[BL] I Accidentally Summoned A Demon Husband Now He Won't Leave-Chapter 29: You’ll die

"I... said I absorbed..." Elliot’s voice was barely above a whisper, his words hanging in the air like a confession.

Charles’s eyes widened, his expression a mixture of shock and disbelief. "I heard you clearly!" he nearly shouted, his voice echoing through the room. "But why on earth would you do that?!" 𝓯𝙧𝙚𝒆𝙬𝙚𝒃𝙣𝙤𝒗𝓮𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢

Elliot flinched at the intensity of Charles’s reaction but tried to explain himself. "It’s a long story, but... I absorbed it because I wasn’t able to understand anything in the book you gave me. None of it made sense. No matter how hard I tried, the words just jumbled together. It felt like I was reading another language." He took a shaky breath, his shoulders slumping in defeat. "I got frustrated. I felt stuck, useless... and then I saw the ancient crystal. I thought... maybe if I absorbed the raw mana directly, it would help me understand."

Charles stared at him, his mouth opening and closing as if searching for the right words. After a moment, he shook his head in utter disbelief. "You... resorted to absorbing ancient, raw mana because you didn’t understand a book? Are you out of your mind?"

Elliot looked down, guilt pooling in his gut. "I didn’t know what else to do..." he mumbled.

Charles ran his fingers through his hair, his frustration palpable. "You should have come to me! I could have explained it, or at least stopped you from doing something this stupid!" He let out a long sigh, his shoulders drooping. "I hope you’re ready to bear the consequences of what you did."

Elliot’s brows furrowed as a sense of unease crept up his spine. "Consequences?"

A cold chill ran through him as he remembered what happened after he absorbed the mana—the burning pain that spread through his chest like wildfire, searing him from the inside out. He remembered the darkness that engulfed him, the strange space he was trapped in, and the suffocating fear that he would never get out. Even now, the dull burning pain lingered in his chest, like embers refusing to die. Charles’s words felt heavy, almost ominous, and a knot of fear tightened in his stomach.

Charles’s eyes narrowed as he observed Elliot’s pale face, his expression shifting to one of suspicion. "Yes, consequences..." he repeated slowly, his gaze sharp and probing. He crossed his arms, his fingers tapping rhythmically against his sleeve as he asked, "Or are you saying that even after absorbing ancient, raw mana, nothing bad or out of place happened to you?"

Hearing his word’s Elliot recalled how he had been trapped in that space and how he had almost given up, his mind had raced with terrifying thoughts of being trapped there forever, but just then he had remembered how the darkness had briefly shifted when he imagined light. Desperate and with nothing left to lose, he closed his eyes and imagined himself back in his dorm room, picturing every detail, the messy pile of books on his desk, the creaky bed, the faint smell of old parchment...

When he opened his eyes, he was back. Standing in his room as if nothing had happened. It was as if he had never left, except for the burning pain in his chest that lingered even now, a constant reminder of his ordeal. He had considered going back to that space out of curiosity, to see if he could control it, to understand what it was. But the thought of getting trapped again, of never finding his way back, terrified him. In the end, he decided against it, his fear outweighing his curiosity.

Elliot’s mouth felt dry as he met Charles’s questioning gaze. He took a deep breath, his voice trembling slightly as he recounted everything—how he absorbed the raw mana, the burning pain, waking up in the strange beautiful space, what had happened in the space, how he escaped by imagining his way out, and the lingering pain in his chest. He left nothing out, his words tumbling out in a frantic rush as he relived the terrifying experience.

When he finally finished, he looked at Charles with wide, fearful eyes. "So... do you have any idea what that place was? Or... what’s happening to me?"

Charles’s face was a mask of seriousness, his playful demeanor gone. A deep frown creased his forehead as he spoke, "I’m not entirely sure... but from what you’ve described, I think you might have... awakened a dungeon."

Elliot’s eyes widened in shock. "A... dungeon?" He repeated the word slowly, his mind reeling. "You mean... like the ones in legends? Where heroes go for treasure and power?" His heart raced with excitement. "Does that mean I have one now?"

His excitement was quickly replaced by dread as he remembered the pain that still lingered.

His expression darkened as he looked at Charles, his voice shaky. "But... why did I feel that pain? And why does it still hurt?" He placed a hand over his chest, wincing slightly as the dull burning sensation pulsed through him. "If it’s really a dungeon, why does it feel like it’s trying to burn me alive?"

Charles tapped his chin thoughtfully, his eyes narrowing as he considered the question. "It’s probably because of the raw mana you absorbed. Raw mana is incredibly volatile and unstable. It’s not meant to be absorbed directly, especially without refining it first. Since your body wasn’t prepared, the mana is conflicting with your spiritual energy."

Elliot’s eyes widened. "Conflicting...?"

Charles nodded grimly. "Yes. Spiritual energy is the foundation of cultivation. It flows through your meridians, connecting you to the world’s essence. But raw mana is wild, untamed, and chaotic. It doesn’t follow the natural flow of energy, so it’s clashing with your spiritual energy, causing your meridians to react violently."

Elliot felt a cold chill run down his spine. The thought of his own energy fighting against him was horrifying. But Charles’s next words were even more chilling. "Don’t get too excited, though," he warned, his voice serious. "What you did—absorbing raw mana from an ancient crystal without any supervision—is reckless and extremely dangerous. You might be alive now, but if the conflict continues, it’ll tear your body apart from the inside."

Elliot’s face went pale. His blood ran cold as the weight of Charles’s words sank in. "Tear... me apart...?" he whispered, his voice barely audible.

Charles sighed, his expression softening slightly as he stepped closer. "Give me your hand," he ordered. Elliot hesitated for a moment before extending his trembling arm. Charles gripped his wrist firmly, his eyes narrowing in concentration. A faint glow surrounded his hand as he closed his eyes, sensing the flow of energy within Elliot’s body.

Moments later, Charles’s eyes flew open, and his face tensed with concern. "You... really want to die, huh?" he muttered, his voice cold.

Elliot’s heart skipped a beat. "What... what do you mean?"

Charles’s expression turned grave. "Your meridians... they’re a complete mess. It’s like an erupting volcano inside you. If this continues, the mana and spiritual energy will explode, tearing your body apart. You’re walking on the edge of death, Elliot."

Elliot felt his legs give out as he sank to his knees, his body trembling. "I’ll... die?" he whispered, his voice cracking as fear and despair washed over him.