The Rigged Vote to Succubus Paradise
"No! No no no! That's not right??!"
Karni yelled at Eli and Kairan.
"Why are we going that way?"
A massive signpost pointed straight toward Maou Castle. Hadn't their party's goal been Maou subjugation from the start? Karni couldn't quite wrap her head around why they were heading to the Succubus Village—
"Sex monsters"—but it wasn't that hard to figure out.
Yeah, a little thinking made it obvious.
"Succubus harem's the real goal, huh."
"What're you talking about?"
Karni nodded at Nairah's words, fixing her party of three dubious futanari with a cold, dead stare as she muttered softly.
"No way we'd trust an enemy signpost just like that."
"Uh... anyone can see the left path leads to the snow mountain, right...?"
Nia pointed at the snow-blanketed road, her eyes wide. Snow piled up only on the right, screaming snow mountain to anyone with eyes. Eli knew full well the only beings who could cause that were snow women.
But—
"Shut it."
"Eek...!"
Eli snarled, dismissing Nia's knowledge outright.
Eli let out a small sigh and spoke up.
"Could be a trap."
"A trap?"
"Yeah. Makes you think right's the obvious way. But left's the real answer."
"...Like that?"
Karni tilted her head, mumbling. Of the three opposing the Succubus Village detour, she was the most vocal. Meaning, convince Karni, and the rest could be steamrolled by force.
"Yeah, exactly."
"Ah, there goes my trust in you."
"...Am I that untrustworthy?"
"Yup."
Eli flinched at Karni's quick, blunt reply.
"I'm a saintess, y'know?"
"What saintess makes rape her hobby?"
"What kinda fantasy you got about saintesses?"
Just like always, Eli shot Karni a cold glare.
"Never heard of a rape-hobby saintess for real."
"She's right here."
"Maybe Eli's the weird one?"
"Nah, this is average saintess."
Karni rubbed her dry face with both hands, lamenting how bleak reality was. Nia, standing beside her, cautiously placed a hand on Karni's shoulder and patted it.
Sighing deeply, Karni spoke up, her voice and gaze stripped of any expectation as they fixed on Eli and Kairan.
"So. Real reason?"
"Succubus harem."
"Succubus harem, duh."
Eli and Kairan said in unison, while—
"Lust-crazed freaks."
Karni stuck out her tongue, totally unsurprised. Their answer was so predictably on-brand it was almost impressive. How can people be this single-minded? Karni thought. No wonder scriptures listed lust as one of the seven deadly sins.
"How 'bout saying you're true to your instincts?"
Unaware or uncaring of Karni's thoughts, Kairan flashed a small smile and said it.
An action that made Karni want to punch her on sight. But glancing at herself—unable to actually do it—she posed a heartfelt question.
"You in heat or something? No, even if heat hits, quota girl like me shouldn't be the one getting it. Why you two...?"
"Futanari are in permanent heat, y'know."
"...For real?"
"For real."
"...Why?"
To Karni's dumbfounded question, Kairan replied matter-of-factly.
"Try having both a dick and a womb. Does your libido go down?"
"..."
"What."
"N-no, nothing..."
Kairan stared Karni down, then sighed and spoke.
"Let's vote then."
"Vote?"
"Yeah. Raise hand if you wanna go right. Stay still for left."
The moment she finished, everyone except Eli and Kairan shot their hands up high.
"Settled then."
Eli clapped and declared.
"Left it is."
"No, right."
"...Huh?"
Eli blinked in genuine confusion at Karni's objection.
Arms crossed, she pondered with a question mark practically floating over her head.
"Karni, Nia, Nairah—that's three, but 1.5 votes. Me and Kairan—no, Hero-sama—two votes. Majority says left, right?"
"...No. No no. Why three people = 1.5 votes?"
"Huh? 'Cause you're onaholes?"
Eli said it like it was the most obvious common sense.
"Onaholes don't get equal votes to humans—futanari humans, no less."
Karni shuddered.
It happened sometimes, very rarely. Eli and Kairan usually treated her and the others kindly. As equal persons worthy of respect. But in certain situations? Not so much.
Like in bed, or rape scenarios, where they saw 'women' like Karni as lesser beings—toys at best.
"Right?"
"..."
So seeing Eli smile sweetly like that, Karni couldn't muster a word.
"Karni."
"...Yeah?"
"C'mere."
"...O-okay."
A calm voice, laced with strange allure. It vibrated her womb, massaged her brain—her instincts reacted. Karni trudged toward Kairan, who had called her.
Droplets trailed from between her legs, saliva pooled in her mouth. Just the voice made her body respond—heart pounding, breaths ragged.
A body broken in and tamed beyond repair. It hadn't taken long to realize she'd been played from the start, that resistance was futile now.
"Good girl."
A hand plopped atop her head.
"Such a good pet."
And so the 'petty rebellion' of the hero party's toys came to a close. Boring, utterly boring.
Their footsteps crunched steadily. Leaving the snow-covered left path behind, Kairan and crew plunged into the lush, blue-leaved forest on the right.
How long had they walked? Time blurred.
"Ah."
Nia stopped with a small gasp.
"What's up?"
"It's... severed."
"Severed? What does that mean?"
"Uh, well, like... we entered some kinda barrier? Yeah, um, yeah."
At Nia's words, Eli immediately spread her holy power, scanning around.
"You're right. We're inside a barrier."
"Succubi-made?"
"Probably."
Eli looked around. Her eyes, brimming with holy power, began reading the malice woven into the barrier.
"No malice."
After minutes of unblinking scrutiny, Eli softly closed her eyes. Bright light swirled in them, and her dry eyes moistened again.
"Just a barrier. To hide the village."
"But they left a signpost?"
"Mm, one of two things. Either it's new, or only accessible via the marked path."
As Eli finished explaining, Kairan and crew started moving again.
"Uh...?"
Nia, mid-analysis of the barrier even with her mimicry, took a step—crunch—and the ground gave way.
She sank straight down, leaving only her head and arms poking out.
The wobbling sensation from the pit creeped her out briefly, but Karni rushed over.
"You okay?!"
"Y-yeah, f-fine...!"
"Hold on, I'll pull you out quick...!"
Karni grabbed Nia's arms and yanked with all her might. But oddly, Nia in the pit didn't budge an inch.
"Whoa...!"
Karni slipped and tumbled backward.
Nia looked at her and spoke.
"K-Karni. Go on ahead...!"
"...What? What're you saying."
"Th-this kinda trap... undoes itself after time... So, go first...!"
Nia forced an awkward smile. The squirming in the pit toyed with her numbing senses. But she smiled anyway, to reassure Karni.
"Kairan."
"Yeah."
"Wanna go ahead?"
"You good?"
Karni nodded to Kairan, who checked again.
"Yeah, better not leave her alone—too risky."
"...I'll leave Nairah too. Dark elf'll help a ton."
"...Thanks."
Leaving Karni and Nairah with Nia, Eli and Kairan pressed on.
"We'll find someone in the village to disarm the trap."
"Want help? Succubi and all."
"Eh, just 'convince' 'em nicely."
What that 'nice convincing' entailed was all too easy to guess.
The Succubus Village was more prosperous than expected. A town as developed as the capital.
As they entered, the most mature-looking succubus approached.
"We've been waiting. Hero-sama, Saintess-sama."
"...Waiting?"
"Yes. Arrangements from our mother, Bellamorta."
Bellamorta. Hearing that nostalgic name after so long eased their wariness a bit.
"Feel free to use this village's succubi as you please. Myself included."
The mature succubus smiled.
"Though you'd hardly want this old body... But if you do, come to the village hall in the center. Enjoy your rest."
She vanished in purple smoke after speaking. Before they could ponder her 'Bellamorta's arrangements,' a loud shout blasted their ears.
"Hey! Human! What the hell are you?!"
A pink-haired succubus had snuck close, jabbing a finger at Eli.
"How's a barbaric human got the goddess's blessing?! What'd you do, you filthy human?!"
Endless insults poured out. They felt kinda cute coming from her appearance, but piling up, Eli's anger slowly rose.
"Kairan."
Eli turned to Kairan with a serene smile.
"Secure a room first? I wanna educate this one."
A benevolent smile, eager to reform a wayward child.