Evan D. Sherden, Preparing for the Next Scenario (3)

[Hello, handsome gentleman. What a lovely night.]

“Hi. As promised…”

[I don’t understand what you mean by promise.]

Evan met her again in an ambiguous area. The Succubus event known for its explicitness in the game is one of Evan’s death endings. Now, this was the second time. But he didn’t realize that she was the Succubus Queen. Perhaps that’s why a more explicit scene had come up.

“Ah, right. Sorry, I think I was mistaken.”

[Good. You get a passing mark.]

She who controlled dreams was still unrecognizable today, but he didn’t think of being on alert at her appearance anymore.

[Being calm in the dream of a Succubus Queen seems off too…so, were you able to shake off the burden in your heart by yourself?]

“Well, I’m not sure what you mean. It’s our second time seeing each other today, right?”

[Tsk, I guess I was mistaken then.]

Evan just imitated what she said, but she flicked her finger while grumbling. And then, the white empty space turned into a neat background—a sparkling night sky and a glass-like surface that was clear enough to reflect everything.

[Anyways, I’ll show you everything that I’ve prepared.]

Evan stood in the middle of an endless transparent and glimmering ocean. He sat on a giant bed that floated smoothly on the surface and faced the dazzling world.

“Woah…”

[Do you like it?]

“Yeah. This scenery is possible because it’s a dream, after all.”

There might be places like this in the world if he tried hard to look for them, but even if he actually found one, he wouldn’t be able to monopolize such a beautiful place.

[It’s all unreal, but it’s beautiful, isn’t it?]

“It doesn’t matter if it’s fake as long as it’s this much beautiful…perhaps I like it more because it’s fake.”

[…Oh my.]

Her eyes opened wide as if she were a bit surprised at his reply. Although her face couldn’t be seen clearly, his feelings were telling him so. If that weren’t so, it would be impossible to realize how ‘beautiful’ she was when he looked at her.

[It’s a bad habit to make someone’s heart pound rapidly. That’s what I really wanted to hear.]

“It can’t be helped since I actually feel that way, can it?”

[Uhm…you sure are formidable.]

She smoothly smiled and sat next to him. The bed where two people were sitting floated on the sea with stars filling up the sky. The sky and the ocean seemed like they had been put together since they looked the same. It may sound childish to say that it felt like voyaging through a vast universe full of stars. Evan blankly thought, ‘This reminds me that the Uyuni Desert on earth looked like this. I’ve always wanted to visit it…’

“It’s been a while since I’ve experienced something like this. Thank you.”

[I wasn’t trying to get your praise, you know. Whom do you think you are facing right now?]

She flicked her finger while sulking at Evan’s words. The front part of Evan’s pajamas became loose, and his smooth abdomen appeared naturally.

[The Succubus Queen is aiming for your stamina right now. I hope you realize that you are put into a situation that is very appealing and dangerous…at the same time.]

Considering his stamina and strength level, it was expected that he had a muscular body, but for some reason, his body looked beautiful with lean cut muscles that were candy for the eyes. Maybe he still got the benefit from his charm level. It was a perfect look with a body that had both power and beauty. He looked completely different from those adventurers with muscular and bulky bodies and from slender and sickly nobles reveling in transient delights.

[Ah…hmm…you look good…]

Her aspiring attitude died down, although she was the one who put aside Evan’s buttons. Looking at her blushing at Evan’s naked upper body…people wouldn’t understand her reaction.

“Your reaction is just cute. Like a young, innocent girl.”

[I’m sorry for being a virgin at this age! But I’m still younger than you when you count the age since birth, do you understand!? In the first place, the reason why I’m a virgin…is because of you, Master!]

Evan didn’t speak his mind that clearly, but she must have pricked her own conscience. And a Succubus Queen being a virgin was also somewhat weird, but he didn’t say that out loud. The next moment, he was smoothly pushed over on the bed. She was in a position where she was looking at him while pushing him down.

“Woah, now you finally found some courage.”

[Wh-who are you saying that to! It’s not like I’m scared or anything, okay? I just needed some time to confirm my determination!]

Evan realized his body felt light, like a state where he would accept whatever the other person wanted from him. It was different from getting drunk, but it was somewhat similar in the sense that his mind was too relaxed, and his perception and reaction speed became slow. It was really a mysterious dream, although he had experienced it before. Despite how strong Evan became, he couldn’t be affected by his abilities in a dream, so it was a fresh experience for him to be swayed and controlled by another person in this space.

‘…But, in fact, I think I’ll be able to resist it since I’ve learned Annihilation. ‘But that would make things boring, so let’s not do it.’

Didn’t he just tell her that it was beautiful because it’s fake, so going against his own words wasn’t charming…actually, there was no need to resist, judging by the situation.

“What are you doing?”

[I’m hugging you.]

The transition should have been to a bed scene, but she was in his arms hugging him instead as if she suddenly became timid again. Of course, it was a pleasant feeling, but it felt different from the erotic mood.

“You’ve re-established your resolve, and this is it?”

[I won’t fall for your provocation anymore. I’m here to get rid of the troubles in your mind today. My resolve was like…not jumping on you despite seeing your naked body.]

‘Is that so?’

Evan thought of the promise he made her today with a smile.

“Well, in fact, you just wanted to be hugged, didn’t you? You’ve asked me for a hug like a kid before too.”

[My mind was towards the erotic mood at that time. So, it’s different. Now it’s more like…this one’s for you rather than for myself. For real.]

Evan reached out for her and embraced her in his arms. She screamed but looked happy.

“I trust you. Thank you.”

[…My, my heart would change a little towards the erotic mood.]

“No, let’s bear with that.”

While lying on the soft bed, sailing on the sea filled with stars, and looking at the night sky, made it feel like all the unnecessary stresses in his mind had been resolved. She didn’t provide him a solution, but the problems were already being solved.

“Whew…”

…He realized that he was worrying over a problem that didn’t have any solution. Although he didn’t treat the children of the god race with pure goodwill, that didn’t mean he was trying to charm and use them like expendable goods like what the Incubus King did. However, he wasn’t able to think straight as he was one-sided a while ago. He slowly forgot his own resolve when he first met those children and thought of making them happy on behalf of God, who sucked at balance patches.

‘The children will get mad at me for having such thoughts, even just for a moment…it was a betrayal for them, who was smiling happily while they stayed by my side.’

He remembered the first day when he met Paul and Marie. The moment when Ditto and Melson looked at him hesitantly. The innocent Lin and Lan, and Jhin, who was wandering in pursuit of the value of his existence. There’s no need to recall the thoughts he had on his mind while looking at those children and staying with them. Everyone came up in his mind. So, he knew what he should do to Name, as well. Perhaps what he needed was time to think for himself. Doing things without having enough time to get himself together made him forget the obvious things.

“Thank you…very much.”

[I’m glad that you liked it.]

She just said those words motionlessly. Evan laughed and hugged her tightly.

“You weren’t this type of thoughtful and considerate person before.”

[I’m not sure whom you are mixing me up with, but that’s definitely not me.]

“Really? What a shame.”

Evan played innocent and looked at her. He could see her face beyond the curtains of the vague dream.

“If you were her, I would have made my move.”

[I’m really happy about that, but it’s not time yet! Argh!]

She covered her mouth with both hands. Evan giggled and replied.

“Sorry, I’ll refrain myself.”

[…Saying that you’ll refrain sparks a fire in my body. Why don’t you be an incubus instead?]

“Shall I? Since the Incubus King is dead, I can learn some techniques from the Succubus Queen to become one.”

[No, forget it. Half of the world might become your victims…and stop treating the Demon tribe like specialist workers.]

She reached out her arms to be held closer by him whilst grumbling. Evan’s petty expressions seem to ease the burdens in her mind. It seemed like he was saying something ridiculous, like, ‘We are just one step apart from getting together.’ Probably, he realized her inferiority complex a long time ago.

[I love you.]

The words flowed out smoothly as he tightly hugged her body.

[I really, really love you.]

“Me too.”

Evan replied to her in a low voice. Perhaps this sensation was a bit different from being erotic. In fact, treating her like this wasn’t like how he felt when he treated Belois, Arisha, and Serena. But he could firmly say that he loved her, and that was why he couldn’t let her go. He couldn’t stand her being used by the Demon King and the Demon tribe.

“I love you.”

[Haa…]

Her face reddened at his words. And unfortunately, as her control over the dream loosened, her face now became visible.

[Th-then.]

Her mind took a new turn, and she spoke the way she did during their first encounter.

[Hug me.]

“How?”

[Are there lots of ways to hug?]

That surely was a reply from a virgin. Evan giggled and brought her close into his arms.

“I will teach you from now on.”

[No, I might get in trouble if I learn…]

The night was still young.

And the night sky was sparkling beautifully.