It’s time for some enjoyable torture. I have some questions for Lia, who is a Succubus. Why am I hanging upside down?
“Rufina, why are you here…”
Being naked and suspended upside down is incredibly embarrassing. I regret letting go of Zebra when I hit my face; I can’t even cut the vines. I heard that swordsmen of old used to tie a loop with a cord to the hilt of their swords and pass their hands through it to prevent dropping their blades. Perhaps I should try to improve my grip.
“I’ve been feeling strange since I came here. At first, I thought it was because of the Giant’s blood. Then, last night, I suddenly felt better. Thinking back, my wavelength doesn’t mesh well with Succubi. If I search for it, this is what I find.”
Rufina’s bad condition was because of Lia… I found a weakness! It started last night, so it must have been after she revealed her Succubus form. So I ended up with her, huh… If I got with a Succubus, why am I okay?
“One more question! Why am I hanging upside down?”
“It’s on the way. It’s incidental.”
Incidental… If there were an anglerfish, she’d probably skewer and cut it, right! I want anglerfish stew. I really want to try anglerfish stew.
“Let me down!”
“Now, what should we do about this…”
This isn’t the place to think, you know. This is the scene where you should just lower me and give me a knuckle-rap on my forehead. I hate being hung upside down; the blood rushes to my head.
“Let me down quickly! Let me down… please.”
In response to my plea, Rufina raised one finger. Not her middle finger, but her index finger. She’s not angry, just making a single demand? I don’t have any weaknesses over Rufina.
“What do you think would happen if Priscilla found out about the Succubus incident yesterday? I don’t even need to think about it.”
This one’s trying to exploit my weakness! What a cruel person! If Priscilla found out, there’d be a bloodbath! I’d be the star of the festival, not the Demon Army! I’d be dancing all night long!
“One liter?”
One liter is a lot. I’d have to pay it back in installments, and I have other blood debts too. Is personal bankruptcy an option?
“Are you an idiot, Captain! It’s ten each!”
You’re the idiot, Miss Rufina! If you pay that much, you’ll dry up! How much blood debt do you think I owe you?
“It’s one, one! That’s impossible!”
“Alright. Then let’s settle on three.”
Oh, Miss Rufina is generous! If she’s willing to lower the price that much all at once, I can manage with installment payments. I’d hoped for a bit more of a discount, but I should avoid pushing my luck and having the deal fall through.
“Alright, deal, three. So let me down quickly.”
“Hmm, three for Priscilla’s share, and three for the others as well, is that right? That’s fifteen in total! Agreed!”
No. I hate being hung upside down even more. Why is she including the numbers of the other White Lily Corps members? What am I supposed to do? Where are my choices? I had no choice but to nod silently. I was unceremoniously dropped.
“That one… did she kill the Succubus?”
“I wouldn’t kill her that easily. I make them writhe in pain, regret everything, and then tear their bodies apart.”
How demonic can you be, Miss Rufina? Sometimes talking to you is scary. But a death sentence is certain. The former Lord probably died because of her, and I’m sure this Succubus is to blame for pushing me this far.
“Please wait to kill her. I need to ask her something before you do.”
Rufina snorted and started to untie the vines. Lia sat down flat on the floor, but both her hands were pulled apart by vines, and one was wrapped around her neck. If she angers Rufina, she might get torn apart. And this Tentacle Play is a little erotic.
“Are you a Succubus?”
Just to confirm. Her skin is purple, and she looks like a demon, but she has no horns. I’ve never seen a Succubus, and she looks human, just with different skin color. I’ve heard that men who have dealings with Succubi die, but I’m not dead. I’ll check my lower half just in case… Yep, I still have it.
“Yes, I am, I am a Succubus. Let’s do it again.”
It seems I won’t be taken from her. Will only my life be taken? I can’t afford to lose either, but it seems I’ve survived an encounter with a Succubus.
“Did you kill the former Lord of Runbergzach?”
“Yes, I did. Let’s do it quickly.”
“Did you collapse the cave?”
“Shut up, you ugly hag! Don’t talk to me!”
“Wh-what did you say!?”
“Let’s do it quickly, Mikael.”
Where should I even start? As soon as Rufina started talking, her personality completely changed her way of speaking. The Succubus looking at me had eyes like hearts, but her eyes looking at Rufina seemed to be looking at filth.
Rufina’s tightening vines showed no mercy. My neck was choked, and my arms were pulled apart as if to be torn off. The Succubus, writhing in pain, said to me:
“If I’m going to die, I want to die by being stabbed by Mikael.”
Go die on your own. Stop dragging me into this. But I can’t afford for her to die either. I need to know how much information was leaked to the Demon Army while Lia was governing as Lord.
“Rufina, ease up. If she dies, she can’t talk.”
I had Rufina, who could have recited senryu poetry of complaints, back off, and she loosened the vines enough for us to talk. The interrogation of Lia the Succubus, aside from her repeated “let’s do it” and “I want to do it,” proceeded without much difficulty. Partway through, she spread her legs, which made it hard to look.
Lia became the wife of the Lord of Runbergzach, murdered her husband in an accident. She thought there were cannonballs for the Magic Cannon, but upon hearing they were in transport, she expedited the Demon Army’s advance and stalled King Shidenzach. Then, receiving intel that they were coming through a cave, she caused a collapse and also participated in the destruction of the second battery, aided by several Dwarf traitors.
She’s confirmed for death penalty for murder, destruction of property, and high treason. Adultery will be overlooked… I wonder if Lia, who casually discusses these things with a smile and says “I want to do it” every so often, is a pathetic person?
“You! Do you understand what you’ve done! (… Except for adultery)”
“I understand. I helped kill humans. Let’s do it quickly.”
To be told such things with a smile and no remorse leaves me speechless. It would be bad to publicize this and cause chaos in Runbergzach.
“You’re in contact with the Demon Army, aren’t you?”
“Of course. I’ve told them all sorts of things. The preparations are complete.”
Don’t thrust your chest out! Don’t spread your legs! What exactly are these preparations? If you’d just behave, I’d cut off your head without causing you pain… it would be a waste, though.
“Lia, contact the Demon Army. Inform them that King Shidenzach has arrived and the Magic Cannon is targeting the Demon Army’s encampment.”
Anyone who knows the power of the Magic Cannon at Nebel Bridge would flee upon hearing that. The Magic Cannon in Runbergzach is different in size and power from the one on Nebel Bridge. Next, it depends on whether Lia betrays her allies and leaks information, but torture may be unavoidable.
“Okay. So, let’s do it.”
So readily!? Are you okay with that? Don’t you have any pride as a monster? Don’t you feel any guilt betraying your allies? And I’m not going to “do it.”
“Understood. If everything goes well.”
“I did it! …Giya!”
I can sense the killing intent from behind growing stronger, but I wish Rufina would restrain her emotions. If my bluff about the cannonballs works, I can buy time.
“Now you die!”
I cut off all the vines Rufina had conjured with her magic. Seriously, stop killing people who are completely defenseless. You’re going to be executed anyway, so think about Runbergzach right now.
“Rufina, please bear with me a little. …Lia, are you okay? You can contact them, right?”
“Gah, gah. …I’m fine. I’ll contact them, so let’s do it quickly.”
I won’t be doing it. It’s the contact I’ll be doing. I need to tell them about the Magic Cannon targeting them before the Demon Army makes a move. I had Lia put on the Lord’s clothes and headed to the upper floor to make contact.
“A pigeon? A carrier pigeon? Can’t you just contact them mentally?”
Carrier pigeons are old-fashioned these days, but beings like Iris are rare in this world. Even if they existed, the country would employ them and not let them go. That’s why I want a smartphone. Won’t someone launch a satellite?
“I’ll contact the Demon Army with this pigeon. The message is fine like this.”
I can’t read it. I don’t know if it’s in a different language from ours or some kind of code, but even if it’s written in characters I’ve never seen, I can’t be sure it’s actually about the Magic Cannon’s cannonballs.
“This is fine. Please send it quickly.”
The white dove of happiness took off with false information. If this stops the Demon Army, we can hold out for today. If it doesn’t, I’ll display Lia’s corpse as an ornament for the Magic Cannon.
“What should we do about her whereabouts? Should I bind her?”
I can’t make it public right now. On the other hand, if I lock her in the underground prison, it will be discovered immediately. Confining her to the executive office seems like the best course of action. She’s surprisingly cooperative, and I doubt she’ll try to escape or cause trouble.
“Don’t talk to me, you rotten pig! I’m with Mikael.”
I’ll put her under house arrest. Bind her and lock her in the executive office. The problem is the guard. Dwarf traitors seem to be involved, so a man won’t do against a Succubus. I can’t distinguish female Dwarves, so the White Lily Corps will have to be the guard…
“I-I’ll kill her right now!”
I want to see a catfight, but Rufina might use her magic excessively, so I should stop her. I want Rufina’s strength directed at the Demon Army.
“Confine her to the executive office. The vines can be strong.”
“Tch, understood. I’ll kill her when it’s time.”
“If you’re going to bind her, Mikael should do it.”
I don’t have that kind of hobby! Ask Orietta! More importantly, tell me the names of the Dwarves who cooperated with Lia! If we don’t capture them too, they might even destroy the first battery.
Thanks to Lia’s overly cooperative nature when I asked, capturing the traitorous Dwarves was easy. The only saving grace is that they were all manipulated and didn’t truly betray us. Also, Asmus’s name was not on the list of traitors.
Among the Dwarves, I told only Asmus the truth and then pushed Lia into the executive office. I assigned female members of the White Lily Corps as guards and decided to take command at the first battery.
If the Demon Army is successfully deceived, we can hold out for today. Even if they do come, the top-performing Rufina will likely unleash her full fury.
The day passed peacefully until evening, a pleasant day with a refreshing breeze.
