Chapter 116: Breaking the Spirit - 3
Chapter 116: Breaking the Spirit - 3
"J-Jiha..."
Yura froze.
She had heard a brief explanation from Jiha earlier, but she hadn't expected him to be this provocative.
Jiha kept his gaze fixed solely on Asira before him.
Asira's greatsword rested against the armrest of the sofa.
If he missed even one movement, he could lose his head.
"..."
Asira blinked, then clenched her fist and stared down at her own lap.
"You dare... with Yura..."
"Thought so. She came with a quality assurance seal attached."
When Jiha replied with shameless ease, Yura hurriedly jumped in.
"No, Asira. That's not what happened, so don't be angry. J-Jiha didn't f-force..."
"Since when were we that kind of couple? Though, of course, you enjoyed it yourself later on."
Jiha denied it brazenly to Yura, who was trying to cover for him.
Yura was so anxious she was practically hopping in place, but Jiha wasn't doing this without reason.
Asira has no obvious weakness to exploit.
There were certainly issues he could use as leverage.
Even the matter with Kamain was something most people would try to cover up.
If a career you've built could vanish in an instant over a worthless subordinate, and you could face severe punishment, wouldn't you try to bury it first?
Most people would naturally lean that way.
Asira's righteous nature rejected that.
If there's no weakness, make one.
No matter how impartial someone is, they always change when it comes to family or friends.
Asira's behavior showed she cherished Yura more than her own kin... so if Yura were involved, her personal feelings were bound to surface.
First, provoke her into a rage and make her commit a mistake.
Then, as planned, corner her into a situation where she had no choice but to apologize, and drive the wedge in.
"..."
Just as Jiha intended, Asira was trembling silently, speechless.
"H-Hey, Asira. Are you okay?"
Worried she might not be breathing properly, Yura reached out a hand.
Asira raised her head and glared at Jiha.
"Hoooooh..."
After a long sigh, Asira spoke coldly and decisively.
"Never use such vulgar language about Yura again. If I hear it one more time, I will cut your throat without hesitation. You are to be her husband, not just anyone. If you speak lowly of your wife, what will others think?"
"..."
What?
His provocation, meant to make her swing her sword, was met with words, and Jiha frowned.
He had even secretly gathered his Mana, yet Asira's expression was composed.
She looked at Yura with a small smile.
"Congratulations, Yura. You've found a good man."
"...Hey."
As the situation veered off in an odd direction, Jiha tsked.
When some bastard messes with someone you care about, you're supposed to see red.
And Jiha was the perfect trifecta of low birth: human, Common, and male.
"When do you plan on holding the ceremony? Naturally, I can't just sit still while you get married. I'll contact people right away..."
"Hey, hold on."
"Surely you're not thinking of not getting married?"
At Jiha's interruption, Asira fixed him with a murderous glare.
"You're not about to say you won't marry her after laying your hands on innocent Yura, are you? If so, I will never forgive you."
"..."
This is bad.
This was the complete opposite of what Jiha had calculated.
Asira shifted her gaze back to Yura and spoke affectionately.
"If such wonderful news came up, you should have told me first. Why didn't you tell me right away?"
"No, I mean..."
Even Yura seemed caught off guard, flustered and trailing off.
The die was cast, so Jiha decided to push forward.
"She was afraid you'd kill me, obviously. She's been terrified since before you arrived."
"Mm... Well, it is a valid concern. Even I felt my blood run cold for a moment."
Asira admitted it readily.
Meaning she'd felt an overpowering urge to draw her sword and take Jiha's head off.
"Still, I suppose if it's not some other man, if it's you, I have no choice but to accept it."
"..."
"You're remarkably outstanding, and your discernment is so sharp it can't compare to mine. You are a bit rough around the edges and have a foul mouth, but if you cherish Yura, that's all irrelevant."
In short, she thought highly of Jiha and was willing to accept him as a husband for Yura.
What the hell is this?
Having witnessed Jiha capture the gnolls and even strip away Kamain's mask right beside her, Asira had been deeply impressed and had come to value him highly.
More than any other man she had ever seen.
If it was a man like Jiha, she could accept him as Yura's groom!
"..."
His own achievements had derailed his plan.
As Jiha stood there dumbfounded, Asira continued.
"Honestly, I'm furious and my head is spinning, but even so, Jiha is truly a decent man. That rough tongue of his is surely just a result of the hardships of Common life. If you help him well from now on, he'll soften up in time."
"No, wait a moment..."
"Be quiet. I'm still not done being angry about that vulgar remark you made about Yura."
Asira's tone was icy, and Jiha could only furrow his brow.
Things had flown so far off-script that he couldn't come up with a countermeasure on the spot.
He had envisioned countless scenarios, but not a single one was based on the premise that Asira would accept him.
This is absurd.
He'd planned to lightly clash blades with a raging Asira and then push his advantage.
With her acceptance so freely given, there was no opening.
Even if Jiha picked a fight now, Asira's stance would simply be to fix Yura's future husband's foul mouth.
"No, are you really okay with this?"
Jiha asked in disbelief.
Asira, who had been giving affectionate advice to soothe Yura, furrowed her brow.
"Of course, your marriage will spark plenty of gossip and scandal. There will be many who oppose it. But I shall be a pillar of strength for you both. Yura, I will handle persuading the succubus side myself, so you just pretend not to know."
"..."
At this rate, they might actually end up married.
While Jiha was still baffled, Asira kept speaking softly to Yura. Yura, who had been listening with an oddly gloomy air, rose from her seat.
"A-Asira. I'll be going now. Jiha, please get up too."
"Heading back already?"
Asira smiled gently and said to Yura.
"I sincerely bless you. Be happy, Yura."
"..."
Yura practically fled the room.
As Jiha stood up belatedly, Asira gave a long sigh.
She stared at the spot where Yura had been sitting, an unreadable expression on her face, and suddenly asked.
"Shall I call you Yura's husband from now on?"
"...I'll pass."
"Take good care of Yura. She's a precious child."
"If I make her cry, it sounds like you'll kill me."
Asira smiled bitterly and closed her eyes.
Seeing the inexplicable hint of bitterness in her, Jiha watched her for a moment before leaving the room.
When Jiha came out, Yura was waiting for him.
Yura threw him a glance and then took the lead.
She meant for him to follow, so Jiha trailed after her in silence.
Once they were some distance from the VIP room, Yura stopped, keeping her back turned as she spoke.
"Jiha."
"Yeah."
"...I think I get it now."
Her voice was choked up.
She wasn't her usual self.
"I finally understand what complete subordination is, and what I have to do. And why the other succubi kept it a secret from me, why they didn't tell me."
"Okay."
Jiha didn't pry.
He approached Yura, took her hand, and said.
"Now that we've got her approval, why don't we go somewhere quiet and talk?"
"...Do you remember me saying I was the last succubus born? And that's why all the other succubi worry about me?"
Yura was too emotional to even heed the suggestion to move elsewhere.
Jiha nodded.
Sometimes it's better to just stay quiet and listen to what a woman has to pour out.
"...That was a lie."
Yura shook her head.
"I wasn't that adored. No, the other succubi said they doted on me because I was cute, but it was hard for me. So Asira took me away... to protect me from them."
"..."
"But Asira is a beauty no matter who sees her. On top of that, she's confident, righteous, and incredibly capable. Everyone naturally thought she'd become a Unique, and she did."
Yura sighed.
"But no one thought I'd become a Unique, and yet I did."
Was it an inferiority complex?
Yura shook her head, on the verge of tears.
"But I still tried my best. Because I was the one closest to her, I didn't want to be a burden, so I pushed myself. Honestly, I was happy that I felt acknowledged too, and she was even happier than she was about her own achievements."
"..."
"But Asira always just concedes to me. The moment I want something, she somehow finds out and gives it to me, no matter what. Clothes, dolls, treasures... If we ever had to compete for a Unique position, she would have given it up without a second thought."
Yura sobbed.
"Without even knowing how it feels to be the one who's always receiving those concessions."
"..."
"I was terrified of wanting anything. Afraid our desires would overlap, that she'd just give it to me again. Afraid I'd keep being the pathetic girl who held her back."
Asira's character was upright, and she cared for Yura far too deeply.
So for anything Yura wanted, whatever it was, she would have given it up and handed it over without hesitation.
Yura was happy at first, but as the situation repeated endlessly, at some point, she became frightened.
Does a giving tree always receive love?
No, sometimes it suffocates people.
"The moment Jiha entered that room just now, Asira changed. She'd been forcing smiles for my sake, but when Jiha came in, she genuinely brightened up."
"..."
"You're the one who made Asira truly smile."
Yura spoke quietly.
"Asira likes you, Jiha. It seems she doesn't even realize it herself, but I can tell. Because I'm a succubus."
"..."
"...That's right. I had actually noticed it. Every time Asira praised Jiha, and every time the two of you talked alone, I was anxious and restless. What if..."
Yura spoke as if coughing up a thorn stuck in her throat.
"What if Asira likes Jiha too, I was anxious. And what if Jiha likes Asira more than me, I was anxious."
"Yeah."
"Jealous and restless... I felt like I was suffocating. That was the condition."
That was why her body had burned with impatience, why she'd been so forward as to pick the lock on Jiha's door and seek him out first.
The condition for a succubus who spends three nights with a man to be completely subordinated.
To feel jealousy, fearing that man might turn his eyes to another woman.
"...Now, now I'll admit it. I love Asira, but I still don't want to give Jiha up. But at the same time, I don't want to just receive a one-sided concession from her."
"So?"
"Please take Asira as your woman too. I'll help you."
She would face Asira and secure her own place.
She would make it so the woman Jiha cherished most was none other than Yura.
Jiha asked calmly.
"Won't it make you uncomfortable?"
"You're drawn to her too, Jiha, aren't you? And it's not like I hate Asira. But..."
Yura went up on her tiptoes slightly, wrapped her arms around Jiha's neck, and kissed him without reservation.
The taste of tears lingered faintly between their touching lips.
"For now, I'll be the selfish one."
A light kiss, and Yura pulled back, smiling seductively.
Innocent yet bewitching.
Just like a succubus.
"Please... make me completely yours, Jiha."