Dark Fantasy: Super Coward Mode

“Ugh… Uuuuh…”

It seemed like the newfound thrill from my butt-kicking performance had yet to fade, as the succubus outsider lay trembling on the floor.

Considering the amount of preparation I had put into this event, I could confidently say that it was a pretty satisfying reaction.

“Crazy, perverted human…”

Her dramatic evaluation only added to my sense of achievement. If only she had spoken of how touching the performance was.

I had also prepared an encore in advance.

“Ah, aaah…”

The succubus outsider’s expression was one of sheer despair as our eyes met. Well, I hadn’t expected her to be so moved.

“Did you enjoy the performance, customer?”

“Hic.”

“Seeing the lack of a response, it seems you were not satisfied. If that’s the case, I can prepare a new stage until you are satisfied…”

“I-I don’t want to… I can’t go through that again…”

Hmm.

Seeing such a delicious reaction, I decided to leave it at that this time. Honestly, considering how outrageous this was, I wanted to serve the encore, but I felt my stamina just wouldn’t hold out.

Alright then.

I’ve released my pent-up frustration, so now it’s time to do what I really need to do.

I quickly walked up to the succubus outsider and plopped myself down right in front of her. The sight of her shakily kneeling while shuddering with her shoulders was almost pitiful.

I thought that the punishment hadn’t been that severe.

Or perhaps it was a matter of pride.

It was not like she had been killed by a mere human, yet the fact that she had been captured and put through such humiliation must have brought her extreme shame and helplessness.

To an onlooker, it would look as if she’d been forcefully victimized.

…Well, anyway.

“Friend?”

“Uh, no, yes.”

“Why are you playing in the human world? What happened?”

I attempted to speak in the softest tone possible to ease her trembling, but perhaps due to the sudden shift in atmosphere, the speed at which the succubus outsider shook seemed to increase.

Sigh.

If we chat a bit, she might calm down.

I waited a little for the succubus outsider to answer, and after some time, she slowly began to move her mouth as if she had calmed down a bit.

“I-I’ve always lived here, you know.”

“Eh?”

What on earth is she talking about?

If she had always lived in the dream world, she wouldn’t suddenly be making her existence known now. Plus, at this scale, I began to suspect she was more likely an outsider.

The succubus outsider trembled at my bewilderment.

“I-I’m sorry, it’s just… Ugh, it’s all my fault… Huh.”

Ah.

Wait a minute.

Why… why is she suddenly getting all teary-eyed at the corners of her eyes?

“Waaah!”

Oh.

What the hell.

I, Leydan Tanton, had now become the man who made an outsider cry.

I wiped away the cold sweat while soothing the succubus outsider until her tears finally subsided, thankful that it didn’t take too long.

It seemed like it had been a while since I had seen an outsider wail like this, not counting the Outcast God and Lia.

“That’s right, good girl.”

“Hic, uh.”

As I patted her head and spoke gently, it seemed she was finally starting to calm down.

What in the world was I doing?

“Now that you’re calm, can I ask why you did this?”

“Sniff… Uh, that’s…”

Finally starting to open up, the succubus outsider took a deep breath.

“…Because nobody plays with me!”

“…What?”

What kind of ridiculous statement was that?

As I frowned in disbelief, the succubus outsider clenched her fists in protest.

“When humans are awake, I am always alone. The ones who could play with me always ignore me, making excuses that they’re busy! They only come to me when they need something… Plus, even the humans who are sleeping treat the world we create to play together as a ‘dream,’ thinking it’s fake!”

So when she said, “the ones I can play with,” did she mean the other outsiders?

Thinking about the characteristics of outsiders, it was only natural that each one had their own responsibilities.

Nonetheless, the succubus outsider spoke fervently, filled with sorrow.

“That’s why I caused this mess to make everyone remember me! I didn’t want to be alone anymore!”

So, in this world, what we refer to as the “dream world” is actually the domain of this succubus outsider, and all the illusions she presented up until now were perceived by us as “dreams”?

And because she hated being treated that way, she orchestrated this large-scale massacre?

This was essentially the same as a freeloader whining about wanting more money!

“Does that justify killing people?”

“I didn’t kill anyone! They were just fulfilling the contracts we made together…”

I spoke with a slightly irritated tone, unable to comprehend, but the succubus outsider protested as if she were aggrieved.

No, there are corpses lying right out in the open; how can she be so brazen?

“Sigh, I was trying to hold off on the encore, but…”

“Ugh, ah, no! Just show me the evidence!”

The succubus outsider exclaimed, running off towards some section of the vast space and reaching into the darkness.

She fumbled around for a bit, and before long, pulled something into the light.

And what she showed was…

A dazed human, unable to come to their senses.

From a glance, it appeared to be a man in his twenties.

“See! I just trapped their mind here; I didn’t kill them!”

“Wait, then what you told me about it being a game…?”

“I just wanted to play! Please believe me…”

It seemed the succubus outsider had tricked this young man into a contract after being entranced by her choice of words regarding ‘carnal desires.’

That choice of wording is enough to turn the heads of men in their twenties, especially in a dream world.

Wait, though. How could one be enchanted seeing the form of an outsider like this?

“…This is only the second time revealing my true self. I made contracts with these people using a virtual image.”

That makes things clearer.

She likely played simple ‘games’ with those who refused to contract, while those who did were mentally bound to her, keeping them close to her.

She probably felt lonely being alone.

I mean, I understood.

Loneliness is one of the strongest feelings of stress that can be compared only to ‘fear,’ as it consumes living beings.

Being caught up in a facade rather than their actual existence must have been sorrowful for her.

Still, hearing this made me notice another point that annoyed me.

“Hey.”

“…Yes?”

“A game should be fair. While skill differences can exist, at the very least, the conditions must be equal for everyone.”

“…?”

She didn’t seem to grasp my intent right away, even though I felt her shiver as I pulled her sleeve, reassembling her into the graceful position she had taken when performing.

The succubus outsider trembled like she was a vibrating toy, filled with terror.

But I had no intentions of showing leniency.

In a game where men’s lives are on the line, introducing an unfair element on her part?

That was reason enough for a severe reaction.

Crack!

“Hwaaa!”

In the end, she manages to get me to stage the encore.

After executing a truly impressive performance, the succubus outsider was allowed to return to her place.

“So you mean, once everyone is asleep, the dream space expands, and then you can find and release the souls you’ve hidden?”

“…Hmph, yes…”

The succubus outsider, chained and burned white, answered in the affirmative.

Ah, so those chains were for preventing her from escaping my dream space.

“Then I’ll put everyone to sleep, so just wait here quietly.”

“Sniff, yes.”

Aww, it’s so cute how obedient she is.

Pretty girls not only need to look good, but their personalities should also be lovely to truly enhance their attractiveness.

“Now, let me out of this world.”

In response to my request, the succubus outsider began drawing some shape with her finger. The moment she stopped moving, the perspective instantaneously shifted to the ceiling of the Knights’ quarters.

Did something too intense just happen?

Despite feeling like I had slept well, my head felt foggy, as if enveloped in mist.

Slowly regaining my composure, I stepped out of the hearth and saw the waiting knights and the deputy director.

Perhaps they hadn’t given the order to disband, anticipating my suggestion upon waking.

If that was the case, it was quite a brilliant choice.

As I approached slowly behind the deputy director, a knight pointed at me, notifying the deputy director of my presence.

The deputy director raised one eyebrow and turned, only for his mouth to round in surprise.

“Tanton.”

“Deputy Director, well, I’ve resolved about half of it.”

“Half?”

It seemed he understood I’d only managed half, as the deputy director wore a puzzled expression.

Come on, you should listen to what I have to say until the end.

“I’m about to go resolve the rest of it. Before that, would you be able to hear my suggestion once more?”

“…If it’s something I can resolve, what can’t I hear? What is it that you want?”

The look in his eyes that seemed willing to listen to anything was starting to feel burdensome.

Of course, the request I was about to make was burdensome enough itself.

“I think it would be great if we could put every single person in Rondan to sleep this time.”

Honestly, staying awake was merely a matter of toughing it out mentally, so I didn’t think it was too big of an issue.

But sleeping was entirely a different matter.

I thought it would turn out to be a somewhat difficult request.

“Hmm, understood.”

“Huh?”

“The knights, prepare the sleeping medication from headquarters and administer it to every citizen of Rondan. And after that, make sure you all fall asleep as well. Got it?”

“Understood!”

At this point, I began to wonder if there’s anything the knight order couldn’t do.

Witnessing yet another efficient resolution left me in a daze when the deputy director presented something to me.

It looked like another candy-shaped item.

“Do you need it too? A sleeping pill.”

“…Just one, please.”

I thought there wouldn’t be a single case of insomnia in this world.

I waited for the deputy director to return, saying everyone had fallen asleep before I stepped into the quarters.

“I reported to the princess as well. After Alpha and Beta report, those two and then I will fall asleep,” he mentioned.

“Thank you, Deputy Director.”

“It would be foolish to ignore the words of a hero who saves Rondan, wouldn’t it?”

…That was exceedingly embarrassing to hear.

Once I confirmed that the deputy director had also fallen asleep, I finally stepped into the quarters and swallowed the medication the deputy director had given me.

As soon as I lay down on the mattress, a strong dizziness hit me, followed swiftly by the familiar sound of a heartbeat.

When I propped myself up, I could see the succubus outsider, still chained and wearing a gloomy expression.

“Well, I’ve put everyone to sleep like you said.”

“…What on earth are you? The supreme leader of the humans?”

“I’ve gotten a bit friendly with people like that.”

I felt quite grateful to those people, hence calling me their ‘leader’ was extremely presumptuous.

As I approached the outsider, I snapped the chains with my hand, freeing her. I stood up slowly in sync with her rising.

“Now, lead me. We need to release the people.”

“I-I can’t believe I’m being used by a human…”

She exclaimed, as if incredulous, causing me to chuckle involuntarily.

What difference would it make if she couldn’t believe it?

I began to follow closely behind the outsider as she walked ahead.

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