Chapter 174
Chapter 174
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 174
Chapter Title: Annihilation Squad -3
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The Empire's Third Prince Sledo Crown was enrolled at the academy, yet he never showed his face at classes or events. That was because his reason for enrolling had nothing to do with personal growth or learning.
What he truly desired was survival. Sandwiched between the First Princess, who crushed her rivals and whipped up storms of blood, and the Second Prince, who quietly expanded his network in the shadows to build a foundation of support—all he wanted was to stay alive.
So he fled. But simply running away wasn't enough.
Worried that the First Princess or Second Prince might send assassins after him just in case, he joined forces with the black mage faction that had approached him.
They needed his prestige, and he needed the power to protect his own body... It was a deal that benefited both sides.
Of course, a nagging voice in his heart occasionally jabbed at him, questioning whether allying with black mages was remotely sane.
Still, he complacently assumed one little deal like this wouldn't cause any major catastrophe. What could anyone possibly accomplish using the name of someone who'd been completely shoved aside in the battle for the throne?
"Lord Sledo. A new professor has just been appointed at the academy. And that one—"
In the end, his judgment proved correct.
"I knew it... I knew it would be like this..."
The Second Prince had used his influence to plant a mage from his own tower at the academy. The man appeared to be purging black mages en masse and teaching students with revolutionary methods no one else had dared attempt.
But was that really the whole story? What if he'd received a secret directive from the Second Prince? Something like eliminating the Third Prince without loose ends at the first opportunity—
If he hadn't allied with the black mages, he would've died without a trace. Word was the professor trapped students in tentacle-infested labyrinths, letting them wander in torment for ages before killing them.
So the alliance had been the right call. It was unavoidable if he wanted to live. Ah, if only he'd never been born into this bloodline. If he'd just been a commoner from an ordinary family, tilling fields for a living...
Sledo Crown curled up under his blankets. He hated being awake. Living in reality just filled his head with agonizing worries. It was as if all his other senses had atrophied completely—all he could feel was fear.
So he squeezed his eyes shut, desperate to plunge back into the world of dreams, but his body, having already clocked enough sleep, showed no signs of drifting off.
No matter how hard he knocked on dreamland's grand gate, the lock stayed firmly bolted, refusing to budge.
So he fooled himself by pretending to sleep.
Pulling the covers over his head and clamping his eyes shut, he repeated to himself that the darkness beneath his eyelids was the entirety of the world. It dulled the fear a little, at least.
"......"
But maybe today just wasn't his day.
Sounds drifted in from outside. From beyond the window. That direction meant someone was talking to the guard at the front gate. Who this early in the morning? And why?
Even trying to ignore it, his attention snapped toward it. Dark, frightening thoughts kept bubbling up. Fine then... he'd check it out himself. Then go back to sleep.
Sledo Crown crawled over awkwardly and nudged the curtain aside just a crack. He peered down through the narrow gap.
Three stunning women.
Two of them were familiar faces. Succubi who visited the mansion where Sledo stayed on a regular basis.
They were the kind souls who occasionally provided "sleep therapy" to help fulfill his desperate wish: the succubi who helped him, restless sleeper that he was, fall into a deep slumber and stay there without waking.
He always woke up utterly exhausted, but that was a plus. It made it easier to dive back into sleep.
Did that mean the third one mixed in with them was a succubus too? She was too far away to see clearly, but she seemed to have long black hair cascading to her waist and red eyes.
The guard chatting with her let out a booming "Wahahaha!"
It was the first time Sledo had seen him laugh like that. The guard was a stubborn, gruff type who intimidated everyone with his overbearing attitude. Who knew he could even laugh?
What had she said to make him do that?
Curiosity piqued, Sledo eased the curtain open a bit more. At that exact moment, their eyes met as she glanced up this way. Bewitching red eyes.
With a faint smile playing on her lips, she slowly winked one eye.
"......!!"
Sledo yanked the curtain shut and dove for cover.
His heart was racing. Why? It was just a wink. Just a meeting of eyes. So why did it feel like his heart had plummeted into his stomach?
Creeeak. The front gate was opening.
The succubi were here on a visit, and now they were coming inside. Did that mean he'd have to face her up close?
Sledo floundered about for a moment, then rushed to the mirror and frantically smoothed down his hair. He had no idea why he was doing it. It just felt like the thing to do.
The young man in the mirror had a face flushed bright red.
We melted the guard with ease, breached the front gate, and successfully slipped inside the mansion.
The place where the Third Prince holed up was tucked away in a secluded, out-of-the-way spot. Unless you knew exactly where to look, you'd never spot it even while living at the academy.
The mansion didn't see much foot traffic. It was maintained at a middling level—not spotless, not filthy—and most of the rooms sat unused.
From casually steering the conversation with small talk, we'd gleaned that the Third Prince was staying on the second floor.
We didn't dig for specifics like exactly which room, figuring it'd look suspicious, but luck was on our side—we locked eyes through the window.
Perfect. Now we just head straight up and take him down like snatching candy from a kid.
Pingbalrez eyed me as my heels clicked up the stairs.
"...How did you do that?"
"Do what?"
"The guy on the second floor, golden hair—that has to be the Third Prince. He looked half-dead from your single wink, you mad mage... Magic?"
"Not magic. Just technique..."
I strung her along a bit, and while Pingbalrez stayed quiet, Kkamanrez squirmed uncomfortably. She was dying to know too.
I flicked my side hair back with elegant flair and launched into a lecture on How to Seduce Anyone.
"Where do you think elegance comes from?"
"From noble blood, no?"
"Genetics factor in, sure. Looking refined gives you a bonus. But even if you look aristocratic, act like a street thug and you'll come off cheap."
"Then what?"
It's all about the information you project, in the end.
Movements that ooze "I'm superior" or "I summon others with a flick of my chin" read as aristocratic.
Ones that scream "I'm wildly aroused right now" or "I wanna jump you" come off as lewd.
Conversely, if I can load any info I want into my nonverbal cues... I can craft any vibe imaginable.
And I'm a master of information.
"Pale skin means no sun exposure—he doesn't go out much. Overall timid expression, peeking through a half-drawn curtain? Purely defensive posture."
Hikikomori vibes, in a nutshell.
The Conversation Palace incident, the First Prince's poisoning. It inflicted massive mental trauma on this generation's imperial heirs. Probably the ripple effect. An imperial prince reduced to a total coward.
Pingbalrez and Kkamanrez were disguised with illusion magic overlays of the succubi we'd captured. The Third Prince visibly relaxed at the sight of them.
Succubi visiting the mansion regularly...
"Succubi dropping by a prime young man's bedroom on the regular? Bet he's gone through more bed frames than he can count. Majorly desensitized to sexual stimuli. On that basis..."
Treat the target as the neurotic spoiled young lord archetype.
Layer in harmless, cozy warmth. The kind of face that says he'd welcome any plea for help without hesitation. Borrowed from pre-corruption Niore.
Infuse familial affection and包容力. The vibe of someone who'd scoop you up and spin you around three times on the spot. Straight from First Princess Elaine.
Once you've unlatched his heart and lowered his guard with that...
Base it on imperious noble pride. The aura that screams "don't get too familiar." That's Roderus's specialty.
Finally, crown it with the most spine-tingling gaze I'd ever felt. The raw hunger I'd seen churning in Pingbalrez's eyes earlier, refined to a calm simmer and mounted on top.
Then... fire.
Becoming — a woman who usually radiates a warm, dependable big-sister aura you could lean on, but too formidable to get casual with, occasionally hitting you with an intense awareness of her as woman, all wrapped in a subtly enigmatic vibe.
Speaking with Eyes, compressed and deployed full of loaded info.
This was Heart's secret to success.
"......"
"Why the sour face, Kkamanrez?"
"...Kinda makes me sick. A guy going all out to seduce another guy like that..."
"Character's separate from the player! The succubus 'Lize' I'm playing is like that—not me, man!"
Kkamanrez looked even more baffled, like it was all the same thing to her.
It's not. Totally different!
If it were, then me being Centra means I'm dating the Second Prince, me as Namgoong Seungah means I've got feelings for Namgoong Cheonghwi, and me as Oh Hyein means I'm besties with Roderus.
That's not reality. I craft the characters and send them out—I don't become them.
"Ah, got it."
"Argh...!"
Right, how's a sparrow supposed to grasp an emperor's will? But Pingbalrez would get it. I shot her a pleading look for backup.
Her response wasn't support—it was a crit.
"My eyes were the most thrilling, huh?"
"...Don't fish for confirmation after hearing it clear as day!"
I grumbled and turned away. God, she just couldn't rein in her teasing side.
Pingbalrez watched me fondly, then smoothly extended her arm for me to hook. Illusion magic cloaked her, but as the caster, I saw right through it to her true self.
Usual physical flirt? Not quite.
Yuri Lanster laced her fingers through mine. Her other hand stroked my knuckles, fingers twitching playfully.
My focus snagged more on the fingers than her pressed chest. Ticklish, I feigned nonchalance.
"...What're you doing?"
"Thinking I might try some acting too."
"What kind?"
"I like you. A lot. That setting."
The joke landed heavier than usual. Emotional intensity dialed up. We'd traded light jabs like this daily, but this felt more earnest. More aggressive.
I met her gaze, ready to call treaty violation.
But mischief and wistfulness sparkled in her eyes. We're parting soon—this much is fine, right?
I sidestepped the accusation.
"...You picked it up perfectly just from words. Speaking with eyes."
"No counter?"
"......"
Yuri Lanster pressed her chest in closer. Pure provocation. My heart raced, but... a twinge of sadness too.
Is that it? She wants to play more...
We're parting. She's heading off on a long road for revenge against the succubus queen. Even if I tag along with her party saying I'll help, her priorities will shift.
No more empty hours trading barbs like this. She'll be grinding for revenge instead.
Like kids at a sleepover the night before one transfers schools, playing all day to ease the goodbye blues. She wants to cut loose with me too.
Fine then...
Full-frontal showdown, Pingbalrez.
Today, no holding back. Like our first meeting, like right after in the carriage. No concessions.
I lifted our laced hands and brushed my lips to her knuckles.
"Acting, right? What's the setup?"
"Forbidden love. Succubi drain from the opposite sex, so same-sex is a 'loss'—no energy payoff. But I like you anyway."
A gentle metaphor.
All that time messing around at the academy? Pure loss for her, miles from her revenge goal. Yet she'd called it all good.
My turn to answer.
"I'm a top-tier succubus, hearts melting left and right. But real love? Never known it. Everything I give others is fake, all show. But you... you make me feel different. Starting to notice."
Throwing NPCs into emotional chaos is easy. I built them, even puppeteered from inside. But always at arm's length.
Like before: even if the Centra in my head loves Irid, that doesn't mean I care for the Second Prince.
But my feelings for Yuna and Yuri Lanster? Not as wild, but utterly genuine. My emotions.
Our faces drew nearer.
"Roles locked in, miss."
"Then let's see how it plays out. Scene ends... when we leave this mansion. Cool?"
"Perfect. Next time we meet, we go all out—embarrassingly so. If you don't bolt..."
"You've had the edge so far, but today... different story."
Faces inches apart. Slow. Breaths mingling. Nose tips brushing.
Memories flickered. What happened in the carriage again?
I hadn't wanted to lose. To that villain Pingbalrez eyeing Yuna like plunder, no way I'd yield in the aura war. Pure thrill and tension.
Now?
Anticipation building. For the seconds ahead.
"......"
"......"
This isn't play anymore. Yuri's eyes said.
Told you. Mine replied.
Lips a hairbreadth from grazing—we pulled back in sync. Then strolled on, arms lightly linked. Destination: the Third Prince's room.
Kkamanrez trailed silently behind us.
No complaints this time about separating from her senior or not clinging. She knew. Once today's game wrapped, Yuri Lanster would return to the squad.
That stoked my fire. So chill about it. What if I got so swept up I demolished Pingbalrez's performance right here?
"...U, uwah..."
No, not chill. Just struggling to keep up.
Good. Game on. Enchant the Third Prince, wring out info—and duel Pingbalrez. Win con? Who cares. Not the point.
I shifted tone. A soft smile graced Pingbalrez's blank face. My heart skipped at this hidden side. Demurely, she said,
"Shall we head in together, miss?"
She could pull off a voice like that too?
I squeezed our laced fingers tighter and whispered,
"Yeah. Hold tight so I don't stumble, don't vanish on the breeze, Yuri."
"Of course. I'll be right here, like this. Roots twisted together as one."
Hehe. I laughed.
Yuri Lanster and I—our private masquerade ball had begun.