From Succubus Stepmom to Succubus Wife (1)
"...You're late."
According to the news we'd already received, the guy should've been back home three hours ago, but he still hadn't shown up.
I'd double-checked just in case, and it was certain he'd passed through the teleportation gate of the mage dispatched to the site.
But.
He wasn't coming straight home.
"...Calm down a bit, Lilith. It's been a while since Hanjo's returned, so maybe he stopped somewhere along the way?"
Hoaran said that to me, looking all composed.
As if she hadn't been making a huge fuss just two hours ago, saying that idiot would be back any minute now.
As if her nine tails hadn't all drooped in utter disappointment when the wait dragged on.
Acting like she was above it all now pissed me off a little.
"Yeah... what... he still not here...?"
And then Yustitia finally stirred from the bedroom, rubbing her eyes as she mumbled that.
"...This isn't good. Things are getting risky..."
When I asked what the hell she meant by "risky," she yawned and explained.
"Well, Hanjo's coming back soon... so I used up all the leftover cum on random experiments..."
Is this bitch actually insane?
Even knowing he was on his way, she admitted to blowing through something as vital as her lifeline like it was nothing. I stared at her like she was a psycho, and Yustitia just shrugged.
"Don't look at me like that—it kinda hurts. You all loved using it too."
"...Using what?"
"Yeah, you know...?"
I wanted to crack open her skull and see what the fuck was going on in there, but I held back.
"Anyway, when that idiot gets back, he's in for it."
A few days after he left, we heard the Narmer Kingdom—where he was staying—had been attacked by some unknown assailants.
I dropped everything I was doing, ready to rush to him.
But no such luck.
By the time the news reached us, it was all over. There were some casualties, but they said it was under control, so I let out a sigh of relief.
His name wasn't on the casualty list.
Thank god whatever artifacts Yustitia made for him, Hoaran's Hoah, and the elixir I gave him had done their job—I didn't know the details, but he was safe. That was enough.
But then there was this weird bit mixed in with the reports.
His name, the one we'd breathed easy over not seeing on the casualty list, popped up in the most ridiculous place.
"Fuck, I told him not to get hurt and gave him all that protection to save the pharaoh or whatever, so why the hell does he have to show off like that?"
"Still, Hanjo helped save people, so shouldn't he be praised?"
"Bullshit—that's the kind of thing you do from a safe spot. He charged at a necromancer who commands even bone dragons. How the fuck do you praise that? Hoaran, would you tell a snot-nosed kid who rushed a knife-wielding robber 'good job'?"
"That's..."
Hoaran trailed off, no argument there, so I snorted and glared at the front door that showed no sign of opening.
I'd planned to chew him out when he got back.
But with him not showing, all my pent-up gripes were about to explode.
My hypersensitive senses picked up a familiar presence.
"Looks like your precious Hanjo's finally here, Lilith...?"
Yustitia giggled at me.
"Hanjo's here!"
Hoaran, sensing the same idiot's presence—she was just as hooked on him—rushed to the door, tails wagging wildly.
I sighed and shot back at Yustitia, who was smirking like she was enjoying the show.
"...You were waiting too."
"Yeah, I was. But not wagging my tail like you two...?"
"I never wagged my t—"
My tail was shaking.
"...This is just 'cause I'm excited to chew his ass out, okay?"
"Sure, let's go with that...?"
This bitch...
With all of Hanjo's leftover cum gone, she'd be the most desperate if he didn't show, yet here she was acting the chillest. Infuriating.
Whatever.
Arguing with her was pointless.
More importantly, that oversized oaf was thundering home—thud, thud—making enough noise to announce his arrival to the whole neighborhood.
Better beat Hoaran to the punch. She was too soft on him, always praising the idiot.
I geared up to lay into him first.
And then.
The front door creaked open, and he walked in.
"Welcome ho—"
"I'm home, Mother, Stepmom, Mom. Everyone doing good?"
Flanked by two dark-skinned women in ridiculous, flapping outfits that didn't suit them at all.
Hoaran froze mid-leap, arms outstretched, her beaming face turning to stone.
I...
"...Heh, this got interesting, huh? Lilith."
"Shut the fuck up for a sec?"
Yustitia shrugged like whatever, and I ground my teeth, eyeing the women he'd brought.
"......"
"......"
They didn't even flinch from my glare.
Got some balls, huh?
I drew up my energy and mana, and the winged dark-skinned one on his left flinched hard.
But the one on the right—with those damn animal ears he loves—bold as brass, wrapped his arm with her ridiculously huge tits.
This bitch, really...?
"Ah, let me introduce them first."
Finally, he pulled the two women close with that dumbass look on his face and said,
"This is Karmine Narmer, pharaoh of the Narmer Kingdom... well, former pharaoh. And this is the kingdom's great warrior... former great warrior too, I guess. Anyway."
He hugged them tight.
"They're both women I love."
..........
"...What?"
Throb, throb, throb...
My chest hurt—not from some bullshit like arrhythmia caused by sheer absurdity, surely.
"...H-Hanjo. W-What do you mean by 'love'?"
Hoaran stammered, her tails drooping limply, utterly deflated, as she asked the idiot, the moron, the king of all fuckers. And this prick—petting the head of that smug eared bitch who'd stared me down—replied,
"Just what I said. Brought my wives home, Mother, Stepmom, Mom."
His words hit again.
Throb.
My chest ached.
Why?
"Anyway, Karmine, Karura—meet my moms. That's my first mom, Lilith. Second mom, Hoaran. And third, Yustitia Mom."
Why?
"Mm! I am Karmine Narmer, introduced by the Hero of the World. Mothers of the Hero! The Hero spoke much of you, and I longed to meet you. At last, my wish is fulfilled!"
Why?
"I-I'm Karura, pleased to meet you. I-I'm not much, b-but I'll do my best..."
Hum, hum.
My head spun; their voices faded oddly.
"Ah, Karura's pregnant, so she's tired from the long trip. Can she rest first?"
Right then.
I caught him taking the winged woman's hand, saying that. I wanted to scream for her to fuck off.
But.
"Karura, sit here. It's kinda stiff, but I'll get something comfier later."
"Th-Thank you, but you don't have to..."
Until he sat her on the tiny living room sofa, I couldn't utter a word.
Did I even have the right?
Who was I to say shit to the women he said he loved—
"Ah, and tomorrow I'm heading to the clerk's office for the marriage certificates—"
I did.
I was his mother.
"No...!"
"It cannot be!"
Our voices—mine and Hoaran's—burst out almost in unison.
Almost simultaneously.
I looked at Lilith and Hoaran, who'd spoken together.
Their faces pale as ghosts. I felt guilty, like I'd done something unforgivable, but I had no choice.
I definitely loved Lilith and Hoaran.
I still wasn't entirely sure what love was, but seeing them warmed my chest the same way Karmine and Karura did.
So, yeah. It was real.
Not just lust.
This feeling hit even just being near them.
Of course, Yustitia gave me something similar too.
"Heh."
But she was watching us like it was the best show ever—kinda ambiguous.
Anyway, point was Lilith and Hoaran.
I loved them for sure.
And I believed they loved me.
But what if not?
What if it was all in my head?
What if it was just mother-son affection?
An orphan like me mistaking familial love for romance?
That tiny doubt led to this test.
If it was just that, they'd be thrilled about daughters-in-law, not like this.
Too far? Their blood-drained faces made me sorry.
But.
Now I had to fix those expressions.
Take responsibility.
Of course.
"Why? Lilith Mom. Hoaran Stepmom."
I'd confirm with them too.
"Why can't I?"
They flinched and stepped back as I approached.
Lilith spoke first.
"S-Suddenly bringing two women and saying marriage? You think I'll just go 'oh, sure'...?"
"I-In-deed. Marriage is a great affair of human relations—such suddenness—"
I nodded at them.
And said,
"Then we'll postpone a few days. Karmine, Karura—sorry, can you wait a bit?"
"Understood! I have time aplenty—even years! More proof than papers is your staying by the Hero's side. As long as you do, I'll wait forever!"
"Fine by me."
They nodded and replied. I turned back to Lilith and Hoaran.
"That work? Mom, Stepmom."
"Ah, uh..."
Hoaran couldn't retort. As expected—she couldn't counter straight logic like this.
The issue was Lilith, who ignored logic.
I glanced at Hoaran, then at Lilith, who mumbled, lips twitching.
She flinched under my gaze, stepped back, then spoke.
"Ugh...! S-Still no...!"
I stepped closer.
"Why?"
"B-Because... I'm... I'm your mother... If your mother objects—"
I cut her off.
To Lilith, trying to block my marriage with Karmine and Karura over being my mom, I said,
"Then I won't be your son anymore."
"..........What?"
Lilith stared up at me blankly.
Like she'd never expected that from me, her dumbstruck face gazing up.
"Y-You owe me... me... a debt..."
"I'll pay the debt. This should cover it."
Pedo or not, I handed her the staff from that badass necromancer who commanded bone dragons.
"...Ah."
Lilith took it dumbly.
"If that's not enough, say so. I made bank this time."
Our first mother-son bond was a contract.
Built on money and compensation.
To break it, pay the price—that simple.
"Ah, ugh, th-that..."
She alternated between the staff and me, face twisting.
I'd checked the appraisal office on the way: insanely expensive staff.
Even double as penalty for my debt to her—it covered it easy.
She'd know its value.
"...That settles it, right?"
She hung her head.
I watched her trembling shoulders, then said,
"Thanks to you, I got way stronger. Didn't exactly want it, but saving Karmine meant fighting some monster, won, gained fame. Now the kingdom's bust, but I was the 'nation-saving hero' there. And before coming, some world gov bigwig said they'd call me later—insisted I show."
Hanyujin's message from up top.
World gov officially recognizing my feats.
They nearly lost a semi-autonomous nation to terrorist necromancers—master-level ones, sane and hole-free in the head, thousands invading.
Whatever the reason, they acknowledged my role.
Won't end with some citizen award.
Real results.
Might even offer a seat.
Won't take it.
My place was set long ago.
So.
"This should be enough. More than enough."
I knelt, pulling out one item from my haul.
"Lilith Ashtarte."
Click.
I showed her the case with a ring—bought dumping all Narmer coins, plus savings for her debt.
"Uh..."
"After this, no one could argue if I said I was your successor. Right?"
Her eyes welled up, all teary like an idiot again, as I knelt before her, case extended.
"So, what... not yet, but it'll happen soon anyway. Prepay okay? Yeah?"
"Pre...pay...?"
To Lilith staring blankly, I said,
"Yeah, prepay. But even then... if our contract continues, we're still mother-son. I hate that now. So."
I voided the contract.
The flimsiest one, built on cash and favors.
Among me, Lilith, Hoaran, Yustitia—the emptiest "mother-son" label.
I took out the ring, held it to her.
And said,
"From now on, don't be my mother. Be my woman, Lilith."