The Hero Became a Succubus, and the Only Way to Level is to… What?!

Being crowned a Trapper has its perks. Not quite Rogue and not quite Hunter, but the class captured the best of what both could do and possessed some unique skills not available to either. Revah glanced into the classroom where Mikki was intently paying attention to the lesson, Pan had fallen asleep behind an open book, and Teana's brows were knitted tightly over struggling to understand. Sitting beside them, arms folded and silently staring forward, was a picture-perfect copy of Revah created from Illusory Bait.

The skill created an illusion of the caster to lure prey while the Trapper themself laid in wait. It copied one's scent and was real to the touch. The only thing it couldn't do was make a sound. However, no one should recognize the difference since Revah was quieter than a cat on the prowl.

Now, free to do as she pleased, Revah stealthily skulked through Aidenhall with Shrouded Hunt as was her favorite pasttime. Shrouded Hunt cloaked Revah in magical invisibility for a duration. She had come to know every nook and cranny like the back of her hand. Who knows? One day, practical knowledge like this would become more useful than lawful usage of magic in a civilian setting.

Any other day and Revah would be sneaking into Nelly's or another boy's room for a quickie. Today was different. Call it a Trapper's intuition, but the air around Aidenhall tasted more tense than usual. She had grown suspicious ever since junior knights were asked to stay within the confines of the palace and academy. The real kicker came when they imposed a curfew a week ago.

At the moment, the corridors of Aidenhall were somewhat empty. Most students were in class since school was in session. Knights patrolled the halls in greater numbers. A group straightened their backs and stepped aside as two powerful presences approached.

The Saint Priests, Camilla Rudoux and Vestrid, two of the eight strongest knights of Aidenhall, moved briskly down the corridor. Revah quickly flew aside to avoid them walking into her, then followed after the pair.

"Ahhh~ It's meeting after meeting after meeting… Do you think the Grand Eye would be okay with me calling in sick?" Camilla asked.

"No… Camilla, you skipped out on the last meeting. Bear with it. This one is the most urgent. Grand Eye Analise wants to talk to us about the war in the Commonwealth. Finally, too. I've been restless since Silver and Lani went." Vestrid sighed and clenched her clawed fists.

Revah winced at the mention of war. The same war that Mom decided they shouldn't be a part of. It wouldn't surprise her if she enrolled them to Knights' Academy just to keep them out of the fighting. How silly. They should be with her. Right now, out there in the battlefield. If not Mikki, Teana, and Pan, then at least her, who had a greater sense of battle than any of them.

"By the Supreme One's hairy arse, I hope the meeting isn't to throw us into the fighting… The last thing I want to do is tango with Gold! She's crazy! Even as a Fencer, my specialty of dueling in single combat, wouldn't be enough to match her sheer strength. That Shifting Steel paired with being crowned a Paladin is so unfair!" Camilla lamented aloud.

"You and me both, Camilla. As much as I hate to admit it, facing Gold will demand the strength of at least three of us. I've grown fond of Amethyst. For Silver, I worry about. She may push herself too hard when it comes to Avaline. I hope she and the others pull through." Vestrid frowned.

They reached the entrance to Basilica of Saint Rue. Sensing a strange kind of barrier at the door that wasn't there before, Revah didn't follow them in. She cursed under her breath. The meeting must be important to warrant something like a barrier.

Revah refused to be beaten yet. She flew out a corridor window and searched for a way in. There were many, but the barrier blocked every single opening. Even through the rafters. 

"You're joking…" Revah pressed a finger against a balcony door. The barrier zapped her with holy energy, and she quickly pulled her hand away.

Fortunately, a certain someone had access to most places in Aidenhall. Revah flew down to the stables where Runald was tending to the many languisteed. He and a couple of stablehands had them trotting about to get their daily exercise.

"Runald." Revah tapped his shoulders.

"Supreme One's ass!" Runald jumped three feet into the air and spun around to find no one.

"Oh, sorry." She ended the affects of Shrouded Hunt, revealing herself to the high elf.

"Revah? Gods above… Shouldn't you be in class?" he asked with a hand pressed to his chest.

Runald Aespir, probably one of the few decent high elves Revah had ever met. This guy partnered with Mom when they first enrolled to the academy. He also happened to be head over heels for Mom but wouldn't ever admit it in a million years.

In physical training classes, he was always pushing himself to be better. In academic lessons, he was about as studious as Mikki. Though no one would have believed Runald to be at the top of the class dressed in a simple leather tunic and sunhat, holding the reins to a languisteed.

"I need to get into the Basilica of Saint Rue. You can get me in," Revah said.

"Uh no, I won't. You need to get back to class, and I have four languisteeds whose hooves need trimming. Now if you don't mind—"

Revah grabbed Runald by the shoulders and tried to place a charm on him. It didn't work, and he just looked at her with disappointment.

"Seriously? I'm a higher level than you. There's no way you're putting a charm on me." Runald rolled his eyes.

"Tch. If you help me, I'll tell Mom that you've been really good to us in school," Revah said.

The high elf froze in place, trapped and baited.

"W-Why would I care about that?" Runald awkwardly cleared his throat.

"Oh, nothing. Just that Mom might really like how nice you are to us. Like a guardian and mentor whenever we need help in classes," Revah added with a slight smirk behind her face cowl.

"Kanae said you were the most dangerous one to watch out for… Fine. But instead of guardian and mentor, fatherly. Like I've been a great parental… adult figure to you girls!" he insisted.

"We're not that far apart in age…"

"That's not important! Just describe me that!"

It was Revah's turn to roll her eyes, and she did. Obviously so. She ultimately accepted and shook hands on it.

Hard to believe Mom had taken a liking to Runald, who was doing his best not to let the excitement show on his face. Nelly was a better mate. Manly, too, yet not without a vulnerable side to him.

"This is an enchanted ring." Runald pulled a silver band off his index finger. "If you need help getting into the Basilica, it's because the Grand Eye's holding an important meeting. Whenever that happens, she activates sigils around the cathedral that creates localized barriers on opening. The ring was given to people like me and the clergy to enter and keep working. It creates a small field of magic around you, letting you and whoever by your side to pass the barriers."

"Thanks." Revah was about to take off until he snatched her hand.

"I can't emphasize this enough. Don't lose it and don't get caught!"

"Okay, sheesh. You're starting to sound like Mom," she groaned.

When Runald finally let go, Revah turned to fly but instead came face to face with Daya, the daughter of the Queen-Mother and Mikki's girlfriend. Her canine ears were pulled back, and her big eyes stared down like the burning sun.

"The others might not have noticed, but your silly illusion didn't fool me. What are you up to now, Revah?" Daya asked, landing in front of her.

"Uhh. Nelly taught me never to get between two quarreling succubus, so this is where I take my leave. Come on, Sparky. Let's get your hooves sorted out." Runald led the languisteed into the stable in case things turned ugly.

"It's nothing," Revah said. "I'm just didn't care to pay attention in class."

Daya moved to intercept Revah when she unfurled her wings. "Nu-uh. You're holding a ring with a weird aura that you didn't have before. You're up to something. Anytime you get into trouble, Mikki gets worried. I want my cute honeybee happy, always. Even if that means making sure you're not doing stupid stuff."

Revah gagged at 'cute honeybee', a pet name Daya had given Mikki. She needed to somehow lose Daya before going to the meeting at the cathedral. Her eyes caught sight of Tiny, the giant devil mutt, resting curled up at one end of the field. A few pigeons had made themselves at home on his head.

"Sorry, about this— Playtime, Tiny!" Revah whistled sharply a series of quick notes that Teana had taught him.

Tiny's ears perked up first. He snapped to his feet and came running to play. The languisteeds and stablehands ran away. Daya spun around too late, and Tiny snatched her in his jaws.

"Revah, you tusked bitch! Tiny, put me down! We're not playing, and I'm not a chew toy!" Daya cried.

"See you." Revah tugged the cowl down and stuck her tongue out before flying off.

The Basilica of Saint Rue had many entrances. It wasn't exactly a fortified position like the Ocular and Royal Stronghold. There were countless windows and verandas to enter from. Revah went in from the clerical quarters. As she made it to the window, a wet and slobbery hand fell atop her shoulder. She shuddered and glanced back.

"Thought you lost me… didn't you?" Daya growled.

They rolled into a nun's bedroom, fighting to grab ahold of the other. Daya had her hands on Revah's horns when the door swung open. A nun stood there, petrified at the sight of them. They charmed her to come in and shut the door before anyone else saw.

"Would you stop following me already?" Revah groaned.

"Sure, once you get back to class! What's so important that you're trying to get in here?" Daya asked.

"Ugh… I'm trying to find out what's going on in the Commonwealth. We haven't heard anything. No one tells us anything. So, I'll find out for myself. But I can't if you follow me. My Shrouded Hunt only works on myself," she explained, hoping Daya would finally leave.

It had the opposite effect.

"Then I'm coming with." Daya stood her ground.

"You're impossible." Revah sighed.

"You're an icy cunt. My sisters are up there, too. I deserve to know what's happening. You aren't the only one with a few tricks up her wings though." She produced a seemingly empty vial, but upon closer inspection, an almost opaque liquid sloshed within.

A potion of invisibility. Daya tipped the contents into her mouth. After a few seconds, her body and clothing went invisible.

"Where did you even get that?" Revah switched on Skulker Eyes, granting her eyes the ability to detect body heat. Daya showed up as an upright blob of orange and yellow.

"Who else? Your sister. Mikki made it for me. We like to get kinky sometimes. Jealous?" Daya smirked.

"Hmph. If you get caught, I'm not saving you." She cast Shrouded Hunt and snuck out into the hallway.

"That goes for you, too." The canine succubus huffed.

They quietly made their way to the back of the cathedral, carefully avoiding knights and clergy. The chamber was closed shut and heavily guarded. If that wasn't a big enough sign that something important was going on behind those doors, then the skin-burning holy aura from Grand Eye Analise was. Revah found a window to fly out of, then reentered through a wooden sunroof directly above the meeting. They hid in the rafters and listened in.

Seven of the eight Saint Priests sat around a half-circle table facing Grand Eye Analise and King Turren. Food and drinks were left untouched. Not Camilla though. She was nursing a glass of wine and smoking from her pipe. Ulric Boradin, the dark elven Ranger dressed as a princess, was resting his head on the table. Despite a few bored looks, their discussion was tense.

"Whatever is happening in the Commonwealth, Ortesia's invading force is finally moving a chunk of its manpower there," Danito read off from a report in his hand.

"Any idea why?" King Turren asked. "For months, they have been moored at Port Kandis. Honestly, I wish they would leave already. Farmers across the continent can't keep sending their harvests. If we tax them anymore, they will start picking up pitchforks!"

"No clue, your majesty. Could be Ortesia didn't expect the Commonwealth to put up much resistance. The Demon Three's Alliance may very well be giving them a run for their buck," he suggested.

"Kuh. Just thinking about their alliance makes me sick!" Delayn grimaced.

"Sicker than when the Rook of Rotandrix besieged Aidenhall, Delayn? At least Amethyst didn't hurt her own people," Vestrid said, coming in defense of Mom.

Revah heard Daya exhale a breath of strained relief. The only reason many people aren't outright hating succubi was due to Mom's efforts. She proved that succubus weren't just a race of mindless sex fiends. Well, some of them still were, but not as much as every other race had its own villains.

"Honestly, Amethyst is holding back. I'm sure she is capable of so much more," Vestrid added.

"How do you mean?" Bocchiri, the common elf Saint Priest, asked curiously behind a mask of his own.

The drakeling thumbed over her shoulder. "You know all those languisteeds we suddenly got like half a year ago? They didn't come from nowhere. Amethyst birthed almost a hundred of them in less than a week! She single-handedly restored our cavalry unit. Amethyst is a powerful succubus. She holds back on our account as equal allies. Imagine if she started birthing dragons. We would be having a very different discussion."

"Wait… How did Amethyst birth… languisteeds…?" Delayn asked, but the answer came to her after a few seconds of silence. "Oh… by the GODS! Please, excuse me… I need to see myself to the absolution chamber…"

The Saint Priest stormed out of the room while her nails dug trenches into her arms.

Ulric didn't hold back from laughing. He shot a look up to Revah and Daya. A chill ran up their spine when he locked eyes with them. He waved subtly and flashed an amused smile. Was he… able to see through their invisibility?

"Ulric, you were with Amethyst the longest. What do you think? Does her alliance with Demon Lord Charron and Queen-Mother Zariah mean she's turned her back on our alliance?" the Grand Eye asked.

"Nope," Ulric answered with the utmost confidence. "Amethyst loves two things— one is sex. The other is her family, particularly her daughters. Sure, we should scold the hair off her for releasing Hilde and Minestra later. But I know she did it for good reason. Can you really blame a mother and queen for wanting to protect her own?"

A few of the Saint Priests squirmed, seemingly ashamed of themselves. Even now, Revah felt Mom's love. Recalling tender memories of childhood warmed her heart more than a fireplace.

"If wasn't for Kanae Toyomi and the Commonwealth during Gretchen's rebellion, Ortesia would be controlling Aidenhall about now, and I wouldn't be Grand Eye. What am I doing? I kowtowed to the empire after the rebellion. I rolled over for them again after they stole from the vault. What would my predecessors think?" Grand Eye Analise lamented.

"You're being too hard on yourself, Analise. The entire world is in a very precarious state right now, and… there are Ortesian spies all over Radevic right now," King Turren whispered.

"Am I the Grand Eye of Radevic? Or the Empire of Ortesia's lapdog? Danito, how many strong were seen moving towards the Commonwealth?" she asked.

"Hm. We estimate between 9,000 and 10,000 imperial infantry consisting of Ortesian, Rotandrix, and other vassal states sworn to the empire," Danito explained.

Revah gasped. That many? How many more soldiers did the empire have if that number was considered a 'chunk'?

"Centuries-long alliance be damned," Grand Eye began with a furious drawl. "The great golden empire can feed its own troops. Starting today, we won't be sending even a grain of flour. Camilla, you and Danito work together to compile a list of Ortesian spies in Radevic. Sheena and Bocchi, ride to Lograin and stall the advance with bureaucratic nonsense. Vestrid and Ulric, stand by in Aidenhall. Delayn will join you once she is done… seeking forgiveness. I fear we may see retaliation from Ortesia very soon. Dismissed."

Revah and Daya escaped as the Saint Priests were leaving. That was a close call. Eavesdropping also yielded a lot of important information. Radevic was finally going to do something about Ortesia's attacks.

"We're done now, right? You're satisfied? Let's go back to the others," Daya insisted.

"You can go. I'm not staying cooped up in Aidenhall. Mom needs me," Revah said, flying in the direction of the Radevic Branch of the Eminence of Sin.

High Priestesses Meidina and Tabitha should be there. They could help her find safe passage into the Commonwealth. Revah was closing in on the church when Daya caught up.

"You just don't give up!" Revah clicked her tongue.

"I can say the same about you! Kanae wants you to stay here where it's safe. Why throw yourself into war? Trust me, there's nothing glorious about it!" Daya protested.

"I know it isn't. That's not what I want. We lost Auntie Arenade, alright? I don't want to lose anymore family. If there's anything I can do to help—

"The most you can do to help is to stay safe. What do you think is gonna happen if you get hurt? Your mom'll put herself at risk by doing anything she can to save you!"

Revah ignored Daya and descended to the church. She entered expecting to find the parishioners and the high priestesses, but there were high elven knights turning over pews and trashing the place instead.

"Find the succubi! They have to be around somewhere!" one of them shouted.

"Wait. I sense something… Dispel!" A priest flicked her wand at Revah.

Shrouded Hunt's effects ended.

"So, there was a succubus here after all. Get her!"

Four knights rushed in from either side of Revah. She panicked. The words to a skill lodged at the bottom of her throat.

"Curse of Blindness!" Daya's incantation echoed across the church, and the four knights trying to apprehend Revah recoiled.

"I… I can't see!"

"It's so dark!"

"Revah!" She grabbed her hand and pulled her to the exit, but another group of knights blocked their way out. "Curse—"

The next word didn't come out. In fact, everything had fallen silent. A spellcaster had silenced them, and they were quickly getting surrounded. Revah was trembling. She wasn't fighting monsters anymore with her sisters. These knights… they were stronger, faster, their magic more potent… Arms wrapped tightly around Revah. It was Daya, holding her as the high elven knights approached.

The field of silence suddenly vanished.

"Protect Princess Revah!" the familiar voice of Tabitha bellowed.

Hatches were thrown open all around them. Sisters of Sins, High Priestesses Tabitha and Meidina, and parishioners emerged from holes in the ground to overwhelm the high elven knights. Taken by surprise, they overwhelmed the invaders in an instant with sheer numbers. A mass of citizens had also gathered outside of the church with pitchforks and torches.

"Take them downstairs and show them some succubus hospitality, Sisters!" Meidina ordered.

Sisters of Sin, with hunger in their eyes, dragged high elves down the hatches, clawing the floor and bawling their eyes out.

"You were all hiding under the church this entire time?" Daya gasped.

"Ortesians have been making regular visits. This is the first time they were so bold as to traipse into the church. We led the parishioners into the cellars for safety, then we heard fighting upstairs. Imagine our surprise to find Princess Revah. What are you doing here?" Tabitha came up to them and bowed.

"I-I came to find you guys!" Revah stammered.

Tabitha and Meidina exchanged awkward looks, then the latter reached up to start pinching her cheeks.

"Awwh! Were you worried about lil ole us? Hehe. I still remember when you were a baby as small as a basket." Meidina cooed and squeezed both cheeks.

"Shtop… it…" Revah grumbled, pushing away from the elf-turned succubus. "I want you to help me get back to the Commonwealth. I want to help Mom fight."

"Oh, princess… Even if we were able to, which we aren't considering how many Ortesian lookouts there are, Queen Kanae has given us strict orders to keep you in Aidenhall. There's a war going on. It's not some bar scuffle or school fight," Tabitha explained.

The high priestesses called for a Rown carriage to escort them back to Aidenhall. Revah sulked all the way there.

"You get it now, Revah?" Daya reprimanded from across the seat. "This is beyond what you're capable of handling. You're lucky though, having a mother who cares so much for your safety."

"I just wanted to be there for my mom…" Revah muttered.

"I'm not gonna pretend I get it. I don't. You're not stuck here, alright? We got a whole damn school training you to become stronger. One day, maybe not anytime soon soon, you and your sisters'll be strong enough to fight with your mom. So, quit being an ass! It's such a pain to keep my promise to Kanae if you screw around so much!"

Revah glowered out the window. Her cowl was getting stuffy.

Mom always said it was important to thank people who helped you. If it wasn't for Daya following her around all day, she might have gotten seriously hurt before the high priestesses came. 

"Thanks… for earlier. But if there's ever a next time— and there won't— don't touch me," Revah said.

"Wow. You can be grateful. Are you going to smile at me next?" Daya teased.

On second thought, Daya didn't need any thanking. Ever.

"Sure." Revah tugged the cowl down and smiled. "Bitch."

"Tusk-faced cunt," Daya fired back.

"Mutt!"

"Brooding pup who'd die of loneliness being away from Mikki for even an hour!"

"Sister-fucker!"

The two of them bruised each other up by the time they got back to Aidenhall.