❖ 5 ❖

When I came to, all I could see was darkness. A blindfold, no doubt. There was a gag in my mouth, and I could feel ropes tightly digging into my skin, binding my hands and feet. That could only mean one thing. 

Ah, Haqua, Mio, Iori! You girls are getting even bolder~! That’s OK! Fuck me hard! Make it so I can’t walk straight for weeks! I’m getting wet already!

“Mmphuehehehe…” I rolled around and laughed, the sound just barely escaping through my gag. Any second now, Haqua would punish me for being such a useless mutt, and-

“Oh? To laugh in the face of defeat takes no small degree of courage. Your hidden might is on clear display, Rina Saeki.”

Huh?

My…hidden might?

Wait a sec, who even are you?!

My head was swimming, but I could tell right away that the confident, powerful voice I heard didn’t belong to anyone I knew. Sure, that described Haqua and Iori, but…there was something else beneath it that didn’t suit either of them. An almost girlish sweetness that seemed at odds with the chilling tone I was being confronted with.

“Kukuku. Your bindings are truly impressive, Radiata. One of her caliber should be able to break free with nary a thought, and yet here she sits, powerless to escape.”

Radiata? Who?! And…and why do you keep talking like I’m some kinda musclehead?!

“I would never question your judgment, My Lord, though I would caution you that she may simply be choosing not to escape.”

That voice…Yamada?!

“Mhmafha?!” I tried to call for her, to no avail.

That had to be her, it just had to be. I’d heard so much of that monotone that I’d started to find it absolutely adorable. I’d recognize her anywhere at this point, but if that was the case, then…

No good, my head’s still a mess. We went on our date, then what?

“I’ve considered the possibility. I am prepared to strike her down if needs must,” the other voice replied.

Like…kill me?! What the hell?! Why’m I being treated like a threat! I’m an OL! A yappy little mutt!”

“Mmph?!” I groaned.

“Excellent. I have no doubt you will emerge victorious, My Lord,” said Yamada. “If I may offer my opinion on the matter?”

“Speak.”

“I believe she wants to be here, to face you, My Lord.”

I don’t! Yamada, I don’t even know where here is, and I don’t have the slightest clue who you’re talking to!

“She offered no resistance when I cornered her. I had her ensnared, but her lack of effort still took me by surprise,” Yamada added. “Perhaps our day out together had rendered her emotionally unwilling to attack me, but even so, I thought it worth mentioning.”

Wait. When you…cornered me?

In my mind, I saw a pair of sharp fangs bearing down on me before digging into my neck, and instantly, things clicked. Memories of our date, and the way it all came crashing down, flooded into my mind.

“Mmmph!!! Mmph!!!! Mmahaha, mheme fm!!”

Yamada, lemme go!!!!!

I bounced around as much as I could, kicking up a fuss and desperately trying to break free of the binds that I realized, with no small degree of terror, were spider's silk. I was caught in Yamada’s web.

Seriously, lemme go! If you don’t, Haqua will kill you, and I really don’t want that!

Neither Yamada, nor the woman she was with, had any idea how much danger they were in if they left me like this.

“Is she…struggling?” the commanding voice asked, clearly confused by my total inability to break free.

“That…appears to be the case,” Yamada spoke, her own voice betraying some surprise as I heard the sound of something metal being…unsheathed?!

Are you trying to kill me?! Seriously, don’t! I’m not kidding about Haqua!

“Stay your blade, Radiata.” the powerful voice instructed. “Rina Saeki! I know not why you remain bound, but hear me now. I have personally summoned you to my domain. To sit before me and bathe in the warmth of my flame is a great honor, and one that you will not take lightly.”

Got it, got it!!!!

I nodded vigorously, I’d do anything to get this over with as cleanly as possible.

“We will free you from your bindings, but you will remain here while we speak. Is that clear?”

I nodded again. I wasn’t about to go against someone who was obviously ready to kill me.

“Very well. Radiata, untie her.”

“Yes, My Lord,” Yamada answered, and I gradually heard a set of footsteps coming closer and closer to me, echoing through the seemingly cavernous room I’d been taken to. “Sit still, Rina. My skill with a knife is unquestionable, any injury that befalls you will be entirely your fault.”

Yamada…

I appreciated the warning, sure, but…where did my weird, sweet kouhai go? Who was this icily cold Radiata who had taken her place?

Still, I did as she was told. In less than a second, my binds, the gag, and the blindfold were all severed clean in half, falling uselessly to the floor around me.

“Y-Yamada?! How’d you do that so fast?!” I spun on my heels, coming face to face with Yamada. Her glamour was still dispelled, leaving her arachnid traits on full display. Now that I wasn't quite so shocked by the sudden change, I could see a huge spinneret behind her, sticking out above her butt. Considering the crisp, stunning maid uniform she was wearing, I had to imagine her clothes were tailored specifically for her, accommodating her body and making her look absolutely incredible.

But none of that mattered when she was brandishing a pair of razor sharp knives right at me.

“W-wait! You can put those things down now, right?! I-I’m not trying to fight or escape or anything, Yamada! Promise!”

Yamada sighed, and tucked the knives away in bandoliers strapped to her thighs.

“Radiata,” she said. “My name is Radiata. Hanako Yamada was a fabrication.”

That blunt about it, huh?

“Right,” I said, somewhat glumly. “Radiata. Sorry.”

Radiata looked at me with an expression I couldn’t place, then spoke up.

“But I am not the one who should command your attention at present. After all-”

“You bask in the light of a king, Rina Saeki!” The commanding voice called out, and I turned to see a woman sitting upon a grand throne, shooting me a fierce smirk.

“A…king?”

“Indeed so, My Lord is the ruler of all of demonkind,” Radiata explained, and my knees began to tremble.

We all know what I'm like. Out of all the countless billions and trillions of people that make up the many realms I'd come to learn about, I may very well be the single most pathetic one around. No matter how harsh you think that might be, the point of the matter is that it's gotta be impossible for anyone to look at me, especially as I am now, and feel anything resembling respect.

Which is why I felt like I'd come face-to-face with my total opposite: A woman so strikingly powerful and beautiful that she absolutely demanded respect. It was as though I was gazing at the sun for the very first time, shocked that I could exist in the same reality as something so magnificent.

And here I was, in the same room as her.

She was so beautiful that I couldn't handle it.

“Your admiration is clear as day, Rina Saeki,” she said, leaning forward on her throne.

I…I…

How's she so gorgeous…?

She looked to be, if I had to guess, 20 at most. Young, but her well-set, sharp features–framed by a head of long, feathery hair that gleamed in shades of red, orange, and yellow, making her look like a blazing flame given flesh–didn't show even the slightest hint of youthful naivete, giving me the impression she was wise well beyond her years.

Fuck, I was starting to feel so weak just looking at her. Her blazing, fiery eyes felt like they were burning a hole right through me, wearing me down until I'd have no choice but to do as she said. If she played her cards right, I had no doubt that she could be the most successful dominatrix on earth. Hell, I wanted to get down on all fours and throw my purse at her feet, begging to eke out as many seconds with her as she'd give me.

While I still didn't know demonkind all that well, it was obvious that she was some kind of harpy. While everything above the waist was relatively human, save for a row of feathers—in the same fiery hues as her hair—that lined her arms, her lower half was anything but. Slowly, she rose from her throne, giving me a view of her wide, comfy-looking feathered hips, long, bright tailfeathers sticking out far behind her, as though her body was giving her a natural dress. As my eyes traced the curve of her body, those feathers gave way to plump, cushy thighs, before scales rose up to swallow up everything beneath them.

I guess I shouldn't be surprised that a king has naturally-occuring absolute territory, but fuck, it was doing things for me.

Even the sight of her sharp, powerful talons was exciting me. I knew that I was her prisoner, but I was desperately holding back the urge to beg her to grab me with them. To make me her prey, just like Yama- Radiata had in the alleyway.

She stood, tall and proud, looking every bit like the picture of royalty. It was enough to tempt even me, a burnt-out OL who wants nothing but to get fucked like crazy, to pledge my undying service to her right then and there.

And yet beneath that regality lay a smoldering flame wielded with absolute power and authority. The stunning, elaborate, and frankly intimidating outfit she wore made her look like the picture of a villainess from a fantasy anime, ready to burn anyone who wronged her to cinders.

Despite that, here I was, staring at her soft, perky titties (a perfect handful, I noted) like a moron, getting so turned on by everything she was that I was starting to drool over the sight of her.

Fuck…

Fuck fuck fuck.

What's wrong with me?!

Was I seriously getting this aroused at first sight at someone who kidnapped me?!

Your life is in danger, dumbass! Don't get excited!

…But that danger’s exactly why Haqua's so sexy. And Iori’s claws could tear me to shreds, but fuck they feel good stirring me up, so-

I dropped to my knees, despairing at my own uselessness. In that moment, I felt too pathetic for even me to deal with.

“You mean to prostrate yourself before me? Good, good! Let it not be said that you fail to understand your place in the world.”

Sure, let’s….let’s go with that.

I was, if I’m being honest, prostrating before life itself, but considering the King obviously held mine in her hands, they might as well have been one and the same.

“I’m not sure I deserve a place in the world right now,” I grumbled.

“Oh? But that's the very matter we're here to discuss,” she smirked, having made her way over to me and crouching low to lift my head by the chin, forcing me to gaze into her eyes.

Fuck, she was even more beautiful up close. I felt like I was about to spontaneously combust, as though my body was declaring itself unworthy to remain in her presence.

I bit back a bark with everything I had. My inhibitions were long dead, but even so, I felt like I had to compose myself at least a little around her. I got the impression that if I made a single wrong movie, I was well and truly dead.

And, frankly, I had no idea how she felt about mutts.

“Wh-what do you mean?” I asked.

“Speak only when prompted to do so, Rina Saeki!” Radiata ordered, the glint of her brandished blade visible out of the corner of my eye.

“Eep! Y-yes Ma’am! I'll-”

“You will be warned only once. You stand before the great Demon King Suzume, and I won’t have any-”

“Pfff-!”

My hands have been extremely busy since I became a succubus, and even then, they've never moved as fast as they did to cover my mouth.

Fuck, keep it together, dummy!

You could've heard a pin drop in the silence that followed.

“Was that…?” Radiata started, her voice sounding cold and bitter.

“...Laughter?” The Demon King picked up her sentence, her own words laced with condescending mirth.

Dammit, they heard!!!!

“You dare laugh at Lord Suzume?! Explain yourself at once, Rina Saeki!”

Radiata wasted no time in pointing her knife square at my face, clearly ready to toss it between my eyes at a moment's notice.

“S-sorry! I'm sorry! I didn't mean to, really! It's just-”

“Just what?!” Radiata barked, her professionalism melting in the face of her rage.

“I-I mean…”

I pointed at the Demon King.

I'm sorry, Haqua. This might be the end of me. Your mutt’s done her best, but this is it.

Despite knowing that this could only go terribly for me, a giggle forced its way out of me.

“H-her- pfft! Her name, ahahaha!”

Maybe it was knowing that these were my last few precious seconds of life, but my laughter only continued to build, getting louder and heartier than anything that had left me since I was a kid.

“Suzume!!! Can you believe it?! She–heehee!–looks so cool and proud, like a phoenix or something, but she's just a cute lil’ sparrow! Ahahahaha! Tweeting away and chirping for seed like a little sweetie! Pffffft! Suzume! She's Suzume!”

Radiata’s expression turned completely blank, as my laughter echoed through the cavernous hall. I never got a good look at Ms. Sparrow's reaction, though. I was too busy rolling around howling for that.

“...Your brain is a peanut, Rina Saeki…” Radiata muttered. God, the disappointment hurt so much. I loved it.

“I know, I know!” I grinned, still giggling to myself. “But she's just a little cutie! I was all scared of her, but now I kinda wanna pet her! Ohhh, Suzume! C’mere! Rina's gonna give you yummy seed! Little Suzu~!”

To my, and undoubtedly Radiata’s surprise, a loud, hearty laugh soon joined my own, and we both looked up to see Suzume herself cackling loudly, with tears forming at the corners of her eyes.

“L-lord Suzume? You too?!”

Poor, poor Radiata. She clearly looked up to Suzume, but I felt like I was seeing her respect crumble before me. 

Sorry, Radiata! You can't bring a mutt like me to a place like this! My loser aura makes everyone more pathetic! Gods and kings crumble before me! I-

*Clap!!!*

“Gah!!”

A loud clap sounded out, echoing so loudly that I was forced to brace to cover my ears.

“Good, good. I like your spirit, Rina Saeki! You've impressed me!” Suzume smirked, crouching down in front of me as she continued to clap. “I've heard tell of your strength, but no report could have prepared me for this. Here you are, in front of one who could kill you with nary a thought, and you laugh.”

*Clap!* *Clap! *CLAP!!!*

Her applause came to a close with one final, mighty clap of her hands, loud enough to shake me to my core, and then her expression suddenly turned grim and cold.

“But if you dare insult the name my parents bestowed upon me again, you will experience pain so great that even death will not set you free. Do you understand?”

Rationality beat out my stupid mutt brain at exactly the right moment, and I straightened up and shut up in record time.

“Y-yes Ma'am.”

“Good, good! You have more sense than I expected,” she smirked. “Radiata, I understand your anger, but we shall treat what's past as past, and trust that she will not err again. You agree, I'm certain.”

“...Yes, My Lord,” Radiata bowed, stowing away her blade and speaking in an emotionless tone.

“You’re surely wondering why I've brought you here,” Suzume said, starting to pace back and forth in front of me. There was something hypnotically beautiful about the way her talons opened and closed as her feet prepared to grip the floor beneath them, but I kept that to myself. “I will inform you that we are well aware of your status as a former human. No demons escape my view, and as one of us, that now includes you.”

“Shit, that's not a problem, is it? It…it can't be, right?”

It felt like a dumb question, but…well, I couldn't really see any other reason I'd be kidnapped.

“Not in the slightest,” she shook her head, much to my relief. “Many have relinquished their humanity. You aren't the first, and you most certainly won't be the last.”

Yeah, Mio and Iori are proof of that…

“But what astounds me about you, Rina Saeki, is the unfathomably great power that lies within you,” she said, poking at my breast.

“Eh?”

I wanted to argue, to shout that she definitely had the wrong idea, but, well…I was trying to stay on my best behavior.

Still, she absolutely had the wrong idea. I'm a loser dog, dammit! The most pathetic succumutt you'll ever see! I can't even hop into dreams properly!

“Playing dumb, are we?”

I'm dumb, yes, but that's not what this is!

“That's hardly a surprise. You've concealed your strength so well that I cannot detect so much as a trace of it, even now-”

Because there's none to detect!

“-But a ruler’s eye sees all, and I am keenly aware of the might that dwells within you!”

No, that's mutt! Not might, mutt! There's nothing but pure, pathetic bitch in this body!

I didn't want to say anything…but I had to say something. They were wrong, plain and simple. They'd captured me because of something they were completely off base about..

…Honestly, that's the kind of pathetic mistake that I'd make, but nevertheless…

“Look, I don't mean any disrespect, but you've got the wrong idea. I'm stronger than I was as a human, sure, but I'm pathetic by demon standards, and-”

“Your lies will get you nowhere, Rina Saeki, Our findings are highly comprehensive,” King Suzume coldly cut me off. With a snap of her fingers, what looked like countless documents suddenly floated in the air next to her, filled with all kinds of info about me.

Though, honestly, none of it looked useful? It was all stuff like how I liked my curry and my favorite spots in the city. It was all…

Right, stuff that Radiata took down while she was committed to the Yamada act. Guh…

 “And yet, even if they weren't, it's hard to not notice a mere human bringing one of my most powerful advisors under her flag over the course of a single night.”

!!!!

Haqua. They had to be talking about Haqua. She was the only demon I was aware of when I was still human, and we made our pact that very same night. But…does that mean Haqua worked as an advisor to the King of Hell herself? I've never asked much about her past. I figured she'd tell me if she felt comfortable sharing, but…I guess this explains some things. She and Adri definitely live in the lap of luxury. I wonder if Adri was in the same line of work…

But even so, that's way off! I didn't bring her under my flag, if anything I was brought under hers!

“Kukuku. For someone trying to hide the truth, you certainly made your ties to Haqua Est Vir Sida obvious,” she smirked. “One of the most talented mages in all of Hell, who could fell armies by herself and keep her resolve even in the face of a millennia of torture, and I'm expected to believe that she would be summoned by and fall to someone weak? Pathetic, Rina Saeki. Your lies couldn't fool a child.”

No no, that really is what happened! K-kinda. She'd kill me if I say she ‘fell,’ but I really did summon her! I caught her while she was napping! I just got lucky!

“And in the weeks that followed, your apartment exhibited a massive spike of demonic energy so intense that it has become a pocket hell unto itself. It took some time after you transformed, it seems, but many humans take time to settle into demonic forms, I suppose.”

You’re going with ‘I suppose’ after getting all that info on me?! Dammit, you don’t even have the right person! That’s Mio! She’s the strong one!

…Not that I’m gonna sell her out to you…

Every demon who met Mio was taken aback by her strength, even Haqua. If anyone was exuding that much energy, it had to be her.

So they brought me here over a total misunderstanding?! You seriously monitored me all that time and didn’t realize my girlfriend was the strong one, Radiata?!

It was almost enough to make me laugh, but I held it back. No matter how ridiculous their mistake had turned out to be, if neither of them so much as flinched even knowing that they’d taken me away from Haqua, then…shit, they really weren’t worth messing with.

“And you’ve even constructed a permanent portal to Hell, right within your own home! Now isn’t that curious, Rina Saeki? You obtain great power, bring one of the King of Hell’s advisors under your banner, and open a backroad straight into my domain. In fact, it's not just Haqua. You've brought together more former humans, and a mighty Helldrake under your banner as well! Does that sound like anything to you, Radiata?”

“Ordinarily, one would think that she’s planning an insurrection-”

“I’m not! Listen, I swear I’m not! I’m just a normal OL, dammit! You think I’m the kind of person who might plan something like that?!”

“-However,” Radiata continued, her eyes narrowing in annoyance. “While that was a motivating factor behind our investigation, my findings have shown that you harbor no such inclination. Though I dare not insult My Lord, you would have better odds at succeeding than most, and yet you reject the notion completely.”

“A-and it’s weird that I’m not plotting that?! I’ve vacationed in Hell once, and everyone seemed to be doing pretty great! I’m not gonna try to overthrow the place!”

“That in and of itself isn't strange, though taking such action would help explain your ascent to demonhood. No, Rina Saeki, what I find curious is that despite all you have become, all you have seen, and all you have learned, you persist in living like a human.” Suzume’s tone was cold, and she spat that last word as though it were laced with venom.

“...Whuh?”

“Radiata,” Suzume snapped her fingers, and Radiata bowed.

“Rina Saeki, you spend every day of the week mired in corporate drudgery, and while you outwardly seem content in your position, you speak constantly of wanting nothing more than to go home. To spend time with your partners, eat delicious food, and relax, all things that your job would surely reduce,” Radiata noted.

“I-it's a job?” I tilted my head, not really sure what they were getting out.

“You complain, you speak of missing your partners who cannot accompany you to work, then when you return home, it's to an apartment that, from an outward assessment, appears to be pitifully small and poorly constructed.”

“I-it's just home! I didn't make the place! And yeah I miss my partners while I'm at work, but that's totally normal!”

“Normal, indeed,” Radiata nodded. “By human standards, you lead a thoroughly ordinary existence. You have multiple partners, yes, but even that seems increasingly common in the human realm. You work, you go home, you eat, you sleep. You work, you go home, you eat, you sleep. Day in, day out, your routine is unceasingly ordinary, and if I may inject my own personal feelings, sickeningly dull. Pathetic, in fact.”

“H-hey! That's…that's…”

Ah fuck.

I could feel my tail starting to wag. She was giving me the third degree, criticizing every single aspect of my life and making me feel completely, utterly pathetic.

And fu~ck, it felt so good…

“Uehehehehehe…” I laughed, desperately wishing for more verbal lashings.

“Even now, you express delight at such monotony! Have you no ambition, Rina Saeki?!”

“It sickens me, truly,” Suzume tutted. “As a demon, Hell would welcome you with open arms. I would welcome you. You would share in the glistening wonders of my realm as one of my beloved citizens, and instead you remain in a disgusting, filthy realm that cannot possibly measure up to my own. And not only that, you've somehow convinced Haqua Est Vir Sida that a life so dull is better than one bathed in the light of my flame! Utterly, utterly pathetic. I cannot possibly believe anyone would want what you have, Rina Saeki.”

Oh, this is perfect! Royalty treating me like shit! Keep it coming, keep it coming!

“Hyan~!” I gasped. I was drooling now, and my breaths grew heavy as I cupped my chest, and I was reaching to tease my nipples, when…

“And now you mock me, Rina Saeki?!” Suzume roared, the fire in her eyes raging hotter and hotter. “You intend to convince me that you enjoy such things?! That you like having your pathetic existence laid bare?!”

No good, my brain broke right then and there. I couldn't keep it together at all 

“I'm sorry!!! I get it, I'm a stupid, useless mutt! Punish me, treat me like a dumb piece of meat!! You've gotta really make me squea- mmph!”

In the blink of an eye, silken ropes covered my mouth and tied my hands and feet together, leaving me helplessly locked in place.

“Forgive my interjection, My Lord,” Radiata bowed. “I'd thought it best to give Rina Saeki some time to consider her words more carefully.”

“Your judgment is sound,” Suzume nodded, before crouching down in front of me and grabbing me by the chin.

Oh fuck, please make a mess of me…

N-no, wait, Rina! They're getting pissed! You've gotta keep cool. You wanna be able to see everyone again, right?

I kept my partners in mind and calmed myself down. I wasn't so pathetic that I'd let my own stupid muttbrain take me away from the people I loved. So I stayed still, quieted down, and gazed into Suzume's eyes.

“I refuse to believe that life is worth living, and to that end, I can only assess that you have ample reason for choosing it.”

…Do I? It's…it's just my life. I haven't thought about it half as aggressively as you, that's all…

“You're hiding something from me, Rina Saeki. Something incredible that would surely justify your denial of a far better life here, under my rule. As King of Hell, I cannot sit idly by while the people of the human realm indulge in hidden pleasure that demonkind isn't privy to.”

With a sharp, practically clawed nail, she cut through my bindings and let me speak freely once more.

“Listen, I know you won't believe me, but you've got the wrong idea. About me, the human realm, my life, all of it.”

“Spare me, Rina Saeki. I have seen right through you.”

“You really don't! I'm not trying to insult you, I swear, but-”

A taloned foot slammed down in front of me, stunning me into silence.

“I have a proposal for you, Rina Saeki,” Suzume spoke. “You will allow me to experience the hidden marvels of your life and that pathetic lower realm.”

“My Lord, if I may object?”

“You may not, Radiata,” Suzumi coldly replied. “I have made a decision.”

I looked to Radiata, who was very clearly burying a ton of frustration. I got it, but at the same time, I kinda didn’t. Her request seemed…extremely simple, to the point where my reaction was just…confused.

“...That's it?”

Maybe I shouldn't have asked that, but after all this, she just…wanted to see what life on Earth was like?

Wait a sec, you’re not angling for a date too, are you? Damn, maybe I’ve got more allure than I realize.

No no no no no! Get real, dumbass. She just…wants a tour? I guess?

I’d been kidnapped. I’d spent this entire time worried that my head was gonna be severed clean from my body. And…she just wants to hang out? Was she too shy to just ask?

Is this gap moe? Do I find this cute?

The answer, of course, was a resounding yes.

“Indeed so,” Suzume nodded.

“No no, wait. There's gotta be more here, right?”

“More? Why would there be more? A king has no need to act deceitfully.”

Screw that, you’re hiding something.

“What do you…get outta that, though?”

“What do you think?” she asked, giving me a…surprisingly vague answer.

“You wanna hang out? That’s all?”

“Nobody said that. This is important business, I’ll have you know,” she said, almost…defensively?

“What kind of important business?”

“Highly.”

You’re killing me, here!

“Yeah, sure, but-”

“This would not be without benefit to you, Rina Saeki. If you agree to my terms, I can promise you luxuries beyond what mere commoners, even those of my realm, can ever experience.”

“Wait, seriously?”

OK, look, I know I’m caving too easily, but…I can’t say that’s not tempting…

“Indeed! Why, for the duration of our deal, I shall relinquish the throne of Hell to you, as a show of good faith and-”

“Pass. Absolutely not,” I cut her off, shaking my head vigorously.

“You would refuse the very throne itself?! The position all demons yearn for?!” she gasped, completely shocked by my response.

“You’re the ones getting surprised that I work my job! You really think I’m gonna switch from that to governing?! Hell no! I’ve had my back broken by stress before, I’m not going through something even worse! I’m an OL, I don’t want that many eyes on me. You couldn’t pick someone worse for the position.”

“I agree, My Lord. She is incapable of conducting herself with any degree of dignity.”

“Right! What Radiata said!” I nodded. “You saw how horny I was getting earlier, so…huh?”

I felt a great heat, and looked to Suzume to see her body engulfed in flame, yet somehow not burning in the slightest.

Shit, I pissed her off!

“To refuse me is a grave insult, Rina Saeki,” she snarled. “One that you will regret for the rest of your days, if you persist. And, if you do, I promise those days will be agonizingly plentiful.”

“Waitwaitwait! I’m only refusing the whole throne part! The rest is still on the table, you’ve just gotta-”

“That’s non-negotiable!” she yelled, folding her arms angrily. “You agree with all of it, or none of it!”

“Then none of it! I’m sorry, I just really don’t want to be a ruler! I’m not cut out for that!”

The flame roared higher and louder, heating up the room so much that it was starting to feel like an oven.

“My Lord, calm yourself! You can’t-”

In an instant, the flame dissipated..

“I can! I can, Radiata, and there’s nothing you can do to stop me!” she insisted, placing her hands on her hips and shooting Radiata a massive pout.

“M-My Lord?”

“You are a commoner! I am royalty!” she argued, sounding every bit like a spoiled child. “You refuse to live in my realm, and now you refuse me?! This is stupid!”

“Y-you’re a King, right?” I asked, scratching the back of my head as her regal air completely evaporated. In its place was pure, unbridled brattiness. The kind of needy, childish behavior that even I wouldn’t engage in.

“I’m the greatest king! The strongest, mightiest, most fearsome king that’s ever lived!” she insisted, grinding up the carpet beneath her with her talons as she stomped on it furiously, sending loose feathers flying all over the hall.

“...My Lord…” Radiata muttered, her voice sounding…oddly breathy and excited? My senses as a succubus were pretty dull, but even I could detect a sudden massive swell of lust.

What the hell? I’ve gotta be reading that wrong, right? Radiata seems pretty put together, so-

What?!

I looked back to see her…drooling? Was she seriously into this?!

“And there’s nobody who refuses brilliance like mine! My offer’s amazing! People would kill for it! You’re just too stupid and pathetic to get it at all! The dumbest, most simple-minded little brat I’ve ever seen!”

Wait, no, I’m into it now, too.

“W-wan wan!” I barked, too excited to hold it back.

“Mm! You’re just a worthless dog! Bark for me, roll over, and don’t you dare disobey me again!”

“Rrrf! Wan! Wan wan!” I barked more, rolling over and showing her my belly, begging her to treat me like nothing more than the mutt I really am. Maybe this is how things were always meant to go, doggies can’t argue with kings, so- 

“W-wait!” I scrambled back up to my feet. I wasn’t seriously about to agree to this! Kingship isn’t in the cards for me! I’d head right back home, get cozy with my partners, and fuck like rabbits until all of this is far behind me! “I still refuse! Doesn’t matter how much you butter me up, I’m not-”

“You are! Once my mind is made up, nobody’s allowed to get in my way!” she said, rushing right up to me. I tried to dart away, but she was far too fast, and grabbed my hands tightly before I could get anywhere. “Rina Saeki, you’ve got one last chance to agree! You’d better accept.”

Wh-what the fuck?! Is Hell seriously ruled over by a brat?! You looked so cool earlier, so…

My eyes darted back and forth between the bratty king and her pervert maid, who’d quickly pulled herself together. She seemed deeply annoyed by all of this, and yet, as I looked to her, she shot me a small nod, like she was egging me on to accept the deal.

Fuck.

I really don’t want to work a government job. Ruling sounds awful…

But…what choice do I have?

Haqua still wasn’t here, and the King didn’t seem even a little scared of her. Without any help, Radiata or Suzume would almost definitely kill me.

“I-is anyone going to help me through this? Trusting me with the throne is…it’s ridiculous-”

“It’s not!” Suzume brattily insisted.

“-but if I’m not alone, if I’ve got someone stopping me from making any bad calls, then maybe I can handle it for a little while.”

“You will have my aid, Rina Saeki. I shall not leave your side while you occupy the throne. I have remained by Lord Suzume’s side for countless years. There is little to fear with me here.”

“Mm! Radiata is highly capable!” Suzume insisted. Even her pride looked intensely bratty to me now.

I let out the heaviest sigh anyone from Earth or Hell had ever seen.

“...Fine. If you’re strong-arming me into it, I have no choice. I…accept your deal.”

Suzume smiled broadly.

Stupid, self-satisfied brat…

“Dunno how you expect me to guide you around the city while my butt’s up there,” I said, looking over at the throne that…shit, was about to be mine. “But, if you insist…”

“You, guide me?! What a foolish notion! I have no need of a guide, Rina Saeki!” she said, cackling loudly.

“Then what the hell are you even asking me for?! Do you even need me for anything?!”

“Indeed I do!” she nodded. “A King such as myself simply cannot be seen wandering the human realm. Humankind is unprepared for my beauty, and my people would fall to pieces without my governance.”

“But your whole plan has me taking the throne anyway!”

I was starting to wish I’d been able to question her more. Something big was going on here.

“You may be taking the throne, but Rina Saeki certainly won’t be,” Suzume said. “I, Suzume, shall reign eternal! To have anyone else rule over this land would be no less than ruinous!”

My eyes widened, and I desperately tried to wriggle free of her frustratingly tight grasp. Not that it got me anywhere, of course.

“T-the hell do you mean?!” I asked, though I had an annoyingly good idea of exactly what she was getting at.

“I have no need of your guidance. What I need from you, Rina Saeki,” she said, her face inching closer and closer to mine, "is your life.”

Before I could utter even a sound of protest, she kissed me deeply, and the both of us were engulfed in a blindingly bright flame, one so hot that I could feel my very soul burning.

My vision turned white, and that was that. I think I collapsed, but...I couldn’t say. Did it even matter?

All I knew was fire, and the bittersweet taste of her lips.

Sorry, everyone…

Looks like I’m not coming home for a while…