Little big demon (I)

The girl who had just appeared in front of us started looking around herself to check her surroundings. She was just a few centimeters shy of one meter, and at first glance she seemed to be five or six years old at most. After she was done scanning the entire room and realizing that she was in a freshly created dungeon, the demon scratched her head and brought her hand to her chin before her lips drew what seemed to be a pleased smile. However, after laying eyes on Limy, that smile turned into a malicious smirk.

“Are you the one who’s supposed to be my mistress?”

Limy shook her head and pointed at me. The girl's Machiavellian smile disappeared instantly. She locked her gaze on me for a few moments before erupting in laughter.

“Hahahahaha, that’s one funny joke.”

“Is not a joke, is master”

She turned back to face me. Even though her expression was one of disbelief, she never stopped smirking. However, something in her expression changed for a moment… and then she started laughing even harder.

“Hahahaha, for real? This is impossible, I can't believe it.”

Just when I thought I was coming to terms with the situation, hearing that malicious laughter filled me with shame.

‘Stop mocking the shit out of me, damn it! You're getting on my nerves!’

Just moments ago, I had used up all my mana to get dungeon points for the summoning ritual, so it was impossible for me to speak. I tried to communicate using telepathy but got no response from her. Well… what I did get were a few more hurtful words…

"Hahahaha. That’s hilarious. It's a stone, a simple stone! Ha ha ha.”

‘Why am I not able to talk to her?!’

It looked like she was about to die from laughter. Tears were streaming down her face, and she seemed to be gasping for air… what a freaking idot!

‘Stop laughing at once!’

I decided I have had enough of that and spoke directly to Limy. According to what Helpy had explained earlier, for a demon to join a dungeon, the summoner had to agree to the terms of the demon. And so far, that girl hadn’t made any demands, so that's probably why I couldn't communicate telepathically with her, since she wasn't yet considered to be one of the dungeon monsters… or demons… or whatever.

—Ask her what the terms of the summoning are, or whatever it is that I need to go through to be acknowledged as her master! … And for the love of God, tell her to stop laughing already!

“Master wants you to tell him what your conditions are for acknowledging him as your master… And he wants you to stop laughing immediately.”

"There’s no need for that." she said as he wiped away a tear.

‘Huh?’

"If I'm here, it's because he has already fulfilled all my conditions... Being able to make me laugh nonstop is more than I hoped for. Hahahaha, a stone, hahahaha.”

‘Wait what? I can’t even… Will someone please explain to me what the hell just happened?’

After a while, the girl finally suppressed her laughter, turned to me and made a small bow.

“My lord, my master, I accept this pact and I pledge to serve you from now on under the name you have given me, Dabla.”

[Dabla is now part of the dungeon.]

However, that show of respect did not last for long. Her body began trembling, and she once again burst out in laughter.

“Hahahaha, this is so much fun.”

—You're really pissing me off! Either you stop laughing right away or I'll send you back the way you came, even if it’s as a ghost!

“Got it, boss!”

That finally got her attention. She snapped, stopped her laughter right away, and saluted like a military school cadet… But she couldn’t keep the act for even three seconds and she soon collapsed to the ground, laughing and crying again!

“Hahahaha my boss is a stone… a stone!”

—Cut the crap!

“I cannot! Hahahaha.”

And this is how I managed to get a demon under my command... but said demon was a fucking idiot who couldn’t do anything but laugh at her master! Since I was too busy cursing her whole family, I completely forgot to even check her status…

“I’m back.”

… And at that precise moment I could hear Aeldrya entering the house. Apparently, between the preparations for the summoning and the time I spent cursing the girl, a couple of hours had already gone by. Slowly, the sound of her footsteps drew closer and closer. Not only had she arrived earlier than I expected, but she also came straight for the dungeon.

“So listen, you useless stone, I was thinking about it and...“

The moment she crossed the dungeon entrance she became speechless. Her gaze rested on a certain short and horned girl who hadn't been there earlier. Her mouth opened and closed several times before she managed to get a single coherent word out.

"Tell me... that... that's not... what I think..."

“Well, it depends… What do you think this is?”

“A hallucination... Yes, that must be it... I’m seeing things since I am so tired... I better go get some sleep now...“

She took a couple of steps towards the entrance… but suddenly turned back again, an arrow ready on her bow, the string pulled back tightly, and staring at Dabla with deadly intent.

“I hope, for your own good, that you are not a demon”

“Of course I'm a demon. Can't you see my horns and tail?” Dabla replied as she waggled her tail with her right hand and pointed at her head with her left, showing no sign of fear in spite of the elf’s menacing attitude.

“Get ready to die then.”

Aeldrya released her bowstring. The arrow shot out at full speed, making it impossible to evade at such a short distance. However, a serpent-like mass of darkness coiled around the arrow, stopping it mid-flight mere inches away from Dabla.

“Being shot at is no fun.”

Dabla's expression suddenly turned serious, and with a simple snap of her fingers, part of her shadow separated from her body and creeped across the floor until it was right underneath Aeldrya. Immediately, the shadow produced what was undoubtedly a set of black tentacles which wrapped themselves around the unsuspecting elf, tightly binding her, and even managing to lift her several inches off the ground.

“How come you always manage to end up entangled between some tentacles?!” I yelled at her.

“Stop this nonsense and make this thing drop me right now!“

“Really? You seem to be enjoying this…”

“Of course not! Limy, do something…“

“I can't believe it... Do you want Limy to join in too?! Is one set of tentacles not enough for you?!“

"I already knew that inside that body of stone there is no brain, but you're being too stupid!"