Chapter 73

Succubus's Second Attack

Yesterday, once, and this morning, once again—this is the third attack in total.

But no matter how many times they come, it’s the same.

This mansion is not so easily taken by a single succubus.

Moreover, the succubi will likely flee in a few minutes, tails between their legs.

—That’s what I thought.

"What the hell!? What’s going on!?"

"The lights are going out...! Damn, I can’t see anything! Where did the succubus go!?"

"Those bat-like monsters... Could they be Light Eaters!?"

However, contrary to expectations.

Confused voices of knights could be heard from all over the mansion.

It seems that this time, the succubus brought monsters with her.

"Lord Shiki, let’s leave here and quickly regroup with the knights."

The holy maiden suggested this, perhaps sensing the ominous atmosphere.

But before we could act on her suggestion, I noticed something strange.

—The lights are going out.

With a sound like something breaking, the lights in the changing room began to go out one by one.

"Is that...!?"

At the sight, Ruruka shouted.

And at the same moment,

the frosted glass between the changing room and the bath was shattered, and several bat-like monsters rushed into the bath.

"What!?"

"Sure enough, they’re Light Eaters!"

Ruruka responded to Elise’s scream.

"Light Eaters?"

"Light Eaters are monsters that have the habit of relentlessly attacking anything that emits light! I think they used to live in the caves around here, so the succubus might have brought them...!"

It seems those bat-like monsters are called Light Eaters.

And the lights going out is apparently their doing.

But we can’t counterattack; after all, we’re not armed in the bath.

"Ah!"

"Oh, the lights!"

In just a moment, all the lights in the bath were destroyed.

"Hey, is anyone hurt?"

"It’s okay! Light Eaters don’t attack people! They’ll probably fly towards the next light source!"

With Ruruka’s voice, the holy maiden and Yuel also confirmed they were unharmed.

It seems Ruruka was right; they only destroyed the lights.

I wanted to check if Elise was okay, but it didn’t seem necessary.

I could feel a weight on my back that could only be Elise.

Something soft was pressed against me.

...Was she scared because the monsters came suddenly?

Or did she try to protect me?

"Hey, Elise..."

But Elise isn’t wearing anything right now.

If we get this close, the soft sensation will directly touch my back, and things could get dangerous.

"Ah...! S, sorry!"

"No, it’s okay. It’s fine, really."

Realizing the situation, Elise quickly put some distance between us.

...It’s a good thing it’s dark here.

If I could see, I might have acted on instinct in front of Yuel.

"But, we really can’t see anything..."

"This situation is bad. The knights are confused too. We need to regroup... Maybe we should have called some female knights to join us in the bath."

"It’s too late to say that now. Let’s get out of the bath... Yuel!"

We could wait for our eyes to adjust, but we need to regroup with the knights as soon as possible.

We’ll have to rely on Yuel, who has good night vision, to guide us to the exit.

"Master, this way."

Yuel took my hand and started pulling me.

She seems intent on escorting me to the exit.

As expected of Yuel.

She’s very reliable.

...But I remember the glass in the changing room was broken.

Yuel might avoid it, but I might step on it by accident.

"Yuel, describe the situation so I can understand."

I gave Yuel clear instructions to share the information with me.

"Understood. Master, I’ll pull your hand. First, we’ll get out of the bathtub. There’s a step, so step over it carefully."

"Got it, Yuel."

Following Yuel’s instructions, I took a step to get out of the bathtub.

I put my right foot out of the bathtub and stepped over the invisible step.

—And my foot slipped.

"Whoa!?"

My body leaned forward involuntarily.

—My mind started to consider why I slipped.

Bath salts.

That’s it.

When you bathe in alkaline hot springs, your skin becomes slightly slippery.

That slipperiness made my foot slide!

"Master!?"

I heard Yuel’s scream.

I could tell I was about to fall, but it was pitch black, and I couldn’t see anything.

I didn’t know where to put my hands, and I probably couldn’t take a defensive position.

But in that instant,

something supported my body.

Yuel must have tried to support my body as it was about to fall.

But with Yuel’s strength, she couldn’t stop me from falling, and I ended up pulling her down with me.

"Ouch..."

I felt a dull pain in my head, but I didn’t feel like I had crushed Yuel.

I tried to prop myself up with my hands, and it seemed I managed to support my body.

"Master... Master is... on top of me...!"

...Yuel might have hit her head.

I called out to check if she was okay.

"Yuel, are you alright?"

"I’m fine! I’m always fine!"

She seems to be okay.

I’m not sure what she means by "always fine," but at least she doesn’t seem to be seriously injured.

I felt a bit relieved.

"Ah, right, the commentary. I have to do the commentary! Now, Master is on top of me, naked. We’re so close, almost touching. I’m really nervous."

...I’m not reassured at all.

I didn’t ask her to comment on that.

I just wanted a report on the situation, not a confession of her feelings.

"Hey, what are you doing!?"

"You’re pushing me down!? You’re pushing Yuel down!?"

Elise and the others, who didn’t understand the situation, seemed to get it from Yuel’s commentary.

This is bad.

"Even the towel has come off, and Master isn’t wearing anything. It’s... It’s amazing... It’s amazing..."

What’s amazing?

The only thing clearly visible in this situation is Yuel, who has good night vision.

I have no idea what’s happening.

But Yuel is repeating, "It’s amazing," in a strained voice.

"My face is hot from embarrassment, but I’m really happy."

I could hear Yuel’s voice, almost like a whisper in my ear.

...Actually, she’s whispering in my ear.

I could feel her breath on my ear.

I couldn’t see well, but it seemed she was very close.

I couldn’t really understand the situation, but I felt it was getting dangerous.

"Sorry, Yuel. I’ll get off now."

I was in a position with both hands and knees on the ground.

Yuel was probably between my hands and knees.

I tried to move my arms and legs quickly to get off Yuel.

—At that moment.

"Whoa!"

My hand slipped.

I must have been too hasty, and my weight shift was awkward.

Without support, my body fell straight down.

I managed to stop the momentum by putting my elbow down, but that was close.

"Lord Shiki... So, Lord Shiki’s taste is... You didn’t react to me because Lord Shiki has a preference for young girls..."

While I was struggling, I heard the holy maiden drawing some conclusions.

But that’s a serious misunderstanding.

I opened my mouth to refute her.

Then,

"Master is touching me naked!"

Yuel shouted.

"Master is on top of me. We’re pressed together. I can feel Master’s muscles. They’re strong and warm. I can feel Master’s body heat."

And Yuel said this with genuine happiness.

I could feel something soft under me.

It seems I really ended up on top of Yuel.

Yuel, who might be misunderstanding something, wrapped her arms around my back and squeezed.

"Yuel, wait! It was just my hand slipping, just slipping!"

I had to explain, or before the rumors start, I don’t know what Yuel might do.

I had to clear up the misunderstanding with all my might.

"...A while ago, when you accidentally touched my chest, you said the same thing."

Elise said.

Indeed, that might have happened.

...Elise probably holds a grudge about the harassment.

But now is not the time to bring it up.

Really, don’t.

"Shiki!? Is it true!? That’s not okay! Especially not with Yuel!"

Ruruka, taking Elise’s words seriously, started to make a fuss.

Then, I heard splashing water.

"Ah!"

Followed by a scream and the sound of something falling.

...She probably fell.

It’s dangerous to do things you can’t see clearly.

"Ruruka fell out of the bath, stepped on soap, and fell. She’s sitting on the floor. The towel she was holding fell back into the bath."

Yuel calmly explained Ruruka’s situation.

So she did fall.

...But that means Ruruka is now completely naked, sitting on the floor.

I can’t see anything, even if I strain my eyes in her direction.

"Master is staring at the naked Ruruka, who is sitting on the floor."

As I tried to focus my eyes on Ruruka, Yuel commented on it.

"Wh-what!? Stop looking! Don’t look!"

"I can’t see anything!"

No good.

If I look, Yuel will comment on it.

"Elise and Ruruka are also looking this way! It’s embarrassing, but if Master wants to see, I’m okay with it!"

And Yuel’s words.

Straining my eyes, I could see Yuel’s face in front of me.

It seems my eyes were starting to adjust to the darkness.

Yuel’s face was right in front of my nose.

Just a few centimeters away, she was breathing shallowly and heavily, staring at me intently.

"I heard what the holy maiden said to Elise before. There’s a very effective method against succubi. Master’s..."

"Yuel, no more! No more commentary! I can see well enough now!"

Perhaps because some time had passed, I could see the floor a little.

With this much visibility, I should be able to get out of the changing room.

"Alright, let’s regroup with the knights quickly!"

I shouted, drowning out Yuel’s voice.

The next update will be in about three days.