NOVEL NEXT Chapter 36: chapter 36
"You will be back late today?" Rikuri asked Touma while eating her regular fruit salad.
"Please tell me that you are not getting into some trouble just after returning from hospital" Kaibi added, bringing used plates into the kitchen.
"Sister, it's simply adorable how you changed. You care about him so much now!"
"I will simply be pissed if something throws off my day again" Kaibi grumbled.
But Rikuri knew better. Kaibi and Touma acted more like newlyweds even without noticing it, especially in handling the everyday chores. It made Rikuri all the more eager to excel in romantic life with the boy.
"Welcome to the club" said Index, munching on the 3rd plate of Rikuri's delicacies, much to eldest sister's delight, and the relief of others. "I always worry about Touma like this..."
"Shoo niishan shee dish ayyshaan ish..."
"Amazora, how many times do we have to tell you? Swallow, then speak"
Only when youngest sister did as she was told, she added her bit
"So oniichan, this Ayu-san, did forehead onee-chan managed to track her?"
Touma shrugged, while finishing off his portion of the meal.
"No, she did not actually find her. From what I understand, she pinpointed possible route of her escape or narrowed down the number of places in which we will conduct our search"
"So, does this mean we will go to look for her now?"
"I like your enthusiasm, but I still have to talk with senpai about this before we actually start"
"So this is why you will be home late? Because you will spend the afternoon with that annoying know-it-all?"
"I still have school, it's more like the evening..."
"Hmmmmmmmmm..."
Kaibi narrowed her eyes at Touma, clearly not satisfied with that answer. If anything, she looked even more agitated.
"You know..."Rikuri whispered to Kaibi's ear" You are even cuter when you are jealous. And I am sure he notices it too."
"I-I am not jealous, don't be ridiculous!" Kaibi turned away and began to angrily chew on her onigiri.
"Amazora, you have lessons only in the afternoon, right?"
"Mhm, one of our teachers is sick and homeroom is cancelled"
"Can you stay here with Index then? I am sure she will enjoy company"
"Oh yeah! We can play video games, do lot more awesome stuff together. Maybe I can dress that autonomous dolly once again?"
Apparently, it was rather difficult to convince Amazora that Othinus was not in fact a doll, but a truly living being with a peculiar appearance.
Speaking of Othinus...
"HEEEEEEEEELP MEEEEEEEEEE!"
She appeared, zig-zagging on the floor to evade rather excited Sphynx, who was chasing after her through hall and living room.
"Didn't see that in a while..." Touma said, allowing Othinus to jump onto him. After a few moments, the cat lost interest and went back to the kitchen, when it started to drink water.
It seemed that between being chased by Sphynx (her relationship with the cat was definitely better than it was in the past, but Sphynx had very varied moods and impulses) and dressed up by Amazora, Othinus was on the verge of crying. This is why Touma built her a small house affixed to one of the wall high enough for neither cat or Amazora to reach.
It was not perfect however if Othinus was already on the ground, as showcased now.
"Index, please keep an eye on Othinus and make sure she gets some rest. It seems she has it rough"
"You think?" smallest member of their household panted on his hand.
"Well, I will be off then. Don't worry, I will be back before you know it."
(SOME TIME LATER, OUTSIDE)
As Touma walked through the streets, a figure skidded through one alley to the other while tailing him.
Kaibi, in sunglasses, hair let loose, and blue dress that was a complete opposite of what she usually wore, peaked around the corner and was ready for another dash when...
"Ehm... Kaibi-chan, what are you doing?" said Rikuri behind her back.
She probably wanted to go for majestic reveal, but the effect was ruined by the fact that she was leaning against the wall, trying to catch her breath.
"Ah!" Kaibi jumped slightly as she noticed her older sister. "Why are you following me?"
"And why are you following Touma?"
"Sister, that's none of your business. Just because we three are very close, it doesn't mean that we don't have separate lives"
"Oh, I am very well aware of that. But it's also my role as your older sister to give something to you."
"What is it?"
"Advice"
"Oh great..."
"Let me think... it's not that you don't trust Touma or anything like this, right?"
"O-Of course not!" Kaibi vehemently denied.
"Then is my theory about your jealousy towards Kumokawa Seria correct? Are you afraid that she will make a move on him when they are alone?"
"I-I just don't trust that woman. Even though she helped us a lot in the past and I cannot exactly say she is a bad person, my gratitude towards her actions in regards to our lives on the dark side and our relationships with this moron are two completely different things! She is a manipulative, fraudulent, and-"
"Is it really what this is all about? Cause to me, it seems less about her doing something, and more about you not doing enough"
"H-Huh?! That's..."
"I am going to my classes, so I will leave you with that to ponder on. But you have to know... the fact that you realize your love is certainly something to applaud. But given the amount of attention he receives, it is not enough. You need to also act on those feelings. And I think there are better ways to do it than hiding like this. Remember Kaibi, succumbing to jealousy is just another way of admitting that you choose to feel inferior to other girls"
"Says someone who was losing her head over Kanzaki-san or our mysterious lost cousin!"
"T-That's different though! I became a bit concerned, but I acknowledge them as rivals. This is as open as it can get, I truly believe in my chances. Do you feel confident, Kaibi-chan? Don't you wish to approach him directly? Please, think about this. If you need me, I will talk to you later. Bye, for now"
And with that, Rikuri departed, leaving her sister with mess of a heart to deal with.
Also...
"Argh! Through all this talk, he got away!"
(MEANWHILE, ON ONE OF THE ROOFS)
Kamijou Touma once again had a randez-vous with a goddess.
He was in fact going to the school, but he still had some time. Without telling anyone about the plan for today's lessons, he made a detour to do one more thing.
Nephthys was waiting for him, wind causing her silver-white hair to flutter. She changed into her human disguise outfit, school uniform of her alias Nebena Hettori.
"Hi, so you came" he greeted her with a smile.
"But of course. I wouldn't miss going to school together" Nephthys winked to him" besides, we have a beautiful woman and a handsome man alone on the empty roof. Who knows what may happen?"
"You forgot? We talked about this. It is perfect place for the training of draconic powers, just like you said! "
Nephthys puffed her cheeks and turned around, trying to stifle her laughter.
Ever since she and Touma had heart-to-heart moment as she dealt with Feeling, she found herself laughing a lot more. She still cried and that was not about to change, she was a goddess of tears and mourning after all. But the sudden surge of cheerfulness was a surprise even for her. A positive surprise to be sure.
"Never change, Kamijou Touma, it's honestly too cute. Well, best for last as I told you. As long as you live, I am not going anywhere. So, as we discussed, you can train here in safety. With me acting as your divine and attractive training wheels. Oh, and I have what you asked for."
She snapped her fingers and next to her materialized floating syringe.
"I always wondered. When you do that, do you create something out of nothing or take it from somewhere else?"
"We can both create and displace through magic, if that's what you are asking. Each option has its flaws and benefits. When you create something, you have to weave the structure of reality in a specific way to make something exist in a particular way that you want it too. When you displace something already existing through space, you don't have to worry about the design, but you have to be aware where the thing you want is located or where do you wish to send it to. But we are getting off track here. Hold still."
In the next moment, she injected the content of the syringe into Touma's right arm.
Not even 2 minutes passed and the boy completely lost feeling in the limb.
"All right then. This should make it easier. Now, I am not weapon master like Niang-Niang, but with preparation like this, it will not that much of a difference for you."
A whirlwind of sand started to rotate around her hand and lower arm, until it got as fast as miniature tornado.
And then, Nephthys swiftly swung it in a slicing motion.
Once again, Kamijou Touma's right arm soared through the air. This time, he didn't feel a thing which was the very point of him requesting the painkiller.
Touma wondered how many times he lost arm by this point. He never counted carefully... was it 10? Or 15?
Come to think of it, with Imagine Breaker's regenerative ability, he could make a good money as a dealer of transplant arms. He was sure that doc in his hospital could find the way to make it work.
But now, he had other things to focus on.
'I am ready! Let us unite!'
The joint left after disconnection of his right arm exploded in red and orange flames. Slowly, they formed right arm made entirely out of fire. At the same time, Touma's irises changed colour to red, with orange rings around the pupils.
Nephthys clapped her hands.
"Excellent! Now, listen up to your tutor!"
'Human, my power is one of undead flames.'
Touma looked at the flames making up his seemingly intangible hand. To his surprise, they didn't feel hot at all. It was the feeling of someone dipping a hand in cold water in a hot summer day.
'They are the energy from beyond life itself, so cold yet burning like fire. Try sending them in the direction of some object in front of you. Link it with some specific motion'
Touma focused on the wall and snapped the fingers of his fiery limb. With the snap, the stream of red flames shot out from him and struck the wall, only to leave it without any damage or even smudge of soot.
'As you can see, those flames do not have any offensive potential when it comes to inanimate objects. You can say that those don't have any meaning for them. However, it's different when it hits a living being'
"Now it's time for your lovely assistant to volunteer for a guinea pig!" Nephthys spread her arms, which caused her chest to bounce "Hit me with those flames."
"But... I don't want to hurt you"
"That's the thing, you won't. Except for specific cases, I am generally immortal, which means that I have self-perpetuated, endless live energy. Do not worry about me, and fire away!"
"If you say so..."
Touma raised his hand and snapped his fingers once again.
This time, a much smaller stream hit the goddess straight onto the chest.
"Kyah, so cold!"
The flames engulfed her body, but even if she burned, the skin didn't seem to swell or burst like with regular fire. No, it was as if they weren't doing any physical damage at all.
"Do you feel it by now?"
And then, Touma felt slow rush of something that was similar to adrenaline. It invigorated him, caused him to feel stronger.
'Those flames cannot be extinguished by normal physical means and will burn until all the life force leaves the body of the target. That energy will transfer to you and add to your own vital force. As I said before, those flames cannot be normally extinguished, but the very same power that causes them or something stronger than it can do that. Think about flames disappearing."
And just like that, flames disappeared from Nephthys' body.
'What may be even more interesting for you is that with training, you will be able to transfer your own life force to others. It is not something this power is designed to do, but in theory, it should be possible.'
"That's a great news!"
"There is also one great advantage to this power" Nephthys waved her hand and bent sword, kopesh, materialized floating in the air. "Can you focus on the area near your belly button?"
"Huh? Sure, but why-"
His body felt impact as suddenly, tip of the sword emerged from his belly.
Touma looked dumbly, before screaming out
"YOU STABBED ME! W-Why would you stab me with a sword?!"
"How observant and astute of you! Now watch!"
The sword was pulled out. But contrary to what a terrified Touma thought will happen, no blood flew from the wound. Instead, flames burst out until hole closed on its own.
"What? Where is... where is the wound?"
'I am one of the rare powers that does not possess truly physical body. And so, while you are connected with me, you can not only conjure and manipulate those flames, but also become them to a degree."
"Wow... isn't this a little bit of an overkill?"
'I am not familiar with a term, but it is not as beneficial as it may seem. Even though wounds will heal, the damage will accumulate and transfer into your bones. This is linked to symbolism of my appearance. Too many potentially deadly traumas and your bones will desintegrate, leaving only a breathing sack of meat. Also, destroying your heart can still kill you"
"So... what is the limit of damage?"
'I don't know. I never had a mortal incarnate before'
"Sooo... this basically means that I can drop dead at any moment if I use this intangibility recklessly! Just great. Fine, it's not like I wanted to get hurt at all!"
'There is also a risk with being bonded for too long, like with all our powers. If you use my flames for too long, you may become obsessed with draining the energy, so be careful'
"So..." Nephthys asked slowly" what do you think?"
"Honestly, those powers seem far too over the top for someone so simple, like me. Darkness, energy draining... it just sounds unlike the way in which I usually fight. So I rather stay the way I am. At the same time, I realize that those powers may be needed, especially the aspects I wanted to master in the first place."
"Seems about right." Nephthys nodded her head" In truth, I also prefer your regular self. But think of it as supreme divine backup. Now, if you have time, you can focus on shooting the flames. I will wait for you down below"
She disappeared in the next moment.
Touma used his left arm to reach for the phone. There was still some time for him not to be late.
He snapped his fingers and sent big jet of flame towards the sky. He then repeated it.
But when he sent third stream of flames, something happened.
Touma didn't notice a shadow of a silhouette moving through the blue sky... until it collided with a stream of red flames.
At the same time, Touma once again felt that strange surge of energy that he experienced when flames hit Nephthys
'That attack... hit something alive?!' Touma thought, as something resembling a red comet descended towards the streets of Academy City.
He quickly commanded the far away flames to be extinguished.
His fiery arm dispersed and with this strange, eerie sensation he experienced many times before, his regular, flesh and blood right arm grew back almost instantaneously.
When he managed to get down, he ran past the surprised Nephthys.
"I think I accidentally hit something with those flames. I will go check it out."
"But..."
"I am sorry for that, but I really have to know if they don't need help. Go in the direction of the school. Catch you later!"
Nephthys sighed, and turned into opposite direction
"Oh honestly... I can simply teleport there. The whole point of doing those boring, mundane things is that they gain meaning when they are done by the two of us. Hmph! Guess I will walk extra slow to give him some time"
(MEANWHILE)
Gokusai Kaibi's head resurfaced from a bush that she was using as spying spot.
"Stupid nee-san with her stupid insight." she groaned.
She was painfully aware that she was behaving in a way Amazora usually did. But her prideful nature once again prevented her to fully back down after a talk with Rikuri.
"I'll just check if he is fine and then I'll leave. That's all it is to it. I am NOT having worries about this meeting of his."
So why she was in the bushes?
Deep down, she was ashamed that she let such envy control her. And also, at the moment, she was going through a little bit of her own, personal melodrama.
"We are supposed to go on our first real d...d-date... well, as much as it can be a date given that I still must confess my love... but... it still be our time spent together. A-Am I that impatient? Or am I worried that he will change his mind? Ooooh, feeling like this is so confusing..."
"Good morning"
Kaibi almost screamed before falling onto her posterior and deeper into the bush. Upon emerging back again, with her stylish hair filled with leaves, she found Hokaze Junko crouching near her.
The violet haired girl whispered
"Why are we hiding?"
"I...I don't know, it was just... no, for that matter, what are you doing here? If I remember correctly, you are..."
"Hokaze Junko."
"Well, Hokaze-san, what I am doing is not something I normally engage in. But I assure, it is what love is all about"
"Love is... about spying in the bushes?"
"What? No, it's about caring about someone. I am tailing someone... or I was, before I lost sight of him... who is important to me, and I don't want him to make a mistake with a person that is possibly suspicious"
"Oh, that truly sounds important. I was actually doing something similar"
'Is she really that gullible and innocent?' Kaibi thoughtin exasperation, before realizing the last part of the sentence.
"What? You say you're also watching over somebody?"
Junko shifted in uneasiness.
"W-Well, you see, my Queen, Mental Out of Tokiwadai, seemed really sad in the morning... she barely ate, didn't seem well rested, and barely spoke to any of us during teatime. Not to mention, she clearly didn't intend to go to the classes. With her ability, it is very easy for her to skip them and she generally doesn't get in trouble... but she usually tells us if she wants to do something that requires her missing out on school. That's why I am worried and decided to follow her. But... oh my, I think I've lost her now, while getting intrigued in your love for bushes"
"It's not love for... oh, for the..."
"Maybe I can come with you? I am always happy to make new friends"
"No one said we were friends yet..."
"We can search for our friends together? Wouldn't that be fun?"
"I guess that's better than sitting around..."
(MEANWHILE)
Shokuhou Misaki was indeed in a very grim mood. It was very unlike her usual self, but there was also a very important reason for her to be like this.
After all, today was the anniversary of the tragic incident after involving fight with Deadlock which Kamijou Touma lost the ability to ability to ever retain her in his memory. The accident that forever changed her heart, filling it with love, sorrow, and longing. The accident that made her form the conviction to establish her powerful clique. The accident that separated her with the only man who she ever loved.
It was just a normal day for other inhabitants of Academy City, but for her it was partially the day of mourning. A very specific type of grief was involved, given that the person was still alive and well. But in his world as it was right now, there was no place for Shokuhou Misaki. His mind could not attach meaning to Shokuhou, even if he was to meet her 100 times. Each and every time was the first one for him and next in line in Mental Out's painful chain of encounters with no chance for continuation in a relationship.
That was not to say those encounters were completely meaningless. Even after the accident, Shokuhou Misaki managed to have some adventures and meaningful times with Kamijou Touma. Together with Misaka Mikoto, she tried to provide as much help for the boy she loved as she possibly could.
Her heart got so numb when it came to repeated 'first meetings' that at times it scared her. Usually, faking her emotions was tiring but overall not so difficult. But during the days like this one, everything became painful and so difficult to endure.
Her emotions were on the verge of bursting. And just as she didn't want to browse the mind of the boy himself, she dared not tamper with her own emotions regarding him. Everything relating to Kamijou Touma was, per her personal rule, untouched and raw within her memory.
However, her emotional state meant that she would cause worry to her fellow classmates and subordinates within the clique. So, she announced that she was leaving to the testing for outside facility. That was not something uncommon for the level 5s of Tokiwadai, but she didn't manage to hide her turmoil perfectly, so she could only guess that at least few of clique members, particularly Junko, would have suspicions in regards to her behaviour.
"It has quite a care ability, that concern of theirs..." Shokuhou sighed, reaching for something under her school uniform" But it's not like it's going to help anybody. It will only make them unnecessarily worried. Maybe I should command them to cease feeling worry for today..."
She sighed and pulled out the silver whistle.
She didn't care if she looked ridiculous or not, as she mused out loud, while speaking 'to the whistle'.
"My prince... how is your day going? You are not even aware that this is the day that separated us... but maybe this is for the better. I hope everything is alright and you are spending days peacefully. As for me, I would have some foolishness ability if I actually wanted to complain about my life. I have wealth, status, mighty esper ability. I went with your advice and decided to value bonds around me. And thus, my clique helped me so many times to escape from peril. But even though I have so much, it all seems like a hollow act without you here..."
She put her arms, still clasped onto the whistle, closer to herself as if protecting her body from the cold, even though she was enveloped by sunlight.
"I miss you, I miss you so much. When we first met, I didn't think much of you, but over time, I realized that you provided aid ability in so many things... you saved my mental self from being erased, you treated me like a normal girl... you were the only one with whom I was forced to believe in genuine feelings, due to your right hand's interference... well, I suppose Misaka-san is similar, but let's not even compare you two in that regard. You saved me in so many ways... so it's so cruel from fate's side. I don't usually complain about it but... I was never truly in love before. I was a loner and no one truly approached me, nor could remain genuine and without my own control, for me to develop such feeling. And yet, the only man I ever felt it for was taken just as this feeling took hold of my heart... and never let go ever since..."
She sniffed as tears filled her starry eyes.
"I should just be happy that you survived and live your life out there. Knowing you, you wouldn't like me to feel like this. 'What's the matter, Golden Girl? Don't cry for me. There are so many others'. It's true that I could have literally anyone else, especially with my power. But that's just the thing. I no longer... can imagine life without you. Even in all hopelessness, and even if your world no longer has space for me, you simply can't leave mine. My prince, did you ever miss something that you don't recall? Even though you don't what you long for? Did you miss the place your mind never even heard for? If any of such feelings appear in your heart, I will always guard the memories, to tell you one day..."
Droplets of liquid started to fall down on her hands, as she slightly lowered her head.
"In truth, if I could, I would trade all of it for you to see me, not just look at me. If you saw me now, what would you say? I changed and grew into someone that I think you would love to look at. Even if it's a selfish hope, it doesn't really matter. If it takes years, no matter in which circumstances or in which bodies we meet... I just want to have one single miracle. I just want to love you, beyond anything else in the world. I had a lot of time to think about it and despite everything that seems to stand against us, I just want to be with you. In any way that I can, in all the ways that are possible. And even if they are none... I still want to care. I don't want to erase this love im my heart and move on. I can never stop, nor I want to. Because as long as we keep meeting, there is still hope..."
She sniffed once again and dried her eyes, looking up to the sky.
"Or that's what I would like to believe. I choose to believe that in this world, there is still a way for me to love you. I refuse to accept the world in which I cannot truly repay you for all you've given me. My prince, there are so many things we can do. We could spend time together just doing stuff we used to, or do something new we learned along the way. I never introduced you to my clique until you bumped into us by mistake, but I am sure my girls would love to meet you... even though they would have to learn food chain rather well. Later on, we could graduate, build a house... I would be with you for each lost moment. In memory, in action, and through my body... I would love for you to take my..."
She blushed through the tears and shook her head.
"What are you doing Misaki? For now, this is just a delusion. In truth, my prince, I feel like I am lost. I know there is a solution and lashing at myself for not seeing it yet is pointless... but I don't know what to do. And I just... I don't feel motivated or willing to truly speak about this with anyone. None of my girls knows this secret ability, even Junko-san. I would really... really use you being here right now..."
CRASH!
Shokuhou snapped back into reality, looking around and at the nearby buildings.
"What was that?! It sounded as if something dropped from high altitude. Let's see... I think it was from that direction. I might as well check it out. It's probably better than crying here, I guess..."
During first anniversary of the accident, Shokuhou spent half of the day crying, while locked in the room, to the point in which her eyes became puffy and red, stars losing all luster, and the second half indulging herself in sweets.
That's why in this year's anniversary, she motivated herself to go out and soothe her feelings with outside world. But she was obviously spiralling downwards, so she was actually rather happy about the mysterious distraction.
"Let's go check this out" she repeated to herself
(5 MINUTES LATER)
Kamijou Touma arrived at the scene of the accident.
"If someone or something alive really got hit by those flames and fell from that altitude... well, I can't imagine that they are exactly intact"
Touma shivered but nevertheless stepped forth into the alley.
"Hello, is someone there? I am coming to help..."
There was a sudden flash of light, deeper into the alley.
Touma was confused, but took off running...
Until he almost tripped over the woman laying on the ground.
"Whoa... are you okay?"
'Look at her, idiot. There is obviously no one else there, so she must be the one that I hit. But then... how is she still... well...'
The woman was a little bit frazzled, but it looked as if she tripped more than fell from the sky.
As Touma asked the question, the woman stirred and rose up with a groan.
"Owie, owie... dear me, what actually was that? Thanks for the concern but I am fine..."
When she managed to lift herself to sitting position, the sun came flooding to the alley, causing Touma to really get a good look at her.
And there really was many things to look at.
The woman was not simply attractive. The world 'lascivious' was the best, but 'gorgeous', 'sexy', or even 'breathtaking' also applied. She had long blond hair, that seemed to glow in sunlight, pretty, symmetrical face, shapely legs, and very big breasts that were actually slightly visible, because mysterious female wore one of the strangest business suites Touma ever saw. Even though it was in majority just usual, elegant pink suit, the chest area was modified into something resembling a so called 'boob window', according to overview Aogami once gave him. Even though it didn't show full glory of the woman's impressive chest, Touma was wondering how did a marvellous invention like this even allowed. Over said window, there was a ornament resembling a metal heart, that seemed vaguely familiar.
Then, the woman opened her eyes and their gazes met each other.
She tilted her head, as Touma's own eyes widened.
"Oh?"
"You?! Are you..."
"Mom?!"
The blond woman and the boy turned around to find the source of the sudden third voice entering the conversation.
Panting and clearly exhausted, another blond was leaning on the wall of the alley. Although Touma never met her before, he recognized the uniform of Tokiwadai Middle School worn in combination with white gloves and stockings. Although, to be fair, the bosom bulging under the shirt and blouse made it doubtful that its owner was really a middle schooler. The girl, aside from long blond hair, had the peculiar eyes with stars accompanying the irises.
"Misaki?" asked the blond woman.
"What are you doing here, mom?!"
'What?!' Kamijou Touma thought in disbelief.
(NOT SO LONG AFTERWARDS)
The girl, smiling politely to him despite slightly tired look, introduced herself as Shokuhou Misaki. Touma was rather bewildered that he didn't remember a girl that cute and with such a peculiar look to her. Not to mention that rather specific name.
Apparently, the blond woman was the mother of the girl called Misaki, yet Touma could still deadpan in disbelief, causing the voluptuous beauty to flinch slightly.
"Mom, what are you doing in the city? I didn't see you in ages..." Misaki insisted on her question, twirling a remote in her hand, before adding more coldly. "You also didn't come when Tokiwadai invited mothers..."
The adult woman straightened up and answered calmly.
"Misaki, I am sorry that I couldn't come. I was simply too occupied. As for why I am here now, I came here because my services were required by a client."
"Ehm, Shokuhou-san..."
"Yes?" both females looked at Touma. He pointed at Misaki, who smiled sweetly at him
"Misaki is fine"
"Well then, Misaki-san, first of all, it's very nice to meet you. It's strange that I didn't bump into Mental Out of Tokiwadai earlier on, with my luck..."
"Yes..." Shokuhou's eyes lost a little bit of their shine" It's good to see you... I mean, meet you too. A lot of people in Tokiwadai know you in some form or way. It's only natural I am interested as well. Feel free to ask any questions or spend as much time as possible with me, if you ever need anything."
"Thanks, I will consider it. Secondly... can you maybe introduce me to your... mom, you said?"
"Oh, I guess it's in order..." Misaki sighed, pointing towards the woman, who, despite being older, looked as if she just enrolled in college" For better or worse, this is my mother, Shokuhou Mayoku. She is a lawyer who travels the country protecting various difficult cases of people in courts in the name of defence. She is also a real fond of manipulating men, so you better keep your distance."
And with that, Misaki snatched Touma's arm, while watching her mother with narrowed eyes.
"Oh come on, Misaki. I am nothing of this sort. I am simply thinking that brave young men who save lives of others deserve some reward" the woman called Mayoku winked at Touma" Thanks to you, there are less crimes, and less people who could be accused of it.. sometimes mistakenly."
Touma's eyes moved to meet Mayoku's eyes. She blinked and then realized something too, so she averted them.
Touma's suspicion was almost confirmed.
Meanwhile, Misaki let Touma go and faced her mother once again
"You say that, but I bet you actually charm your opponents into admitting defeat. Don't try that on him!"
"Hmm, Misaki, you didn't tell me that you found someone you desire... mom is rather proud of you! Your fine genes are showing!"
"Wha... don't say that in front of him!"
Meanwhile, Touma's mind was working intensely.
'Her looks... her eyes... that metal heart ornament... protecting in defence... seduction... that name... spelled... 食蜂魔愛欲 ... Mayoku... Ma-yoku... ma... aiyoku... there is no mistake...'
It was not like Kamijou wasn't interested in person of Shokuhou Misaki. Quite the contrary, but for now, the older woman took priority. Because Kamijou knew her. And the time for truth came.
"Mayoku-san, I think you have a bruise under your hair... yeah, I can see it from this angle. Nearby, there is a pharmacy with really fine medicine. Let's go there and apply it once, so it won't scar" Touma said, grabbing the woman's wrist by his left hand. "Sorry, Misaki-san, I will be back in a moment"
"But..." younger Shokuhou tried to protest" I can just order someone to fetch this medicine..."
"I appreciate the thought, but I want to do it myself. I know the pharmacies of this city quite well, including the best quality of medicine and best prices. Hey, don't look like that! You are too pretty to look that sad"
Touma's tactic was effective and before Misaki's heart recovered from the sudden compliment, he disappeared around the corner with Mayoku in tow.
"Mou! For someone who can control minds, I really got wrapped around his finger..." Misaki sighed, before smiling and taking a bite of her specially ordered burger" Oh well, I don't really mind and I trust him too. The only thing is that he doesn't know how mother is. I hope she doesn't try anything funny... to be honest, I got the strangest of feelings that they actually knew each other. But this would be crazy, even for his luck... wouldn't it?"
(MEANWHILE)
However, in accord with Misaki's suspicion, Kamijou Touma knew the woman who was supposedly her mother.
Now, they were alone in the alley not so different to that in which Touma found the woman in a dark pink business suit.
"I must say, I realize that I look good and you are not half bad yourself, but taking a woman to a place like this is rather-"
"Please, drop the act. I know you recognized me earlier too..."
For some reason, Shokuhou Misaki's face became slightly fuzzy in his head. He forced himself and finished the sentence.
"... before Misaki-san arrived at the scene. Isn't that right?"
And he quickly switched hands, letting go with the left and grabbing woman's wrist with the right.
The effect was immediate.
With the sound of shattering glass, something similar to the fast-forwarded video of plant growth occurred. The woman's suit glimmered and changed into lacy, one-piece corset with thorn pattern on pink material. From the back sprouted pink, leathery, bat-like wings. Twisted, goat-like horns grew from the head. And finally, a long tail with a pointy ending slithered through space between the legs of a woman. Or rather, a succubus.
"It's been too long, Bologna"
The demoness sighed and smiled sheepishly, looking at him more fondly than before
"Hi Kamijou. So, what gave me away?"
"Your eyes. I would never forget something that characteristic"
The heart-shaped irises of Bologna Succubus glowed at that as she hit fist into open palm.
"Of course!"
"Also, your undercover name literally means "Demon of Lust" or "Demon of Desire". Seriously?"
"Shut up, I thought it sounded cool!"
"And lawyer? This doesn't sound like it would suit you at all..."
"A-Are you saying that I look too scatterbrained for this? When you live for so long, you pick up things! Also, what better way to protect unjustly accused that in court? I work at other front, but this line of work is rather beneficial for my Transcendent life mission"
"When you say it like this, it does make a little bit of sense."
The long tail of the demoness coiled around his body and neck. Touma remembered from previous encounters that Bologna did that when she showed affection or wanted him to focus.
"So, as a succubus, I can't exactly condemn you for taking the initiative and taking me to this remote alley, but what made you do this? I am flattered, but between two of us, my daughter seems to like you too, so she should be invited as well-"
"That's exactly why. Why are you doing this charade?"
"Huh?"
"I mean, what are you plan of achieving by using this girl and pretending to be her mother?"
"Hmm? But there is no charade or pretending"
"What?" now it was Touma's turn to be shocked.
"Our relationship was not always the way I wanted it to be and I imagine she doesn't always enjoy my company... but it is undeniable fact that I am a biological mother of that girl"
(MEANWHILE)
Shokuhou Misaki sighed.
Ever since she was little, her mother was an ambivalent enigma. On the one hand, she acted as if she truly cared and was never greedy when it came to money she spend on her daughter. On the other, she was always busy travelling and over time their relationship became truly... awkward, to say the least. For Misaki, her mother was carefree, overly lascivious and flirtatious woman who wasted her time away from her family. Even reading her mind didn't bring much of a significant result. She was just doing her job and earning money while having fun, on the noble mission of saving unjustly accused.
But where was she when Misaki was in trouble?
Even if she wanted to give her space and independence, why did it feel like she couldn't really connect with her own daughter?
Sometimes, Misaki felt saddened for this loneliness in her heart. Back when she lived outside of Academy City, her mother disappeared with the same frequency. Misaki's father, who supervised chain of cosmetic brands, was the one to take care of her and talk with her when she was little. But her father, despite being very nice and open man, was not really the best material when it came to day to day tasks. Even though they had some house stuff to help, Misaki did not feel the connection she craved.
"Does mommy not love me enough to be here?" little Misaki inquired.
"Your mother has very important job." her father assured her " But she does love you a lot and cares for you in her own way. Thanks to her, we could expand our products and live in luxury."
"Do you love mommy, papa?"
"Your mother... is someone really special, Misaki. Even though I am rich, I am nothing compared to her. " he said, caressing her head" And I am not taking about the money alone. She is...different... from normal people. I care for her, but it's like loving the sun or the stars. You can enjoy their beauty and warmth, but can't exactly be in their presence the whole time. That's why I... I couldn't be in a normal relationship with her."
"But how can you feel like this while mommy is away? Are you... vivorcing?"
"Divorcing? That's... that's complicated, Misaki. But I don't think that's something for girl of your age to worry about, it's adult stuff. I just want you to know, and she would also say it too, that she really loves you. She just can't live like regular people, for variety of reasons. Misaki, I know that it hurts, but being close is not the only way to love. One day, when you'll truly love someone and something happens to separate you, you will understand what I mean"
But there were moments, sometimes lasting for days, when Shokuhou Mayoku returned to their house. She would take a bath, eat something, and try to hug her
"Hello, Misaki. How is my little starlight doing?"
Misaki would usually stay silent, or stuck her tongue at her mother.
Said mother would not be insulted by that. On the contrary, she would ask if everything was okay. It was awkward concern, but concern nonetheless.
So in the end, Misaki was truly torn between her feelings in regards to her mother. On the one hand, she felt alone and left behind. Even if it wasn't intentional, it still hurt just as badly. The fact that her father did not seem to care all that much slowly transformed her house into the cage. Cage filled with love, but cage nonetheless. Her mother always allowed her to act on her desires, and never raised her voice. In fact, her father was more strict of the two. Misaki hated the lack of connection, or rather, the ambivalence of the connection she had. Because on the other hand, she did have some pleasant memories with both of her parents. She remembered her mother singing to her, hugging her, or even (that must have been a dream or fantasy of some sort!) taking her in her arms to show her a panoramic view of the city at night. For some reason, Misaki couldn't shake off the feeling that she felt like flying at the time.
Her mother wasn't also heartless, because Misaki heard her cry at night multiple times. But why did she have to leave so often? What exactly was her job? Why was she so sad, so attentive to Misaki when she was with her, and yet detached to the point of not returning home for so long? Was a lawyer's job really that hard and important? There were many questions, and almost no answers.
The ambiguity of back-and-forth relationship culminated with Misaki being sent out to Academy City. She felt like she couldn't deal with the atmosphere of secrets anyway.
However, the atmosphere of loneliness never truly left her, and only deepened when she awakened the most powerful mental ability, that caused most of people to avoid her.
Who would have wanted to be around someone who could read your every thought? Who could control you at given moment and force you to do things against your will?
The IDEAL lab and Dolly's supposed demise only deepened psychological problems and trust issues, adding depression and paranoia. Despite support of certain people, like Hokaze Junko, she was spiralling downwards alongside her feelings, the culmination of which was mental equivalent of taking her own life that almost happened at Ground Geo. If it wasn't for Kamijou Touma, with whom Shokuhou spent the following summer and who she now loved more than anything in the world, she wouldn't be there to think about all those things.
She didn't really meet her mother since coming to Academy City. There were a few times on some special occasions, but they were not long or meaningful enough for Misaki to ask questions or truly scan her mother's mind. Mayoku wrote to her frequently and paid for her education, but usually, it was Misaki's father who represented his daughter during various events or competitions.
So, what should Misaki think now, when her mother appeared, after over 2 years?
"Excuse me..."
Mental Out snapped out of her contemplation to notice two people near the table.
"Huh? Junko-san? And you were... Gokusai Kaibi-san, correct?"
"Yes. I just tagged along because I am watching over someone else..." Kaibi motioned to Misaki's right hand girl" but it seems she has something to say to you"
"My Queen..." Hokaze bowed slightly" I couldn't shake off the feeling that something was wrong with you today"
"I explicitly told you not to worry. Were you following me?"
"I am sorry my Queen, but until you force me, I cannot obey the order to discard my concern for you. I am here not as member of Shokuhou Clique, but as your friend. Please tell me if something is bothering you"
Misaki bit her lip. Should she confess her initial troubles or the ones she had regarding her mother?
She finally decided on the latter
"My mother is here and I don't quite know what to do. I would normally don't ask anyone for this, but..."
(MEANWHILE)
"... would you listen to my story? I think you deserve the explanation." Bologna flapped her wings slightly, while stretching her body. Touma blushed and averted his eyes.
"B-Bologna-san... your chest..."
"Oh? It seems I still make you flustered, what a charmer you are, boy. Don't be so shy, we had each other's backs before and were closer in lot of ways. The bath, the shared flights, the flirting..."
"With Aradia breathing down on our necks and ripping of my spine. You stripped me naked, remember?"
"Heh, you should have seen the cabal while the division of Rescuers and Killers formed. That was quite... intense...
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
"Why yes, I am a witch" Aradia looked at Bologna with a silent challenge in her eyes
"'Witch' isn't the word I used and you know it!" succubus screamed back.
"It starts with a 'B'" muttered flegmatically Good, Old Mary
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
"A-And don't remind me of stripping part! I was just - dhggzg- simply because- wwrrrpt- and you were- brtzpt..."
"Your common tongue, or whatever it's called, it's acting up"
As he remembered, the succubus blushed red and turned awkwardly away. Even though she was seductive and in control, she was unusually flustered when someone initiated the teasing.
As a result, her tail unconsciously tightened around him and threatened to suffocate him.
And as Touma sought way to free himself...
He accidentally tickled the tip of her tail.
"AAAAAAAOAAAAAHHH!"
Touma's blood pressure skyrocketed when the succubus made a sound that could only be described as moan, straight into his ear.
"Huh?!"
"W-W-What do you think you are doing?!"
"Don't tell me the tip of this tail is sensitive!"
"Touch it again or I may be crass, but I shove this pointy tail straight up your a-"
"A-ALL RIGHT! B-But if it's sensitive, wouldn't shoving it there cause you to-"
Bologna coughed loudly. By this point, there were both beet red.
"Point is, you can relax more with me. Even if we both got ourselves into rather strange situation as of now"
She pulled him close and onto her chest, that seemed like a warm and soft mattress. Trying his best to form coherent sentences, Touma asked:
"What were you even doing here?"
"I was on errand requested by Alice. I wanted to fetch something she liked to eat from the city when all of the sudden I was hit by a blast of cold fire."
"Ehm, that is my fault actually..."
"Really? Huh, you really are full of surprises. The flames disappeared as quickly as they appeared and I crash landed. I managed to reduce the impact with my wings though"
"And what about this whole... human look?"
"This is my disguise. It conceals my demonic nature, both physically and mentally"
"Mentally. Does it mean that if..."
Who was the daughter? He couldn't seem to remember.
Bologna snapped her fingers.
"You want to ask if it means that my daughter can't retrieve my memories of the Bridge Builders Cabal and the fact that I am a succubus? Well, the talisman that conceals my form also modifies my memories if someone takes a look at them from the outside. Of course, Misaki could see the truth but she would have to dig a lot deeper. She never saw reason to do so and I never gave her one"
"So she doesn't know? Does her father know then?"
"I think the best way to explain this is to start from the very beginning. Stay close to mommy Bologna and listen to the tale"
"M-Mommy?"
"Would you prefer onee-chan? To be honest, I did pump so much of my blood through your body that we could pass at blood-sworn step-siblings..."
"I... I never considered that before..."
"But I thought mommy will stick. And don't worry. Succubic blood will not alter your DNA, so any intercourse you would like to have with my lovely daughter is still a green light..."
"W-What are you saying? She seems nice, but I never met her before!"
"Really? I sense some strong, meaningful bond between you. And succubi have sixth sense for things like this"
(ELSEWHERE)
At the same time, Shokuhou Misaki told Hokaze Junko and Gokusai Kaibi her earlier reflections and parts of her childhood history.
"My Queen... I am sorry you had to go through this... but maybe it's not proper to judge your mother so quickly..."
"So Miss Bee has mommy issues. Welcome to the club!" said Kaibi, giving her thumbs up.
Shokuhou didn't even know why she tell the story to Measure Heart. Maybe she was too tired by this day she was experiencing to care anymore. Well, she could always erase that memory if she wanted too.
"Look, it seems your mom is a piece of work, but she does care, right? You gave examples yourself" Kaibi carried on" So while I am not telling you to let all the mistakes go away, maybe just... approach her about it?"
"Yes, my Queen. I am sure there is a more reasonable explanation. Did you actually approached your mother to confront her about those issues?"
"W-Well, it is not something that can be easily done given her travels..."
"But she is here now and-"
"I DON'T KNOW HOW TO DO IT!" Shokuhou shouted out, before taking a breath and calming herself down" I just... it's hard for me to approach this. I appreciate your help, but this is easier said than done"
"Well, it's still worth a shot" Kaibi concurred.
"I really don't know what to think. On the one hand, she cared about me, sent money, cared enough to ask how I was doing. But she was chronically absent, forgot about various events important for me, and always had such a carefree attitude when she returned. It's just... ugh... and why do I feel like she actually knows my prince?! How and when did this happen? I swear, if she tries to seduce him, I will..."
"Queen, is there really a reason to be jealous of your own mother?"
"At least she can have a lasting impact on his memory" Misaki said this part quietly, before continuing" I am simply stating that he is too naive. I don't know if he saved her, she saved him, or there was just an incident involving misfortune and some strange innuendos! With his luck and her sultriness... ah, this is driving me so mad! What are they doing in that pharmacy?!"
(MEANWHILE)
"Achoo!"
As Touma and lascivious succubus sat down to share the tale from the past, Bologna sneezed all of the sudden, her long tail whipping the air behind her.
After a short pause, Touma took off his hoodie and offered it to the demoness.
"Bless you"
"Pfft, don't bless the demon, you're hysterical! Oh no, I am not really cold, don't worry."
Despite saying that, she took Touma's hoodie and put it around herself with a smile.
"But thank you. You know, I can always revert to my disguise, which has a warm suit."
"Your original form is more comfortable for you, right? So you can stay in it while covering yourself with my clothes. And also... y-your breasts are really sticking out..."
Bologna smiled... before leaning over and lightly biting his right ear.
"Ah?!" Touma screamed, his face growing red" W-What are you doing?"
"A reward for you. You know, many succubi consider chivalry as meek and lame, but for me, it's a major turn on... I can really see why my daughter is so into you..."
"S-Speaking of succubi, you were about to tell me a story..."
"Oh, right. Well then, if you want to know about me and Misaki, let's start from the very beginning..."
"How far are we talking about?"
"Very beginning... or one from the few beginnings, possibly. The book of Genesis. Are you familiar?"
"Vaguely. I live with a nun, and she mentions the Bible sometimes"
"Excellent. Originally, there were 4 demon queens: Eiseth Zenunim, princess of qliphah Gamaliel. Agrat bat Malhat, mistress of sorcery and spiritual destruction. Naamah, dancing demoness of plague. And the oldest of them all, Lilith, first wife of Adam, cast out of Eden for disobedience, the "first fiery female to ever cohabit with man". Those 4 demon queens mated with archangel Samael, and from them, every succubus or incubus who ever lived derives.
Those 4 lines of succubi were always in rivalry with each other. Each had their own turf and loyalties. But all of them were linked by strong libido, or lust drive, ability to drain human life force in order to sustain their own."
"D-Drain? How would you do it?"
Bologna made a kissy face.
"Well, you know what they say... you can't spell succubus without a 'suck'"
Touma gulped.
"D-Does that mean..."
"Liquids were the key to make initial contact with mana. Saliva, blood, but often also sem-"
"A-ALRIGHT, CONTINUE PLEASE!"
"Okay then... succubi, as demons, could live forever unless they were killed by stronger power, like angelic magic or demonic might of a fellow succubus of higher order, or when they managed to be exorcised by a specific spell. Many believed that we couldn't reproduce. That was a lie. However, creation of succubus could only be achieved by mating with another succubus, which was very hard thing to do because of political wars between demons over influence and power. For demons of lust, succubi were rather restricted by their rulers when it came to reproduction. Not to mention, usually birth of a succubus had to be achieved with impregnation from our male counterparts, incubi, and those were born rarely, compared to the females of our species. The only good thing was that they didn't have to worry about marrying within the clan, because we demons don't have the same type of DNA that you humans do. We just transferred our characteristics and abilities through magic, as silly as it may sound. There was a possibility of turning a human into succubus, but it required sexual intercourses bordering on the edge of death. Nonetheless, some humans did turned into demons and joined us.
Each of the succubus clans had different methods of seduction and ways of life. Eiseth loved to use magic, Agrat preferred violence to subdue victims, Naamah thought of elaborated traps. Meanwhile Lilith clan was traditional in art of seduction. Even though succubi were demons, they were not inherently evil. We were simply born to lust, we needed those intercourses to stay alive. You can say that sexual intercourse gave us vital energy to suspend our immortality. Either way, succubi treated humans like a resource. They tried to gather as much energy as possible, while also trying to exterminate members of 3 other clans to have nothing hindering their vision of the world. Usually, armies of female demons warred with each other, tried to kill males from the other tribe to hinder the reproduction, sold the brethren to humans who would also hunt them down... or went for the head of the clan.
Because we had too few male demons, and they were usually weaker than females, the head of the clan was always a succubus descending straight from one of 4 original demon queens. While all succubi are related to them, many mated with lesser demons or were originally human, so the purity of blood varied from demon to demon, and with said purity, the might of magical power. The line of blood with strongest magical power, the one linking straight to demon queen's lineage, was called 'royal blood'. Succubi of royal blood were the strongest of their respective tribes, gifted with greatest beauty, power, and intelligence. And among them, the most feared was the royal blood of Lilith, the most powerful and oldest of succubi. Among history, each clan had their moment of glory, but descendants of Lilith, among them prince of hell Asmodeus, embodiment of lust and Sword of Samael, dominated the scene for centuries.
Once a century, the tournament for a new ruler of a clan was held. Even though in theory every succubus and incubus could participate, in practice it was the battle between the current queen and her direct descendant. It could be seen as a contest of sexual intercourses and dominance, combined with a physical battle of strength and agility. For first few centuries, the winner remained the same, but more or less one in half of a millennium, the queen changed.
So, everything seemed relatively stable. But then, humans truly managed to get hold of magic. They learned to summon us and bind us to their will. Humans started to use us and we tried to fight back. No one knows when exactly but in retaliation, one of the incubi had a child with a human woman. This was the birth of a first cambion, a human-demon hybrid.
Both worlds were stunned and shocked at this. Earlier, succubi drained humans out of energy to keep themselves alive or occasionally attempted to turn human into a succubus or incubus. Meanwhile, humans feared the demons, trying to either exorcise them or contract them to turn them into slaves. Never in our history happened that an offspring of the two was produced. It was because the small number of incubi who were capable of such a feat and the fact that the wombs of succubi were hostile and not adapted to child bearing. It was such for us to be able to continuously engage in various intercourses without having to worry about frequent pregnancies.
It soon turned out that cambions were unique existence. Demons are bound by certain rules they cannot easily overstep, but those divine laws did not apply to cambions. They were a little bit like a magical grey area. They were human enough to omit them, but demon enough to have great powers, far exceeding that of regular mortals. Magic, divination, soothsaying... it is not strange that one of the most famous cambions was Merlin of Arthurian legends.
Recognizing the potential of cambions, demons started to try to reproduce and suddenly, a lot of hybrids were born. But succubi soon learned that they couldn't truly control the cambions. They had human emotions and ingenuity, and even though they could die through both human and demonic means, they also possessed powerful supernatural abilities, the likes of which demons never saw. Meanwhile, humans feared cambions, considering them a violation of natural order. Hunted down and forced to live in fear, most cambions went berserk and retaliated against both sides. This resulted in a bloody war with lots of causalities on both sides, tragic even for demon standards. Humans and demons made an agreement banning the existence of cambions, as they were too powerful and unpredictable for either side to fully control.
Nevertheless, there was someone that violated that pact. Someone who was later cursed by her own clan and forsaken despite her heritage.
I was born not so long ago in demon terms, in the late 9th century after Christ of your Georgian calendar..."
"Wait a moment!" Touma interrupted after a long period in attentive listening" But that means... aren't you really old?"
The tail of the succubus whacked him on the head like a small whip.
"You meanie! Is this any way to talk to a lady? For a succubus, I am a young adult. This year, I am turning 1125 years old. Those who exceed 2000 years old are middle aged, and those that exceed 4000, ancient. But since we are ageless, this doesn't really matter all that much. Can I continue now?"
"Y-Yes, please..."
"Where was I? Ah, the anti-cambion pact and my birth. I was born to a successful queen, Gamori. She was 10th ruler of our clan and in her time, clan of Lilith seduced more humans and gained more power than Eiset and Agrath clans combined. My mother was beloved by her people, considered the most talented seductress since the rule of Astaroth, Asmodeus, or Lilith herself. However, she was never much of a role-model for me or my older sister, Meridiana. She educated us in the ways of our clan, with no room for mistake. It could not be described in any way other than oppressive.
But despite all of her power and prestige, Gamori ultimately fell prey to Naamah clan ambush and mortally wounded in the battle with her queen. With her death, the title of the ruler automatically transferred to my sister, who became 11th queen. Meridiana decided that we should all focus on seduction and increasing our power in the hope of ultimately defeating the rival clans. But she was mysteriously disappearing for many years, and finally, the truth came out to the surface.
Meridiana observed and studied humans. She thought they could prove beneficial and manifested in front of a man called Gerbert of Aurillac after he was rejected by woman he loved. She helped him ascend the ranks of catholic church and he became known as pope Sylvester II. Meridiana gave him the idea to use hindu-arabic numeral system and spread it through Europe, and gave birth to few other revolutionary inventions. In exchange, Sylvester (and hidden catholic church mages) promised to hunt down and exorcise only the succubi from the other clans, with Meridiana teaching the church how to identify them. This is what my older sister exclaimed in happiness on the meeting of the entire clan. However, things didn't go exactly as planned.
Clan of Lilith was filled with really prideful demons and there were some who refused to listen to someone who fraternized with humans. As the clan split further no matter what my sister did, she chose to willingly exiled herself to avoid bloodshed. It was a millennium ago and I didn't see her ever since, although I know that she is alive somewhere. Anyway, the last right of resigning queen was passing the title onto someone else. And so, just like that, I became the 12th queen of Lilith clan.
I never wanted to become a ruler and I thought my sister was always better suited to do be the queen. But I knew I must carry on for the sake of my people, because the strife from cambion wars and dispute over collaboration with humans already divided the clan. So I did what everyone expected. We warred, we loved and copulated through day and night. Over time, peace was back, we regained stability. We forced Naamah clan into submission, allied with Eiset and made Agrath to go on a standstill. Everything was perfect.
Everything, except for me. I still wasn't liked or trusted. After over 400 years after becoming a queen, I became dull, bored, and empty. The war seemed unnecessary to me, the lust didn't bring that much pleasure. Everything I did seemed orchestrated and pointless. I thought even though I was a powerful demon, I did not feel like it at all. To be honest, I started to envy humans. And in one moment, I desired something that was forbidden in the oldest succubi laws.
Succubus could never, ever, truly love a human being. We could use them for pleasure, drain the energy from them, but romantic love was out of question.
But I was tired and frustrated, I just wanted to do something to oppose the system I hated. So I came to earth and took a human form. I lived in a small town in Tuscany for 10 years. Quite a bit for a human, but nothing to succubus. In that village, I learned about humans and realized that maybe my sister was right. Humans were flawed and I found them funny in certain ways, but their lives were often admirable in their simplicity. I tried mimicking them and I learned a lot. And when I thought, I knew everything, I became pregnant with the son of owner of the inn I was staying in during my life in town.
I was shocked and overjoyed. Back then, I didn't think about the severe consequences of violating the anti-cambion pact. Humans had the right to dispose of the hybrid children, while the demons had the order to kill the parent on sight.
But even if I realized it at some point, I just couldn't think about all of this when by some miracle, I gave birth to healthy baby boy. In that one moment, I understood, at least partially, human love for their offsprings. War, rivalry, domination, lustful excesses - all seemed pointless in the face of this new life that I brought to the world.
Those days in which I watched him grow up, in which we could just play, and be each other without a care in the world, were one of the happiest ever. He was a lively boy, with a tremendous appetite and curiosity of the world. Every moment in which I could see him grow, change, unlike me, gave me strangest of feelings... and most beautiful ones.
But it ended. Abruptly, like all good things.
I don't know if people told the church. Maybe it was a demon from my clan, or some foe from the rival one, plotting my destruction. I tried my best to hide my child. But there were signs, signs that could be used to identify cambions.
"What kinds of signs?"
"Some kind of power of influence over others, be it manipulation or something else. Craving for milk or food bigger than usual in children. Fast maturity and growth of reproductive organs. But the most notable was..."
Bologna made a gesture 'I am watching you' pointing at her eyes and then at Touma's.
"The eyes would always mutate in some way. What they looked like varied from cambion to cambion, but they never had a regular human look"