The Story of an Arrogant Succubus Princess Who Always Looked Down on Humans as Mere Food, Until She Fell in Love With an Ordinary Man - Chapter 20

“──We’re going out to have fun now, alright?”

With those words, Liliana forcefully began walking. It was already late at night. They had an early start tomorrow, and more importantly, they had just been caught by Eris. Although Eris was working alone, there was no telling when other pursuers might appear.

Even Asbel, usually calm, furrowed his brow at Liliana’s reckless actions, which only increased the risk in their situation.

“…Didn’t I tell you to stay quietly in your room?”

“I know, but…I had a bad feeling.”

“A bad feeling?”

“Yeah. I’ve never been wrong when I get a hunch like this. So, I decided to leave the room and find you.”

“……”

There were demons who possessed such heightened senses. Asbel had never heard of a succubus having those abilities, but Liliana was no ordinary succubus.

As someone who had fought against demons with similar abilities on the battlefield, Asbel didn’t outright dismiss her words.

“I understand why you left the room. I also know that demon instincts can be trustworthy. But the course of action we should take now is to switch inns and prepare for tomorrow. There’s no reason to go wandering around.”

“It’s impossible to find another inn at this hour, right?”

“I have a friend in this town. We can stay at their place for the night.”

“……”

Liliana exhaled in frustration and cast her gaze toward Asbel. Her eyes, devoid of color as usual, revealed nothing. Even Liliana, who had experienced countless battles, couldn’t read what lay behind them.

“But I can’t accept this.”

“What’s with you, all of a sudden…?”

“Traveling with you…has been boring. We haven’t had time to sightsee, we’ve mostly just walked around and holed up in inns. Honestly…this is the most boring journey I’ve ever had.”

“Of course. This isn’t a vacation.”

“But! …It wasn’t all bad!”

Liliana shouted, ignoring both the current situation and Asbel’s state of mind, expressing only her own feelings.

“You saved me from those bandits, we ate meals together at inns, talked about all sorts of things, and saw flower fields…There was so much! I…had fun. Even on such a dull journey, there were many enjoyable moments. I thought…you felt the same way, even with your expressionless face. But then…!”

Liliana was angry. Although she was often grumpy, this was the first time she had expressed her emotions so openly. Asbel had no idea what had triggered her outburst. No, he didn’t need to understand.

He only needed to continue doing what was right. There was no need to take unnecessary risks. …Yet, why couldn’t he deny Liliana’s words? Perhaps, it was because of the conversation he’d just had with that junior knight, which he hadn’t needed to hear.

“What I have is my own sense of what’s right, that’s all.”

“…You heard that?”

“Yeah. I’ve had a lot of thoughts on this journey. I thought it was fun! But you didn’t feel the same. While eating with me or talking with me, you never once thought it was fun. For you, this journey was just about proving your sense of righteousness, and from the beginning…you never even saw me.”

“So what? You knew that from the start, didn’t you? I’m incapable of it. I can’t love anyone…I can’t feel emotions like being moved. You’re not a child anymore, so don’t be so selfish──”

“Don’t call me ‘you’! I told you, my name is Liliana! I asked you to call me ‘Lily,’ but not once did you ever call me that!!”

In the moonless night, Liliana’s voice echoed. There was no one around, and the only thing visible was the cold darkness of the night.

“I’m the Enchantress of Nations. A succubus among succubi. Liliana Liche Riden, right? You can’t stand next to me and say there wasn’t a single fun thing about it! I won’t allow that!!”

“…This is ridiculous. You are──”

“You’re just like me! You chose your sense of righteousness over your own happiness. Even though you knew it would only cost you, you still saved me. I’m the same. I can’t forgive…what you just said!”

“…What are you even talking about…”

For once, Asbel was perplexed. Earlier, Eris had told him he was wrong. Asbel had dismissed her words based on his own values. That expression Eris had shown— a mix of resignation and anger.

He was probably wearing the same expression now.

“…I’m not, am I?”

Asbel let out a resigned sigh. He couldn’t abandon his sense of what was right for Liliana’s sake. But neither did he want to impose it on her and deny her values.

“Fine. It’s the last night, anyway. I’ll indulge your whim for tonight.”

“Yay! That’s more like it! Ending this journey on a note of ‘it was boring’ would be a disgrace to me for generations to come.”

“But be ready for tomorrow. No matter how much you whine, I won’t carry you.”

“That’s fine! If it comes to that, I’ll just cling to your back, no matter what!”

Liliana, now in high spirits, walked ahead. A moment ago, she was furious, but now she was smiling like she couldn’t be happier.

“…What a fickle girl.”

Asbel muttered quietly, so she couldn’t hear.

“So? Where are we going? The taverns should be closed by now at this hour.”

Liliana turned to him with a bright smile in response to his question.

“Actually, I know a great spot. So just follow me quietly!”

It was a night without light. A silent night. A night where it seemed like there was nothing but darkness. Yet, the girl in front of him smiled more brightly than the sun.

“…What Enchantress of Nations? She’s just a spoiled kid.”

Asbel let out a tired sigh.