A virgin orc who has relations with a succubus will become a wizard without fail, even if he mates with others after her. The Orc Hero would become…a wizard. If that happened, all his pride as an orc would be dashed. Bash could not allow that to happen. He could not! He needed to fight… Fight with all his might. But when the succubus’s red eyes glowed, all the warning signals inside Bash went quiet. So what if he became a wizard? Would it not be ecstasy to indulge himself with that body of hers? Her skin was white as milk and translucent, her breasts small but perky, and with every movement of her hands, the soothing, sloshing sound of water rose. That sound seeped deep into Bash’s ears, eroding his will, making his body grow pliant and floppy. Bash Jr. was anything but floppy, however. It was hard as stone, and it seemed to take the lead, drawing Bash forward. His hands reached out of their own accord… …toward the succubus. “Huh?” But the next moment, Bash’s body was freed from its spell. His vision unblurred. Before him stood a succubus, nothing more, looking up at Bash with wide eyes and a blank expression. “Ah, could it be that…?” The succubus slammed her thighs shut. Standing up straight, she composed herself. Then she looked at Bash somberly. “Could it be that you are the Orc Hero Bash?” “…Yeah, that’s me.” The moment he said that, the succubus stumbled back in shock. Then she went behind a tree and grabbed a bundle of cloth. Carefully folded clothes. She dressed quickly. With a practiced manner. Before he even knew what had happened, the parts Bash had longed to gaze upon, touch, and possess were covered up with a baggy military uniform. Her hair, no longer in bunches, was braided tightly, and she wore thick glasses on her face, making her look somewhat dorky. Then the succubus placed her hand against her brow in salute. “M-my name is Venus, and you once assisted me on the battlefield!” Then she knelt down on the spot and bowed low. “I apologize for all that! It is such an honor to properly meet you, Orc Hero Bash!” “Ah… All right…” Bash nodded. It was hard to get a handle on the situation, but at least for now, it seemed the danger had passed. “I would not blame you for being angry! How unseemly for a proud succubus such as myself to attempt to bewitch the mighty Bash, the benefactor, the Hero of all succubi! Please, forgive my transgression!” “I’m not angry… Anyway, you stopped partway through, so thanks for that.” “Such words of generosity! Thank you, sire!” While Bash was disappointed to be deprived of the view of Venus’s curves, he was also quite relieved. If things had escalated any further, Bash would have been unable to resist her charms and would have tossed inhibition to the wind in the worst possible way. The inevitable result would have been wizardhood. He might even have ended up a sex slave to a succubus. A former Orc Hero turned succubus sex slave, with a wizard brand on his forehead. As a proud orc, Bash knew his very soul would have shriveled and died. And the orc race would not have taken the debasement of one of their own heroes sitting down. There would have been war between the orcs and the succubi. Orcs ought never to wage war against the succubi. That was a war they could never win. “So, Lord Bash… What business do you have in succubus country? If you’re here for a visit, we would be honored to welcome you…” “It’s a little too complex to explain…” Bash turned and saw Ludo, who was being held back by his sister. “Wh-what just happened?” Apparently, he too had been ensnared. But now that the charm had been lifted, he looked completely dumbfounded. “I see! There are complicated circumstances, then!” Venus stroked her chin. “Then the fairy must have been telling the truth…” “A fairy?” “Yes, the other day, a fairy by the name of Zell appeared. It said that Lord Bash had been washed away by the river and ought to have washed up around here. For half a day it screeched about how, if we were holding you somewhere, we’d all live to regret it.” “…” “There’s no way we proud succubi would do something like that to our benefactor, Lord Bash. What an insult. That was our reaction. And so we captured the fairy.” Bash could picture the scene in vivid detail. “Indeed, I slipped off the bridge, fell into the river, and got separated from Zell.” “Oh good. Then could you please come and collect it? It was screaming all night, and the guard on duty is on the verge of a nervous breakdown.” “Hmm…” Bash pondered it. Succubus country. A place occupied by, well, succubi. Every succubus was a sight to behold. Sometimes acting devilish, sometimes acting deceptively pure, sometimes acting sweet. Even orcs fantasize about making it with succubi. So what if they can’t reproduce? Still worth it. But succubi, ranking highly in the Coalition of Seven, rarely consider orcs as romantic partners. As food, though? Well, that was different. Without exception, they hunted men for food. Bash didn’t have any particularly negative feelings for the succubi. He couldn’t condemn them for their very nature. Sure, they couldn’t have children. Nor could they be made into concubines. But for a one-night roll in the hay, it could be a win-win situation. But all that would only apply after Bash had lost his virginity. Right now, it was out of the question. But, as we’ve just seen, Bash was not immune to the succubus charm. Bash’s worst possible fear had almost become a reality, and all because of the whim of one succubus. A dangerous situation indeed. Despite all the tantalizing possibilities, Bash absolutely could not go there. “The whole nation will welcome you with open arms! Oh, everyone will be so happy…” “No, if you could just bring my friend here…” “What?! No, please! We proud succubi could never turn away our Hero, our savior, Lord Bash, at the border of our land! If we did so, the Queen would see that we lived to regret it!” “But…” Bash was an Orc Hero. But he was afraid to enter the land of the succubi because of the risk of losing his virginity to a succubus. Distressed, he turned his gaze to Ludo and Luca. “I have other companions with me, and we are in something of a hurry.” “Huh? Ah…” Ludo looked confused. Luca, meanwhile, shook her head hard. Having no doubt witnessed the mesmerization that had just taken place, surely the danger was obvious to her. “Ah, that delicious-looking young boy, he… Ahem! Forgive me! But who are these young ones?” “The lad is my apprentice.” “Ooh! An apprentice! How lucky you are to be receiving Lord Bash’s teachings! I, for one, would love a tussle in the sheets with… Ahem!” Perhaps, in her scanty clothes, Venus had caught a cold, for she was coughing and clearing her throat a lot. Composing herself, she turned back to Bash. “Hmm, either way, your little friends do look wary… But there is no cause for concern! Lord Bash is the benefactor of the succubus race! He is respected! No succubus would dare lay a hand on either Lord Bash or his apprentices. Even if one or two lose their heads over Lord Bash’s virility, I will personally… no, we will make sure no one lays a finger on you. The succubi whose lives were saved by the almighty Lord Bash in the Rina Desert will do anything to be of service! Even if it means laying down our very lives!” Venus’s words were convincing, and her determination was palpable. “So please! I beg you! A short visit will do! But at least please greet the Queen! Oh, please! For our pride and our honor, please!” She’d laid it on so thickly, Bash found it impossible to refuse. “Very well… But we will not stay long. We’re on a quest of our own.” “Of course! Come, come, this way!” And so Bash and company entered succubus country. The capital city of succubus country was deserted. Usually, the whole city was coated with the dense pink fog that stole reason from men of all races, but now the city was empty. Barely any signs of life. Hardly any people passing on the streets. Alongside demons and ogres, succubi are considered high-ranking races among the Coalition. In addition to the characteristics that give them a big advantage over the males of all the races in the Alliance of Four, they’re also an outstanding race in their own right, both physically and magically. That was what the succubi were like. The succubi Bash knew always wore bewitching smiles on their immaculately made-up faces and always acted with cool confidence… But the few passersby he saw seemed to have none of that spark. Instead, their cheeks looked sunken, and they lacked vibrancy. “It seems rather gloomy here.” “We lost… We’re cut off from our main source of sustenance… We’re starving. Just barely scraping by. Isn’t it the same in orc land?” “We orcs have food, so we’re doing a little better.” They’re starving… Immediately after hearing those words, Bash suddenly felt eyes on him and turned his head. He saw several succubi loitering in an alley. They stared at Bash with bloodshot eyes. They did not attack, but drool dripped from the corners of their mouths. All were peerless beauties, typical succubi. Their bodies were enough to make Bash gulp. If a human woman wanted curves like those, it would take quite a lot of effort. But upon closer inspection, he could see that there was a gauntness to their limbs, their ribs protruded, and their cheeks were hollow. They clearly hadn’t eaten in quite some time. They wore no lipstick… Perhaps not needed except on the battlefield… And it was clear their lips were badly chapped. “Oh, that’s Kyuka over there. She’s always…” “Venus… Who’s this succulent specimen with you?” Just as Venus was talking, one of the succubi started approaching Bash and company, licking her lips. Stopping in front of Bash, she thrust out her hips and put an index finger to her lips in an enticing pose, studying him. And the part she was studying was Bash’s crotch. It was almost as if she was afraid it might disappear if she took her eyes off it. As if it was something she was determined not to lose sight of. Bash began to wonder if he should obscure her sight of it. It’s not that Bash was feeling bashful, but it didn’t seem prudent to leave one’s vitals exposed while an enemy was sizing them up. Her longing gaze was intense. “Ah… How virile you seem…” “The boy looks sweet, too, but no doubt the orc’s would be best… Yes, his would be thick, rich, and plentiful I’m sure…” The other succubi surrounded Bash and company with vulgar, lascivious, devilish grins… But despite approaching and staring, they did not attempt to reach out. Bash wasn’t aware, but this was because of the succubus rule that stated “Do not touch prey that has been charmed by others, except by permission.” “Tee-hee… Hey, look… The little girl is desperately trying to protect her brother…” “How cute. As a special treat, I’ll let you watch as I make your brother feel better than he’s ever felt in his life…” “Kyah-ha-ha! Now that’s in poor taste!” “Oh, pfft! That’s your thing, isn’t it? Seeing women of other races gnash their teeth in despair while you… Hee-hee!” The succubi circled around Bash and company, saying dreadful things all the while. Ludo turned bright red and looked away, while Luca stood in front of him protectively, arms outstretched. “From the looks of you all, you’re fools who stumbled across the border, right? Well, good. The guards toss us a feast every now and then. Let’s split them up evenly. Venus, we’re friends, aren’t we? I’m not sure about the shrimpy one, but the big one will produce enough for us all to share, surely! Hmm… Looks like he hasn’t gotten it up yet… Is your charm weak? Should I use mine as well?” “Kyuka, our guest’s eyes are in his head, not his crotch. You’re being unspeakably rude right now.” Venus’s response was curt. The woman named Kyuka trembled, eyes going wide. “Rude? Oh, come on… Let us have a little… Just a little…” Kyuka lifted her eyes to Bash’s face, as if to make a show of concession. The other succubi followed suit. Then they paused for several seconds. “…Um… You couldn’t possibly be the Orc Hero Bash, could you?” “I am.” The moment Bash nodded, Kyuka and the others shot to attention so quickly, there was almost an audible snapping sound. Their hips, which had been arched like those of a cat, went as straight as tree trunks, and their faces, jaws pulled to one side in flirtatious mockery, went straight, with chins pulled in, and they all snapped a hand to the side of their foreheads. The formal salute of the succubus army. Though they were scantily clad and not in uniform. “Please forgive us!” “Uh, it’s fine…” “Hey!” At Kyuka’s shout, the other succubi dashed back down the alley. They returned, bearing rags for three people. They all dressed in a hurry, covering up their thin but bewitching bodies. Bash was a little disappointed but also a little relieved. “I am Kyuka! You saved my unit at the defensive battle of the Pyles River! Orc Hero Bash! I’m truly sorry for my terrible transgression!” “Forgive us all!” Then Kyuka produced a dagger from her rags. “Instead of repaying Lord Bash, to whom I am so greatly indebted, I saw him as food! Even worse, I was about to divvy up his sustenance between myself and my friends! As a proud succubus, I cannot live with such sin! As such, I will make amends with my life’s blood!” “Erm, no, don’t…” “However, these two are still inexperienced! Please spare them and let my blood be spilled in their stead! Now, please enjoy the splendor of a fool’s life ending! The spray of my blood will serve to honor the remaining warriors! Farewell!” But just as she was about to plunge the dagger into her heart, Bash grabbed her arm. “I don’t mind. Please, don’t worry.” A succubus never charmed anyone she truly respected. It was a little disappointing for Bash, but this state of affairs was convenient for his goals. Bash had a firm resolve, but he was not immune to the appeals of a succubus. But Bash’s sentiment seemed to unsettle the other succubi. “How magnanimous!” “Even to the point of staying her hand! The hand of an uggo like Captain Kyuka!” “Captain Kyuka’s death would only be an eyesore to him. After all, she’s a woman who lusted after the benefactor of all succubi…” “You lusted after him, too!” But the succubi had stopped looking at Bash like he was a prime cut of meat and had begun venerating him in earnest. The hearts in their eyes had turned to stars. “Lord Bash, we are honored by your visit… But please, take care!” “What do you mean?” “This nation has been forgetting its pride of late. When you walk through our land, please stick closely to Venus and make sure that you’re never alone.” “Hmm?” Bash tilted his head in confusion. It was a simple gesture, but the succubi saw it as adorable, and it set their hearts clamoring again. “…Well, whatever. At any rate, I don’t plan on staying long. I’ll pick up Zell, greet the Queen, and be on my way.” “Understood! Lord Bash, thank you for honoring us with your conversation today! We will cherish this memory for the rest of our lives!” “Thank you!” Heads bowed low. The beautiful hair, the luscious bodies, were hidden from sight. These veteran warriors of bygone days, dressed in sack-like rags, looked like three brown caterpillars when viewed from above like this. Their appearances seemed to sum up the modern-day succubus.
Chapter 26
14 min read