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Creating a clone is a feat that even a wizard capable of performing miracles would only be able to achieve after putting on a grand show. It’s a level of skill that goes beyond mere summoning or crafting artificial beings through the medium of mana and consciousness. It’s about generating another self that wields physical power in this world, which is nearly miraculous.

Thus, this clone possesses the terrifying ability to invoke sexual emotions and illusions. It’s not something that a mere succubus could accomplish. Demons typically use magic to extract vitality; they aren’t the type to patiently delve into magic with decorum.

I thought perhaps what I was facing wasn’t merely a clone, but a highly sophisticated illusion.

“Strength means nothing…!”

Seeing the succubus beneath me struggling to overpower me while trembling with her arms, I clearly realized that she was indeed a clone, not an illusion.

‘Well, no ordinary succubus would be this aggressive from the get-go.’

I should have recognized it from her dive straight onto my bed without even assessing the surroundings.

The overwhelming energy behind me made it clear that even when I burned divine power to hold her back, this demon was not an ordinary creature of the abyss.

Thinking back, the original must have been casually observing the situation while deploying her clone. She probably thought she could have some fun, so she slipped into the room right after.

As I exerted my force, finally directing my blade towards her throat, the succubus—who seemed to have a stunning appearance that made the name feel like a waste—was grinning as if she relished the situation.

‘This isn’t your average succubus.’

Succubi are known for their lower combat capabilities, and yet, this one had strength that far exceeded anything I had ever known. I began to suspect I had gotten entangled with a particularly troublesome demon.

“I love being on the receiving end, but—”

Her sultry voice whispered in my ear as she attempted to ensnare me from behind.

“Doing it from my side is preferable, after all.”

A giggle escaped her lips, sending an extremely unpleasant shiver down my spine.

As she sought to touch me, our Shione stepped forward, revealing her intense hostility.

‘What’s with this murderous intent—’

It was direct and relentless. Even though the target of Shione’s fury wasn’t me, the sheer force of it was chilling.

The aura that enveloped her had the same ferocity as that of a seasoned knight cutting through countless adversaries, making her presence feel incredibly reliable.

“…I haven’t had a chance yet either.”

Oh, please.

Have I already fallen into the realm of madness? The nonsense coming out of my mouth frustrated me even further.

Just as I was trying to regain my composure, timing it perfectly, Shione’s sword resonated with mana.

“Do you think you can touch mine?”

In an instant, Shione closed the distance with fluid movements and thrust her sword at the succubus.

However, our Shione, born into the prestigious house of knights famous for swordsmanship, was no ordinary fighter. There was no way a succubus who could summon a clone with such poor sword skills could withstand her, and the demon skillfully evaded the attack after momentarily loosening her hold on me.

“You should share the delicacies, you know. Do you not know the basic act of sharing and consideration?”

“Typical devilish nonsense. Trying to nibble on something already tainted? Spare me the moral lessons.”

What on earth were they thinking, discussing such matters while I was here?

For now, the succubus had been struck down by Shione. I quickly devised a plan to subdue the clone, knowing that I couldn’t rely on her unrefined swordsmanship to hold the succubus down for long.

‘Summoning spirits is out of the question.’

With my heart racing erratically from the burdens of forcibly raising my mana, summoning a spirit better than Shione wouldn’t be feasible in this state. It was impractical to call Tania or Elvis, and the situation wasn’t dire enough to warrant such risks.

‘All I have right now are the sword in my hand and a few minor spells.’

I had to save enough energy to deal with both the clone and the original. It was going to take more effort to subdue than to kill, so that was my only option.

Pulling together the reason that had momentarily wavered in the face of the threat to my dignity and integrity, I directed the explosive power I had forcibly drawn out toward soothing the mana to summon spirits more effectively.

‘Guess I’ll have to rely on my hand techniques.’

What I needed was the original. Yet, I should still try to restrain the clone, as it could still be of some use.

The struggle for dominance was over.

I merely redirected a straightforward attack aimed at her throat.

Twisting my wrist, I deftly sliced through the succubus’s skin.

“Ugh…?!”

A response came.

She hadn’t anticipated this twist.

But this was just the beginning.

Rustle─!

I returned my mana to strike at the clone’s right arm with a minor spirit magic.

Was it due to the sharp pain tearing through the fabric, or because of the cleverly-targeted magic on her tendons? The succubus glared at me, her expression distorted.

“…You’re doing something interesting, aren’t you?”

But she quickly relaxed her expression, staring at me with captivating eyes.

“Though, I’m getting tired of the one pinned beneath me.”

With her legs soaring toward the sky, they entwined my lower body.

Flung sideways by the succubus, my body was spun around.

Now I was the one pinned, while that accursed succubus sat atop me, licking her lips in pleasure. The dynamics had wholly shifted once more.

Inevitably, Shione couldn’t help but feel her anger flare in response to the situation.

“Oh.”

“Seems like they’re having fun over there. What does it matter if I pre-tasted it? I can just cover it up, right? Around here or there, it’s all the same in the end, a feast for the strong.”

“……”

“That hair of yours. You’ve got nothing on your ancestors.”

Boom─!

Shione swiftly delivered a kick to the succubus.

She blocked the attack, but for a brief moment, surprise flashed across the demon’s face at the sudden change in power.

“Your sword…!”

Without missing a beat, Shione tossed away the sword she held.

The sharp blade pierced through the heart of the clone perched atop me, blood splattering outwards.

“Shione?”

She didn’t utter a word in response to my call as she secured her weapon.

As the newly fallen form was tossed aside, the graceful movements of Shione caught my eye.

“What do you know to be spouting such nonsense?”

…This was the first time I had seen Shione so furious.

The troublesome Shione of the Count’s family was more accustomed to sulking than showing her ire. Even while growing out of her reckless phase, and after having taken her place as a proper noblewoman, she had often stifled her anger rather than express it.

Concentrated fury can drive a person mad, but sometimes, that restrained demeanor can turn a person brutal. Shione was embodying that perfectly right now.

“Drifting about in dreams, devoid of mana.”

Shione swung her sword.

She wasn’t born with the talent for swordsmanship. Instead, her technique was rather clumsy, standing closer to the mediocre side. However, the line she drew, imbued with her past struggles and deficiencies, proved expressive in terms of the feelings she infused it with.

A blade laden with persistent hatred. Yet, perhaps understanding that her strike could never reach the enemy’s bones or flesh, our Shione showcased an incredible performance that made me involuntarily mutter in Korean.

“That crazy bastard…!”

The blade, released from her grasp, soared through the air. Our Shione proudly threw the sword away.

Without even picking up a bow, armed only with arrows, what use would those arrows be? And here she was tossing the one weapon she was holding?!

I had no idea what she was thinking, but as I quickly gathered mana to shield her, just at that moment—

“……!”

As the succubus was momentarily distracted blocking the flying sword, Shione rapidly reached for an arrow. Perhaps it was the fact that she was a skilled archer, but she seemed to find it easier to imbue the arrowhead and shaft with mana than to layer it on the sword. With compressed and concentrated mana, she swiftly released the arrow.

“Ugh…!”

The arrow pierced through the succubus’s leg.

Demons are generally tougher than humans, yet Shione delivered enough power to disregard that.

It wasn’t about casting a spell; it was just a single arrow tossed, but the burning sensation spreading from one leg had the succubus plotting her every possible method of retaliation.

“Don’t think of escaping.”

Having already surrendered to her madness, Shione didn’t just close the window in the room; she ensured the door was securely locked, her eyes gleaming with determination.

Before I knew it, three arrows in her hand shimmered with the mana she had absorbed.

“Lady Shione, you can’t just run off like that before the demon contact signal has been issued…!”

“Lady Diolia, focus on subduing this succubus first.”

“I think we’ll need to have a conversation after this. Troops, move inside!”

With that, Lady Diolia and the knights, who arrived a moment too late, filled the room, fully equipped.

“Oh, um, there seem to be more of them than I expected…?”

The succubus scanned the knights with a bewildered expression.

The thrill of catching a man had long vanished from her thoughts.

Most of the succubus’s magic targeted rational beings, especially in a place filled with knights. It was akin to hell for her.

“In that case, I have no choice but to wait for the next opportunity─”

As a demon who had been roaming the inner area, did she actually have an escape route? Just as she attempted to strangle herself—

“What do you think you’re doing now?”

Shione’s arrow stopped the succubus in her tracks.

She issued commands assertively to her house’s knights.

“Don’t kill her, just subdue her.”

As soon as she gave the command, the armored women gathered coldly around the succubus.

Whether Shione spoke boldly or just conveyed her request to Diolia, it was all the same.

“Lady Diolia, could you ask my sister to prepare for some questioning?”

“Are we even talking about torture?”

Shione calmly nodded.

“I heard that the Marquis’s family is adept at extracting information, even unnecessary details.”

*

After a commotion, proper resting time finally arrived.

The moon was high in the sky, casting its light over the world. While it should be time to fall into a deep slumber, I found it hard to slip into sweet sleep just yet.

“It’s unavoidable.”

“…Still, it feels unpleasant.”

“I said from the beginning that I didn’t want to do this.”

“And yet, you climbed on top of the succubus like that?”

“You saw that I was holding my sword against her, didn’t you?”

“……”

Why is she acting like this now after pushing for the makeup treatment earlier?

Shione was pouting, crossing her arms, and glaring at me.

Should I smack her on the head to get her to snap out of it? Or does she have some ulterior motive? I was also staring back defiantly at Shione, but in the end, she was the first to shyly look away.

‘But thinking in reverse…’

Even if nothing out of the ordinary had happened, the fact that my beloved girl was mingling with an incubus isn’t exactly a pleasant sight.

In the end, I accepted her justifiable jealousy and irritation.

“I’ll grant you one wish, so let’s move on, alright?”

At the word wish, Shione’s eyes twinkled mischievously.

“You’ll grant any wish I make?”

“If it’s within a reasonable scope that I can accommodate, then why not?”

“Okay.”

Shione feigned anger, but she couldn’t help the smile creeping back up.

Her face bore the expression of a mischievous child and a cunning predator at once.

“Alright, I’ll say that wish right now.”

Shione calmly walked over to her door.

Click─!

With the cheerful sound of the mechanism operating, the door clicked shut.

“…Why did you lock the door?”

“Who knows?”

That expression. Perhaps this had been her plan all along.

The succubus now seemed the least of the worries; it was Shione who had shifted the tides!

 

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