Academic gathering with a lich

The departed Anna was like a droplet fleeing into the sea; amidst the crowd, William could not find her silhouette.

Even inquiring with passersby, people around might not necessarily remember a fleeting succubus girl. This was the City of Wandering, where the bizarre and the magical existed as commonly as ordinary people. Here, the unusual was more common than the norm.

William couldn’t trace Anna’s whereabouts, but he could guess where she might stay. For the succubus girl in the City of Wandering, there were only two places that could be called home.

One was the Bloody Rose Bar, and the other was precisely where William was now headed.

Dark Third District, Sin District.

Managed by the Sin Demon Clan, this place was probably where the population density of chaotic beings was highest.

His most familiar place, the beginning of all the bizarre encounters, also started here.

Buildings stacked like cans, some of the tall can-like houses disconnected from the lower part, relying on the neighboring houses to squeeze and clamp them to prevent collapse. Despite seemingly falling apart, this precarious state had strangely persisted for a long time.

The succubus Anna and Candy’s home was right here, in a wobbly small room in a can area.

The last time, after William had helped Candy out of trouble, Candy had invited him over once. The type of building that makes visitors restlessly uncomfortable, William had a deep impression of it.

That air loft whose edges had been worn into curves had dozens of wooden planks extending to the surrounding buildings, securely anchoring itself.

A crooked and twisting rope ladder hung from the wooden door on the facade of the house.

This was their home, and because demons could fly, this ladder was meant for the half-succubus Candy.

The bottom of the worn rope ladder was less than half a meter off the ground. It seemed set to give way despite numerous repairs. The differently colored wooden planks showed the number of times it had been fixed, and the variegated rope knots also bore the scars of time. It was like forcing a retiree back into the workforce; surely replacing it new would cost less than all these repairs.

"It was left by mom, ladder made by her own hands."

This was the reason the siblings treasured it; if expectations held true, William would be the third person to touch the top of the rope ladder.

When William’s palm touched the wooden plank of the rope ladder, a strange whisper surfaced in his mind. You couldn’t distinguish its details, like an illusion of yours, yet the temptation that muddled your thoughts took root in your heart.

You’d climb up subconsciously, with the temptation growing stronger. By the time you reached halfway up the ladder, your mind would finally be occupied by that exquisite distraction.

You might lose control over your limbs and fall down.

It was Anna’s voice, her spell to protect her home. The spell was ineffective against Candy, her kin, and also against William, who was immune to her allure.

However, listening to Anna’s soft, gentle murmur by his ear, the feeling was worth savoring.

Climbing up was like scaling a princess’s castle, the knight adrift in the wind, seeking the beauty he longed for.

William quickly reached the top of the ladder, right under the door.

Next was the most difficult part of the whole process.

William raised his arm and tapped the bottom of the wooden door.

Two possible outcomes.

The first, Anna was not there.

The second, Anna opened the door in anger, angrily kicking his face with her foot, intent on kicking him down.

For such an eventuality, William was mentally prepared, absolutely planning to cling on tenaciously, grabbing her foot, persuading her.

As for what would happen next, William couldn’t think that far ahead.

The dull knock on the wooden plank mixed with the creaking sound of the rope under stress, and William’s heart grew a little silent.

Thud, thud, thud. The vibration of heel striking floorboards traveled to William. His heart swelled with joy, while a clear frost mask covered his face, five layers.

No more, any more would give it away. William never had a clear idea of Anna’s strength as a succubus, but from some clues, this succubus indeed had the potential of a Mother Tyrannosaur.

She probably won’t be set on smashing me to death, William now was not so sure about that anymore.

Apprehension didn’t last long in William’s heart because the wooden door above his head opened.

Perhaps in every dark corner, sooner or later, a beam of light will shine upon that spot. In this bleak district, above his head. William saw light.

It was the faint glimmers filtering through the crevices of the loft, draping over Anna’s face like a hazy veil. Serene and gentle, her curved eyelashes capable of cradling tears, unfolded like flower buds, her gem-like eyes pure and free from impurities, gazing at William.

Watching Anna like this, all William’s plans were shocked into the back of his mind. A succubus exuded a hint of holiness, although she remained seductively beautiful and alluring. Those eyes seemed disconnected from the tempting, fallen body, pulling at William’s soul.

As for the reason William became normal again... from William’s angle, Anna’s upright breasts slightly obstructed their eye contact with each breath she took. Her slim waist without an ounce of excess, her full thighs, and those high heels.

It seems like five layers of ice just weren’t enough.

"Anna... I’m sorry..." He stumbled out with the lines he’d prepared earlier, William’s right hand already extended in defense, although to others it looked as if he wanted to caress her thigh.

William’s palm met a soft one.

"Anna?"

"Don’t you get tired like this?" It felt as if he was holding onto a crane’s boom, lifted by one hand, Anna’s one hand, as she hoisted William up. "Let’s talk about it upstairs." There was no physical pain, no verbal chastisement, just Anna, tender, embracing him to her.

Yes, it was an embrace. Because of the uneasy feeling of being completely toyed with, out of biological instinct, William subconsciously grabbed onto something for support, which was Anna. He enveloped her in his arms, her soft body pressed against his slightly sweaty one, those beautiful eyes right before him, the scent of the girl mingling with his breath, if he lowered his head just a little, William would experience... the feeling of being pricked by demonic horns.

A man and woman in embrace, William knew Anna must have heard his heart pounding, just as he could feel her arms crossed behind his back.

"Sorry... I’ll move back right away."

"If you move back, you’ll fall." Anna didn’t let go of her arms, and this posture lasted a few seconds until the chilly wind was shut outside by the closing wooden door, then William snapped back to reality.

The two sat by a wooden table, looking at each other. Anna seemed like a different person.

"I should be the one to apologize, William, I shouldn’t have interfered in your affairs."

"No, it’s not that, Anna, I..." I don’t know what excuse to use to argue with you.

Anna’s face wore a smile, resting her cheek on her elbow, observing William’s embarrassment, but without teasing him.

"William, you’re an excellent person. I believe it’s not just my personal feeling, everyone at Bloody Rose has grown fond of you after less than a month’s acquaintance. Your magic makes you a unique, charming person. I... perhaps was a bit too anxious, the Secret Pivot Council certainly is the best place for you. I wouldn’t want to see you forego that opportunity, William, or else I’d feel regret for you. I... I’m very grateful to you for helping Candy, she has become much cheerier recently."

"Candy has helped me a lot, it’s mutually beneficial."

"Yeah, I’m a bit jealous when I see you getting along with Candy."

William completely didn’t understand what was happening, suddenly Anna changed, conversing like friends, as if they’d just met.

"Anna, why did you suddenly change so much?"

Anna’s face was smiling.

"I guess it’s about time I accepted the fact that there’s a handsome boy in my life, so I wanted to change a bit myself."

"Is that so?" Embarrassed by Anna’s courtesy, William awkwardly scratched his head.

"William," Anna reached out and took his hand, "from now on please take good care of Candy too."

"What about you?"

Anna’s pupils shrank sharply, and she narrowed her eyes, "I’m quite looking forward to it as well."

William left Anna’s house with a smile, having shed the relationship of adversaries, and started to look forward to the future.

Anna stood at the door, watching the happy retreating figure, a sweet smile on her lips.

This smile, was like a mask.

Anna returned to her room, and found a small box hidden at the bottom of the bed. Blowing off the dust, she tore open the seal marked "Sister’s Dowry".

In the box was a bracelet, with a line of small characters on the inner band.

"To my daughter, Gurellia."

Anna picked up the bracelet, opened her bat wings, and flew out.

In the sunlight, the gift from William around her neck, the succubus pendant, glittered brilliantly.

In an inconspicuous side crevice of the female figure’s profile, there was a small line of demonic script.

It was a name.

Gurellia · War Envoy.