Chapter 233: Milia (1)

Sweat poured down like rain. More than the unsettling news from the capital, my attention was fixed on the water bottle in front of me. Petunia Titi, who told me I’d worked hard, was also wiping sweat from her face with a vibrant expression. Her relatively light attire caused her breasts to jiggle with every arm movement.

Her breasts, fair and firm like an elf frolicking in the forest, made me constantly feel the urge to touch them.

‘Haa… You worked hard.’

Petunia Titi said that and sat down on a chair. I asked her,

‘Are you feeling a little stronger?’

Just as no one feels themselves growing taller in real-time, no one feels their growth during consistent practice. Growth happens naturally, and its true value is revealed when others notice it. Hearing my question, Petunia Titi took the water bottle from my hand instead of answering.

‘I want to drink too.’

And she drank the water without seeming to care that I had already drunk from it. Suppressing the urge to lick the water droplets trickling down her lips, I waited for her to finish drinking.

‘Little by little, I’m growing.’

‘I can’t feel it myself, is that okay? Can I do something before Wolf gets his act together and rallies the people?’

Petunia Titi nodded at my question.

‘You’re not fighting alone. So, that should be fine. Rather, shouldn’t we pay more attention to the others?’

‘The others?’

I looked at Sophia, who was sprawled out. Unlike me and Petunia Titi, who were relatively fine, she was lying on the floor with her tongue sticking out. She mumbled, shaking her head or grimacing with a crestfallen look.

‘I can’t anymore…! I really can’t…!’

‘I won’t take Sophia to the place where she has to fight the hero. But we’re training her just in case.’

‘No. Even setting her aside, there’s still one demon whose position is ambiguous.’

Petunia Titi said that and gestured with her eyes. In the direction she indicated was the room where Milia and Sylvia were studying. I understood what she meant from her gaze and tone.

Milia.

She meant that I should solidify my relationship with her now, as she still hadn’t clarified whether she was an ally or a subordinate.

‘Is there any guarantee she won’t betray you later if the hero seems stronger? I think we need to settle our relationship clearly now. Whether you’re superior, or just an ally.’

‘That’s true.’

I nodded. As she said, it felt insecure to go into battle like this.

And I had enough achievements and influence to demand a hierarchical relationship with Milia.

I helped defeat Mobius and rescued her subordinates. In addition, I successfully passed the succubi’s coming-of-age ceremony. Furthermore, I have one Demon Realm branch chief as my subordinate, and another Demon Realm branch chief died by my hand.

‘But I can’t figure out her intentions. How will she react?’

‘Why not make her your subordinate? Don’t demons challenge each other to determine rank? It’s not like this is something new.’

Petunia Titi said that.

‘That’s true, but…’

That was also true, but I didn’t feel like making Milia my subordinate. It wasn’t because I had suddenly fallen in love or felt true love for her. It was because I was afraid of losing to her, being the Succubus Queen.

I don’t know how good she is at sex, but anyone called ‘Queen’ must have sucked something up with incredible talent, whether male or female, right? Wouldn’t I be squeezed dry like a lemon making lemonade the moment I entered, becoming a mummy?

No matter how good I am at sex, I’ve never met another incubus, and the succubi I did meet were all won through sheer luck or trickery.

‘Are you perhaps afraid of losing?’

Seeing my hesitation, Petunia Titi asked the question.

‘Hey, afraid of losing… No way. What makes you think I’d lose? That… you’re exaggerating too much.’

I expressed concisely, trying to sound as natural as possible, that I hadn’t thought that, and Sophia, lying on the floor, lifted her head and said,

‘Master, it’s obvious you’re afraid of losing.’

‘Hmph.’

Petunia Titi smirked, a smile creeping up her lips, and I shot her a displeased look, but there was nothing more I could do. She nodded and said this to me:

‘How did you even think of challenging the hero? Being afraid of losing to a mere Succubus Queen.’

‘What? Are you provoking me?’

I retorted with a laugh. If rank were decided by combat, I wouldn’t have been intimidated by Milia. This was my home turf, and if things went south, I could always resort to bashing her head with a brick before even suggesting a fight.

But succubi and incubi were demons of lust. Wicked beings who corrupt others through sexual acts.

Demons of lust are such vulgar bastards that they even decide their ranks through sex battles, making the loser their subordinate. I was afraid because I felt my pride as a man would be completely shattered the moment I lost in sex.

Just imagine it. Milia triumphantly declaring victory, while I wander around with a shriveled, impotent cock.

The reason I had avoided this kind of conversation with Milia while living together was due to this personal fear.

‘It’s not provocation, I’m genuinely curious. I didn’t know you’d be so afraid of losing a fight.’

Petunia Titi seemed unaware that demons of lust engage in sex battles. I also didn’t want to correct her imagination. She seriously scanned my arms and legs, saying,

‘From what I see, you can definitely win right now. And if Milia really intended to betray you, she had plenty of opportunities, didn’t she? She could have used the academy members to report this mansion or cause trouble for you, or maybe challenged you before you grew stronger. But she hasn’t done any of that, which means Milia is currently favorably disposed towards you and is waiting for you to make the first move, doesn’t it?’

‘…You’re right.’

Petunia Titi was only saying sensible things today. Unlike her usual clumsy self, Petunia Titi was only saying sensible things today. Sophia, covered in grass from rolling on the floor, threw a blade of grass stuck to her lips and said,

‘Master. That elf. Wasn’t she brainwashed somewhere? Why is she suddenly so sensible today?’

I nodded at her words, putting on a serious expression, and Petunia Titi, seeming slightly offended by our behavior, flushed red and shouted,

‘W-what?! I can think too, you know?’

‘No, well. I wasn’t thinking anything specific. I just thought you were pretty.’

Petunia Titi’s face stiffened for a moment upon hearing that. With a strangely uncomfortable expression, she rolled her eyes and said dejectedly,

‘…I don’t want to hear that from a lecher. It sounds like you have ulterior motives towards me.’

‘Calling me a lecher is harsh. I’ve never touched another man’s woman.’

Petunia Titi cut off the conversation that was getting strangely long and said firmly,

‘Anyway! Settle things with Milia today. You have to admit this can’t drag on like this, right? We don’t know when we’ll have to head to the capital, so we need to sort it out now.’

‘Okay. Okay.’

Unable to resist her nagging, I was pushed back into the house. Sophia followed me in as I opened the door and said,

‘Master. You should shower first.’

‘Ah, right.’

It’s rude to smell like you just finished a workout before a sex battle. I headed straight for the shower room, and Titi, who followed me in and was heading towards the bathtub, ruffled her own hair and grumbled,

‘Ah. I should have showered before talking.’

I chuckled once more, and Titi, hearing my laugh, shouted at me,

‘Hurry up and get out! I feel sticky too.’

‘Alright. Alright.’

Though she couldn’t see me, I nodded and turned on the hot water, letting the warm stream pour over me as I fell back into thought. The scent of soap bubbles and my fairly muscled arm. I suddenly thought of having sex with Elena in this bathtub during my slave days and started stroking my cock.

Elena’s soapy ass and my cock sliding between them.

Wanking now wasn’t a waste of energy. It was merely a strategic act to preemptively ejaculate, preventing me from carelessly finishing too quickly if Milia’s techniques ensnared me.

Rationalizing it like that, I imagined myself ravishing Elena’s suddenly recalled buttocks.

Chwap! Chwap! Chwap! Chwap! Chwap! Chwap!

Petunia Titi, waiting outside while drinking tea, tilted her head at the sounds coming from the shower room.

‘…What on earth is she doing in there? Is she cleaning the bathtub while she’s at it?’

Elena, standing nearby, realized the nature of the sound and murmured regretfully,

‘If only she had called me, I would have gone in.’