Chapter 56
Chapter 56
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 56
Chapter Title: Going to the Academy (9)
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There’s this thing called the Five Stages of Death theory.
It breaks down the psychological stages humans go through when accepting their own death or a major loss into five steps.
1st stage: Denial.
“Haha… You’re kidding, right? There’s no way I’d just drop dead out of nowhere? I’m perfectly healthy! I can swing a sword all day and not break a sweat!”
“Succubi aren’t supposed to be good at swordplay to begin with. They’re inherently weak physically.”
“I’m only half.”
“Half-succubi are the same. If anything, the demon blood being diluted should make you even weaker. But you’re showing this kind of power? You’re not burning your life force, are you?”
“Uh… probably not?”
“Doesn’t your heart pound like crazy when you swing your sword?”
“…”
“Bingo. That’s your life force burning up.”
“N-No way!”
2nd stage: Anger.
“Face it. If you keep going like this, you’re gonna die.”
“Why! Why me!”
“You can’t burn your life force like that without consequences.”
“I have to do it this way or I won’t have any power!”
“We’re succubi… It’s only natural we’re weak.”
“Fuck…”
3rd stage: Bargaining.
“So, what if I only use half my life force?”
“…”
“If I don’t use it, I’ll really be useless… worthless…”
“You’ve got a pretty face. And a killer body.”
“What good is that!”
“Succubi are supposed to win with their looks.”
“…”
4th stage: Depression.
“I’m trash…”
“…”
“Why was I born a succubus? I can’t even hang out with people for real because I’m scared they’ll find out what I am, and no matter how much I eat, it just leaves me feeling empty.”
“Hmm…”
“Ah, fuck. Shitty world. I wish I’d been born a pure human…”
5th stage: Acceptance.
“So… I just stop using this power, right?”
“…No.”
“Then what do I do?”
“You need to suck essence.”
“…Fuck.”
“You barely survived intercepting that Four Heavenly King. If you hadn’t, you’d be dead already.”
Daisy stared blankly into space, her expression utterly defeated.
“So I have to latch onto some guy?”
“…Yeah.”
“Then I’d really be a whore.”
“Sorry…”
“Sigh… It’s not your fault. You were actually trying to help me.”
Daisy looked at Nania with a face full of resignation.
“So where do you get yours?”
“Uh… huh?”
“You need essence too, don’t you?”
Nania’s eyes trembled wildly as she glanced at me.
I caught her gaze and frantically shook my head.
If it came out here that I was supplying Nania’s essence, the girls’ rage would pierce the heavens.
Not even a wish token would save me this time.
Sensing my desperate plea to keep it secret, Nania rolled her eyes around.
“Th-There… There’s a way.”
“What is it? Tell me.”
“…Um…”
“Brothel or something? I heard succubi go there a lot.”
Nania jumped at Daisy’s words.
“I’m the Succubus Queen! I don’t go to sleazy places like that! Ah… I’m still a virgin!”
“Virgin…? How do you get essence if you’re a virgin?”
Daisy peppered Nania with relentless questions.
Having lived in the human world without ever meeting fellow succubi, Daisy seemed purely curious about succubus life.
Nania, dodging her gaze and rolling her eyes every which way, finally muttered quietly.
“W-Well… you can get essence through skin contact. If you sleep pressed right up against someone, it’s enough to get by… Not fully satisfying, but.”
Daisy’s eyes narrowed.
“Sleep pressed up against someone… Then any guy around you…”
Daisy’s gaze slowly turned to me.
I subtly averted my eyes.
“No matter how I think about it, the only guy who’d let you cling and suck while sleeping is you… You’re the only man in the hero party, right?”
Daisy pointed straight at me.
She was convinced I was Nania’s essence supplier.
This is why sharp girls are the worst…
“W-Well…? I always fall asleep right away, so I wouldn’t know…?”
Admitting it would be death.
So I desperately played dumb.
“Hmm… Suspicious…”
“I really don’t know.”
Daisy grilled me but eventually gave up when I kept denying it and turned to Nania.
“Hmm… Anyway, I need to find a guy. One whose essence I can suck.”
“Yeah, and as soon as possible.”
Daisy bit her lip, pondered, then pointed at me.
“Then I’ll suck his.”
“What…”
Daisy’s bombshell statement filled the room with icy silence in an instant.
Naturally, I was the most flustered.
“Why? There are plenty of other guys.”
“What, you don’t like it?”
“Yeah, I don’t.”
I flatly rejected Daisy’s absurd proposal.
As a half-succubus, Daisy had objectively stunning looks.
Enough to enchant and trail after powerhouses who’d seen countless beauties.
Her figure was objectively top 1%, no, top 0.1%.
But I wasn’t some spineless guy who’d follow any pretty girl who suggested sleeping together.
Nania was different—I’d known her a long time, so yeah, I’d been tempted a bit. But with Daisy? I swear on the heavens, not a shred of lust.
Daisy fiddled with her chest once, then tilted her head as if baffled.
“Impotent?”
“You think I’m impotent?”
I had no idea why so many women asked if I was impotent.
I’m perfectly healthy.
“Anyone who’s not impotent wouldn’t refuse.”
“Your vibe getting sucked dry sounds fun?”
“God, so stingy. Can’t share a little with someone on the brink of death?”
“…”
I’d forgotten amid her surprisingly calm acceptance phase, but she was in real danger—without essence soon, she could die.
I felt some pity since I’d grown a bit fond of her despite everything, but I shook my head to shake it off.
I was already feeding my essence to Nania.
No health issues yet, but adding Daisy? Who knows what problems that’d cause.
Still, ignoring her would mean she’d actually die, so I suggested an alternative.
“Ask your lackeys.”
Daisy’s face twisted at that.
“I’d rather die than latch onto those idiots.”
Her lackeys tried so hard to impress her, but to Daisy, they were apparently bug-level repulsive.
“I… see.”
If she hated them that much—enough to prefer death—I had nothing to say and fell silent.
Time dragged on without a solution.
Then, Marey, who’d been quietly silent, slowly sat up.
“Laden.”
“Yeah.”
She stiffly extended her small hand and grabbed my finger.
“Daisy. Save her.”
“…”
“Daisy’s my friend. Help, and I cooperate.”
I couldn’t flatly refuse Marey’s request.
For one, she was strongly suspected to be the real hero whose fate tied to this world’s.
Plus, I liked loner characters.
Her blunt expression and halting speech were pretty cute.
But no matter how much I adored her, I couldn’t ignore the existing party members’ feelings.
I wasn’t dumb enough to miss how obsessed they were with me.
I could guess the backlash if I accepted.
So I stayed neutral—neither yes nor no.
Life’s a tightrope.
Gray survives longest.
In this awkward atmosphere, the party members huddled and whispered among themselves.
Laura seemed to be leading the discussion.
Since their opinions mattered more than mine anyway, I idly squeezed and released Nania’s horn, waiting for them to finish.
Finally, they nodded in agreement.
Laura stepped forward as representative.
“We had a deep talk among ourselves about using you as Daisy’s essence supplier.”
Why are you deciding my fate…
“Long story short, we’ll lend you out. Only to the extent it doesn’t threaten Daisy’s life.”
“…”
Marey’s lips twitched up slightly.
“But there’s a condition.”
They twitched back down.
“To make sure it’s purely essence absorption with no funny business, we’ll supervise.”
I had to interject there.
“Wait, so you’re saying you’ll watch me and Daisy sleep?”
“To be precise, we’ll all sleep together.”
“No… the room’s small…”
“Cramming into a small room will bring us closer. Sounds great.”
“…”
I knew Rainy’s sleeping habits too well to believe it’d bring us closer, but I chose silence.
***
That night.
The bedroom, lit only faintly by moonlight, was a tangle of bodies.
The bed was pretty big, but I hadn’t thought it’d fit everyone. Somehow, by squishing, we all fit on it.
Nania adeptly guided Daisy.
“Straddle Raden.”
“L-Like this?”
“Yeah, now interlock fingers too.”
Following Nania’s instructions, Daisy adjusted her position astride me.
I even used holy power to avoid any indecent misunderstandings.
“This way the essence flows better when your lower bodies tangle, so put your legs between Raden’s… Mmph!”
Nania, chattering excitedly, suddenly bolted up—only for Vina to clap a hand over her mouth.
Vina’s eyes gleamed even in the dark.
“Hey, succubus.”
“Mmph mmph…”
“How do you know so much about sucking essence from Raden’s body?”
“…”
“Answer.”
“W-Well, that’s…”
“Tch, can’t even deny it? Guess you’ve already had your fill chomping and sucking on him?”
I held my breath and pretended to sleep.
Farewell, Nania.