Chapter 133
Payne wasn’t sure if refusing would make any difference, but he glared and began picking his words carefully, trying to avoid the situation.
That is, until he heard Ashtel’s next suggestion.
“I’ll let you go outside today.”
“…Outside?”
“Yes! We’re going to put this on and go into the forest over there.”
She pointed toward the dense, green woods that stretched behind a small cabin.
“Wait, you want me to go into the forest while wearing a blindfold?”
“Yep! Why? You don’t want to?”
Of course.
Whether he liked it or not, it’s not just dangerous to go into the woods without seeing, but it could easily lead to serious injury.
“You don’t have to worry. I’ll carry you.”
Ashtel smiled as though she had anticipated his concern.
“I can levitate you with magic.”
“But…”
Payne, who had been desperately trying to escape both the blindfold and the lewd outdoor situation, suddenly realized that this might be his only chance to see the outside world.
His eyes would be covered, but his other senses would be alert.
And if Ashtel wasn’t careful, he could use his divine energy to leave a trace and possibly create an opportunity to escape.
This was, in many ways, a favorable condition for him.
Escaping this prison had to be his first priority.
“…Alright.”
“Really?”
“You’re sure we’re actually going outside?”
“Yes! It’ll be even more exciting!”
“Exciting…”
True to her succubus nature, her choice of words was blunt and obvious.
With a sigh, Payne shut his eyes tightly and turned his head away.
Through the window, the branches of the trees waved in the breeze, and for the first time, they felt unusually close.
* * *
“Ugh, Ashtel!”
“Eep, sorry!”
He hadn’t expected it to be this close.
Payne didn’t even realize he had called Ashtel’s name so casually as he brushed the leaves off his cheeks.
Wearing the strange blindfold and with his hands and feet tied, he had thought there was no chance of escaping, but after Ashtel used her magic to lift him into the air, he began crashing into plants and branches.
It was clear that Ashtel wasn’t skilled at levitation magic.
“I told you, that’s why I don’t use magic much.”
And yet, she was a demon.
Payne swallowed.
“Didn’t your sisters use magic well?”
“Hmm, yeah. My sisters are all strong demons.”
“What about you?”
“Umm…”
Her response was hesitant.
The chirping of mountain birds and the soft rustling of the wind filled the air.
In tune with the sounds, the crunching of branches brushing against Payne’s back and forearms, along with the crunching of leaves under Ashtel’s feet, briefly filled the surroundings.
“I don’t really know why, but I’m kind of a weak succubus.”
Ashtel began her story.
“I’ve always been like this since I was born. I do have a special ability, shape-shifting, but while it can disguise me, it doesn’t make me strong, right?”
“…I suppose so.”
“So my sisters took care of me a lot. They shared their energy with me, and, well, essence and all that.”
This was the first time Payne had heard this.
Though he had no intention of listening to demons talk, Ashtel’s quiet storytelling made him listen intently.
Her soft admission about her childhood struck a strange chord within him.
“My oldest sister is pretty scary, but she’s really soft with me. Probably because I’m weak.”
Payne narrowed his eyes slightly, sensing that Ashtel was different from the demons he knew.
The demon realm was a world of survival of the fittest. The weak were naturally left behind, and yet, she spoke of being helped to prevent that.
No matter how close they were, could that really be true?
“Why would you…?”
Before he could finish his question, Payne bit his lip and rephrased, struggling to find another way to express it.
“How can you all look out for each other like that?”
“Because we’re family?”
In the end, the unavoidable arrow returned to its point.
“We’re the fruits of the Asti tree. Unlike other demons, we can feel warmth for each other.”
Warmth from demons?
He thought it sounded more plausible that a demon had been born in Medialle than this.
Ashtel noticed his disbelief and gave a small smile, adding, “I know, it’s strange, right? But Carmen said the Asti tree has a mysterious power.”
“So, that’s why you have special abilities?”
“Yes.”
Payne had a lot of doubts as a priest, but he had gathered some useful information.
Ashtel was weaker than other succubi, and her ability was rare.
That meant, if he released his divine energy to its maximum, perhaps he could restrain her.
When he faced Hela in the demon realm, blocking her vision was all he managed, but since Ashtel was weak, it might be different this time.
While he was thinking this, the rustling sound stopped.
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