Is It Strange For A Succubus To Be Wearing Clothes?

Chapter 49

—–CROW—– 

Afterward, Yoo-jin had to pay for the damaged building, road, and wall out of his own pocket.

Hoyeon Guild offered to cover the expenses, but Yoo-jin felt it was right to compensate for everything personally, considering his rash judgment and actions had led to the destruction and the fight with Dan Ah-yeon.

This wasn’t just Yoo-jin being overly righteous; it was also influenced by his [Admiration] ability, which made him acutely aware of public perception, even in such minor matters.

*Besides, how could anyone just stand there while a high-ranking demon drank liquor with human eyeballs floating in it, her face flushed with pleasure?* Even considering the nature of his [Admiration] ability, Jae-hee’s behavior at the time seemed like the epitome of a demon succumbing to instinct and pleasure, devoid of reason.

“Haa, this is troublesome. Not just a Returnee, but a national failsafe just by existing…”

Yoo-jin had originally intended to have a proper discussion with Jae-hee about Hunter-related business matters, perhaps proposing joint dungeon raids or exploring uncharted Rifts.

But his rash actions… well, that was also influenced by his [Admiration] ability…

“Ehhh, whatever.”

He needed to mend their relationship.

But he’d already made a mess of things from the start.

Just then, a strange, alluring scent wafted from a nearby alley, accompanied by a soft voice that reached Yoo-jin’s ears.

“Oppa~ Are you free today~?”

“…”

*A Succubus?* Yoo-jin sighed, not even glancing in her direction.

*Yes, that’s what Succubi are like.* It was only natural for demons to be driven by their desires.

They might appear beautiful and alluring, tempting people with their seductive looks, but underneath, they didn’t see humans as people, but as sources of life force and essence, as *prey*.

Succubi were relatively harmless, at least.  Incubi were known to destroy families, murdering husbands to steal their wives.  Other demons were even worse, their depravity beyond words.

*‘All demons eventually become monsters… But Lee Jae-hee… forcibly stabilizing the minds of this country’s people and maintaining peace… I wonder how long that will last.’*

“Oppa~ Oppa~ Can you hear me?”

The persistent Succubus made Yoo-jin frown and sigh again.

Her sweet voice made him want to turn around. He felt the urge to embrace her, to spend some quality time with her in bed.

Thanks to his S-rank Hunter mental fortitude, he could resist, but an ordinary person would have succumbed to her first words.

“Not interested.”

“Aw, come on~ I’ll give you a discount~”

“I said I’m not interested.”

Yoo-jin had been with a Succubus before.  The pleasure was beyond description.  Even a noble Hero had desires and urges.  But he wasn’t in the mood today.

“Heehee, Oppa~ Come on~ Just look at me~”

“Haa… I said I’m not…”

“Look.”

He tried to ignore her, to turn away and walk on.

But…

*‘Huh?’*

Why was he turning around?

Why did he stop walking?

Why was he facing her?

Her…

Her?

Her…?

A soft, cool touch caressed his face.

Yoo-jin couldn’t resist.

*I’m an S-rank Hunter. Why can’t I resist?*

If it had been an attack, a clear display of hostility, he would have mustered his willpower and fought back.

But this wasn’t an attack.

It was a gentle, tender touch.  An alluring invitation to fall into the abyss together.  Caught in her grasp, he couldn’t move.

How could he react to something that wasn’t hostile, that wasn’t an attack?

Yoo-jin was powerless against the hand holding his face.

It moved slightly.  His head tilted back.  Their eyes met.

Beautiful. Beautiful. Beautiful. Beautiful. Beautiful. Beautiful. Beautiful. Beautiful…

Something beautiful stood before him.

Something exquisite, enchanting, noble, and precious…

He met her gaze.

Her eyes…

Unveiled.

Her beautiful, unmasked face smiled gently at him.

“Cough…!”

“Oh dear, you don’t need to bleed~”

At her words, the blood rising in his throat subsided.  No nosebleed, no bloody tears, no bloody froth.  A gentle, milky scent enveloped him, a comforting, secure feeling like being held in a mother’s embrace.  An irresistible touch…

Jae-hee’s hand gently caressed his cheek.

“Heehee, I was actually planning to… kill you today.”

Lee Jae-hee.

That demon.

That high-ranking demon.

No, not just any high-ranking demon.

“You ruined the house and the liquor… given to me by someone precious.  Did you really think you could just walk away after destroying what’s mine?”

Yoo-jin couldn’t move.  The moment their eyes met, his heart and mind were captivated.

No, could this even be called captivation?

This power that charmed everything – organic, inorganic, even the mind itself.  This power that compelled absolute obedience, yet felt so comforting and joyful that he didn’t want to escape, as if he were willingly surrendering… could this simply be called “charm”?

“But our Dan Unnie is so cute, so wonderful… she calmed me down, so I have to reciprocate~”

Jealousy flared within him.  Hearing Jae-hee praise Dan Ah-yeon so fondly sparked a pang of envy.  He realized his heart and soul were already in her grasp.

“Y-You… you were a Succu…bus? The… the Queen of Succubi…!”

“Aha! A bit higher than that.”

“Higher… than that?”

Jae-hee corrected him lightly, then placed a finger on his lips, giggling.  *Be quiet.*

“S-rank Hunters are impressive, though. I used quite a bit of power to charm you.  Ah, maybe it’s because it’s been so long?”  She had to be careful.  Too much charm, and he might end up like that cute wolf-girl, bleeding from every orifice, her life force draining away.

“Well… you didn’t do anything *that* wrong, Yoo-jin-ssi. I’m just a little annoyed.”

Despite his impulsive actions, Yoo-jin’s usual behavior was indeed that of a hero.  And in a world like this, heroes were needed, powerful people willing to help others.

“I won’t kill you… but I am annoyed.”

“Ah, agh…!”

Jae-hee’s smile deepened.  Her unveiled smile was devastatingly alluring, a force of destruction in itself.  The surrounding area was devoid of life, of any presence.  Her immense charm was an ominous sign, a terror more potent than any fog-bringing monster.

“You attacked me, the beautiful me.  You tried to harm me, the beautiful me.  You tried to erase the immortal, absolute beauty of this world.”

So you have to pay the price.

The Empress’s finger traced a path across Yoo-jin’s forehead, inscribing an ominous mark – a curse of obedience and charm.

“I don’t particularly enjoy branding men.”

Jae-hee, as if playing a prank, decided to transform Yoo-jin’s body.  A perk of being the Succubus Empress.

“So, become a woman.”

“Wh-What…?”

—Crack!

*Did you think you could attack me and get away scot-free?*

*How presumptuous.*

★

★

★

Dan Ah-yeon breathed a sigh of relief, believing she had prevented the death of S-rank Hunter Lee Yoo-jin.

If Jae-hee had been truly enraged, if her temper had flared…

If she had lost control, even for a moment, and succumbed to her instincts and desires…

Then the Returnee, the S-rank Hunter of Hoyeon Guild, would have needed a funeral tomorrow.

*‘In this day and age, every Hunter, especially S-rank Hunters, is a valuable asset.’*

As long as he didn’t die.

As long as he didn’t die.

Why had Dan Ah-yeon intervened so urgently?

It wasn’t to protect Yoo-jin from Jae-hee, or to warn him.

The reason Dan Ah-yeon rushed out the moment the alarm went off was one thing and one thing only.

*‘To appease Jae-hee-nim’s anger and help her regain control.’*

That was her goal in stopping Jae-hee from attacking Yoo-jin, her childhood acquaintance.

She was afraid Jae-hee would lose control and completely erase an S-rank Hunter from existence.

If her silly, insignificant act of protecting Yoo-jin could calm Jae-hee’s anger and suppress her instincts, then Dan Ah-yeon’s objective was fully accomplished.

“Well, it’s a bit unfortunate for Yoo-jin, though.”

—Gah… *cough!* Wh-What… is… this…?

“Ah, his voice is changing too.”

The physical transformation was almost complete.

Even an S-rank Hunter’s body changed quickly.

Ah, or perhaps…

“Perhaps this is Yoo-jin’s ideal form… his hidden desire?”

What?

His inner desire wasn’t to be a man, but a woman from the start?

Ugh, how strange.

Still, it was better than an S-rank Hunter dying or becoming crippled.  A mere change of sex was a fortunate outcome.

“This is much better than the death of an S-rank Hunter and the ensuing disaster.”

Dan Ah-yeon picked up her radio and sent a signal on a special frequency, impervious to eavesdropping and hacking.  The signal itself was shielded by her barriers, making it inaudible to anyone else.

“Situation resolved. Situation resolved. The Empress’s wrath has subsided. The Empress’s wrath has subsided. All agents and personnel are to stand down and return to normal duties.”

With Dan Ah-yeon’s message, countless people breathed a sigh of relief.

—–CROW—– 

#Only READ at DarkstarTranslations