Episode 423. Wicked Incubus

The night of the day the Hwadong Dungeon exploration took place.

Nam Daeun, who had come out of the house for a quick errand, walked while checking her smartwatch.

Her gaze was fixed on the news.

• Genius Mage Lee Hoyeon, Collaborating with the Iris Guild.

• The Iris Guild revealed it was a collaboration, not sponsorship.

• For a mutually beneficial relationship for both Student Lee Hoyeon and the Iris Guild….

Since it was common for Lee Hoyeon to appear in the news, Nam Daeun nodded and muttered.

“So he’s working with the Iris Guild. Is he working with Alice?”

The Iris Guild was a proper organization, so it would be a good opportunity for Lee Hoyeon.

However, there was also a sense of regret.

‘Alice….’

Nam Daeun recalled Alice’s face.

Alice and I had an ambiguous relationship.

We took classes in the same lecture hall, but there was hardly any conversation between us at the academy.

The only common topics were Lee Hoyeon or recruitment offers.

She had rejected all the recruitment offers, and while they had talked about Lee Hoyeon a few times, the atmosphere wasn’t great.

Mostly, it was a pattern where Alice would provoke, and Nam Daeun would respond.

Moreover, her views on romance and mine were polar opposites.

I wanted to make Lee Hoyeon happy, while Alice wanted to be the protagonist of her own life.

‘Does Alice still think differently?’

Nam Daeun let out a wry smile.

It was because she remembered the last conversation she had with Alice.

Back then, she had lectured Alice, saying that making Lee Hoyeon happy was happiness.

“Haa….”

Of course, that feeling hasn’t changed, but it couldn’t be helped that I felt disappointed whenever Lee Hoyeon got busier and seemed to neglect me.

Deep down, did I also have a similar feeling to Alice?

‘Let’s not think like this.’

Nam Daeun shook her head back and forth.

Hoyeon is busy too, so it can’t be helped.

I should be the one supporting him from behind.

Nam Daeun composed herself and walked home.

All she needed was to give him a hug once when Hoyeon returned home.

Then, all this disappointment would disappear.

Just then, something latched onto her calf.

A stinging sensation, like getting a shot.

“A mosquito…?”

Slightly startled, Nam Daeun stopped for a moment and checked her leg.

However, her calf was still smooth, and the stinging had vanished.

“…?”

Tilting her head, Nam Daeun brushed her leg and resumed walking.

And the Incubus, who had been hiding behind the alley watching her, gritted his teeth and retreated deeper into the alley.

‘How could such a beauty….’

The Incubus trembled with regret.

The first time he saw Nam Daeun, he couldn’t close his mouth.

She was a beauty rarely seen even in the Underworld.

It didn’t make sense that such beauties were concentrated in this small country.

But after confirming the amount of vital energy just now, he felt it.

She wasn’t a virgin either.

‘… That makes four people.’

He had checked all the students on the list he received from the female professor.

The twin students weren’t virgins, and the blonde student was too far away to confirm.

Even the last hope, this woman, wasn’t a virgin.

An Incubus’s ability is charm.

They can charm anyone, regardless of gender, but their power increases exponentially if the target has no sexual experience.

“Damn it….”

Swallowing a curse, the Incubus frowned as he looked at the list of first-year students.

But no matter how much he checked, there were no other beauties of that caliber.

“Do humans live so lewdly?!”

Twenty years old.

From an Incubus’s perspective, that’s an age not yet considered adult.

And these women have already had relations.

It was unbelievable.

“… What should I do?”

The plan had gone awry.

The Incubus needed to grow stronger by consuming vital energy.

Of course, he could obtain vital energy even from non-beautiful human women.

It was the same for taking non-virgins. Obtaining vital energy was possible.

However, it was better to take one outstanding beauty than ten thousand ordinary women.

And it was better to take one virgin than one hundred non-virgins.

Succubi can extract more vital energy from men with high libidos, but it was the opposite for Incubi.

The target must be a pure virgin to extract a lot of vital energy.

That is the characteristic of the Incubus species.

“… I need to find another woman.”

Somehow, I need to find a woman who is both beautiful and a virgin.

There wasn’t enough time to meet many women.

Upon being summoned to Earth, he had lost most of the power he possessed in the Underworld.

All that remained was his charm.

He needed other powers to protect himself.

“….”

The Incubus recalled the Hwadong Dungeon.

It was originally a place he went to support the demons, but the guy he met there kept bothering him for some reason.

‘His name was Lee Hoyeon.’

He could confirm it from the list as well.

Just turned 20, a brat who, if he were an Incubus, wouldn’t even have had his coming-of-age ceremony yet.

But just looking at his face brought back hostile feelings.

It was as unpleasant as the first time he met ‘her’.

“… For now, the beauty comes first. I can deal with him later.”

The Incubus stopped his unpleasant thoughts.

Anyway, he couldn’t deal with him right now.

He had to get stronger first.

The Incubus began searching again for a woman from whom he could obtain information.

*

Although there were various incidents, the Hwadong Dungeon investigation ended successfully.

We exited the Hwadong Dungeon, and the guild members looked exhausted.

The battle that occurred at the end must have been quite taxing.

Watching the Iris Guild members busy checking each other’s condition, I subtly approached Dr. Kang Hyorin.

“I’ll be going first. You worked hard.”

“Yes. You worked hard, Student Lee Hoyeon. Thanks to you, we could conclude the investigation successfully.”

Dr. Kang Hyorin expressed her gratitude.

Without me, dealing with the Incubus would have been quite troublesome.

There might even have been casualties.

“… You worked hard.”

“Yes. You worked hard.”

Irene, standing nearby, gave me a brief greeting after licking her lips.

If I had my way, I would have liked to talk with Irene, but she seemed busy checking on the guild members.

Since there’s plenty of time, I can talk to her later.

I also said a casual goodbye and headed home.

‘That Incubus bothers me.’

I feel bad for no reason.

Of all things, his name is weird too.

What the heck is an ‘Academy Virgin Bomber’?

I arrived home with an unsettled heart.

In the living room, Liliana was lying down, staring fixedly at the TV.

The same appearance as before I left.

How many hours had she been like that?

I approached Liliana.

“I’m home. Liliana.”

“Oh? You’re back sooner than expected.”

As I sat beside her, Liliana naturally leaned her face on my shoulder.

I thought while feeling the soft touch.

‘Would it be okay to ask about Incubi?’

Asking Liliana, a Succubus, about Incubi was a rational decision, but since it was ultimately related to the Demon King, it bothered me a little.

“Liliana.”

“Yes?”

“Do you know much about Incubi?”

“Incubi?”

“Yeah.”

But since there was no one else to ask but Liliana, I’ll have to ask eventually.

“Why Incubi all of a sudden? Are you worried about what I said last time about you seeming like an Incubus? That was just a joke, you know.”

“It’s not like that. I’m serious.”

“Hmmmm. Incubi are similar to Succubi, yet different. They’re a bit closer to combat.”

“Really?”

“Incubi grow stronger the more vital energy they absorb. Succubi, on the other hand, become more attractive the more vital energy they absorb, making it easier to seduce others. That’s why they say you can’t even look at the Succubus Queen.”

The Incubus I met in the Hwadong Dungeon seemed closer to seduction than combat.

But Liliana’s words wouldn’t be wrong.

There were probably various possibilities.

The Golden Sun Incubus might be an anomaly, or he might have weakened during the process of being summoned from the Underworld to Earth.

Chiron said he weakened too.

‘What is that bastard’s purpose?’

Obviously, Pandemic’s goal is chaos in the human world.

Meaning, the apostles’ goal should also be chaos in the human world.

But that Incubus was somehow different.

Golden appearance, Virgin Bomber, Incubus.

With such ominous symbols gathered, I couldn’t feel at ease.

“What’s wrong? Asking about Incubi all of a sudden. And your expression isn’t good either.”

Liliana asked, clinging to my arm.

My expression seems easy to read, as expected.

I can’t keep hiding it forever anyway.

If I have to tell her someday, it’s better to do it quickly.

“Actually, I met an Incubus in the dungeon.”

“Really? An Incubus from the Underworld?”

“Probably an apostle summoned by Pandemic. Like Chiron.”

“An apostle….”

Liliana fell into thought for a moment.

The Golden Sun Incubus is likely a child of the Demon King.

His name was written on the Rascal Contract.

And just like Chiron, that Incubus must have some information.

That information would confuse Liliana again.

“Don’t worry, Liliana. I’m always on your side.”

“… Yeah.”

I stroked Liliana’s head as she clung to me like a puppy and hugged her with both arms.

Ttiriring-

Just then, the sound of the front door opening was heard.

Subtly letting go of Liliana, I looked towards the entrance and saw Nam Daeun holding something.

“Daeun. Did you go grocery shopping?”

“Yeah. Hoyeon, you’re back sooner than expected.”

Nam Daeun approached me with a smile.

A natural hug.

While I was briefly patting Nam Daeun’s back.

Liliana said, looking surprised.

“What the? Huh? Why is this here?”

“Liliana, what’s wrong?”

“Daeun. Stay still.”

“Huh? Ms. Liliana…?”

Liliana suddenly grabbed Nam Daeun’s leg and started shaking it.

Naturally, Nam Daeun stumbled, clearly flustered, and I laughed out of disbelief watching the situation.

“Liliana. What are you doing all of a sudden?”

Liliana didn’t answer me and kept touching Nam Daeun’s leg, then soon pulled something off.

Only then could I also confirm the magic in Liliana’s hand.

“This was attached to Daeun.”

“Underworld magic? Why was that attached to Daeun?”

“This is a method used by Incubi and Succubi to check how much vital energy a target has.”

“Checking vital energy…. Haa.”

“…?”

Nam Daeun tilted her head, seemingly not understanding what we were talking about.

Of course, I understood immediately.

The Incubus converts absorbed vital energy into power, as mentioned.

This time, Nam Daeun had been a candidate for it.

“… Aish.”

I muttered, frowning.

Another troublesome matter.

No, this time it’s even more annoying.

It’s better to aim for my life than to mess with my women.

Liliana continued speaking, shaking off the magic.

“Still, it’s fortunate.”

“Why?”

“Daeun isn’t a virgin.”

“L-Liliana. What are you suddenly talking about?”

Nam Daeun looked at Liliana shyly, but Liliana didn’t stop.

“The more beautiful someone is, the denser their vital energy, and the purer they are, the greater the amount. He probably approached seeing Daeun’s beauty, but didn’t bother because she wasn’t a virgin.”

“… I see.”

Even in the Hwadong Dungeon, only some people were strongly affected by the charm.

Those must have been the people without experience.

Fortunately, my women have all had relations with me….

“Ah.”

Just then, one person flashed through my mind.

My one virgin woman.

… There was exactly one.