knew it, his upper body 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. Theodore’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 Theodore’s left hand touched that gentle 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.’]

Shortly after that, Theodore’s head became as cold as ice. It was a
curse which dominated even a master’s mind and couldn’t be stopped
even with preliminary preparation. Theodore 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 the skin.

Peeeong!

The shockwave hit Shim Samho’s chest from a close range and caused her
to be thrown back. Blood soared up toward the ceiling, and the flesh
around the explosion was a mess. It was a fatal wound.

‘…Did I do it?’

-Dead.

However, that didn’t mean anything.

‘What?’

At that moment, Shim Samho’s body, which had been turned into rags,
stood up.

“What?” In shock, Theodore immediately retreated three steps. This
wasn’t a creature which could be called human and yet could still move
even when it was fatally damaged. No, it was a monster.

This was the life-sustaining power worthy of being called ‘immortal’,
which had been shown by Pride in the past. Theodore panicked as he
realized where his thoughts were headed.

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

Shim Samho’s body was crushed. There was a big hole in her upper body,
and blood was pouring out. From the first time they met, Theodore had
felt like his combat ability would be no use. Now, her appearance was
more like an undead than a human being. This made Shim Samho bite 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 that of a human.

If it hadn’t been for Gluttony’s strength, Theodore’s reason
would’ve been taken away by her. This was despite the fact that he was
a 7th Circle magician who possessed a divinity. It wouldn’t be
difficult for Theodore to resist if an 8th Circle warlock tried to
control him, yet Shim Samho had easily overturned his reason.

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

However, the answer came from Gluttony. –I thought I heard a familiar
mental thought. So, it was you. I didn’t think you would cross over to
the East Continent.

-…Eh? 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 different from humans.

Simultaneously, Theodore 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…’

–It is as you guessed, Gluttony read Theodore’s mind and confirmed
his speculation.

A grimoire that Gluttony knew…

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

Having discovered some common points, Theodore 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… Maybe this empire has fallen into her hands.