Is It Strange For A Succubus To Be Wearing Clothes?

Chapter 22

—–CROW—– 

On the day the fog rolls in, everyone ends their day early. To avoid the march of the grotesque beings that emerge at night. To avoid even laying eyes on those horrifying monstrosities.  No matter how strong the barrier techniques were, ordinary people wanted nothing to do with them.  If they were unlucky enough to make eye contact, a skeletal, branch-like cat grotesque might bang its head against their window until dawn, ruining their sleep for the night.

Even F- to C-rank Hunters, with their mediocre skills, couldn’t overcome the visceral disgust.  No matter how weak the grotesque beings that came with the fog were, the mental contamination from their hideous appearances remained.

But today was different.

“I’m off to school!”

“Honey, have a good day~”

“Uh, uh-huh. Yeah.”

“Let me know when you’re leaving work.  I’ll get ready to wash up.”

“Huh? Honey, what are you talking about? Wash up? Why? Honey?”

The city was brimming with life.  More so than usual.  People returned to their daily routines with cheerful and energetic faces.

“…Strange.”

“Yoo-jin-goon?  What is?”

“You know, right? After the fog rolls in, all of Seoul is usually filled with a gloomy atmosphere. But today…”

A young man observed the unusually lively atmosphere of the city.  The young man was Lee Yoo-jin, an S-rank Hunter and Returnee from Hoyeon, the nation’s largest guild.  Despite his young age, his skills were among the top tier of Returnees, leading him to sign a long-term contract with Hoyeon. In his previous world, he had gained fame as a Hero.

Whether he was a true Hero or not didn’t really matter.  Yoo-jin had proven his strength, enough to secure a long-term contract with Hoyeon Guild.  And since then, he had achieved numerous accomplishments, including hunting high-risk entities and sealing Gates.

“You’re right. Considering how school and work absenteeism skyrockets during the Night Sea and fog… there are more people on the streets than usual.  But is there a reason why Yoo-jin-goon is specifically observing this?”

Beside Yoo-jin stood his secretary, assigned by Hoyeon to assist him, maintaining a respectful demeanor.

“When the city becomes gloomy, people become gloomy. And naturally, the things that feed on human fear and negative energy increase in number.”

“Aha.”

Yoo-jin always started his day by going up to the rooftop of Hoyeon Guild and observing the city’s landscape.  His secretary had thought it was just for a change of mood and some fresh air, but it seemed to be a sort of Hero’s weather forecast.

‘Well, with the city’s atmosphere like this, I suppose there won’t be any overflowing dungeons or swarms of grotesque beings.’

Yoo-jin looked at the cityscape with a bored expression.  Peace wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t good for a Hero like him.  Since returning to Earth, he had been routinely clearing dungeons and hunting monsters and dangerous entities without a clear goal.  The repetitive daily routine, like a hamster wheel, had become tedious.

For a spirited young man with the power to be called a Hero, it was only natural for him to feel a sense of ennui.

“Ah, by the way, did you hear the violin music last night?”

“What are you talking about?”

Yoo-jin raised an eyebrow at his secretary’s sudden mention of a violin.

“Ah, it seems Yoo-jin-goon didn’t hear it.  Actually, violin music spread throughout Seoul last night.”

“Throughout Seoul?”

“Yes, without any speakers.  Violin music that precisely touched people’s minds.”

“Was it a mental contamination terrorist attack?”

While rare in Korea, in overseas conflict zones, some Awakened criminals, villains, and terrorists used mental manipulation in their attacks.  Brainwashing and hypnosis were common, and some even transformed people’s minds into those of beasts or grotesque beings, turning living people into zombies or ghouls.

That’s why the government was most concerned about large-scale mental contamination terrorist attacks targeting civilians.

“I don’t think so.  Yoo-jin-goon probably didn’t notice since you have a high mental barrier and live far from the city center, but you can see how lively people are today, compared to how they were trembling in fear of the fog and grotesque beings yesterday, right?”

“…Hmm.”

“People on the internet are saying some high-ranking Awakened did some kind of volunteer work or concert.”

So, someone played a comforting melody to protect civilians from fear?  It wasn’t impossible for an Awakened with sound or mind-related abilities.

‘Considering the violin music spread throughout Seoul, it must be someone with extraordinary abilities…’

Even for high-ranking Awakened, the range and area of effect for buffers and debuffers were usually limited.  An S-rank buffer might be able to buff their entire guild, but to soothe and stabilize the minds of all civilians across Seoul?  To precisely provide comfort and reassurance to ordinary people, whose minds were far weaker than Awakened, without causing confusion or hysteria?

‘It’s an extremely inefficient use of abilities, but the caster could do it so effortlessly…’

They had calmed and pacified the citizens of Seoul.  They had given them pleasant dreams and protected them from the long night’s darkness.

Looking at this alone, one might assume that someone talented had done a good deed.

But Yoo-jin also sensed the gravity of the situation.  The ability to soothe and stabilize tens, if not hundreds, of thousands of minds meant the same ability could be used to simultaneously shatter those minds.

What if the caster had malicious intent?

They could bypass the barrier techniques and mental protection systems, turning all of Seoul into a living hell.

“Secretary Kim, about that violin player…”

Yoo-jin wasn’t the only one.

“About the violin music we heard at dawn…”

“Yes, yes, that. I heard it too.”

“Contact the National Mental Protection Agency.  This is quite serious.”

“Saintess-nim, about what happened at dawn…”

“Ah! It must have been the prayer of a noble Saintess!”

Some people…

Some large guilds…

Those who noticed the wide-area mental stabilization effect became deeply curious about the identity of the violin player.

Lee Jae-hee, the Succubus Empress, had unknowingly become quite popular.

★

★

★

“Hmph.”

“…J-Jae-hee-nim, what’s wrong with you today?”

Of course, the human Lee Jae-hee wasn’t interested in such things.  She had simply been annoyed that the grotesque beings were ugly and disturbing people’s pleasant dreams, so, as the Succubus Empress who governed human dreams, she had acted impulsively and played a tune.  And with 187 children constantly chanting inside her, “Play! Play! More music!”, “Emperor Penguin!”, “Chicken!”, “Outside!”, she had simply played the violin to appease them.

Even if she had known that the large guilds were showing great interest in the violin music, Jae-hee wouldn’t have cared, thinking, ‘What do I care if some large guild or Hero is interested in me?’

“Jae-hee-nim, please tell me if I did something wrong…”

“Hmph, I don’t know.”

The human Lee Jae-hee was simply sulking because of what she had seen in Officer Dan’s dream.

Wah.

I’m sulking.

Why am I sulking?

I don’t know.

To be precise, she was sulking because of Officer Dan’s words in the dream, “Jae-hee-ssi, you can do well on your own even without me, right?”  But how could Jae-hee honestly admit that?

She just sulked all day, planning to tease Officer Dan.

“…But we have work to do today.”

“Yes, yes, Officer Dan, whose work is more important than me.  What’s on the agenda today?”

“No, that’s not it… You’re more important than work, Jae-hee-ssi.  So please, don’t be angry anymore.”

“Hmph.”

“No…”

Actually, Jae-hee’s sulking had long subsided as she watched Dan Ah-yeon’s pouting face.

As expected, she was the best person to tease.

“Um… I’m sorry.  But we really need to have this meeting today… Actually, the higher-ups are concerned about your essence intake, Jae-hee-ssi.”

“Essence intake?”

What was that about?  Since when did the higher-ups care about my well-being?

“According to reports, an ordinary succubus needs to… have intercourse… once every three days to replenish their essence.”

“Hmm, that’s true.”

The amount of essence and life force a succubus could obtain through intercourse varied, but on average, they needed to engage in sexual activity every three to five days to sustain themselves.

“But Jae-hee-ssi, you… h-haven’t… done that… have you?”

“…Hmm, what do you think?”

“Huh!? Y-you have!?  Have you really!?  Secretly… behind my back… have you done such a… reckless thing!?”

“I’m disappointed, Officer Dan.”

“Huh?”

“Did you really think I would… engage in such reckless and lewd acts, unbuttoning myself… with someone… without telling you, Officer Dan?  Mixing my essence with just anyone?”

“…Hic!”

Seeing Officer Dan’s beet-red face, Jae-hee finally smiled.

Ah, this is it.

Today’s dose of Officer Dan, acquired.

“I’m kidding, of course.”

“J-Jae-hee-nim! I’m serious!”

“Yes, I’m a virgin.  A virgin, even though I’m the Succubus Empress~  Should I bring a unicorn?  We can check if it vomits blood or becomes entranced~”

“…No, I believe you.”

I liked lewd things.

But I disliked them.

What did that mean?

I liked watching lewd things, but I disliked doing them myself.  I enjoyed appreciating the beauty of the female body, the beautifully sculpted figure and breasts.

Because I loved all things beautiful in the world.

Naturally, I liked beautiful women, beautiful bodies, beautiful faces, and beautiful breasts.

But I disliked doing it myself.

What kind of contradiction was this?

It just was.

“Well, Jae-hee-nim, you’re not just an ordinary succubus, but the Succubus Empress, right?  So the higher-ups are curious about how you replenish your essence.”

“Aha.”

Well, my existence itself was probably a mystery to the higher-ups.  Since the Great Rift and the world’s transformation were relatively recent events, everything was a mystery.  But they would want to know anything they could about me, especially since I was under government observation.

“That’s a rather sharp observation for the higher-ups.”

It was only natural for the Succubus Empress to consume far more essence than ordinary succubi.  Just by living and breathing, Jae-hee consumed enough essence to starve an ordinary succubus, and her ability to manipulate power, life force, and essence was so potent that its essence consumption was absurd.

Yet, Jae-hee could live normally because she had a massive reserve.

And… Officer Dan’s dreams, which she occasionally savored like a delicacy.

Of course, Jae-hee didn’t *only* consume Officer Dan’s dreams.

“I suppose telling them I devoured a Behemoth isn’t enough of an explanation?”

“You know, Jae-hee-nim, that kind of explanation won’t satisfy the VIPs, assemblymen, ministers, or vice-ministers.”

The higher-ups didn’t even properly understand the basic ecology of monsters or the abilities of Awakened.

It was more likely they wouldn’t understand even if she explained it.

“Not just the agency, but the Hunter Association is also concerned about the Succubus Empress’s ‘hunger.’”

“Shouldn’t it be extreme hostility or wariness, rather than concern?”

“….”

“Huhu, don’t make that face.  I’m not blaming you, Officer Dan.”

Jae-hee sipped her coffee, lost in thought.  Actually, Jae-hee obtained essence through various means.

Forced draining from monsters, grotesque beings, and giant beasts.

Pleasant human dreams.

Affection, fondness, awe, gratitude, joy… even intense emotions like hatred and jealousy could become essence and life force for Jae-hee.

‘Of course, I refrain from the latter because it doesn’t look good.’

If the Succubus Empress were to drain a large amount of essence from numerous civilians, it would be enough to terrify the higher-ups, Hunters, and the government.

Meanwhile, Officer Dan, after skimming through the documents from the government and various agencies, spoke,

“So, the agency wants to prevent the Succubus Empress’s hunger and, in accordance with the Returnee Welfare Act, provide you with certain support, Jae-hee-ssi.  In exchange for a small favor…”

“Support? And what kind of favor?”

“The favor would be… hunting high-risk entities, responding to emergency calls, sealing Gates, and such, as requested by the government.”

“That’s not a problem.”

She was already doing those things.  Of course, it was rare for them to be in such dire straits that they needed to directly request assistance from the Succubus Empress.

“Then what kind of support are we talking about?”

“…Male… that.”

“That?”

“Se…men.  One liter per week…”

-Crack!

The coffee cup in Jae-hee’s hand shattered into pieces.  Jae-hee hadn’t crushed it with her hand.  The life force swirling around her had momentarily lost control, exerting physical force like telekinesis.

“….”

“I apologize, Officer Dan. Let’s pretend I didn’t hear that.”

“…Y-yes…”

Officer Dan was puzzled.  Succubi were supposed to be crazy about male semen, savoring it like a delicacy, but Jae-hee seemed to not only dislike it but outright abhor it.

“B-but… the agency and the higher-ups want to confirm that you’re receiving a stable supply of essence and that there’s no risk of ‘hunger.’”

“Confirm? Do I need to prove anything to those people?”

A dark miasma rose around Jae-hee.  It was as if life force and essence were transforming into the aura of death.  A clear sign of anger and displeasure.

Of course, Jae-hee was exercising immense restraint to avoid taking her anger out on the innocent Officer Dan.

But she was still displeased.

Who were the ones who pointed guns at me the moment I arrived in this world?

Who were the ones who bound and restrained me, a non-resisting being, and pickled me in formalin?

The only reason I haven’t killed you all yet is because I want to be human, forcing myself to endure and live peacefully.

“S-so, there’s another option…”

“…Tell me.”

“Actually, yesterday, the higher-ups proposed an… experimental idea for you, Jae-hee-nim.”

“Experimental?”

“Ah, not a real experiment…  Since you said you can obtain essence through the love and affection… of many humans…”

“And?”

“They want you to become an idol…”

“Are they insane?”

Are they seriously crazy?

For the record, Jae-hee was an extreme introvert.

Going outside?

She didn’t hate it.

Going out to eat delicious food and see beautiful scenery?

She liked it.

But she liked staying home more.

She felt a strange sense of joy when plans were canceled.

Talking to people wasn’t difficult.

But being in crowded places drained her energy.

Even when she went out, she preferred being alone.

She wasn’t a 100% pure introvert, but she preferred being alone at home.

Of course, she had changed a bit after becoming the Succubus Empress…

But still… it wasn’t easy.

Asking her to become an idol?

Asking her to become an idol, even after all the changes she had gone through?

“…I-is there anything else…”

“They wouldn’t ask you to become an actress or entertainer, would they?”

“…….”

“Whose brilliant idea was that?”

Officer Dan clamped her mouth shut at Jae-hee’s contemptuous gaze and tone.  It was the first time she had seen such intense contempt, far exceeding anything she had ever witnessed.

“It wasn’t you, was it, Officer Dan?”

“…….”

“Officer Dan?”

—–CROW—–