Chapter 555
Chapter 555
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 555
Chapter Title: The Match-Selling Girl
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"Mr. Katt, why on earth do you smell like another woman?! I've never smelled anything like this before!"
Hildegard yelled, as if demanding an answer.
Sure enough, as a succubus, she could just tell by looking? It had been two days since my last time with Liztina, and I washed up thoroughly every day, but she sniffed it out anyway.
"What bullshit is this, you little shit?!"
"And you drew your dagger again! You said I was your friend! You can't do that to a friend!"
"Oh, this?"
Before I knew it, I'd already drawn the dagger from the Brass Celestial Society. My razor-sharp instincts had reflexively made me grab my weapon.
This was some kind of combative instinct—I couldn't hold it back.
"Hey, hey. You suddenly got all intense, that's why. Gotta account for species differences, right? Sorry about that anyway."
No matter how much of a Demon Friend I was, Hildegard was still a succubus. I didn't know much about demons the way I did humans, so I had no choice but to stay on guard. I sheathed the dagger right away.
"What species differences?! Species don't matter in love!"
"How'd the conversation go there? Anyway, I said sorry."
"Ugh..."
Her face flushed red at the apology as she crossed her arms and looked away for a moment. She fidgeted awkwardly like that before yelling again.
"M-more importantly! What's with this woman's scent?! It's one I don't recognize! Don't tell me you've got a new girl?!"
"Yeah, spot on. How'd you know right away?"
"Of course I'd know anything about you the second I see you, Mr. Katt!"
This girl was seriously pissed that I'd gotten a new woman. But what could I do? You're a succubus, and I'm human.
"Aigoo, hey. I get how you feel, but it just kinda happened. Don't be too mad."
"You know how I feel?! Then why not me?! I was so happy when you finally called me after all this time, but now my heart feels torn apart!"
Damn, hearing it out loud kinda made me feel guilty.
"Honestly, I thought I was next in line!"
"Next in line for what, you slut? You're a demon."
"What does being a demon have to do with anything?!"
Hildegard's face was beet red as she huffed and puffed. I never expected her to react like this.
Anyway, her outfit looked really cold.
Long boots and long gloves. And heart stickers covering only her nipples and crotch—I was getting cold just looking at her.
"More importantly, aren't you cold? You look freezing."
"Don't suddenly start worrying now! W-well... yeah, it is cold. But what do you think of the outfit? Like it?"
Hildegard, mid-rage, squirmed a bit as she asked about her clothes. Honestly, it was way too lewd. It clung perfectly to her succubus curves, radiating extreme sex appeal.
I'd always had a thing for slutty outfits.
"Honestly? It's pretty good."
"Hehehe. Wanna peel off the nipple sticker? It'll be fun, promise."
Hildegard sidled up close, thrusting out her chest and pointing to the heart sticker over her nipple.
Goddamn, I really wanted to rip it off.
—Whoosh.
But instead, I took off my cape and handed it to her.
"Quit screwing around. Just put this on."
"Y-yes?! You're giving me your cape, Mr. Katt?!"
"Nah, give it back when we head home."
"Still awesome!"
Hildegard snatched my cape and hurriedly draped it over herself.
It somehow gave off no-pants fashion vibes. Her horns kept her from wearing a hood, making her look like some wicked little match girl.
"Anyway, Hilde. Let's get to work today."
This was the main point.
"Ufufu, your cape is so warm, Mr. Katt. I feel so good I might fall asleep."
"Hey, I said let's work."
"Work? Sigh, first tell me about this new girl. Work talk after."
I sighed as she said that.
"No, do we really have to?"
"Gotta know about the woman who's gonna be my mistress. Oh, Mr. Katt. Actually, I'm fine if you get more women. I'm just mad you went and made one while I was waiting like this."
Fuck, coming on this strong...
The Heavenly Demon Kim Katt had too many sins.
Anyway, I told Hildegard all about Liztina right then. Whether my wives would keep multiplying from here... who knew. Honestly, there weren't any more women worth claiming anyway.
Claudia wanted me to actively make more, but that wasn't my style. And five was already a shitton.
Two hours each would take ten hours a night.
"Sky-blue hair... kinda like mine."
Hildegard's hair was a deep indigo.
"While we're at it, have sex with me too."
"Fuck, I told you, let's just work."
"If you comfort me in bed, Mr. Katt, I'll work with you."
"See ya."
"Eek! Kidding! Kidding! Please let me stay!"
I turned to leave, and she hugged my waist, pleading.
"Heh heh heh, good girl. See how nice I am when you behave?"
I reached out and patted the top of Hildegard's head. She blushed and bowed her head, clearly loving it.
"...Mr. Katt, you're so mean. I want your love too. Sex every night. Can't I? If you do that, I'll give you anything."
"There's a limit to unreasonable demands, kid."
"It's not unreasonable... Haah. Guess you need more time."
I pulled my hand back, and she let go of my waist, looking up.
"Anyway, what's the job today? I haven't scouted lately, so I don't have much info."
"That so? No big deal."
I knew everything anyway, so it didn't matter.
What I needed from Hildegard was sniffing out any evil auras. If demons were involved, she'd sense it. That'd make things easier.
"You don't need info from me?!"
She yelped in surprise.
"Why're you so shocked?"
"You said I'm useful!"
What was so great about that?
"Listen up. There's Sasquatch monsters around here. Word is they're linked to heretics. Means they might've made a deal with demons, right? Track that down for me."
"In this huge snowy mountain range? Mr. Katt, I'm really sorry, but even if I can sense those auras, it's too broad a search."
Obviously. Hildegard wasn't some super radar.
"I know. Don't worry. I have a rough location. Start there, narrows the range. Good?"
"Mm... yeah, that works. Let's go then, Mr. Katt."
Hildegard grinned and snuggled into my arm, rubbing her face against it.
Her horns were gonna poke holes in my cheek.
"This much is okay, right?"
"Ah, fuck. Do what you want."
"Hehehe. I love you so much, Mr. Katt."
She was less a woman and more a dog.
"Can't you transform into a human?"
"If I did now, my cold resistance drops... I'd freeze to death soon."
"Oh, secret like that?"
"Transformation magic's convenient, but has drawbacks. No one's around anyway, right? Better in true form."
I told her to switch to human form if anyone was nearby, then we set off.
It was snowing, but not a nonstop blizzard, so travelable. Maybe less snow this year? Hope so.
I pulled out the map to get my bearings and moved out.
The document from Saintess Cardia noted Sasquatch and heretic sightings, plus opinions on them. Finding the path was no issue. With Hildegard here today, we might actually find something.
"Mr. Katt, you know what?"
"What?"
"Just looking at your face like this fills me with this weird energy."
"Weird energy?"
"Yeah. It's so strong I don't even need essence. Is this what love is?"
"You keep putting me in awkward spots."
"No, not awkward. I know you know how I feel, so I'm just showing my love. Let me have that much. I'm helping you out."
Fuck.
Nothing I could do about it.
Come to think of it, essence...
"Hey, don't succubi die without essence?"
"We don't die. Just starve badly and get super weak. But I haven't taken any since coming to the human world. And I'm fine, right? All thanks to you, Mr. Katt!"
"Huh."
It'd take a good while to reach the destination anyway.
I chatted with Hildegard as we went. She looked happy the whole time.
"Normally, essence gathering means sleeping, then entering dreams to hunt in others' dreams. Without it long-term, succubi weaken so much they can't even do that."
Weakening, huh.
"They wither away and get killed by other beings. That's normal. I should've ended up like that too, without essence for so long."
"Heh heh, be grateful to me then."
"Of course I'm always thankful!"
By lunchtime, we'd pushed hard through the snowy mountains, and the destination was right ahead.
My marching speed was over twice what it used to be.
Mana-enhanced body strength turned me into a mountain rapid-march machine. Not even tiring. Hildegard floated effortlessly beside me, no sweat.
Man, her outfit was just amazing. Even with my cape, her back wings made it awkward. Like walking with a bottomless chick. Who comes up with this fetish gear?
"You don't have any other clothes?"
"Hee hee, glad you like it. Nope, this is it."
Might ask for a few later.
Anyway, we finally reached the spot.
"Here."
I hadn't scouted this area yet.
"This place? Hmm, okay. I'll track demonic auras from now. But if no demon power's involved, I won't be much help. That okay?"
Of course.
"Even without that, you can fly and scout. What's useless about you?"
"That's a way?!"
She could fly, so plenty of uses.
"You really know how to use me, Mr. Katt! Now just use me sexually too!"
"Quit it."
"Yes."
Hildegard focused for a sec, looking around.
"For now... nothing nearby."
"Got it. Let's move then."
We had time. Might as well get results since I brought her.
I started scouting the area with her. Even if nothing jumped out, keep moving and something'd ping on the radar. I wasn't sure about demon links, but we were proceeding on that assumption.
We climbed ridges, descended lines, poked around canyons.
Per the docs, Sasquatch sighted here, even one heretic slaughtered.
Up ahead was Dodens Barony, then eternal snowfields. Sasquatch turf. But they were coming south, and heretics showed up.
Soldiers and knights pulled back due to snow, but they'd been patrolling before.
My job was like cleanup.
What was the truth?
We took breaks, ate rations, kept scouting. No rush on time. My speed, stamina, endurance were monster-level now.
A long search was fine.