Ch.117117. The Bust

Surprisingly insignificant. And quite old.

This was the true nature of Iclit, one of the Tetrad, first encountered through the two succubi I had captured.

Those demons were currently staying temporarily at the imperial palace, serving as liaison officers.

At first, they trembled in fear, but now they seemed relaxed and were quite talkative. The one who used to work as a waitress even flirted with a servant midway through.

I thought they were truly fascinating creatures, but what really captured my interest was Iclit’s weed-like life.

“That lady is about 130 years old…? She’s survived quite a while.”

130 years of age.

Even counting from when she first set foot in human territory, it was nearly 120 years. While 120 years might not seem much considering a demon’s lifespan, from a human perspective, it was an extensive period.

‘Considering she’s a succubus, it’s amazing she survived this long.’

No matter how skilled she was at disguise and charm magic, living among humans, especially by feeding on their energy, was extremely dangerous. If she got greedy and accidentally caused trouble, she would likely find herself in a perilous situation.

The secret to her 120-year survival was simple.

“She’s good at reading situations. There are plenty who would drain a high-quality… I mean, a fine man until he’s wasted away, but sister Iclit knows when to cut her losses and leave. She’s abandoned many brothels and taverns she was running.”

“So she avoids the worst-case scenarios.”

“Oh, and during the previous Demon Lord’s time, she was ordered to bring down a master. But when she realized it wouldn’t work, she pulled out on her own. She technically defied the Demon Lord’s orders, but it wasn’t a problem because…”

“The Hero of that time happened to defeat the Demon Lord.”

“Yes. She has excellent instincts when it comes to her own survival.”

A succubus who boldly cuts her losses—something even humans find difficult. It was hard to believe she belonged to a species that lived by pursuing desires.

In exchange, she probably led a relatively uneventful life for a succubus, but if longevity was the goal, it was an admirable trait.

But how did such a demon end up in this predicament?

Was she intoxicated by her first taste of success after living at the bottom? Or did her confidence become excessive after destroying a country, impairing her judgment?

Either way, her instincts had clearly malfunctioned.

It might be meaningless to hear about Iclit’s background now, but it did confirm one thing.

Iclit herself likely still believed she was acting cautiously.

This wasn’t due to stupidity, but a common phenomenon when one rises in position and becomes overconfident in their abilities due to that success.

‘Even in this trait, she resembles humans.’

But Iclit wasn’t the only one similar to humans. The demons under her command also shared many human traits.

No, they were even more shallow.

Even at this moment, “tips” were pouring in from across the Empire.

Most were desperate pleas from demons volunteering to cooperate just to save their own lives. They begged to be spared, promising to find and report information.

Yet amid the chaos, I sensed the target area narrowing.

A succubus who had assisted Iclit a week ago revealed how many were in Iclit’s group and how strong they were (useless information),

An incubus living with a widowed noblewoman in a rural barony expressed his willingness to “set a trap and wait if given instructions.”

Still worthless information.

But soon, the informant I had been waiting for appeared.

She was a succubus named Leila.

Currently one of Iclit’s closest aides, she claimed to be among the higher-ranking succubi. This meant she was one of the gang following Iclit around, committing real estate fraud.

Remarkably fearless, she even requested to negotiate with me directly.

“Hero. If I tell you Iclit’s whereabouts.”

I knew what she was going to say, so I decided to cut her off.

“Just tell me where that Iclit is. If you provide me with accurate information, you’ll live to collect your money. If you deceive me, you’ll die alongside Iclit.”

“…”

“There are plenty of demons willing to inform. You’re just rushing because you don’t want to miss your chance, right? It’s obvious.”

Just tell me, I urged politely.

Finally, Leila began to speak calmly. Being a close aide, she knew Iclit’s schedule for the coming days. Though not nearby, that wasn’t a problem. I might not have been confident about searching the continent for months, but with precise coordinates, I could depart.

“I’m leaving now. In the meantime, inform Iclit about the bounty, and relay what I’m about to tell you. I’ll inform Lord Ordellon’s retainer about you, so don’t even think about betrayal.”

“Yes…”

“But if you follow instructions well, you’ll experience glory like never before.”

“…Yes!”

I began reciting an improvised scheme to Leila. It was a measure to reduce the number of fraud victims before my arrival, even if just by a few.

Immediately after, I shot off toward Iclit’s location.

***

How fortunate to have a trustworthy right-hand woman.

This was the thought that naturally occurred to Iclit as she stayed at a rural inn, disguised as an adventurer.

She had learned about the “bounty” three days ago.

Thanks to Leila, who had rushed to her with a frightened expression, warning, “It seems the Hero has put a bounty on you.” Along with the caution that some disloyal comrades were trying to sell her out, so extreme caution was necessary.

‘Ha. So the Hero has resorted to such tactics.’

While she felt betrayed by other demons who hadn’t immediately informed her, she was grateful for Leila’s warning, which allowed her to prepare.

Currently, she had temporarily suspended her land certificate fraud.

Going forward, she planned to change everything—her appearance, promotion methods, and even how she determined her destinations—all for the sake of caution.

Throughout this process, Leila was her greatest advisor. Even now, Iclit was sitting beside her, discussing future plans.

“Lady Iclit. From now on, it might be better to use a stand-in rather than appearing yourself. They might not do as well as you, but at least they can create confusion for the other side.”

“You think I haven’t considered that? I need a trustworthy demon to assign it to. How many demons can resist their urges while traveling through provinces? Especially in a situation like this.”

“…If it comes to it, I’ll step forward. After all, if you’re caught, I’m finished too.”

Even volunteering as a stand-in. It was almost touching.

How fortunate to have a subordinate to consult with, especially now when even fellow demons couldn’t be trusted easily. Iclit disliked cheesy expressions like friendship or loyalty, but she felt the need to offer some encouragement.

“Leila.”

“Yes?”

“At least I have you…”

Thud.

Before she could finish her sentence, a hand was placed on Iclit’s head.

‘Which bastard…’

Iclit frowned momentarily, thinking it was probably a drunk male adventurer making advances. While this would normally be welcome for a succubus, now was not the time for energy feeding.

She could subdue him with a simple charm spell.

…But that wish wasn’t realized.

The owner of that hand firmly gripped her skull. The strength was so overwhelming that she couldn’t even turn her head.

Fortunately, the grip was still at a bearable level.

But Iclit instinctively sensed it.

The hand gripping her small head concealed tremendous power, capable of crushing her skull like a raw egg if desired. She even felt that the person was restraining themselves to avoid accidentally crushing her head.

Who could exert such strength…

No, it was obvious.

The Hero. The Hero seemed to be standing behind her.

She couldn’t deny it even if she wanted to. It wasn’t just the strength. She also detected the aura of holy power that instinctively repulsed her.

How did he get here?

Fear of being crushed alive made it difficult to think clearly.

Fortunately or unfortunately, she didn’t need clear thinking to figure out why the Hero had caught her.

Leila, who had been sitting and chatting amicably with her until just moments ago, was somehow looking around nervously and nodding to someone.

This was essentially a confession.

‘Leila, you sold me out?’

She couldn’t understand why that insolent woman had turned on her. She had taken care of her inner circle… or more accurately, had promised to take care of them. And she had intended to keep that promise if possible. She wanted to know why Leila had betrayed her.

“…Leila, you.”

Grip.

Unfortunately, she wasn’t given the chance to confront Leila. The Hero tightened his grip, as if testing the strength of her skull.

Iclit realized what problem needed to be addressed first.

‘Survival comes first. But… how?’

Given the situation, Iclit’s chances of survival were infinitesimally close to zero. No, death itself wasn’t the issue—it was the process leading to death. Considering what happened to Gwon Heejin, it might be better to die right here.

But a strategist should contemplate breakthroughs even in the worst situations. Death wasn’t certain yet, was it?

She needed to open a channel for negotiation. To do that, she had to think of what she could offer—something that would tempt the Hero.

Wealth? She had plenty. She had collected many jewels when escaping from various countries. But it was unreasonable to try bribing the Hero, who had personal assets of about 1.2 trillion Lyra, with jewels. He might just kill her and take them anyway.

What to do, what to do.

While she was pondering, the Hero’s low voice was heard.

“Iclit.”

“…Hik. No, that’s.”

“So it is you.”

After that, the hand pressing on her skull was finally withdrawn.

Only then could Iclit slowly turn her stiff neck to look at the Hero.

The tall Hero with a neurotic impression was staring at her from a distance close enough to feel his breath.

His dry expression made it impossible to guess what he was thinking. Still, he didn’t seem intent on killing her right there. Whether that was good or bad for Iclit herself was uncertain, but at least she could try talking to him.

‘Maybe he’ll listen to reason. He’s smart, after all.’

Carefully, so as not to offend him.

Iclit felt her heart pounding in her ears as she barely parted her lips.

“I—”

But Iclit wasn’t allowed to speak. The Hero suddenly reached out and grabbed the back of her head again.

The next moment, a thud, crack sound echoed.

‘Huh…?’

It was the noise that reverberated as the Hero violently slammed Iclit’s delicate face into the table.