Chapter 418: The Succubus Who Longs for Love (Requesting Subscriptions)

“Flora, are you still dreaming that foolish dream?”

Amid the steaming mist of the Sulfur Lake, the succubus Lilith curled her tail tip around a cluster of cerulean flame, playing with it between her fingers.

Hot magma flowed slowly across the ground, staining the depths of her eyes with crimson.

She smiled faintly, crushing the flame in her hand, then turned her gaze—drenched in desire—toward the figure seated on the distant cliffside.

“...”

The small figure now ignored her approach, head bowed, silently flipping through the book in her hands.

The book was worn, not a grimoire, merely an ordinary mundane volume with no special value.

Yet it was treated with great care, held in the small figure’s hands as if it were a precious treasure.

For it was an exceedingly rare volume in the Abyss—a guide to the customs and folkways of the mortal world.

Lilith glanced at the book and sneered.

“Tch.”

She sat beside Flora, tilting her head to look at her, teasing: “Don’t tell me you’re still fantasizing about escaping from here?”

Only after Lilith sat beside her did Flora finally lift her gaze, murmuring, “Mm.”

“Yes, that’s exactly what I intend to do.”

Then she returned her eyes to the book and added softly, “And this isn’t fantasy.”

Hiss!

Lilith scoffed, slapping her hand down on the book and sneering, “Still fantasy? This is pure fantasy!”

“You don’t seriously believe a demon like you or me could receive any kind of fair treatment in the mortal world, do you?”

Upon uttering the word “fair,” Lilith’s disdain deepened; she sneered at Flora’s calm expression. “What’s that look for? Did I say something wrong?”

“If this isn’t fantasy, then what is?”

“Our little fledgling is still so naive—she’s forgotten her own nature, still yearning for 【love】. Hehe~”

If Lilith’s expression had merely been disdain when mentioning “fair,” it was now pure revulsion at the word “love.”

Deep, visceral loathing.

As if her body had broken out in goosebumps from sheer disgust.

Flora’s reaction, however, was the complete opposite—her expression remained serene, and she gave a slight, noncommittal shake of her head.

She neither affirmed nor denied Lilith’s mockery.

Flora had no desire to argue over this. They had exchanged this same dialogue countless times before.

Since neither could convince the other, further debate was pointless.

So she said nothing, choosing to ignore the sharp topic entirely.

But this indifferent, unshakable expression only further enraged Lilith.

“Hah!”

Lilith sneered, “Isn’t this ridiculous? A succubus like you, yearning for 【love】?”

“Does that word even fit you?”

Succubus and love?

Hah!

The tall succubus laughed coldly, speaking with exasperation: “You don’t actually believe those stories in those books, do you?”

“Those romance novels? Where lovers of vastly different status break through societal barriers and unite at last? Pfft!”

“What nonsense.”

“Flora, remember your identity! You’re a fallen succubus—not some holy nun!”

They were succubi.

Fallen demons feared and despised by countless mortals.

“Do you really think anyone would ignore your identity? See you as anything other than a succubus?”

“Impossible! No such person exists,” Lilith declared firmly.

Such a person could not exist.

“Even if you prove your thoughts, convince them you’re different from other succubi, it won’t change a thing.”

“Believe me—in their eyes, you’re nothing but a convenient toy, easy to take and use for their own desires.”

What treatment would a succubus who longs for love receive?

It’s not hard to imagine.

To mortals, succubi are terrifying beings that steal life.

But to true powerhouses, succubi are weak—mere convenient playthings—and most succubi enjoy this role.

Whether in the Abyss or in the towers of powerful mages, they are all kept as pets.

When succubi prey on the weak, they themselves are exploited by the strong.

This is the fate of a succubus.

“No one will ever trust you. They will never believe a demon!”

“They’ll only summon holy knights and use every means to drive you out, destroy you!”

Lilith kept talking, muttering incessantly: “You’ll only be hurt again and again, used and discarded over and over.”

“Until finally, at that moment, you’ll realize I was right all along!”

After Lilith spoke for a long time, Flora finally responded—the last flicker of hope in her eyes slowly faded.

“...Lilith.”

Her calm voice made Lilith fall silent.

Flora closed the book and set it aside, looking at Lilith with disappointment, speaking softly:

“I once thought all the other sisters were foolish, but I believed you might understand me.”

As two rare outliers among succubi who loved knowledge, Flora had once seen Lilith as a kindred soul.

But later, she realized she was wrong.

Aside from a few minor similarities, they were fundamentally different in almost every way.

They were, in fact, complete opposites.

Lilith was a product of evil and chaos—no different from any other succubus.

Lilith was a standard succubus: she craved to vent her desires upon others.

And she also enjoyed being used as a vessel for others’ release, savoring the process.

Flora had thought she’d found a friend, but in the end, she still differed profoundly from Lilith.

Flora remained alone.

“I once held hope for you—but now I see it was only my own delusion.”

Flora looked at Lilith with regret and shook her head: “You’re no different from them.”

Crack!

Lilith’s tail lashed out violently, slamming into the ground like an iron whip, carving a deep crater.

“Flora! You’re no different from us!”

Facing Flora’s disappointed gaze, Lilith did not retreat; she struck back with mockery: “We’re all creations of the Abyss—how noble do you think you are?”

What makes you different?

Aren’t we all succubi?

“You’re right—I am a succubus. I’m not noble. But unlike you, I at least know what I want,” Flora replied calmly.

Unfortunately, this did not convince Lilith.

“What you want? Still this 【love】 of yours?”

The alluring succubus burst into laughter, retorting: “Do you really believe anyone will truly love you?”

“Besides, your 【love】 is nothing but deception!”

She rejected Flora’s view entirely, even despising it.

“I need only flick my finger to make any man fall in love with me—obsessed with my beauty, utterly entranced by me.”

“I can bewitch him into giving me everything—money, dignity, even his life!”

“But is that love?”

“I don’t love him. To me, he’s merely a toy I can control easily.”

“And what he loves is only my body and appearance.”

“All I do is amplify the suppressed desires in their hearts, giving them an outlet.”

“He’s simply surrendered to his own lust.”

Lilith spread her arms, radiating her allure, which dissolved into a pink wave spreading outward.

“And what I can do, you can do too!”

This was the succubi’s innate ability—Seduction Qi.

Such potent spiritual energy was like the strongest aphrodisiac; even without inhalation, mere contact would awaken the deepest desires within a soul.

Without sufficient willpower, mortals would swiftly submit, becoming their slaves.

Lilith stared at Flora and asked slowly: “Is this the love you crave?”

Is this the love you hope for?

After being attacked for so long, the silent Flora finally responded.

“...No.”

She shook her head, speaking softly: “The love I crave isn’t as shallow as you say.”

“I’ve never desired love.”

Or rather, not just love.

But Flora offered no further explanation to Lilith.

They wouldn’t understand anyway; there was no point in explaining further.

“I hope someone will love me, and that I will be able to love others.”

“I don’t merely crave being loved—I more truly wish to be able to give my love to others.”

Rather than being loved for her charm, Flora longed to resist this chaotic instinct and gain the ability to love others.

After speaking, Flora hesitated, then added: “And there will surely be someone who can resist this corrupting spiritual energy, loving me for who I truly am, not for my mystical allure.”

After hearing Flora’s response, Lilith frowned, ceasing her mockery, and asked with a strange expression: “Do you really believe such a person exists?”

Flora nodded.

“They must exist.”

She took a deep breath, her tone calm yet firm: “Such a person will exist.”

Though Flora herself felt some doubt, she was willing to believe in this possibility.

If chaos infinite could give birth to a creature like herself, then somewhere in this world, there must be one who could ignore her corrupting allure.

She would surely receive love.

“...”

Lilith narrowed her eyes and silently studied Flora’s gaze.

Flora did not look away, meeting her gaze openly.

The two remained silent, staring at each other, neither speaking.

After a long while, Lilith broke the silence first.

“...Ah.”

She shook her head, sighed, and asked softly, her mood low: “Have you truly decided? Are you really leaving?”

“Mm.”

This time, Flora’s mood was low too, but she still nodded firmly.

“I’m leaving this place.”

“I step out of the abyss to wander the mortal world.”

Lilith smirked, no longer mocking her naivety, and asked: “Will you come back?”

“Maybe, maybe not,” Flora replied.

Both knew the future could not be guaranteed.

Perhaps Flora would find her answer after wandering, and return home in peace.

Or perhaps she would encounter danger during her journey and be purified by some unknown Holy Knight.

In the end, Lilith simply stepped aside, clearing the path to the outside world, and tossed Flora a bag filled with mortal wealth.

She did not stop her.

Or perhaps Lilith had already said everything she meant to say, in her own way.

Flora offered no thanks or apology; after taking the bag, she turned and walked away.

Yet as Flora walked farther and farther, Lilith, left standing there, could no longer hold back and called out: “Flora!”

Flora’s ears twitched, but she did not stop walking.

She had decided—she would no longer pause for anyone’s words.

“You’re so confident!”

“But your childlike, flat figure—no one will ever love you!!!”

“They all like big—ones!”

Flora: ?

Flora, always silent and composed, finally reacted—she whirled around and shot the other a furious glare.

“Hahaha!”

Lilith laughed merrily at Flora’s furious expression.

She squeezed her own chest with both hands, winking and shouting: “Like me—get even bigger!!!”

Flora: !!?

“Hmph!”

She snarled: “Shut up, you tasteless things!!!”

“What’s so great about big?”

“Small is cute too!!!”

After glaring fiercely at the sister she could no longer decide whether to call friend or foe, Flora spun around and stormed off in a huff.

As she finally left, Flora turned back one last time, watching Lilith kick the tattered scripture off the cliff.

“...”

In the end, she silently withdrew her gaze.

Flora left.

Afterwards, she chose to flee the abyss alone.

To this day, she has never returned.

“...”

Flora didn’t know why she had remembered this distant past again.

But it didn’t matter—it wasn’t the first time.

“Since I’ve remembered this again, it seems I’ve fallen into chaos once more.”

In the chaotic dream, she narrowed her eyes and pondered.

“Then what comes next...?”

For some reason, she suddenly recalled a boy.

“Will he be there?”

(End of Chapter)