The Mansion's Lone Exception and a Perfect Catch
The Succubus Mansion is filled solely with succubi. The lady of the house is a succubus, her daughter is a succubus, and the maids, butlers, gardeners, and cooks are all succubi. They even rarely open their doors to outsiders. So everywhere you look, it's nothing but succubi. Except for one.
"There she is!"
"Where, where?"
"Way over there! She just came out of Lady Regina's room!"
In this mansion where the same routine repeats endlessly, that sole exception inevitably draws eyes wherever she goes. Especially when her beauty rivals that of the succubi themselves.
The maid named Bella was always alone.
It wasn't due to any bullying or ostracism. Succubi weren't the type of vile race to casually commit such shameless acts. Because their kind's reputation with outsiders was already poor due to their nature, they made sure to conduct themselves with dignity at all times. Let us become noble of our own accord. Those were the words of the great Queen herself.
The reason Bella wandered alone was simply...
"Kyaa!"
"D-did she spot us?"
"No... our eyes almost met..."
...because the succubi in the mansion were especially shy.
Most of the succubi residing here were young. The Queen had a particular fondness for taking in the youngest and most fragile ones, raising them as maids under her protection. Not all in the mansion were like that, but even the mature ones found it hard to approach Bella.
There was nothing wrong with how Bella treated the other succubi. If anything, she'd smile warmly if their eyes met, and respond sweetly if they spoke first. But the succubi sensed an invisible line there. She wouldn't push away if approached, but she never initiated either. Bella's attention seemed directed solely toward Lady Regina.
No one knew why. For that matter, aside from the Queen, no one knew her race or true identity. Why was a non-succubus like her serving as a maid here?
Observing her gait, gestures, and subtle habits, many realized she didn't seem the type to be a maid in a place like this. She carried the refinement of high nobility, if anything. She looked more suited to being the lady being served.
"And her looks too..."
"Amazing..."
The little succubi huddled together, watching Bella.
There wasn't any particular reason. If pressed, boredom.
It was the kind of behavior that deserved a scolding, but in truth, they'd already been caught by the person herself about five times. Each time, Bella just gave a slight smile without a word, and the succubi squealed in delight.
Thanks to her uniqueness as the only different race and her mysterious aura, she had unwittingly gained popularity among the succubi.
"Truth is, Bella's just a total loner. Right?"
"Loner? No, Lady Regina."
Bella replied with a straight face and serious tone.
"Please say I lack social skills."
"That's what a loner means."
"That's too harsh...! Sob sob..."
Bella pretended to wipe tears with her pale fingertips, sniffling dramatically.
"You... insolent maid!"
I charged in and scooped her up in a tight hug. The picture it made wasn't great, but with our height difference, this was unavoidable.
"Kyaa~."
I hurled the Bella-who-was-pretending-to-be-scared with all my might.
...onto my bed.
Bella was delicate; she might get hurt if thrown on the hard floor. So the bed I'd just been sleeping in became her landing spot. Flung onto it, Bella flopped limply, playing dead.
"Get up, Bella."
"I'll rest like this a bit longer."
"Rest from what?"
"I couldn't sleep last night thinking about you, Lady Regina, and..."
I changed clothes, ignoring Bella as she fake-wiped tears again. I activated Morph to tweak my appearance slightly—turning my hair brown and bulking up my frame overall. A sort of disguise.
What would the other maids think if they saw Bella like this? Who in the world would take that for a maid...? Their illusions would shatter for sure.
"Heading out again?"
"Yeah."
"You've been going out a lot lately~."
"Got a problem?"
Bella, rolling around on the bed, puffed her cheeks.
"When you're gone... I get so lonely?"
"Liar. You love basking in the other girls' awestruck reactions when I'm not around."
"Busted..."
"Cheeky."
Leaving Bella—who showed no sign of getting up—I exited the room.
"I'm off."
"Come back safe~."
Escaping the mansion was a breeze. I bolted using lightness skill. I had to return before Lilith—my mom—noticed I'd slipped out. It was supposed to be covert, after all.
Shall I head to the usual spot today?
Destination: the slums. Target: various crime organizations.
Why? Because...
They're perfect sandbags.
Right now, with my power restrained, they're just the right level—tough enough to be worthwhile, and no one will miss them if they vanish. Like the gangs you mop up in side quests for errands in Dust Saga?
Clearing out the filth in advance while gauging my current level makes for ideal training. As long as I don't absorb their souls after killing, no drop in soul quality. All good.
"This smell... I just can't get used to it."
The slums. A place without even a proper name, derisively called the "bottom," "stigma zone," and such. Where fugitives hiding from crimes or those whose rock-bottom lives can't sink lower congregate.
Untouched by law's reach, it's naturally overrun with crime syndicates rising and falling endlessly.
Pinching my nose as I walk, I see all sorts. Most have pity-inducing eyes—eyes lost hope, eyes seething with venom, vacant eyes.
But occasionally, eyes harboring other intentions appear.
...Like those.
"All alone?"
A displeasing gaze scanning me up and down, probing for something to rip off. His expression so blatant it screamed his filthy thoughts.
Unlike the gaunt, starving folk, this guy was bulky—clearly eating well. The typical lowlife thug who struts around backed by some gang.
"Yeah. All alone."
I smile and answer. The man rolls his neck, loosening up as he approaches. A pretty, cute girl in clean clothes wandering solo here? Endless profit potential.
Ransom her, sell to a brothel or slaver, or just sate his lust, rob her blind, and cash in.
"Heh heh. Then come hang with me somewhere?"
I flash a grin at the line I'd heard countless times prowling back alleys lately.
"How do you all say the exact same thing? Feels like the Miranda rights before cops cuff you."
Some mandatory pre-kidnapping script? A rule I'm not in on?
Whatever. No reason to keep indulging him.
As he closes in, I step forward lightly, stamping my foot.
Boom! The ground cracks beneath me.
"Huh?"
I ignore the man's dumbstruck voice and thrust my fist.
No fancy technique—just a basic straight punch. Yet he couldn't react, eating it full-on.
"Huooot...!"
Struck in the solar plexus, he let out a creepy, deflating groan and passed out cold.
"Muha! One-hit KO!"
I laughed triumphantly, victor-style, propping the fallen man against the wall.
To raid his gang, I needed intel: which one, base location, size. No need to wait for him to wake for interrogation.
I'm a succubus, after all.
Infiltrating minds is recent practice, but maybe thanks to my special lineage as the Succubus Queen's daughter? Toying with, even invading others' psyches wasn't too hard.
And against an unconscious target? Piece of cake.
I placed my hand on his head, focusing my mind. My consciousness slipped into his dream.
Hwallansegye works only on myself. Here, it was Hwallangsimmong.
A succubus ability once used just to grant supreme pleasure and sexual satisfaction.
But tastes vary, and masochists who turn pain to pleasure abound. Thus, in the dream world, it could deliver not just ecstasy, but agony at its peak.
No better skill for interrogation and intel extraction.
Normally you'd prettify the backdrop, set a seductive mood. But that's not my goal, so I skipped it.
The scene before me was raw psyche—his mental landscape. Filthy, with black ooze dripping everywhere.
The others I'd caught were similar, so maybe this is slum average?
Wandering his mental realm, I spotted him. The shock from my punch must've been huge; even here, he was out of it.
"Not my problem."
I manipulated the dream, conjuring a sword from thin air. Can't control others' minds as freely as my own Hwallansegye, but simple stuff like this? Easy.
I plunged the gripped sword into his thigh.
"Gaaargh...!"
With a bizarre scream, he snapped awake. Interrogation time!
"What's your name?"
"F-fuck. What the hell! Where am I?"
"Asked your name."
I twitched the sword; he cringed in terror.
"B-brick..."
"Good boy. Which gang?"
"Th-that's..."
Scared someone might overhear, he rolls his eyes instead of answering.
I didn't hesitate, stabbing his other thigh.
"Gaaaah!"
"Better answer?"
Sticking blades into flesh didn't feel great—I wasn't some psycho killer...
But I'd sliced plenty in Hwallansegye, and dying here didn't kill for real.
Unless their mind totally shatters.
Twisting the blade more, Brick screamed out his gang.
"R-residual Shadow Society! I'm with Janyeonghoe!"
"Janyeonghoe?"
Too classy for back-alley punks. Usually Black Dogs or Hounds, right?
"Sounds familiar... Ah."
I remembered. Janyeonghoe. Mid-game massive crime syndicate in a big side quest.
"Jackpot!"
Too exciting!