Ch.125Chapter 125 – The Deserted Village (3)

My heart began to pound strongly.

It was the first thing I felt the moment a beautiful woman with glowing purple eyes suddenly appeared and looked at me.

‘She’s beautiful.’

A sensual body nearly naked, a pretty voice.

And a woman with horns on her head and a tail on her buttocks whispered to me.

“This is my first request.”

The woman’s face drew closer to mine.

As if she wanted to breathe her words into me.

So close that if she came just a bit nearer, I could feel her breath.

She came close enough that I could feel her body heat, which seemed out of place in the winter air.

At the same time, my mind began to feel slightly hazy.

“Catch those women for me.”

With a victorious smile, the woman pointed to her companions behind her.

Shock, tension, dismay, and composure.

Four different expressions appeared on their faces, one for each woman.

I looked directly at their faces.

My heart began to beat even stronger.

My mind cleared.

“Why?”

“Huh?”

“Why should I?”

I asked while looking straight at the woman.

Just from that, she seemed surprised and stepped back slightly.

At the same time, her eyes, which had been glowing purple, returned to normal.

“D-did I make a mistake? One more time…!”

The light in her eyes returned.

Can she turn it on and off at will?

Come to think of it, seeing the light glowing from her eyes made me think it was rather tacky.

“Let me ask you again. Those women.”

No need to hear her out completely.

I clenched my fist and threw it at the woman’s face.

Her face crumpled along with the purple glow in her eyes.

“Gyaaaah?!”

With a strange scream that would be hard to imitate, the woman flew backward spectacularly.

“Kei?”

“Eve.”

Eve and Christina approached me with slightly pale faces.

Beatrice and Sera were still dealing with the Lesser Demon, so they couldn’t pay attention to this situation yet.

“Benefactor, are you alright?”

“Yeah.”

“What on earth…”

Christina seemed surprised and briefly felt my body.

“…I was worried you might be controlled, but I see that’s not the case.”

“Controlled?”

“That woman is a succubus.”

The name sounded familiar.

Even though I hadn’t heard it in this world, it somehow felt familiar.

As I searched my memory a bit more, certain characteristics began to come to mind.

“The… demon that feeds on dreams?”

“Yes, that demon.”

“The one that seduces men?”

“Yes, that demon.”

Somehow I remembered it.

I must have remembered it well because it was a beautiful female demon that seduces men.

“It might not sound dangerous at first, but she’s a dangerous demon who can charm and control men…”

“I see.”

Now I understand why that succubus came at me with her eyes lit up.

She must have been planning to control me and make me attack our party.

That could have been dangerous.

“So you were trying to use me, weren’t you?”

“Eek…”

The succubus looked at me, seemingly terrified.

Despite having wings, she had fallen on her backside without even thinking of flying, suggesting she was surprisingly timid.

“You dare try to control me as you please?”

I never want to experience being someone else’s puppet again, like during my time as a test subject.

And the fact that she tried to use me to harm others made me feel even more disgusted.

“Prepare yourself.”

I changed my weapon to a mace and slowly approached the succubus who was rolling on the ground.

With each step I took, the succubus began to crawl backward.

Then, as if wanting to deny the situation, the succubus began to shout.

“This can’t be… this can’t be happening! How can a human male resist my charm! This… this is impossible!”

“Maybe it’s because your heart is filthy?”

“Don’t talk nonsense! The other villagers, the adventurers, they all fell for it without exception!”

“So that’s why all the villagers were gone.”

I had guessed as much when I heard she could control people.

Anyway, she must not have expected an exception like me to appear, since not just one or two, but dozens of people had fallen under her charm.

“What kind of trick did you pull?!”

“Aren’t you the one who tried to trick me first?”

She’s the con artist for trying to manipulate others’ hearts at will, not me.

‘I have some idea why, though.’

There was something Beatrice had said about my physical condition.

That I was gradually turning into a dragon.

Considering how strongly my heart had been beating since earlier, it wouldn’t be strange if I had acquired dragon characteristics due to the dragonification process.

‘Still, I have mixed feelings about this.’

To think that the heart that’s eating away at my life saved me again.

“D-damn it! Hey, if you help me capture those women…”

“You’re trying to negotiate after attempting to charm me?”

“Then, I’ll… I’ll give you my body!”

“I don’t need it, you slut.”

Honestly, since she’s practically naked, I’ve started to feel uncomfortable looking at her.

Feeling no need to continue the conversation, I swung my mace once to intimidate her.

-Woong!

A terrifying sound rang out, and the succubus finally made a tearful face and tried to move away from me.

As she did so, I saw her turning her head toward the Lesser Demon, as if looking for a last resort.

“Help me…!”

What was she trying to do with that Lesser Demon? I followed her gaze.

There, Beatrice was holding the Lesser Demon’s face.

“Haaaap!!!!!!”

Beatrice’s hand began to glow blue.

“Explode!!!”

Blue magical power exploded from her hand.

And the Lesser Demon died instantly, losing its head.

As the headless body slowly began to fall backward, Beatrice kicked it with her leg, making it fall completely.

“Now all that’s left is that succubus, right?”

The magic remaining on her arm sparked slightly.

While lightly shaking her arm in that state, Beatrice approached the succubus slowly with a fierce smile.

-Kuung!

“Prepare yourself thoroughly.”

Suddenly hearing the sound of something heavy falling, I looked up to see Sera also approaching, looking very angry.

I wasn’t sure what magic it was, but there was a stone hammer attached to the end of her staff.

Sera was slowly approaching the succubus while swinging it with one hand.

It seemed quite clear she was planning to smash the succubus’s head with it.

“I… I need to fly!”

As if finally realizing she had wings, the succubus spread them.

Though much smaller than her body, it seemed she could still fly with them.

The succubus jumped up boldly.

-Slash!

“Eek!!”

“Where do you think you’re going?”

Eve immediately swung her sword, tearing the succubus’s wing.

As her wing was torn at the moment she tried to fly, the succubus ended up planting her face on the ground.

“I… I must escape!”

The succubus crawled and summoned something like a magic circle.

Beatrice snapped her fingers, breaking the magic circle, and a shield of light appeared around the succubus, trapping her in dismay.

Looking back, I saw Christina slowly approaching the succubus with her staff.

“Good.”

We’ve captured the enemy leader.

+

A little later.

The succubus was restrained by Beatrice’s magic.

“Since she’s a demon anyway, this much shouldn’t be a problem at all.”

Ice was now surrounding the succubus’s upper body, as if sealing her.

It looked like she was tied up with ice instead of rope.

“Ugh, kill me!”

The succubus who had been rolling on the ground shouted.

Somehow it didn’t seem like something a succubus would say, which gave me a strange feeling.

“Let’s grant your wish.”

“Yes.”

Eve and Sera simultaneously began to approach the succubus with their weapons.

As if their anger had reached its peak, I almost had the illusion that the light had disappeared from both their eyes.

“Wait, both of you put down your weapons.”

They were acting so naturally that I almost couldn’t stop them due to the atmosphere.

Sera and Eve looked at me.

“…Kei?”

“Kei, surely not.”

“No. Absolutely not.”

I grabbed their shoulders, feeling I needed to calm them down.

Fortunately, they seemed to have calmed down.

“Benefactor, why are you trying to keep her alive?”

“We need to interrogate her.”

After saying that, I knelt on one knee in front of the succubus.

The succubus was showing purple light in her eyes.

It seemed she was desperately trying to charm me as a last resort.

“Demon lord, demon king, please…!”

“You really don’t know when to give up.”

There’s no way a mere succubus could charm a dragon.

It probably wouldn’t work no matter how many times she tried.

Of course, the succubus didn’t know what state my body was in, so she was struggling like that.

Finally, the succubus who had been desperately struggling on her own began to slump, apparently exhausted.

‘Now I can start.’

It was time to interrogate her.

“Where are the villagers?”

“As if I’d tell you!”

Honestly, I thought they were probably inside that cave, but there’s always a possibility.

It was a question I threw out to confirm, but the succubus refused to answer.

It was within my expectations, but still.

“You’ll never make me open my mouth, damn human!”

“Fists know the answers, demon.”

I raised my fist to show her.

“They’re in the prison inside the cave…”

“Were only the villagers captured?”

“No. We also captured adventurers and merchants who were passing by…”

The damage could be greater than I thought.

I clicked my tongue involuntarily and continued questioning.

“How did you capture them?”

“By gathering magic power and quietly charming the men one by one, then slowly kidnapping the women and children…”

It seems she invested quite a long time, not just a day or two, slowly charming and gathering them.

She was more persistent than I thought.

“I, I’m just a worthless demon, if you spare my life, I’ll do anything…!”

Now the succubus was starting to beg for her life.

Seeing her cooperative attitude and demeanor, I lowered my raised fist.

“I’ll spare you the fist for now.”

The succubus’s face brightened.

“But I don’t think this will forgive you.”

I raised my mace.

“W-wait! Wait!”

Thanks to the mace, the succubus began to speak urgently.

“Th-there’s a magic circle for human sacrifice drawn in the prison inside, and if they’re not released according to the set procedure, a curse will slowly kill the freed sacrifices! I’ll deactivate all of it for you, if only you spare my life…!”

I looked at Beatrice and Christina for a moment.

Both had serious expressions on their faces.

“Can’t you two deactivate it?”

“We’d have to see. If we’re unlucky, we might not be able to time it right.”

“I’d have to see if holy power can remove it.”

I frowned involuntarily at their words.

It meant there was a possibility that we might not be able to completely save the people with our power alone.

If we wanted to quickly and safely rescue the people, we would need this succubus’s cooperation.

I wanted to just strike her down and end it, but it seemed I needed to keep her alive a little longer.

“If you try anything funny, you know what happens, right?”

“Th-thank you! Thank you for your mercy! Long live the hero! Long live the hero!!”

Has she lost her mind now?

A demon praising a hero.

I’m not even a hero to begin with.

I hit the back of her head.

“Ow!”

“Lead the way.”

I held my sword ready to stab her back at any moment.

The succubus, who had crawled on the ground for a moment and barely stood up, soon began to guide us, taking the lead.

“F-follow me! Ow! Don’t stab me!”

I stabbed her lightly when she seemed to be trying to escape, glancing around.

Such skirmishes occurred several times as we walked, and finally the succubus, having given up, began to walk properly.

‘It’s bright.’

The cave was brighter than I expected, as if there was a light source inside.

We could have set traps and fought here, which made me think the structure itself might be simple.

“Detect mana… life…”

Beatrice was using magic behind me.

“What kind of magic is that?”

“Detection magic. I’m detecting things like magical power and life responses.”

Beatrice glared at the succubus as she spoke.

“Because she might suddenly lead us into a trap.”

“N-no, I won’t!”

The succubus hastily replied.

“Is there anything unusual?”

“…I’m detecting some unpleasant things that seem to be human sacrifice magic circles. Let’s resolve this quickly.”

At Beatrice’s words, I lightly stabbed the succubus.

She began to walk faster.

As we went deeper, we soon heard groaning sounds.

“Uuugh…!”

They were groans that seemed to come from people of all ages and genders.

The succubus carefully looked at me and began to speak.

“W-we’ve been extracting life force, letting them recover, and extracting again to gather magic power, so the number of deaths is only…”

“Shut up and open it. If you try anything funny, I’ll cut off your head right away.”

The good news was that most people would be alive.

The bad news was that some were already beyond help.

“Damn it.”

The thought briefly crossed my mind: if only it weren’t for this succubus.

A moment later, the succubus summoned something like a magic circle in the air.

When I looked at Beatrice once, she nodded, confirming that the succubus was doing it correctly.

And quite some time passed.

-Clank!

“I-I’ve deactivated it!”

“I’ll check!”

The succubus reported obediently.

Christina and Sera, unlike their usual selves, rushed in to examine the situation.

“Is everyone alright?!”

“Those who have strength, please raise your hands!”

With these two who are somewhat proficient in medicine, there shouldn’t be much to worry about.

Still, just in case, I looked at Eve, and she nodded and went inside.

“W-with a few days of rest, most will recover…”

“Is that so.”

Beatrice said that as she slowly lifted the succubus by the nape of her neck.

“W-wait! Weren’t you going to spare me?”

“Hey.”

Ignoring the succubus’s struggles, Beatrice glared at her.

“Why should we let go of someone who did this to a village? So you can go cause trouble somewhere else?”

“I-I followed your orders obediently!”

“Consider that as living a bit longer.”

Beatrice said coldly.

Then she pulled the succubus’s neck toward her.

“And.”

Beatrice opened her mouth with a victorious smile.

“I know you’ve been buying time because you drew a summoning circle somewhere else.”

“That…!”

It must have been true, as the succubus looked flustered.

“Is that okay?”

“Unfortunately, the summoning circle seems unstable, so it didn’t work properly.”

After explaining that, Beatrice looked at the succubus.

With a triumphant smile, she continued.

“In other words, the summoning was half-done. Succubus.”

“Th-that’s a lie!”

It seemed her last hope had been cut off.

The succubus looked up at Beatrice with a desperate face.

“Trying to pull a fast one.”

Beatrice threw the succubus to the ground.

“W-wait! Please spare…!”

“Time to pay for your crimes, demon.”

Beatrice raised her hand.

“I-I was just!”

“Sorry, but I have no reason to spare you.”

Beatrice spoke coldly.

“You must pay the price for toying with human lives.”

And Beatrice began to gather magical power in her arm.

“Farewell.”

She seemed to be planning to use the same technique that had blown off the Lesser Demon’s head on the succubus.

As she slowly approached the succubus, the succubus’s eyes began to widen.

Then I heard Eve and Christina shouting with all their might.

“Kei!! Get away quickly!!”

“Both of you, get away from there quickly!!”

Reflexively, I hugged Beatrice and jumped backward.

I saw Beatrice’s slightly surprised face as our bodies rolled on the ground together.

-Kwang!!!!

A loud noise erupted along with a cloud of dust.

“What…! There was no signal in the summoning circle…!”

The succubus’s surprised voice was heard through the dust cloud.

And I heard her gasp in surprise.

“Could it be the summoning succeeded?!”

“No, it was actually on the verge of failure.”

A somewhat gallant voice was heard.

I quietly stood up with Beatrice.

“But fortunately, I found this summoning circle in the demon realm, and that person was able to forcibly send me through, so it’s as good as a success.”

The dust slowly settled.

What appeared was a massive hammer.

A huge woman with gray skin, black armor, and ram horns.

“Looks like you were having fun with my subordinate?”

The woman swung her hammer once.

-Wooong!

She was so strong that even though she just swung the hammer, the wind could be felt all the way to where Beatrice and I were standing at a distance.

After swinging the hammer like that, the woman soon began to smile fiercely at us.

“Let’s play with me this time!!”

“Damn it.”

As Beatrice’s voice was heard, the woman kicked off the ground and began charging at us.