"Hah..."
On the roof of the house.
Ren, who had flown there, was gazing up at the sun.
It was a scenario often seen in manga. She used to think, "Why bother going all the way up there..." but since gaining the ability to fly, she couldn't help but want to do it. The key might be that it was easy to get to and she could handle it if she fell.
A place where she could be physically alone was perfect for contemplating.
Thinking back, she had been constantly worried about various things since coming here: the dungeon, her companions, her body, and money. So many things were moving at a dizzying pace, far beyond what she could have imagined when she was just a high school student.
"Hmm."
So far, she had managed to solve each problem, but,
"Ren-sama?"
"Whoa!?"
At the sudden sound of Shion's voice from behind, Ren almost slipped. She quickly used her floating ability and averted a disaster.
Even so, she must have been extremely spaced out not to notice the girl's presence.
Chastising herself, she turned around to where the familiar fox form should have been.
A Yamato Nadeshiko (traditional Japanese beauty) with black hair and black eyes, clad in an outfit resembling a miko (shrine maiden) dress, stood there.
"Ehh...!?"
Her focus on floating was nearly broken by the shock of her wide-open eyes.
Falling twice in quick succession—well, never mind that.
"Shion, is that...!?"
The girl—a genuine girl, not the fox girl—blushed slightly and replied, "Yes."
"I was very disappointed that I couldn't participate in the chocolate making, so I acquired the 'Humanization' skill."
"Ah, I see. So that was the important thing."
"After all, everyone else was making sweets, and I was the only one who just specialized in eating!"
Making sweets would indeed be difficult if she wasn't in human form. Moreover, with Shion being covered in fur, she was also the subject of the request, "Could you wait in a separate room until it's finished?"
Ren conceded that she might have felt bad if she were in Shion's position, but then added,
"But if that's the case, you didn't have to surprise me like that."
This time, a mischievous look surfaced on Shion's face.
"I apologize. I thought I might be able to cheer Ren-sama up a little."
"I see. ...Well, thank you, I think I'm cheered up."
Ren canceled her floating and sat down again, and Shion sat down next to her.
Feeling a little rude but unable to overcome her curiosity, Ren looked over and observed the girl's new form again.
She was a beautiful girl with a distinctly Japanese elegance, different from the fairy-like Iris or the doll-like Mei. She looked completely human, and there was no way to tell from her appearance that she was actually a Yōko. If anything, she was so beautiful that she looked unnaturally perfect for a normal human.
"Humanization... so you really become a human."
"Yes. It seems I can remain human as long as I don't use magic. If I try to use magic, it turns out like this—"
Shion reached out her right hand to the sky and fired a Water Blade.
Her hair color shifted from black to fox-brown, and two fox ears popped up on her head. Furthermore, a slit opened in the seat of her miko outfit, and a fluffy tail emerged.
"I seem to become a form that is a mix of human and Yōko."
"Wow, this is cute. Unlike me, both your ears and tail are fluffy."
"Thank you. But I also like Ren-sama's wings and tail."
"Thank you. ...Hey, Shion? Does your current appearance look like the original Shion?"
"Well... it is similar in some ways, and not similar in others. Perhaps just a faint resemblance."
It seemed she couldn't change her appearance freely, and this was the form she took when she humanized.
In other words, this was Shion's human form as a Yōko.
It was something similar yet different from the Shion of her high school days.
"But that's good. Being able to turn human is convenient in many ways."
"Yes. I feel like I'll be able to help out with various things from now on. The fox form is also comfortable once you get used to it, so I plan to stay in that form normally."
"Yeah. Everyone would be disappointed if they couldn't pet you anymore, so that's probably best. ...Including me, of course."
At Ren's additional murmur, Shion chuckled and said, "Then it's settled." Her gestures were elegant yet approachable. She perfectly fit the image of a shrine maiden.
The girl then tilted her head slightly.
"By the way, what was your worry, Ren-sama?"
"Ah, well. Actually, it's not really a problem."
Ren tried to gloss over it, but it didn't seem to work.
"If it wasn't a worry, you wouldn't be spaced out like that, would you? ...Or can I not be of help?"
"Ugh. Shion, that's cheating."
When the cute junior (in many ways) said that, Ren couldn't help but confess.
Feeling awkward, Ren looked at the sky.
"How should I put it? I don't really know how to reconcile my feelings anymore."
"Reconcile your feelings?"
"I've had a change of heart, so to speak. Or rather, my body changed more than my heart."
Shion blinked at the vague explanation.
"Um, that is, are you perhaps... pregnant?"
"N-No! Not yet... Ah!"
That was the definition of giving oneself away.
The girl's eyes widened slightly, perhaps having understood everything.
"Now that I think about it, I also owe you for the Art of the Bedchamber... Ren-sama can 'grow something on others,' right? By the way, with whom?"
"...Um, Furi and Iris."
Ren answered honestly, figuring there was no point in hiding it now.
After being pressed by Furi, Iris also claimed it was "unfair," leading to the inevitable situation.
And so, Ren was left with the feeling that something that had always been there was now gone, or rather, that her final bit of pride had crumbled. There was a lingering sense of being vague and elusive.
The true nature of that feeling was probably discomfort.
Shion nodded, saying, "I see..."
"Perhaps you are tired? ...You seem to be spending the night with someone almost every day, don't you?"
"Ah, yes. That's true, but..."
"?"
"That itself isn't a problem, actually. If anything, it's a source of energy for me. It's Furi and Iris who get tired."
The power of Energy Drain was terrifying.
Ren gained vitality just by being intimate with someone. It was, in a way, like eating a meal while having sex. While her stamina, her HP, did decrease slightly, she could just recover that with Heal.
Perhaps due to her succubus nature, she didn't feel mentally exhausted from spending the night with someone.
Frankly, Ren could go for it every day.
"Especially playing the role of the girl completely was really bad. It's like, once I got hooked, I couldn't pull myself out. I just wanted to keep going forever."
She was winning easily just by being forceful before, so this was bad.
If things continued this way, her partners might eventually say, with a tired expression, "I'm too tired; maybe next time."
"That sounds like marital trouble...?"
"It might be similar."
Furi might be thinking, "She hated it so much, but once she tried it, she got completely hooked."
"Generally, I think the woman is stronger when both parties have some experience. Men have a limit on the number of times, but women don't."
Moreover, men get a 'debuff' of reduced fighting spirit after each time. The only reason men win is that many women are less experienced and passive.
In reality, a femme fatale who can captivate many men occasionally appears—that's Ren's personal theory based on her experience.
Shion frowned upon hearing this.
"So, Ren-sama wants to have more sex. But you also want to let Furi-sama and Iris-sama rest, is that it? So, what are you planning to do?"
"Well, I thought maybe I should increase the number of partners."
Even if she limited her partners to women, there would be interested candidates.
Ren thought it was quite terrible to monopolize Furi and the others while seeking other partners for herself, but it was also a fact that the situation was different for the one who was satisfied with one partner and the one who wasn't satisfied unless they had more. Ren felt that if they couldn't talk it out and compromise, changing the nature of their relationship might be the only option.
"You've become quite assimilated to the Succubus nature."
"I know, right? But I also feel like this is who I am now."
"I understand. I also find myself assimilating to the Yōko nature."
It wasn't something they actively pursued; it just happened without realizing it.
Since they couldn't tell where the original self ended, it was difficult to resist or deny it, especially when it wasn't unpleasant.
The girl sighed softly.
"However, a party breaking up over romantic complications would be problematic. Please talk to both of them properly."
"Of course. I won't decide anything without hearing Furi and the others' opinions."
"That's good, then."
She gave a small smile and moved closer, their shoulders brushing gently.
"If you still need more partners after that, please ask for me."
Her voice was quiet and gentle, yet it made Ren's heart skip a beat.
Ren resisted the urge to reach out and touch her, replying.
"That's not something I can take as a joke."
"I don't mind. Perhaps it's an animal instinct, but I find your presence comforting, Ren-sama. I want to continue to be with you."
"...I see."
Ren nodded deeply at the unwavering reply.
A Succubus and a Yōko. They were both long-lived races. As long as Ren didn't return to being a man, they were almost certainly going to spend a long time together.
In that case, perhaps this was inevitable.
Ren looked into Shion's deep, black eyes and whispered.
"I want you, too, Shion. I want to touch you more, feel you, and convey my feelings directly."
"...Ren-sama. That is far too much of a killing blow."
The girl's face flushed crimson, and she instantly transformed back into her fox form.
Then, she rubbed her body against Ren's hip and flank.
"Please let me sleep beside you tonight as well."
That was the best answer.
-----------------
Afterward, Ren had a thorough conversation with Furi and the others.
She felt incredibly embarrassed talking about how her strong desires might lead her to demand too much sex, but perhaps because she was honest, the two of them understood her situation.
"I feel like I said something similar before, but it's fine. Our relationship is like this, and I'll forgive you if it's just cheating."
"I feel the same as Furi-san. ...I knew Furi-san was here from the start, and it doesn't change anything if others are added. As long as Ren-san stays by my side."
Furi's "if it's just cheating" meant that she wouldn't forgive Ren for becoming infatuated with someone new and abandoning them.
Iris's words were similar. Both of them were more concerned about the party breaking up or Ren leaving.
"Thank you. But are you two really okay with this? ...Won't it end up being too much of a sacrifice for just the two of you?"
Since she had the opportunity, Ren decided to ask all her questions. Furi looked a little irritated.
"To be honest, I hate it."
She shared her honest, unvarnished feelings.
"I want you to look only at me. I want you to live only for me, 24/7. It's unfair that I only love Ren, but Ren loves other girls too."
Her words were painful because they were so direct. As Ren listened, fully prepared to accept it all, the girl gave a wry smile.
"But it's also true that I'm getting too much myself. Even with Iris-chan's help, it's hard to satisfy Ren. If I push myself that hard every day, I'll definitely be exhausted. Even if my stamina holds up, I'll be mentally drained."
"Furi."
"So, I won't be that selfish. I don't want to fight with Iris-chan, Mei-chan, or Shion-chan, either. ...How does that sound?"
"...!"
Tears welled up in Ren's eyes.
Since becoming a woman, her emotions had become much more easily affected. Unable to suppress her feelings, she hugged the girl she loved and whispered, "Okay."
"I'll cherish you properly."
"Haha. ...Ren, you're squeezing too tight."
Furi's voice was embarrassed.
Looking at her, her face was bright red. It was partly from embarrassment, but also a sign of arousal. The close contact might have amplified the succubus charm.
Just as Ren was about to pull away in a panic, one of her arms was pulled back.
Iris, with a serious expression, embraced Ren.
"...Please love me properly too."
"...I will."
The girl who wrapped her arms around Ren had an unexpected heat emanating from her body.
Changing relationships and unchanging bonds.
Exchanging words in their daily lives, Ren and the others advanced through the dungeon one floor at a time.
The next challenge was the 35th floor.
It was an area where the challengers were given the objective of "protecting the Elf Forest from the Dark Elf invasion."
============
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