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The Hero Became a Succubus! - Chapter 200
🕑 Added 2023-07-18 01:42:37 +0000 UTCAlt link: https://docs.google.com/document/d/17g6wc9muqxkC_C2YRFCaxCeQAXJXWWnN2ioHM8E87c8/edit?usp=drive_link
Chapter 200
"Mom! Mom! Mom!" Suvee repeatedly jumped on Kanae's back until she woke up.
"Okay, I'm up…" Kanae groaned.
Today was the first day of Arum Taum, the octennial holiday which celebrated Saint Rue and his eight followers. As Suvee climbed off and ran circles around the room with her toy sword, Kanae turned to the empty space of the giant bed. Arenade would have been lying there. Getting used to waking up without her was going to be hard.
Kanae got changed and picked up Suvee, who was brimming with energy. They descended into the living and found her four hobgoblin children and Daya sitting on the floor, surrounding Moira in the middle of telling a story.
"And that's how your gram fought off a dire boar with nothing but a wheelbarrow!" Moira grinned.
"Oooh!" They applauded and asked for more until Kanae entered the room.
"Not off to Arum Taum yet?" Kanae asked.
Everyone deflated a little.
"We're waiting on Nelly," Mikki said. "He's in the backyard cheering Kanade up."
At this rate, Arum Taum was only going to be a reminder of Arenade's death. Kanae wasn't sure how to even begin talking about this sort of thing with her children.
"Hmph. One day soon, you're all going to be burying me." Moira huffed.
"No way, Gram! You're going to be with us for years to come, right?" Teana scooted closer to her grandmother, eyes red and voice quivering slightly.
However, the old goblin woman wasn't having it. She shook her head and sighed.
"This holiday that everyone's throwing a hubbub about? It's to celebrate Saint Whoever and his groupies who are long dead. People celebrate because who they were and what they did was important. If who Arenade was and what she did was important to you, then celebrate! Cheer! It's what she would have wanted," Moira explained, striking a chord in everyone who was in the room to hear.
"Gram's right." Pan shot to her feet and wiped her eyes. "I miss Auntie Arenade and want Auntie Edina to get better as much as you guys. But us sitting here isn't going to do shit. I want to go out and have fun. If Auntie Arenade is looking down at us from above, I want her to know we'll be just fine!"
One by one, the light returned to their eyes. It was as though a lasting shine from Arenade reflected off each one of them.
"I'll go get Nelly and Kanade," Teana said.
"Let me," Kanae insisted. "You girls go get changed. Going out in your jammies is a bad look."
Teana nodded, and then corralled the others upstairs with her.
"What I said goes doubly for you," Moira added.
"Thanks. Oh, by the way. Aisha might have found a mate last night," Kanae said on the way out.
"Now hold your horses! You can't just leave me here without going into detail!" she shouted to her back.
Like Mikki had said, Nelly and Kanade were outside. The high elven girl sat behind the gazebo, hugging her legs. Nelly sat beside her.
"How are you holding up, Nelly?" Kanae asked, letting Suvee down to go hug her sister.
"I'll be fine, I think." Nelly smiled stiffly. "I have to stay strong for Teana. She cried all day yesterday, but at least she doesn't turn people away. As for Kanade… I haven't been able to move an inch for an hour now!"
It was then that Kanae noticed a small bird building a nest on his head, since he was frozen solid.
"Kanade… Free your brother from your charm," Kanae said scoldingly.
The tension in Nelly's body vanished. He got up and shooed the bird from his head.
"Maybe I should have left the comforting to a succubus after all. I figured since we're siblings, I'd be able to get her to open up… It's been years, and I haven't once heard Kanade call me 'brother.'" Nelly sighed.
"You are a good brother, Nelly. Arenade would be proud. The girls are waiting on you. I'll take it from here." Kanae brushed the twigs and leaves from his head.
"Alright." He turned to leave, but suddenly whipped back around. "Kanade, your big brother will bring you something amazing from Arum Taum. Mom is gone, but I'm still here. I'll always be here for you!"
"Ehh? No fair. Get something for me, too!" Suvee pouted.
"Don't worry, Suvee. I haven't forgotten about you."
Suvee and Nelly looked more siblings than they did with Kanade. Kanae couldn't blame her if she didn't feel any familial bonds with him. When he headed off into the manor though, her wings and tail seemed to droop lower.
"What do you say about going to Arum Taum together?" Kanae asked, sitting down next to her grieving daughter.
"Let's go play, Kanade!" Suvee tugged on her unbudging arm.
Kanade responded with a shaking head.
At times like this Kanae wanted to ask Moira for help, but she couldn't rely on her all the time. It was a mother's job to comfort their child.
"This is my first Arum Taum, too. So, we'll be experiencing the festival together for the very first time. On the other hand, Aren— your mom, has probably celebrated it many times before. I was thinking… we can get an idea of how much fun she had in the past. If we miss this one, the next won't come for another eight years," Kanae explained.
It looked helpless until Kanade rose to her feet and grabbed Suvee's hand. Kanae watched her daughters walk a few steps ahead, then Kanade turned around with an expression of impatience. Relieved, she joined them in returning back to the manor.
The others were all changed and ready to go. As one big group, they made their way to the gates of Aidenhall alongside a mass of citizens like some sort of pilgrimage. The streets were awash when fallen leaves and flower petals thrown by the handfuls. People mosied about with large steins of beer in their hands. Musicians performed from the balcony of their windows to the citizens below. A few who went too hard on the eve of Arum Taum were passed out on the side of the buildings. When the crowds came to a stop, it was because they had reached as close as humanly possible.
"It warms my heart to see so many people coming to Radevic!" Grand Eye Analise bellowed from the top of the gate.
King Turren was by her side. There were four Saint Priests, dressed in heavier white religious garments, to their left and right. Circular panels of water formed all over the city. One appeared above Kanae's head. They reflected the Grand Eye as she spoke.
She continued, "Many of you may know, this is my first Arum Taum as the Grand Eye. In only a few years, our city has faced countless obstacles threatening our very livelihoods. These ordeals have led to great loss. For some of us, it has hit very close to our hearts."
Suvee and Kanade tightened their grips on Kanae's hands.
"However, Radevic, as was true since the days of Saint Rue and his disciples and remains true to this day, is home to the strong and courageous. Never forget those who have lived before us, and fight for those who will live after us! As the Grand Eye, I hereby announce that the first day of Arum Taum begins now!"
Everyone roared back in return, invigorated by the Grand Eye's speech. Even Kanae felt more emboldened to press on in these trying times.
As people began to shuffle away to other parts of the city, Kanae and her family mulled over where to go. Revah, Mikki, and Daya made way for the Illuminant Repository, because Marwin Fransk was holding an auction of ancient tomes in the great library. Nelly, Pan, and Teana, who carried Moira on her back in Aisha's absence, flew to the northern part of the city to participate in some friendly brawls.
The entire city was essentially an amusement park with amenities at every corner and alley. Kanae brought her daughters to the Radevic Branch of the Eminence of Sin first. They had something like a farmer's market going on. Vendor stalls with boxes of fresh vegetables and fruits were put on full display. All up for grabs.
"Queen Kanae, greetings!" A familiar dryad Kanae hadn't seen in ages waved to them from a stand.
"Tearal? What are you doing here?" Kanae asked.
"High Priestess Zadris tasked me to help. I'm among the crew who brought bushels of harvests to Radevic for Arum Taum. We've set up. Now, I'm just making and selling fruit juices. The fingercrab fertilizer really upped the quality on our crops!" Tearal extended a tentacle holding a stein full of sloshing juice to a passing man, who promptly grabbed it and drank without hesitation.
Suvee and Kanade's eyes were full of stars when they got their fruit smoothies. Ichi was here, too, along with Tess and her herd of gaurs. They were making milkshakes and ice cream, which Kanae's children quenched their insatiable thirst on.
"You three took your time," Gretchen said from the top of the church steps.
"I could do without carrying another crate of crops ever again." Esta sighed, descending alongside the former archbishop.
The children ran to meet them.
"Your faces are a mess." Gretchen wiped Suvee and Kanade's mouths with her sleeve.
"I don't see Lapis anywhere?" Kanae asked.
Esta thumbed over her shoulder. Lapis was inside the church. She had an apron and hairnet on, working alongside other priests of the church and passing food with a big smile on her face. They looked busy. It might be best not to trouble them today.
"My queen, we're serving Ortesian Gumbo today. Lapis has been a great help using her… mechanical assets in preparing it. Would you care to join?" Gretchen offered.
"Say what?! No, I think we'll take a raincheck… Is Meidina and Tabitha around?" Kanae asked.
"They left half an hour ago to deliver food around to the physically impaired. I believe they intend to return later in the evening," she said.
Finding them was a simple matter using Broodmother and Queen's Love. Though, Suvee and Kanade were both getting restless.
"I'll come back tomorrow then. Keep up the good work, Gretchen." Kanae smiled.
"Allow me to accompany you since my work here is done, Master." Esta joined the party, and the kids were more than happy to welcome their drakeling caretaker.
Before leaving, Gretchen, who had experienced several Arum Taums already, suggested they visit the uptown wards where citizens and businesses put together games for people to play. Suvee stopped in front of a game booth in which wands were laid out on the counter. Paper cut outs of demons were pinned to the wall in the back. But it was the prize of a small, wooden buckler that caught her attention.
"I want to play this!" Suvee ran over to the game.
"It's gonna be a gold piece to play. Each wand has five shots before needing to be recharged. Ya gotta hit at least four to get a prize," the beastman attendant said.
Kanae flipped two coins to him, and Suvee and Kanade picked up a wand each. When they fired, the small ice shots were wildly inaccurate. The two didn't hit a single one.
"Better luck next time." He smirked.
Suvee sulked, and that ticked off Kanade.
"Hrmph…" Kanade picked up another wand and fired it at the game attendant.
"Ouch! Oi, kid! Stop that!" the guy cried while being pelted by ice.
"This is stupid. Let's play something else." She got fed up and backed away from the game.
For some reason, Suvee wouldn't leave. Her tiny, shaking fingers clutched the last wand. It seemed like she really wanted to win. Kanae moved to go comfort her daughter, but Esta beat her to it.
"I understand why you want that shield," Esta began, bending down to place a hand on Suvee's shoulder. "It is why I carry mine. You're frustrated. I know that feeling very well. Think about the one you want that shield for, then fire."
"Okay!" Suvee sucked in a deep breath, focused on the target, and flicked the wand.
The first shot nailed a demon, as did the second, third, and… fourth.
"Atta girl." Esta patted her on the head.
"You did it!" Kanae gasped.
"I did it! Yay! Hehe~" Suvee flashed a toothless smile as the beastman attendant graciously accepted defeat and gave her the prize, a light wooden buckler suitable for a child to hold.
"It's just a toy. Why did you want that so badly?" Kanade returned to ask.
"You're always protecting me whenever I'm in trouble. Now it's my turn to protect you!" she exclaimed, proudly wielding both the toy sword and toy shield.
The other sister pursed her lips.
It was getting late. The sun was setting quickly, but the energy in Radevic hadn't waned at all. If anything, it grew more impassioned. Kanae, her daughters, and Esta decided to pay a visit to Teana's group in northern Radevic.
Much of the entertainment was concentrated in this part of the city, better known as Scarborough. The bars and taverns were packed to the brim, and they only made room whenever a patron too drunk to keep drinking was thrown onto the streets. People pitted dire beasts of the pygmy variety to face off like chicken fights.
Kanae sensed her other children ahead, among a crowd of people surrounding an old and long-dried canal now repurposed as a fighting pit. She picked up Kanade, and Esta picked up Suvee. They found Teana, Moira, and Pan closer to the edge, blocked off by a rope fence.
"Mama!" Teana beckoned to them.
"Where's Nelly?" Kanae asked.
"Nelly's fighting! Look!" Suvee pointed inside the canal.
The three of them glanced at the pit. Kanae followed their gazes to Nelly squaring off against a much larger, bulkier minotaur man clad in brown fur.
"I'm impressed. I did not take Nelly for someone to fight," Esta said.
"Heh. Men are all the same. It always comes down to fists. Gabrul was like this, too— Twist his dick! Twist it! Give him the ol dick twist!" Moira egged him on much to the utter shock of nearby spectators.
"Oh, my god, lady. Calm down!"
"This is a pit fight, not war!"
Nelly might need to do just that. Against a minotaur twice his size, even blocking those massive fists probably hurt. A lot. He was getting destroyed out there.
"Mom, you have to do something! Nelly might get seriously hurt!" Pan cried.
"What's he doing down there anyway?" Kanae winced at another hit Nelly took to the gut.
"There's a big stuffed animal prize for winning three fights. This is Nelly's third and last. We tried to get him to stop because all the participants were giant people, and this last guy, Tauros? He's a real hard hitter…"
"Huh? Back up. Why is there such a big contrast between bare knuckle fighting and a stuffed animal prize?" she asked.
"One of the sponsors is the president of a company that makes toys for children. He's apparently a big fan of these fights and grew up around them. A lot of the fighters are either dads or guys trying to impress their girlfriends. B-But I'm worried, too… I've never seen Nelly like this before. I wonder if it's because of what happened to Auntie Areanade," Teana explained.
"It's… because of me," Kanade muttered, fingers digging into Kanae's shoulders.
Right. Earlier in the day, Nelly promised to get something for Kanade. Was he really putting himself in harm's way for that?
The minotaur man named Tauros punted Nelly into the wall, then walked circles around the canal to soak in the cheers.
"Give up, puny dark elf. You don't stand a chance against these muscles. Mmmph!" Tauros flexed in all sorts of poses to show off his physique.
"I… can't… I'm taking that prize back to my little sister," Nelly said, picking himself up.
"Hm? What was that? I couldn't hear you over the sound of your pained groans! Bwuahaha!" The minotaur laughed heartily, drawing the crowd into joining him.
"We recently lost our mom, so it's been really hard on everyone. Especially her. As for me? As her older brother, I have a duty to make sure she's happy. Bring it, you overstuffed cow. I'm not finished just yet!" He lifted his fists and refused to back down.
"Kanade, isn't there something you can say to cheer Nelly on? Do you want him to win?" Kanae asked her worried daughter.
Nelly and Tauros traded blows again.
"Don't give up…" Kanade said quietly only to realize that Nelly couldn't hear, so she cupped her mouth and tried again. "Don't give up, Nelly!"
"Kanade?!" Nelly searched the stands.
"Eyes front, kid!" Tauro threw a hard straight, but it came to an abrupt stop.
Nelly side-stepped the punch, dipped underneath the minotaur man's gaze, and launched an uppercut at his jaw. The hit left him reeling. Tauro staggered back, eyes spinning and slack-jawed. He fell backwards and kicked up a cloud of dust. Everyone went quiet, then erupted into frenzied cheers.
"Holy crap. Way to go, Nelly!" Pan shouted.
"Kyaaa! You're so cool, Nelly!" Teana jumped up and down.
"Gods damn. Looks like the future of my great grandchildren is secured!" Moira cheered, causing Teana and Pan to turn bright red.
They helped Nelly out of the canal. He was bruised all over and had a black right eye. The audience parted ways to let an organizer through, a tall human man with arms thicker than tree trunks and chest built like a galleon.
"You fought well, kid. I heard ya little speech. Kinda corny if ya ask me, but I respect it. Hope ya little sister likes this." The man twirled his finger in the air, and another human man carted in a life-sized stuffed dire teddy.
They shook hands, but Nelly pulled away blowing on his own. He looked up just as Kanae put Kanade down.
"Oh, what the hells. It really was you I heard earlier. Well, so much for surprise. I, uh… wanted to win you this. Figured it might make you smile. I know it won't bring mom back, but… if it can make you feel a little better, then all my broken bones are worth it," Nelly said.
"Stupid…" Kanade climbed into the cart and buried her face into the dire teddy's head. "Thanks… big brother…"
Tears streamed down Nelly's cheeks.
"Awww! Aren't you glad?" Teana and Pan massaged his shoulders from behind.
"I waited five years to hear her call me that…" Nelly sniffled, putting an arm over his eyes.
"Nellyyyy! What about me?" Suvee jabbed him in the stomach with the tip of the toy sword.
"Ow, Suvee! Okay, at least let me drink a potion before I go in there again!"
Once the sun set, street lights switched on to keep the festivities going. However, for Kanae's family, exhaustion began to set in. Suvee had fallen asleep in Kanae's arms. Pan and Teana fell asleep to either side of Nelly. They hailed a Rown carriage to bring them home. The two dire teddies were so large, Esta had to carry both for Kanade and Suvee.
The children retired to their rooms and promptly passed out. Moira did, too. It didn't look like Mikki, Daya, and Revah were back yet. Kanae brought Suvee and a dire teddy to her room, but Kanade was still awake in the living room with the other.
"Aren't you glad you came with us today?" Kanae asked, sitting opposite of the stuffed toy Nelly had won for Kanade.
"Everyone was thinking about me… I feel bad for making them worry," Kanade said.
"That's because they love you. Family looks out for each other. They're your sisters after all."
"It's just that… they were talking about Uncle Mitty a lot. Everyone was laughing and having fun. I couldn't stand it, so I went outside… Do you miss mom, too?" she asked.
"Every single day. Your mom is the best thing that's ever happened to me— the same goes for all of you, obviously! But without her, I wouldn't have had you."
Kanade dropped her head into Kanae's lap. She brushed the hair from her daughter's face.
"I want to hear about mom. Any is fine. I want to know more about mom the way you know her," Kanade said.
"Let's see. What kind of stories can I tell you about Arenade? Well, there's a lot that I'm definitely not telling you until you're older… Oh, I know! Aha… I can't stop grinning just thinking about it. The very first time I met your mom, she was a homeless beggar. Want to know how she got there in the first place?" Kanae asked.
They talked well into the evening. Kanae retold fond memories and stories of their adventures. She had a treasure trove of them. Eventually, Kanade fell asleep. She carried her daughter upstairs and laid her down next to Suvee. Like magnets, the two of them searched for each other's hands in their sleep and locked their fingers tight.
After tucking them in, Kanae returned downstairs when Esta burst through the front door in panic.
"Master, outside!" Esta exclaimed breathlessly.
To Kanae's surprise, the Grand Eye, Eliza, and all eight Saint Priests were in front of her manor. They were flanked by a small army of Aidenhall knights.
"Amethyst, Silver! With us. We're heading to the western gate!" Analise whistled for a knight to dismount and offer his languisteed to Esta.
"What's going on?" Kanae asked and departed along with them in a mad dash.
"A surprise guest has invited themselves to the city without forewarning. We shall meet them there," she said.
Kanae noted the tense look on Eliza and the Saint Priests' faces. What could possibly put them all on edge? The most telling was Vestrid, whose demeanor was pale and shaken.
People jumped out of the way and pulled aside their belongings to avoid being trampled. The Aidenhall group arrived at the western gate in time to intercept another, sizable army. Their flag bearers beheld banners of the One and a dragon's skull— the symbol of Rotandrix.
"It can't be…" Esta gasped.
Street lights and torches illuminated a hundred drakelings clad in plate armor. A dozen of them at the head of the army rode on giant, dire salamanders, whose flicking tongues tasted the tension in the air. A lone drakeling knight dismounted from her beast. A waterfall of crimson hair cascaded out from the back of the closed helmet. She stood at a massive eight feet, each step causing quakes in the ground.
"Your ladyship. You could have sent a letter to inform us of your coming. It would have given us ample amount of time to set up a banquet to welcome you," Grand Eye Analise said in a very sustained, polite manner but not without its edge.
"If everyone who intends to visit Radevic sent a letter, your poor couriers and postmasters would cry. Besides, it's Arum Taum. We're here to celebrate… and yet, during a time of rejoicing, my wayward daughter doesn't appear happy to see me. Oh, no matter. We shall have plenty of time to catch up. Have you been well, Estaline?" The drakeling woman pulled off her helmet, revealing a stern and proud mien.
"Daughter?" Kanae turned to the trembling Knight of Silver.
"Hello, Mother. What really brings you to Radevic?" Esta growled.
