Chapter 298
Chapter 298
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: crow
Chapter Title: Demonic Charm (3)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
"Priestess!?"
The expedition members' faces were etched with concern.
"Huh? What's wrong? Huh? Why...? Huh?"
The kind and alluring Priestess Akirin looked unwell.
"What's going on?"
"No idea. She was fine until we were almost at Bondales, then suddenly..."
"Does she have some history with Bondales?"
"Huh? Come to think of it, where was the priestesses' destination?"
"Bondales, right?"
"Whatever it is, I hope it works out."
Not just the men, but the women too—all united in worry for that enchanting woman.
It was a glimpse into Akirin's reputation among the expedition.
"Priestess Akirin, are you alright?"
Rishir approached cautiously, checking her complexion.
"Yes? Ah...!"
The high succubus felt a pang of self-loathing.
Setting aside the circumstances, she caught herself thrilled by the hero's genuine concern.
A reaction fit for slaves ensnared by demonic charm.
For her, the master of that charm, to show such a response to others!?
Humiliation crawled up her spine, wounding the high succubus's pride.
Akirin tried to treat him coldly to salvage her pride.
-Mind your own business.
That was what she originally meant to say.
"It's nothing, please don't worry about it. Whatever it is, troubling you with it would be far worse."
Those were the actual words from Akirin's mouth.
Unknowingly, the high succubus was acting like a starry-eyed maiden meeting a famous actor.
It went beyond rational fondness—an outright adoration of his very existence.
'What the hell!?'
Akirin nearly slapped her own lips in shock.
"Is that so? That's a relief, but—if you need any help, feel free to tell me anytime. As much as my abilities allow—"
*What makes you think I need your help?*
Akirin sneered inwardly at him.
"Oh no...!!! Just your words alone are too much honor—"
That was Akirin's actual response.
Against her will, she writhed in flattered delight.
There was no fault to pick at.
The hero offering help within his power's reach meant any aid she needed could be resolved.
'Why am I like this!?'
Akirin finally realized how dire her condition was.
Overinterpreting his every action, feeling endlessly flattered.
This was no mere delusion.
She was exactly like the slaves enthralled by demonic charm.
She hurriedly scanned her surroundings.
Her subordinates were there, playing the priestess role alongside her.
A high succubus ensnared by the target's charm, losing her senses.
How would the lower succubi react to such an unsightly display—
Akirin was already steeped in despair-like emotions.
"Priestess Akirin, are you okay?"
Just then, one of the priestesses approached.
Yoanna.
Among the priestesses (succubi), she had a bold, impudent personality.
Her head had thickened, as they say.
As the next in rank after Akirin among the succubi, she was clearly the leader of the lower ones.
A delicate position. A delicate relationship.
For instance, she wasn't the type to let a high succubus's humiliation slide.
She'd use this chance to push her boundaries somehow.
Akirin was already feeling crushing fatigue.
-Impressive!
"Huh?"
The lower succubus whispered into Akirin's ear.
-To draw the hero's attention so boldly—
Akirin wondered if this impudent one was mocking her.
But the gaze directed at her brimmed with pure admiration.
The lower succubi hadn't even dared approach the hero.
Yet here she was, feigning illness with exquisite timing to capture his interest!?
Truly pioneering and daring—befitting a high succubus's dignity!
The lower succubi genuinely thought so.
-As expected of Lady Akirin... Doing what we can't so effortlessly... That's what we admire...
"..."
Had the lower succubi ever shown this level of respect?
Even when subjugating them as a higher succubus, it hadn't been this much.
Even when enslaving the magic tower's master with her charm, not to this degree.
Such monumental admiration in this situation.
The high succubus was so flabbergasted she suffered cognitive dissonance.
Was drawing the hero's brief attention greater than a high succubus's powers?
-Watch us, we'll do our best too!!!
Afterward.
The lower succubus steeled her resolve and returned to her spot.
"Everyone, sorry! But she took a moment for our Priestess Akirin, so please don't scold too much? We'll work even harder! Of course! Though my efforts won't make the already-boiled soup tastier!"
The lower succubus began energetically helping serve the expedition members.
Laughter erupted everywhere, like a bustling midday market.
'...What are they even trying to do?'
Succubi.
Incarnations of impure desire.
Akirin's anguish deepened amid the positive, wholesome atmosphere they created.
'Th-this won't do...!!!'
The high succubus made her decision.
She'd escape this wholesome demonic realm(?) before it worsened!
Just as she moved to bolt—
"Priestess Akirin?"
The hero smiled brightly, holding out his bowl.
A ladle was in Akirin's hand.
"Ah! Yes! Hero, help yourself!"
Akirin immediately filled his bowl to the brim with soup.
And the next member's.
And the one after.
No matter how busy, duties must be fulfilled!
'...Huh?'
But what duty was this again?
No idea.
Akirin mechanically smiled and scooped away.
Steam from the pot drew sweat naturally.
Akirin tried to wipe it with her arm.
Then her priestess robe's sleeve caught her eye.
"..."
It was mere camouflage to deceive prey.
The robe, made for a fake god and fake faith, held no meaning.
If any, it was just handy cloth for wiping sweat.
In that sense, Akirin's action wasn't odd.
She rolled up the sleeve, wiping sweat with her bare arm.
The succubus's sweat-glistened skin shone.
The high succubus's lips curved widely.
"Priestess, aren't you tired?"
"Not at all! This is so rewarding!"
A sunny, innocent smile.
"Priestess Akirin, something's wrong with me...!!!"
Priestess Akirin felt intense discomfort at the title.
They were gathered separately from the main expedition group.
"Regina. Right now—"
"Yes?"
"Aren't we just among ourselves?"
"Y-yes!!! That's why I'm saying this!"
"...Fine, just tell me what's wrong."
Akirin was inwardly surprised as she spoke.
Normally, she'd be furious at a lower succubus's pathetic antics, but oddly, no irritation rose.
"Oh, right. While we talk, the rest of you prepare."
"Prepare? For what?"
"To leave."
"""Whaaat~?"""
With that curt reply, Akirin no longer indulged their whining.
Indulging it had led to this mess.
At this moment.
Akirin intended to treat them with cold detachment.
"So, Regina. What problem arose?"
She didn't realize.
How gentle her demeanor was toward the young priestess—
no, lower succubus.
"I..."
The lower succubus fidgeted with her hands, hesitating.
Finally, she forced her mouth open.
"Th-that appeared..."
"That?"
"R-Regina!? Don't tell me you got pregnant!?"
A listening priestess cried out in shock.
Whew.
A sigh escaped Akirin's lips.
"Pregnant? Don't talk nonsense. We're succubi. We can't do such direct, vulgar acts. You know that, right Regina?"
"Y-yes, Priestess Akirin!!! Getting pregnant? That impossible nonsense wouldn't happen!?"
"Exactly. So, what is it? What appeared?"
"Nipples grew."
Akirin's mind reeled.
It might sound ridiculous, but it was a grave matter.
Succubi.
Incarnations of desire, they reigned supreme over it, wielding it purely as a weapon.
This was possible because their bodies were flawless, untouched by ordinary physiology.
For example, they were asexual.
Their forms were like blank white paper, unmarked.
"Oh! M-me too! Nipples!"
"Mine's in the crotch—"
"Enough!"
Akirin shouted, dizzy.
Hearing her subordinates' successive "first nipple(?)" confessions was driving her mad.
She calmly examined the lower succubi's states.
"..."
Akirin's eyes widened.
"What in the..."
The changes to their bodies.
She'd hoped it wasn't, but it was real.
The succubi essence they'd inherently possessed had drastically altered.
In other words—they had become human.
"I..."
"We've... become human...?"
"Lady Akirin, what is—"
"..."
Akirin had no answer.
A succubus reborn as human.
Even for a high succubus who'd spent eons as one, ascending ranks, it was unprecedented.
"I'm human..."
They hugged their bodies in bewilderment.
"E-everyone, calm down first—...!"
Akirin tried to soothe them.
From flawless incarnations of desire to vulgar beings swayed by it.
A catastrophe no true succubus could endure.
"What do we do... I'm so happy...!"
However.
Their reactions starkly differed from Akirin's expectations.
The lower succubi—
no, priestesses—stroked their bodies in ecstatic joy.
Pure delight emanated from them.
"Now we don't have to worry about the hero discovering our true nature...!!!"
After the shocking debut on day one.
The succubi had cleanly abandoned their reckless ambition to enslave the expedition.
Though their charm had worked somewhat, when they withdrew it, no one remembered that night.
Afterward.
Posing as devout priestesses, they'd blended into the expedition—and harbored one anxiety.
-What if the hero learns our true identities!?
Now.
That anxiety was neatly resolved!
"Now we can be open in front of the expedition members!!!"
"Exactly!!!"
"Now I can approach the hero like Priestess Akirin did today—..."
The once somber spot, like a picnic's end, buzzed with energy again.
"Wait! Everyone, think about it!"
Akirin, suddenly at risk of demotion from leader to individual, refused to accept it.
"Aren't you all weirded out!? Succubi suddenly turning human?"
"Isn't it because we're near the hero?"
They blinked innocently, as if it were nothing.
An utterly irresponsible answer.
Akirin resented herself for having no better response.
"Then maybe it's not too late! If we leave the expedition now, we might revert to succubi!"
"..."
The priestesses stared at Akirin, then exchanged glances.
Then stared at her again.
*Why should we?*
Their unspoken voices seemed to echo.
Frustrated, Akirin grabbed her hair with both hands.
"So reckless... Fine! Say you safely become human! Then what!? What's next!?"
Akirin scolded the utterly planless lower succubi—
no, lower priestesses.
"Just keep following the hero, right?"
"Good lord. Who said!? Did the hero say he'd take you in!?"
Akirin didn't notice.
Using the honorific "Hero" unawares.
"That's what they say?"
"What?"
"We asked the other expedition members—they don't seem to turn away followers?"
"Really!?"
High Priestess Akirin was tempted.
"No, this can't be!!!"
"My day today has completely fallen apart... Maybe tomorrow too... and the day after..."
"What do I even live for day by day now!?! "
The expedition was plunged into grief.
The hero's recent chariot show(?) was on indefinite hiatus.
The reason: the hero's "my show's lame" syndrome.
"I get the gist, but..."
In a corner of the camp.
Rishir gazed down at the three demon swords.
"No progress..."
Their power was dubbed Knight of Light.
Rishir was confident he'd grasped the direction to wield the demon swords.
Yet stepping forward proved difficult.
Since the first chariot show(?), Rishir had stagnated.
-My lord... I'm sorry I couldn't help...
Then.
From one demon sword—
the jet-black blade came a terrified voice.
The only one among the three fully accepting Rishir's energy without resistance.
Thus, she'd regained her senses fastest.
-Failing your goals... It's entirely our demon swords' fault...
The Beast was already cowed in fear.
Rishir's failure to master the swords stemmed from the others' uncooperativeness (herself excepted), and she blamed herself for not persuading her kin.
-If you blame us... As their representative, I'll accept it gladly...
The black-clad woman steeled herself in terror.
She hunched and closed her eyes.
But no punishment came, no matter how long she waited.
"No. This is entirely my own shortcoming."
-Aaaah...
The Beast's voice overflowed with感动.
-Thank you, my lord... I'll never forget this grace...
"..."
Rishir tilted his head.
Grace?
What did I do?
Anyway—
Remembering, he picked up the Beast.
-Aah... It doesn't hurt... He's being considerate...
Ignoring the distracting voice, he focused on the jet-black body.
'Not my imagination.'
Originally, its ominous matte black absorbed even darkness.
Now, that matte sheen faintly glowed.
'The Beast is changing by accepting my energy.'
Rishir figured that enabled attempts at "Knight of Light" form.
Conversely, he couldn't sustain it fully because the other two rejected his energy.
"Hmm..."
How to persuade(?) the other two demon swords.
Rishir pondered the still-unconscious blades.
"Rishir."
Allenza visited his tent then.
"Someone from the city came looking for you?"
At dusk.
The Ilratten expedition, flying Bondales' flag, greeted an approaching small group.
"Rona?"
The noble youth.
A welcome face after so long.
And—
"Clana!?"
Rishir nearly jumped in surprise.
Likely their first meeting since her full recovery.
Rishir's eyes sparkled as he addressed her.
"Your body's completely fine now, right!? Seeing you move freely—"
"Um—Rishir?"
"Yeah?"
Rona's voice calmed the excited Rishir.
She glanced cautiously.
"Well, your swordsmanship master's condition isn't great right now..."
"Not great? How so?"
Only then did Rishir carefully check Clana's complexion.
As Rona said.
Her demeanor felt unnatural.
The haughty murder ghost with her sinister smile was gone.
Standing there was a doll-like, serene woman.
"At first, she was all... super bubbly, claiming to be your fiancée and glaring at women near you?"
"Huh? Glaring?"
"Yeah. 'What's your relation to my fiancé?' She grilled every woman visiting Goose Manor to see you."
Rona smiled wryly, reminiscing.
"Then one day, she suddenly lost all her memories—"
"Lost all memories...?"
"..."
Clana politely bowed to Rishir.
"I apologize. As Sir Rona said, I've lost all prior memories—"
"Then the blind swordsman history feared, the continent's unparalleled strongest who no record dares mention—is gone forever!?"
"..."
Rishir didn't miss it.
The faint crack in her serene mask.