I Became an Incubus, So I'll Dive into Dreams and Give Life Advice However I Want! - Chapter 25: Sinful

Chapter 25: Sinful

In the Kingdom of Ragnadia, significant developments were about to take place. 

Despite its past glory and growth as a great nation, it could not be said that the current king and nobles were exceptional. However, in such a kingdom, a prince emerged unexpectedly, showing great promise.

The prince tirelessly worked to rectify the corruption and inhumane practices rampant among the nobility. With the help of a saint, his efforts quickly spread among the people, garnering their support.

“The prince is our beacon of hope.”

“He is amazing, unlike the rotten nobles.”

“He should be the next king!”

“Prince, please help us!”

People seek light over darkness.

That’s why they cling to reliable figures, hoping for a better world, where they can live more comfortably than before.

Their hopes are not misplaced, especially since the prince himself has determined to lead the kingdom in a new direction, making the voices of the people his driving force.

“Why is the incompetent prince resurfacing now?!”

“…Shouldn’t we get rid of him?”

“But he has the saint by his side. It’s impossible!”

“Enough! You useless fool!”

The prince’s actions were like a thorn in the side of the noble class who had been indulging in sweet pleasures. However, the fact that they couldn’t easily dispose of him was a testament to the prince’s awakened potential and the influence of his feelings towards the saint.

It wasn’t that the prince lacked ability from the start; it was just that he couldn’t realize it.

The potential hidden within him could awaken and grow endlessly through his emotions. 

The encounter with a demon, the rediscovery of his feelings for the saint, and the overflowing confidence within himself—these three factors overlapped, allowing the prince to successfully break free from his shell.

“I wonder how he’s doing now…”

The person the prince thought of was the demon who became the catalyst for his transformation. 

It was a known fact that the demons were fearsome beings, but he was also someone who had to some extent changed that perception… Of course, that didn’t mean he naively believed all other demons were the same, but the prince held immense gratitude for that young demon boy, Lyre.

“It would be nice even in a dream… I want to see him again. I want to tell him proudly that I have changed and become a little more respectable.”

If someone were to say that nothing had changed, so be it. But the prince trusted that even if such jests were made, he could still laugh it off with Lyre by his side.

Now, he was heading towards the presence of the saint, Exis, not in the castle, but in the church. It would take some time to reach her, but for the prince, the time spent heading towards the person he cared about was a source of happiness.

“Excuse me. I’ve come to see Exis.”

“Oh, Prince. Please, come in. The saint is in her room.”

“Thank you.”

They had made arrangements in advance to meet today. The discussion would revolve around purging corrupt nobles, resolving the resulting disturbances, and planning for the development that would follow.

The prince and the saint had gathered like-minded individuals as their allies, and many were drawn to the transformed prince’s newfound strength. Both men and women were among their ranks, and while some women were infatuated with the prince, he had eyes only for Exis, and he never succumbed to their temptations.

(It’s troublesome… but I should see this as another charm that attracts people. Don’t become arrogant… My duty is to attract people and promise them a better future—that’s what I’m here for.)

This prince had completely transformed into a handsome prince with such thoughts.

Imagining the demon who had served as the catalyst for his change giving him a thumbs-up somewhere in his mind, the prince wore a smile that could captivate the opposite sex. Passing by the sisters, who seemed to swoon at his presence, he headed straight to the room where Exis was likely to be.

“Exis…?”

Upon reaching the room, he heard some noise coming from inside.

The prince blushed, thinking it might be happening again—it was purely coincidental, but he had once heard Exis comforting herself with her own voice.

Considering her age, he understood that it was normal, but at the same time, he felt guilty for having accidentally overheard it… However, being of a similar age himself, he couldn’t help but listen in.

“…Exis.”

The prince didn’t think it was lewd or improper.

It was because he was so infatuated with Exis that he believed it was fine for her to do whatever she wanted… because he loved her.

“…Ah.”

However, he couldn’t shake the feeling that she had called someone’s name, someone unknown to him. 

He wanted to dismiss it as his imagination… but his heart ached, and for some reason, he felt a fluttering sensation. It was as if a voice was telling him not to go there, not to become unable to turn back.

▼▽

“…Akchoo!”

“That was a big sneeze.”

“I wonder if someone’s talking about us.”

Whether it was a good rumor or a bad rumor… I bit my lip, hoping it was a good rumor.

Even though demons can get sick like a common cold, it’s rare because their bodies are more resilient compared to humans. But even with a mild illness, it worries not only Aria but also my mother, so I need to be careful.

“What are we going to do today?”

“Well…”

Although I have a training session tomorrow where I’ll consciously project myself to Roa-san’s place for adjustments, there’s nothing particularly planned for today. 

Spending time with Aria is as usual… but today, I strangely don’t feel sleepy at all, so maybe I should go outside for a change.

“Aria, want to go outside?”

“Outside?”

By “outside,” I mean outside of the house, outside of the village. 

Our village is secluded from the outside world thanks to my mother’s powerful barrier magic, but as succubi, we can freely come and go. However, since my existence is kept secret, I can go out with permission but with the condition not to venture too far away.

“Sure, let’s go. It’s been a while.”

“Oh, yeah.”

With that settled, we decided to venture outside after informing my mother and under the promise not to go too far away, where our magical presence couldn’t be sensed.

As soon as we left the village, the scenery instantly changed. The familiar aura of the succubi disappeared, replaced by a heavy and gloomy atmosphere saturated with magic.

“It’s always like this, gloomy.”

“Well, it’s the Demon Realm. When you think about it, I feel like visiting the human realm.”

“…”

As a conscious entity venturing outside, I am aware of the human realm… or rather, I have memories of living as a human, so the brightness of that world is ingrained in my mind.

Aria, on the other hand, only knows this aura of darkness… Considering that, it might be nice to go to the human realm together, adding a sense of a trip to it.

(Though I don’t think Mother will give us permission…)

Thinking about it, I let out a small sigh. I do believe that we’ll eventually be granted permission, but it’s because my mother and the others are concerned about me.

As a succubus, as Mother’s son… as a man, I need to become stronger so that everyone can feel at ease… There’s also the additional issue of being a male succubus, but well, there’s no point in dwelling on it.

(I have Mother’s inherited magic power, a strong body as a demon… The foundation is already in place. After all, in another world, it’s all about becoming stronger!)

It’s exciting to think about the possibilities that come with being in a different world.

Now, with Aria by my side, we ventured outside. From where we stood, we could see numerous demons, both humanoid and monstrous in appearance.

“I wonder if they even realize that the Succubus Village is here.”

“Yeah, I don’t think they would. They can just pass through even if they get close. When you think about it, Lilith-sama is truly extraordinary, right?”

I nodded in agreement.

After strolling around with Aria for a while, we were about to head back to the village when we witnessed a skirmish or battle between demons erupting nearby. However, since it didn’t concern us, we didn’t pay much attention to it.

Just before returning to the village, a being radiating immense power headed towards that location, but it didn’t bother us either.