Ichinose knew well the competence of the officers and the Public Safety Department stationed in the Academy City.
The ominous magical power left behind by the monolith must have already been detected.
That was why her mind felt all the more tangled.
If the missing individuals had been identified, did her parents back in the Three Nations Alliance hear the news? What about the instructor? Did Noah find out about the incident and start worrying?
She wondered if her father, already busy every day with both managing his company and training, had his routine thrown into chaos because of her.
Ichinose’s mind was filled with all kinds of worries.
Even after battles with succubi and husks had ended, every time she walked through the quiet forest, those stray thoughts refused to leave her head.
She knew these weren’t the kinds of concerns someone trapped in a dungeon should be having.
It was definitely a bad habit that doubled her mental fatigue.
Still, that was just the kind of person Ichinose was.
A girl who, unable to do anything about it, thought it best to simply keep her worries to herself.
But now, after finding the pillow she had so desperately been searching for, she felt at ease.
For a moment, she could distance herself from her thoughts and feel free.
This…! That’s right. This is what it felt like…
As expected, this pillow was a perfect score.
It was flawless. Her consciousness began to float softly.
To think she had approached with the intent of using someone else’s thigh as a pillow.
That was something the usual Ichinose would never have done. And yet, for some reason, she had done it without hesitation.
Apart from the embarrassment, she found it strangely satisfying that Rohan had frozen stiff.
“..…”
Rohan remained silent. Even the sound of his breathing was pleasant.
Just by lying there, the tension in her body loosened, and the fatigue accumulated in her mind began to melt away.
There’s some amazing scent…
Right now, Rohan gave off a heavier, muskier scent than he had back on the deserted island.
It was the smell of a male.
Even though Ichinose had never smelled it before nor learned about it, her female instincts assured her of what it was.
A warm heat radiated from the back of her head.
That thing, twitching with weight and tension, as if it were just about to brush against the back of her skull—
It felt like Rohan was doing his best to restrain himself.
C-Could it be the aftereffects of the charm still linger?
If not, then had he perhaps felt a sexual urge when he saw the succubus’s body?
“……”
It must have been the uncontrollable instinct of a man.
Even so, something about it—something—bothered her. More than embarrassment, that feeling of displeasure took precedence.
So, after all, do men prefer voluptuous figures like the succubus’s?
It wasn’t as if she wanted to be this small herself. Ichinose’s lips jutted out like a pouting duck’s.
Yet, one small hope floated up in her mind.
B-But when I think about how he always sticks close to that woman named Clara…?
One of the two girls Rohan seemed especially fond of and always looked after.
A doll-like girl with twin tails came to mind, and Ichinose’s emotions wavered.
“Baby-nose. Can’t sleep? Are you uncomfortable?”
“…I’m comfortable.”
“Well, that’s good then.”
Even though her breathing was steady and her face was turned away,
How had Rohan known she wasn’t asleep yet?
He was still such a curious man. Very different from other men.
“Rohan. Are you uncomfortable?”
“Not at all.”
“Are you really not? It’s okay, you can be honest.”
“It’s fine. Should I sing you a lullaby?”
“No, thank you…”
Maybe the problem was that her senses were still on high alert.
For some reason, today, the nickname “Baby-nose” and Rohan’s behavior made Ichinose ponder deeply.
Baby-nose…. did that mean she didn’t even fall within Rohan’s range of potential romantic interest?
“Rohan.”
“Yeah?”
“Do I really seem that childish to you…?”
Rohan didn’t miss the disappointment in Ichinose’s voice.
This was the kind of moment where a joke could spread like wildfire.
Even the tiniest spark shouldn’t be ignored. If he didn’t put it out quickly, it could grow into a wildfire too big to contain.
“There’s no way I meant it like that.”
“…Then what did you mean by it?”
“You’re way too pretty for me to see you as a kid. I was trying to say it in a nice way, but I’m sorry if it upset you.”
A few seconds after Rohan’s words fell—
Ichinose, who had been lying down, flopped like a startled fish. She sat up and looked at Rohan with wide, round eyes.
“P-Pretty…?! Me…?”
“Why are you so surprised? You’ve heard that you’re pretty a thousand times.”
Just as Rohan said, it was a compliment she’d heard enough to grow tired of.
But this time, it resonated differently. Her heart thumped wildly in her chest.
Ichinose quickly lay back down on Rohan’s thigh, burying her face in a panic.
“Should I stop calling you by that nickname?”
“…As long as you don’t mean anything bad by it, I’ll allow it; but only when we’re alone.”
“Baby-nose really is generous, after all.”
A sign that it was time to sleep.
Rohan placed a hand on her shoulder and tapped it gently in a slow rhythm.
Ichinose, with a sense of relief as if a thorn had been pulled from her chest, drifted off into dreamland.
Maybe an hour had passed.
After getting an adequate amount of sleep, Ichinose thanked Rohan.
She then began stretching to awaken her dulled senses.
“There’s combat rations, and I’ve also got some bread and jelly. Probably best to avoid snacks, chicken, or pizza… Is there anything you’re craving? Rice might be the safest bet.”
Ichinose thought for a moment at Rohan’s question, then cautiously chose one menu item while glancing at his reaction.
“H-How about ramen…?”
“You’re craving ramen?”
When Rohan gave her a surprised look, Ichinose blushed and gave a small nod.
Lately, Ichinose had faced many challenges, and each of them had ended in failure.
No matter how she tried to make ramen, it never tasted like the one Rohan had made on the deserted island.
The memory of that ramen still lingered vividly in her mind.
“I can’t recreate ramen with my current skills… Is it okay if we go with battle rations for now? I’ll make you ramen once we’re back.”
“Sorry for being unreasonable. Of course, I’m grateful for combat rations too.”
Ichinose wasn’t in a position to be picky.
As someone who was on the receiving end, she’d gladly bow in thanks if she could.
And on top of that, to be promised ramen once they returned? That was excellent motivation.
Rohan pulled out a large combat ration pack from thin air.
He immediately began preparing the meal.
“Just hang on a bit. It’ll be ready in no time.”
A dungeon where succubi lived on spiritual energy as their staple food.
If an ordinary person were dragged into the monolith, they’d surely struggle with food and drink in this environment.
And yet, Rohan’s skill shone brightly in such circumstances.
Ichinose once again realized how incredibly lucky she was to have Rohan as her companion. His presence brought a remarkable sense of stability.
“This is… the combat ration we ate on the island, isn’t it?”
While watching Rohan’s expert movements, Ichinose voiced what she had just noticed.
“Oh, you noticed? Keep it a secret from the instructor, okay?”
“It’s your skill, so it’s not a problem, is it?”
“Even if Baby-nose says so, she probably wouldn’t scold me… Just, you know.”
Ichinose chatted with Rohan and recalled her memories of the practical exam.
Back then, Rohan definitely…
Ichinose remembered. Rohan hadn’t used his skill recklessly on the deserted island.
When Noah, drawn by the smell of ramen, had collapsed from hunger and was groaning, Rohan had pulled out supplies, saying he had found them.
The first use of his skill hadn’t been for himself but for someone else.
Rohan is kind,
A gentle smile had formed on Ichinose’s lips.
··
··
Replenished and full of energy, Rohan and Ichinose headed toward the building they had seen through the thick fog.
The closer they got, the clearer Rohan’s memory became.
That was the mansion owned by a succubus. One of the named succubi resided there.
It’s not the place where the monolith is.
But it was a place they had to pass through.
There was a need to reduce their numbers to prevent the enemy from banding together, and they also needed proper combat experience against a real succubus.
I can’t remember her name… what was it again?
Unable to recall the information, he gave up. He decided to approach as quietly as possible.
Even without entering, the mansion was completely exposed. There were no walls or barriers.
Just walking through the nearby bushes and circling the perimeter, various things came into view.
Right. It was structured like this.
The owner of the mansion enjoyed bathing outside. A large bathtub had been placed in the courtyard.
Black roses floated on the hot water mixed with bath salts.
Around the tub stood men lined up in a row, resembling butlers.
All of them were young and had slender builds.
Whether they became that way after arriving here or had always been thin was unclear.
From what Rohan remembered, the named succubus living here had a taste for that kind of attire.
Hmm.
He closely observed the men.
Their pale complexions and lifeless eyes resembled husks, but their faces weren’t shriveled or dried out.
“Those are Pleasure Dolls.”
“They already look different from husks.”
“There’s a high chance they possess combat ability too.”
They whispered their thoughts to each other.
Ichinose grew tense and already had her hand resting on her sword.
To put it simply, Pleasure Dolls were part of a succubus’s human collection.
Some may have been chosen because of their appearance, others perhaps because their spiritual energy suited the succubus’s taste.
There were even Pleasure Dolls kept around like guards purely based on their abilities, so the reasons they were collected varied widely.
Anyway, they are all humans who appeal to a succubus in one way or another.
Shing!
Rohan drew his sword from its sheath and took the pistol from his holster with his left hand.
“Baby-nose, think we’re good to go?”
“Yes. Let’s go.”
It was time to free those pitiful people and bring them peace.
And then—
It would finally be time to face a named succubus who could actually hold a conversation.
Leave a Reply