This is refreshing. No wonder why Durandal and Puppers never help me out when Lucia is stuffing my face with food. The panicked expressions they make, the groans that accompany them, the desperate struggles for air, and the pale faces trying to keep the food down to preserve their dignity: It’s healing to the soul. …I’ve become a sadist, haven’t I?

Well, this meal has been a really nice one. The refreshments and meat have some sort of intrinsic property that counteracts my withdrawal symptoms. My headache’s completely gone, and my body is brimming with mana. It’s a little like eating divine beast meat when I was still a fifth circle magician. Eating saint-realm beasts is doing wonders for my development. I can feel the outline of my ninth circle taking shape.

And these peacocks…. I thought they were going to be the size of a chicken since birds don’t get very large despite an increase in their strength, but I was wrong. They’re huge—about the size of a cow. Lucia’s poison testers weren’t very happy despite the fact they came here to eat the peacocks. But that’s probably because they’ve vomited several times now. I know their pain. Which is why I’m allowed to enjoy their suffering without guilt. Only those who’ve gone through hardship can mock others undergoing a lighter hardship!

“What!? The Azure Dragon Sect are in the VIP suite too!?”

That voice sounded familiar. What happened to the soundproof walls? A few seconds later, Black Devil Shu burst into the room with black qi-like energy surrounding him: Lucia continued to eat her peacock, the six poison testers were unresponsive, Durandal was still meditating, and it seemed like I was the only one available to greet the guest. “Hello.”

Black Devil Shu paused and nodded. “Junior Ilya, greetings. So, uh, what’s going on here?”

“These kind people have offered to pay for the meal.” Though they didn’t know Lucia ordered everything on the menu. I wonder how much they regret it. But I don’t think they’re in the right state to regret anything at the moment.

“…So why do they look so dead?”

“That’s just how the cookie crumbles.”

“What’s a cookie?”

They don’t have cookies on the Immortal Continent? “Forget it.”

Black Devil Shu shook his head and walked around the table. “Stinking Bear! What do you think you’re doing getting so close to a disciple of my sect?”

“D-Devil Shu, is that you?” The old poison tester was wheezing. “T-tell my sect master … that I’m sorry. I, I swore to die for the sect…, but my time has come … early.”

The door to the suite swung open as the two assistant chefs pushed open the sliding wall. The last plate of peacock was placed onto the table. Lucia’s eyes gleamed as she shoved all of what was currently on her plate into her mouth and reached forward with her forks. An unreasonable large piece of meat—about the size of my torso—was ripped off the bird.

“P-please, no more,” the old poison tester whimpered.

Black Devil Shu furrowed his brow. “What’s going on? Why….” His eyes widened to the size of saucers as the piece of meat vanished into the old poison tester’s mouth.

“Oh! Hey, Mr. Shoe. I didn’t see you there!” Lucia waved at Black Devil Shu and beamed at him before dragging the rest of the peacock onto her plate. I didn’t take any because I was full. Even though it was just a few mouthfuls here and there, I did eat seventeen other dishes. And the refreshments left me bloated. “Did you want some?”

“Uh, that’s—”

“Great! More for me,” Lucia said. She opened her mouth wide and chomped into the peacock like an absolute savage. Were her teeth reddish-black from her Path of Slaughter? She was using her Path of Slaughter to eat? How hungry was she? Within a few seconds, half of the peacock vanished into her stomach which didn’t seem to grow despite the ridiculous amount she consumed. Does she have a pocket dimension in there or something?

“Well, it’s true that the Shadow Devil Sect and the Azure Dragon Sect have a hostile relationship with each other, but … killing them in this manner, isn’t it a bit too harsh?” Black Devil Shu asked.

The dying poison tester’s eyes widened. “Y-you,” he said and coughed out a mouthful of vomit while pointing at Lucia. Gross. At least the vomit slid off of Lucia’s invisible Armor of Slaughter and rolled into the bucket. “You’re from the Shadow Devil Sect?”

“That’s right,” Black Devil Shu said, responding for Lucia. She was halfway through what remained of the peacock. “She’s going to be a chosen.”

“Chosen!?” the woman who was in love with her master shouted. Then she tilted over and puked into a bucket. If it weren’t for my tiny wind spell pushing the fumes away from this section of the table, then I’m sure the meal would’ve been quite unappetizing. “You, a chosen of the Shadow Devil Sect, didn’t divulge something as important as this and even ate with your enemies!?”

“Ah?” Lucia stopped eating. “We’re enemies?”

“Our Azure Dragon Sect has never been on good terms with the Shadow Devil Sect ever since the Shadow Devil Ancestor slept with our Azure Dragon Ancestor’s wife,” the old poison tester said.

Well, it seems like Lucia’s idiocy disabled a potential threat before it could come to fruition. It must be very frustrating for them. I would know. Normally, I’m on the other end of Lucia’s whimsical nature. Maybe coming to the Immortal Continent wasn’t a misfortune. If other people suffer in my stead, then I’ll have an enjoyable life from now on, right?

“Oh…,” Lucia said and chewed on the tips of her fork. “But I’m not officially part of the Shadow Devil Sect yet, so we can still be buddies, right?” She laughed and thumped the old poison tester’s back, causing another waterfall of undigested food to spew out.

“M-Master!”

“You’re going to be a chosen! You can’t be buddies with the elder of another sect!” Black Devil Shu shouted. A sword appeared in his hands, and Durandal’s eyes shot open with a gleam. Black Devil Shu pointed at the old poison tester. “Leave my junior’s side at once!”

“Sister Lucia and I have already become martial sister and martial brother! Who are you to say who my martial sister can or cannot associate with!?” The old poison tester slammed his palm against the table and rose to his feet. Well, he tried to, but the chain that was wrapped around his neck prevented him from standing. Where did Lucia get something that strong…?

“Ah? Grandpa Bear?” Lucia asked, her eyes widening. “You’re too old to be my martial brother!” Then Lucia turned and whispered to me, “What’s a martial? Is it like a partial brother? He meant to say partial, right?”

“I think he meant martial, like martial from martial arts.” Maybe a martial brother is like a brother from another mother, that kind of relationship. But to treat Lucia as his sibling, isn’t the old poison tester asking for his life to be cut short?

“Is that really the case?” Black Devil Shu asked Lucia with a dark expression on his face. Black qi was rising around his sword. And Durandal’s eyes were gleaming even brighter than ever, staring at the carvings on the surface of the blade. Now that I think about it, where did Black Devil Shu get a sword? Lucia robbed him blind. He must’ve used his elder token and brought it somewhere that let him reequip himself.

“Look at how unreasonable this smelly devil is being,” the old poison tester said and pointed at Black Devil Shu while smiling at Lucia. “Why don’t you join our Azure Dragon Sect instead? We’re one of the fingers of Kong County as well. We don’t fear the Shadow Devil Sect.”

Was he poaching Lucia? Why was she so wanted?

Lucia sighed and shook her head. The remains of the peacock caught her eye, and she stuffed it into her mouth. Then she cleared her throat and took on a serious expression while crossing her arms over her chest. “Then it can’t be helped. Since two groups want me so badly … it’s time for an auction! Give me your best offers.”