Is It Strange For A Succubus To Be Wearing Clothes?

Chapter 6

—–CROW—– 

Officer Dan offered me a coffee and, with a bow, asked me to wait.

When the call came at that ungodly hour, I admit, I was tempted to be difficult.  Being woken up when you’re most relaxed and comfortable… well, it’s never pleasant.

But it was Officer Dan, familiar and friendly.  And I could sense her genuine apology in her tone and posture.

Since I was already here, waiting a bit longer wouldn’t hurt.

“We will now begin collecting the remains! Everyone, equip your mental barrier artifacts, and any injured personnel, please proceed to the medical bay!”

“Yes, ma’am!”

“Separate the Lamb and Young Ram corpses! If you encounter any moving entities, immediately apply the provided sealing inscriptions!”

Unlike her earlier deference towards me, Officer Dan commanded the Hunters with impressive efficiency and authority.

I found that appealing, too. The way she switched so easily between different modes of behavior.

Her nervous demeanor around me seemed more genuine… or perhaps this commanding presence was her true self?

That was beautiful, too.  Good.

On days when I feel down, I walk the streets, observing people, finding small moments of beauty in the ordinary, the mundane.

People kept glancing at me as they worked. Understandable. I was an unknown entity in a dangerous place like this.  The Hunters were naturally curious.

Of course, some were simply staring because I was beautiful.

“Hey, you there!  What are you doing just standing around?! Get to work!”

“Y-Yes, ma’am! Sorry!”

“Report any unusual activity or signs of mental erosion immediately, and retreat to the rear!”

“No, ma’am! No signs of mental erosion…”

“Is that so? Then focus on your task.”

The poor Hunter, caught staring, scurried off to work, flustered by Officer Dan’s reprimand.

Hee hee, understandable for a newbie. Especially since I’m beautiful. Even veiled, my allure is potent.  At least he didn’t have a nosebleed, like that convenience store clerk earlier. The Hunters had some fortitude, after all.

“Everyone’s… working so hard.”

I felt a pang of guilt, sitting here comfortably, sipping my coffee while others toiled. I wanted to help, but even veiled, my presence would be a distraction.  Work would probably grind to a halt.

Ah, someone else is staring. I waved back.

Hee hee, keep up the good work.

Oh dear.  A nosebleed.

Perhaps I shouldn’t wave next time. I just got caught up in the moment, admiring their youthful enthusiasm.

Today was a good day.  Despite the 4 AM emergency call, these small moments were fulfilling.

‘Finding beauty in the mundane is a joy in itself.’

People bustling about at 4 AM, driven by duty… Hunters like Officer Dan, or others fulfilling their assigned roles… it was admirable.

I was here on a whim, driven by fleeting impulses, but they were risking their lives, fulfilling their obligations despite their limited power.  Working for meager wages, with little support from the nation, yet they bravely faced the old, decrepit ram without hesitation.

I didn’t know their names, but they were courageous, kind, and resolute. Their ordinary, everyday beauty was intoxicating.

“J-Jae-hee-nim?”

“…Oh, yes. Sorry, I was lost in thought.”

“Oh, no, it’s fine.  I just… you were smiling, and I wondered if something was wrong…”

She was so deferential, despite her earlier display of authority.  Though, I admit, this timidness was endearing, too.

“I was just admiring the scene.”

“I-I see!  Well, if you need anything, please let me know! Oh, you finished your coffee? Should I get you another?”

“I’m quite full today, thank you.”

“Of course! But if you change your mind, or need anything else, don’t hesitate to ask! You can send anyone on an errand for you!”

“Yes, yes.  You should get back to work, Officer Dan.  The others are waiting.”

“Oh, right.”

With another bow, Officer Dan turned and stomped on a still-twitching Young Ram with her boot.

My, my, such ferocity from such a small person.

“Can I help you?”

Someone approached me.  Not one of the busy Hunters.

“So, you’re the one, huh?  The Returnee, the… Succubus?”

“….”

Oh dear.  My good mood evaporated.

★

★

★

“Tsk, tsk, such an incident during the Night Sea observation…”

“Where’s that Section Chief? What a mess.”

“Right, let’s move on to the after-party.  Nothing happened to us, after all.”

“Where are you going, Assemblyman Lee Hyun-woo?”

“Just a quick word with the person in charge.”

“Certainly. We’ll be waiting!”

Interestingly, politicians, despite their incompetence, weren’t stupid.  Especially when it came to their own safety and well-being.  They knew exactly when to forge connections, and when to sever ties, claiming, “We only dined together a few times.  There’s no personal relationship.”

While a few righteous politicians existed, driven by a sense of duty and justice, they were a minority.  Most higher-ups were textbook examples of intelligent yet incompetent and corrupt individuals.

Therefore, their actions were often deliberate.

Assemblyman Lee Hyun-woo, present at the observation, was one such individual.

‘Officer Dan is in charge of the [Special Management Returnee].’

He had attended the observation specifically because of Officer Dan.  Or, more precisely, because of the Returnee under her care.

He had deliberately goaded the drunk Assemblyman, suggesting he investigate the commotion.

If it worked, great. If not, oh well. He still got to add “Night Sea observation” to his political resume.

He hadn’t expected the Assemblyman to actually make eye contact with the Old Ram and trigger such a disaster, but the overall situation had unfolded according to his plan.

He was confident that the VIP section’s protective inscriptions would keep him safe.

He also anticipated that if Officer Dan, a high-ranking Awakened, was in danger, she would summon the [Special Management Returnee].

It might seem odd for an Assemblyman to be so interested in a Returnee, but the Succubus Empress, Lee Jae-hee, was someone every powerful figure in the country, including the President, wanted to meet.

Politicians could obtain almost anything: money, power, fame, women.  They could choose their companions at parties and gain favors by manipulating laws and exploiting Hunters.

Once tasted, power was addictive.  But there was one thing they couldn’t easily obtain:

The Special Management Returnee, the Succubus Empress.

The embodiment of beauty and allure.

It was natural for politicians, jaded by pleasure and wealth, to be intrigued.

The Succubus Empress was already well-known in political circles.  How could she not be?

‘She’s a first-generation Returnee. No, actually, she appeared before the Rifts, practically a zero-generation Returnee.’

She wasn’t just famous; she was a singularity.  Many sang praises of her beauty.

-Unforgettable.

-I would give anything to hold her.

-I want to see her again.

-I was captivated the moment I saw her in the lab.

Until you saw her in person, it was easy to dismiss these accounts as exaggerations, urban legends.

Assemblyman Lee had been skeptical, too.

Until today.

‘Such beauty, even behind a veil…!’

She was captivating.  She wasn’t trying to be, but her very presence exuded an irresistible allure.

She stood in the dim starlight, a lonely, melancholic figure, yet radiating a cool, imposing aura.

Long eyelashes framed calm, violet eyes, like the depths of the ocean.  Dark hair, like autumn leaves rustling in the wind, cascaded over her shoulders.

Elegant hands rested on her lap, delicate yet alluring, inviting you to reach out and hold them.

Like a canary trapped in a gilded cage, she seemed fragile, ephemeral, as if she might vanish like dust in the wind.

‘So… so beautiful.’

He had dismissed the rumors as exaggerations.  Gossip about a woman spreading through the National Assembly?  Preposterous.  But now, seeing her, he realized the rumors hadn’t done her justice.

Admiration quickly turned to greed.

‘I want her…’

He was captivated, even without her actively trying to seduce him.

It drove him to act out of character.  A National Assemblyman, reduced to a lovestruck fool, making advances towards a woman he barely knew.

“Ahem, excuse me, I…”

He approached her, filled with a delusional dream of making her his.

“Perhaps you have some free time?  I…”

He was confident.  He looked younger than his 40 years, didn’t he? He worked out, took care of his appearance.  He had even been told he resembled a certain celebrity.  A National Assemblyman, wealthy and influential, what couldn’t he obtain?  He was the epitome of a confident, successful middle-aged man.

“If you’re free, perhaps we could go somewhere? I know a few nice, quiet places.”

“….”

“Such a shy lady.  It’s alright. It’s natural for a man and a woman to enjoy each other’s company, perhaps over a drink or two.”

Objectively, Assemblyman Lee didn’t look 20 years younger.  He wasn’t unattractive, but he wasn’t handsome either.  And the compliments he received were likely just flattery.

The Succubus Empress’s silence initially irritated him, but then she glanced at him, and he melted.

Hah, a woman that beautiful had the right to be aloof.

But she was a Succubus, wasn’t she?  Creatures of lust, meant to dance in bed and submit to men.  Her playing hard to get was understandable.

“…Hahaha!  You’re quite shy, aren’t you?  Could I perhaps see your face? It’s difficult to converse when we can’t see each other properly…”

Even if Assemblyman Lee had been the President of the United States, the Succubus Empress wouldn’t have cared.

She loved beauty.

And she loathed ugliness.

Like the old, decrepit ram.

“Hee hee…”

Instead of sighing or getting angry, Jae-hee laughed.  She had lived too long to be angered by such trivialities.

She lifted her veil.

“Haha, I see, beautiful even behind a veil, so imagine…”

And a heart melted.

“Ah…”

No, a heart melted, a mind dissolved, a soul liquefied.

Melted.

Dissolved.

Merged.

Captivated by beauty, there was no return.

Assemblyman Lee stood motionless, frozen like a statue. No screams, no nosebleeds.  Just… stillness.

Jae-hee calmly replaced her veil and stood.

Click-clack.

She walked towards Officer Dan.

“Ah! Jae-hee-nim! I was just coming to get you! The on-site investigation is complete!”

“Is that so?  Then please take me home.”

“Of course!”

Beneath the veil, Jae-hee smiled. A genuine smile this time.

‘I want to be a better person, if only for Officer Dan’s sake… but perhaps I’m not ready yet.’

—–CROW—–