Chapter 73: The Passion (3)

Meanwhile, Therese’s younger sister, who had followed her, was horrified by her sister’s audacious behavior and immediately tried to stop her.

“W-wait!! What are you doing, sis?! Get off! It’s rude!!”

“No, Marianne! Don’t you think this is unfair? There are secrets between us! I’m sharing everything with the Hero!”

“And just what kind of ‘relationship’ do we have exactly?!”

Sion retorted with an exasperated look. Regardless of their history, they had only known each other for less than a month on the surface, and they weren’t even in the same class.

Even if she did have someone she liked, there was no obligation to reveal it.

She pressed her skirt down firmly with her hand, kicking her legs in protest.

“Let me go! If you keep bothering me, I’ll call the teacher!”

“Ugh…”

At Sion’s threat, Therese finally released her grip and backed off.

She glared at Sion with a pout for a moment, but then suddenly smiled as if a brilliant idea had struck her.

“Oh, right. I just remembered. There’s a better way than simply clinging on.”

“A… better way?”

What? For some reason, she had a very ominous feeling.

Then, Therese chuckled softly and slowly sidled up to Sion, attaching herself to her arm.

“Hero~ you remember who we’re descended from, right?

I told you before. As you know, we’re descendants of the famous ‘Commander of Lust,’ Nelia Whitevine. This body carries the blood of both the Demon King and a succubus.”

“A-and so…? What does that even mean?”

“This is what it means.”

Swoosh.

Therese wrapped her tail around Sion’s body, locking eyes with her.

“?!?!”

For a moment, a jolt shot through Sion’s body. This feeling—could it be…?!

“Our ancestor said it herself. Be they men or women, no one can resist the ‘charm’ of a succubus.

So, you might as well confess before things get… spicier.”

“Hehe.”

“Y-you…!”

What kind of nonsense did you teach her, Nelia, you vile woman?!

Therese pressed herself even closer, ignoring Sion’s silent scream.

She turned to her younger sister behind her and urged her on.

“What are you waiting for, Marianne? Aren’t you going to join in?”

“H-huh? Do I have to? It’s a bit embarrassing…”

“I’ll give you half of my hobby allowance for next month.

Didn’t you say you wanted to buy some Sion merchandise?”

“!?”

Well, that changes everything.

Marianne immediately shifted her stance, moving in close to Sion from the opposite side of Therese.

Her well-developed fifteen-year-old figure pressed against Sion’s right arm as she let out a dark giggle.

“S-sorry… It’s just… part of the job…”

“Ugh…?!”

Sion swallowed nervously, taken aback.

Normally, she wouldn’t be swayed by the charms of such immature fledglings.

She could even scoff at the allure of the more powerful Nelia. But the problem was that Sion’s current physical state was far from normal.

Her magic was depleted, yet her desires were overflowing.

That relentless, baser side of herself was always ready to surface.

It was as if she were a glass of water filled to the brim, where even the tiniest pebble could send everything spilling over.

To make matters worse, these two, with the strong succubus blood in them, were casting their charms from both sides.

No matter how resilient she was, there was no way she could withstand this.

“Hehe… It’s best to confess before things get ugly. So, who is it?

Is it Martin, your childhood friend? Or maybe the aloof Elias? Or is it someone else from your class?”

“Grr—!”

Come on, come on…! Therese tightened her tail’s grip, pressuring her even more.

She tried to shake her off with sheer strength, but her body was too rigid to move.

There was only one spell she could use in this situation.

‘Damn it… Calm Emotion!’

Sion attempted to cast the emotion-calming spell she’d been using since morning.

Or rather, she tried.

“…?!”

Wait, hold on… there’s no mana left?!

That’s right.

At this exact moment, she had run out of magic.

Every last drop had been spent, thanks to repeatedly casting the same spell all morning.

“Still not going to confess? Even now?”

“Grr… What are you even talking about?! There’s nothing like what you’re imagining! It’s all in your heads!”

“Oh? Still resisting? Tough, aren’t you? But no matter how much you deny it, it’s obvious.

Otherwise, there’s no way the Hero would fall for the charm of someone like us.

 It’s clear proof you’ve got a soft spot somewhere.”

Therese chuckled, swaying the tip of her tail seductively.

Her movement was almost flirtatious.

“But if you’re not going to admit it, I guess there’s no choice.

We’ll just have to take things to a higher level…!”

“?!”

Therese subtly shifted her tail, moving it slowly toward a place it should never go.

Right into Sion’s skirt.

“A-are you crazy?! Not there!! Let me go immediately!”

“Hahaha, if you want to be released, confess obediently! Who are you! Give me your name! Quickly!!”

“Ugh…!”

Sion’s eyes desperately began to dart around, searching for a way out.

The truth is, if escaping was her only goal, the method was simple.

All she had to do was throw out any name and get ‘recognized’ for it.

For example, she could sell out Martin, whom she’s spent the past seven years with, enduring every trial together.

Doing so would let her escape this immediate crisis, regardless of the aftermath.

But she couldn’t.

She simply couldn’t do that.

No matter what, she couldn’t bear to say that she’d felt a flutter for a man…!

That was her last line of defense, her pride!

Sion clenched her teeth.

‘Isn’t there any other way?! A way to survive here!’

She looked around desperately, hoping there might be someone to call for help.

Unfortunately, being after school, there was no one in sight.

Even Isabella and Lancia, who usually hung around, had disappeared for their elective classes at just the wrong moment.

– Wiggle wiggle…

As Sion felt the harsh reality sinking in, Therese’s tail crept up along her thigh.

Just one more centimeter before destruction, and then—

“Holy Light!”

“Kyahhh?!”

Suddenly, a burst of blinding light erupted right in front of them, causing both to scream and retreat.

“Ahhh! My eyes, my eyes!!!”

Therese, clutching her face, rolled on the floor in agony.

At the same time, the enchantment binding Sion snapped with a click and vanished.

-“Now, Sion! Run quickly while you can! It’ll take at least 30 seconds for their vision to return!”

“Exia…!”

Sion called out in a voice thick with gratitude.

Who would have thought she would be saved by her of all people?

Life really does have unexpected moments.

-“Hmph, just this once. I’m only helping you this time. There won’t be a next time.”

“Got it.”

Sion dashed off without a backward glance.

Even without magical body enhancements, though slower, she poured her desperate heart into her escape.

Moments later.

“Haa, haa…!”

Sion finally slumped to the ground, gasping for breath, safely distanced so they couldn’t catch up.

“Phew… That was a real close call this time. Nothing ever goes smoothly when those twins are involved.”

-“Honestly, from my perspective, you just looked like an idiot…,”

Exia muttered, sounding disgusted.

Usually, Sion’s other crises were due to bad luck or overdue karma catching up, but this time was different.

Everything—from refusing to shrink herself, to recklessly burning through her magic with calming spells, to almost getting taken down by those far weaker twins—was entirely self-inflicted.

And, as an added bonus, she nearly lost herself to her pride once again by failing to make up a hasty excuse.

“It’s about time you accepted that today, you were truly a fool. After all, you even needed my help—just how low have you fallen?”

“…Hmm.”

No rebuttal.

Sion hung her head in shame.

“Starting tomorrow, let’s cut back on the stubbornness. Agreed?”

“Ah, well, that’s a bit…”

-“Sion?”

“……..”

Sion sighed as if scraping the bottom of a pot within her mind.

After a long moment of deliberation, she finally sighed in resignation.

“Fine. I’ll revise everything as soon as my magic recovers tomorrow morning.”

-“Good decision.”

Exia nodded.

If it were only a matter of enduring one day, it might be manageable, but to go on like this for the next 2–3 weeks was daunting.

At this rate, something would eventually reach its capacity and break down.

It was a future even Exia could foresee, so it wasn’t lost on Sion either.

Of course, knowing something and accepting it are entirely separate matters.

“Ugh… Farewell, my comrade… Forgive me for my lack of virtue, having to part with you so soon after our reunion…”

Sion murmured in a voice filled with sorrow.

For some reason, inexplicable tears rolled down her cheeks.