CHAPTER 21: THE SUCCUBUS PRINCESS’S TERRIFYING POWER...

«A-And that thing... what the fuck is it?!» one of the men screams, his voice cracking with terror. Their eyes are glued to Eliss — but this time, for a reason completely different from the lust that consumed them just moments ago.

They stand frozen, trapped in a primal, incomprehensible fear that no one can look away from — something far beyond the limits of the human mind. And Aoshi is no exception.

It’s not the first time he’s seen Eliss’s demonic form — she’d shown it to him on their very first day living together, just to prove that her talk about charm magic wasn’t an excuse. Yet this time... it feels utterly different.

The sadistic, almost wicked grin carved across her face, those narrowed eyes whose violet irises shimmer with a sinister light — she’s nothing like the Eliss he’s come to know until now.

«T-This... this is a joke, right? Hey, brat, you do know Halloween’s still a long way off, don’t you?!» one of them growls — the pitiful growl of a frightened dog baring its teeth at a wolf.

«Nah, it’s gotta be some cosplay from a cheap hentai or something. I mean, dressed like that, she really does look like a demon whore,» sneers another. But mocking Eliss is nothing more than a fragile way to cling to courage — to convince themselves this is nothing more than an elaborate act.

Aoshi, however, knows the truth. There’s nothing fake about this. Eliss is a real demon, flesh and blood — and that’s exactly why, even though he should feel safe now, he’s more terrified than any of them.

«Who am I?» Eliss hisses, her voice cold and razor-sharp. «You stand before Eliss Narkhalis, princess of Ravessia and the most enchanting woman you’ll ever see in your miserable lives... and the last one. Now — kneel before me, you filthy insects!»

At her command, the five men drop to their knees against their will, as if their legs had simply given out all at once.

«Are you fucking serious right now?! What the hell is happening?! Why can’t I move a single muscle?!» one of them screams, his voice breaking with panic.

From the strain twisting his face — the clenched teeth, the veins standing out on his temples — it’s clear he’s fighting with everything he has just to move, yet every attempt proves utterly useless.

«Don’t bother trying,» Eliss sneers, pacing slowly back and forth before them like a general inspecting her troops. «Your bodies now answer to my will. You see, my succubus magic lets me seize control of both body and mind from anyone who finds me sexually attractive. And since I happen to be the most beautiful of all... well, it’s a rather convenient gift, don’t you think?»

«So what — you kept us conscious on purpose, just so you could torture us for fun?! You sadistic bitch!» one of them spits, trembling with rage and disbelief.

«Hey, that’s a pretty big accusation, considering you were the ones about to do the worst things imaginable to me and my sweet Aoshi,» Eliss mutters with a hint of mockery.

«Who gives a shit about that wimp?! Even if I were gay and he was the last man on earth, I wouldn’t touch a loser like him!» another man snaps.

Eliss shoots him a glare — pure venom burning in her eyes.

«Since you dared to insult my Aoshi... you’ll be the first to die.»

She extends her arm toward him, index and middle fingers straight, thumb raised like a gun. The tip of her nail glows with a pulsing violet light.

«N-No, please! I was just joking! Don’t hurt me, I’m begging you!» the man cries, his voice cracking into sobs. «I’ve got a wife and two little kids waiting for me at home! Think about them — do you really want to make a woman a widow and two children orphans?!»

«Why should I care, when you, instead of being with your family, spend the night hunting for girls to rape?» Eliss hisses coldly.

«You’re right — you’re absolutely right! I was wrong, I was an idiot!» he pleads, tears streaming down his face while the other four remain frozen in terrified silence, desperate not to make things worse. «I promise... I swear I’ll never do it again! I swear on my children’s lives! But please, I’m begging you — don’t kill me... please, don’t kill me...»

«If you think those pathetic pleas are enough to save you, you’re terribly mistaken,» Eliss murmurs, her voice cold as ice. The glow radiating from her index nail flares even brighter — she’s ready to fire. «One, two—»

«Eliss, please, don’t!» Aoshi shouts, putting every ounce of strength into his voice.

At those words, she freezes instantly — just as the fatal shot was about to be unleashed. She turns slightly, her eyes shifting toward him, a puzzled and questioning look on her face. A look that says everything without a single word spoken.

«Those men are despicable,» Aoshi begins, his voice trembling between fear and conviction as he slowly rises to his feet. Step by cautious step, he approaches her. «I don’t even want to imagine the cruelty they’ve inflicted on the girls they’ve preyed on in the past — or what they would’ve done to us tonight if you hadn’t been a demon! Maybe death is what animals like them deserve... but if you kill them, you’ll become an animal just like them, won’t you? You said you can influence their minds, so erasing their memories shouldn’t be a problem for you. That way your true identity would stay secret, too, right?»

«I could do that.» Eliss answers, her tone firm and unwavering. «But then the terror they felt tonight would vanish with their memories — and tomorrow, they’d be back out there, lurking in the dark, hunting for another easy victim to take advantage of. Killing them doesn’t make me a monster, Aoshi. As you said yourself, it means giving them the punishment they deserve. They would’ve shown us no mercy, so why should we show them any?»

«It seems humans and demons have completely opposite views when it comes to capital punishment,» Aoshi replies, taking another step closer. «We humans believe that no one is purely evil — that even the worst people can be redeemed through long rehabilitation. We already know their faces, and with your powers, it’ll be easy to make them reveal their names. First thing tomorrow, we’ll go to the police and report them — I promise. So, Eliss, if you really love me like you say you do... please, spare them.»

Eliss’s expression falters for a moment. Then she lets out a soft, awkward grumble.

«Using my feelings for you to manipulate me... you’re even more devious than an incubus...»

Despite her tone, she finally gives in. Slowly, she lowers her arm, and the violet light shining from her fingertip fades away, the color returning to the deep red of her nail polish.

«Thank you, Eliss. You’re incredible,» Aoshi says gently, relief in his voice. He steps behind her and wraps his arms around her waist, pulling her close in a tender embrace.

Eliss stiffens, her face flaring red from the sudden display of affection. Then a bright, happy smile spreads from ear to ear as she basks in the warmth of his arms, savoring every heartbeat of that moment.

But that happiness lasts only a second.

In an instant, terror flashes across her face. The five men — who only moments ago lay immobilized on the ground — suddenly regain control of their bodies, as if Eliss’s charm had completely lost its effect.

And before she can react, one of them — the very man whose life she had just spared — moves with sharp precision. His hand dives into the inside pocket of his jacket, pulling out a gun. In one swift motion, he aims it directly at her chest.

«See you in hell, freak of nature,» he growls.

And then... BANG!