Chapter 36: The Discussion on Succubus Re-employment
Misha felt that he never should have placed his trust in this eccentric Hero.
This strange Hero’s heart had long since been corroded by gold. Even if Lance refused to admit it verbally, his actions were always brutally honest.
He wanted to make money. Or rather, the Hero had no other thoughts in his head; he simply wanted to make money.
Everything else the Hero did seemed to be mere byproducts of his efforts to amass wealth. It was true when he helped the dwarves mine their ore veins, and it was true now as he attempted to help the succubi integrate into human society.
He must have seen some significant profit to be made from the succubi. That was the only explanation for his enthusiasm and his proactive approach to fulfilling their wishes.
As for what that profit might be… Misha felt he could already follow the Hero’s usual train of thought. With so many succubi, all of them free and energetic labor, one could make a fortune regardless of what they were assigned to do.
For example, stuffing them into the abandoned mine shafts the dwarves were rebuilding would likely yield excellent results.
Misha took a deep breath.
Whatever, he thought. I’m just too tired.
However, the little succubi were unaware of the Hero’s despicable nature. They remained full of naïve hope. One succubus even spoke up in confusion, “But… we already know how to make money.”
Misha: “…”
Misha couldn’t help but recall the origins of this Oasis Palace.
No, wait, you call that “making money”?
Relying on illusions to seduce humans, draining their life force, and then making the humans—still drowning in hallucinations—hand over payment… that method of earning money was something that even a gold-lover like the Hero would absolutely despise.
Based on his understanding of Lance, Misha felt… the Hero would definitely be unhappy about it.
He turned his head and, sure enough, saw Lance frowning slightly, seemingly very dissatisfied with what the succubus had said.
Before Lance could raise a question, however, Ashby coughed loudly. He winked and made faces at the speaking succubus, desperately signaling him to shut up and not continue such a dangerous topic in front of the Hero.
The little succubus was smart enough to catch on. He hurriedly clamped his mouth shut, though his wide eyes remained fixed on the Hero.
Lance took out the succubus registry he had used earlier, cleared his throat, and said, “After you put on clothes, there is one more thing you need to do.”
The succubi looked at him curiously.
Lance spoke with cold ruthlessness: “Change your names.”
Excellent. Misha wanted to applaud Lance for this suggestion.
Just look at the bizarre names these succubi gave themselves. Could those things really be called names?
Misha couldn’t wrap his head around it. Didn’t they feel awkward addressing each other? Even if they didn’t feel awkward, shouting out such long strings of words must be a hassle, right?
But the succubi resisted vehemently. Their reaction was far more rebellious than when they were asked to wear clothes.
“You said you like human towns.” Lance frowned slightly, thinking perhaps there was a misunderstanding. “If I understood that correctly, you want to live alongside humans, right?”
The succubi looked nervously at the Demon King, Misha, unsure if they should answer.
Misha also wanted to know the answer in their hearts. He sighed and said, “Just speak your minds.”
Finally, a succubus nodded. “I like humans.”
Once one started, it opened the floodgates. The other succubi chimed in one after another. If there was a way, they certainly wanted to join human society. Even if it meant hiding their identity as succubi to live among them, they were more than willing.
“It is very difficult to integrate into human society without a suitable name,” Lance explained quite tactfully, merely framing the succubi’s overly vulgar names as ‘unsuitable.’ “Humans will see the problem with your names at a glance.”
Misha nodded vigorously from the sidelines.
See? Even I, a Great Demon King with countless titles, wouldn’t add those titles to my actual name.
But Succubus A scratched his head, looking puzzled.
“But I’ve visited human cities,” Succubus A whispered. “There are people there with names like ours.”
Misha froze.
The succubi clamored in agreement, eager to dig up evidence of their names’ origins to prove they were traceable and not just weird things they had come up with randomly.
Lance couldn’t help but ask, “Where… exactly did you see this?”
Succubus A was very honest: “A human brothel.”
Misha: “…”
Lance: “…”
“Their names were even more explicit than mine.” Succubus A blushed, looking a bit shy. “I thought I was being quite subtle.”
Misha: “…”
Misha lowered his head to look at the registry in his hand.
This succubus seemed to be named… Big Butt Giant Mouth [Redacted] Tender [Redacted]…
Very… subtle?
How is that subtle?!
Misha blushed just reading the words!
After a moment, Lance finally sighed. “That is not a good place.”
Succubus A did not agree with Lance’s assessment.
“I think it’s a great place!” Succubus A said. “The humans there are very enthusiastic!”
Misha: “…”
Lance: “…”
Succubus A: “Although the taste of the life force there is average, the quantity is huge. It’s very filling.”
Misha: “…”
Lance: “…”
Succubus A: “And they all dress very revealingly. Being with them, I felt like I was normal again.”
Misha: “…”
Lance: “…”
So you admit that what you usually wear isn’t normal!
But Misha understood what the succubus meant.
To a succubus, that was indeed an incredible place.
Succubus A, however, seemed to suddenly find inspiration in what Lance had just said.
“We could open a shop like that too!” Succubus A shouted. “Full of humans, infinite life force, and we can make money! Lord Ashby! You can be the manager!”
Misha: “…”
Lance: “…”
Ashby, suddenly called out, wore a look of utter confusion.
Lance took a deep breath to stabilize his increasingly volatile mood. He tried to be slightly gentler, patiently explaining to the clearly overly naïve succubi.
“The people who visit your shop would all end up with severe dizziness and weak legs, unable to get out of bed for days,” Lance repeated the side effects Deventer had mentioned earlier. “Guess how long you’d be able to keep a ‘shop’ like that open?”
Succubus A began to think.
Most succubi had no self-control when feeding, so side effects for the victims were common. And once those side effects appeared, they were usually quite severe.
“Also, a little bit of trivia,” Lance added. “Such shops are illegal in the Kingdom.”
Succubus A blinked.
Lance asked again, “Can you tell me the address of the shop you visited?”
Succubus A: “You want to try it too?”
He showed a hint of surprise, then couldn’t help but lean forward. Thinking that the life force of a human Hero might be even more delicious, he blinked and asked, “If you want to—”
Lance, expressionless: “I plan to report them to the Knights.”
Succubus A: “…”
Misha: “…”
Ashby coughed heavily several times, interrupting their conversation.
“It’s just changing a name; it’s very quick,” Ashby said, mentally exhausted and weary. “Let’s just change them now.”
Once the succubi had tentatively confirmed their new, normal names, Lance took the fresh registry. It was time to determine the next step in their money-making plan.
He thought for a moment, then turned to ask Misha and the others, “Do you have any ideas?”
Arlo had no ideas.
He couldn’t even figure out how things had turned out this way.
Samuel paused for a long while. He felt that although succubi were monsters, if they were willing to reform, he was personally very happy to think of ways to help them.
Samuel thought that they needed to continue purifying the succubi’s souls. Therefore, the best method was naturally to let the succubi do good deeds.
Samuel: “How about joining a choir?”
Lance: “…”
Lance ignored Samuel.
Lance turned to Ashby—
Never mind, he didn’t want to hear Ashby or Deventer speak.
So, Lance finally looked at Misha and asked, “Do you have any ideas?”
Misha: “Uh…”
In his opinion, the succubi had good figures and were all very beautiful. Perhaps they could work in the performing arts. At the very least… they could form an amazing acrobatic troupe.
They could perform gymnastics and magic. It would definitely be a successful circus act.
Lance nodded, seeming to think there was some logic to Misha’s words.
For succubi who liked and had talent in that area, they could indeed be assigned those jobs. As for the rest… Lance rubbed his chin, turned to look at the succubi’s rather pretty faces again, and suddenly had another idea.
Lance: “I have an idea too.”
Misha asked curiously, “What is it?”
Lance asked the succubus standing at the very front to come over and stand before Misha. Then Lance pointed at Misha and said, “Praise him.”
Misha: “Eh?”
He was very surprised, and the succubus was equally at a loss.
But Ashby had already said that from now on, Lance’s orders were as good as his own. The succubus hesitated for a long while before finally whispering to Misha, “You… are amazing.”
Misha replied awkwardly, “No, no, I haven’t done anything.”
After saying this, the succubus looked at Lance, wanting to know what else he needed to do.
“Keep praising him,” Lance said. “Until I say stop.”
Succubus: “…”
Misha: “…”
Wait, what exactly is this Hero trying to do?
The succubus could only take a deep breath.
He was a succubus, after all. The race possessed many remarkable talents, and a sweet tongue was one of them. The Demon King was indeed very good to them, and he was quite willing to praise the Demon King. However, Misha had told them beforehand that he was not currently by the Hero’s side in his capacity as the Demon King. That meant… his praise for Lord Demon King absolutely could not mention the words “Demon King.”
The succubus decided to start with appearances.
“You look very good,” the succubus said. “And your name is very cute!”
Misha: “…”
No, I still think this is really weird.
“You work very hard every day, don’t you?” the succubus continued. “Actually, you’ve already done a great job. If anyone else were in your position, they would never have done better than you.”
Misha: “…”
Hmm… that sentence.
Meeting a weird Hero like this… no matter who it was, they wouldn’t be able to stand it, right?
“I can see your toil and effort,” the succubus said earnestly. “Actually, sometimes, you need to rest too.”
Misha: “…Mmh.”
He looked at the succubus’s innocent and beautiful face and began to feel that his efforts over this period were, at least somewhat, being seen by others.
From the moment he met this strange Hero, a string in his heart had been pulled tight, unable to relax. He had encountered too many difficulties recently, making him feel that life was full of adversity. Consequently, a casual word of praise was unexpectedly enough to make him let out a breath of relief, making him feel that he still had the capacity to face all these difficulties.
The succubus whispered again, “Also, you really are very handsome.”
This sentence was different from the previous praise. His eyes were sparkling, and he leaned slightly forward, almost pressing up against Misha’s face, staring straight into Misha’s eyes.
“This is not a lie I’ve casually made up,” the succubus said. “Demon… Lord Divine Messenger, I have always very much—”
Lance raised the registry in his hand, blocking the overly close succubus.
“That’s enough,” Lance said expressionlessly. “The praising was decent, but the tone could be a little more considerate.”
Misha: “…”
Succubus: “…”
Misha finally couldn’t hold back his confusion.
“Aren’t we supposed to be teaching them how to make money?” Misha frowned. “What are you doing, Lord Lance?”
“This is also a way to make money,” Lance explained to Misha. “If you have been in adversity for a long time and your life is full of disappointment, would you be willing to pay a small fee to have someone like him praise you?”
Misha: “…”
Misha felt he understood.
Succubi had outstanding appearances and were mostly sweet talkers. They were very good at complimenting others. And there were many people tortured by life and reality; in such times, they needed someone who could listen patiently and be willing to praise them.
If this person was also good-looking, the effect would be even better.
Who wouldn’t want a handsome guy or a beautiful girl to praise them? Even a Demon King was the same!
After hearing it, he felt the whole demon inside him swelling with pride!
Lance asked, “If it were you, how much would you be willing to pay?”
Misha paused again. He didn’t actually have a very intuitive sense of human purchasing power. He could only recall the price of healing potions sold on the street… Well, physical pain is never as painful as emotional trauma, right? So, this praise that heals the soul should naturally be more expensive than a healing potion.
Misha: “One… one gold coin, I guess!”
Lance: “…”
He saw Lance lower his head and quickly write something down in the succubus registry. Misha thought it must be the Hero’s pricing for the succubi’s new job. He was curious, so he stood on his tiptoes slightly and carefully leaned over to peek.
On the last blank page of the registry, Lance had written Misha’s name.
Misha frowned.
Is he… noting down my suggestion for the pricing?
Lance continued to write below it.
Misha: Simple—
Eh? Simple?
Surely that’s not a customer impression.
Misha scratched his head, unable to contain his curiosity.
He simply walked behind the Hero, openly lowering his head to look at the Hero’s evaluation of him, the very first customer.
On that white paper, his name was written very conspicuously, followed by three words:
Misha: Naive, Wealthy, Easy to scam.
Misha: “…”
If I strangle this Hero to death right now, nobody would object, right?!
Recommended Reads
