The Hero Became a Succubus, and the Only Way to Level is to… What?!

A week had gone by since Arenade started the Bright Cloister. Their numbers swelled to just under a hundred. She spent increasingly more time with them, taking to the city to pass handouts and soliciting prospective members to their club. Far be it from Kanae to rob Arenade of her fun, but they had been having less sex lately as a result.

”I mean is it really too much to ask for a little more intimacy? Last night, I only got as far as eating her out before she got ’tired’ and wanted to go to sleep!” Kanae complained.

Alicia stroked her head and smiled. ”There, there. It sounds to me Arenade found something she’s passionate about. Let her have some fun with the cloister. I’m sure things will go back to normal for you two soon enough. I remember back when Claudia discovered acidic slime monsters for the first time. She loved diving headfirst into them and feeling her skin bubble and blister. I thought it was the dumbest thing, but who was I to deny my cute sister’s first passion?”

”I— What?! How Claudia survived all these years is beyond me…”

Kanae had been visiting Alicia a lot more often lately. These little talks were a nice change of pace. Especially with motherhood over the horizon, Alicia grew more doting. Kanae frequently seized on the chance to lie down on her cool lap every chance she got.

The afternoon sun beamed through the drawn drapes, slowly creeping across the floor and up to the bed. Warm rays finally reached them, and she took that as a sign to finally get back to work. As she rose to her feet, Alicia’s face wrinkled.

”Are you okay?” Kanae asked worriedly.

”I’m fine. Just nausea that the physicians tell me is normal. I had asked one of the Sisters you assigned to me to fetch some potions from Rosaline, but that was hours ago. Maybe she ran into trouble?” Alicia rubbed her tummy and frowned.

”I’ll go check for you,” she insisted.

When Kanae peeled away to leave, Alicia grabbed her hand. She pulled her back in for a kiss. A wriggling tongue wormed its way through, taking her by surprise.

”The next time you come back, we should do more than just talk. Being cooped up in here has been getting me so hot. I doubt our daughter would mind,” Alicia whispered into her ear with a sultry drawl.

”I might just start visiting more often then.” Kanae grinned.

Instead of leaving through the door, Kanae leaped out the open window. She flew high above the city to admire how much Ehmvier expanded during her absence. In the northeast, the lizardfolks had created a district called Scalehide Fen and lived in mud huts of their own making. High elves carved a place for themselves in the far southern edge of the city, where it was a little slice of Ortesia in architecture and wealth. Thankfully, they weren’t Ortesians, but eastern continent-born high elves who wanted to mimic a fraction of how their imperial siblings lived. East, goblins made multiple tribal cul-de-sac communes centered around a single female matriarch.

There might not be a more diverse place in the world than Ehmvier city, and it only continued to grow, as evidenced by construction in every direction. Rows of townhouses were becoming a common sight, much like Radevic. However, most of the city was still homes and cabins on top of a plot of dirt. Cobbled roads only branched through the few sections that were most populous.

Kanae wished she had the time to visit it all, but this wasn’t the same small town in No Man’s Land. She flew towards Rosaline’s atelier, only to be taken by surprise by the long line wrapping around the block.

”Why are there so many people?” Kanae wondered aloud.

”Queen Kanae— Er, I mean empress!” someone corrected themself.

Below, a human half-succubus in Eminence robes waved with both hands. She was one of Alicia’s midwives. Curly orange hair like autumn leaves and freckled cheeks, bright blue eyes, and shorter than most for an adult.

”You can just call me queen.” Kanae descended down to her. ”I’m not quite used to empress yet. You are…”

It occurred to Kanae that she didn’t know this Sister’s name. Or, maybe she did and had forgotten. Just more proof how the Empire of Sin was and how little time she had to get to know her own people.

”I’m Kati, my queen. You transformed me back when the city was still in its infancy. I don’t blame you for not remembering. But I’ll always be grateful for the new lease in life you gave me!” The half-succubus named Kati bowed.

”I really don’t deserve you guys. So, what’s with the line? You’re here to pick up Alicia’s medicine, right?” Kanae asked.

”Yes, and I’m so sorry! I’m told everyone is here for one of Rosaline’s newest concoctions. Some kind of mild psychedelic that enhances sex and cognition. I was thinking of picking up a potion for myself and my husband. Hehe!” She fidgeted excitedly, as did others in line now that Kanae was paying closer attention.

Enhanced sex? Kanae’s interest had been piqued. She wanted some for herself, too.

”Let’s head to the front. I know Rosaline personally, and I think people will be understanding about letting me through,” Kanae explained.

”Oh, thank you so much, Queen Kanae!” Kati bowed.

Kanae made her way to the front of the atelier, occasionally stopping to speak with groups of her subjects and apologizing for cutting the line. Everyone was understanding. They gladly let her through without a second thought.

Rosaline’s atelier had since added a second floor. Business must be booming for her. Thankfully, not in the explosive way.

There was another line when Kanae and Kati entered. What they assumed to be atelier employees, raced up and down the second floor to bring potions to the counter for customers.

”Excuse me! Is Rosaline upstairs?” Kanae caught a worker running past.

”Terribly sorry, miss. You’re going to have to wait in line like everyone else!” an exhausted young elven boy explained.

”Is that Kanae Toyomi’s voice I hear downstairs? Come on up, my old friend!” Rosaline called from above.

”Ehh? Y-You’re the queen?” he asked nervously.

”Don’t worry about it.” She stroked his cheek with the back of her hand and winked, causing him to turn bright red.

They headed upstairs to the second floor, where Rosaline slithered from shelf to shelf, fetching ingredients and tossing them into the cauldron. When the concoction bubbled to perfection, she scooped the liquid into small containers. Workers quickly packaged them, then hurried downstairs.

”Hello, hello! I see Savir treated you and your skin well! It’s too bad you cannot shed like I do. I would be back to my natural complexion in no time.” Rosaline flashed a beaming smile.

”The Saviran sun was a battle in itself, let me tell you. But I’m fine with a tan because I look pretty good with tanlines. Anyway, we’re here to get Alicia’s medicine. Unless you’re busy?” Kanae asked.

”Oh, not at all! I have it made right here… Where?” She searched the floor, seemingly puzzled.

”Here, Miss Rosaline.” A young human woman produced a small lockbox that contained a rack of twelve vials inside it.

”Whew. Alicia will be glad to have these. I’ll take my leave to bring these to her, Queen Kanae. Ah! Before I leave, may I… purchase your new potion?” Kati asked.

”On the house!” The lamia alchemist filled two vials from the cauldron and handed them to her.

Happy as could be, Kati thanked them and left in a hurry to deliver the nausea medicine to Alicia back at the castle.

”I’m gone for one year, and you’ve stopped exploding and hired employees to your atelier? Which of the three hells froze over?” Kanae teased.

”Hah! Nonsense! The explosions are nighttime activities now. They also aren’t employees. I have four apprentices. Ever since Mikki left, I’d found myself craving the company of the young and ambitious. No one holds a candle to your spawn, but I am quite enjoying the energy! Aren’t you all?” Rosaline asked her apprentices.

”Yes, Rosaline…” the two that were up here responded deflatedly.

”Their enthusiasm needs work. Well, Kanae? Are you perhaps interested in my new potions, too? I’ve been cultivating the flower samples Aisha sent me. Co… Codura, I think it was called? I infused the pollen and these mushrooms I picked up from Toadstool Forest.” The alchemist brandished a vial in front of her.

”I wouldn’t say no…” She accepted one, curious to know what exactly it did.

There was a commotion downstairs that interrupted them. Kanae and Rosaline turned to the windows. A large group of people had gathered outside the atelier. They wore robes emblazoned with a sun rising over a mountain, the symbol of the Bright Cloister.

Not a second later, Arenade came upstairs. She was donning not only the golden dragonscale tiara, but also a more lavish robe with the same emblem like that of her followers.

”Hey, Kanae! What are you doing here?” Arenade asked.

”I could ask you the same. I was just here with Kali to pick up medicine for Alicia. She already left, and I’m here catching up with Rosaline,” Kanae explained.

”We’re here to pick up some boxes of potions I commissioned a few days ago, then it’s right back to canvassing for Bright Cloister. Can you believe we crossed 100 followers? I didn’t expect there to be such impassioned followers of Demigoddess Arenade waiting to be found!” The high elf gushed, looking full of herself.

”Potions…?” She squinted at them.

”Not the ones you’re thinking of,” Rosaline corrected her. ”Arenade tasked me with brewing that helps them tap into their spirituality. I followed the recipes of mystics from Hollow Glades who have been making such imbibements for centuries. Follow me!”

Kanae and Arenade followed Rosaline downstairs to the basement, where boxes, shelves, and cabinets contained countless potions stocked up over the years. The lamia alchemist slithered to a far shelf, where a series of marked crates had been stuffed into. She pulled one out and cracked open the top to peer in. There must be dozens of potions in there at a glance.

”Looks about right!” Rosaline nodded.

Arenade called in members of the Bright Cloister to come down and pick up the boxes. By the amount carried off, there must be enough for every member and then some new recruits.

”What is it all for anyway? Can’t you just commune normally?” Kanae asked.

”Hey, shhh!” Arenade lowered her voice to a whisper. ”I’m technically absent from heaven, remember? If we’re all praying, and no one hears a demigod answer them, they’re going to think it’s all a fraud— which it isn’t! I just… need a little juice to make them believe otherwise.”

”Okay, but if you really have to make excuses, doesn’t that already make you a fraud?” She folded her arms.

Arenade grabbed Kanae by the shoulders and exclaimed, ”I need this! I’ve never seen so much love and devotion for Demigoddess Arenade, and I can even feel my mana pool growing again. Besides, I’m able to actually help people while mortal. You should join us in our prayer sessions sometime! It would mean a lot to me. Pleeeeeaaase!”

Kanae found it exceptionally hard to resist Arenade when she made a genuine plea like that.

”Fine. But only on the condition that you come back to the castle more often. I don’t remember the last time we had sex!” Kanae complained.

”I guess… giving into you every now and then is okay.” Arenade twirled a lock of hair around her finger.

The end of the week neared, and Kanae’s royal workload started diminishing. At the very least, she had something to look forward to with Arenade, even if it cost her the dignity of joining one of Bright Cloister’s prayer sessions. Drool slipped down one corner of her lips at the thought of having both Arenade and Alicia at the same time. Maybe Eliza would join, too. The sorceress must be plenty kinky.

It would be nice if Mitty came back from Highgreen already. Pussy was good, but nothing beat a good dick. And Titan wasn’t exactly someone capable of kissing or cuddling. For the time being, Kanae sated herself on lucky guards that bumped into her at the right time or Manabe at the barracks. She finished getting changed into more comfortable clothes and heaved a sigh.

”Alright. Time to see what Bright Cloister is all about.” Kanae flew out towards the Church of Many.

The clergy was kind enough to lend Arenade’s sect a worship chamber to perform service in. After all, Demigoddess Arenade was a deity of The Many Gods. Kanae greeted a few passing clerics on the way in and overheard some whispers.

”I’m worried about the new cult that’s been coming by…” someone whispered behind a door left ajar.

Kanae looked up and down the corridor. It was empty. She stopped to listen for a few minutes.

”Hey, don’t call it a cult. Empress Arenade Brightwind is leading them.”

”I know, but they seem so zealous. I just wish their members stopped trying to solicit me to join. I’ve already declined five times over the course of three days!”

”I totally get it. They can be pretty forceful…”

Just what kind of followers did Arenade cultivate? Kanae pushed it to the back of her mind and pressed forth deeper into the cathedral. A Bright Cloister member was standing outside the door waiting to receive her.

”Empress Kanae!” The human man with a receding hairline gasped. ”Are you joining Bright Cloister, too?”

”Not yet. I’m just here to give Arenade my support.” Kanae smiled.

”I see. You’re going to love it. Being a member of Bright Cloister changed my life! Everyone is so nice and devoted. Empress Arenade just exudes the same beauty as Demigoddess Arenade. She keeps saying they aren’t the same, but if it ever turns out to be true, I’d believe it! Oh, here you are. Please, put this on!” He pulled out a cloister robe from a box at his feet.

Kanae hesitated to put it on, but what the hell? It might make Arenade happy, and that did matter to her. She donned the robe over her clothes, and the man opened the door to let her in.

Almost a hundred people were seated on cushions facing the front of the room, where Arenade was getting boxes of potions from Rosaline ready to be handed out. When she turned to the door, a bright smile lit up.

”You made it! And you’re wearing our robes!” Arenade practically skipped over, she was so happy.

”For you? Of course, I did!” Kanae kissed her giddy wife.

”The prayer session is about to start. Come on and take a seat at the front!” She led her by hand to an open cushion.

Kanae sat down between an elven and human woman. Both of them looked ecstatic to be here. However, upon closer inspection, the elf had darker roots underneath her blonde locks. She noticed Kanae staring and smiled.

”Hello, Empress Kanae!” The elven woman beamed.

”Uh… Hi. Is your… Did you dye your hair?” Kanae asked.

”Yes, I did! Isn’t it lovely? I wanted to emulate Demigoddess Arenade, whose appearance is rumored to be very like Empress Arenade Brightwind. I wanted to show my devotion by sharing their likeness. Naturally, I’m just a pale imitation. I’ll just have to make up for it through sheer passion!” she exclaimed and pumped her fists.

A group of cloister members began passing out potions. Arenade personally gave Kanae a vial. Every single person in the room received one. From what Kanae remembered, Rosaline said this was just something lamia mystics from Hollow Glades drank to get in touch with their spirituality. Whatever that meant.

”Okay, everyone. Let us drink together!” Arenade toasted in the air, and the entire room followed suit to imbibe the potion.

Kanae went with the flow. The potion went down smoothly, almost like orange juice. Thankfully, and she was fearful it might have been the case, the mixture wasn’t the same as the psychedelic one that enhanced sex. She already tasted that yesterday night with Alicia, and it had a more earthy flavor and gravelly texture, almost like matcha.

Soon, an unusual sensation welled up from within Kanae’s stomach. It didn’t hurt. Nor wasn’t unpleasant. It was simply… different, similar to eating a big warm meal that just wasn’t satisfying enough. Her vision blurred slightly. She felt an intoxication that wasn’t unlike alcohol. The sunlight diffusing into the room from the stained glass ceiling windows shifted, morphed, and danced.

”With me now, my lambs.” Arenade’s voice carried through the room with a choir-like radiance.

Everyone around Kanae raised their arms as if embracing the sky.

Arenade continued, ”Once, you were lost. Now, you are found. Into the embrace of Demigoddess Arenade. Let my words be her message, and through me, shall you know her grace. Go ahead, my lambs, profess your love for her, so that she may respond in kind!”

”We love you, Demigoddess Arenade! We love you!”

Kanae recoiled. The elven woman who dyed her hair to look like Arenade was shouting at the top of her lungs. This was looking less like devotion, and more like fanaticism.

”WE LOVE YOU!” she cried, tears streaming down her cheeks.

What the fuck… Kanae mouthed out.

Someone grabbed her hand and lifted. It was the same elf. The human woman to her other side did the same.

”Say it with me, Empress Kanae! We love you, Demigoddess Arenade! We love you!” the elf urged.

”We… We love…” Kanae muttered quietly along with the chants, hoping no one noticed she wasn’t really speaking.

This went on for an hour. All the while, Arenade soaked in the praise and devotion from her subjects. By the end of it, the potion had passed through Kanae’s system. Everyone else, however, still seemed to be going through the effects and were in a dazed state of euphoria.

Arenade let the more sober members of Bright Cloister take care of the rest. She took Kanae outside the chamber, still running on the high of being lavished adulation.

”What did you think?” Arenade asked eagerly.

”That was the most insane thing I’ve ever witnessed!” Kanae groaned.

”Hehe. I know! The potion worked great, too. I’m going to have to order more from Rosaline. Everyone really believed Demigoddess Arenade was speaking to them. You’re going to come back for the next one, right? Right?” She got right up to her face.

”Y… Yeah. We’ll see…”