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TWL Chapter 286: A Succubus in Search of Sanctuary
🕑 Added 2025-01-09 02:01:24 +0000 UTCAfter the succubus mentioned the Elder Blood, Lann suddenly felt a slight vibration coming from the medallion hanging on her chest.
The succubus in front of him was using magic!
Without hesitation, he unsheathed the Aerondight Sword. The runes decorating the blade shone brightly with a golden light in the dimness of the cave.
His action was like a signal, and the black magic scimitar behind him ignited with emerald fire and, like a ravenous wind, rushed towards the succubus, covering her in flames.
The succubus reacted with an alarmed expression. With a powerful leap, she broke the rock floor beneath her hooves and quickly retreated to the other end of the cave.
However, the emerald fire pursued her with a terrifying tenacity, as if it would not stop until it achieved its goal.
“Ha!” The succubus laughed, though her tone was laced with anger. Suddenly, an invisible distortion emanated from her body. The air in front of her compressed, forming a sort of transparent barrier that exploded like a projectile against the flames.
With a dry sound, the fire disintegrated into endless sparks, momentarily illuminating the cave.
A figure emerged from the scattered flames. Her dress and veil fluttered gracefully in the gloom, but her hands held a deadly threat.
The figure briefly vanished, passing through the wind barrier as if it didn't exist, and reappeared right in front of the succubus, a crimson glow surrounding her.
"A specter?" the succubus shrieked, clearly terrified. "No, it's a soul with a special power!"
With a metallic clash, the succubus raised both hands to block the attack. The impact resonated like the clash of two swords, but the force sent her flying, leaving deep wounds on her arms.
Iris had a cold gaze behind her veil. She held the scimitar clumsily, lacking technique, but compensated with tremendous strength, striking with pure brutality.
…
“Wait, stop!” the succubus screamed, her body falling heavily against a rock wall. Before she hit the ground, she hurriedly raised her voice. “I have no bad intentions! I just cast a sleeping spell on the boy. He shouldn’t hear what we’re about to discuss.”
The confrontation between Iris and the succubus had only lasted a few moments, everything had happened at a dizzying speed.
It was at that moment that a dull thud was heard. The druid apprentice had fallen to the ground, fast asleep.
Lann frowned and looked at the unconscious young man. Now, with his heightened sensitivity to chaos energies, he could confirm that the spell was indeed not aimed at him, but only at the apprentice.
The succubus' message was clear: she knew his secret, but she had no hostile intentions. She had even made sure to keep away anyone who shouldn't listen.
It was a gesture of goodwill.
After hearing the succubus' words, Iris did not relax her posture. She looked at Lann, seeking his approval.
He shook his head slightly, indicating for her to wait.
Seeing all this, the female demon felt relieved.
The succubus, seeing this, sighed in relief. She dropped to the ground and looked sadly at the deep wounds on her arms. "Although I can cure them, it will take a lot of time!"
Although she seemed to be trying to show weakness, Lann did not let his guard down. Still holding his sword, he slowly approached her and asked, "You know who I am, and you used magic to put the apprentice to sleep. What are you up to?"
The succubus looked at the Aerondight Sword, first in admiration, then in disdain, before blurting out, "That nymph, she's already moving her pieces so soon?"
Lann frowned.
Before Lann could start to grow impatient, the succubus stepped forward. With both hands on her waist, she declared, "I've heard that Cintra is recruiting beings with special abilities and that even the dryads of Brokilon have joined you. I'm just looking for a new home... I'm going to Cintra!"
Lann's grip on the sword loosened slightly.
After everything he had seen so far, Lann was certain that the succubus in front of him did not belong to the evil side. At most, she could be considered chaotic neutral.
He then began to seriously weigh the advantages and disadvantages of allowing her to join Cintra.
If emotions and physical attraction were put aside, what benefits could the inclusion of a succubus bring to Cintra?
The racial characteristics of succubi are not always a source of chaos. Toussaint and Novigrad are clear examples of this. In times like these, every prosperous city needs places like brothels. These places not only boost the local economy, but also improve the quality of life of the people and, indirectly, help maintain public order. Mercenaries after completing missions, newly paid soldiers, and merchants in transit need a place to spend their money and relieve pent-up tension. Taverns, with their tendency to provoke fights, are not always the best option.
Furthermore, succubi are powerful creatures. Since the Conjunction of the Spheres, they have existed as one of the most prominent races: bodies as strong as steel and impressive magical abilities.
However, they also have their limits. Even succubi over a thousand years old, although erudite and cunning, are still vulnerable to experienced witchers, much weaker compared to higher vampires and other long-lived species.
Therefore, a creature like her would be a valuable asset to the city's economy, with considerable strength but not out of control.
Lann was willing to accept this succubus, named Nanomi, into his ranks.
However, suddenly finding a succubus wanting to give up in the middle of a primeval forest was something that didn't quite convince him. He needed to know more about her.
...
“Come on, don’t look at me like that.” Nanomi shrugged at Lann’s hesitation. “Those conservative elders always advise young men to stay away from us, but they themselves can’t resist. In the village where I lived, the mayor harassed me relentlessly. Even with magic, I couldn’t get him away. He even threatened to gather the villagers to hunt me down if I rejected him again.”
Lann raised an eyebrow. “And what did you do?”
The succubus shrugged. "I couldn't do anything either. It's not that I was really afraid of him, but since he was so intent on playing, I had to let him try. The result? He ended up exhausted and literally killed himself."
She paused, sighing dramatically before continuing, "That left me somewhat disappointed for a while. I even built him a tomb. But in the end, many people around here used that as an excuse to attack me... What a nuisance! I don't want to stay in Skellige anymore!"
"For you, Cintra will be no better than Skellige." Lann replied, not lowering the sword that was pointed directly at the succubus. "I can't think of a reason for you to come to Cintra."
Despite Lann's defensive stance, the succubus remained calm and confident. Even with Iris watching intently from not far away, she seemed to have forgotten the pain of still-fresh wounds.
With calculated grace, she began to approach Lann step by step, the candlelight illuminating her figure. Sliding the tip of her finger along the blade of the sword, she said with a suggestive smile: "Isn't it obvious? Because Cintra has you~"
The unexpected confession caused Lann's sword to tremble slightly.
Suddenly, an emerald green fire erupted behind Lann. Iris's figure materialized from the flames. Although her expression remained hidden behind her veil, her gaze seemed to pierce through Lann to confront the succubus directly.
Iris raised the scimitar and accurately slid it back into its sheath against Lann's sword. The blade made a clear metallic sound as it was sheathed.
The succubus' expression changed slightly, but she quickly hid it with a giggle. "After all, Lann, you have the Elder Blood."
She spoke in a more serious, melancholic tone: "I arrived here during the Conjunction of the Spheres. It was not an accident, but a carefully planned escape. My world was destroyed by the White Frost, and I had no choice but to come to a place that was completely unknown to me."
"Recently, this continent has begun to show signs of another Conjunction of the Spheres. Another crisis is looming. It may not be soon, it could be decades or even centuries, but it never hurts to start looking for a path for the future."
As she spoke, the succubus, almost reflexively, placed her hand on the back of Lann's sword. Her fingers traced the runes as she continued to approach, step by step.
"And, Lann, your Elder Blood is the key to saving this world. Even if it weren't, with that power you could easily leave this world. Because of that, I want to stay by your side. I only seek to protect myself amidst the coming crisis. Does this reason seem reasonable to you, young heir of the Elder Blood?"
The logic behind her words was undeniable. In this world, Elder Blood was destined to fulfill a mission of salvation. Staying together with someone with that power to ensure one's own survival was a reasonable strategy.
However, Lann was no longer distracted by the succubus' movements. His attention was completely focused on something she had mentioned earlier: "You said... the prelude to the Conjunction of the Spheres is beginning again?"
