Once more, Alice was sitting on her throne, her arms crossed in an imperious posture. Once more, a city had been saved from an Ancestor. And once more, it was time to judge her. But first, they would have to deal with another loose end.
When Lilith arrived in front of her, Alice needed a small minute to accept that it was the same shameless succubus that had attempted to take the throne for herself barely more than a month ago. Her perpetual sisterly smirk had been replaced by a downcast expression. Her empty, lifeless gaze reminded the Monster Lord of a battered dog, and the seductive mannerism of the succubus had made way for a defeated hunching.
This time, she was escorted by Alma Elma and Luka. Granberia had decided to stay out of the succubi's trial of her own accord, and the Monster Lord wondered if it was because she was still afraid that her weakness to pleasure would make her a liability.
She herself had already been shocked when the succubus spawned with her Ancestor at the entrance of the castle to announce their surrender. Because of Minagi's magic barrier, they had been unable to follow the fight that happened before, and she had spent more than an hour anxiously waiting in her throne room while gorging herself on any food that passed by in an attempt to calm herself. They only got the result when the duo showed up, and Alice had been surprised by the Ancestor's cheeriness.
This was definitively not how someone who lost should act. Further interrogation would be in order, which would prove difficult as the Ancestor was evasive beyond measures. They attempted to put her into a cell, but she slipped their grasp and managed to appropriate herself an empty room in the blink of an eye. Alice doubted that Minagi would even accept showing up to her own trial. And if her absence to her daughter's was any indication, she didn't care much about them either.
She focused back on the succubus in front of her. First things first.
"Lilith, elder of the three legendary succubi sisters. You are accused of leading an assault on the Monster Lord's castle in an irregular attempt to claim the throne for yourself, wounding in the process the Monster Lord and several of her retainers before fleeing. You then committed seven confirmed murders and a direct assault on several notables of San Ilia in an attempt to weaken the co-existence between monsters and angels, and conspired to drain the population of the whole city, killing them. What are your excuses?"
"I'm afraid of this world."
Alice's tail froze, which escaped neither Alma Elma nor Luka. She raised an ironic eyebrow in front of the answer given.
"You are telling me that this new world scared you, so you decided to retaliate by attacking the single most fortified place in this world?"
Lilith slowly nodded.
"Then what was your plan then? To change this world by getting rid of the Monster Lord and the hero that wanted to spread co-existence and replace it with your own perverted games?"
Lilith slowly nodded again.
"And then what? Because you might not have noticed, but even if there are a few rebellions and conflicts, a majority of humans, monsters and even angels support us. If you had happened to successfully take the throne and kill both me and Luka, every single one of them would have united against you to slay you. Just like Black Alice back in the old days… And just like Ilias."
Lilith frowned, unhappy with the comparison.
Alice leaned forward, and tried to look directly in the eyes of the succubus who still had her gaze down. "And that would not be considering what the Dark Goddess would have done to you once freed herself."
This time, Lilith whimpered pathetically.
"Do you have anything more you wish to say?"
There were no answers. Alice expected at least a final defiant word or an apology, but nothing came from the accused. The elder of the Lilith Sisters was all simply too shocked, too down to say anything.
"In that case… You will be imprisoned until you are judged fit to be given a chance to be reinserted in society. Any troubles caused by your person can lengthen the punishment, to our own discretion. Is that clear?"
"Will I see my sisters again?"
"Yes."
She smiled sadly as she talked again in a soft voice. "Good. Then I submit to your judgment. Thank you."
Alice wondered if the succubus was feigning her emotions with the intent to surprise them or if she was genuinely grateful. She set on the latter.
"Take her away, and bring in the next accused."
Luka and Alma Elma grabbed the accused by an arm each, and silently carried away. She was meekly following, a far cry from everything Alice knew about succubi. A minute later, Tamamo stepped in the room.
"The poor girl is completely broken…"
Alice scoffed. "Poor girl? She murdered quite a few people and tried to kill me."
"I'm exaggerating, but I can't help to have a bit of sympathy for her. I can certainly not contest that she remains a dangerous monster, but she spent her last years living for war." Tamamo strolled around the throne as she continued. "Then she came back in this world with the plan to take it all, failed, saw both her sisters get captured, had to live on the run for weeks like a lowly bandit in a world she was unfamiliar with, finally regrouped with her mother, challenged the Succubus Queen, failed, and saw her mother's plan fail."
In front of Alice's apparent confusion, Tamamo continued. "It's quite a violent fall for someone who thought of herself as the apex predator."
"And you want me to take pity on her for that?"
"No. I only want you to put yourself in her shoes, and take a moment to ask yourself what would you have done in her place."
"I would have gorged myself on delicious meals."
"That's pretty much what she tried to do. It is a bit harder when finishing your meals destroy the lives of those around you."
"Then I would carefully let the smallest crumb of food on each plate if it means they will survive."
"Aaaand that's pretty much what I plan for her to do from now on. If we manage to teach her to be disciplined, that is."
"Good. Also don't think I didn't notice all the seals you not so subtly just placed to protect me." She pointed at the talismans placed in front of her. "I can defend myself, you know. You're the one who taught me how to."
"Who said they were only to protect you?" Tamamo placed more seals where Alma Elma and Luka would inevitably stand during the trial. "And I'll remain on your side for this one. I don't trust her at all."
Alice sighed, but relented. When the kitsune took position, she did notice that indeed she was standing behind the wards as well.
A minute later, Minagi showed up walking at a slow pace, followed by Alma Elma and Luka. The hero had his sword in his hand, and Alma Elma seemed ready to punch the Ancestor in a heartbeat. Tamamo herself was hiding her expression behind a fan, but Alice could see her narrow her eyes. Of all the people present, Minagi seemed to be the most comfortable in spite of the fact that she was about to be tried for her crimes. She was comfortably hovering above the ground in a sitting position with one leg over the other.
"Aww… The whole family couldn't get there? I expected everyone to be here for that spectacle."
Alice was already glaring at the Ancestor of succubi. She was definitively going to be a handful…
"Minagi, Ancestor of succubi. You are accused of mentally assaulting the Monster Lord and her husband, freeing a dangerous criminal in the person of Spider Princess as well as attempting to destabilize the existing peace by killing the King of San Ilia, brainwashing several angels and attempting to exterminate half of the population of San Ilia through magic. What is your excuse?"
"Is that all? I mean, I expected you to attempt to connect me to what Lilith did and that incident in Iliasburg…"
Alice's eyes narrowed in front of the brazen attitude of the succubus. "You are only blamed on the crimes that can be confirmed as having been committed by your hand.
"Interesting…" Minagi leaned back and switched leg, exposing herself to an impassible Monster Lord in the process. "In that case, I should tell you that I didn't kill the San Ilia King myself, I only made his last moments on this planet infinitely more pleasurable, and I didn't brainwash angels. Nor did I blackmail them. I simply made them an offer to work for me in exchange for solving their own problems…"
"Do you really expect us to believe that?"
"No, I expect you to stick to your own rules and have a confirmation that I am indeed the one responsible for the… events that I am accused of."
The succubus had some nerves, but the Monster Lord was forced to recognize her point. "You are quite insightful in the ways of the world for someone who acts so carefree."
"Thank you. I had a very good teacher."
Alice glared at Tamamo who was already sweating. Minagi smiled and leaned back, stretching herself before continuing in a relaxed voice.
"But I admit that I have a responsibility in the damage done to the city of San Ilia, and I am willing to make amend in any way that you could find fitting in the limit of what can reasonably be expected from someone like me. I do wish to integrate myself into this cute little world you worked so hard to build, and enjoy aaaaaaall the pleasures it can offer."
"And you think we will let you roam free like that? That you will not be restrained as a punishment?"
"No. But the fact that the one who knows the most about me decided that protecting each of you individually was easier than simply restraining me should speak volume." She emitted a passably bored yawn. "I have difficulties staying still for long, and when I'm forced to, I tend to get carried away afterward. And at least one you do remember that not-so unimportant information."
Tamamo closed her eyes and sighed. "Please do not attempt to deflect the focus from your actions."
"Fine, fine, I just wanted to remind you that I have difficulties containing myself and that I am very willing to negotiate a few… Mutually beneficial agreements as a gesture of goodwill."
Alice was holding her head in her hand as a migraine was starting to take hold.
"None of your arrangements will be considered as long as the reality of your accusation hasn't been brought to light. Until then, you are to stay in the castle under guard, and any action you commit will be held against you."
"So you will hold me in while you investigate what I did?" Minagi shrugged. "Very well. I should just advise you to make it a priority, I am afraid I will grow bored easily…"
"This will be up to me to judge so. Bring her back to her room."
Alma Elma and Luka turned heels, bringing the succubus away as Alice sighed heavily while wallowing on the throne. This was a nightmare. She pushed Tamamo back when the kitsune attempted to check on her, but she instantly regretted her action.
"…Sorry…"
Tamamo answered with a small voice. "It's okay. We're all nervous with her around."
The two remained silent for a minute before the Monster Lord asked Tamamo a question.
"…Is she always like that?"
"The Dark Goddess did manage to keep her on track… But otherwise, the only way me and Saja found to channel her was to make her think she would enjoy whatever mission we gave her at the time." Tamamo grimaced. "I will be honest, I have no idea how we will keep her away from bringing whole cities down with her perverted debauchery."
Alice groaned. "Please make your investigation as fast as possible. And try to see with Erubetie if we can get Kanade to control her."
"I'll start with examining those angels. Mariel seemed quite interested, and I want to keep her on our side. We don't need a war with the remnants of Ilias."
Alice nodded. "I agree. I will try to relax and… Think about how we could handle that walking disaster. A good meal in good company should help…"
As the Monster Lord slowly slithered away, Tamamo felt disheartened. Luka had beaten Minagi, but they certainly didn't have any control over the Ancestor. The Monster Lord herself probably felt her authority slip through her fingers, and seeing her in such a sorry state also saddened the kitsune, who missed the happy days they had spent together in the past.
Maybe she should handle Minagi herself directly while Alma Elma handled her daughters. It was the least she could do as she remained behind while the others fought.
In the jail far under the throne room of the Monster Lord's castle, inhuman, terrifying screams echoed through the hallways, bringing fear and terror to all those that wandered through the darkly illuminated corridors. Most monsters walked away at a brisk pace. A few other, more courageous, curious, or even reckless ones were peeking through each door in an attempt to locate the source and the cause of this entire ruckus. Several monsters were slowly converging toward a cell. A few of them looked at each other, surprised and afraid. What did the resident of the cell do to get tortured under order from the firm but gentle Alice XVI? Was the kind Monster Lord even aware of what was happening there? And what kind of torture was actually used on the poor resident of the cell to make her scream so loudly?
Eventually, the door opened to reveal an angry-looking scylla. She was wearing a leather apron, and had all sort of metallic tools in her different tentacles. Her expression was contorted into a frown of anger, even as the screams echoed stronger behind her, and one of her arm was carrying a basket covered with a towel.
"YOU SAAAAADIIIIIIIST! YOU MURDEROUS SADIIIIIIIIIST!"
The scylla was grinding her teeth in frustration. As she left the room, she finally turned back and exploded.
"SHUT UP! YOU ARE THE SINGLE WORST MONSTER I EVER HAD TO TAKE CARE OF! MY FAMILY LOYALLY ACTED AS THE GARDENER OF THE MONSTER LORD'S CASTLE FOR MILLENIA, WHICH MEANT TAKING CARE OF EVERY ALRAUNE PASSING BY, AND NOT A SINGLE TIME WAS OUR SERVICE DISPARAGED! NOT! A! SINGLE! TIME!" She inhaled. "YOU! ARE! WORSE! THAN! A! CHILD!"
The screaming stopped as people could hear the plant hiccup.
"DO YOU KNOW WHO I AM?! I AM KANON! THE DEVOURING FOREST! THE ANCESTOR OF ALL PLANTS! I COULD DEVOUR TWENTY OF YOU IN A HEARTBEAT!"
"I DON'T CARE WHO YOU ARE! RIGHT NOW, YOU'RE ONLY A WHINY PRISONER WHO'S ONLY SUFFERING BECAUSE SHE CAN'T REMAIN STILL WHILE I TAKE CARE OF HER! I WANT TO BE DONE WITH THIS EVEN MORE THAN YOU DO!"
"THEN STOP AND NEVER COME BACK!"
"I HAVE A JOB TO DO, AND NOTHING WILL STOP ME!" The scylla slammed the door shut and slowly breathed in and out to calm herself.
"Ancestor of my ass! Next time, I might just bring the defoliant!"
As she slithered toward the exit of the hallway, she noticed the several monsters observing her. She bowed while handing out the basket.
"Please one of you brings this to Tamamo. Also please bring the message that Cecalia is going to request an additional holiday for each time she will have to trim and groom that particular prisoner."
An elder succubus nodded and grabbed the basket. All the monsters scattered around without further question.
The scylla removed her apron when she reached the hot spring under the castle. She instantly felt tension leave her body when she started dipping the tip of her tentacles into the hot water, and moaned in relief when she immersed herself into the large pond.
The only thing missing now was a cute boy…
"Is it really necessary? I am telling you, I wasn't brainwashed by that succubus."
"Neither was I."
"This is not up to me to judge it."
Mariel was glaring at the valkyrie and Dominion Endiel. While they didn't actively resist, the two angels weren't exactly cooperative either. Tamamo and herself were currently in a oriental-styled room covered with occult circles that the kitsune used for her magical experiments.
"And the truth will appear to me in a minute if you would please remain still. If you're indeed innocent, the more you cooperate, the faster I will be done, and the faster you will be free."
The valkyrie haughtily scoffed. "Good. My purity will shine through."
Tamamo closed her eyes and focused on the duo in front of her. She could see every trace of magic on their bodies, notice the most subtle difference between the two angels in term of power level and magic. Every single anomaly was clear to her eyes... Including some revelations the kitsune didn't expect, and some others she expected but didn't want to know either.
"I will start by saying that while Endiel did get a taste of Minagi, neither of them had her mind influenced by the Ancestor."
Endiel smiled while the two other angels looked at her with a mix of shock and disgust.
"At the very least, I remain pure of her influence."
Mariel sighed. "Vale… Do you realize it means that it means that you betrayed us of your own free will? I have not decided on what shall be done with you yet, but the punishment will be even harsher. Unless you tell us that she blackmailed you?"
The valkyrie didn't answer a word as she stared into an empty space.
"Your silence speaks volume."
Behind Mariel, Tamamo smirked: It looked like the small Archangel might just be leader material, after all.
"However, it's strange… I can't detect the usual holy energy leak from them either."
Mariel gasped in surprise. "Are you sure? I mean I don't want to doubt you, particularly in that case, but that would be too good to be true! It's one of our three major troubles!"
Vale looked down, ashamed. "…I suppose I should tell the truth then. She offered me the chance to stay immortal in exchange for that little service. I accepted."
Her two interrogators were completely dumbfounded. Taking their shocked silence for an invitation to keep going, she continued.
"She did… Something to me. I felt the weight of my own weakness and… I was so afraid to be exposed, I stupidly obeyed."
"What did she do to you?""
"I…" The valkyrie looked on the side, red with shame."…Have no idea. This is why I'm terrified."
Tamamo could tell that the valkyrie was lying through her teeth. However, her magical sense didn't quite pick up the source of the anomaly, but maybe…
"Get undressed."
"What?"
Mariel was also looking at the kitsune with surprise, but the latter's serious expression convinced her that she had no other unsavory motivation.
"Remove your armor, your clothing, everything. I want to see if that something she did to your body left visible markings."
Vale looked at Mariel to silently ask for the confirmation, and the archangel nodded. A minute later, the valkyrie was in the nude, her petite but affirmatively feminine frame exposed to the eyes of everyone.
"Turn back."
She obliged, her long white braid cascading in her back.
"Move your braid on the side." The valkyrie slowly obliged. Tamamo stepped in closer and examined her lower back where a large, symmetrical tattoo with a heart at its center was located. She reflexively delicately brushed it with the tip of her fingers, making the valkyrie shiver.
"How didn't I think of that…"
"What?"
Tamamo sighed. "I spent the last weeks searching how holy energy could be managed within angels. Minagi simply took the solution monster used for any form of energy and adapted it: Power tattoos."
She gestured to the red lines across her chest. "It was so natural that the idea never came to my mind."
Mariel was aghast. Her eyes narrowed as she glared at Tamamo. "Are you telling me that you had the solution all along and simply forget- forgot it?"
The kitsune recoiled, surprised at her interlocutor's sudden aggressiveness. "I apologize, but it was so natural and omnipresent for monsters that I simply didn't consider it!"
"Really?" Her tone was venomous. She turned toward Endiel and Vale. "You two get out. I… have a few more questions to ask this kitsune here."
Tamamo saw through Mariel's harsh facade as the latter's nervous voice betrayed her. The archangel wasn't going to attack her. And indeed, Mariel's attitude did completely turn around when her two fellow angels left the room. Tamamo bowed apologetically.
"Once again, I'm sincerely sorry for failing to notice something so important. Is there any way I can make up for it?"
The moment she saw Mariel close her eyes, she knew that she had hit the bullseye.
"Swear me that what I'm going to say won't leave this room."
Tamamo formally raised her hand. "I swear on my head, may I be smitten by the Dark Goddess should I fail my word."
Mariel slowly nodded. "Good." She sighed. "I think my mind has also fallen to Minagi's influence."
Tamamo raised an eyebrow. The small archangel continued. "She gave me a very lucid dream. It was… Terrible and disgusting." She grimaced. "And yet, I want to experience it again. I hate it, but my body wants to feel what was done to me in that dream. I think her very presence in my mind tainted me."
"Strange, I didn't detect anything."
"Are you sure?" Mariel's voice was now completely devoid of venom or sarcasm. "I mean, you could tell for the two others, but…"
Tamamo tapped her chin with her fan when an idea wormed its way through her mind. "Mmmh. I have another idea to check." She beckoned Mariel to come closer. "Come here. I need to channel a spell through your body directly."
Mariel hesitated, but got closer to Tamamo none the less. The kitsune gently wrapped her arms around her, and positioned her head on Mariel's shoulder. She slowly wrapped her tails around the archangel, and she could feel her shiver at the contact. There wasn't a single trace of Minagi in the archangel. However, less than a minute later, Mariel started sniffling inelegantly as she relaxed.
"This is what I feared…"
"What?" The archangel's voice was trembling.
Tamamo gently released Mariel before repositioning her hands on her shoulders. She looked at her straight in her eyes.
"You are completely starving for any form of love."
Mariel unsubtly cleared a tear as expression turned into shock. "What? Where does that even come from?!"
"I should have guessed this would happen… You were always following and unconditionally loving Ilias, and…" Tamamo carefully thought over her words, desiring nothing more than to stay on good terms with her patient. "You were apparently always loved by her. This is always hard to lose a beloved leader."
Mariel nodded, conceding the point. "Yes… But I managed to carry on! I think… Even when I was handed down more responsibilities by my peers."
"This leads me to what happened next. Your responsibilities brought you to work closely with the San Ilia King, while estranging you from your own people for a number of reasons. You even were starting to develop a friendship with him, the first in this new world and with humans, and an anchor into the sea of your duties… And then he died tragically. You now still have your duties as a ruler to angels that apparently don't care more than that for you, and no close confident to rely upon… You felt a strong love during that dream that shook you because you hate the form it took… But you want to experience it again, even as it disgusts you, because you feel that you need it."
Mariel rapidly shook her head left and right in denial. "No… No… This is ridiculous! I'm perfectly fine with my fellow angels! And I can tell that they've not been as much disturbed as me by what happened!"
Tamamo remained calm in front of Mariel's outburst. "They have each other to carry them through this challenge. You got passably more isolated by your role as a ruler."
Mariel started hovering as her wings flipped. "Then how does that whore Endiel carry through then? She's been alone."
Tamamo hid an embarrassed expression behind her fan. "I think she was satisfied with all the love she received under a more raw form from Minagi… It's another form of affection, after all. The same that showed up in your dreams and that you see with ambivalence."
After several seconds where she remained perfectly still with an horrified expression, Mariel babbled a few incomprehensible words. She then calmed herself, gulped loudly and finally managed to articulate again.
"This is impossible." She bowed, and flew to the door. "I thank you for being an accommodating host and for helping us, but I simply cannot accept what you just said. I will see how Endiel and Vale are doing for myself to decide their fate and deal with Ariel afterward. I still have a lot of work to do."
Tamamo gave out a small smile to Mariel. "Ariel is fully your. Take care of yourself. You can make a great leader."
When the door closed, the kitsune sighed. She hoped that her words strung a cord in the angel, but she had no doubt that the latter was deep in denial. If only Minagi hadn't killed the old San Ilia King…
A few minutes later, an elder succubus passed by and delivered her a full basket with a message. Tamamo sighed again. There wasn't any hope on that front either. Kanon was still unlikely to change. Simply thinking about her sisters annoyed her.
As time passed by, Tamamo started feeling a certain anger rise through her. She needed to release the rage that had built up those last weeks. Her hands even started trembling.
Well, she had the perfect outlet a few doors away.
Tamamo slowly steadied herself as she reached the entrance of the room. It was the most luxurious chamber destined to welcome a guest that was present in the castle, and Minagi had appropriated herself the place in the blink of an eye. The kitsune needed several minutes, and hoped her anger for her sister would prevent her from falling into any trap the latter had prepared. She inhaled one last time before opening the door.
"MINAGI!"
Her wrath was instantly stopped by a bleating noise that instantly broke her focus. She was faced with a small, ebon black goat happily looking at her before wandering around.
"Oh, it's you dear sister. I thought you would have knocked first. Please close the door and make yourself at ease."
When she closed the door, Tamamo finally got to appreciate just how much Minagi's presence already impregnated the room. A heady, musky scent reached her nose while otherworldly moans echoed through her ears. Minagi herself was comfortably lying on the bed legs first. The goat jumped on Minagi's side, and its mistress soon started scratching its back.
"Okay, first…" Tamamo pointed at the small beast. "How and why?"
"How? Did you forget you have animal breeding pens to get meat? As to why… I felt a bit lonely, and since I will apparently be stuck here for a while without being allowed to get myself a partner, I decided that I could as well get myself a nice pet, and other ones have a tendency to die in my care since their brain can't process my aura… But I suppose you didn't come here just to discuss about that?"
Tamamo's eyes narrowed. "Just tell me what are you trying to do."
"…You're unusually confrontational. I thought you would try to be more subtle and try to lure me through words or make a bargain of sort."
"A bargain would imply that in you're a position to negotiate. You are not. I did notice your little games."
"Or so you believe…" Minagi sat up. "Why would I tell you everything?"
Tamamo sighed, she already knew where that conversation was heading. Feeling heat climb alongside her cheeks, she pulled out her fan and refreshed herself. "If you do, I will inform the Monster Lord of your cooperation, and make sure she's more lenient so that you're free faster… There are still conditions to follow though."
"Yes, I know, following the same rules that broke my cute little Lilith… I accept, but I need something more concrete proofs that would confirm me that you are willing to directly involve yourself…"
The kitsune's eyes narrowed. "And what would that be?"
Minagi smiled. "Mutual back massages, just like old times. Right now."
Tamamo dropped her fan.
"What did you expect?" Minagi giggled. "Me asking for someone's life? A night with the hero? You said so yourself, I am in no position to make requests!"
"Ok… What tells me that you won't try to hurt or brainwash me?"
"The same reason that tells me that you won't try to strangle the life away from me… You should lie down first. It looks like you're in dire need of stress relief."
Tamamo took back her fan and pondered what her sister said. Eventually, her curiosity got the better of her.
"Very well… Let's get started. The sooner you tell me everything the better."
Minagi invited Tamamo to lie down, and the latter obliged before removing her dress. As she lied down, she felt terribly vulnerable and her anxiety increased. When Minagi straddled the back of her legs, her fear worsened and her breathing grew erratic, but everything changed the moment the Succubus Ancestor hands reached her shoulders.
Tamamo yelped in pleasure as her ears started flicking uncontrollably. Minagi's hand then slowly descended alongside her spine, and the kitsune felt relaxation spread from the spots the succubus massaged.
"Poor, poor little Tamamo.."
She then focused on the back of the neck of her sister. The kitsune alternated between ecstatic moans and raspy purrs, while her tails and ears kept shaking periodically depending on the patterns the succubus was making with her hands.
"Forced to stay on this world alone to defend, save and teach the Monster Lords… Sacrificing her happiness, so that others may thrive for the greater good."
She briefly caressed the kitsune's side. "Misleading the Goddess and her heroes, selflessly stepping up when crisis rose and fostering peace and prosperity."
Minagi then focused on the kitsune's lower back, right where her tails were. "All that to have her big, bad sisters and her careless mother stomp on everything like a bunch of low-grade bullies. What a shame…"
Tamamo yelped. "Careful! It's a very sensitive spot!"
Minagi smiled. "Then enjoy." Both of her hands struck the points where Tamamo's tails connected like a pair of rattlesnakes. The latter cried out in ecstasy, her tails and ears shooting straight up as Minagi made her hands vibrate for half a minute before removing it. The kitsune collapsed like a wet noodle once the succubus stopped.
Minagi sighed, satisfied with her work. "It looks like you really needed it." The kitsune didn't answer. "Are you alright? I didn't drain your energy at all… I think."
Tamamo emitted a few gargling vocalizations. She turned her face toward her sister, and her tongue was hanging out of her slack jaw as she attempted to speak.
"…You can rest a minute before getting started on me. We have time, after all."
A few minutes later, the roles were reversed and Tamamo massaged the back of her sister with the assistance of her nine tails. Once done, Minagi shivered comfortably.
"Mmmh. You haven't lost your touch in the slightest. Although you would have been more comfortable with your real form… Why didn't you use it again, by the way?"
Tamamo shrugged, more relaxed than when she first entered the room, as if neither her anger nor her fear of a conflict existed in the first place. "I actually feel less comfortable using it than this one now…" She gestured at herself.
"Because of its legacy?" Minagi smiled devilishly.
"Actually because it consumes more energy to simply move. And because it had been a last resort for so long I prefer keeping it in reserve…"
"I can understand that... Now, I promised you to tell my plans, didn't I? … Actually, you should see them for yourself instead. They're on my desk."
Tamamo got up and checked the large stack of paper there. Its cover itself surprised the kitsune. She flipped through its pages at an impressive speed, her eyes widening in surprise.
"A chain of brothel with succubi and angels? A partnership with Endiel?!" She looked up at Minagi in surprise. The succubus chuckled.
"Yes. I saw what they did in Succubus Village, and it seemed quite enjoyable for all parties involved. I thought it was a shame the Gold Region was the only one with its little den of pleasure…"
"But…" Tamamo continued checking. It wasn't merely a small idea thrown around. There was a whole business plan, a list of possible recruits, investments and returns calculated. She shook her head.
"This is not the work of the Fist of Darkness, of the Violator of Angels, of the Night Defiler, of the Storm of Lust, of the Bewitching Calm, it's just… so unlike you."
Minagi moaned dramatically. "When I took the time to examine this world, I decided that maybe going around and killing people wouldn't be as fun. Maybe I could settle down? Of course, this wouldn't be the only thing I would do… I still intend to travel and enjoy the pleasures of this world for myself, like its colosseum, the beauty of the desert…"
Tamamo shook her head negatively. "You're lying. I can tell that you're lying."
"Oh? Do you think so? I assure you I am telling the truth when I say I intend to settle down."
"Which means that seeing the world is not what made you change your mind…"
"Is this detail important?"
Tamamo nodded. Minagi stood up and stretched her back. "Very well. I will tell you the full truth if that's what you want… I wanted to learn more about that delicious morsel of a hero I attemtped to grab myself, so I purchased a certain book and interrogated its writer -she's fine by the way, don't worry about it-, and I noticed a little something. You know what it is?"
Tamamo raised an eyebrow.
"Then I shall spell it out for you." Minagi took a deep breath.
"The hero successfully gathered the Four Spirits, overcoming all of their challenges and defeating any monsters that tried to stop him in his adventures. Cassandra tried to eat him, and although he had the help of the Monster Lord, she failed. The Giganto weapon was sent against him, and she failed. Each of you Heavenly Knights fought him -although you and that Succubus Queen didn't find to your fullest- and failed. Then the Monster Lord fought him, and she failed. She even failed her plan of sacrificing herself when he convinced her. Then Ilias sent an assault against this very castle, and it failed in no little thanks to him. She then sent angels, chimeras and rogue monsters alike after him and they all failed one after the other. They failed to prevent him to storm Heaven. They failed to take him down when they each faced him. Even Black Alice and the Goddess Ilias with their combined powers failed to beat him. Then I tried to get him through a dream, and although I managed to get very close to get him, I still failed. My dear little daughters attacked him, and failed."
"And then… You had the opportunity to train him, teach him about our strengths and weaknesses -I don't hold it against you, if it wasn't you he would have seen Micaela sooner or later and she might have tried to bring out Lucifina's still-sleeping ruthlessness-. But my point is, he was even given the tools to face us. And then Kanon fought him and, naturally… She failed."
Tamamo was surprised by what her sister just said, but she perfectly understood her reasoning. In a world where losing meant being turned into a monster's toy, the fact that Luka fought so much and was still standing free meant that he had the power and skills to go through anything.
"Let us be honest… With your teachings and his skills, the only one of us who is still going to stand a chance against him is Saja."
"…So you planned for your failure since the beginning."
Minagi leaned back against a wall. "The way I saw it the moment Kanon got reduced to an oversized rose, I could either run around and kill people left and right while trying to escape the Monster Lord's forces led by the hero before being ultimately beaten, sealed and thrown into a jail for an impossibly long period of time, or I could show off a little, get a satisfying fight with the hero, and try to bargain my way out."
"After threatening a whole city?"
"I didn't intend to actually cast the full spell, but…" Minagi fanned herself with a hand. "I wanted to pressure the hero and I guess I got carried away a little bit with the stakes."
"A plan like that is already impressive, coming from you."
Minagi smiled. "I like to think that some of your intelligence washed off me."
"You mean deviousness."
"You're the one who said it not me. Anyway, my point remains the same. I don't say I won't give the hero a few wet dreams and tease him occasionally, or that I won't try to pin the First Seraph to give her the pleasure she always attempted to denigrate given the occasion… And we both know that even if I do my best I'll end up killing a few partners, even accidentally. But I swear I will try to make an effort to fit into that happy little world of your. The hero beat me, and I submit to your whims… As long as they're reasonable, that is. I only can tolerate so much myself."
Tamamo sighed. "I wished Kanon saw things the same way."
"I'll help you deal with her, under the condition that you give my cute little daughters a chance. I wouldn't even go so far as to ask you to free them considering what happened… Just that you let them have a chance."
"I'll see what I can do with Alma Elma… Anything else?"
"I can also help you with a lot of things… You already found out a few of them, didn't you?"
"You're talking about the valkyrie."
"Yes. Just like for monsters, the tattoo acts both as a storage and a catalyst for energy, allowing the wearer to channel it where she wants, whether it is outside or back in her body." Minagi checked her fingers. "The only issue is that since holy energy is somehow linked to the mind, you need to be able to directly channel a connection through the mind while creating the tattoo on the body, and be strong enough to stay focused when the holy energy pour through. It's unpleasant enough for Lilith to give up when she tried, and even I need to keep focused."
"So you're the only one able to properly tattoo the angels… Very well, I'll try to see who I can convince that you want to behave yourself. And that means not laying a hand on Luka."
"I swear I won't lay a hand on the husband of the Monster Lord unless asked to. I would sincerely appreciate your support, dear sister. I'm sure everyone, angel, humans and nephilim alike will appreciate my work. Take care of yourself."
It's only when Tamamo was midway into the hall that the full weight of Minagi's last words hit her. She suddenly stopped dead in her track.
"Wait… Oh. Oh no. I won't be the one telling them THAT."
For all those that are unhappy with Minagi apparently not getting any comeuppance.
Revenge is a dish best served cold.