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 44

“……”

The man wakes up, feeling like he was lost in a long dream, though he can’t recall it clearly. His head throbs, and his vision blurs.

“Where…is this place?”

Holding his aching head, he glances around. It’s an unfamiliar room, dim due to tightly drawn curtains, making it hard to gauge its size.

“……”

As he tries to sit up, pain stops him. It’s not just one area; his entire body aches. The injuries are so severe that finding a spot without pain seems impossible. Though someone has tended to him, he wonders why he ended up this badly injured.

“That’s right, Lili…what happened to her now?”

Suddenly, Asbel tries to rise, pain seemingly forgotten, ready to run out. But just then, the door opens, and a girl with an exasperated expression appears.

“With those injuries, you’re already moving? You’re a real monster, Senpai.”

“…Eris.”

Dressed in the knight corps uniform, this girl, Eris, is Asbel’s junior. Her presence means…

“Have I been captured by the knight corps?”

Eris gives a small smile and shakes her head.

“Half right, Senpai. We ignored Captain Gran’s ‘standby’ order and went to the mountains after hearing about something strange there. And then…we found what looked like a godlike girl and a massive beast rampaging. That’s where we found you, barely alive.”

“So, we’re in a nearby town, then. Thank you for carrying me all the way.”

Asbel bows his head in genuine gratitude. Eris, somewhat embarrassed, averts her eyes.

“It’s nothing, Senpai. I owe you, after all. Though…I honestly thought you were dead when I first saw you.”

“Was I that badly injured?”

“‘Badly’ doesn’t even cover it! You were soaked in blood…with a huge hole in your stomach. When the doctor saw you, he was so shocked he fell back. He called it a miracle you survived.”

“Well, I’m apparently not exactly human.”

“Even demons don’t heal like you. A hole that big closed up in just one week.”

“…Wait, did you say one week? That much time has passed?”

Considering how long it took Eris and the others to find him, it’s been at least ten days. Asbel’s eyes harden—he can’t afford to lie here any longer.

“No need to worry, Senpai. That ‘thing’ hasn’t moved since then. The corps is currently devising countermeasures, calling it ‘God’ for now.”

“…I see.”

Asbel clenches his teeth and exhales. Rushing off now wouldn’t change anything. Charging in without a plan was why he’s in this state. If he repeats it, he won’t survive.

“Senpai, what is that thing? They’re saying it’s some kind of divine power, but I’ve never seen anything like it.”

“I think…that might be Liliana Liche Riden, transformed by some kind of power.”

“A mere succubus couldn’t have that kind of strength. Just seeing it made me shiver and run.”

“It didn’t feel like a succubus. It was as if something else inhabited her. I don’t know the details, but maybe Captain Gran knows something—”

Suddenly remembering, Asbel stops mid-sentence and looks at Eris.

“Was there a Pixie nearby? If there was, it might know something about what’s happened to Lili.”

“A Pixie? Unfortunately, I didn’t see one. They’re a cunning, tiny race; if they’re truly hiding, finding them would be hard.”

“I see…”

Asbel closes his eyes, thinking. There are no countermeasures, no information. But that doesn’t mean there’s nothing he can do. He can’t keep lying around here.

“You still intend to help that woman, don’t you, Senpai?”

Watching him, Eris speaks in an exasperated tone.

“…I promised to stay by her side. And…I can’t just leave her like that, can I? The demon kingdom will surely try to use her as leverage in negotiations. Knowing her power, they likely let this happen on purpose. I need to be ready.”

“But really, what could you even do, Senpai? Just sitting up looks painful for you. The doctor ordered strict rest, didn’t he?”

“No problem. I’ve ignored doctors’ orders since forever.”

“That’s how people who die young talk.”

“Then so be it. Better me than someone else because I couldn’t fight.”

“…You’re unfair, Senpai.”

Eris, who has experienced Asbel’s reckless protection before, falls silent.

“Senpai, do you…like that succubus?”

“…Who knows. I still don’t fully understand what it means to ‘like’ someone. But, she said something to me at the end.”

Right before he lost consciousness—or maybe it was just a dream—he thought he heard her say it. In a soft voice that didn’t suit her at all, she’d said, “Help me.”

“…I see. If you’ve come to care for someone that much, Senpai, I’ll keep my thoughts to myself.”

Eris stands and gazes out the window. A gentle breeze stirs her hair. With her back turned, Asbel can’t see her expression.

She lets out a small laugh and says,

“Still, I can’t just leave you to do something reckless with that body of yours, Senpai. After all, I’m a capable junior.”

“…I was formally discharged from the corps. We’re no longer Senpai and junior. In fact, I’m wanted by the corps. Helping me will only get you in trouble—”

“You, of all people, talking about staying out of trouble? Besides, you’re still my Senpai. Quitting the corps or being on the run doesn’t change that.”

Eris laughs, her usual bright smile. Seeing her smile, Asbel finds himself at a loss for words.

“…Alright. I’ll promise not to push myself until I heal.”

“As you should! Even as tough as you are, pushing it with those injuries would mean death. Right…it would, wouldn’t it? You’re not so tough that you’d survive being chopped to pieces, are you?”

“I’m not that resilient.”

A gentle air surrounds them, and Asbel remembers the banter they once shared during missions.

“Excuse me.”

Then, breaking the peaceful atmosphere, the door opens, and a man steps in.

“You’re looking better than expected, Asbel.”

“Captain Gran…”

The unexpected arrival, Gran, takes one look at Asbel, still covered in bandages, and momentarily seems on the verge of tears. But soon, he gives his usual casual smile and speaks.

“I’ve found a way to save her—Liliana Liche Riden.”