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Chapter 347

The business the succubi—led by Marian—chose to undertake was simple in concept.

If they kept hiding and saying nothing, misunderstandings would only pile up.

So, they decided to step forward and correct false information themselves,

to change the distorted perception the world had of their kind.

The first thing the succubi did was visit medical facilities with official cooperation.

In the infirmaries, there were many who suffered from injuries or illness.

The succubi visited them, granting peaceful dreams to those unable to sleep from pain,

and gently shared in the happiness those dreams brought—revealing their presence this way.

Except when they bathed in moonlight, succubi didn’t actually need revealing or suggestive clothes.

Their appearances were almost identical to ordinary humans,

the only difference being the small bat-like wings at their waists.

At first, the patients were wary of these visitors,

but soon, after experiencing the happy dreams the succubi gave,

they began to express gratitude toward them.

The project started well, and for the succubi, it wasn’t bad either.

They could absorb the vital essence they needed without guilt,

and they could see the smiles of people who thanked them for it.

Their ancestors had only ever seen humans’ eyes filled with fear—

but now, things were finally different.

Watching the laughing, chattering succubi returning from the infirmaries,

Marian felt assured she had made the right choice.

“Even if problems arise later, this is the only way to revive our dying race.”

Their entire population barely numbered a few dozen.

Succubi weren’t particularly fertile,

so each death carried devastating weight.

Their numbers hadn’t increased for generations,

but after arriving in this land, Marian had begun to see hope—

a few succubi were finally accepting life energy again and showing signs of pregnancy.

That alone felt like salvation.

Then she recalled a question Leon had asked out of curiosity,

“But your kind… you’re all female, aren’t you? Then do you have to be with men of other races to have children?”

That question had always been a little tricky to answer.

For succubi, carnal union was merely a personal preference—

the act of conception worked differently.

By coming into contact with a male of another race,

they absorbed the pure essence hidden in his life force,

and within their bodies, that essence became the seed of new life.

The child born would always be a succubus.

Hence, the concept of “father” barely existed among them.

“Everything will be fine. We just have to stay sharp.”

Marian slapped both cheeks with a smack and returned to the city.

But even as the atmosphere brightened and things seemed to go well—

trouble struck.

“You’re saying Uldana is missing?”

Uldana was one of the youngest and frailest succubi,

so the others doted on her protectively.

But she was also incredibly curious.

In hindsight, this kind of thing should have been expected.

“Yes. It seems she couldn’t resist her curiosity and went out on her own… but she hasn’t returned, so we think it might be an abduction.”

Marian felt her blood turn cold.

“Please tell everyone not to leave the city for now. Also, check if anyone else has gone missing.”

“Shouldn’t we ask that human for help…?”

“I’d like to, but I heard he’s left the territory for a few days for his wedding. We succubi don’t have marriage, but for humans, it’s probably the most important event of their life.”

Marian’s face darkened.

“He saved us. I don’t want to burden him with this.”

“Then we’ll respect your decision, Princess. Since our alliance with Cascadia, the underground city has grown much brighter.”

It was foolish, she knew—but Marian couldn’t bring herself to disturb Leon,

who was likely preparing happily for his wedding.

“Understood, Princess.”

So the succubi began searching for the lost child, Uldana.

Their total numbers were small—barely a few dozen—

and only about ten could take part in the search.

But they scoured all of Cascadia for clues.

“A little succubus girl in a black robe? Oh dear, she’s missing?”

The old fruit seller’s words made Marian’s unease deepen.

She knew not all humans were cruel,

but would they truly help in a situation like this?

Yet her worry proved unfounded.

After thinking for a moment, the old woman said,

“I didn’t see her myself, but I overheard a mercenary talking earlier. Something about a black carriage heading quickly toward the underground road near the teleport gate. No crest on it, completely sealed—someone said it looked like a kidnapping. Could be just gossip, but at my age, my gut’s often right.”

It might have been nothing more than idle talk,

but Marian couldn’t ignore it.

“Th… thank you so much.”

“You’re a kind young lady… or should I say, young succubus? Either way, I hope you find her.”

Marian relayed the information to the others immediately.

If the story was true, the kidnappers hadn’t escaped yet.

Though succubi could weaken quickly when starved of life energy,

not all of them were helpless.

At her signal, her people spread out swiftly.

* * *

A terrified girl trembled inside an iron cage.

“P–Please! Let me go! Please!!”

For the first time in her life, Uldana truly felt her life in danger.

She wept as she looked up at the humans staring coldly down at her.

‘Liars… You said humans weren’t bad… but they are! They’re horrible!’

It had all begun with curiosity.

Her elders had forbidden her to leave for Cascadia,

but childish curiosity had drowned out reason.

She had seen her older sisters go out, laughing,

and had wanted the same freedom.

And every human she’d met before had been kind.

But not these men.

“She’s too young. There’s no way a child like her can craft artifacts.”

“Artifact creation is in their blood. Just like breathing or play for children.”

Then, from the darkness, came a voice she recognized—and feared.

“Hiieeek!!”

Uldana screamed, shrinking back.

Out of the shadows stepped an old man with chilling eyes.

She knew that face.

All succubi knew it.

He was the Sealer—the human who had once sealed away their entire race after pretending to befriend them.

“Little one. How did you manage to get out of there?”

The old man’s grin was hideous.

Uldana sobbed uncontrollably.

“Child, I hold no personal grudge against you.”

“P–Please… please don’t kill me…”

But words didn’t matter.

All she wanted was to go home—to the underground city—and never come out again.

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BANG!

“Kyaaaah!!”

“But your kind must be exterminated, child. You’ll understand someday.”

‘What nonsense! What did we ever do wrong?!’

Her neighbors, her elders—none had harmed anyone!

Succubi even trained to take only minimal energy when feeding—

never enough to harm.

So why?

Her lips wouldn’t move anymore.

Her hands were cold, trembling violently.

Terror consumed her.

“She’s in bad shape, sir.”

“She’s the bait. Succubi are few but fiercely protective. They’ll come for her, mark my words.”

“What if Leon of Cascadia shows up?”

“Don’t worry. I’ve planned for that. You just capture the succubi and flee. I’ll handle the aftermath.”

The men exchanged uneasy glances, then nodded.

“Don’t worry. We’re the best at disappearing. Two days at most, and we’ll be through the teleport gate into another territory. Still, careful, sir—Cascadia’s a bad place to do business.”

“You’ve been paid. Just do your part.”

* * *

No carriage had yet left Cascadia territory.

Public teleport gates required authorization,

and private one-way gates could only be used by specific persons.

Nor had any suspicious carriage been seen leaving the main gates.

Marian sought out the mercenaries the old woman mentioned.

At first, they glared at her with rough faces,

but soon grew polite and recounted what they had seen.

With the help of the territory guards and the ghostly sentinels that served as magical cameras,

they tracked the likely location of the kidnappers.

“It should be here.”

An abandoned village slated for demolition—

once home to locals who had since moved to new housing built under the duke’s welfare program.

Now, it was a haven for criminals and outlaws taking advantage of the last days before demolition.

Though not fighters by nature, the succubi couldn’t just stand by.

Marian and a dozen of her kin cloaked themselves in dreamlike mist, erasing their presence as they approached.

They soon found the place.

“If they dared to do this, they must be confident.”

“Whatever the case, rescuing the child comes first, Princess. Perhaps you should fall back—”

“I’ve absorbed enough life energy. I can protect myself.”

Violet light flared in her hand.

She clenched her fist, and the light sank into her skin.

They advanced,

entering the vast underground warehouse where the captors hid.

“Who’s there—?!”

Before the man could shout,

a wave of violet mist wrapped around him, sending him into instant sleep.

The elder succubus appeared, face tense.

“They’re not very strong. Proceed.”

The others moved like shadows,

silencing one guard after another.

Most were rendered unconscious without bloodshed.

It was almost too easy.

A mere kidnapping, nothing more.

Relieved, they pressed on—

until they found the iron cage below,

where a trembling girl sobbed inside.

“Uldana!”

“D–Don’t come! Don’t—don’t come!!”

She kept crying, repeating the same words—

and the succubi hesitated.

Then—

A wave of tremendous energy burst through the underground chamber.

They recognized it immediately—

a sealing aura.

“No…! Everyone, get out!!”

But before they could react,

a huge sphere of energy engulfed them,

binding their powers completely.

It was a power they knew well—

the nightmare of their race.

“You fools. Did you think you wouldn’t fall for it twice?”

That voice—cold and hateful.

Marian trembled, clenching her fist.

“The Sealer!! Why are you here?! How—?!”

“You think I wouldn’t notice, after you spread word of yourselves? You should have rotted quietly underground, parasites.”

“This isn’t even your country. If you cause trouble here, you won’t get away with it.”

“Ha. You think that brat of a duke scares me?”

“……”

“Listen well, vermin. I’m no ordinary sealer. I was born different— to me, Expert knights, Sword Masters, Archmages— all look the same. Powerless insects.”

“……”

“And those slavers were useless. Pathetic, getting subdued so easily. So be it. I’ll just kill you all here—and wipe out your city after.”

“Aren’t sealers supposed to rely on magic tools? You’re not that strong yourself.”

The old man shrugged.

“I didn’t use force because I didn’t need to. Not because I couldn’t.”

He snapped his fingers—

and one of the elders convulsed, gasping.

“Kuh… aghh…!”

“Elder!!”

The others rushed to her side.

“Haah… haa… ugh…”

“Good. Stay down if you understand.”

He was a monster,

one the world didn’t even know existed.

“What did we ever do to you?!”

Marian cried.

“What? You ask that?”

“Because of your kind, my daughter hanged herself! One of you whores bewitched her lover!”

The succubi froze.

“I found your kind again by chance. I saw your lair as a boy, you know. And now, you crawl out again, daring to live among us?! The only fate you deserve is pain and blood.”

“You’re mistaken—we never did that.”

“Ha. Words are cheap.”

Marian’s heart twisted with guilt.

She should have asked Leon for help.

But she remembered his bright face as he left to be wed—

how could she have burdened him again?

They owed him everything already.

If only she’d stopped Uldana from leaving, none of this would’ve happened.

Then—

Whoooosh!

A blast of wind filled the air.

From the shadows of the succubi,

black mist poured out—

solidifying into knights of darkness.

Clang.

They surrounded the old man,

blades of shadow aimed at his heart.

Everyone instantly knew—

those undead belonged to Leon Cascadia.

“Heh. So, that’s your trick. Impressive… but useless.”

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