Bubble bubble bubble. The kettle boiled on a medieval fantasy-style induction cooktop, enchanted with a heating spell. Dripppp. The sound of liquid being poured echoed softly. Cling. The gentle clink of a teaspoon tapping against porcelain followed.
The aroma spread in all directions, carrying its message to my brain. Soon, I would be able to enjoy sweet honey water.
I could already imagine the warm, sweet liquid sliding down my throat, its warmth spreading through my stomach. It was only moments away from becoming reality. Anticipation turned into excitement.
My heart raced as I hid under the blanket, waiting for the perfect moment.
I had made up my mind—today, I felt like being a little childish. Whether it was the remnants of alcohol or just a sudden shift in my mood, I wasn’t sure.
But there was no need to figure that out.
Step step.
Light footsteps approached.
Plop. Someone sat on the bed, and I felt the mattress dip slightly under their weight. I could sense her presence indirectly.
Clink. I heard her set the teacup down on the side table. This meant the target was now unarmed, the risk factor had been removed—perfect for a prank.She lightly tapped the blanket as if knocking, then spoke gently.
“What did you drink so much?”
“I am not the Crazy Wizard.”
She chuckled softly at the philosophical denial of my existence. Her laughter was stuck in her voice, like someone holding back giggles from being tickled.
“⋯⋯Then who are you?”
“I’m the blanket monster. Raaaaa──”
Still beneath the blanket, I spread my arms and rose, then, like a flying squirrel, I pounced on Yuna, whose eyes widened in surprise. The blanket monster had just swallowed the Tower Master.
“Uaaaa.”
Yuna let out a deflated sound and relaxed her body. Still holding her close, I pulled her under the blanket with me, and it felt as though her warmth spread through my entire body.
Sometimes, Yuna felt like a flower. A beautiful bloom, closed in a tight bud, that blossomed when gently touched.
Just the smallest breath was enough.
I pressed my lips to the top of her head and smiled. Perhaps sensing the smile from the trembling of my lips, Yuna giggled softly.
She wriggled in my arms, briefly nuzzling the top of her head against my chin, then looked up at me quietly. It was as if she was asking what was going on.
I reassured her with my eyes that everything was fine.
She seemed suspicious. Both of us had a habit of clinging to each other whenever we were feeling down or troubled. Usually, we stay glued together all day when that happens.
That’s why she was convinced something was bothering me.
Last time, it had been Yuna who did that. After the attack by Roderus, once I regained consciousness, she had clung to me, whining constantly. I’m sure my chest got wet several times.
She hadn’t wanted to let go, even when I needed to bathe, so we ended up washing each other’s hair. We made a ton of bubbles with the shampoo and sculpted our hair into dragon shapes and stuff.
That day, Yuri Lanster had also acted unusually. Should I say she came at me three times stronger than usual? Rather than saying she almost crossed the line, it was more accurate to say she had nearly bulldozed through it.
Thankfully, we were both the same kind of coward. So, there was no rush into anything. It was usually just a game of testing my patience.
As a result, my proficiency in『 Sexual Desire Suppression Magic』kept increasing with time.
To be honest, it wasn’t a bad feeling. It was a little creepy, but wasn’t knowing that someone cared enough to be that concerned about you extremely satisfying?
I dreamed.
Last night was one of those times when alcohol dredged up long-buried memories. But just as I was about to grasp that memory, like a fish on the line, it slipped away, leaving only its faint lingering scent behind.
It seems my past self had made a significant decision. For some great⋯⋯ purpose. And in doing so, he had given up many things. It had certainly been a brave choice, but.
Looking back now, all I feel is an uneasy fear. Was the old me truly someone capable of making such a decision?
I don’t want to let go of this happiness I have now. I want them both close, within reach. I don’t want a story where someone has to sacrifice themselves—I want a story where everyone survives and lives happily.
You could call me selfish.
Yuna tapped on my chest.
“The honey water’s going to get cold, you know⋯⋯?”
“It’s okay. We can always reheat it with the Tower Master.”
“⋯⋯You’re planning something again, aren’t you.”
“Yes.”
I slowly slid my hand down from Yuna’s waist.
As my fingers traced the curve of her spine, I heard her let out a soft “hik” as she sharply inhaled, her body stiffening.
By the time my fingers reached the top of her hip bone, her face was bright red, and she seemed unsure of how to react. I moved my fingers just a fraction lower and stopped.
It was a dangerous place, where just a bit more movement would let me enter the ravine.
Yuna stopped breathing. Gently, I whispered to her.
“Breathe.”
“⋯⋯⋯⋯.”
Tap. Yuna gave me a light tap with her fist. The gesture seemed to say that if she could breathe, she would have already done so. I debated moving my hand just a bit further but then decided against it.
In the long run, the plan was to glide all the way down to her tailbone and back up, but if I did that now, Yuna might fall into a Qi Deviation.
With that, the “human furnace” was complete.
If it had been Pink-Haired Lesbian, this type of touch would’ve quickly escalated into a game of chicken, so I would have had to be careful. But with Yuna, it was different—she didn’t have the guts to counterattack.
In general, being able to unleash a flurry of one-sided attacks was pretty fun.
As I returned my hand to a neutral position, Yuna, having regained control of her body, threw a strong punch with an annoyed pout.
“Mother fuc⋯⋯!”
“Ow.”
It didn’t hurt, her punch as soft as cotton, but I exaggerated my reaction. We played like that for a while—holding hands, pressing our foreheads together, and just being close.
We explored different ways to share each other’s body heat, one after another. Yuna seemed a bit shy at first but eventually became more assertive.
Like when she pulled my hand to her cheek.
In the end, the honey water did get cold.
===============================================================
The alcohol had fully worn off.
“⋯⋯⋯⋯.”
“⋯⋯⋯⋯.”
“⋯⋯⋯⋯.”
The uncomfortable trio of silence filled my research lab. The tension was so thick that I had no idea how to cut through it. What just happened?
I glanced over at the Tower Master.
“⋯⋯D-Dust piled up. On the table. Let’s clean it, eung, cleaning is necessary.”
She awkwardly shifted into cleaning mode.
Then I turned my gaze to Pink-Haired Lesbian.
“⋯⋯Tower Master, I think this part hasn’t been cleaned properly.”
She also suddenly slips into cleaning advice mode that she had never used before.
The common factor between them was clear—they were both trying hard to avoid making eye contact with me. I could understand the Tower Master’s behavior; I had a vague recollection of fondling her while messing around. But why was the Pink-Haired Lesbian acting like this⋯⋯?
Had I perhaps committed some offense when I blacked-out? Did my 『 Sexual Desire Suppression Magic』break down, and I blurted out some inappropriate comments or something? No, that couldn’t be it.
Even if I had said something like that, she wasn’t the type to avoid eye contact. If anything, she would have teased me about it all day.
Hey, Pink-Haired Lesbian, did I maybe⋯⋯ last night I⋯⋯?”
“I’m getting an urgent call, so I’ll have to go work outside.”
Pink-Haired Lesbian made a swift exit, disappearing out of the research lab in an instant. I blinked and muttered to myself.
“The crystal ball didn’t even shine⋯⋯.”
“Ah, ah! I need to make a call to Lorei, too, so don’t look for me!”
“⋯⋯⋯⋯.”
And with that, the Tower Master disappeared with a poof. I sat there, feeling like a kid whose Christmas gift had just been snatched away, then slowly got up from my seat.
It seemed the two of them needed some time alone. In that case, I might as well enjoy some time to myself.
I lazily threw on a robe and left the research lab.
The sun was shining brightly. The weather was also nice. I decided to wander aimlessly around the Academy grounds as I stocked up on some materials. Sometimes, it was important to take a break like this.
I glanced up at the Academy’s Giant King Dragon, scanned the forbidden area at the heart of the Academy from a distance, and eventually drifted into the commercial district.
Normally, it was a bustling place since people were always buying or selling something, but today something was different. I could hear whispers from somewhere.
“Who is⋯⋯ that? I don’t remember ever seeing her at the Academy.”
“Is that even a human? She looks more like a large monster in disguise⋯⋯ How can someone⋯⋯”
Listening carefully, it seemed someone⋯⋯ interesting was around. I casually made my way toward the source of the murmurs. At the end of it, I saw her.
A woman in a suit, elegantly devouring a mountain of Mont Blanc pastries.
I didn’t know her name, but⋯⋯ I had seen her before. She was the one always bustling around with documents next to Irid. I was fairly certain she was a Defense Bureau agent.
Something felt a bit off. If it was something concerning me, Pink-Haired Lesbian would have contacted me. And if it was just a personal break, she wouldn’t be wearing such an obvious suit.
Maybe it had something to do with Pink-Haired Lesbian.
“⋯⋯⋯⋯?”
As she continued to eat, piece by piece, the Mont Blanc seemed to vanish before my eyes. It wasn’t as if she was eating in a hurry. In fact, she was clearly eating with restrained movements. Even still, it was fast.
Was she human or some kind of hippo?
As I watched her curiously, she seemed to sense my gaze and greeted me politely.
“Code name, Mr. Crazy Wizard. This is our second meeting. I am the Second Prince’s attending secretary, C.”
Sensing the conversation might drag on, I decided to give her a nickname to make things smoother.
“Ah, nice to meet you 『Kirby』.”
“Pardon? Ah, I recall that you said you had a disability. So that must be a kind of code name for me. What does it mean?”
“That’s a secret.”
“A secret⋯⋯. Well then, please have a seat. The Mont Blanc here is exquisite.”
A Defense Bureau agent and a close aide to the Second Prince? Could something have happened near the Academy? I accepted her offer and took a seat across from Kirby.
⋯⋯I couldn’t even see her face because of the towering pile of Mont Blanc. I had to lean to the left just to talk.
“So, what brings you to the Academy?”
“Something urgent came up⋯⋯. It’s classified, but I believe it might involve Mr. Crazy Wizard as well. Once you hear about it, you’ll have to cooperate with us. Do you want to hear it?”
“No.”
I declined instantly.
“It’s related to agent Yuri Lanster as well.”
“⋯⋯Tell me everything in detail. Don’t leave out a single word.”
===============================================================
[Imperial Defense Bureau - Dangerous Person Report]
Name : Unknown
Code Name : 『Virgin that Drinks Pleasure』
Threat Level : Rank 1
Active Period : Lion Calendar Year ??? ~ 453 (Currently active)
※ Information in this report is based solely on the testimony of 『Witness C21』, and thus requires further verification and cross-examination.
This individual leads a faction of succubi with powerful charm abilities, and currently resides in a subspace that the Defense Bureau has been unable to pinpoint (hereafter referred to as『Nest』). Most details about her remain hidden.
She has striking white hair and a seemingly innocent, holy appearance, but simply looking at her is said to cause mental seduction.
Most succubi fall under her control, not out of voluntary loyalty but through brainwashing induced by her potent pheromones—like worker ants drawn to sugar.
Because of this, there is a faction of succubi in opposition to her rule, but the difference in power between them is overwhelmingly in her favor.
Hereafter, she will be referred to as the『Queen』.
The Queen and her subordinate succubi pose a clear and direct threat to the Empire people’s spirit and souls, and use them to increase the Queen’s power.
It is rumored that she is also involved in the distribution of drugs on the black market.
Under her command are three succubi who have reached the Metamorphosis Stage, and although the Queen’s personal combat capabilities are yet unknown, it is pessimistically assumed she may be at the Sublimation Stage.
Countermeasures against her charm abilities are urgently required.
Given the nature of the succubi race, tracking or eliminating them is highly challenging. Extreme caution is advised when engaging.
+
『Witness C21』
『Witness C21』 is part of the faction that opposes the『Queen』’s rule. They were living in a human village with their family, but after the Queen decimated the village, 『C21』 approached the Defense Bureau seeking revenge.
『Witness C21』 has developed a Metamorphosis ability that grants immunity to charm, likely due to their traumatic experience. They have shown strong commitment to the mission, so this report should be taken seriously.
+
A minion of the Queen has been apprehended at the Academy. This raises the possibility that there may be an entrance to the Queen’s 『Nest』 within the Academy grounds. Therefore, it is strongly recommended that a detailed investigation be conducted, with the deployment of field agents and the 『Extermination Squad』⋯⋯.