Aisha the Cat... and the Chair
The sun hadn't fully set yet, bathing the wide boulevard in a bright glow, but Minwoo showed no hesitation in his actions. The orc riot had cleared the streets more than usual, which worked perfectly in his favor. Though he'd run into them unexpectedly, Minwoo figured the situation couldn't be better. After all, it gave him all the heroes' attention focused on him at once.
One nagging worry lingered, though: would the glow stick's power work fully on heroes too? It had subdued even the Demon King without issue, so it might seem like needless concern. But heroes were beings from another dimension, just like him. If it failed, he'd be in real trouble.
'But that worry was pointless, it seems.'
Minwoo smirked bitterly at the hero party, their eyes glazing over blankly under the glow stick's flashing light. Step one: success.
He pocketed the still-flickering glow stick and ordered them to follow. Ares, the girls, and Aisha nodded silently and trailed behind him.
"Still... no good spot handy."
With this many people, a regular inn wouldn't cut it for Minwoo. He scanned around with a hum, then grinned as an idea hit.
"No rule saying it has to be an inn."
Asking passersby, he learned the richest noble's house nearby. No one flaunted wealth openly near the palace, but rumors spread among the common folk.
Soon, he led the hero party to an elegant old mansion.
"Heh... perfect for a monumental first night."
It hadn't been long since he'd been with Chloe, but Minwoo's loins already stirred. As an incubus, he had no such thing as post-nut clarity.
...
Before long, Minwoo and the hero party were inside the mansion. He hypnotized everyone from the noble owner down to the lowliest maid.
The brainwashing was simple: act normal, but ignore Minwoo and the heroes completely—no suspicion, no attention.
"Pfft... I get the owner's tastes now."
Worth the citizens' recommendation. The noble personally guided them to a bedroom that rivaled the succubus sisters' lairs in opulence. The mansion's exterior screamed antique restraint, but this room revealed it all as facade.
Whatever—thanks to guys like him, Minwoo scored big. No complaints.
"Alright... what now?"
He flopped onto the massive bed—big enough for everyone with room to spare—and sorted his thoughts. The hypnotized heroes stood blankly, eyes fixed on him.
"Hmm... identities first, I guess..."
Minwoo scowled, eyeing them. Even excluding Ares the guy, three girls. Cataloging them all at once gave him a headache already.
Then Aisha caught his eye.
"Hmm..."
Truth be told, she'd been key—helping him so far, even making hero contact this easy.
But he'd hurt her instead of rewarding her. Unintentional, but guilt tugged at him.
"Aisha. Come here."
"..."
A true leader rewards the deserving before spoils. He sat her beside him and said,
"Aisha, from now on, you're a cat. You know what a cat is, right?"
"..."
She nodded.
"Good. Become a cat. Act exactly like you imagine a cat would—make yourself believe you're a real one. Got it?"
"..."
Another nod.
"Then..."
Minwoo covered her eyes, turned off the glow stick, then flicked it back on—ensuring only the heroes saw the light.
"...Good. No issues."
Heroes still hypnotized, he pocketed it again. A simple trick to release one from hypnosis among many; he'd tested it before.
Removing his hand from her eyes, he watched her reaction. Animal transformation via self-suggestion was new territory—he was curious.
"..."
Silence stretched seconds. Aisha just stared blankly.
'Figures... self-suggestion like this is too much?'
As disappointment crept in—
"Nyaa..!"
"Whoa!?"
Aisha lunged into his arms.
"Nyaang..! Nyaaong..!"
"S-stop..! Gah..! Hurts..! It hurts..!"
Pinned under her, Minwoo struggled to pry her off, but a martial hero like Aisha? No chance. Her grip was bone-crushing; without demon physiology, his spine would've snapped.
Gahh..! 'Cat or dog..?'
He yanked out the glow stick again. Aisha froze like a dead battery. He shoved her aside and caught his breath.
"Damn... I must be nuts. Trying something stupid like that..."
He cursed himself. Why bother? He'd thought it'd be a reward—live purely on instinct, no love or jealousy nagging her.
Sounded absurd to normals, but that's how Minwoo saw it. Never dreamed she'd tackle like that.
"Guess all the cats she knows are dog-cats..."
Actually, Aisha had followed instinct perfectly—her love for him unchanged. Oblivious, Minwoo straightened his clothes and glared pettily.
"This isn't payback for earlier, is it..?"
"..."
As if—but he stewed anyway.
"...You messed up, so punishment time."
From reward to penalty in a flash. No real fault on her end, but he re-hypnotized her anyway.
"Aisha. Now you're a chair. The kind people sit on. Make it comfy for your master. Got it?"
"..."
No clue how, but she nodded.
Still wary from before, he eyed her suspiciously.
"Really got it? Show me a chair pose right here."
"..."
Aisha slid off the bed, prostrating on the floor—four limbs down, doggy-style. Simplest human-chair form.
"...No problems."
Object transformation wouldn't pounce like animal. Safe.
"Let's test..."
He sat experimentally on her back, reverse—her ass facing front.
"Hm... perfect fit. No backrest's a minus... but premium leather, and hands stay busy. Nice."
Four-and-a-half stars, he thought, patting her ass with both hands.
"Now... time for real interrogation."
He scanned the heroes again.
"Guy's a pass for now... which bitch first... guess."
His finger landed on Mari, Ares' little sister. His lips curled.
"Right choice... needed to fix that attitude anyway. Come closer."
Mari stepped forward a few paces, standing before him. Eyes still blank.
"..."
Minwoo stared at her face, then slowly opened his mouth.