Ch.38One Step Ahead in Preparation – 5

“Application form?”

As I stared blankly at the paper thrust before me, Roxanna waved her hand playfully.

“Hello? My arm is getting tired.”

“If you’re too weak to even hold a single sheet of paper, perhaps you should look elsewhere.”

“Oh come on, is this how you treat me?”

“What kind of relationship do we have exactly?”

“Hmm… one where I’ve shown you some very deep places?”

Is she really describing that time she showed me around the student council room on the Crown Prince’s orders in such a suggestive way? I gave her an incredulous look. Roxanna stuck out her tongue playfully and smiled, saying it was just a joke.

“I’m kidding. Can I come in? I’m a guest. You shouldn’t leave a guest standing at the door, right?”

“You’re quite shameless. Isn’t that usually something we should say first?”

“Is it? Hehe.”

“…Just come in.”

Whatever this woman’s true identity might be, on the surface, she was a student council member. One who seemed quite close to the Crown Prince at that. My instincts warned me that turning her away now would only lead to more troublesome situations later.

“Wow… what is all this? How did you get it?”

Roxanna looked around in wonder as soon as she entered, letting out exclamations of admiration.

“How did I get it? I bought it with money.”

“With club funds? These all look expensive, and we don’t give that much budget… Oh, right. You’re from the Crate family, aren’t you?”

Roxanna wandered around the club room, marveling at every little thing like an innocent young girl. There was no trace of her previous sharp and cautious demeanor.

Aria, who knew how this woman had behaved during their first meeting, wore an expression similar to mine. Brunhild simply looked mildly interested.

After wandering around the room exclaiming in admiration for quite some time, Roxanna finally sat down on the sofa and sank into it with a face that looked like she was melting.

Beside me, Brunhild asked, “Did we look like that when we sat here?” When I answered affirmatively, she blushed in embarrassment and cleared her throat.

“Are you done looking around?”

“Yes. This room is really nice. Even better than our student council room. I’m liking this place more and more. What should I do if my application gets rejected? I might actually cry.”

“Do as you please. But did you even know what kind of club this is before trying to join?”

“No? I don’t know. I came because of you.”

That statement was probably sincere, except for the part where she was acting on the Succubus Queen’s orders.

“You came because of me?”

“I just had this feeling—BAM! A feeling that we’d get along well. Especially after what happened last time. If you let me join, I can use my student council authority to make things convenient for you. Like increasing your budget, or giving you more freedom during the festival.”

“You’re quite openly talking about discriminating between clubs.”

“Bellium Academy has always been like this. Don’t they give more privileges to students with better grades? Think about who’s joined this club. It would be stranger not to support you.”

Roxanna picked up a dessert from the table and ate it, smiling cutely.

“So, will you let me join?”

“Well…”

I started to answer but let my words trail off. A sweet scent had reached my nostrils. It definitely wasn’t the smell of cookies or jam from the desserts. I was certain of that.

‘Is she trying something again?’

Though she appeared innocent, she was a half-succubus carefully crafted by the Succubus Queen. One perfected enough to walk confidently through what was essentially the Black Dragon Belligor’s territory.

I couldn’t let my guard down.

The scent was subtly different from the sweet smell I’d noticed in the student council room before, but to be safe, I discreetly cast a status-healing spell. It was slightly lower in hierarchy than soul purification.

Immediately, the sweet scent lingering around my nose disappeared. My heart, which had been beating slightly faster without me even noticing, calmed down.

The change had been so subtle that even I only realized my heart had been beating faster than normal after it slowed down. I noticed it because it was me—most people wouldn’t have detected anything.

‘So she did try something again.’

Her wandering around the room under the pretense of looking around seemed to have been groundwork for this situation. It didn’t appear to be a method that would leave evidence, so it was probably a “nothing to lose” attempt.

“Hmm? Won’t you let me join? Here, I’ll even give you a bribe.”

Roxanna placed one hand on the table and seductively arched her back, leaning forward. Her chest naturally drooped slightly following the laws of physics. Her other hand approached right in front of me.

Between her index finger and thumb was a croissant, somehow already bitten into and covered in saliva. Someone entranced by her pheromones might have licked it up with crazed eyes, but not me.

“I don’t eat after others. I see no reason to accept you, so please leave now.”

“Eh?! Wait! I’m sorry—”

I finally had an excuse to push Roxanna out and lock the club room door.

I could hear her knocking on the door from outside, desperately asking me to open it because she was sorry, but I kept ignoring her until eventually she fell silent. She seemed to have given up for now.

I immediately threw open the windows. I wasn’t sure if opening windows would dispel a succubus’s pheromones, but there was nothing to lose by trying.

“What do you two think…”

As I let in the fresh air from outside, I was about to ask Aria and Brunhild for their opinions when I stopped mid-sentence.

Both of them were breathing heavily with slightly flushed faces.

I wondered why they, as women, were affected by the succubus’s pheromones, but then I remembered this was supposed to be a yuri romance novel. That would explain their reactions.

Though I still wondered if the succubi in this world could enchant regardless of gender.

‘I should help them first.’

Judging by how Brunhild and Aria’s breathing was becoming increasingly sweet, I couldn’t leave them like this for long. I approached them and, pretending to shake their shoulders, dispelled the pheromones.

“Uh… huh?”

“Hyah?!”

Brunhild regained her senses as if waking from a brief nap, and Aria let out a cute scream as she snapped out of her trance. I pretended not to notice and asked:

“What’s wrong?”

“N-nothing… I think I just dozed off for a moment…?”

Brunhild hesitated, stopping mid-sentence. Her golden pupils trembled, and her fingers discreetly moved between her legs. Her fingertips touched the most intimate part of a woman.

“…!!!!!!”

She jumped up from her seat with a startled expression. Aria had a similar reaction. She carefully moved her hand between her legs, then stood up with a face as red as a tomato.

“I-I need to step out for a moment!”

“M-me too…!”

Brunhild rushed out with an awkward gait, trying her best to naturally cover between her legs, followed by Aria, who kept her head down like a criminal.

The pheromones’ effect must have been quite intense.

“What’s up with those two? Did something happen?”

Rosaria entered as if trading places with the other two, with timing that seemed almost coordinated.

“You know Roxanna, right? She tried to seduce me with pheromones, but I was fine while those two were affected.”

“…So they went to take care of it? Together?”

Rosaria’s face took on a meaningful expression. I responded with exasperation:

“I know how you’ve been describing this place, but don’t get any weird ideas. I dispelled the pheromones for them. With magic, obviously.”

“W-what?! What ideas do you think I had?! Goodness, you’re accusing an innocent person! Of course you used magic! What else would there be?”

Rosaria fluttered her hands like fans while rambling, then quickly changed the subject.

“Oh, right! I have someone to introduce to you! You can come in now, Priscilla!”

Curious, I looked toward where Rosaria had stepped aside. Priscilla was entering with hesitant steps.

Wearing a skirt much shorter than usual.

“…?”

The school uniform wasn’t particularly long to begin with. But she had hiked it up so much that it barely covered her bottom.

Even she herself was blushing intensely. As my eyes filled with bewilderment, Rosaria spoke up first.

“Just so you know, I tried to stop her.”

“…Well, putting that aside, why is she suddenly dressed like this?”

“Don’t ask me, I don’t know either. She just showed up today saying she wanted to wear her clothes short like mine. Hey, it’s not like I wear mine this way because I want to! I can’t extend the fabric due to lack of holy power, so I have no choice. She even cast a spell so no one else could see her, so I have no idea what she’s trying to do.”

Rosaria buried herself in the sofa, looking tired. Then, apparently pleased with the texture, her face softened as she picked up a dessert, ate it, and her eyes lit up with satisfaction.

Meanwhile, Priscilla approached me.

“H-how is it…? Does it… suit me…?”

“…”

I chose silence. I honestly didn’t know how to respond. What was I supposed to say here?

That I liked the short skirt? Or that it was attractive how her bottom was almost exposed? Or perhaps that I enjoyed the increased exposure? Frankly, any choice seemed like an awkward compliment at best.

While I was racking my brain for something to say, Priscilla sat down gently beside me. Even sitting on the sofa, her skirt was so short that the hem barely touched the cushion.

“…”

Priscilla looked up at me with eyes full of expectation. If I avoided answering now, that expectation would turn straight into disappointment.

Squeezing my brain for all it was worth, I gave the best answer I could manage:

“Priscilla.”

“Y-yes…”

Her voice lacked confidence, probably thinking I didn’t like it given how long I’d taken to respond. I whispered softly into her ear:

“Dress like that when we’re alone, not now.”

“…! O-okay!”

Priscilla’s expression brightened considerably.

I never thought I’d say something so outrageous. It was certainly open to misinterpretation, but considering she’d approached me wearing only underwear when we were alone before, it should be fine.

As Priscilla hurriedly pulled down her skirt, Rosaria, who had decimated the snacks on the table, licked her fingers and spoke:

“I forgot to mention, remember when you told me to ignore whatever the Pope said?”

“Yes, I did.”

“Last night, the Pope sent an ultimatum. He said he’ll send his son as your guard, so be satisfied with that and quietly return. He threatened that if you don’t come back this time, he really won’t let it slide.”

“…His son?”

I looked at Priscilla. She shook her head from side to side. She didn’t seem to know.

“It’s natural you two wouldn’t know. The Pope kept it secret until the end. Only I and a few high priests know, but Priscilla, you might recognize him if I describe him. You know, that guy with the tentacles. The one who appeared beside the Pope when we arrived and took only me away. Well, he got one-sidedly beaten by me and died without landing a single hit.”

“I think I know who you mean.”

Priscilla nodded. It seemed she hadn’t fought him directly.

“Anyway, he says he’ll send that guy as your guard, so come back quietly. He normally doesn’t take a single step out of the papal office because he’s too lazy to move, so if he’s sending him all the way here personally, he must be pretty angry.”

Rosaria cackled as if to say “serves him right.” After listening quietly, I asked:

“You said he’s the Pope’s son, right? But if he’s that man’s son, he must be at least in his forties. Is he skilled enough to be a guard? Isn’t he too old?”

Rosaria snorted at my question.

“Forties? Don’t be surprised when you hear this.”

“Don’t be surprised? Why?”

“That guy is nineteen this year. Same age as Priscilla.”

“…”