Chapter 124: Succubus’ Nest

After finishing his shower and leaving Orion Academy to grab a coffee, Rohan noticed he was being followed.

The gaze fixed on him was devoid of any hostility, overflowing solely with affection.

The identities of his stalker were obvious to anyone who knew them.

It was Shion and Clara, who had left the mansion armed with recently purchased, high-priced surveillance equipment.

Despite spending months by Rohan’s side, the girls had been diligently focused on subtly expressing their feelings without making any significant progress.

However, their time spent in unrequited love hadn’t been wasted.

The two girls had honed their feminine intuition to a sharp edge.

From the moment Rohan suggested they eat out at a good restaurant, introducing them to a place called Ansimjeong.

From the moment they realized it was the same restaurant where Noa Frozenheart and Ichinose Yui had dined with him.

From the moment he told them he was having dinner with a friend that evening.

Their senses had picked up on something, prompting them to tail Rohan with their equipment.

And then…

The moment Rohan stepped out of the taxi and met the waiting Ichinose Yui, Shion and Clara caught a glimpse of Ichinose’s expression as she spoke to him.

It was like looking in a mirror.

Her face mirrored their own when they were with Rohan.

Shion looked at Clara, and Clara looked at Shion, and they both understood.

“…”

On the rooftop of a building, Clara lowered her telescope and looked at Shion standing beside her.

Judging by her serious expression, Shion had reached the same conclusion.

“Shion…”

“We’re in the same boat. There’s no way Rohan wouldn’t be popular with girls, especially at the Academy.”

Putting aside their infatuation, the competition was far fiercer than they had imagined.

The successor of Cheonocheon, the largest corporation in the Three Kingdoms Union, one of the major powers. Refined and beautiful to boot.

“Hmm.”

Shion continued her serious contemplation, bathed in the night breeze atop the skyscraper.

Clara, once again glued to the telescope, began observing Rohan and Ichinose as they moved.

If she’s from the Three Kingdoms Union, it might be difficult to join forces.

It was a country that rejected the concept of polygamy.

Having grown up in a country with different values, would Ichinose Yui be as amenable to cooperation as Clara?

In any case…

Her feelings being what they were, Clara had no intention of giving Rohan up.

She wouldn’t yield, even if it meant having dirt thrown in her eyes or a knife held to her throat.

Never.

This makes things urgent…

Shion packed up the equipment and moved to the next building with Clara, continuing to follow Rohan.

Now that a competitor besides Lete, who had recently started sending Rohan video calls and gifts, had been confirmed, they really needed to do something.

But what? Their bold declaration about confessing had stalled.

How could they change their relationship with Rohan?

They had tried the methods suggested online and a few techniques Clara had seen in animations, but the effects were uncertain.

This fear of being disliked is paralyzing.

As Shion sighed and looked up at the night sky…

“Shion!!!”

“?!”

Shion’s gaze, fixed on the stars, snapped down at Clara’s urgent cry.

Standing in an alleyway, the two girls saw a black stone stele appear before them.

They recognized it.

…A Monolith!

The two girls threw down their equipment and instinctively kicked off the rooftop.

Their goal was to reach it before the ominous aura fully formed.

They ran with all their might.

However, the long distance they had maintained for safe observation became a problem.

By the time they had closed more than half the distance, the Monolith swallowed Rohan and Ichinose.

“…”

Only a hollow indentation remained in the alley.

Shion and Clara stared blankly at the mark.

“…”

Rohan opened his eyes.

He was lying down, leaning against something. Fortunately, Ichinose was in his arms.

This is…

His eyes took in the scene above.

A strange, ominous-looking moon hung in the sky. The sky was neither blue nor black.

Subtle hues of red and purple swirled, creating a mystical atmosphere.

Rohan raised his head and looked around.

A forest of black roses stretched in every direction.

A thick fog hung in the air, carrying a heavy, sweet scent.

He checked the quest again.

…Succubus. This is not good.

Incubi existed among the monsters.

However, in Abyss City, “Succubus” generally referred to the female counterpart.

Monsters that inflicted the heinous status ailment, Charm.

A particularly cruel and harsh mechanic for male characters.

He already felt a headache coming on.

“Rohan…?”

“Ichinose. Are you alright?”

She stirred in his arms and raised her head.

As Rohan released his hold, she coughed and sat up.

“Ahem, I’m fine. But this sticky smell…”

With a serious expression, she wrinkled her nose and opened her eyes wide.

Looking around, her face was filled with bewilderment.

“I’ve heard that Monoliths transport people somewhere, right?”

“…A Dungeon?”

“Right.”

Rohan affirmed, scanning their surroundings.

First, I need to find my bearings.

There was no need to abruptly explain that this was a Succubus’ Nest.

Ichinose would quickly figure it out from the monsters they encountered.

It’s hard to judge with this much fog.

If there were any buildings, he could make a rough guess, but the thick fog made it difficult for even Rohan to find his bearings.

At least he was relieved that he had his weapon secured.

It gave him the space to calmly assess the situation.

I should leave some markers as we move.

He made his decision.

Looking away from the blooming black roses, he turned to Ichinose.

She seemed frozen in place, unable to even look around, overwhelmed by the unfamiliar experience.

It was a natural reaction.

Rohan approached Ichinose and poked her soft cheek with his finger.

Her head turned towards him, her pretty face etched with anxiety.

“Don’t worry. I’ll figure something out.”

“Rohan…”

“I’m the first Monolith survivor, aren’t I? Trust me.”

While Rohan hadn’t explicitly announced it, Ichinose must have known.

The information would have reached the higher-ups of the major powers.

“Haa…”

Ichinose exhaled slowly.

She seemed to have relaxed a little.

“Aeng-ae Nose, you just get ready to buy me steak when we get back.”

“…I’ll rent out the whole restaurant and let you eat everything when we return.”

“That’s food torture. Just buy me a normal meal.”

Rohan took out his phone and started the timer.

He snapped off a branch and plucked a black rose blooming on the ground.

He weighed the flower down with a stone to mark their path and started walking.

Ichinose cautiously followed behind him.

After walking in silence for about five minutes, Ichinose couldn’t hold back any longer.

“Rohan, where are we?”

“Based on experience, I’d say it’s a completely separate world. The sky’s a strange color, isn’t it?”

“…That’s what they said about Dungeons. That was a silly question.”

“Not at all. It’s a reasonable question.”

As he spoke, Rohan drew Radiance from his back with a swoosh.

Ichinose, also sensing the unknown lifeforms slowly approaching them, placed her hand on Yoru, ready.

Unlike the tense Ichinose, Rohan could anticipate the approaching Monsters.

There are two main types of Succubus minions.

He had learned in Orion Academy’s theory classes what happened to humans who fell prey to Succubi or Incubi.

Husks were likely to be encountered in forests or outskirts like this, literally discarded like empty snack wrappers.

Pleasure Dolls, on the other hand, primarily resided in the Succubi’s dwelling.

While Husks were easy to deal with, like zombies, Pleasure Dolls and Succubi varied greatly in difficulty.

─ Ugh… uh…

─ Uurgh…

Creatures emitting meaningless groans revealed themselves.

As Rohan predicted, three Husks approached.

Translucent gray skin, sunken eyes, and withered faces.

They moved sluggishly like zombies.

No changes to the Dungeon, I see.

Looking at the Husks’ genders, they were all male.

The probability of encountering Succubi rather than Incubi increased dramatically.

“Ichinose, they’re Husks.”

“If they’re Husks…”

One piece of information was enough.

Ichinose must have already deduced what kind of Monsters inhabited this Dungeon.

“Ha!”

As Rohan stepped forward and swung Radiance in a half-circle, the Husks’ waists were severed, and they collapsed.

Rohan didn’t hesitate to cut down those who were once human.

For them, death was liberation and peace.

“Rohan…”

“Yeah?”

“What if you fall under a Succubus’ Charm…?”

So she had reached that conclusion.

While Rohan felt a sense of pride, Ichinose felt a pang in her heart as she spoke.

Her mouth went dry, and her hands trembled.

“Just stab me in the thigh with your sword. Or hit me in the chest with the scabbard. The pain will snap me out of it.”

“H-How can I do that?!”

There were various ways to counter a Succubus’ allure.

The most famous and effective method was a jolt of pain.

“Is there another way?”

“…”

Persuading her with a serious tone, Rohan resumed walking.

“If I hesitate and turn into a Husk, you’ll have to kill me.”

“Rohan, is there any other way…?”

“Eating plants like sage or lavender might help a little, I think? Having a strong mind is the best, though.”

What Rohan mentioned was one of the standard solutions from the textbook.

However, they both knew.

There were several other ways to break free from Charm.