Summoned by Mistake, Wanted by Demons, Feared by Humans

[ Aftermath of a Fiery Wake-Up Call ]

Pain.

That was the first thing Kaito felt. His entire body ached like he'd been hit by a truck. Well, technically, not a truck—more like a flaming punch that launched him into the ceiling.

His vision swam as he pried himself free, bits of debris crumbling around him. Gravity decided to be a jerk again, and he tumbled down, landing face-first.

"…Ow."

Silence.

Kaito had a bad feeling.

Slowly—hesitantly—he looked up.

A petite figure stood before him, arms crossed, bare foot tapping against the floor.

She wasn't particularly tall. Actually, she was slightly shorter than him. But somehow, despite her small frame, she radiated a presence that made the air itself feel heavier.

Crimson hair. It cascaded down her back like wildfire, glowing faintly under the dim light. Sharp red eyes. They burned with quiet fury. Curved horns. Framing her face like an ominous crown.

And her expression?

Pure, unfiltered murder.

Kaito gulped.

(Okay, Kaito. Think. You just fell from the sky, landed on a girl while she was sleeping, and—wait—where did my hands land? Oh crap—)

"You have five seconds," she said, voice smooth but dripping with hostility, "to explain why a random human fell into my bed."

(—Nope. I'm dead.)

Kaito's brain short-circuited. "Uh. W-Well. You see, funny story! There was this dog—"

A pulse of heat filled the air. The temperature spiked.

Kaito shut up.

"Four seconds."

"W-wait! I swear I didn't do anything weird! One moment I was running, and then—BOOM! Flash of light! And suddenly, I'm in your bed!"

Her eyes narrowed. "…So you're saying you just magically appeared here?"

"Yes!"

"And you expect me to believe that?"

Kaito broke into a cold sweat. "I mean… it's the truth…?"

Her glare intensified.

"Tch. Stupid humans and their stupid lies." She lifted a hand, flames sparking at her fingertips.

Kaito paled. "H-Hold on, let's not start with violence again—!"

"Three seconds."

"I'M NOT A PERVERT!"

---

[ Lyria's pov ]

Lyria wanted to incinerate this idiot. She really did.

But something about him felt… off.

For one, what was a human doing here in the first place?

This was Demon Territory. No sane human would wander this deep unless they had a death wish. And yet—this guy just fell from the sky?

Not only that, but… his presence felt strange. He didn't look like a warrior. No weapons, no armor. Just a panicked face, messy college clothes, and an overall pathetic vibe.

Still, she wasn't lowering her guard.

"…Fine," Lyria muttered, extinguishing the flames. "You get to live—for now."

Kaito sighed in relief—only to yelp as she suddenly grabbed his collar and yanked him closer.

"Talk," she ordered, red eyes boring into his soul. "Who are you? Why are you here? And don't even think about lying—I'll know."

Kaito, now held hostage by a demon, had no choice but to answer.

"Uh… My name's Kaito. Just a normal guy from… somewhere far away."

"How far?"

"…Like, another-world far."

Lyria's gaze flickered. She stilled for a moment. Then—

"Another world? You mean summoned?"

Kaito blinked. "Summoned?"

"Don't play dumb. If you're from another world, you must be a Hero, right?"

"…Ha?"

Kaito's face twisted into an expression of someone who had no idea what the hell was happening.

Lyria stared at him.

Kaito stared back.

A long silence stretched between them.

Then—

"Wait. WAIT. Are you telling me you don't even know how you got here?!"

"THAT'S WHAT I'VE BEEN SAYING!" Kaito shouted. "I DON'T KNOW WHAT HAPPENED! I WAS JUST TRYING TO ESCAPE A DOG!"

Lyria sighed and massaged her temples. "Unbelievable…"

Since Kaito was clearly an idiot, Lyria decided to explain.

"This place is Ignisveil Fortress, one of the key strongholds in Demon Territory," she said, pacing the room. "The fact that you're here, alive, is a damn miracle. If it were anyone else, you'd already be a corpse."

Kaito shivered. "W-What happens to humans who wander here…?"

Lyria shot him a cold look. "Depends. If they're warriors, we fight them. If they're weaklings, we sell them."

"…Sell?"

"As slaves," she said bluntly.

Kaito's face drained of color. "Hah?!"

Lyria smirked. "What? You thought demons just let intruders go?"

Kaito was about to argue when a blue screen suddenly popped up in front of him.

—

[SYSTEM MESSAGE]

Congratulations! You've unlocked a new Title: [Lost Idiot in Demon Territory!]

—

Kaito twitched. (…Shut up, system.)

Lyria continued. "The point is—you're in deep trouble, human. Unarmed, powerless, and stuck in a land where demons don't like humans. You're lucky I found you first."

Kaito gulped. "Uh… a-and what do you plan to do with me?"

Lyria smirked. "Hmmm~ I wonder?"

Kaito's stomach dropped. (Oh god. I'm gonna be sold. I'm gonna be put in chains and forced to work in a demonic sweatshop. I KNEW my bad luck would kill me someday!)

Seeing his horrified expression, Lyria chuckled. "Relax, I haven't decided yet. Maybe I'll hand you over to the Demon Warlords. Maybe I'll keep you as a servant."

Kaito forced a nervous laugh. "Haha… funny joke."

She tilted her head. "Who said I was joking?"

(…I'm so screwed.)

Before Kaito could beg for his life, a loud knock echoed from the door.

A deep, gruff voice followed.

"Lady Lyria. The patrol reports an unknown disturbance nearby. Do you require assistance?"

Kaito stiffened. (Oh no. Ohhhh no. If they find out about me—)

Lyria clicked her tongue. "Tch. Just what I needed."

She turned to Kaito, her eyes sharp. "You. Stay put."

Kaito's instincts screamed. If Lyria left and the other demons found him, he was doomed.

So… he had two choices:

1. Stay and gamble on Lyria's mercy.

2. Try to escape.

Kaito swallowed hard.

(…I really don't like either option.)

To be continued…

---

[Valtross Kingdom – Royal Palace, Summoning Chamber]

A thick haze of magic still lingered in the air, swirling like ghostly mist around the summoning circle. The grand chamber—lined with intricate runes, enchanted crystals, and spellbound artifacts—was supposed to be a place of triumph.

Instead, it was filled with sheer chaos.

"WHERE IS HE?!?!"

King Darian Valtross III, ruler of the Valtross Kingdom, slammed his gauntleted fist against the armrest of his throne, his voice echoing through the hall. His golden crown sat slightly askew, his face red with fury. "We poured every resource into this ritual! We sacrificed a hundred mana crystals! We chanted for three damn days! And now you're telling me—we lost him?!"

The court mage, High Magus Eldrin, gulped, sweat pouring down his wrinkled face. "Y-Your Majesty, the primary summoning succeeded! The Chosen Hero has appeared in the Holy Capital of Velmaria, as expected!"

"Then where is the other one?!"

Eldrin winced. "W-Well… there was a slight… miscalculation."

"Slight?!"

One of the noble advisors, Duke Reginald, pinched the bridge of his nose. "Explain. Now."

The old mage fidgeted with his staff. "It appears that… a secondary summoning was triggered… accidentally."

The room went dead silent.

King Darian slowly leaned forward. "…What?"

Eldrin coughed nervously. "You see, the summoning ritual is incredibly precise. Normally, it locks onto one soul and pulls it into our world. However… it seems… someone messed with the coordinates during the chant, and instead of summoning just one, we… may have dragged in another soul by mistake."

Reginald's eye twitched. "May have?"

Eldrin flinched. "A-Absolutely did! We absolutely did!"

The king exhaled sharply, rubbing his temples. "…Fine. Then where is this accidental summon?"

"That's the problem, Your Majesty." Eldrin gulped. "We… don't know."

Silence.

A vein bulged on the king's forehead.

"You don't know," he repeated dangerously.

Eldrin nodded weakly.

The king took a deep breath. "Then where, in the gods' forsaken hells, did he go?"

The other mages and scholars scrambled through stacks of enchanted parchment, scrying stones, and mana-infused compasses. One particularly scrawny mage let out a terrified squeak.

"U-Uh… S-Sire…"

"What?"

The mage hesitated, before finally whispering, "T-The mana signature… it's showing traces of infernal magic."

The entire room froze.

Duke Reginald stiffened. "Infernal…? As in…?"

Eldrin paled. "D-Demon Territory…"

Another moment of dreadful silence.

Then the king erupted.

"YOU SENT THE HERO INTO THE DAMN DEMON LANDS?!?"

Eldrin fell to his knees. "I-I DON'T KNOW HOW IT HAPPENED!"

"DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA WHAT THIS MEANS?!" The king shot up from his throne. "If the Velmaria Empire finds out we botched the ritual—if they learn that we sent a potential hero straight into the enemy's hands—" His voice dropped into a whisper.

"—they will wipe us off the map."

A horrified hush fell over the chamber.

Valtross wasn't a major kingdom. It was a border country, a pawn between greater powers. The only reason they were still standing was because Velmaria tolerated them. But if the empire found out they had hand-delivered a summoned hero to the demons?

Their kingdom wouldn't survive the month.

Reginald clenched his fists. "We must retrieve him. Immediately."

The king growled. "And how do you suggest we do that, genius? We have no idea where he landed! He could be in the Demon King's palace for all we know!"

Eldrin stammered, "W-We could attempt a tracking spell, but it will take time! If he's moving—or if he's already dead—"

The king glared daggers. "Then I suggest you start casting. Now."

The room erupted into frantic motion. Mages scrambled to assemble scrying circles. Nobles whispered among themselves, panic spreading like wildfire.

One thought burned in everyone's mind.

If the Holy Church hears about this, they'll declare us heretics and if the Velmaria Empire discovered this mistake…

Valtross would be doomed.

And so, desperate to fix their colossal blunder, the kingdom's greatest minds rushed to locate a random college student who had just woken up on top of a demon girl.

---

Meanwhile Kaito "Achoo! …Ugh, why do I feel like someone just ruined my reputation while I wasn't even there?"