Arc 2: Chimera

Chapter 23: Infiltration Part I

While Haruki stayed in the Chimera nest, the rest of his companions weren't idle either. After Monad relayed their liege's orders, Raven and Avon quickly called for the mind-controlled Carlos and the slightly Corrupted Paul.

Paul felt there was nothing wrong with abruptly betraying the Shifting Sand for Haruki and the Lust Demons. He was already exhausted at the perceived inequality that prevailed over Human societies, struggling at the bottom with no hope in sight. He already did shady things in order to survive and his allegiance to the illegal guild was only established for the sake of mutual benefits. Add to the fact that he had no voice in even the operations he had great contribution in, the dissatisfaction grew big enough to circumvent his fear of the legendary Demons.

As such, Haruki only needed to give him a little push and the young man already fell into the embrace of the Demons. To Paul's surprise, the party of Haruki and his Demons were almost Human-like in their thinking and planning. He had heard of the savagery of the battle between Humans and Demons in the northwest, giving him the image that the other race was composed of ruthless monsters that preyed on people. His interactions with them awakened the slightest possibility that he could coexist with the rest of the Lust Demons in peace.

Also, no one was happier with Paul's addition to the faction than the Sprig-Eating Duchess, Avon.

Currently, the Succubus plastered her entire voluptuous body on the boy, who had already grown accustomed to it after just a few days. Still, it doesn't keep his senses from shivering, and it took a lot of concentration to stop him from focusing on the supple breasts that stuck on his back. This caused Paul to sigh heavily; the only trepidation he had with the Lust Demons was that he once vowed himself to celibacy. Wasn't his dedication to remain as pure as he can be the antithesis of the entire Luxuria faction?

Raven stared harshly at the pair sitting before her but made no actions to stop them. Unlike the Saboteur Hero, she had her priorities straight and took Haruki's orders seriously.

"Lord Haruki believes that some kind of force is behind the Shifting Sand. The probability that it is an opposing Human country, or another Demon faction is high."

Paul's ears perked up at the information on hand. He put a hand on his chin, his eyes showing a high degree of comprehension. "Of course, that's why they could lay a hand on a lot of things you normally wouldn't see in a small-time illegal guild."

Raven nodded, seeing the Human boy in a new light. Still, no one was brighter than her liege, so she didn't react further than a small smile. "It's good that you understand. Consort Monad wishes for you and Carlos to infiltrate and discover the inner workings of the Shifting Sand."

"That's a tall order for us, don't you think?" Apprehension and anxiety were clear on Paul's face. After all, he was just an insignificant part-timer and while Carlos was a bit high up in the ladder, he was under a Mind Control Spell and posed a risk no matter what.

"You have Lady Avon's assistance," stated Raven with full confidence in her tone.

However, Avon's current state of almost wrapping the boy in her bosom had ladened that trust in a big question mark. "That's right, Mommy's here, dearest Paul~"

Paul could not help but raise his concerns. "Raven, are you sure this arrangement is um… feasible?"

To Paul, even though Raven spoke less and could be quite taciturn, she was a much more reliable presence than the other and older Succubus, whose purpose in life seemed to be getting into his pants.

Raven politely pondered on Paul's question - a big difference compared to the usual contempt he would have received upon stepping into authority. "Hmmm, while Lady Avon could be a little difficult to deal with, she is very skilled at subterfuge. Also, she is the only one amongst us who can use Psychic Magic."

The young man couldn't help but glance at the older woman. Avon showed a pure smile that drastically contrasted the way she moved her "assets" for temptation. "Don't you worry, my dear child, Mommy will keep you safe and sound."

The younger Succubus nodded in agreement. "Lady Avon will take care of Carlos' Mind Control Spell. She is not as powerful as Lord Haruki, but she can handle it just as well. On the other hand, I will handle logistics and render support as needed."

While he did have a lot of doubts regarding the so-called Saboteur Hero, Paul had put a lot of trust in the Demon Lord of Lust. He had completely disregarded the fact that like the two Demons surrounding him, once he had fallen prey to Haruki's indelible Charisma, there would be no limit to the amount of respect and loyalty he would shower on the Sovereign. If he was here, Haruki would have likened the feelings to that of a die-hard fan of a pop idol.

And like the usual crazy fan, Paul would like nothing but to know more about the Demon King. "Is Lord Haruki really as powerful as you say?"

Raven, as a fellow member of the Haruki fandom, would of course revel on her heartfelt duty of spreading her liege's greatness. She puffed up her chest, like a bird showing off its plumage. "Of course! Lord Haruki single-handedly established Harlux, the City of Divine Pleasures. It is now the greatest stronghold of the Lust Demons, where we can feel at ease."

To Raven and the rest of the Lust Demons, a place to call "home" was a treasure of greatest value. Incubi and Succubi were nomads by fate's design rather than by individual choice, since they needed to constantly satisfy their desires through sex. Staying at just one place was incredibly dangerous, as Demons will bring Corruption with them wherever they go, and even the less keen of Humans could easily figure out what was happening. Not to mention that Lust Demons were inherently weak, so against people who could see through their disguises and wiles, they were practically helpless.

Of course, Lust Demons could have intercourse with fellows from the same race. However, the other Demon Factions had agenda of their own and with different sins came different needs to fill, so such a partnership was doomed to end. The most effective way was for a couple of Lust Demons to pair up and travel together, pleasuring each other as common ground while also partaking in a different delicacy here and there if they found a target that tickles one's fancy.

That was why for the members of Luxuria, the presence of a powerful and wise Sovereign was vital. Only under the overwhelming charm and unquestionable prestige of the Sovereign of Lust could they band together and unite for a greater cause. Unfortunately, most of the past Demon Lords of Lust were slain only a few years after their birth, usually by amassing a great number of lovers that they turned into a big red blot on the Demon-slaying Humans' radar.

For Raven and other Lust Demons with greater propensity for knowledge and carrying ambitions beyond mere survival and satisfaction of desires, Haruki was already a Demon Lord that highly deserved his crown. Although the young Sovereign had no history-shifting achievements in his belt yet, being able to summon and convince a hundred Lust Demons to stay in one place was already a good start to his reign.

Paul already had good feelings for Haruki and it was further greatly fortified by Raven's very convincing anecdote of the history and intricacies of the Luxuria Demons. Once again, he started questioning the Human's very shallow understanding of Demons. Was the gap between the two races so wide that it was virtually impossible to cross? Or was such a divide simply magnified by the obscuring lens Human leaders put on their followers?

He was no Leader, so Paul could only contemplate and surmise. Still, he had made his choice and there was no backing down from it.

~

The planned "infiltration" consisted of using the "pawn" Carlos into digging up the Shifting Sand's tightly covered secrets. The Controlled man had already spat out everything he knew about the organization, complemented by Paul's own know-how and the rumors he had heard from all over the place. The guild was controlled by four leaders whose identities were shrouded by fake names - Darwin, Paul's boss whose fortes were blackmailing and human management, and had also overseen the trade of people to the Chimeras; Newton, specializing in reeling in information regarding weaponry and treasures; Young, a topographer producing detailed maps the agents use in surveillance and other operations; and Mead, a mysterious woman who had never shown her face, assigned to the entirety of the organization's finances.

Scrutinizing the available information, Paul and Raven agreed on figuring out the identity of Mead, the most suspicious of the lot. In addition, being the one managing the funds meant that she would have access to the shadow covertly hovering behind the illegal guild.

However, meeting Mead was as easy as searching for a particular grain of sand in the desert. So, they set their sights on someone who can - the other figureheads of Shifting Sand. In particular, Paul's superficial boss who was always hanging around the backstreets of Stonecutter's Villager, Darwin.

And so, with this lead, Paul accompanied the Mind Controlled Carlos to the pub for drinks with the boss. Avon and Raven were Disguised as two prostitutes that were supposed to be given as a "present", under the role of fresh new recruits of the White Chrysanthemum Inn.

The two women sitting beside now Paul were meek shadows of their former selves, accurately portraying virgin girls bought off for men to squander. The boy was once again astounded by their acting skills, no doubt they took similar methods to prey on their targets. Paul trembled at the deceitful nature of Succubi and Lust Demons in general, forgetting the fact that he had already taken a step to mimic their ways with his perfectly well-covered calm mannerisms.

The Mind Control Spell had perfectly captured Carlos' consciousness, despite the victim himself not knowing he was under its thrall. He was as sinister and snarky as ever, showing the usual contempt at Paul and his company of so-called "presents". Despite his show of disdain, he was lasciviously eyeing Raven in particular, making Paul almost roll his eyes in the hypocrisy of it all. Still, he was more gratified at being smart enough to pick the right side - Carlos' personality was no different before and after the Spell, definitely a polished textbook example of extremely effective Psychic Magic.

Yes, it was as if Carlos did not spend the majority of their meetings staring blankly at the wall like a stringless marionette. Paul shuddered - that would be his fate if he didn't accept to cooperate with the Lust Demons.

Darwin was fashionably late, as he always was. But soon, he entered the pub silently like a specter on a night's prowl, still wearing his favorite black hood that obscured much of his features.

"A bit too early for a celebration, eh, Carlos?" The guild's middle-aged boss took his seat in a relaxed posture, looking as nonchalant as ever.

"No time like the present, boss," said Carlos in a cheerful mood, taking a big swig out of his alcohol-filled mug. "The Chimeras really paid well with that newbie, so might as well splurge a little!"

Darwin hummed pleasantly. "True that. It was a lucky catch, all thanks to Paul's serendipitous discovery."

Paul's eyebrow faintly twitched - the "serendipitous discovery" turned out to be a botched scheme from Haruki's side. Still, he admired the Demon King's flexible mind, turning crisis into opportunity, taking one step closer to the fruition of his goals. The Human boy plastered a good-natured smile, raising his own cup for a drink. "No need to thank me, boss; it's the least I could do after the failure with that Magedom noble."

"Yeah, who'd have thought they could travel so fast?" With gritted teeth, Carlos looked convincingly frustrated. He and his goons were Hypnotized to think that they never had an encounter with Haruki's party. In Paul's opinion, it was a considerable mercy, lest they found themselves regularly plagued with nightmares of being ruthlessly played by Demons.

"A missed opportunity, but no matter." Taking the subtle hints with the two men drinking alcohol one after another, Darwin followed suit. His usually impassive face showed delight at the taste of the liquor.

"Ale's really tasty this evening, eh, boss?" Slightly intoxicated, Carlos grinned in a devious manner, his sights focusing on the slightly trembling pair of ladies sitting on their table. "Wine and women come together in harmony, don't you agree?"

Paul took his cue to speak. "As Mister Carlos wanted, these two girls are new to the Inn. I can guarantee that their first times are still up for the taking."

As expected, Darwin looked a little more interested in the women now. As the seasoned matchmaker of the White Chrysanthemum Inn, Paul knew a lot about the preferences of their clientele. Darwin, in particular, was extremely picky with his choice of a sex partner - he only took fancy at the "fresh" newbies. Even with bed matters, the boss maintained his arrogance, as if the world could only spin under his command.

And so, as one last gift for his boss, Paul arranged for him to meet his match.

When the night deepened, Paul watched in secret glee as Darwin left the pub's premises with the Disguised Avon. Before they left, he noticed the Succubus' contorted features, promising a night that he would forever remember.

Soon enough, the two were out of sight and Carlos came to a halt with an empty expression, as if a candle flame that sputtered out with the coming wind. Paul could finally stop hiding his grin, showing a very satisfied look.

"Mission accomplished, right, Raven?"

The "girl" who was not picked by Darwin had an apprehensive look on her features. "I'm afraid danger is on the horizon."

"What?" Paul was rightfully horrified. Before leaving, Haruki and Monad explained that Raven possessed a Skill known as "Intuition", which gave her a keen sense for both opportunity and peril. He vowed to always listen to the Succubus. "What's wrong? Were we found out!?"

Raven shook her head, looking helpless. "From Lady Avon's irate face a while ago, I have a feeling that Darwin will not see the light of day anymore."

Paul froze. "Are you saying that Avon might kill him?"

"Not 'might', she would," responded Avon, before turning into a small crow and perching on Paul's right shoulder. The Human boy spluttered in amazement and almost fell to his butt, but he was lucky enough to be with Raven, who never showed any care of people's matters aside from those concerning her liege.

"B-but w-why?" Paul was already aware of the woman's Shapeshifting ability, but he was still caught off guard, nonetheless. "Didn't we already agree that she should only knock him out and try to put him under a Hypnosis Spell?"

Raven sighed heavily, which was rather uncanny in her bird form. "I figured out that this Darwin was a scumbag, but he is a far dirtier scumbag than we bargained for. Lady Avon especially hates that sort."

The boy gulped; he was fine with playing tricks on people, but he was not prepared enough to actively contribute to someone's murder. But alas, he was less inclined to put himself in harm's way, especially when dealing with a specific obsessive Succubus. "Could we really stop her if she decided to kill Darwin?"

The raven gave him a pensive look. "Well, that depends on your performance, Paul."

MJ_Lee

And so, we shift the stage to Avon, Raven and Paul! Particularly the poor Human caught in the middle of the Lust Demons' schemes...

Thanks for reading! And see you in the next update~