Chapter 16
Translator: IPO
Chapter 16
Fortunately, Jaehee's outing ended without any incidents.
Although a certain contract and document-based favor relationship had been established with Citra, the Succubus Queen and owner of the auction house, the parties to the contract knew full well that this agreement could be annulled at any moment. No one would know that the roles of superior and subordinate were completely reversed.
“Seriously, don’t ever do this again! Do you know how worried I was that something terrible might happen to you, Jaehee?!”
How worried must she have been to jump out of bed, immediately drive, and rush over like lightning?
Moreover, this place was Mapo District.
A government-controlled area with security Hunters and soldiers blocking roads, yet Officer Dan had ignored all of that and barreled straight through.
Of course, it seemed she would have to write a report or statement later, but what could be done?
For Officer Dan, Jaehee was far more important.
“Hehe, making Officer Dan worry actually feels nice, so I want to go out more often.”
“Jaehee!”
“I’m joking. But really, Officer Dan, what made you think something terrible would happen to me?”
“….”
For a moment, thanks to Jaehee insisting on asking, Dan’s mouth fell shut.
“Oh my, Officer Dan? Why did you suddenly go silent?”
And Jaehee’s trait of wanting to joke and play whenever she saw Dan did not miss this opportunity.
“Officer Dan? At this rate, I’ll grow old waiting for your answer!”
“…Well, um… so Jaehee, you’re a Succubus… right?”
“More precisely, the Succubus Empress.”
“Ahem, anyway, that….”
“So, what is it?”
“….”
Officer Dan’s face, focused on driving, had turned quite red.
“Well, you know… it’s just that….”
“If you don’t say it properly, I can’t know. Even I can’t read the depths of your mind~”
Of course, Jaehee already knew very well what Dan was hinting at.
As an adult and the Succubus Empress, she could not possibly be unaware of such subtle atmospheres or nuances.
Yet, the reason Jaehee was teasing with her sly smile was simple: she found it fun.
Teasing Officer Dan, who was smart yet a little naive, was the most enjoyable thing in the world!
“No, uh…”
Meanwhile, Officer Dan was serious.
Succubi were considered a social issue to some degree, a racial characteristic with unique problems.
‘Succubi are both masters and slaves of sexual desire.’
Currently, in South Korea and worldwide, various non-human returnees and Awakened existed, and many had bodies transformed like succubi or incubi.
Those transformed were naturally highly obsessed with ‘sexual desire.’
This obsession should never be judged by human standards.
If their desires were satisfied, the transformed could live normally, but hunger for essence changed everything.
Especially, succubi starving for essence experienced a hellish condition beyond description.
With low mental fortitude, the pleasure felt as a succubus overwhelmed reason, leading to what is commonly called mental corruption.
This mental corruption meant the succubus’s instincts consumed their reasoning, effectively becoming another being. Once reason was fully consumed, human rationality and decency disappeared entirely, leaving body, mind, and soul completely as a succubus.
“…Th-that is.”
Officer Dan, as a high-ranking public official Hunter, had witnessed many tragic cases.
Some succubi begged desperately for someone to satisfy them. Incubi sometimes violated married women with Awakened husbands, causing deadly outcomes.
Some succumbed to sexual addiction like drug addicts, living like wrecks, while others became true demon species, falling into villainy.
Thus, the government maintained strict regulations and control over succubi.
Of course, in practice, these rules were barely enforceable against the Succubus Empress Jaehee, and were more about appearances than direct control.
“Hehe, I wonder why Officer Dan’s face is so red and embarrassed. I’m too curious to resist.”
Jaehee was relatively free from these regulations.
An ironically prudish succubus empress.
Yet when Jaehee suddenly said, ‘I’ll repay you even with my body,’ Officer Dan understandably panicked and rushed over.
“Will you tell me? What exactly did you imagine could happen to me, something severe or bad?”
“…I-ik! You know! You know what I’m saying! I need to focus on driving, so stop!”
“I don’t know at all. But shouldn’t I know what you worry about so I can be careful too?”
“I-ik…!”
Of course, Officer Dan was not always passive.
Damn it!
Better to just say it plainly than keep getting teased!
“S-s-sex! Sex! Intercourse!”
“…Oh my.”
“Is that enough?! Are you satisfied?! Ugh, succubi get addicted to that, can’t socialize, and sometimes go down bad paths, so I was worried! Enough now?!”
Shouting confidently, Officer Dan was dizzy from the awkward silence that followed.
What had I just said?
In front of the Empress of succubi…!
In truth, Officer Dan was terrified.
Normally, Jaehee had no interest in lewd or obscene things, but she was the Succubus Empress.
One trigger word could unleash widespread seduction—a terrifying scenario.
“But, Officer Dan.”
“Wh-why?”
“Just saying that word isn’t enough for me to understand. Why would I do that in the first place?”
“Ah, no, well… Jaehee said she would repay the price of the item with her body…”
“Oh my? I’m actually very strong, you know? I could repay through Hunter work in dungeons. Heh, did Officer Dan imagine me as some promiscuous woman who gives my body away recklessly?”
“……”
“…I see. Officer Dan wants to control me strictly, like a government bureaucrat, restraining all limbs and keeping me perfectly in check.”
“No, that’s not it…”
But now, saying something like that…
Considering the government’s extremely poor relations with her, Officer Dan’s mind felt dizzy again.
Damn it! Jaehee won’t listen anyway! Fine! Think of me as a mother! A mother who can’t let her daughter wander dangerous areas alone!
“My mother is deceased, by the way.”
“Ah…”
Awkward silence again.
Officer Dan felt her hands on the wheel growing clammy.
She had stepped on a landmine again, thoroughly.
Usually confident and strong-willed with officials, she was inexplicably toyed with in front of Jaehee.
Even though she knew it, facing Jaehee made her lose all authority and strictness.
“…S-sorry. Well, that is.”
But should she even apologize?
This was all caused by Jaehee going out alone at night!
And bringing a cursed item from a lawless auction house…!
And I’m the one who has to report it as if it were safe and simplified!
Alright, be firm.
No matter what, Jaehee cannot toy with me like this!
“…Hrk.”
“…!”
But at the soft sobs nearby, Officer Dan felt goosebumps all over.
Ah, I crossed the line.
I was wrong.
Moments ago, she wanted to scold Jaehee for going to the lawless Mapo District and taking the cursed item. That thought vanished immediately.
“….”
Sniff…ugh….
What to do?
What to do? What to do? What to do?
She’s crying.
That beautiful Jaehee is crying.
Tears, sobs…?
Ah, I’m a great sinner.
Should I just die?
Trembling, Officer Dan cautiously averted her gaze, as if even eye contact was a grave offense.
Then, their eyes met.
Even covering her sobbing face with both hands, she looked pitiful and vulnerable.
Through her fingers, Jaehee’s fox-like curved, smiling eyes appeared.
“Hehe, finally, you’re looking this way~?”
“…Seriously!!!”
Realizing she had become a toy again, Officer Dan was flustered.
“Officer Dan, do you know why I like you?”
“Hmph, no idea!”
“Because you remind me of my lost wife.”
“…What? Are you joking again?!”
Officer Dan’s shocked face only widened as Jaehee’s grin resisted restraint.
“Hmph! I really hate you!”
“Sniff, sniff…”
“Ah, s-sorry…!”
“Hehe…”
★
★
★
★
[…So, nothing serious happened?]
“Yes. As you said, this human called Jaehee… or if she’s human, didn’t take any money.”
Citra, the Succubus Queen and owner of the Caklashten Auction House, spoke on the phone.
In truth, Citra was thoroughly calculating.
Even though Jaehee fit her taste and the succubus instinct had been slightly afraid, normally, she would never have given away a cursed item exceeding 100 million without payment.
Through documents and atmosphere, she could have pressured Jaehee to pay, even more than the item’s value.
Instead, Jaehee’s appearance matched Citra’s taste. If she wanted, Citra could have forced her to become indebted or taken her to bed.
Yet Citra treated Jaehee with unusually lenient goodwill for one reason only:
Thanks to Miculson, essentially the founder and owner of [Beetle’s Cocoon].
“Hehe, the one who never accepted my requests in person… even called me first to ask for leniency? Maybe you’re thinking of remarriage?”
[Do not misunderstand.]
“Just joking.”
The person was Miculson, a middle-aged man running a bar in ruined Mapo District.
“I didn’t expect a 1st-generation Hunter like you to care about someone. Seems Jaehee is a bigger deal than I thought.”
[…A rare guest. There are few people to talk to in this lonely place. If the beautiful singer is upset and doesn’t come, I won’t hear that lovely voice. That would be a problem.]
“Oh my.”
Citra was surprised that Miculson, who wasn’t swayed by her seduction, treated someone with such goodwill.
She joked about remarriage, but really?
Thinking about it, Miculson was a rather remarkable man.
Probably in his late 40s, better looking than most actors, being a 1st-generation Hunter likely powerful at night as well.
[But he’s not a bad person to befriend. You should get close.]
“Is that so? What exactly is Jaehee’s true identity? Even her real name seems different…”
[You’ll find out once you become close.]
With that, Miculson ended the call.
“Hmm, find out after getting close… that’ll take a while?”
Yet Citra was the Succubus Queen.
A being faithful to desire, impulse, and instinct.
“Hello? Ah~ Congressman~ This is Citra~ Yes, long time no see~ Sorry I couldn’t visit earlier. Are you free tomorrow?”
She didn’t hold back from curiosity or what she wanted to do.