Is It Strange For A Succubus To Be Wearing Clothes?

Chapter 23

—–CROW—– 

At Jae-hee’s words, Dan Ah-yeon broke out in a cold sweat internally.

No, she wasn’t just sweating on the inside.

In reality, though her face remained calm, her legs trembled under the table like a quaking aspen, and her hands clutched her pants, twitching nervously.

Why?

Because it was Officer Dan Ah-yeon who had suggested actress, entertainer, idol, singer, TV personality, and other such careers for Jae-hee.

‘W-well… with Jae-hee-nim’s looks, even top idols and actresses would pale in comparison… so wouldn’t this field suit her…?’

She thought it would suit Jae-hee.

And if it went well, it would be a pleasant sight.

What if Jae-hee, who usually dressed modestly and didn’t wear makeup, dressed up, wore makeup, and styled herself like a celebrity? Wouldn’t that be a wonderful sight?

If she did a photoshoot, the photos would sell like hotcakes.  It would be good for Jae-hee, and good for Officer Dan, who suggested it.

But how did she know it was my suggestion?!

“Officer Dan, I know I’m beautiful, but I don’t want to live uncomfortably under the spotlight.”

“…But you’ll have to shed the ‘Specially Managed Returnee’ label eventually.”

“Can’t I just live under your care forever, Officer Dan?”

“No!”

Although Dan Ah-yeon was a special officer assigned to manage Jae-hee, she wanted Jae-hee to become fully independent.  What was a [Specially Managed Returnee], anyway?

It was a title given to individuals whose power was equivalent to an S-rank Hunter or those who could significantly influence society on their own.  They were considered troublesome by the government, a threat to the established order, objects of admiration for civilians, and top recruitment targets for Hunters and Awakened.

‘But if they can integrate into society without any problems, they wouldn’t be labeled as [Specially Managed Returnees]…’

Those deemed dangerous to coexist with ordinary people due to their personality, mental contamination, erosion, values, or racial or physical reasons became Specially Managed Returnees.

‘In Jae-hee-nim’s case… it’s not her personality or values that are the problem.  She’s quite human and seems like a good person to befriend.  The real problem is that she’s the Succubus Empress… and her past conflicts with the government probably played a role…’

First of all, Jae-hee was the Succubus Empress.

That alone was a problem.  The highest-ranking being among the demonkind, who couldn’t survive without consuming human life force and essence.  The amount of life force and essence Jae-hee consumed and expended was incomparable to that of ordinary succubi.

While many succubi and incubi were integrated into modern society, their demonic impulses and desires were difficult for humans to control.  That’s why many succubi became criminals and villains, and cases of them draining people to the point of death weren’t uncommon.  The most prominent examples were Citra, the Succubus Queen, and a certain incubus villain known as the Child of Gold and Sun.

‘At least Citra isn’t actively engaging in terrorism.’

Citra, a first-generation Hunter, had clashed with the government and chosen to hide in the shadows.  However, it wasn’t entirely Citra’s fault, as the government at the time demanded sacrifices from all first-generation Hunters and Awakened.

But the Child of Gold and Sun became an incubus as a teenager, at the peak of his puberty and sexual desires.  He caused all sorts of trouble without any intention of controlling his sexual urges and desires, claiming countless women as his own.  He was now a villain actively engaging in terrorism, kidnapping, and robbery.

‘He even declared, “I’ll make this world mine,” right?  That crazy bastard… Compared to him, our Jae-hee-nim is a true lady.’

There was also a high-ranking succubus who used her abilities to control politicians and businessmen like puppets, mercilessly draining their essence to the point of mummification.  Compared to her, a succubus who seduced and lived off a rich man was considered extremely well-behaved and human-friendly.

With such cases piling up, the government wanted to establish various safety measures for heteromorphic Returnees and Awakened, including succubi, and especially for Jae-hee, the Succubus Empress.  The Hunter Association and the government believed there was a non-zero chance of Lee Jae-hee, the Succubus Empress, becoming a villain, criminal, or terrorist.  The consensus within the Returnee Management Agency was that if she truly became hostile towards the government, the Hunter Association, and humanity, they wouldn’t be able to handle her.

‘And the people who believe that keep spouting nonsense about creating leashes and control devices for Jae-hee-nim… sigh.’

Jae-hee herself didn’t care, but for ordinary people, including Officer Dan, being a [Specially Managed Returnee] was a kind of disgrace.  A social stigma, a label given by the government that screamed, “This person is dangerous.”

And Officer Dan Ah-yeon’s primary mission was to integrate Lee Jae-hee, the [Specially Managed Returnee] and Succubus Empress she was in charge of, into human society safely, gently, and completely.

‘The agency said that if she found something to focus on, she would develop an attachment to human society, making her easier to control…’

With that in mind, Dan Ah-yeon had planned to introduce Jae-hee to careers familiar to us, careers that thrived on “beauty,” such as idol, singer, entertainer, and actress.  Even without that, Dan Ah-yeon knew that Jae-hee had a subtle narcissistic tendency, often thinking, ‘The perfectly beautiful me.  So cool.’

With a face like that, and constantly exuding an unconscious charm, how could she not know she was beautiful?

“…S-still, wouldn’t it be good to at least try?  Being on TV might actually suit your personality…”

“That won’t do.”

“Why?  I know your personality and tendencies, Jae-hee-nim, but you do like being the center of attention, don’t you?”

“…….”

That was true.  While Jae-hee was introverted, she also enjoyed being admired, cheered for, and awed.  It wasn’t for nothing that the Succubus Empress could convert not only physical contact but also the cheers, joy, gratitude, and awe of others into essence and life force.  Jae-hee thrived on the attention of others, using it as sustenance.

This was a major reason why she remained a virgin and showed no interest in sexual activity, despite being the Succubus Empress.

“M-me? An attention seeker? What are you talking about…?”

“Do you know how much you fidget your lips every time you see the news about the violin music that echoed through Seoul at dawn?”

“….”

The TV and various news outlets were reporting on the violin music that had spread throughout Seoul on the night the fog rolled in.  It was, of course, the melody Jae-hee had played.  The melody had calmed the citizens, so much so that it reportedly led to a surge in family harmony and the formation of many new couples.

Of course, the news only reported that it was a melody played by an unidentified Awakened with mental abilities.  But Officer Dan knew instantly, ‘Ah, it’s Jae-hee-nim.’  Dan Ah-yeon knew almost every Awakened and Hunter residing in Seoul, and the only one capable of driving away the grotesque beings that came with the fog and calming the citizens with just the sound of a violin was the Succubus Empress.

“Jae-hee-nim, I know!  You’re a huge attention seeker!”

“…Well, that’s…”

While she naturally enjoyed praise for her beauty, being called an attention seeker sounded so cheap…

“What’s wrong with wanting attention?  It’s not strange to want people to cheer for you, even if you find going out and receiving excessive attention bothersome! Of course, it might seem contradictory, but it’s not strange for someone like Jae-hee-nim!”

“….”

“And it’s not strange for a succubus to be an actress or entertainer.  Just between us, Jae-hee-nim, there are actually quite a few registered succubi and incubi in those professions.  It wouldn’t be weird for you to do it too!”

Unable to refute the attention-seeking part, Jae-hee remained silent.

So, she thought to herself.

What if I became a singer, idol, actress, or entertainer?

‘I would definitely succeed…’

But would she be able to freely wander outside?  Even now, whenever she made eye contact with someone, she was often asked for her number, asked out on dates, or propositioned with offers of money for motels.

Jae-hee enjoyed this to some extent.

But what if it got worse?

That seemed a bit much…

After organizing her thoughts, Jae-hee looked at the spilled coffee and gestured.  Drawn by her life force, the coffee began to float in the air.

“I understand your intentions, Officer Dan.  But the reason I rejected careers that involve appearing on TV… is not only because it doesn’t suit my personality, but also because it’s frankly, too much of an unfair advantage.”

“Unfair advantage?”

Jae-hee rested her chin on her hand and looked at Dan Ah-yeon with her charming succubus eyes.

“It’s true that I have a pretty face.  More than pretty, it’s beautiful.  If I appeared on TV, I’m confident I would instantly become a star with the world’s largest fandom.  I can sing well, play instruments well, and do anything that looks good.”

“…That’s true, but why does it sound so annoying?  I feel like hitting you.”

“See?  Being beautiful itself is a sin.”

It was strangely irritating, even though she was just stating objective facts.  Of course, for Jae-hee, even that irritating demeanor was a kind of charm.

“But Officer Dan, I didn’t work for this, did I?”

“Huh?  Why would appearance be about hard work…”

“I’m beautiful and charming simply because I’m the Succubus Empress.  But what kind of effort did those idols, singers, and actors on TV put in?”

Jae-hee feigned a sorrowful expression, pitying them.

“Even though their appearances are far inferior to mine, they’re still above average and beautiful.”

“That’s… true.”

“They spent sleepless nights taking care of their skin, couldn’t eat their favorite foods, exercised, did yoga, wore makeup… and if they were singers, they practiced singing until their throats bled.  Countless trainees, even with sprained ankles and injured backs, worked tirelessly, hoping for success, hoping to be caught on camera even just once.”

Jae-hee gestured towards the floating coffee again.  And her life force, blazing like fire, evaporated the coffee completely.

“But if I appeared, their efforts would be thrown to the ground and disappear without a trace, just like this coffee.”

“…I understand what you mean.”

“Of course, I’m not that kind of person, but is there really a need for me to do something that isn’t essential for me?”

Of course, even after saying this, Jae-hee could change her mind if necessary, or on a whim, suddenly declaring tomorrow, “Ah, I suddenly want to be an idol.”

Beauties were fickle.

“But at least for now, I have no desire to do such a thing.”

In conclusion, while Jae-hee was an attention seeker, she didn’t want to become a *huge* attention seeker.  Just by maintaining her image as a mysterious Succubus Empress who secretly protected the citizens of Seoul, driving away grotesque beings and playing the violin at dawn, she could consume the awe and praise she received as essence and thrive.

“I… see.  Alright.  If you refuse, Jae-hee-nim, there’s nothing I can do.”

“Huhuhu, thank you for understanding.”

ㅡ■■■■■■!

“…But what’s with that violin? Why is it acting like that?”

“I don’t know.”

Jae-hee kicked the noisy violin.

Of course, besides what she told Dan Ah-yeon, Jae-hee had another reason to avoid appearing on TV.

‘I can’t be indulging in pleasure every moment of my life…’

—–CROW—–