126 - I Became the Must-Have Character of the Academy City

The moment the succubus' head fell. Ichinose saw Rohan in her line of sight and thought to herself. "Was Rohan a beastman?" At first, she wondered what that hefty tail was doing at the front. But how could a tail be at the front? Naturally, he wasn't a beastman. "If not, then what?" The conclusion emerged in the girl's mind. "···." Ichinose possesses a wealth of culture and common sense. Within that scope, sexual knowledge also exists, of course. She doesn’t have experience, but she knows the theory thoroughly. Ignorance might lead to embarrassment one day. Expressions like storks bringing babies or getting pregnant by just holding hands or kissing. These absurd notions don't fool this bright girl. Thus, Ichinose Yui. She knows very well what is happening to Rohan’s lower half. The phenomenon where specific parts swell and harden due to sexual stimulation and increased blood flow. A function developed for males to inject sperm into a female's body for internal fertilization. She knew the knowledge by heart but never uttered the actual words and never planned to. ‘P, p, p, pe…’ Facing it directly, she couldn’t complete the word even in her consciousness. It wasn't a photo like in an anatomy book. Even covered, it was her first time seeing it in reality. How could it be so full of warmth and vigor? Ichinose's body turned away from Rohan, unable to face him. Awkward silence lingered. Rohan shuffled and cautiously approached the frozen Ichinose. "Ichinose." "···." "Ichinose?" "I, I know... I know too..." "If you know, why don't you look this way at all?" "···." It was an inevitable effect created by the succubus's charm. Just withstanding it was an achievement. Ordinarily, one's energy would have been drained the moment they were charmed. Ichinose was trying to rationally understand that fact. But effort is just effort, and her broken demeanor vividly showed on the surface. Observing the situation, Rohan took a step back. "Sorry. I shouldn't have stepped up and shown you something you shouldn't see." Though he wasn’t in the position to apologize, he did anyway. The emotions of Ichinose, who had been avoiding eye contact, stirred as if they were billowing waves. The thought that she shouldn’t be acting like this struck like an arrow. "Rohan, step back for a moment." "Hm?" Ichinose gently placed the sword she held onto the ground. Then, spreading her now-empty hands, she slapped her cheeks forcefully. Slap! Slap! Slap! Her mochi-like cheeks turned red for a different reason this time. Ichinose found a moment of calm. “Rohan, there’s nothing for you to apologize for. Let’s end this here!” “That’s refreshing. Thanks.” While filled with a desire to die from embarrassment and Ichinose's reaction, With her doing so, Rohan felt a bit of his embarrassment lift. “Whew...!” Ichinose, whose cheeks had turned into strawberry mochi, picked up her sword and initiated conversation somehow. “Rohan, what does ‘charm’ feel like? I should prepare for it, just in case.” Typically, succubi are known to charm men, but women aren't entirely exempt either. The reverse also holds true. For heterosexual same-sex humans, the succubus's allure significantly weakens. “Hmm, it feels like your hostility wanes? It’s like a trick that forcibly raises your affinity.” “Hostility wanes? That’s fascinating.” “Also, there’s certainly a lewd feeling, or a sexual desire. There’s even a certainty that if directed at the succubus, it will be relieved.” “Huh, h-huh...” The candid explanation sent shivers down the girl's spine. For some reason, her mouth couldn’t open, so Ichinose rummaged through the shabby abode of the succubus. Upon confirming there was nothing to salvage, the two began to walk again. Rohan moved a little awkwardly. “...To escape from the dungeon, you need to destroy the monolith inside, right?” “Correct.” “Chances are likely that it’s with the host or controlling entity.” “Yes. Among the succubi, at least one might have the intelligence to communicate.” Ichinose’s face became serious as she pondered further. “If the ruling entity here is a Succubus Queen, things become troublesome.” “That monster... appeared at Tigrova and was dealt with by Noa's father?” There’s a record of a Succubus Queen appearing through dimensional rifts. Only the conclusion that it was hunted mercilessly by the Great Sage remains, but records state that it was versatile and powerful beyond its charm. “That’s correct. If a second queen had emerged, it’s not a monster we could handle. Among the instructors, only Instructor Juyeon could possibly manage.” “Hmm.” The succubus Rohan had just dealt with was a typical one relying solely on charm. Named succubi capable of communication possess specialties beyond enchantment. Moreover, it's likely they command subordinates like a pleasure troop, making them especially bothersome adversaries when considering the conditions. “Well, let’s first find it. We don’t need to confront it necessarily. As long as we can destroy the monolith, that suffices.” “...Right.” Pacifying the worried Ichinose, Rohan moved forward. “What was that succubus’s name again? I can’t recall.” Because Rohan knew. The succubus governing this lair is merely a named one—not a queen. The succubus species possesses numerous dungeons besides this place. The Nest of Nightmares, in human societal terms, could be translated as a village or city. “And although we can somehow sort out accommodations, food is another problem.” “Hungry Ichinose?” “What’s with ‘Hungry’... I’m fine for now, but it will be an issue later. Looking around, there are many mushrooms and plants, but there’s no way to distinguish which are edible.” Ichinose showed her anxiety. At this point, Rohan had no choice but to show her. If Ichinose engaged in dangerous actions, claiming she’d procure food or water, that would be troubling. As with the last dungeon, they didn’t know how long they'd be in the Nest of Nightmares. “Hungry Ichinose.” “Yes?” “Close your eyes.” “They’re already closed...” “Oh, right.” Curtailing the needless chatter, he opened his shop skill. [Purchased bottled water.] 2 points were consumed. Rohan pulled water out of thin air. "···Huh?" Feeling a sense of novelty, Ichinose blinked her eyes open wide. She looked between Rohan and the water as if trying to understand what had happened. "Don't worry about food and drink. While it's not limitless, we have enough." "What is this exactly...?" "It's my skill. I'm only sharing this because I trust you, Hungry-nose." "!" Rohan was reflected in Ichinose’s eyes. His sudden revelation of his skill surprised her enough that her lips parted slightly. “Use this to cool your cheeks. They’re still red, aren't they? You can also drink it.” “Th-thank you···.” “If you’re thirsty or hungry, let me know anytime. No need to hold back.” Ichinose tried to cool her flushed cheeks with the bottle of water she’d received. ·· ·· It had been eight hours since Rohan and Ichinose wandered through the forest. Finally, light began to pierce through the mist. As they approached, a building resembling Gothic architecture faintly came into view. The sweet aroma in the air intensified. Breathing through their mouths, they could almost taste the sweetness on their tongues. "Rohan, are we heading straight in?" "Perhaps we should rest and recharge our energy and magic." Rohan had felled at least a few hundred husks and dispatched four more succubi. None of them could communicate, and they were taken down before they could use their charms, leaving Rohan unscathed. Nonetheless, fatigue was apparent. He had used a considerable amount of magic, and the tension of navigating an unknown location wore on him mentally. Unlike Rohan, who could quickly adapt to new environments, Ichinose seemed particularly drained, unable to let her guard down. “...Shall we use the succubus dwelling we took care of earlier?” “That sounds good. It had the essentials.” It wasn't far either. Returning there shouldn't be a problem. They had left markers on the way. “How about eating after a nap?” “Sorry for the trouble. Is that alright?” “No need to apologize, I don’t mind. Rest up first, Hungry-nose.” “···.” Ichinose walked on, lips pressed tightly as if feeling guilty. At last, they arrived at the dwelling. They discarded the beheaded succubus' body far away and settled in. It was more affluent than the succubus they first encountered. Though the wooden house was shabby, it was intact. There was no bed, but there was enough floor space to lie down. “Thankfully, the temperature is cozy. It doesn’t seem like the climate changes based on the time.” This world remained perpetual night. Even after eight hours, the moon hanging in the sky showed no intent to move. It scattered moonlight as if observing the world. “Staying here reminds me of that deserted island.” “Though the end was rough, it was fun. A good memory.” Rohan offered his outerwear to Ichinose, urging her to sleep soon. Then he sat in the one chair inside the house. “Rohan... don’t sit over there, come sit here instead.” Lying down, covered with Rohan’s outerwear, Ichinose tapped the floor, beckoning him. “Sit down? Should I sing you a lullaby?” Even as he asked, Rohan stood from the chair and sat on the floor where Ichinose indicated. “···.” Still lying down, Ichinose subtly shifted, resting her head on Rohan’s thigh. “···Ichinose?” "Just stay still···." Her voice was a soft murmur. Though her face wasn’t visible since her head turned away from Rohan, the tips of the ears peeking out from her black hair were bright crimson.