"Hmpf. It's all because of you"
Mira said for the umpteenth time since we started sweeping the large classroom, which was more akin to a lecture hall in its size and arrangement from my old university.
"Hey, I just did what you told me to. We discussed it last night, remember?", I protested.
"Yeah, I told you to summon something scary. I thought you'd summon some magical weapon or something"
"You looked happy enough when it impressed them though"
"Well, I can't act scared in front of them after MY demon summoned something, can I?"
That's not how I remember you looking though, you looked smug as hell…
Perhaps this girl was really good at keeping up an act.
"What was that whole thing about vampires?", I thought it was worth investigating a bit further into this. A bite from a bat obviously doesn't turn a person into a vampire in my world, but how about here? If I summoned a bat from my world and it bit someone in this world, would things be different?
"You didn't know?"
"How am I supposed to know?"
":Sigh: Fine. Bats are one of the most feared creatures because one bite from them will turn you into a vampire"
Just as I thought.
"Has it ever happened to anyone though?"
"Not in this town. But bats are dangerous enough that mages are immediately despatched to deal with it whenever it happens", Mira stretched her back and wiped the sweat off her forehead as she said this.
Well, I was tired too. We've been cleaning the classrooms for hours now when everyone has already gone home a long ago.
"You know, in my world, vampires are the stuff of myths. They don't actually exist"
"Huh?"
"It's a folklore that's been passed down, but nobody has ever really turned into a vampire after getting bitten by one"
"No way! Although it didn't happen here, we have regions where vampire sightings are frequent enough that Royal Magi are sent there periodically to eradicate them. They are totally real"
"So you were scared when I brought a bat"
"N-, NOT AT ALL"
I felt like teasing a bit after finding out that a bat was such a big deal here.
"You know, a bat came into my house one day when I was young. I think I was only 6 years old, and yeah - back then, I WAS scared"
"Wha… what happened?"
"I was in the living room with my Mom and my aunt who came to visit. Then I saw this black thing hanging upside down on the small tree we were growing on the balcony. I've never seen a bat before in real life back then so I was like real scared"
"Fri-… fascinating. What happened?"
"My aunt grabbed a stick and chased it off"
"Chased a BAT off with a stick?!"
"No big deal in my world. For us humans. Bats look disgusting but they can't do anything to humans, well, maybe except spread disease"
"Oh boy… humans really are something"
Right, my chance to get out of this tedious cleaning chore now.
"Yes, and you are making one do this stupid cleaning job now"
Mira slowly narrowed her eyes, sensing the confrontation.
"What are you trying to say?"
"I'm a human who's not even scared of a bat that you guys are so afraid of, and you dare me to do this stupid cleaning work?"
I could see that Mira's grip on her broom got tighter.
Man, I should have done this earlier. Why didn't I think of it? People here are afraid of humans, I could use that fear to get my way. I don't need to be dominated by this girl.
This was a make-or-break moment. If she falters now in fear then I can establish my 'superiority' and be free. I'd probably still need to be the demon that she summoned because I need some food and lodging in this world after all, but my life would be so much different if I were treated as the master instead of a servant.
As we glared at each other, tension grew in the air, which she cut through in her slow strides to come face me directly. She stopped about an arm's length away from me, looking up - for I was much taller than her - but not breaking the eye contact.
:WHACK:
"OUCH! What the hell?!"
My plan seemed to have failed though and this brat just whacked me on my head.
"Shut up and sweep"
She then turned around and walked off to sit on a chair.
"Aren't you scared of me?"
"I'm not. You may be a Human Demon, but I'm a mage of Kakwaszavoot Clan", Mira casually rested her jaw as she propped up her arm on the desk, smirking.
"Then show me your strength. I will listen to your command if you can prove you are a mage worthy of a human companion"
"Not a companion. A servant"
"Prove it"
"Very well"
Her facial expression then suddenly switched to that of extreme seriousness. She closed her eyes and started to whisper words that I couldn't make out, which actually didn't quite sound 'human' (a funny thing to say now). It came across more as a sound of leaves rustling in the wind, but the sound was getting louder and closer, and soon I felt like she was whispering right into my ears, sending a chill down my spine.
"Ok, ok. Stop"
But Mira did not stop. The whisper continued to grow until it became deafeningly loud, so loud that I was starting to feel nauseous. Then as I was trying to shake it off, a big mirror emerged from the ground, rising. I was standing right in front of the mirror, looking at my reflection. My body started to disintegrate in the mirror while my physical body remained untouched (the reflection seemed so real that I had to double check by touching my real body).
Just as I was about to tell Mira to cut it out, my body inside the mirror had fully disappeared and I was starting to see…
No… not this…
"STOP!!"
But the little devil did not stop. I was rooted to the spot in horror as my worst fears started to take over, all the shame and guilt of my life exposed, forgotten memories coming back and the most dreaded future unfolded inside the mirror.
I fell on my knees, trying desperately to look away, but fear and dread are addictive. Like a cat hooked to the catnip, I couldn't look away from the mirror - I was falling into overwhelming despair that made me lose my very will to live.
Then suddenly whispers stopped and the mirror disappeared. Where the mirror was now stood Mira, looking pale and frail, but now I felt like she was my savior who came to stop the nightmare. The sense of relief was so great that I completely forgave her for initiating it in the first place.
:Cough:
Mira suddenly coughed out blood and fell on her knees, but she supported herself with the broomstick to keep her head up to look into my eyes. Her eyes were completely black with no whites, the black of her eyes darker than any darkness that could exist.
"You shall listen to my command, Human"
The exhausted girl then collapsed into my arms.