The three of us take a booth at the corner of the cafe. It's noon on a Saturday, so the place is packed full of patrons getting their coffee. We don't look any different from other customers hanging out over the weekends.
However, the topic of what we're discussing is anything but normal.
"I'll keep it concise," Yumi begins, "A larger number of succubi was forcibly transported into your human world. Whoever has crowned themselves queen wants to take over this world, using the sword's strength as an amplifier."
"Exactly how strong is the sword?" I ask her.
"The Blade of the First Temptress is one of several artifact weapons from Elza, our world. It's power is immense that only a wielder of another artifact can face them on equal ground."
"Isn't that really bad?? It's in the hands of someone who wants to take over my world right now!"
"That's… where I'm confused." Her hard to read expression softens, and her normally wide eyes narrow just a little. "Anyone from Elza should know only the artifact's chosen wielder can make use of its full strength."
Mio chimes in. "Like I said, it's just a hunk of steel in their hands."
"Then why did they steal it from me?"
Yumi takes a silent sip of her latte and says, "I'm not sure. Perhaps keeping it from you balances the playing field for whoever this queen is."
"Wait, you can't just drop this world-ending mission on me like that. I'm still looking for a shard to change me back to a boy!" I declare to them.
Mio cuts in, distracted and scowling more than usual. "Just so you know, I didn't come with them. Hell, I'd no idea there were other succubi until the other day."
All of this would have been unbelievable to me a month ago. Myself and the existence of succubus is living proof that Earth might really be in danger. "Er, how did the other succubi come to Earth? You said they were forcibly transported?"
"The shard Mio had belonged to an artifact once held by the Demon Lord of Elza until it was shattered. It's possible whoever transported them, myself included, had several if not a much larger piece."
As soon as Yumi finishes her sentence, my mind goes blank. No matter how many times I replay her words, 'Demon' and 'Lord', are the two that stand out to me.
"About this Demon Lord…?"
"Just some asshole we used to serve. He got his ass kicked and thrown into oblivion." Mio explains.
"Serve?! Since I'm a succubus now, does that make me the bad guy??" My whole view of the world comes crumbling down before my eyes.
Mio snaps her finger in front of my face, "We're free. That's all that matters. You can sorta get how I'm not keen on some upstart queen succubus."
"Huh… if all it took was a shard from an artifact to transform me, could The Blade of the First Temptress change me back?"
Mio frowns as soon as I ask that.
Yumi throws a concerned glance at her and answers instead, "It's unlikely. They may both be artifacts, but the Demon Lord's former weapon was cut from a different cloth. Like comparing iron and steel."
"Of course, it wasn't going to be that easy…" I say, sighing. "What are we supposed to do then?"
Mio slams her knuckles together. "Give the queen a royal fucking. Literally and metaphorically. Once we get the sword back, you can make those little shits come to heel."
"Even when it's your own kind, it's all sex to you!"
Ugh… I'm not one to talk.
I've been a succubus for a whole week now, and I'm beginning to think of sex as a normal part of my routine. Is there even a normal to go back to after this is all over?
My body starts feeling hungry, not by the emptiness of my stomach but of another hunger. As much as I'd like to depend on Kana, I'd rather be able to see him the same way again once I turn back.
"Uu… not again…" My stomach growls loud enough for them to hear.
"Ara~ Are you getting hungry, Saeko?"
"Kehehe! Perfect timing, I was getting peckish." Mio texts into a phone I didn't even know she had. It sounds like a string of messages are being sent back and forth. "Alright, let's go meet up with them."
"You have human friends other than me??"
"How long do you think I've been on Earth? I got four guys waiting by the karaoke place across the street. We'll have our fun, then skedaddle."
"Ara~ They seem older than I normally have, but if Mio's treating me, how can I refuse?"
I gag a little in my mouth. "What are they, old men?"
"Pffahahahaha! You don't know do you? Yumi's into them young, but don't worry. I settled in between."
Mio and Yumi are pulling me out of the cafe, but I'm still uneasy about going with random strangers. Up until now, the people I've done it with are at the very least acquaintances.
Wait a minute… isn't it better that they're strangers? This is a no strings attached, stress-free from worrying about being seen as a girl romp. I won't have to see them again, and they won't see me ever again.
"Ya-hoo!" Mio waves to a group of four guys at the entrance of the karaoke place.
As soon as they turn around, my jaw drops. "G-Gouda—?!"
"—Saeko?"
The shock is mutual.
I pull my sunhat down to conceal my face as the other guys start teasing him. The other three are complete strangers to me, but one of them is none other than captain of the kendo team.
"What the heck, Gouda? Cozying up to one of them already?"
"Getting a head start isn't fair!"
While they're in their own little world, I pull Mio off to the side. "What the hell were you thinking?!"
"Iyaahhh… what was I thinking? Kehehe!"
"I'm— I'm going home!" I tuck tail to run, but Mio grabs me by the collar.
"Hold your horses. If you leave now, the group gets unbalanced more than it already is. Besides, you can eat now or frenzy later. You really want that to happen when I'm not there?"
"You… are such a… succubitch!" Mio flinches as soon as I say that. "Eh? Did I just hit a nerve— uwah!"
She grabs me with both hands by the collar. "Now look here, you little twerp…"
"Hey! We're heading inside!"
One of the guys calls out to us as they enter the building with Yumi. By simply existing, she's got them wrapped around her finger.
Mio clicks her tongue. "That lustbat's got them calling her mama if we're too slow. If it makes you feel better, I'll take Gouda. You can get it on with someone else."
"That's not the issue!!!"
***
I'm listening to a bunch of amateur violinists sing their hearts out for us. Mio can't stop laughing at the trio of poor singers. Yumi, however, humors them with enough attention for them to keep embarrassing themselves.
They introduced themselves as Ken, Yocchan, and Mako. Apparently they know Gouda from middle school, and went their separate ways going into high school.
Mio apparently got to know Ken through hooking up with his parents— both of them. Whatever went down between them after led to this serendipitous meeting.
Then there's me. Sitting across from Gouda.
This is awkward.
SUPER AWKWARD.
I'm indoors, and I haven't even taken off my sunhat awkward.
"So…" Gouda breaks the silence between us. "You really are…?"
Since he already found out yesterday, there's no sense in hiding it. "I am—"
Mio steps between us and sits on his lap. "Mmm, she's a little shy. Why don't you play with a girl with more experience?"
"Mio!" My protest is cut short by Ken and Mako sitting on either side of me.
"Saeko, right? You're pretty cute!"
"Quiet girls like you are definitely my type."
Ugh… even if they're people I don't know, this is still weird. I don't want to have sex with either of them.
"I need to use the bathroom!"
I excuse myself and run out of the karaoke place.
"Hey!" Gouda chases after me. "What's wrong?
"Don't let me ruin the fun. Just go back inside and enjoy your time with Mio and Yumi."
"I want to hang out with you, instead."
Hearing him say that makes my heart skip a beat. Why? There's no way I feel that way about him. He's just a boy who's been my ideal image ever since I joined kendo. I just admire him is all.
"If you don't want to, I understand. I won't push it. But, uh, I want to at least give you your hat back." He holds Hatsumi's sunhat.
My eyes lock onto his masculine hands with thick fingers… they could feel good all over my body…
He walks over to me and places the hat on my head. His height casts a towering shadow over me. He's so close, I can smell him. A sweet scent that's not cologne or bodywash that draws me in. Is this the scent of lust?
I swallow hard and bite my lower lip. "I guess… we can hang out a little. Somewhere more quiet?"
"Saeko…?"
Someone whose voice I'm all too familiar with calls my name. I turn around to find Kana, staring daggers at Gouda.
Gouda steps between us before Kana could march up to me. "Who's this? A jealous ex? Sorry, but Saeko's with me right now."
"I know what this looks like, but it's not what you think!" I try to tell him, even though it probably is what he thinks.
Kana tries to shove Gouda but since he's not very strong, ends up pushing himself backwards. Gouda retaliates by grabbing Kana's collar and raising his fist.
"STOP! Let's t-talk this out somewhere else, okay??"
The two of them do stop. But they each grab my hand and start dragging me into a love hotel.
"Oh, no. OH, NO. THIS ISN'T WHAT I MEANT AT ALL!"