In the Succubus's Hallucination, There She Was
Crash!
“Gah!”
As I opened the door to Kimihee's lab, a loud racket echoed out. Kimihee, who had been dozing off in his chair, tumbled to the floor with a thud.
“Ah, M-Minister! You're here?”
Dark circles shadowed his eyes—he must have pulled several all-nighters. His gaze on me was unfocused.
“Ah, you arrived earlier than I expected.”
“How's the research progressing?”
“You mean on the glass flower?”
“Yes.”
“It's almost complete. To be honest, the results are astonishing. I've been up nights analyzing them. At one point...”
“Stick to the point.”
At my prompting, Kimihee cleared his throat awkwardly.
“Ahem. To get to the point, we detected traces of mana belonging to Lilith, the known transcendent succubus.”
“As expected.”
“A glass flower made from succubus mana... I never imagined we'd sense succubus mana in a crystal of purity. This alone is a monumental discovery. Perhaps...”
“Kimihee, you're rambling again.”
“Ah, sorry.”
“Can your invention detect identical mana signatures?”
“Across the entire empire?”
“The whole empire, and beyond.”
“Whew... For now, from Blanc to the capital is feasible.”
“And the rest?”
“That'll take time.”
“Then prioritize that.”
“Give me ten minutes!”
Kimihee fumbled to activate the device. It was the mana detection machine he'd invented in the past. We hadn't used it since learning of Mary Jane's existence. This was the first time in ages.
“Wouldn't Mary Jane be better for this? She's a transcendent too, right?”
“Mary Jane won't do.”
“Any reason?”
I recalled Mary Jane's words from when I'd first asked about absorption transcendents.
—Her epithet was 'Blood-Mad Maniac,' wasn't it? A lunatic who wasn't right in the head. He went on about learning some demonic arts.
She'd said there was only one absorption transcendent. A blood-mad maniac. A madman wielding demonic arts.
But Seria's progenitor was a different absorption transcendent. Lilith.
Mary Jane might not have known. Or perhaps, for reasons unknown, she'd deliberately withheld information from me.
When it came to Lilith, I couldn't fully trust Mary Jane. That's why I'd come to Kimihee.
“No need for you to know.”
“Hm. Something must be up. For you, Minister, to distrust Mary Jane... Honestly, even back when House Dmitry was just a viscount...”
“You're talking too much nonsense today.”
“Sorry.”
How much time passed?
“Minister, results are in.”
“Report.”
“The strongest nearby signal is 30 kilometers from Blanc. There's a faint trace in Baron Leral's manor castle too. One in the Dolkin region as well. And...”
Kimihee's eyes widened as he examined the machine. He glanced between me and the device, rubbing his eyes. Did he think sleep deprivation was making him hallucinate?
“Report exactly what you see.”
“Th-There's one... in Morris Minister's mansion...”
“Accurate.”
The mana from my mansion was surely Seria's. That meant the machine's readings were reliable.
“Print the data.”
“M-Minister, what is this?”
“Don't ask. I can't explain yet. Just find locations with similar mana, Kimihee.”
Kimihee stared at me in shock.
“D-Don't tell me your tastes run that way...?”
I considered silencing him but let it go.
“No pointless speculation. Your guesses have rarely been right.”
“Are you hunting for Lilith, the succubus transcendent?”
“No.”
I couldn't go to her true lair yet. Even a mangy pup struts in its own yard. Especially a transcendent like Lilith. Entering her domain would be suicide—voluntarily enslaving myself.
Post-transcendent war restrictions kept her from leaving her territory voluntarily, like Mary Jane.
But once I was prepared, once I could match her...
I'd conquer her. The first step: hunt succubi with her mana signature. Acclimate to succubus charm and mana.
“Here's the data. Going after them yourself?”
“Yes.”
“Shall I come along?”
“I prefer alone.”
I couldn't handle Kimihee's chatter.
“Understood.”
For the first time in ages, I felt the need to grow stronger. Eighth circle. The pinnacle of human magic.
I'd thought that was enough.
My heart raced.
A barren field 30 kilometers from Blanc City. Thick mana emanated from a passage linked to the basement of an ancient ruined castle.
Here it is.
I eyed the underground stairs. Ominous at first glance. Runes were engraved on the walls— the entire dungeon from these stairs was one massive magic circle.
“Interesting.”
I couldn't see the full formula, but the core ones were clear.
—Hallucination, cognitive impairment, disorientation.
Once inside, you'd wander lost forever in a vast maze.
Someone with advanced magic knowledge lurked within. Naturally, retreat wasn't an option.
I stepped forward.
Thud, thud.
My footsteps echoed in the underground passage. The air shifted. Dizziness hit, vision blurred. Hallucination and cognitive haze struck simultaneously.
“Kyaa!”
A shrill scream. Ellis, in a maid outfit, splashed water on me.
“M-Master, forgive this worthless maid. I can't even do my duties right and messed up again. Punish me.”
Red-haired Ellis, in twin braids, slipped off her clothes.
“I even made handles for your convenience, Master.”
I ignored the giggling Ellis and walked past.
“M-Master!”
She grabbed me, but I shook her off.
Next came Luis and Veronice.
“I have intel on His Majesty the Emperor.”
Luis eyed me expectantly.
“Not shopping for toys today? If it's just you, I can clear my schedule.”
Veronice pressed her voluptuous body against mine, coquettish.
“Boring.”
I waved them away. The two vanished limply. Dungeon hallucinations.
Created by whoever held Lilith's mana. Pathetic, no matter who.
Just reading my memories for temptations. Simple.
Cognitive impairment made magic tricky, but these didn't need spells.
Next, Baekseol. Clinging desperately.
I ignored her; Seria appeared.
“Master...”
Her navel seal glowing below.
“My body's so hot. If you don't hold me, I...”
She moaned, kneading her soft, full breasts, overcome by desire.
She let out pitiful moans, smiling faintly at me.
“Come to me.”
I passed Seria by.
If the dungeon master was watching, I had words.
Not refined enough.
Ridiculous. Deep disappointment.
I'd expected something grand from Lilith's mana.
I sighed and pressed deeper.
How far had I gone? The end neared. Mana flows from the magic circle converged ahead.
Not far now. I'd come to dismantle the dungeon at its core.
“Morris.”
A moist voice from the center.
Where all mana converged.
Turning, there she was.
Emir, in see-through lingerie, gazing at me. She shyly half-covered herself.
Half-hidden was more erotic than full exposure, they said.
Thump.
My heart dropped at Emir's body—unseen before.
“I've been waiting for you to reach here.”
Her pitiful voice tickled my ears. Heart pounding.
“Today is finally our wedding day, isn't it?”
Emir stepped closer. My eyes wouldn't move.
“I abandoned my family for you. You told me to bring Solarion's secrets, so I did. So...”
Her small hand touched my chest. She leaned in, looking up.
“Hold me tonight.”
Emir's eyes glistened wetly. I couldn't look away from her eyes.
Her breasts.
The feel of her hand.
Thump-thump.
My heart raced wildly. My body urged me to embrace the woman before me. My lower half swelled, throbbing with my pulse.
Far more tempting than the others. If this was illusion, I'd almost fall for it.
“Emir.”
“Yes, Morris.”
“You abandoned Solarion for me?”
“Yes. For you... To become one with you.”
“I see. Good girl.”
I stroked her head.
Emir, who abandoned Solarion.
What Morris most desired.
Yet utterly impossible.
I looked at her with sad eyes.