Chapter 28

“But more importantly, I’ve heard that Zell has been causing some trouble.” “Ah, yes, the fairy. It’s certainly a handful. You’ll collect it, won’t you?” “Of course.” “In that case… Nio!” Curly Kale clapped her hands, and a wagon was brought in. Riding on the wagon was, of course, Zell. Bound in rope, with a slip of paper affixed, upon which was drawn a magic circle… And what’s more, the fairy was locked up in a birdcage. Heavy restraints, making escape impossible. “Ah, there you are, Boss. So I think this clears up any doubts, hmm? Or will you see my boss here duel for the freedom of this adorable fairy? Now, it won’t be a fair fight, you know? If you use your succubus charms, the boss won’t have a chance. And if you don’t use them, then you won’t have a chance. So I really wouldn’t recommend it! By the way, how’s about untying me? I’m already in a cage. What do I need to be bound for? Ouch! Hey! Easy on the goods! Fairies are as delicate as we look! You go tugging on our limbs or our heads, they’ll pop right off! And keep fire away from us, or we’ll expire, y’know?” Nio, the Queen’s most trusted aide and the one who had produced the wagon, now opened the birdcage, tipped it upside down, and shook it. Zell plopped to the ground. The succubus wordlessly extended a claw, cut the ropes that bound Zell, and… Zell was liberated. Immediately, Zell began to fly around at super speed. “Wowy! Freedom! Ah, yes, a fairy must be free! The rushing of air on my wings makes me feel so alive! Ah yes, that slipstream! Gasping for breath against the rushing air! The air is so delicious! Ah yes, right through the sound barrier, I am!” Exhibiting an exaggerated delight over their freedom, the fairy flew around the echoing hall of the palace for a bit, then landed on Bash’s shoulder. “Ah yes, Boss, you always save my bacon! This time I was thinking it was my time to save you, but here you are to rescue me just in the nick of time! You’ve saved my life! You are truly my hero! I pledge to follow you for the rest of my days and make sure I repay you all I can!” “Not so. Your insight has been invaluable.” “Oh! When you say sweet things like that… If I wasn’t a fairy, I’d wager you’d already have found your bride… Heh-heh…” Zell wriggled bashfully. Even Bash wished that Zell could have been a human or elf, but alas, it wasn’t the case. Anyway, Zell and Bash got along so well precisely because Zell was a fairy. But if Zell had belonged to another race, they would have become an outlet for the orcish sexual desire. “Still, you’re amazing, Boss. You fell into that turbulent muddy stream and survived! I mean, of course I knew a mere swirling river would not be enough to kill you. But no doubt you were a bit exhausted. Then you got ensnared by a succubus, and no doubt things got a bit dicey there!” “Silence, fairy! We proud succubi would never behave in that manner toward Lord Bash, the man to whom we owe so much! It would be shameful!” Curly Kale declared this in a voice full of dignity. There was a mysterious power in that voice, and Zell’s entire body stiffened. Zell almost toppled off Bash’s shoulder, but Bash steadied the fairy with his hand. “Ahem. Please excuse me, Lord Bash. I did not mean to raise my voice.” “…No, it’s fine. Zell was being rude.” “Y-you’re right, Boss… I got myself into a bit of a flap… Terribly sorry…” Zell apologized. It’s a rare thing in this world, a fairy who can bring itself to apologize. “Incidentally, Lord Bash…” Now Curly Kale found herself in a bit of a conundrum. Since Lord Bash was here, they would welcome him in as a state guest. It would only be proper. After everything this orc had done for them. But if they let this hot hunk of an orc go wandering about the land, with the people all starving, no doubt some would not be able to control their appetites. State guest he would be, but he must be kept cloistered. Well, no issue there. All fine and good. But in that case… “What business brings you to our land?” Lord Bash wasn’t the sort of person to come here. He was meant to be living a life of leisure as a Hero back in the orc country. Moreover, Lord Bash had a good deal of influence in the succubus nation. What had he come all the way here to achieve? To be more specific, what demands had he come here to make? Apparently, he fell into a river and washed up here. But anyone who had fought alongside him in battle knew the great Lord Bash was not one to be so clumsy. There could be no doubt he had come to the succubus country for some specific purpose. Since his intentions were shadowy, he had sent Zell ahead to infiltrate their land, meaning for the fairy to be captured, thus giving Lord Bash a convenient excuse for entering the country. That conclusion was a natural one to draw. It made sense. A somewhat sketchy and circuitous strategy. A little too smart for an orc to have thought up, but a fairy racking its brains could just about manage it. “I only came to retrieve Zell. I have no specific business here. I plan to leave immediately.” “…I see.” If Curly Kale was still young, she might have swallowed such a story. But she was a veteran Queen. She was the leader of the succubi, trying to hold together a fraying nation. “So then, where is your destination?” “Demon country.” Those words sent a chill down her spine. Carrot, the former succubus general, seemed to have been desperate to revive Geddigs. Geddigs, the Demon Lord. Curly Kale remembered his magnificence. If Geddigs were to be revived, the resumption of war would be the inevitable result. But the succubi didn’t have any strength left to fight another war. “But… Why?” “Ah… I am looking for… Something.” Lord Bash hesitated for a moment in his speech. Curly Kale instantly knew that he was hiding something after all. “Something we don’t have in our land?” “I won’t know unless I look for it, but… I doubt it’s here.” Hmm, thought Curly Kale. His verbiage was very wishy-washy. He was seeking something. Was it really something he could not get in the succubus country? Curly Kale was a highly sensible sort of succubus. But for one meal of Bash, she’d be willing to offer up any of their national treasures. Generally speaking, one amazing night with a Hero would be far more valuable than any national treasure… (No! No! Stay strong, Curly Kale! You are the succubus Queen! No time for childish delusions! The succubus nation stands on the precipice!) Curly Kale shook her head to drive the delusions from her mind. A virile man comes to her, gets up close, and offers her one night in paradise… What young girl these days would not dream of such a thing? Still, a succubus always has sex on the brain. It comes with the territory. “Does that thing you’re looking for exist in the land of the demons?” “It does. Nazar said so.” “Nazar… You mean the Cloudbreak Prince?” “Yeah.” Aha, Curly Kale thought. Nazar was the one who had written that letter to the succubus nation just the other day. The letter had said they’d heard the succubus country was suffering from a food shortage and that they would send new food. To be frank, she’d thought it too good to be true. Over the years, how many times had Carrot traveled to other countries to raise concerns about food shortages? Curly Kale could not forget how Carrot’s clothes were covered in stains whenever she returned home. Offerings from the humans, eh…? Curly Kale narrowed her eyes. Yes, she was starting to see the angle now. Perhaps Lord Bash was here as an inspector. To see if the succubi really had a food shortage, and if the food being brought in was being properly managed. Right? Humans send their own countrymen as food. In fact, right after the war, the succubi had feasted so much on those people they sent that the majority of them expired. Opinions were probably divided even among humans as to whether or not they ought to send people to such a place again. No doubt the majority was against it. So they’d sent in an inspector to make sure it was safe. Why Lord Bash? Well, it was easy to see how he’d be the right candidate. If it was true that food provisions were being devoured to death in the succubus country, they’d probably try to cover it up if an inspector appeared among them. So the mission would have to be secret. But if they sent a human, it would be too obvious that it was an inspector. Hence, Lord Bash. Apparently, the third-born beastkin princess had a wedding in the beastkin land recently, and no doubt Lord Bash had attended. Orcs, like succubi, were hated by the Alliance of Four. And with all the trouble that Carrot had caused… No doubt Lord Bash had been called upon to infiltrate the succubus nation. Pretending he was not affiliated with humans at all, Lord Bash, having already obtained the respect of the succubi, would have no trouble touring the feeding grounds. And if Bash himself got devoured, it wouldn’t really bother the humans much. Yes, a sly, wily human would cook up such a plan. “Incidentally, Lord Bash… This may be a tad off topic, but are you interested in viewing our succubus, shall we say, cafeteria?” “Cafeteria… Well, I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t interested…” (I knew it!) Bash’s awkwardly worded response had Curly Kale convinced that her conjecture was close to the mark! (If it’s all true, it wouldn’t be the best idea to send him away. And Lord Bash might be troubled by such a decision, too… I wasn’t planning to do it, but…) Curly Kale shook her head and took a deep breath. (Ah, but we have nothing to hide! Since the first supply of food perished, we’ve been making some adjustments. And as Bash is an orc, I don’t need to worry about him spreading any false reports. All I have to do is show him the true state of things!) Curly Kale lifted her head, looking at Bash with a determined gaze. Then, in a confident tone… “If you don’t mind, would you like to take a tour of our ‘cafeteria’ before you leave?” “Ah, but I plan to leave right away.” “Oh, come now. It is pouring rain beyond the barrier… The path to the demon country will be treacherous. Please, shelter from the rain awhile and see our country. We might be on our last gasp, but there is still much to see here, you know?” “Hmm…” Lord Bash looked a little undecided, but then the fairy Zell whispered something in his ear, and he eventually nodded. “All right. Let’s do it.” Thus, Bash came to stay in the land of the succubi. After their audience with Curly Kale, the two exited the grand chamber. Asked to wait a little while a guard was arranged, the two sat down on the floor. They were silent for a while, but then Zell spoke. “That succubus Queen was terrifying. She was really eyeballing you, Boss.” “Orcs are a lower race in the minds of succubi. Normally, they wouldn’t want to let one into their country.” “Right, Boss. During the war, when we first encountered that Queen, she looked right down her nose at us! ‘Stay away, filthy wretches,’ she said.” “Ah yes, that takes me back. As an Orc Hero, I suppose I should be honored now that she is treating me with such decency.” No one knew such a conversation was taking place. If Curly Kale had been listening, then the current succubus Queen would have taken her life as immediate penance, and a new succubus Queen would have had to take her place.