Chapter 33

10 A RIOT The incident occurred a few days after the exercise sessions held by the food subjects and succubi started. “Some kind of commotion seems to be going on.” Bash was just training Ludo in the cafeteria’s garden and had now decided to take a short break. There was a sudden clamor from the other side of the wall. A light, sweet scent began to waft through the garden, and the food subjects training near Bash also began to mumble among themselves. “…There’s a huge number of succubi gathered on the other side of the wall.” “A festival or something?” “No, it’s not like that. They all look sort of… Murderous.” “…So not a festival, then?” Bash asked, a little on edge. He was a veteran warrior. He knew there were many murderous succubi outside the wall. Still, fights are inevitable at festivals. The succubi looking bloodthirsty didn’t mean a festival wasn’t going on. No doubt it would be a fine thing indeed to enjoy a drink of booze while watching the beautiful succubi fight among each other. “Something’s up… Lord Bash, please stick close to me.” As Venus spoke, she got out a metal knuckle duster and slipped it over her hand. Succubi enjoy barehanded combat, but some use these kinds of weapons from time to time. The next moment, a large number of succubi came running out of the cafeteria, and one dashed over to Venus as she stood beside Bash. “Lieutenant Venus!” “What’s all this fuss about?” “A riot broke out! Everyone’s dissatisfied because of the drop in food rations…!” Hearing that, Venus went pale. “What about the evacuation of the food subjects?!” “It’s already started. Only, the mob has already invaded the cafeteria. We’ve been ordered to keep the exercising food subjects out here.” Bash looked over to see that the other succubi had begun to surround the exercising food subjects. Protect the food subjects out in the open. It struck Bash as a decent idea. Without getting a visual on the enemy, it made sense to stay put and defend, pending updated information. Even more so when there were people to protect. Units are more defenseless when they are on the move. But the food subjects, perhaps fired up from the exercising, were not falling in line. They seemed to be attracted by the sweet smell coming from beyond the wall, and even started attempting to caress the butts of the succubi guarding them. “Lord Bash, you go over there, too. I know they’re succubi, but I can’t guarantee the young ones won’t molest you in a fray. If anything happened to you, my neck would be on the chopping block.” Venus phrased it politely, but actually, even Bash knew he could not win against succubi. But it was nothing to be ashamed of. That was just the way things were. Succubi specialize in sucking men to death. If a succubus attacked in earnest, then no one, not Bash, not any Hero from any country, would be able to defeat them. “Wait, Ludo isn’t back yet, Boss?!” “The apprentice…? But where are you going?!” “He went to take a leak!” Yes, Ludo had just finished training and headed into the cafeteria to relieve himself. Normally, he would have just pissed on the ground, but this was the land of the succubi, and for a man to expose his genitals in public meant certain death. No doubt he’d gone to use the toilets inside the cafeteria building. On the first floor, there were many succubi who’d come to eat, so no doubt he’d headed to the toilets on the second or third floor. “I’ll go look for him, Boss!” “Ah, fairy Zell, please wait! I’ll summon the security guards…” But Zell zoomed off without heeding Venus. Bash made no move to stop the fairy. When a sudden situation like this occurs, it’s best to get information first, rather than acting blindly. The fairy, specialized in reconnaissance, flew off quickly. It would be best if Zell located Ludo. If Zell could not find him, then it would not matter how much or how soon Bash went looking. “…” Bash sat down, gazed up at the cafeteria, and simply waited. Meanwhile, the fence had been breached, and the rioters are rushing in. However, the guards, including Venus, were dealing with this. Most of the rioters appeared to be young people who’d had little participation in the war. The guards all looked like seasoned warriors and were managing to suppress the rioters, one after another. Although the mob had the overwhelming numbers, the guards showed no signs of losing. Bash looked away, returning his gaze to the cafeteria. There was a strong light beaming on the rooftop. It was a familiar light. The light emitted when a fairy transmits an emergency SOS. Bash leaped to his feet. He sped through the battle, shoving away succubi as he went, heading for the building. He braced his feet on the window frame of the second floor and hauled his body up. Slamming his fists against the wall, he created craters as footholds and climbed higher and higher and higher. In no time, he reached the roof. “Boss!” Immediately, the fairy appeared, hovering by Bash’s face. Before he could say anything to Zell, his attention was arrested by the scene unfolding on the rooftop. The sight he saw there was almost enviable. They were all young succubi. Small breasts, small bodies, slim limbs. Those girlish forms were surrounding a boy. The boy was on his knees, eyes blank. The characteristic slack expression of someone under a spell, and on top of that, he was already stripped to the waist. The succubi surrounding him, too… “…Hey, old man. Who the heck are you?” The eyes focused on Bash were predatory eyes. A thick pink mist had already settled on the rooftop, and the eyes of the succubi glowed bright red. Bash squeezed his eyes shut and held his breath. Then he charged toward Ludo. “Kyaaa!” “What the heck?!” “That old man’s rushing us!” Hearing the succubi cries, Bash grabbed Ludo’s body and hugged him to his chest. But as he tried to flee the scene, he felt dizzy and fell to his knees. “Guh…” An animalistic lust flared inside him, and it occurred to him that he should open his eyes and get an eyeful of the bare skin displayed by the succubi all around. Apparently, by the time he’d made it to the roof, he’d already inhaled too much of the pink fog. Of course. The succubi were fighting not just on the rooftop but throughout the cafeteria, spreading that pink fog all around. “Hmm?” “What’s wrong, pops?” “Are you tired?” “Just take a break, okay? We won’t hurt you.” “Hey, don’t close your eyes. Look at us? Okay?” The sweet voices of the succubi tickled Bash’s ears. Bash curled up to protect Ludo, chancing a yell but trying not to take a breath. “Zell!” “Got it, Boss!” The fairy responded instantly. Bash could not see Zell at that moment. However, he could tell by the sounds that a battle had ensued. Zell was a veteran warrior, but a fairy’s main attack was magic, and succubi have high magic resistance. Bash could tell from the sound of attacks ricocheting that the young succubi weren’t used to battle, but it was still five against one. Zell was outmatched. “Kya!” “What’s that? A fairy? Get out of our way!” “Quit your posturing and fluttering! What’s wrong if we have a little taste?” “The Queen and her guards eat well enough! Why shouldn’t we have a little feast every now and then?!” The succubi were dashing about, screaming in rage, the sweet, dulcet tones of earlier now absent. “Your logic is flawed!” Usually, Zell would be able to fly around freely, blasting magic, making child’s play of these green succubi. But he wasn’t able to do that so well while keeping Bash and Ludo behind him. Fairies are not suited to fighting while protecting others. “Gah!” “Caught it!” “Kill it! Pull its head off its neck!” The moment Bash heard that, his eyes widened. A man who abandoned his comrade to die was not worthy of the title Orc Hero. Bash jumped up and slammed his fist into the succubus who had hold of Zell. But Bash pulled his punch, maybe because he was afraid Zell would be harmed, or maybe it was because he was under the influence of the pink fog. The succubus’s upper body would have exploded if Bash had inflicted one of his usual hits. In reality, though, it merely went tumbling away, then began convulsing on the lip of the roof. Zell slipped from its grasp and returned to the air. But that was the best Bash could do. “Get up! Look! Look into my eyes! Look! Look at me!” Bash inhaled a thick pink mist, and his movements slowed down, as one of the succubi slunk in front of him. He gazed right into red, glowing eyes. “…Guh!” “Heh-heh. Pops, you’re sweet. I really like ya. And there’s something I want you to give me… In copious amounts. Okay?” The sweet voice of the succubi began to charm Bash. No man could resist that voice. No man of any race… “No!” The next moment, a shadow leaped between Bash and the succubus, breaking their eye contact. It was Luca. She thrust her head in between Bash and the succubus like she was performing a headbutt, blocking any further contact. Right. The succubus charm did not work on women. “‘Curse of Thorns’!” Luca pointed her staff at the succubus. Thorns sprang up and wrapped around the succubus’s body, preventing it from moving. “What the heck?! You miserable brat! Get out of my way! I’ll kill you!”