Chapter 22: Twins (3)

After that, the three of them continued their conversation.

Of course, it wasn’t about meaningless topics like Sien X Exia. That was something Sion’s mental state couldn’t handle.

It was a more constructive topic.

“So, are your ancestors really the famous ‘Lord of Lust’?”

“Yes, that’s correct.”

Marianne nodded.

Five hundred years ago, the seven commanders who led the Demon King’s army in the invasion of Elpidion. They were named the ‘Seven Deadly Sins Legion,’ each symbolizing the most primal sins of living beings with immense power.

Among them, the one who embodied lust was a female demon known as the ‘Succubus Queen,’ Nelia Whitevine.

“Is this Nelia still alive? From what I know, there’s a good chance she might still be in good health…”

A characteristic of the succubus race, to which Nelia belonged, was that they could absorb the life force of others and convert it directly into strength or longevity.

 Nelia, true to her status as the apex of her species, had an exceptionally high conversion rate. To the extent that she could achieve immortality with just one act of sexual intercourse per day.

If that ability remained effective after her humanization, there’s a chance she might still be alive…

“Ah, well…”

But Marianne displayed a dark expression at Sion’s question, looking as though she found it difficult and hesitant to answer.

…It seems it’s not something that can be solved so conveniently.

“Judging by your reaction, I guess she passed away. My condolences.”

“No, she was caught for repeatedly committing crimes against minors and was confined to a tower five years ago. So, she’s treated as a non-existent person in the family now.”

“!?”

It was indeed a fitting end for Nelia. How much had her pedophilic tendencies worsened over those 500 years?

“It’s really unfortunate for us. The ancestor met the Hero Party in person, so we wanted to ask her about Sien.

But strangely, everyone who’s lived since then, including the principal, is reluctant to talk about Sien.”

Therese, folding her arms behind her head, clicked her tongue as if feeling regretful.

Well, of course. You can’t casually mention that a member of the Hero Party was actually the Demon King. Even if you did, no one would believe it.

But why are these people so interested in such long-gone matters?

“…”

Sion cleared her throat a little before asking.

“Are you two very interested in Sien? You’ve been mentioning his name since earlier—”

Naturally, because we like him!!!

“!?”

What a surprise.

The twins simultaneously shouted loudly. Then they looked at each other and began to gush with excitement.

“First of all, the character itself is a bundle of charm. The unique intellectual yet cool impression, the ruthlessly rational way of thinking, the versatility of wielding both magic and swords, and above all, that tall, white-haired, aristocratic look!”

“I also love the stark contrast with Hero Lier, who is full of passion and hope. If Lier is the sun, then Sien is the moon, wouldn’t you say?”

“But despite all that, you occasionally catch glimpses of his humanity~ He sometimes makes silly mistakes, and above all, there’s that tsundere side where he secretly takes care of his comrades.”

“The highlight was his self-sacrifice in the Eisenberg Canyon. [One versus four. Do I need to tell you which is bigger? You should at least know basic math.] Ah, seriously, so cool!!”

“His vague background before joining the Hero Party is also a reason for his popularity. Since we don’t know his past, we can let our imaginations run wild, like he could be a mixed-blood demon or secretly the Hero’s long-lost elder brother from childhood…”

“Oh, I love that last one! Especially [To You Who Will Not Remember You]—it was a true masterpiece!”

“Right? You can trust my recommendations; you won’t regret them~” “Of course, not all of your picks are perfect. Sometimes, you have questionable tastes.” “What?! How dare you, Marianne, act so cheeky?!”

“Huhuhu~!” “Ahahaha!”

The twins began chatting away like a rapid-fire gun.

They seemed to be completely lost in their own world, oblivious to their surroundings.

“……”

Meanwhile, Sion stood there in bewilderment, unable to find a way to respond amidst the torrent of words.

Next to her, Exia smirked and spoke.

-“Wow, I’m jealous~ To think you remember every little thing even 500 years later. Isn’t this love?”

“No, it’s actually a problem that you remember too well… How do you even know about her fake will?”

This was not just a normal level of fandom. Weren’t they like stalkers who had followed the Hero Party from beginning to end?

Feeling a bit terrified, Sion asked.

 “Um… How do you know all these details?”

“Hmm? It’s all in the memoirs written by the principal!”

So, the culprit was Mana!!

Sion screamed inwardly.

No wonder, during their journey, she would occasionally see Mana jotting down notes, I never imagined she was writing those kinds of things.

She would have to pull her cheeks to teach her a lesson when they meet next time.

“Anyway, to summarize, we’re huge fans of Sien.

Although there are people who absolutely despise him for his behavior that could be called an enemy to women, we find even that part to be charming.”

“Even if it means being a heartless flirt for the sake of a mission… but that’s what makes it cool too… Ah, I wish I could be the nameless extra A, used and discarded by Sien…”

The two openly expressed their affection for Sien. The younger sister, in particular, seemed to be in a more severe state.

-“Oh, this is going to be fun when your true identity is revealed later.”

-“They’ll never find out…”

Sion made a firm vow with a grim face.

She didn’t even want to imagine what would happen if these two found out that she was Sien. It would surely be impossible to maintain a normal life.

She swore to herself over and over again that she would rather die than reveal her identity.

“Hey, hey, Marianne. Don’t get too lost in your fantasies. Look, you’re making the hero make a weird face.”

“Oh my, I’m so silly.”

Marianne cleared her throat and quickly returned her expression to normal. Then, with a smile, she spoke to Sion.

“Anyway, the point is, we are this devoted to Sien. That’s why we went out of our way to call the busy hero over. And if Sien X Exia were real, we could live off that for a week without food… Haaaah♥”

“Ah, right…”

Sion squinted her eyes at Marianne.

Next to her, Therese crossed her arms and chimed in.

“I’m more of a supporter of Sion X Mana~ Isn’t it nice that the magic duo has a special connection?

In fact, in the travelogues, there are often parts where everyone else opposes Sion’s plan, but only the principal agrees.”

Right. If you’re going to ship, at least pair me with Mana. That wouldn’t be so unjust.

Seriously, what is this about Exia?

“Well, that’s only for NL, though.”

“?”

NL?

What’s that?

“Oh, curious?”

As Sion looked puzzled, Therese, with a sly smile, came closer.

…This felt strangely unsettling. It was like encountering an abyss she should never peek into.

“No, I’m not really interested—”

“If you want to know, I can explain! NL stands for ‘Normal Love,’ which means a typical romance between a man and a woman!

Heterosexual love is the foundation of the world, so it’s considered the most mild and easy-to-accept form of love.

And if you want something slightly more hardcore—”

As she said that, Therese pulled a book out of her bag.

The book emanated an ominous aura, almost like a forbidden magic tome.

“Want to read it? It might open your eyes to a whole new world.”

“No, I’m okay—”

“Come on, don’t say that~~~”

With a cheerful grin, Therese kept poking the book against Sion’s cheek. Her enthusiasm was almost overwhelming.

It was even more terrifying because there seemed to be no malice behind her actions.

“You must have grown up completely pure and innocent, Hero! If you read this, you might get so excited that you won’t be able to sleep at all that night. I guarantee it! I was like that myself!”

“……”

By now, Sion’s curiosity was piqued. What kind of content could make her so confident she’d like it?

Feigning reluctance, Sion opened one eye and muttered.

 “W-Well, just a little…”

“Yay! Good decision!”

Therese giggled as she handed her the book. Sion, with a reluctant expression, accepted it and began to flip through the pages.

The first sentence that caught her eye was,

[Sien, I’ve finally realized… In my life, there’s no one I need more than you. Not Esther, not Mana, not Exia… Only you can fill the emptiness inside me.]

[Hmph, and you’re only saying that now? You’ve realized far too late, Lier. As always, you’re dull and foolish in everything…]

“Heavenly Fire!!!!”

“KYAAAAGH!?!?”

The flames that flared up in the air consumed the book entirely, and Therese screamed.

“W-What are you doing?! How could you just burn the book like that?!”

“T-This kind of story should not exist in this world! H-How could anyone have such monstrous and vile fantasies…! How dare you…!”

Sion shouted, trembling all over.

This was no act. Sion was genuinely shocked and terrified.

At least she managed to not completely break the character of “Sion.” That was a small victory.

Marianne, who had been watching this scene, sighed deeply.

“That’s not how you do it, sis. Why would you go full throttle with BL from the start? Sion’s a pure and innocent hero. Don’t you know the concept of a starter piece? You should recommend something with a lighter theme for beginners.”

Scolding her sister, Marianne also pulled out a book from her coat.

This book, too, exuded a similarly ominous aura.

“Here, Hero, would you like to try this one instead? Just forget everything you just saw.”

“N-No!! Who knows what horrible content might be in that one too!!”

“Oh, come on~ It’s nothing like that~ Really~”

Marianne smiled, trying to reassure Sion.

“This one is different, you see? It’s a comic based on a ‘what if’ scenario where Sien wakes up one day as a woman. It’s easy to enjoy even if you’re not into BL.”

“…”

A story where Sien turns into a woman… Hmm.

That could be somewhat useful to read. Not for fun, of course, but for practical purposes.

After all, Sion’s current situation involved exactly such a transformation. If there was anything she could reference, it might be good to know.

But still…

“…Are you really sure there’s nothing weird in it? You promise?”

“Oh, have you been tricked a lot? Just give it a try, come on~”

With a sweet smile, Marianne held out the book, urging her on.

Sion looked down at the book she offered, still wary. The cover featured a young girl resembling Sion.

Was that supposed to be a depiction of Sien as a woman?

…Still, this felt way too risky.

“Could you please take it already? My arm is getting tired.”

Ugh, fine. She’s insisting so much, what could go wrong?

Finally giving in, Sion reluctantly took the book and opened it, trusting Marianne’s assurance.

And then.

[Why…? Why can’t I look at Lier’s face properly anymore…?

Could it be…? I hate to admit it, but… Have I become a woman in both body and heart—?]

“Flame Strike!!!!!!”

“KYAAAAAAAH!?!?!?”

An even bigger blaze than before engulfed Marianne’s book.