Chapter 506 – The Flower Blooms.
I was careless.
I was complacent.
I was lazy.
And a myriad of other negative words.
Those could be said to fit us, at least to some extent, if not perfectly.
Not that it was surprising.
[Was it really going to happen…]
“Ah, f*ck.”
The water in the underground parking lot where the guild vehicle was parked had risen to a certain level.
It wasn’t yet enough to obstruct movement, but seeing it reach above my ankles, it looked like it was only a matter of time.
Somehow feeling a chill, we had hurried down to the underground parking lot.
“Shinwoo, what should we do?”
“Hang on, let me think.”
The bad feeling I had was turning into the worst-case scenario, as always.
“Shouldn’t we at least scoop out some water?!”
“When are we going to get all this out?!”
Honestly, there were factors that made it hard to truly relax.
There had been barriers and drainage facilities set up by the pedo guild before we took over this building.
I didn’t know much about such things, but it looked sturdy enough to have cost quite a bit.
It was just unexpected that a typhoon would hit so fiercely that the water would rise this much.
If the situation worsened like this, the water in the underground parking lot would continue to rise.
Eventually, the guild vehicles we secured would all become flooded.
And with that, our opinions were split into two camps of two.
“Honestly, if all the people here are safe, I don’t care about anything else.”
“I agree with Shinwoo. We can buy new ones. There’s no reason for everyone to suffer over this.”
In a bold move, I and Caressy suggested giving up the cars.
“But it’s a waste! We should try to do something!”
“It’s a bit complicated since my dad’s car is here…”
Elcia and Hyeji couldn’t easily part with the cars due to their sentimental attachment.
“Hyeji, why is your dad’s car here?”
“There wasn’t a parking spot at the apartment. Those bastards only let one car per household.”
“…I guess people live there too.”
With the water level not too high right now, we could move the cars before the situation got worse, but the question remained: where could we move them, and how?
It wasn’t easy to make a decision either way.
As we were floundering at this crossroads, Ayeon suddenly spoke up, catching our attention.
“Everyone, don’t worry. Just wait a moment.”
Ayeon, who had been neutral until now, might have something up her sleeve.
As we silently shared that common question, our gazes turned towards Ayeon.
“The lady has gathered the succubi.”
As soon as Ayeon finished her words, a bunch of succubi began to appear in a mass.
Suddenly, they made a choice for us.
The best choice to move the cars to a safe place.
“…Ayeon.”
“What is it?”
However, there was a small problem arising from this situation.
“Isn’t it a bit harsh for them to carry the cars?”
“This is part of their job.”
The succubi were physically carrying the vehicles over their heads.
Certainly, this way, we wouldn’t have to give up the cars.
I could say it was good for everyone.
Except for the succubi moving the vehicles, that is.
The sight of succubi with no rights to speak of was troubling.
I expressed a little concern about this extreme violation of rights.
“Isn’t it going to be said that they were forced to do this later?”
“The lady has said many times that her orders are not forced by her status.”
But Ayeon replied casually, as if my words didn’t matter.
“Stop lying.”
“Hmm. I’ll show you proof.”
Suddenly, she sneaked up to a nearby succubus.
Coincidentally, that succubus looked a bit strained while carrying the car.
As Ayeon approached her from behind, she whispered softly.
“Are you struggling?”
“Oh, no, I’m fine!”
The succubus, startled by the question, reflexively responded with a bright smile.
“Do you think what the lady has made you do is unfair?”
“Not at all! I’m doing this voluntarily!”
Yet, with her lips severely twisted, it almost felt like a painful and pitiful smile.
“If it’s too hard, feel free to tell me. Especially for you, it’s okay to stop.”
“I’m so happy! I really want to do this!”
Somehow, tears pooled at the corners of her eyes, almost resembling sweat.
“Since you want this so badly, I can’t help it.”
“Yes! That’s right! Actually, this is also my hobby!”
At least the succubus had clearly received training at the succubus academy, responding clearly and loudly to Ayeon.
“You said it’s a hobby? Then enjoy it.”
“Thank you!”
Ayeon patted her shoulder a couple of times, then approached me with a satisfied smile.
“Did you see? I’ve never forced them.”
“You know you’re a real piece of trash, right?”
She was confidently puffing out her chest as if she had nothing to be ashamed of.
“Do you think you’re in a position to say that to me?”
“Of course.”
“Oh ho?”
But I didn’t want to lose here either, so I tried to maintain a confident posture.
“Then is it okay to show the contents of your phone to Hyeji?”
“……”
That was before Ayeon threw that sneer.
Don’t you think that’s a bit low?
Of all things, of course, she had to bring that up.
In terms of digging for weaknesses, you could really say she was a succubus.
“Go ahead and say it.”
“……f*ck…”
Thanks to that, I could only mutter curses quietly, avoiding Ayeon’s gaze.
Now, thinking of the succubi other than Ayeon, feelings of sympathy kept bubbling up.
I’d always been overly sensitive, understanding and deeply empathizing with others’ pain, but it was rare for my emotions to stir so intensely.
[This shameless bastard.]
‘Shut up.’
Yet, regardless of my feelings, the succubi were proceeding with their tasks very skillfully.
They received the vehicles over the fence without a hitch and calmly moved them away.
As if this was not just familiar but merely part of an everyday routine.
“Ayeon, but they are really doing better than I expected?”
“That’s why I said this is one of the succubi’s jobs.”
“What job?”
Ayeon chuckled, cautiously wrapping her hand around my waist.
“Succubi-style transfer services.”
“……That’s just labor work.”
“It’s not. It’s a transfer service.”
In a slightly sweetened voice, she began to speak softly to me.
She was definitely being flirtatious, but somehow I felt instinctively uneasy.
Was this the kind of voice the snake used to cunningly whisper to Adam and Eve?
“Only for guests who request the service, the succubi personally move the car to their home.”
“……Is there really someone who requests this…? Just calling for a driver would be better.”
Honestly, I didn’t really understand this part.
Putting aside other things, performing this task required several succubi.
For the labor costs alone, the service fee would be outrageous.
It would be odd for someone in their right mind to request this.
“If they drink too much and get too sticky, they might end up requesting it without realizing it.”
“Hey, you crazy woman.”
They were genuinely making me lose my mind and request this.
“I’m telling you in advance, the succubi have never forced this. It’s just the drunkard’s fault for not being careful with their fingertips.”
“……I’m going to go nuts, seriously.”
“From the start, I’ve never threatened them to do this; it’s not my fault if their judgment is clouded.”
[At least it’s not drunk driving.]
‘Thinking about it makes me more pissed…’
Honestly, now I was feeling even more scared than surprised.
Somehow, there was a reason the succubi were raking in the cash.
With such terrifying and malicious sales strategies lurking everywhere like snakes.
It would be bizarre for them not to make money.
“This is why one must be careful with their fingertips, tongues, and genitals.”
“……You’re right…f*ck…”
Well, in the end, our worries were completely resolved.
Even when I quietly asked the succubi whether Ayeon was not enforcing their labor due to their position.
Thanks to the succubi, who insisted it was a ‘voluntary’ hobby activity.
“Honestly, let’s be real. Ayeon is a total b*tch, right?”
“No!!! Oh, what a wonderful person she is!”
“That’s right! So, please don’t talk to us anymore!”
“Please don’t make us take your test!”
[Getting seriously gaslit here.]
‘……So this is what succubus gaslighting feels like…’
What happened after that was just trivial.
“Hyeji unni! Look over there in the corner!”
“Looks like a box someone stored has broken?”
“It floats in the water so well, it’s just like you, unni?”
Seeing the fragments of the broken wooden box float away, Elcia pointed it out.
“You’ll float well if you die too.”
“Pfft! I meant that you’re light—! S-save me—! Agh!”
“A corpse is talking?”
Hyeji grabbed Elcia’s head and dunked her into the water.
“What the hell are you doing?!”
“I was just curious if cat beastmen really hate water.”
I splashed water onto Caressy to prove a widely held belief.
“I don’t hate it! It’s just common for cat people!”
“Got it—! Cough! Please! Let me go—! Glurp!”
“Since Shinwoo hates water, you must be a cat beastman, huh?”
I ended up diving next to Elcia.
[Getting baptized here.]
‘Shut up, or I’m really gonna die.’
This was a lone flower in the rough typhoon.
A rose wrapped in the laughter of some pitiable souls, blood, sweat, and tears.
And blooming above the sounds of some ignorant souls yearning for life.
A single flower of peace.
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