Chapter 73: Succubus(1)
Chapter 73: Succubus(1)
Kerry used the Goddess's Eye on the shield Lina was holding.
[Name – Shield of Conviction]
[Grade – Hero]
[Summary – A shield with a simple function. It cannot be destroyed.
Additional stats increase health and defense. Has an unawakened skill.]
Jackpot.
Even with an unawakened skill, the fact that it couldn't be destroyed was overpowered enough.
It was the perfect item for a tank.
Lina held the shield out to Victoria as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
Victoria’s eyes lit up as she shyly accepted it.
“...Are you sure I can have this?”
“Of course. The shield is yours, Lady Victoria. The other party members will all agree.”
“Kerry?”
“Of course Victoria should have it.”
Kerry was satisfied, having gotten the bracelet. Besides, the stronger Victoria became, the safer he would be.
“Natasha?”
“...It’s fine. If it were dual swords instead of a shield, I wouldn’t have given them up.”
Natasha licked her lips, a hint of disappointment in her eyes. Lina would probably take care of her later.
Victoria, who seemed to adore the shield, turned it over and over in her hands.
As the party watched her, Kerry stepped away from the group and moved behind a pillar.
There, he found numerous cocoons.
A food pantry, maybe? But among them, one particular cocoon stood out.
It was set apart from the others, as if it were special.
Inside, the faint shape of a woman could be seen. Lina came up beside Kerry.
“...She’s probably dead, right?”
“We don’t know. Spiders often store their prey alive to keep it fresh.”
“....”
“Should we open it?”
“Is that okay?”
“We have to cut open the other cocoons to rescue the people inside anyway. Not all of them will be alive... but we can probably save most of them.”
“Then let’s do it.”
Lina carefully sliced the cocoon open with her sword. The dissolving fluid coating the blade seemed to make it easier to cut.
Sssshhhk—
The spider silk tore apart. In that moment, both Lina and Kerry’s eyes widened in shock.
“This is....”
“....”
Lina and Kerry had assumed it would be a person inside the cocoon. But they were wrong.
Inside was a man’s romance.
A succubus!
Her faint silver hair and, true to her nature, her voluptuous body immediately caught their eyes.
She was wearing clothes, but on her lower half, she wore only a black garter belt. Her top was little more than a bra.
On her back were a pair of cute little wings and a tail. There was no doubt. The woman before them was a succubus.
He’d said monster girls weren’t his thing, but succubi were, of course, the exception.
“Husband. What are you so surprised about?”
Natasha came to Kerry’s side. Then, seeing the succubus, her eyes widened just as his had.
Victoria, who had been admiring her shield, also approached, speechless.
“It’s a succubus. I’m certain. I’ve seen one before.”
“....”
Just then, Natasha spoke.
“Kill it. It’s a monster.”
“!”
Kerry clenched his fists.
One of the few things that constituted a man’s romance in this other world was magic.
The other was the succubus.
Most people imagined succubi as beings that seduced males, sucked out their life force, and killed them, but that was a false rumor!
It was all nonsense spread by those who were jealous of them.
At least, that was the case here in this world.
In this world, succubi were actually good creatures.
A succubus would drain a man’s life essence, but she wouldn’t kill him. There was no reason for a succubus to kill a man.
Why would she kill a creature that would continue to produce a fine meal called life essence if left alone?
Succubi gave men a precious experience and, in return, took just enough life essence not to harm their health.
Thanks to this, it was said among male adventurers that encountering a succubus was a blessing from the gods.
Just then, Natasha spoke again.
“Let’s kill it quickly, before it opens its eyes.”
“Good. I will take the bitch’s head in one strike.”
“It can’t be helped. She may look like a delicate woman... but a succubus is still a monster.”
No. These merciless women had absolutely no intention of letting the succubus live.
At that moment, the succubus’s closed eyes began to flutter open.
Her seductive red irises came into view. The color was a perfect match for her silver hair.
“Uh... oh! Her eyes are open!”
“I’ll kill you right now!”
Victoria raised her sword high. How could they harbor such killing intent toward such an adorable creature?
What was good, and what was evil?
In Kerry’s eyes, his companions raising their swords looked like the villains.
Not all monsters were harmful!
But what was good or evil didn't matter right now.
What mattered to Kerry was romance.
Even if it was just one succubus, letting her die here would be trampling on the romance of every man in this world.
Don’t you dare trample on a man’s romance!
“Die peacefully, lowly creature.”
Victoria’s sword swung toward the succubus.
The succubus, having just regained consciousness, looked terrified by the sudden situation.
That fragile, lovely sight shook Kerry’s heart.
But... if he defended the succubus here, his image in the party might plummet.
It was then.
An idea flashed through Kerry’s mind.
“Shield.”
Kerry quietly chanted the spell, infusing mana into his bracelet.
A barrier deflected Victoria’s sword.
“Ke-Kerry?”
Victoria’s bewildered voice rang out. Lina and Natasha also stared at Kerry, their faces filled with surprise.
Kerry silently stepped in front of Victoria.
Succubi were known to be very grateful creatures. She would surely never forget that he had saved her.
“Kerry! Why are you blocking my way? Don’t tell me you’ve fallen for that succubus’s looks? She may look rather cute, but she’s a monster. Don’t be fooled!”
“Hu-Husband? How could you, with me right here....”
“....”
As Victoria and Natasha began to question him, Kerry began to act.
He focused more intently on his performance than he ever had before.
He kept his eyes half-lidded and maintained a dazed, vacant expression.
There was one person who saw through his act first.
“Everyone, it’s a misunderstanding. Right now, Sir Kerry is... under the succubus’s spell!”
“!”
Lina shouted with a serious face.
He never imagined Lina would be the first to fall for it. She was surprisingly naive.
“To enthrall Sir Kerry with just a look... she must be at least an intermediate-grade succubus.”
The so-called intermediate-grade succubus could only dart her eyes around, bewildered by the situation.
“I didn’t realize... I’m sorry for doubting you, Husband! There’s no way you would cheat on me!”
“I see. So that’s what it was...”
Even Kerry hadn’t expected things to go this smoothly. He almost wondered if he had a talent for acting.
He remained silent, his eyes glazed over.
Kerry moved his hand behind his back and gestured for the succubus to flee.
The succubus, beginning to understand the situation, started to pull herself together.
“The succubus is trying to escape!”
“No. We can’t let a creature like that roam the world.”
Just let her go! This is a good succubus! He’d never spoken to her, but he was sure of it.
Victoria raised her sword high, preparing to shatter Kerry’s shield.
Simultaneously, Kerry poured more mana into his bracelet. He could see the shield thickening.
Clang!
Sparks flew as the shield and sword collided. Victoria’s sword failed to break through Kerry’s shield.
“You succubus bitch! How dare you manipulate Kerry like this!”
“I’ll handle it.”
Just then, Lina stepped forward.
He could feel a faint blue aura gathering around her sword. This was bad!
He wasn’t confident he could stop Lina.
But there was no need to fight her. Kerry released the barrier.
It felt a bit scummy, but he had no choice. It was all to protect a man’s romance.
Kerry pulled a dagger from his tunic and held it to his own throat.
“!”
In that instant, his companions froze as if turned to stone. Then, with anguished expressions, they spoke.
“That cursed succubus...! How dare you hold a blade to his throat!”
“Husband... Husband! Snap out of it! You can’t let a succubus control you.”
“....”
Lina remained silent, but she was so visibly flustered that the tip of her sword was trembling.
Their intense reactions made his heart ache. This part was genuine.
But it couldn’t be helped. It was for the sake of a man’s romance.
“...?”
The succubus glanced around cautiously and began to move.
But the party members, seeing her, did nothing. Finally feeling safe, the succubus flew far away.
Kerry continued his act until the sound of her wingbeats had faded completely.
Live on, my man’s romance. And come back to repay the favor.
*
The succubus incident in the dungeon was settled.
The succubus had escaped, and the story concluded with Kerry being safely freed from her enchantment.
When Kerry finally moved the dagger from his neck, seeing his companions sigh in relief made his heart ache.
But he had protected a man’s romance.
Lina’s party returned to the village.
They explained the situation and rescued the people who had been turned into cocoons in the cleared dungeon.
With all the villagers pitching in, the rescue was over in no time.
After everything was taken care of, the next day arrived.
From morning till night, the day was a continuous festival.
Drinking parties broke out everywhere, and people sang songs.
“Long live the hero! Sir Kerry! Lady Natasha! Lady Victoria! Long live them all!”
Lina had considered leaving as soon as the situation was resolved, but she couldn't.
She, along with Kerry, had heard it.
The queen spider’s sorrowful voice.
[Yes. I know all too well. I don’t know if you’ll believe me, but that man... that disgusting village chief is my enemy. No! He is our enemy! I will tear him and the villagers to shreds, even if it means my death!]
She could have dismissed it as the ramblings of a monster, but she couldn't, not after what Natasha’s grandmother had told them.
“Perhaps this village worships a wicked god. As proof, though the villagers themselves don’t know it, an evil energy has taken root in their bodies.”
Kerry had also said the village chief was suspicious. Lina decided to stay in the village a little longer.
“For now... I’ve tested various things, and it doesn’t seem like any of the food is poisoned, so let’s enjoy ourselves.”
“Yes, Sir Kerry.”
If Kerry said it was okay, then it would be okay. Lina’s party ate the food with peace of mind.
Of course, they didn’t let their guard down around the villagers, even as they smiled kindly on the outside.
A red sunset settled over the village. The festival continued even then.
Kerry carefully slipped away from his companions, who were cautiously enjoying the festivities.
He had told them to be careful, but in truth, Kerry could clearly see how the incident would unfold.
He had the Goddess’s Eye, after all.
The villagers wouldn’t suddenly attack him or the party.
“More importantly, I think it’s about time she showed up...”
Kerry was wandering the outskirts of the village alone.
Just then, a woman approached him, seemingly drunk. She was quite pretty.
“Sir Kerry? The hero’s companion... you’re Sir Kerry, right? Wow... so handsome... hehe...”
The woman staggered and clung to Kerry. She pressed her body against his, openly seducing him.
Kerry shook his head. This woman was pretty, but she wasn’t the one he was waiting for.
“That’s enough, you can come out. You don’t have to repay me like this.”
The moment he finished speaking, the woman who had been seducing him collapsed like a puppet with its strings cut.
From within the dark shadows, a pair of red eyes gleamed.
It wasn't a frightening feeling. In fact, knowing her identity, he found it rather cute.
“....”
Kerry spoke to the hesitant eyes.
“I said it’s okay to come out. I won’t eat you.”
Only then did the figure hiding in the black shadow slowly emerge. Was this also a succubus ability?
The owner of the red eyes was the succubus.
“I knew you’d come to repay your debt.”
“...Yes, Benefactor. Thank you so much for saving me.”
The beautiful, silver-haired succubus bowed her head deeply in greeting. Whoa. Her cleavage was in full view.
A lewd but polite succubus.
As expected, succubi were good creatures. He was so glad he’d saved her.
“Um... excuse me... Benefactor. I truly want to repay your kindness... why won’t you accept the woman?”
They say that when cats feel indebted, they bring gifts to that person.
Of course, for Earth cats, those gifts are things like mice or cockroaches.
The succubus was similar. She had brought him a woman to repay her debt. Just like a cat.
“I... don’t want this woman.”
“Then? Should I bring another one?”
Kerry shook his head. There was a different woman he wanted to fuck. Kerry pointed his finger at the woman he wanted.
It was the succubus, whose silver hair and red eyes were a perfect match.