Echoes of Fire and Shadows

Chapter 67: House Oriana and the Sucubbus Charm.

-----Julius's POV-----

I couldn't believe what I had just witnessed…  I was beyond shocked.

Oi… Am I in trouble now? My money is definitely in danger!

Within an instant, Zoe had managed to win her first duel with just a single spell. As soon as the duel started right when her opponent decided to seize the opportunity and attack first, Zoe blasted her off with a gigantic fireball…

Her opponent, a brown-haired girl who seemed to be a magician, did not stand a chance. That attack was more than enough to eliminate her from the tournament.

In other words, the duel was over in an instant. Quite literally…

It was both incredible and terrifying… However, instead of making me feel afraid about our upcoming duel, it just made me get more and more excited about it.

The people here really are the future elites of this country, aren't they? These battles are something that I certainly will not forget in a lifetime!

(Gotta admit, that was a good attack despite Zoe being so lost in her own thoughts and so oblivious to what was happening around her.) Lia complimented Zoe's abilities and mentioned something that caught my attention.

She was lost in thought and still won? Man, I better think of a good strategy against her before our battle begins… I don't want to end up having to use the remainder of my savings so soon…

While I was thinking of any potential plans I could use against the pushy girl I recently became acquainted with. Said girl quickly approached our table, almost as if she was in a hurry.

"Well done, Zoe!" Neris said with a big smile on her face. "As expected, you didn't even give us time to cheer for you." It was clear that she was thrilled that her friend had managed to win so quickly.

"O-O-Of course! It was all according to my plan! HOHOHOHOHO!" Zoe started laughing just like usual despite her acting very awkward all of a sudden.

Is she embarrassed that she won while being lost in thought? Well, that matters little as she is still quite dangerous either way.

"I have to give you some credit Smotia, that attack was impeccable." Felicia also complimented Zoe while nodding with approval.

"Why, of course. Why would you expect any less from me?" Zoe said while standing proudly.

"In the doubtful case I managed to win every single one of my matches, I would only have to face Zoe in the semifinals and that is only if she defeats everyone on her side." Myria said as she let out a huge sigh of relief while looking at me.

Myria… Don't look so relieved while throwing me to the wolves… Can’t really blame her, though. I wouldn’t want to end up being blasted into oblivion like that girl either…

"Well, I suppose the task of standing up against Zoe will fall onto me." I couldn't help but smile awkwardly in response to Myria's relief.

"Ehh? You're not scared to face me after what I just did?" Zoe asked. I wasn't sure if she was trying to tease me a little or if she was actually genuinely surprised. "You might have to take us all out on a date if you lose, you know! I told you that I'm very expensive, so you will be out a lot of money if you lose, you know!?" Even while she tried to compose herself, for some reason Zoe was trying to dissuade me from fighting her.

"Yep, I remember." I nodded. "Hey, if I was afraid of fighting against someone who is potentially stronger than me, I would never ever train with my dad or my auntie. So while I am amazed by what you just did, I am not particularly discouraged." I smiled confidently at Zoe.

I’m already used to being steamrolled on a regular basis by a man who is literally built like a tank who can crush boulders with his bare hands and a woman who can become literally untouchable due to her overwhelming speed. I’m not saying that I will give up on winning the tournament, but if it is my fate to fall against Zoe, then so be it. I obviously don’t want to lose now that the stakes are much higher due to the game she proposed.

“I-I-I see… T-T-That is good to hear! It wouldn’t be a fun match otherwise! HOHOHOHOHO!” Due to my response, Zoe seemed to be really nervous and awkward all of sudden.

I couldn’t help but look at the usually confident girl with confusion…

“Are you okay, Zoe? You’re acting weird. I mean, more than you usually do.” Neris asked her friend with a look of concern on her face.

“Me!? I’m perfectly fine! Thank you for your worries!” Zoe said while sweating profusely. She quickly took a seat and served herself some tea to calm her nerves. 

Man, she must really be super embarrassed about winning while she was deep in thought. I kinda feel sorry for her opponent.

(Yeah, sure. We can roll with that.) Thiasis said while sounding unbelievably amused after reading my thoughts.

(What do you mean by that, if I may ask?) I said to the goddess.

(Weren’t you the one that said that spoiling the surprise was no fun? If you really want to know, I can tell you though.) Thiasis immediately decided to tease.

(Surprise it is then. Let's leave it as that.) I instantly made up my mind as I knew that the goddess might have an embarrassing joke in store for me.

“Are you sure you’re okay, Zoe? You didn’t put any sugar in your tea…” Neris looked even more concerned than before. For very good reasons… She was trying to warn Zoe about the danger she was in.

“Why do you ask? Of course, I’m fine.” Said Zoe, still sweating before suddenly drinking all of her tea in one gulp. 

Oh, gods… She didn’t actually drink all of it, did she?

Just like Neris, I was getting increasingly concerned because of what I had just witnessed… 

“Now that you mention it, the tea tasted a little funny…” Zoe suddenly frowned, trying to quickly change the topic.

“That is because you put salt in it… Like a huge ton of it… Like five tablespoons worth of salt instead of sugar…” Myria looked completely sickened.

“Oh… Now that you mention it, that would explain why my tea tasted a bit like sea water…” Zoe nodded in understanding as soon as the realization hit her. “Oh well, it wasn’t so bad.” She while trying to pretend that she was not looking ill.

“Not gonna lie Smotia, at first I thought you were kinda annoying with that obnoxious laughter of yours. I was wrong, you’re actually really funny!” Felicia smiled barely containing her need to laugh.

“I would normally get a bit angry about that statement, but I suppose I’ll leave it for later. If you don’t mind, I’m gonna lay down for a moment… I’ll be fine by the time my next match begins… I think… Ugh…” Zoe said while resting her head on the table. She had even dropped her formal way of speaking for a bit.

I thought Zoe was rather dangerous for a while, but now I realize that she’s both weird and dangerous… Have to agree with Felicia though, I do find her a bit funny as well. Still, I kinda also pity Zoe now…

“Oh, Zoe… I can’t believe that this happened again.” Neris shook her head with disbelief.

“Wait, you mean this happened twice!?” Felicia seemed like she had just heard the greatest thing ever.

“Thrice, actually… One time was my fault.” Neris explained while moving her chair to sit closer to her friend so she could pat her head and comfort her.

“Okay, it is way funnier now! I think we might actually get along, Smotia. You’re actually pretty relatable. Can’t say that the same thing hasn’t happened to me either. Not to the same degree, of course!” Felicia let out a laugh before smiling warmly and wagging her tail.

"Ugh…" Zoe only groaned in response as she looked more ill than before. She also looked a little embarrassed, so I suppose that you can add some emotional damage to the mix.

"If you want to, I can use some healing magic." Myria said after preparing her staff.

"I mean if you want to try I won't stop you, but I think we should just give her some time to recover. As I said before, this is not the first time she has to go through this." Neris shrugged while still patting Zoe's head to comfort her.

Well, I guess we have some time to kill before the next round begins. I should probably pay attention to the current match and tell Zoe about the winner, who will be her next opponent.

"Oh my, I was wondering why everything was so quiet all of a sudden. The poor Smotia appears to be sick all of a sudden." A feminine voice said with genuine concern.

"Indeed… It is far too quiet." Another aloof feminine voice agreed with the former.

Or not… I don't know why, but this smells like trouble.

"Shit…"

(Shit…)

My suspicions were confirmed when both Felicia and Catris reacted to the voice at the same time. They both appeared to be equally annoyed.

(Umm… Care to explain, Catris?) I asked the Goddess of Love.

(It is the Orianas…) The Goddess seemed to be suffering from a huge deal of secondhand embarrassment.

(The Orianas? That doesn't explain much…) I frowned in response.

(In short, the Oriana family is a noble household filled with people that consider themselves to be the children of the Goddess of Love, in other words, Catris's.) Lia explained after noticing my confusion.

House Oriana… Hmm… Never heard of them.

(That is because they are a minor house of Barons. Just like Myria's family, they rose to become full nobility not so long ago.) Thiasis joined the conversation and continued the explanation of her other half. (Just for the record, they are not related by blood to Catris obviously. The only relationship they have with Catris other than being fierce and devout followers of her is that one of their ancestors was Catris's apostle.) She finished while sounding somewhat amused.

(Oh… Okay, that doesn't sound too bad.) I nodded in understanding. (But why are Catris and Felicia so annoyed then?) I asked the goddesses.

(Simple. You see? House Oriana is quite notorious in the Empire for their powerful love and unyielding thirst for battle. In fact, before they rose to become part of the nobility, they were a religious order which dates back even before the establishment of the Empire. That religious order thrived because of their involvement in many battles by pretending to be common mercenaries.) Thiasis said.

As Thiasis spoke in my head, I soon spotted two girls that seemed close in age to Neris and Zoe, both of whom shared a very particular trait with the Goddess of Love… They had pink hair and pink eyes just like Catris.

One of the girls had a black eyepatch covering her right eye. Her long pink hair was arranged into two long twin tails. she was very thin and small, barely reaching 1,52 meters in height. That girl, just like the other participants, was wearing the uniform of the Blaise Academy… A white shirt with a dark blue blazer on top, a black skirt, a pair of black tights, and a pair of brown shoes. She appeared to be wearing some leather armor below her blazer and carried a black short sword on her hip. She had a mesmerizing smile on her face while looking back in our direction.

The other girl had a pair of glasses. The girl’s pink hair was gorgeously styled in a single long braid that almost reached her lower back. Unlike the girl with the eye patch, she was much taller and on the thicker side of things. She must have been around 1,78 meters tall, so she was taller than Neris and even a little taller than Felicia. She was wearing the exact same uniform as the other participants and the same leather armor as the girl with the eyepatch. The only difference was that she was wearing a pink tie with her uniform. She was also carrying a white spear on her back. She looked completely unbothered by our gazes, she had a cold atmosphere around her so she reminded me a bit of the logical half of Lia.…

(Hey… I thought you said that the only relationship they had with Catris was that their ancestor was an apostle of hers… What's up with the hair and the eyes then?) I was a little confused.

(Ah, that. As my other half said, they are not related to Catris by blood, yet they still somehow have the same pink hair as her which makes people think that they are actually her children. And before you ask, yes, that is actually their natural hair color.) Lia decided to elaborate a bit further. (Their hair and eye color are the results of a mutation that their ancestor suffered after they pledged their service to Catris during the Schism of the Assembly. In fact, you could say that the ancestor was the first base subject Catris used for her plan to create perfect bodies for Laura and Sarana. The people of the Oriana Household were prime candidates for that endeavor according to what Catris told me. That’s until they showed their crazy passion for anything that has to do with battle could become a liability for her plan. Pretty interesting, right?) Lia also pointed out an interesting fact in her follow-up explanation.

(I see…) I nodded in understanding after listening to the goddess.

Honestly, it kinda does make sense for them to claim to be the children of Catris, especially considering the fact that one of their own was her apostle at some point and the fact their hair and eyes are literally the same unique color… I'm actually quite surprised that they aren't related in any way.

I mean, if we were to talk about a Goddess of love, one would kinda expect her to have many children judging by the many examples on Earth's mythologies like Aphrodite and the multiple children she had with Ares, Hermes, and some mortals.

But well, it is an entirely different world so those examples wouldn't be exactly reliable to use here.

(What do you mean you're surprised!? I am a pure goddess! Unlike Aphrodite from your former world, I am a virgin Goddess of Love! Other than Yraura, there's literally no one purer than me!) Catris suddenly got embarrassed after reading my thoughts.

(Wait… Really?) I was astonished by the sudden revelation. I was not expecting to hear something like that today out of all days…

(Why do you sound so shocked!? Why are you questioning my chastity!?) Catris said with both anger and embarrassment.

(Frankly, I am the one who is surprised that you can admit that with a straight face. That is so cute, Catris!) I could picture Thiasis smirking while saying that.

(Why are you laughing!? Aren't you the same as well!?) Catris grew even more enraged thanks to Thiasis's remarks.

(That is correct. I am, without a doubt, a virgin Goddess.) Lia said without any shame whatsoever. (The key difference between us is that Thiasis and I don't really care and while you do care a lot, Catris. That is why it is so easy to annoy you.) The usually cold half of Lia spoke with a hint of mischief in her voice.

(Now, you listen here! First of all…-!) Catris tried to refute the other two goddesses.

While lost in my own thoughts and listening to the goddesses argue among themselves, I somehow ended up staring and then making eye contact with both of the Oriana girls, which they somehow misinterpreted as my approval for them to come to us with everything they had… Quite literally…

Both girls actually decided to carry their whole table and their chairs closer to ours. Everything on top of the table was in perfect balance, not giving signs that things would fall to the ground anytime soon.

"Oopsie daisy!" Said the girl with the eye patch as she dropped her table next to ours and then took a seat beside me, in the place where Neris's chair used to be.

"We apologize for the inconvenience." The girl with glasses apologized with a deadpan expression before sitting quietly beside the other girl.

While both Oriana girls joined our tables and decided to sit with us, the reactions of the other people at my table were not precisely positive. If anything, their reactions were kinda bad…

Neris simply frowned in silence while watching the Orianas and nursing Zoe. Felicia's annoyance seemed to have reached its peak, but she was biting her tongue for whatever reason in order to remain quiet. And Myria… Well… She was staring at the contents of her cup of tea, looking more nervous than ever before.

As I imagined… I will have to take charge of the situation… Can't say that it amuses me, though…

(Julius, listen to me and do it carefully!)  There was a sudden shift in Catris's attitude. She was being extremely serious. (I'm embarrassed about this and I dislike talking badly about the people who follow me, but the people of House Oriana are genuinely crazy. Like bat-shit insane more often than not because of how much they love to battle! They love very few things besides that, and because of that they tend to love very intensely, so whatever you do, do not make them fall in love with you! This is not a drill! And this is certainly not a prank! Do you understand!?) Catris sounded very desperate as she gave me a serious warning.

(I mean… I do think that I understand where you're coming from, but they don't seem that crazy to me.) I was a bit skeptical. (Also, why do you assume that I will make them fall in love with me? I know I'm very damn adorable, but I don't think I'm that cute to make girls fall for me within seconds of meeting me… Okay, Mia is the exception to that statement, but still!) I didn't know if I should be annoyed or flattered.

(Would you take a look at the grandson of succubus saying that he is not cute enough to make two girls fall in love by merely existing? I'm sorry but judging by your track record, I would like to politely disagree with you!) Catris's desperation increased. (You clearly do not understand what you’re capable of!) Catris was on the verge of a nervous breakdown.

I'm the grandson of a succubus…? Really…?

(First of all, calm down before I have to knock you out cold, Catris. I know you're beyond embarrassed by how the descendants of your first apostle turned out to be, but there's not much we can do about it now besides accepting them as they are.) Lia seemed to have grown annoyed by Catris.

(You might be right… I might have gotten a little carried away… Sorry…) Catris rapidly calmed down and apologized due to Lia’s threat.

(Good. Don't freak out over something so small, sheesh! We have our fair share of embarrassing mistakes too, you know? Like that one time we almost broke Mjölnir trying to lift it.) Thiasis said as she tried to ease the tension by trying to relate to Catris.

Wait… They almost broke Thor's mythical hammer!?

(Yeah, kind of a long story. Details later.) Thiasis said with a deadpan tone as she read my mind. (Also, did we really fail to tell you that your mother's mother was a succubus? Kinda surprising you never knew… Then again, she never went around flaunting her abilities and pretty much always stayed at her castle with your grandfather…) Thiasis seemed a little surprised as she pointed out those facts.

(I suppose I should apologize for that… It is not like we were hiding that from you. I genuinely thought that you already knew… Though, now I'm not particularly surprised that you weren't aware of that fact since your grandmother can be a little special sometimes as you should know by now…) The usually cold Lia spoke with embarrassment in her voice.

(Don't worry, Lia. I'm not angry, just very surprised that I never knew that I was related to a succubus, but I guess that does explain a LOT of things. Especially with Mia and Tiria…) I said to the embarrassed Goddess.

So it was Gran-Gran after all… That does make a lot of sense now that I think about it. Gran-Gran has always looked way more youthful than she seemingly was. I always thought that she was an elf because of the pointy ears and the way she usually acted… Though, that does explain why I would always see my grandfather flustered whenever I would go to visit along with my mother… 

Before I could reminisce about one of the good memories of my grandparents I had recovered not so long ago before the tournament, someone decided to interrupt my thoughts.

"I know this may have been a little unorthodox and perhaps it could be considered quite rude, but after the things we witnessed, we just couldn't hold back from coming to meet the son of such a legendary knight." The girl with the eye patch said to me while offering a handshake. "My name is Cassandra. The expressionless girl over there is my younger sister." The girl, or rather, Cassandra smiled as she motioned for her sister to introduce herself.

"Reina." Cassandra's younger sister introduced herself while adjusting her glasses and while also maintaining a deadpan expression as she stared at me.

"Just in case it isn't clear even while looking at our hair color, we are both proud members of House Oriana." Cassandra chuckled before pointing at her pink hair. "In any case, it is such a pleasure to meet you, son of the Skull Crusher. You wouldn't mind if we called you by your name, right?" Cassandra asked.

"That would be preferable, yes." I nodded. "The pleasure is mine though. Nice to meet the two of you." I said while offering a handshake to Cassandra.

Cassandra immediately grabbed my hand and started inspecting thoroughly…

"Your hand is so unexpectedly firm despite your looks… Interesting. It appears that Alberis and Renard will not be the only threats in this tournament… So many strong people to fight... What a thrill!" Cassandra suddenly grinned from ear to ear while not letting go of my hand.

"Older sister, your bad habit is showing again." Reina, the previously inexpressive girl, had the same grin as her sister as well as a mischievous sparkle in her eyes.

Okay, they are a bit weird… Nothing I cannot handle, though.

"Enough of this!" Before I could say anything, Felicia rose from her seat and looked at the Oriana sisters with a serious expression. "What the hell do you want here!? If you're up to something funny, you better return to where you came from!" She was clearly angered.

"I agree with Felicia. The reputation of your family presides over you, so if you're up to no good, I'm going to have to ask you to take a step away from Julius." Neris suddenly stood up and placed her hand on the handle of her sword. She looked incredibly serious.

"Me too! Shoo! Shoo!" Myria nervously got up from her seat and shooed the Oriana sisters away, even while trembling uncontrollably.

"Up to no good?" Both sisters said in unison and simply looked at each other with confusion.

Welp… It appears that things have gone south… Only one way to fix this, I suppose.

(Thiasis, Lia, do they have any kind of bad intentions towards me or anyone here at this table?) I asked the Goddess of Knowledge directly.

(Not at all. They are just two battle-addicted girls who got curious about you and simply decided to come and meet you. They are a little oblivious and dumb like the goddess they claim to be related to, but they don't really have anything nefarious in mind. In other words, they are just battle junkies that didn't pay attention to some social cues.) Thiasis explained with a playful tone.

(Hey!) Catris got offended thanks to Thiasis.

(Good to know.) I feel satisfied after hearing her explanation.

"Okay, let us all take a step back and calm down. They haven't done anything bad just yet, so there's no reason to be hostile, girls." I said calmly in order to diffuse the situation.

"Julius, are you even…-" Neris looked at me with concern.

"Aware of their reputation? Sure am." I nodded after interrupting Neris. "Trust me Neris, if they had some kind of bad intentions toward us, I wouldn't be acting so friendly toward them and they would certainly not be sitting with us." I spoke to Neris, trying to appease my friend.

"..." Neris simply stared at me in silence for a moment before making up her mind. "Alright, if you say so." She quickly let go of the handle of her sword and took a seat again to care for her unconscious friend.

"Thank you, Neris." I smiled at her. I felt happy that she trusted me.

"Grrr…" Felicia groaned while looking at the Oriana sisters. "I suppose that since you look so confident about your judgment of them, I'll have to trust you this time. However, if they try anything funny, they are facing me!" Felicia let out a sigh before backing down and returning to her seat.

"I really appreciate it." I nodded in agreement, feeling a little surprised that Felicia also listened to me.

"Umm…" Myria looked at everyone at the table nervously. She was much more nervous than before since she was the only one still standing. "T-T-This apple pie is really d-delightful, isn't it!?" She quickly sat down and started eating a pie in order to pretend nothing had happened.

"I suppose I can have a taste of it later. Thanks, Myria." I couldn't help but giggle to myself thanks to that sight.

"..." Myria did not respond. She simply continued eating her pie, but I was able to notice a faint blush on her cheeks.

Gotta admit that was a little cute and funny. Though, I would like her to be comfortable and relaxed a little instead of being so nervous and restless. I know she's a little insecure about being in the tournament, but I'm certain that she's going to make it far.

"Glad that is all good now, but… Can you let go of my hand now, Cassandra?" I asked the pink-haired girl with the eye patch.

"Sure thing! I already learned all I wanted to know." Cassandra nodded happily before releasing me. "Though, if it isn't too much to ask, I also have a request." She then started looking at me with interest.

"And that request would be?" I asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Since it appears it will be unlikely for us to fight unless we both reach the finals…-" Cassandra was suddenly interrupted by someone at our table.

"Of course it will be! You and your sister will have to face me and you can be damn sure I won't lose!" Felicia said with a fearless expression.

"Yes, I am also looking forward to our battle!" Cassandra nodded in agreement with Felicia. "That is why I would like to ask Julius to face me in a duel after the tournament is over." An excited grin appeared on Cassandra's face while she was looking at me.

(See? Battle junkies. They have nothing in their minds but the desire to fight someone strong. At the very least they are very upfront and honest with their desires.) Thiasis commented.

"Cassie… What about me? I was going to ask for that as well." Reina nudged her older sister and looked somewhat displeased.

"I know, I know. I was going to ask that in a moment." Cassandra's grin disappeared and all that was left was a troubled expression. "Also, didn't I tell you not to call me Cassie here in the Academy…" She looked fairly embarrassed.

"Why? I think it is cute." There was a sparkle in Reina's eyes despite her somewhat inexpressive face.

"It is childish! I don't want people to think that I'm into childish stuff! I'm the older one here!" Cassandra said with frustration.

(Well, it seems they also have other things in mind. That's good to know actually.) Thiasis once again spoke in my mind. (Are you still feeling worried about these followers of yours, Catris? They seem pretty normal to me.) She said with an easygoing tone.

(I don't know… Perhaps I might have judged them too harshly…) Catris seemed pensive.

"Anyway!" Cassandra yelled with embarrassment. "Julius, will you fight me and my sister after this is over!? It doesn't matter if you want to fight us separately or at the same time, as long as I can fight you, I don't care!" Cassandra rose from her seat and looked at me with a fiery and intense gaze.

(Or not…) Catris sounded disappointed somehow.

"I suppose I have no issue with that as long as it is a friendly spar instead of a battle to the death." I agreed to their request while smiling awkwardly. 

"Of course not! We're not crazy enough to challenge a younger boy to a battle to the death!" Cassandra spoke somewhat nervously. 

"Unless he actually wants to, of course." Reina added with a deadpan expression. She appeared to be completely serious.

Yeah, I'm starting to think Catris might have not been actually exaggerating about the Oriana sisters…

Though, that does raise the question of why Catris decided to wait for the long game to have Sarana and Laura help her instead of using House Oriana, her followers who love battle with every fiber of their being, against Agmos and his minions. Well, there’s only one answer to that and Catris already gave it to me. 

Catris said it herself… She said that she was not suited to raise anyone for battle and that someone like Lia would be more suited for that. She must have given some consideration to using the Orianas in battle but ultimately decided against it. Even if they are strong and have an intense lust for fighting, Catris must have felt that it would have been too risky for her to even try when she had a better plan in store rather than charging into a frontal assault with just a few followers.

(Unfortunately, you’re right. They are my followers and their strength cannot be denied.) Catris agreed after reading my thoughts. (The people of the Oriana Household have served me dutifully for centuries and they have proved their faith again and again. However, their religious extremism and devotion towards me and their violent impulses would have only been detrimental to what I was planning… I also didn’t want them to fight my own battle and die for my sake, even if they were willing to do so…) Catris spoke almost as if she felt ashamed of her actions.

(I don’t think it is that bad that you decided not to use them to fight Agmos right away. If anything, you just only prevented a slaughter, no?) I asked Catris as a way to try to cheer her up.

(Indeed. It would have been the most foolish course of action had she tried to defy Agmos with a handful of people by her side. You were smart, Catris. Give yourself some credit.) Thiasis spoke with compassion toward her friend.

(Also, nothing prevents us from having House Oriana as part of our fighting forces in the future when we are ready for our showdown against our enemies. We might as well have Julius secure a friendly relationship with them. It shouldn’t be that difficult at this point. That way you won’t feel like you’re forcing them to fight just because they worship you. Not that they would complain either way, to be honest. What do you think, Julius?) The logical half of Lia asked with genuine curiosity.

(Frankly, I don’t like the way you said friendly… But yeah, I can roll with that. Was actually planning to become friends with them actually, you already know me.) I was a little miffed thanks to Lia, but I replied positively.

(Thank you…) Catris simply expressed her gratitude. Her voice was filled with emotion.

All those years of loneliness where she was unable to confide with others must have been really hard on her…

"In any case, I'm really glad that you accepted! I'm really looking forward to it now!" The intensity of Cassandra's fiery gaze had suddenly reached a new level. Her words quickly brought me back to reality before I could continue to speak with the three goddesses.

"Me too. I'm hoping to see the full strength of the person who was chosen to represent the princesses." Despite the expressionless look on Reina's face, I could still tell that she was beyond excited.

"I think all of us here can agree on that."  Felicia nodded while looking extremely fired up.

"I do want to see what the son of the Skull Crusher is capable of…" Myria shyly agreed with both girls.

"I can see why you were easily able to capture all of those bandits. I was very surprised then, but I suppose you still have many more surprises in store for me, don't you?" Neris looked at me and smiled softly. It was a sight that left me speechless for a moment.

"Well… I can't go around divulging my secrets before my matches, can I?" I replied in a playful manner after composing myself. I can’t deny that I felt a little cocky after they praised me.

<The winners of the third and fourth duels have been decided, Astraea Galoria and Zoe Smotia will advance to the second round. Let us continue with the third round without delay.> Before anyone could respond, Dante announced that the previous duel had finally ended. <Myria Estner, Emma Sagreus, Aurora Teralis, and Jon Aesinur… Please come to the center of the arena immediately for the fifth and sixth duels.> Without missing a beat, Dante called the next participants in order for their duels to begin.

All of us at the table quickly looked at Myria who was absentmindedly looking down at her plate.

“Oh… My turn came faster than I thought it would… I don’t think I’m mentally prepared… As I thought, maybe I should really tell the Vice-Principal that I want to surrender…” Myria muttered, her hands grasping her wooden staff as her whole body trembled nervously.

“You’ll be fine! You survived being in the same arena with us and you helped us a lot! You’re a member of our team, aren’t you?” Felicia tried to reassure Myria in her own particular way.

“Yes… But…” Myria started trembling even more.

“You don’t have to be so nervous. You made it to the main tournament, you know? Even if you are defeated, you can hold your head high knowing that you made it further than most.” Neris also tried to ease her worries.

“I know… But still… I don’t know about that…” Just like Felicia’s attempt, Neris was unable to put Myria’s worries at ease.

I suppose it will fall on me to land the coup de grâce… As usual.

“Myria, I know you might be lacking the motivation and you might feel a little nervous, but I know that you can do it. Have some confidence.” I smiled at the dwarven girl. “I’ll be cheering you on no matter what, so please give all you have. Don’t surrender without at least giving it a try.” I got up from my seat and walked over to Myria to pat her back. I quickly offered her my hand to help her up from her chair.

“...” For a moment, Myria simply looked at my hand with a blank look on her face. It appeared that she was still hesitating a bit.

Can’t be helped… I didn’t want to, but it seems that I will have to use my ultimate weapon… The consequence will be too much to bear, but I suppose I can live with that.

“Please give it your best! I believe in you, Myria!” I tried to make the most adorable face I could using my childish looks, with a beaming smile, puppy eyes, and all that jazz. It was a last resource that worked even against the three Goddesses one hundred percent of the time.

“Eeeh? Erm… I-I-I-I-If you look at me like that then I…-” Myria immediately averted her gaze while blushing heavily. “I-I-I suppose that since you have put so much of your faith in me, then I can’t fail you now, can I…?” A shy smile appeared on her face while she tried to take a few peeks at me. She soon grabbed my hand and stood up from her seat.

“You got this in the bag, so go there and get them, Myria! Show them who’s boss!” I continued to use my hidden superpower to motivate my friend.

“Y-Yes! I'll be going then!” Myria nodded vigorously before taking off to the center of the arena at the speed of sound.

Okay, that was easier than I expected… I still have some more motivational words to give her, but I guess it is what it is. Still, it should be a crime that this thing works every time I use it… Well, like a certain old uncle once said “With a great power comes great responsibility”, so I better not use this ability of mine for evil. 

Not that I had plans to do evil things, but it is better to remind myself of my own moral alignment every once in a while.

(See!? That’s the Succubi Charm Skill at play! You’re using pheromones to make people feel a certain way!) Catris suddenly spoke in my mind again.

Oh… So that explains why my puppy eyes work most of the time… It was an actual skill… Kinda neat actually.

(Really? Then why it doesn’t appear in my status? It should appear there considering how strong this could be.) I asked.

(It is simply because the Succubi Charm is an Innate Skill. An ability that you were born with which other species have low chances of learning. In a way, Innate Skills are similar to Unique Skills, the only difference being that Unique Skills only affect an individual while Innate Skills only affect certain species or groups.) Lia decided to explain the concept to me. (Innate Skills do not normally appear in the Status System since they existed way before the creation of the system. However, they do appear listed in the status once they are upgraded through the use of Ability Points. The Succubi Charm is one of your Innate Skills, Julius.) Lia finished her explanation with a tired sigh.

(I understand, and like I said before, that does explain a lot but… You just said one of the Innate Skills, right? What are the other skills, Lia?) I couldn’t hide my curiosity about the possibility of me having even more useful abilities.

(Well, there are a few, but…-) Before Thiasis could further expand on what Lia had explained to me, she was interrupted.

In mere moments while I was distracted learning new things from the Goddesses, someone had taken the chance to capture me… I was suddenly embraced by that someone…

“Cute little animal… You’re mine now…” Reina whispered in my ear as she hugged me tightly. “I have never seen something so cute in my life… I will feed you, I will play with you, I will love you forever and I’ll give you a nice home and a warm cozy bed… You’ll have whatever your heart desires, as money is not an issue for us.” She started patting my head and pulling my cheeks to pamper me.

(It seems that you’re busy. We’ll continue this talk later.) Thiasis didn’t miss the opportunity to escape.

“Ma’am, I believe that what you’re suggesting is illegal. Also, I am a living person, not an animal so please release me at once as I do not wish to be treated as a pet.” I said while looking at the others at the table pleading for help. Unfortunately, they were shooting strange glances at me.

Felicia was averting her gaze, yet she was wagging her tail furiously at an incredible speed. Neris, on the other hand, was blushing so much that for a moment I thought that she was about to pass out. And lastly, Cassandra simply smiled from ear to ear while looking at me and her sister. Zoe was still passed out in her seat.

I thought I was prepared for the consequences, but it turns out that I was not… It appears these are the consequences of misusing the charm of a succubus… I should have seen this coming…

“Not a pet… Then how about becoming my husband?” Reina asked me the dreaded question I was already expecting. “The conditions are pretty much the same. I will feed you, house you, and give you all the love I have. I believe that Mother and Father will quickly approve of you since you’re also participating in this tournament and both Shtrel and Gradisia seem to respect you and recognize your strength, It will be a relief since they have been pestering us to bring someone home for quite a while now. This will work wonderfully.” Reina spoke as if it was already set in stone. Her hug only became tighter and tighter the more she began to accept her own idea.

Truly, I was not prepared for the consequences of my actions… I really hope Myria wins her match... And also, that I can manage to talk my way out of this somehow… I mean, sure I feel like can physically escape with ease, but I don’t feel like I can actually escape…

“You cannot escape from me.” Reina said happily, almost as if reading my thoughts. I could actually see the crazy in her eyes…

Yeah, I might have screwed up big time… This is not going to end well for me.

“Hey, hey little sister. Leave him alone, will you? You’re acting a little crazy, Reina.” Cassandra suddenly decided to intervene and save me from her sister.

Thank the gods she decided to become the voice of reason! I might be saved now!

“The only one who will be taking him is me! Older sister privilege!” Cassandra said as she suddenly kissed my cheek while trying to wrestle me away from Reina.

Or not… Sigh… I tried to be a good person and support my new friend, yet this is what happens to me…

“That’s not fair. I saw him first.” Reina complained while frowning.

“And I don’t care!” Cassandra replied pulling me closer toward her.

Neris and Felicia simply remained on the side staring… For some reason, I felt like they also wished to join in…

(I told you so.) Catris decided to say the words I definitely didn’t want to hear in this situation…

(Little help here?) I asked the Goddess of Love for salvation.

(You should have listened to my warning instead of carelessly using your charm in front of them! Now you’ll have to live through the consequences whether they are for the better or for worse) Catris said with disappointment.

(I didn’t know it was the charm of a succubus! I just thought I was acting cute and that was it!) I argued with her.

“Give him back.” Reina said to her sister while grabbing the spear hanging on her back.

“Oh, so we are settling this the old fashion way? That’s just perfect then!” Cassandra replied while holding me with one hand and grabbing her sword with the other.

“Umm… Just for the record, I already have two fiancées so…” I tried to dissuade the sisters by telling them about my current romantic life.

“Oh, so you’re taking multiple wives then? You’re pretty greedy then… I really like that!” Cassandra soon let go of her sword and hugged me with both her arms. It almost seemed like she was trying to crush my spine. “Those are the kind of boys I like. I like them to be strong and not be afraid to share publicly what they genuinely want… That’s very attractive, you know? I’ll gladly become number 3 if you say the word.” She said with a huge smile while putting on full display her craziness.

“I prefer boys to be cute and small, preferably the ones that would need my protection.” Reina suddenly started staring at me with greed in her eyes. She had also let go of her spear, but she decided to hug me as well just like her sister.

In other words, I was trapped…

“Dear Melius, please help me…” I let out a huge sigh after realizing my predicament. “Mom, I know you can’t hear me, but it seems your wish is about to become a reality… You might be getting two daughters-in-law or more by the time the tournament is over…” I whispered as I looked over to the box where my family was at.

The Gods have abandoned me… Everything is lost… Now it depends on me to find a way out of this situation, but things are looking very grim for me… Learning to control the power of the Succubus Charm would be a great start.

 Chapter 67: House Oriana and the Sucubbus Charm.

END

GodlyKamui

Heya! It's me! Your favorite isekai harem author is back after some much-needed rest during the holidays! First things first, happy new year! I hope you were able to have a wonderful start to 2023 because I sure did! I was able to fix my laptop and spend some quality time with my friends and family. I was unable to start writing until today, but it felt so good to be able to do so once more! I just finished this chapter, so I don't know if the quality of my work remains the same or if it has improved or if it has become worse, I don't really mind right now as I'm just happy to be able to write again!

There are a lot of things that I could point out in this chapter like the fact that the goddesses are all virgins (something inspired by greek mythology and not H-things huehue). It is kinda funny to imagine that the goddess who rules over love, passion, fertility, and all that stuff is actually a pure maiden and she gets annoyed by her friends because of that. There's also the fact that Catris has more or less a cult of hyper-violent individuals that even she recognizes as crazy. Guess those eugenic experiments didn't go as planned lol.

Oh, there's also the fact that Julius is technically a 1/3 succubus, so that explains all the fall-in-love-at-first-sight shenanigans plaguing his life (in-story explanation for my antics as an author). I will go more in-depth into that later, but I felt like it was a good moment to add that information.

In any case, the next duel will be focused on Myria and her duel, however, the next chapter will be a smut one if possible. I don't know who is going to be the protagonist of the spicy chapter, just yet as I am still thinking of a possible scenario (really tempted by using Sarana by the suggestion of a commenter) but we will see. If it is not the next chapter then it will be the next one after Myria's duel. The smut shall begin once more!

Julius trying to encourage Myria:

Reina after Julius made his greatest mistake in the tournament so far:

Julius immediately after he realized his crucial mistake:

As usual, I do hope that you enjoyed the chapter, please don't forget to comment and leave some hearts since that motivates me to continue writing the story! Also, join the discord to talk about the story and see the new picrew/NovelAI character illustrations I'm working on! Here's the link: https://discord.gg/uH6APbzrFR

Buh-bye!