Chapter 171

Chapter: 171

Bubble bubble bubble.

The kettle is boiling on a medieval fantasy-style induction burner enchanted with heat magic. Shhhhhhlurp. The sound of liquid being poured can be heard, followed by clink, clang. A teaspoon clashes against a porcelain teacup.

The fragrant molecules of tea waft through the air, delivering information to my brain. Soon, I’ll be able to enjoy sweet honey water.

I can almost feel the warm and sweet liquid cascading down my esophagus, warming my stomach. It’s almost time… a sense of anticipation awakens within me.

With a racing heart, I snuggled under the blankets, biding my time.

I steeled myself. I felt a bit juvenile today. Whether it was the remnants of alcohol or a sudden shift in mood, I couldn’t be sure.

But distinctions didn’t matter.

Pitter patter.

Light footsteps approach.

Thump. Someone sits on the bed, and I can feel the mattress tilt slightly under the weight. I can sense her presence even indirectly.

Clink. I hear the sound of her placing the teacup on the side table. With the target unarmed and the danger recently removed, it means it’s okay to mess around a bit.

She lightly taps on the blanket as if knocking, and asks sweetly,
“What did you drink so much of?”

“I’m not a crazy wizard.”

Her philosophical denial drew a soft smile from her. Laughter tinged her voice as she asked,
“…Then who are you?”

“I’m the blanket monster. Raaaar──!”

I sprang up, arms outstretched beneath the covers, like a squirrel. Then I engulfed Yuna, whose eyes widened in surprise. The blanket monster has captured the Tower Master!

“Uwaaaang.”

Yuna let out a deflated sound as she slackened her body. I pulled her into the blanket with me, the soft warmth filling every corner of my being.

Sometimes, Yuna feels like some sort of flower. One that buds tightly but blossoms beautifully with just a gentle touch.

Just a tiny breath is all it takes.

I pressed my lips to the crown of her head and smiled. Noticing the tremors in my kiss, Yuna began to giggle as well.

She wriggled in my arms, briefly rubbing her head against my chin before looking up at me, as if inquiring about something.

I silently conveyed that nothing was amiss.

She seemed skeptical. Both of us have a habit of clinging to each other when we’re feeling downcast or restless. When that happens, we usually end up tangled together for the entire day.

So she’s convinced something’s weighing on my mind.

Yuna had done the same before. After I was attacked by Roderus, she clinged to me and whined day and night once I regained consciousness. I think my chest got wet multiple times.

Even when it was time to wash up, she didn’t want to let go, so we ended up washing each other’s hair, too. After lathering up with shampoo, we styled our hair like dragons.

That day, Yuri Lanster also exhibited unusual behavior. She displayed about triple her usual strength. It’s like she nearly bulldozed through the line!

However, luckily enough, both of us are the same kind of cowards. There were no spectacular bursts of speed. My patience barely held me in check.

Thus, my proficiency in the sexual urge suppression magic skyrocketed.

Honestly, it felt good. The idea that someone cares so much about me to be sad is, while a bit creepy, also immensely satisfying.

I had a dream.

That night, I fished out lonely memories hidden deep beneath the alcohol. But in my attempts to catch the fish named ‘memory,’ I ended up letting it slip through my fingers, leaving only the echoes behind.

It seems the past me made a significant resolution… for grand… value. And sacrificed many things along the way. While that was undoubtedly a courageous decision,

Looking back now, it only fills me with vague fear. Was the original me truly someone capable of making such a decision?

I don’t want to lose this happy daily life. I wish for two people to remain close by where I can reach them. I hope for a story where no one makes sacrifices and everyone survives happily.

Feel free to call it selfish.

Yuna lightly thumped on my chest.
“The honey water will get cold…?”

“It’s okay. I can warm it up with the Tower Master’s magic.”

“…Are you trying to mess with me again?”

“Yes.”

I let my hand slip down slightly from her waist.

As my fingers slid down her spine, I could hear her inhale sharply, her body noticeably tensing up.

By the time my fingers brushed against the upper part of her hip bones, her face was reddening, leaving her flustered. I halted my finger just shy of crossing that perilously close boundary.

I was on the brink of entering a valley.

Suddenly, Yuna stopped breathing. I cautiously advised her,
“Breathe.”

“… … … …”

Thwack. Yuna lightly slapped me with her petite hand. It seems she meant to say that she would have done so much sooner if she could. I considered shifting my hand a bit lower, but decided against it.

In the long run, my goal was to graze all the way to her tailbone, but if I did that now, Yuna might just fall into a shocking paralysis.

With that, I had completed the human furnace.

If it was Pinkvalez, the dynamic would have instantly turned into a precarious chicken game, but this wasn’t a problem with Yuna; she didn’t have the energy for a counterattack, and that’s made it entertaining.

Typically, performing one-sided offenses tends to bring a lot of joy.

As I returned my hand to a neutral position, Yuna regained control of her body and shot me a pouty glare before throwing a playful punch.
“Geez…!”

Ouch.

Though it was a wispy little punch that didn’t hurt, I made a big show of my reaction. We spent quite a while playing together, holding hands or bumping foreheads.

We kept experimenting with various ways to share our body heat, trying one after another. Yuna seemed shy at first, but she progressively became the more proactive one.

She took my hand and placed it against her cheek.

Eventually, the honey water grew cold.

===============================================================

Back to reality.

“… … … …”

And thus, a trio of silence filled my research lab. An awkward atmosphere thick enough to cut through; I was at a loss. What just happened?

When I glanced at the Tower Master,
“… … Dust? It’s all dusty. I need to clean. Yes, must clean.”

She shifted into a strangely frantic cleaning mode.

Then, when I glanced at Pinkvalez,
“… … Tower Master, this area seems to need some cleaning as well.”

They suddenly pivoted to cleaning commentary mode.

The common denominator was their attempts to avoid my gaze. While it was natural for the Tower Master given she vaguely remembered my playful antics, why was Pinkvalez acting this way…?

Maybe I did something rude during the blackout period. Did the sexual urge suppression fail, and I accidentally made an inappropriate comment? That doesn’t seem right.

If I had done something like that, Pinkvalez would have used it as a chance to tease me all day long.

“Hey, Pinkvalez. Did I… last night…?”

“I must go out due to an urgent call.”

Pinkvalez abruptly activated evasive maneuvers and dashed out of the research lab. I blinked in bewilderment, muttering to myself,
“The crystal ball wasn’t even sparkling…”

“Ah, ah! I’ll go check in with Lorei! Don’t look for me!”

“… … … …”

Even the Tower Master quietly vanished. I sat there like a kid whose Christmas present was stolen, feeling dazed before finally standing up.

It seemed both of them needed some time alone. In that case, I could enjoy some solitude myself.

I threw on my robe and left the research lab.

Sunny day. It was a lovely day. With a desire to stock up on materials, I decided to wander aimlessly around the Academy grounds. Sometimes, such leisurely moments are necessary.

I glanced up at the Academy’s gigantic king dragon statue and distantly scanned the central area of the Academy when, eventually, I drifted into the commercial district.

Being a place for buying and selling, it’s naturally bustling and lively, but today felt a bit different. There was a commotion from somewhere.

“Who… is that? I don’t recognize them from the Academy.”

“Isn’t that a disguised large monster? How could a human…?”

As I strained my ears, it seemed there was a peculiar individual causing the stir. I casually walked towards the epicenter of the commotion. And there, at the end,

I caught sight of a well-dressed woman elegantly devouring a mountain of Mont Blanc pastries.

Though I didn’t know her name… I recognized her. She was the one busy running documents around alongside Irid. I recalled she was affiliated with the Defense Bureau.

A strange discomfort washed over me. If she were here to see me, she would have contacted me through Pinkvalez; if it were not business and just a casual visit, surely she wouldn’t be in an outfit like that.

Could it perhaps be related to Pinkvalez?

“… … … …?”

As she held a Mont Blanc and moved her mouth, each pastry disappeared one by one. She wasn’t gobbling them up; rather, her movements were restrained, yet quick.

Is she a human or a hippo?

When I gazed at her curiously, she seemed to notice my stare. Then, unexpectedly, she gave me a respectful bow.
“Identifier crazy wizard, it’s a pleasure to see you again. I am C, the aide to the Second Prince.”

Thinking our conversation might turn lengthy, I decided to assign her a nickname for smoother communication.
“Ah, nice to meet you, ‘Kirby.’”

“Pardon? Ah, because you mentioned a disability. I suppose that’s my identifier, then. What does it mean?”

“That’s a secret.”

“A secret… Well, please have a seat. The Mont Blancs here are exquisite.”

As an agent of the Defense Bureau and an aide to the Second Prince, could there be any trouble brewing around the Academy? I accepted her invitation and sat down across from Kirby.

…The Mont Blancs piled high blocked my view of her face. I had to lean left to speak.
“What’s brought you to the Academy?”

“I have some matters to attend to… it’s classified, but I realized it’s related to you, crazy wizard. If you hear it, you might have to join in. Will you listen?”

“No.”

I flatly rejected her.

“This concerns Agent Yuri Lanster too.”

“… … Tell me in detail. Spare not a single word.”

===============================================================

[Imperial Defense Bureau Threat Report]

Name: Unknown

Identifier: “Virgin Who Drinks Pleasure”

Rank: Level 1

Activity Period: ??? Year of the Lion – 453 (Active)

Note: The information in this report relies entirely on the testimony of a single witness, C21, requiring critical review and cross-verification.

She is the leader of the Succubi, possessing formidable allure abilities, residing in an extradimensional space (hereafter referred to as the “Nest”), with most of her information remaining concealed.

She has white hair and appears innocent and holy. Moreover, it seems she possesses the power to enthrall merely through sight.

Most Succubi follow her command. However, this compliance is not of voluntary loyalty but rather a result of brainwashing through powerful pheromones. They are akin to ants before a lump of sugar.

Thus, there are also groups of Succubi in conflict with her, but the power gap between the two factions is evident.

Hereafter referred to as “Queen.”

The Queen and her subordinate Succubi are explicitly hostile towards the Empire. They siphon human vitality and souls, utilizing them to amplify the Queen’s powers.

It’s said the narcotics circulating underground are also influenced by the Queen.

Under the Queen’s command, there exist three legendary-level Succubi, and while the Queen’s combat abilities remain unknown, if pessimistically judged, they could be equivalent to exalted level.

Allure countermeasures are necessary.

Due to the nature of the Succubus race, tracking and killing them is exceptionally challenging. Therefore, caution must be exercised when dealing with them.

C21 is affiliated with a group of Succubi opposing the Queen. They once lived among human villages but, harboring grievances after the Queen caused their village’s obliteration, they have since defected to the Defense Bureau.

Due to those experiences, C21 has developed a resistance to allure and is enthusiastically committed to their missions, making their involvement on this matter significant.

A servant of the Queen was captured at the Academy. This indicates a potential entrance leading to the Queen’s Nest within the Academy, warranting a thorough investigation, thus requesting the dispatch of field agents and an “Eradication Squad”…