Chapter 55

When I woke up, Elise was straddling me.

In the dark room where the sun had yet to rise.

Lying on my back, Elise was right above my waist.

I closed my eyes once.

...Calm down.

Elise isn't the type to do something like this.

I must have mistaken Yuel for her.

What I just saw was just a hallucination caused by my desire.

I opened my eyes again.

Elise was still straddling me.

"Elise!? W-What are you doing!?"

What's going on here?

Why is this happening?

Is this a night visit?

It must be a night visit.

Elise, who couldn't bear the sight of my defenseless form while I was sleeping, must have decided to make a night visit.

"Ah...! S-Sorry..."

When she realized I was awake, Elise looked down with a guilty expression.

But even from this angle, I could see her face clearly.

A face that seemed to be enduring embarrassment.

What's going on?

What's wrong with Elise?

"Elise, what's wrong? Did you eat something bad? Like, an orc's testicles or a turtle?"

But when I asked, Elise only frowned more, her cheeks flushed, and closed her slightly parted lips.

Was there some reason she was on top of me?

But Elise showed no sign of getting off me.

What's really going on?

"Ah..."

While I was thinking about this, Elise and I made eye contact again.

Elise, embarrassed by the eye contact, looked away again.

"Hey... Elise?"

But just as I called out to her, Elise looked back at me as if she had made a decision.

Then, she leaned her body over me.

"Elise!? W-What's going on!?"

Now, Elise's head was right next to my face.

Her fine blonde hair swayed gently.

And most of all, her chest.

Elise's large chest was squished between us, creating a very awkward situation.

This is bad.

This is really bad.

"I lied to you about one thing. I said I was worried you might make a mistake with Yuel, so I decided to sleep in the same room, but the truth is... it's different."

I could hear Elise's voice, heated, by my ear.

The moonlight from the window illuminated her.

Her ears and the beautiful nape of her neck, visible through her hair, were flushed with excitement.

"I've always wanted to be like this with you because I like you. But I didn't want to be seen as a loose woman..."

Was it a good idea to come?

Was it always okay?

I was always ready to go.

"It's strange. My body has been so hot, so hot, I don't know what to do."

Suddenly, I saw a bead of sweat run down Elise's neck.

Her body is hot...?

Elise is clearly not normal right now.

It's as if she's taken some kind of aphrodisiac...

...No.

That's right, it's a succubus.

Probably, the succubus revived while I was sleeping.

And Elise, driven by lust, couldn't hold back anymore and decided to make a night visit to me, whom she had been interested in for a while.

If that's the case, there's nothing I can do.

To be told I'm liked and to be given a night visit, and not to act on it, isn't something a man should do.

Besides, this is a treatment.

To restore Elise, who has been driven by the succubus's lust, I need to let her release her lust once.

There's no other way.

This day has finally come.

Then, I slipped out from under Elise and started to take off her clothes—

...And that's when I had a very erotic dream.

Now, I've woken up for real this time.

That was a dream.

It wasn't real.

It was just a hallucination caused by my desire.

The only one on top of me is Yuel, who is hugging me while sleeping.

...Because I just had an erotic dream, this situation is dangerous.

Physiologically.

I should move Yuel a bit.

Good thing Yuel was sleeping.

...But, I probably had this dream because I read that book about the succubus yesterday.

It's because of that erotic book.

Talking about Aria and Elise also contributed.

The content was quite memorable, so it appeared in my dream.

"...But, it was almost there."

I was so close to crossing the line with Elise, even if it was just a dream.

I heard somewhere that such dreams often end just before the climax because the dreamer gets too excited.

It's a shame.

However, after having such an erotic dream, I really want to revive the succubus, who is said to be sealed.

After all, we're living under the same roof, and even in the same room.

If the succubus revives and Elise can't control her lust, the dream could become reality.

I might be able to do such erotic things with Elise every day.

Even though she's a servant of the evil god, I wonder if someone will really revive her.

Of course, it's written in the holy book that the succubus is sealed, and I don't know how to revive her.

If the content of the holy book is true, the church would never want to revive a servant of the evil god.

The information about the seal is probably known only by the top officials in the church.

Reviving her is almost impossible.

I should stop.

Thinking about the succubus makes my imagination run wild, but it's just a waste of time to fantasize about something that can't happen.

I should stop thinking about it.

What's important now is to increase Elise's affection and open the path to the harem route.

So, what should I do today?

"Should I go help at the orphanage?"

While I was looking at Elise, trying to find an opportunity to increase her affection, she suddenly said she was going out.

"Yes, there's an orphanage nearby... I don't think I've told you about it."

It was just before noon, a good time for lunch.

It's the day after yesterday.

...Yesterday, I lost a lot of points with Aria.

After Aria talked to Elise directly, Elise realized she didn't really like me and might have introduced me to a handsome knight in this town before leaving.

When I subtly asked where she was going, she said she was going to a nearby orphanage.

"...Come to think of it, you said you like children."

I think I heard that from Aria yesterday.

"Ah...! That's not the only reason. The orphanage is not doing well financially... The director is someone who helped me a lot when my parents died, so I've been helping out whenever I can."

Elise said this with a slight blush, as if trying to cover something up.

But I don't think there's anything embarrassing about liking children.

It's not like it has a bad connotation.

...However, the orphanage is having financial difficulties.

"Come to think of it..."

I glanced at Yuel, who was about to make tea for me.

"...Yes, the orphanage I was in also went bankrupt due to financial difficulties."

I heard that Yuel became a slave because the orphanage went bankrupt and she was sold to pay off its debts.

Chronologically, it must have happened shortly before Yuel was sold as a slave, so it must have been relatively recent.

"Everywhere is struggling, huh."

Well, in this world, the social system isn't as developed as in modern Japan.

It's a good thing there are orphanages at all, even if they're struggling.

But Elise's expression turned a bit stern, and she said with a slightly angry tone.

"...No, I don't think it's that bad elsewhere. The problem is... the orphanages in this region, which are under the jurisdiction of the archbishop of this city."

Archbishop?

I remember seeing him at the beauty pageant.

He was a fat, pig-like man.

Is he the problem?

"By the way, the church runs the orphanages, right? ...If it's that bad, the lord of this region should just give them money."

"The church doesn't run each orphanage directly. Instead, the church receives donations from the lord and distributes them to privately run orphanages. I think the church in this city is skimming a lot of the money."

"...What's that?"

What's with that subcontractor-like structure?

It seems unnecessary for the church to be involved.

Moreover, according to Elise, there's a high possibility of skimming.

"But, while it's tough, I've heard it's not bad enough to go bankrupt. So, the lord can't really interfere with how the church operates."

"...Can't the lord reduce the church's donations and give the money directly to the orphanages?"

"This is a kind of privilege... It's hard to interfere."

Privilege, huh.

The church performs charitable work with donations from the lord and pockets a portion of the money.

This might be a given in this country, where the Medine religion is the state religion, and the lord might have a compelling reason to maintain a good relationship with the church.

Actually, I have one idea about that reason.

"...Hey, Elise, how many people do you know who can use Ex-Heal besides me?"

"Huh...? Well, I know you, the Holy Maiden, and the archbishop of this city. I've heard that some other archbishops can use it... Why do you ask?"

"Nothing, just wondering."

As I thought.

So far, I've only seen two people who can use Ex-Heal.

And both of them are from the church.

Elise also only knows people from the church, like the archbishop and the Holy Maiden.

...Healing magic is generally something you learn through training at the church.

The church can also attract talented people early on.

--The church's monopoly on Ex-Heal.

This might be the reason for the church's favorable privileges.

Illness and injury can strike unexpectedly.

Moreover, if the injury or illness is severe enough to require Ex-Heal, it might be too late to bring in someone from elsewhere who can use it.

That's why power holders need to maintain a good relationship with the church, even if it means creating such unnatural privileges.

That might be the case.

Well, it's just a guess.

"Still, there are very few people who can use Ex-Heal. Even you, who trained at the church, only know a few."

"That's true. I've heard that using Ex-Heal requires the magic power of about a dozen high-level healers. Actually, it's strange that you can use it multiple times."

It's already impressive to be able to use High-Heal, so needing the power of a dozen people is indeed a lot.

It makes sense that there are so few people who can use it.

As I was nodding in agreement, Elise frowned as if she had a question.

Then she spoke.

"By the way, you used Area Heal on the whole town and can use Ex-Heal... I've always thought there might be some special reason for your healing magic skills, so I didn't ask before..."

Elise, touching her chin as if in thought, said this.

She must have wanted to ask.

She was looking at me with a probing gaze.

...But I don't want to talk about it.

It's not like they'll believe me if I tell them I'm from another world and have a lot of magic power.

As I was thinking this, Yuel joined the conversation.

"Master, I also want to learn powerful healing magic like you. I want to increase my magic power. So, um..."

Oh, does she want another explanation of the holy book?

But I can't talk about the succubus part.

I tried to pat her head to avoid the topic.

--Then, Yuel happily rubbed her head against mine.

...Ah, this is different.

She was just asking if she could stay close to me.

Being close to me increases her magic power.

Yuel wrapped her arms around my waist and started to rub her cheek against me.

She looked very happy, her eyes half-closed.

"Mm, mm..."

Elise, seeing this, cleared her throat and looked at me with a complicated expression.

I don't know what to do with that look.

"...We've been talking for too long. I need to go, or I'll be late for lunch preparation at the orphanage. I'll be back later."

Then, Elise said this and tried to leave the clinic.

It seems she's not going to ask about my skills anymore.

Or maybe she sensed I didn't want to talk about it from my expression.

She hasn't probed deeply into my background before.

...But, helping at the orphanage, huh?

Right.

"Can I come with you?"

I'm not particularly interested in the orphanage, but if Elise is going to help there, I'll go too.

I'll actively show that I'm reliable.

More hands won't hurt, and Elise will be happy.

...But Elise looked at me, or rather, at Yuel and me, with a hesitant expression.

Yuel was still hugging my waist and rubbing her cheek against me.

"I'm a bit worried about bringing you to the orphanage..."

Elise frowned, looking genuinely troubled as she said this.

The next update will be in three days.

The story is about to start moving.