Chapter 224: It’s Been a While (4)

Chapter 224: It’s Been a
While (4)

Right
after Bunny finished speaking, when I stared at the sparrow intently,
its eyes met mine, and after a brief stiffness, it showed signs of
bewilderment and spread its wings.

-Flutter!

I
was certain the moment it tried to take flight.

The
reaction seemed to be a mixture of confusion and bewilderment from
being caught by the surveillance target making eye contact, followed
by an escape attempt.

It
wasn’t a reaction typical of an ordinary sparrow.

Immediately
reaching the conclusion that it was something like a familiar, I
swung my axe at the sparrow trying to fly away.

“Where
do you think you’re going!”

With
mana manipulation made more natural thanks to the Dragon Heart’s
blessing, I drew up the cold mana residing in my heart.

-Crack!

When
the aura overlaid on Bunny with cold mana hit the window, the glass
immediately shattered, and a huge chunk of ice formed at the point of
impact.

Balkan
instinctively felt he could manipulate that ice chunk.

The
tip of the ice chunk created from mana was sharpened.

-Stab!

“Screech!”

The
ice formed on the window extended like an icicle and pierced the
familiar sparrow’s left wing.

The
sparrow screamed and struggled to pull its wing free from the icicle.
But it was meaningless.

-Swoosh.
Swoosh.

I
manipulated the ice while imagining the feeling of grasping the
sparrow with my hand.

I
had to be careful.

If
I caused enough damage to kill the sparrow, the fatally wounded
familiar would be forcibly recalled to its master.

Soon
the sparrow was gripped in an ice fist about the size of a hand.

Perhaps
because I accomplished it purely on instinct without knowing the
principles of magic, it consumed much more mana than when creating
blade aura.

Enduring
the dizziness from the sudden mana consumption, I retrieved the
sparrow.

“Chirp!
Chirp chirp!”

The
struggling creature, seeming to realize escape was impossible,
quietly chirped and gave up resistance.

Balkan
brought Bunny’s sharp axe blade to the sparrow’s neck.

Though
it wouldn’t mean much since it was a familiar, it seemed better than
doing nothing.

“Were
you sent by the succubi?”

With
Bunny’s words about detecting the magical energy of lust and
recalling the succubi I had lost track of in the lawless zone’s
brothel district when Noir had become simpleminded.

Those
who had addressed me with unusually honorific speech said they would
visit again soon, so I suspected this sparrow might be a familiar
sent by those succubi.

Sure
enough, the sparrow’s attitude completely changed upon hearing those
words.

“Chirp
chirp.”

It
chirped softly while looking at the ice. Its eyes seemed to say it
would tell him if he let it go.

Though
he had brought it inside and the broken window was blocked by ice,
making escape nearly impossible, he couldn’t let his guard down.

There
was also the possibility it could force a recall by stabbing itself
with its beak.

Still,
he needed to make some concessions to hear what the sparrow had to
say.

Once
again manipulating mana, he only loosened the ring and little fingers
of the ice fist holding the sparrow. Its neck and wings were still
restrained.

Like
a penis being jerked off, when the sparrow held in the ice fist
gained freedom of its lower body, it scratched small letters on the
floor with its claws.

-That’s
right.

A
short, affirmative answer.

As
expected, this familiar sparrow was sent by the succubus side.

“Is
your master… no, you who are watching through this familiar, are
you that succubus I saw last time?”

-Shake
shake.

The
sparrow shook its head and wrote letters again.

-Their
master.

The
master of the succubi.

Through
the words the sparrow wrote, he could instantly grasp who the being
beyond the familiar was.

The
being who tried to find and bring him even by releasing succubi into
the Labyrinth City, the Worshiper of Lust.

“How
did you find my location?”

The
sparrow remained silent without moving its feet.

‘Is
this a secret then?’

Though
I wasn’t sure, it was clearly someone who commanded not just
middle-ranked but even high-ranked succubi. They must have had some
means.

The
succubus who had attacked in the labyrinth seemed able to track
through something called yang energy, so they might have found out
through that.

“Have
you been watching me all this time?”

After
returning from the labyrinth, I had occasionally seen that sparrow
resting on the window over the past few days.

I
had thought it might be trying to build a nest nearby, but who would
have thought it was a demon worshiper familiar.

[How
about it? If you hadn’t given this soul stone to me, it would have
live-streamed your mating routine to an incredibly lewd succubus,
don’t I deserve some reward?]

Seizing
that gap, Bunny subtly demanded compensation.

[…Later.]

[Tch.
Cheapskate!]

[I’ll
give you plenty of semen.]

[You
blessed bastard. Now you’re finally talking sense. Make sure to give
me lots!]

I
answered through telepathy instead of opening my mouth.

If
they had been watching since earlier, they would have noticed Bunny
wasn’t an ordinary axe, but probably wouldn’t have reached the
conclusion that the Demon of Gluttony resided within.

While
thinking that, the sparrow wrote more letters.

-Sometimes.

“Why
were you watching me? Last time you even tried to find me and take me
away using familiars.”

-Because
you have value.

“…Value?”

Balkan
suddenly recalled the words the succubi had muttered in ecstasy when
they met him.

—There
was a reason our master ordered us to find that man! He is a true
male, a true incubus…!

—To
us and our master, you have become a very desirable figure.

—We
will awaken you as a true incubus and teach you how to use that power
to techniques that will bring all females to their knees.

—Together
with us, let’s dye this city in lust and pleasure…

After
gaining the Curse of the Nightmare, they showed considerable goodwill
and respect toward me when they met.

That
fanatical behavior was beyond mere expression of favor, it was
something more.

-You
should know best? You’re special because you’re fundamentally
different from other inferior males.

And
the words of the Worshiper of Lust that added certainty to those
thoughts.

The
vague fantasy-like thoughts he had from before began to take on more
reality.

Could
these ones…

‘Are
they trying to do something using my body, an incubus’ sexual
desire?’

Just
as that thought occurred, footsteps of someone coming up from below
could be heard.

When
the window shattered, the sound was loud, so it must be Denshi and
Diana.

The
sparrow that noticed that presence wrote letters again.

-Beware
of Pride and Sloth, the beastkin duke and the woman in white robes.

That
sentence contained unexpected content.

“……You’re
telling me to beware of the Worshipers of Pride and Sloth?”

To
that question, the sparrow nodded while answering by writing.

-16th
floor. Laboratory. Found out. Not personal details yet.

The
meaning contained in that short sentence could be understood right
away.

The
artifact warehouse that seemed to be the laboratory of the Worshiper
of Sloth and that person found out about the mess caused there.

Would
only the Worshiper of Sloth know? The possibility was low. The
suddenly mentioned Worshiper of Pride was also concerning.

At
least those two, or three including Lust, would know.

Looking
at the words that personal details weren’t known yet, it seems they
haven’t been able to identify who specifically.

“…Why
are you telling me this?”

It
didn’t make sense. As fellow demon worshipers, she had no need to
provide such information.

-Clang!

“Balkan!
Are you alright?!”

“Master,
are you okay?! We could hear glass breaking even in the next room!”

At
that moment, Diana and Denshi opened the door and entered
simultaneously.

-Swoosh.

In
the brief moment his gaze turned that way, the sparrow held in the
ice fist went limp.

[It’s
dead. Since familiars don’t die from bleeding out just from having
their wings pierced, they must have unilaterally severed the familiar
contract from their side.]

While
listening to Bunny’s quiet explanation, I looked down at the floor.

-We’re
not exactly on the same side. And consider it a reward.

New
words were written there.

-From
now on too, just keep doing what you’re doing.

***

“What
the…ugh. These succubi are all so creepy. Last time they even tried
to take over your body in the labyrinth…”

“…Worshiper
of Lust…”

When
I briefly explained what had just happened, Denshi hugged herself and
rubbed her arms as if getting goosebumps.

Diana
muttered while looking at the familiar sparrow with a thoughtful
expression.

“We
should inform the Explorers’ Union for now. And increase security in
the area. You must have been surprised, so leave the rest to us and
get some rest first. Recover your mana too.”

Diana
also showed an expression of not welcoming the stranger who had
visited her residence.

I
thought some defensive artifacts or relics would probably be brought
into the inn within a few days.

Even
if she opened a second inn branch in the labyrinth, this ground-level
inn would be a home and sanctuary with many memories for Diana, so
she was raising the security level.

“Since
those kinds of beings might come again. I’ll stay by master’s side.”

Denshi
clung close while making jokes as if trying to calm her startled
heart.

“…Balkan.
Perhaps…”

“Yes?”

While
gently patting Denshi’s head and smiling bitterly, Diana opened her
mouth while carefully rubbing her lower abdomen.

The
lower abdomen that had borne another pattern before the incubus’
bondage mark was engraved.

After
moving her lips for a moment while rubbing it, Diana swallowed her
words again.

“…Mmm.
Nothing. Since we have to leave for the royal castle tomorrow, get
plenty of rest today.”

After
seeing off Diana who gestured goodbye saying she would isolate Denshi
and see him tomorrow, Balkan was lost in thought.

‘Not
exactly on the same side…’

Perhaps
there were things like factions even among demon worshipers. Their
relationship might not be as tight as I had thought.

‘Plus
reward, and keep doing what I’ve been doing?’

The
Worshiper of Lust had mainly seen scenes of me mating with Diana and
Denshi.

Where
in that was anything worth calling a reward for information?

“……Hmmmm…”

No
way. They couldn’t have given the reward for mating with Diana…

“No,
seeing what these bastards do, that might unexpectedly be right…”

There
was no disagreement that succubi were perplexing beings in many ways.

I
sighed, cleared away idle thoughts, and lay down under the blanket.

There
was still time until the Second Princess’s birthday, but we had
decided to leave early for the royal castle to match Diana’s escort
schedule.

‘I
wonder if Ellie is doing well too. I miss her.’

Sleep
quickly came as I thought about meeting the elven girl who was a
royal magician and handled magic incredibly well.