❖ 13 ❖

"So, what do you think?" I asked, posing in what was, in my mind, just about the most regal pose over struck as I showed off my kingly finery to Radiata.

And, really, I'd earned it. I'd worked my ass off to get as far as I'd come. I had to spend a whole day as a tiny, helpless little twerp. But, like Radiata had told me time and time again, Suzume's body was full of limitless power, and even if I was borrowing it, I can tap into it all the same! Sure, it took so much concentration that I'd nearly boiled my brain, but I churned up the magic lying in the Demon King’s immortal body to restore myself to glory!

…Mostly.

"I think," Radiata said, casting a frustrated glare my way, "that you barely look like you've left middle school."

How dare you?!

"I don't! I so don't!!!" I insisted, gracefully hiding the fists I'd thrown out to my sides in a huff behind my back, trying not to get too irritated by how the sleeves totally swallowed up my hands.

This outfit was meant to be skintight on Suzume's figure, but despite all the very hard work I'd put in, it seemed my body wasn't quite there yet, and instead her finery was at risk of slipping off entirely at a moment's notice.

Which, I mean, definitely had an appeal. Mesugaki demon king at constant risk of a wardrobe malfunction? Damn, I need to find myself a mangaka to make that a reality when I'm done with this…

"I-I look like a highschooler, at least!" I insisted, pulling myself away from the strongest creative spark I'd ever felt in my life.

"You're acting like a middle schooler, too…" Radiata sighed.

"Nuh-uh! I'm…"

…Are you even listening to yourself, Rina?

Okay, I totally sounded like a teen. And looked like one. And apparently thought like one…mostly. Ugh, at least it was better than kid brain.

Shit, why was I even proud of this in the first place?! I haven't matured at all, have I?!

"...Point taken," I conceded, wincing at the crack in my voice as I rolled my shoulders to keep my clothes from falling off.

"But you don't have to be so rude about it. I'm trying my best, OK?"

"Are you, truly?" Radiata asked, her hands on my shoulders feeling more like a dagger in the back as she led me over to Suzume's closet and, after some consideration, pulled out a fashionable ensemble that looked like it came right off the cover of a teen fashion magazine.

"I've been working hard from the moment I first woke up with feathers, dummy!" I insisted, sticking out my tongue at her as angrily as possible. It was childish, sure, but…well, I guess it just felt good, and I am still a succubus at heart even if I'm a birdbrain physically. Feeling good’s my whole thing.

Radiata clicked her tongue, but largely let my insult slide as she got me dressed.

"Oooh, so cute~!" I swooned over the adorbs outfit, before realizing it was my age talking and trying to move on with a cough.

"Not that this isn't very mature and refined," I started to ask, not even managing to convince myself that I looked like anything but a teen in it, "but why does Suzume have this? She goes from kid to adult in no time, right?"

"Well…" Radiata started, her words hanging heavily in the air for so long that I had to sneak a glimpse back at her face.

Wait, what?! Why's she look so embarrassed? I don't think I've seen her so much as blush before, but she’s super bright red!

~~~

It had been a particularly rowdy, drink-filled night between Radiata and Suzume, the two of them celebrating something that was far less memorable than the night that came afterwards.

“Ah, this is so cute, Radiata! Don’t you think it’ll look wonderful on me?” Suzume asked, pointing at a shop listing on her phone.

“It will, it will!” Radiata happily, drunkenly nodded. “Let’s make it a pair! I wanna wear it too?”

“You do?! Oh, we’ll look so radiant in matching outfits! That’s a great idea, Radiata!”

“...But…you think it’ll fit?” Radiata asked, her face completely flushed.

“It’ll fit, it has to! I’m a king, Radiata! I’ll make it—*hic*—bend to my will! So I’ll make it fit on you, too!”

…And a particularly sober morning after, where she and the king eagerly tried on the outfits that they’d been so sure would fit just perfectly.

“...Tell no one of this, Radiata…” Suzume said, grimacing at a tear in the seam around the hips.

“...I’ll take it to my grave, My Lord…” Radiata groaned, grumpily covering the rips in the fabric over her tummy.

❖❖❖

I've totally got to tease her over this, right? There's gotta be a juicy story here!

Radiata quickly cut me off before I could, though.

“...Lord Suzume believes in preparedness above all else,” she said, though the line sounded about as fake as they come.

“But no matter how prepared she may have been, there’s simply no way we can present you like this. I’d hoped you might be fully grown today, but you clearly weren’t dedicated enough. The folly lies with me, I suppose.”

Hey, come on! I said I was trying my best, here! It's not my fault that I've never been a phoenix, or a king, or in Hell, or the teenaged phoenix king of Hell…

I could tell the teenage hormones were really hitting, but that didn't mean I could do anything about them.

But like, do even better than your best! You let these feelings get the better of you and you’ll grow up to be another Yuuki…

Not that that sounds too bad, she’s super cool and cute and-

I shook my head, pushed all the increasingly loud teen thoughts outta my brain, and shot Radiata a defiant look, showing her that I really meant business. “It’s not my fault! None of you even told me about this phoenix stuff until it was way too late! And how was I expected to get any older when I spent a whole day being treated like a little kid?! If anything, the fact that I’m not still all teensy’s proof of how great I’m doing!”

“You cried so much. It seemed like you were in dire need of pampering,” Hisoka said, chuckling coolly to herself. I'm uhh…I'm gonna be honest, I think teen brain's hitting even harder than I thought, because suddenly I was down crazy for big Hisoka. Had she always been such a hunk?! Like goddamn, girl. You've got soooo much muscle, and you're so tall and stacked, too. Ohhh, the things you could do to me…

“Besides, you seemed to enjoy it. You were so energetic and excitable, playing with me until you got all tuckered out and fell asleep right on top of me,” she said, sighing like a wistful parent.

“H-hey, my brain was making it hard to think straight, it's not my fault that made me wanna play with you! And like-”

“And now you're already in your rebellious phase…” she muttered, looking out at the horizon through one of my windows. “Just where does the time go…? I wish I could turn back the clock…”

She smiled, then wiped a tear out of the corner of her eye before turning back to face me.

“But you know what? I'm happy you grew up so wonderfully, Lord Suzume. You're a wonderful king, through and through.”

Hngh!!!!

Crap crap crap. Her smile was so dazzling, my heart felt like it was going to explode.

Still, I had to stand my ground.

“L-listen, Hisoka? You know it's only been a day, right? And I'm not in my rebellious phase. I'm in my thirties!”

And no, I definitely didn’t flinch at how old that sounded to me now. Not even a little bit!

“She’s at such a delicate age,” Radiata said, joining Hisoka by the window and gently taking her hand. “But with you raising her, I have no doubts she’ll get through it, and become a truly splendid adult.”

“Don’t join in, Radiata! You’re being so mean!” I shouted, crossing my arms and holding back tears with everything I had.

Guh, teen brain’s the worst…

All the compulsiveness of childhood mixed with my emotions flaring out of control at the slightest thing. This is hell…

“On the contrary, everything I do is for your benefit. We can’t show you off like this, you’d be seen through in no time at all, but you can’t take a second Day of Cleansing in a row…” Radiata said, spinning on her heels to face me, sizing me up before giving me a small nod, an idea clearly having come to her mind. “Wait here a moment, Lord Suzume.”

“Hmph, fine,” I pouted, blushing furiously as it sunk in how childish my voice sounded. I really needed to reach adulthood again soon…

Radiata left for just a moment, giving neither Hisoka nor myself much time to really talk more about any of this. Which was just as well. Knowing how much Hisoka got into babying me, she’d probably try and give me a talk about the birds and the bees like this. Even though I know all about that, obviously.

…Shut up, I know how I sound. Stupid jerk.

“Here you are, My Lord,” Radiata said, presenting me with—

“Wh-what the hell is this meant to be?” I asked, my eye twitching at the sight.

“Your uniform for the day, Lord Suzume.”

“Absolutely not,” I shook my head. “No way am I wearing that in front of other people, Radiata!”

❖❖❖

I can’t believe she forced me to wear it…

“As many of you know,” Radiata started, addressing the massive crowd of people I would once more be advising, “Today marks the anniversary of the battle of the Lamian Gorge, often considered to be one of Lord Suzume’s greatest victories. She triumphed over insurmountable odds, all while keeping every single soldier under her command alive.”

The crowd filled with excited murmurs, as everyone discussed this miraculous victory that I didn’t know even the first thing about.

“In remembrance of that day, Lord Suzume is clad in the armor that led her to victory, which has been lovingly maintained all these years. Take pride: you are the first members of demonkind to gaze upon it since that fateful day.”

“Oh, I’ve gotta get a photo!” someone excitedly shouted, doing just that before countless others joined in, all commemorating the apparently exceedingly rare occasion.

N-no wait, don’t! Don’t get a photo of me wearing this!

I was hidden away, kind of, yet that didn’t make this any less embarrassing. If it wouldn’t completely break my cover, I’d bury my face in my hands right then and there. Why the hell did this armor have to be so ugly?!

I’m wearing a tin can, this isn’t fair! It’s not cute at all! This sucks.

Teen brain was absolutely making this worse, but it really was ugly-as-sin, covering every single inch of my body behind masses of what looked like black steel, yet weighed more than a human could ever hope to lift. For someone as stylish and pretty as Suzume, it felt so wrong putting her body in an outfit designed entirely for functionality and nothing else. Plus it fit terribly. If the king’s finery had been loose on me before, this was a thousand times worse, weighing me down and leaving me feeling like I’d been forced into a ridiculous mascot and paraded around in front of thousands.

I wanna die. I wanna die so bad…

No wait, then I’ll get even smaller, and I’ll have to wear this crap again! Ugh, keep on living! Even if I’ve gotta be a hag again, at least I can get outta this suit!

Please, please, please ignore that I was calling my adult self a hag. Look, this shit’s doing a number on me, OK?!

“Are you ready to begin, Lord Suzume?” Radiata looked at me, and I saw the faintest glimmer of a smirk on her face.

Don’t enjoy this, you jerk!!!

The idea, of course, was that the armor would hide me from view and muffle the more…childish qualities of my voice. It’d probably work, sure, but…guh.

Still, I had to do my job.

“Yep, I-”

The glare Radiata wore was sharp enough to murder me.

“...Indeed,” I corrected, fighting the teenage urge to call all this kingly speak lame. “Let us speak freely, my citizens. I only ask that you do not linger on the battle that we honor today. I am far more concerned with your present than my past.”

The first demon stepped forward and greeted me, as per usual, with an eager smile. Though I’m not sure how they could, with how scary I looked in this crap.

“Good day, My Lord! It’s an honor to bask in your presence.”

“The honor is all mine,” I responded. “Your smile is proof of the success of my reign.”

“You’re so sweet, My Lord,” The demon chuckled bashfully. “And you know, your voice sounds particularly lovely today! Very sweet and youthful, it’s adorable!”

“A-adorable…” I sputtered, caught off guard by how brazen the demon was being.

Crap, the armor doesn’t hide my voice at all!

“D-did I speak out of turn, My Lord?!”

You can’t just flirt with a king like thaaaat! I thought, my maidenly heart pounding at the compliment.

“...No, not at all,” I said, clearing my throat. “Think nothing of it. The armor is designed to hide my voice somewhat, so that I am harder for my foes to identify in battle.”

“I don’t think I’d have the heart to fight someone who sounds so cute… A brilliant plan, My Lord!” the demon praised me. Man, it sure is nice when people eat up whatever you say…

All told, the workday went by pretty comfortably. I received…more than a few comments about my voice, but most of Hell’s citizens were far too taken by the chance to speak with Lord Suzume to worry much about it. Plus, I already liked talking to the citizenry, and teen brain made chatting away that much more fun. I had to hold back a surprisingly strong urge to gossip with more than a few demons, but I maintained my composure pretty well, all things considered.

…Even if I just knew I’d bombard Radiata and Hisoka with gossip later. There was only so much I could do to stifle my inner middle schooler.

“Thank you for speaking with me, Lord Suzume! I’ll never forget this.”

“Indeed, I’ll hold this memory close to my breast as well,” I nodded, making sure not to let the helmet fall right off of me as the last demon I needed to advise turned to leave. “Fare thee well. I eagerly await our next meeting.”

“Mm, me too! Take care, My Lord!” the demon grinned, waving eagerly as she reached the exit.

Yet before I could really relax, there was an odd commotion coming from outside the door to the audience hall.

“Ma’am, my sincere apologies, but Lord Suzume is done taking guests for the day. Please return in three days' time,” I heard a guard tell someone.

I can meet with one more person, it’s not that big a deal…

“You recognize me, do you not?” came a voice so gentle that I could barely hear it from here. 

“I do, but even so…”

“Then you know that I once served as one of Lord Suzume’s trusted advisors. She’d undoubtedly be willing to meet with an old friend.”

Oh shit.

An old friend?! That’s no good! I can play Suzume decently well enough in front of random citizens, but there was no way I could keep up the act in front of someone Suzume actually knew. Radiata and Hisoka seemed to know this too, visibly tensing up. Radiata gave Hisoka a small nod, and she headed for the door, hurrying to shoo away the unexpected visitor.

Though before she could…

“Oh, cut the crap,” came a loud, boisterous voice that…sounded shockingly familiar. “We’re comin’ in, yer kingship!”

Wait, Wakaba?!

Before any of us could do anything, the doors swung open, the drunken oni I’d once stumbled into crotch-first burst into the audience hall, with a pair of demons on her shoulders.

“Yo, Lord Suzume~! That armor’s like, so wild~! Kyahaha, I’ve gotta get a pic, it’ll blow up for sure!”

“Suzume, it’s been a dreadfully long time. It’s marvelous to see you again.”

Yuuki?! And Adri, too?!

It felt as though all the air had been sucked out of the room. I was too nervous to move a muscle, and out of the corner of my eye, I could tell Radiata felt the exact same way.

These were people I knew and loved, yet…they could undo everything Radiata and Suzume had trusted me with. Even if I’d been forced into this position, I understood exactly how bad it’d be if I was caught out. A part of me wanted to say something, to talk to them like I usually would, but…I couldn’t. I just couldn’t.

Them being here was a security risk, plain and simple.

Radiata composed herself as best she could, and approached the trio.

“Adri Est Vir Sida, you understand that what you are doing is a breach of the law, do you not?”

Adri let out a small sigh.

“Come now, Radiata, is that any way to greet an old friend?”

“We were co-workers, and-”

“Whew, and I’m the one who’s meant to be frosty, Raracchi~!” Yuuki giggled. “You’re lucky tsunderes are mega-popular, or we’d be kinda hurt~!”

“I’m not being frosty or a tsundere, thank you very much, Yuuki. And you don’t have my permission to use that nickname during working hours, so-”

“Ya need a drink?” Wakaba offered. “No better way ta loosen up around friends than with some booze, yeah?”

“Oooh, right, you’ve never met her, have you, Wacchan? Coffee’ll really get her buzzing! It’s soooo cute, she’s such a fun drunk~!” Yuuki laughed.

“I am not, and that’s hardly relevant!” Radiata huffed.

“...Do they know each other, My Lord?” Hisoka asked me, leaning in close and whispering into my ear.

“...Seems like it. I know them too…” I whispered back. “...They’re family...”

Hisoka flashed me a sympathetic smile, instantly understanding how difficult this situation was for me.

“Need me to get them out of here? Radiata seems like she’s struggling on her own…”

“I…I uhh…”

I really didn’t want to shoo them away. Much as I knew it was risky, I couldn’t bring myself to say anything.

“I’ll hold off for now. But if you need anything, I'm here.” Hisoka told me, standing by my side as we watched Radiata try her best to handle things.

Thanks, Hisoka. You're the best.

…and not just because you're a mega hottie…

“I must insist that you leave immediately. We have urgent matters to attend to,” Radiata told them.

“I understand, but a visit such as this should surely be permitted, no? I care for this realm too, and the condition of the court concerns me greatly,” Adri told her.

“There’s no need for concern, Lord Suzume is doing wonderfully.”

“My dearest sister also asked me to pass something along on her behalf. May I at least do that much?”

Oh fuck.

They…they know.

Radiata seemed ready to usher them away, but she knew just how futile this was too. She looked back at me, and I gave an order.

“My guests will be joining me for dinner this evening,” I started. “All staff save for my personal attendants are dismissed.”

Adri looked at me and smiled gently, before mouthing a small, “thank you.”

“Any objections, Raracchi?” Yuuki

“...None whatsoever,” Radiata sighed, standing down as everyone else filed out of the room.

None of us, not even the always-chatty Yuuki, had a thing to say until every single member of staff had filed out, leaving us well and truly alone.

And when they had, well.

“Oh? Is it alright for her to remain nearby?” Adri asked, looking at Hisoka.

“You…you can see me?” Hisoka asked, a little bit of her shyness slipping into her voice.

“Is that strange?” she asked, tilting her head curiously.

“N-no, it’s just, umm…”

Poor Hisoka, she was blushing furiously. I wondered how long it’d been since anyone had noticed her so easily. Still, I can't say it wasn't getting me fired up, seeing her hunky big body getting all embarrassed like this. I'm kinda stunned she didn't shrink down, she sure seemed ready to.

Careful now, Adri might end up marrying you, too.

…And like, I don't think I'm into NTR, but that kinda humiliation is…oh wow, that's…that's kinda hot…

I couldn’t help but let out a giddy giggle. It felt silly, but…well, my dumb horny brain cut through the tension in the air, so I could hardly complain. Teen thirst was good for something, I suppose. I was definitely going back down the road to muttdom, and I was extremely grateful for it.

“Hisoka is a trusted attendant to the King. She stays,” Radiata told the group.

“I can tell, my puppy’s laughter was more than enough to show me that,” Adri chuckled. “Could you set me down, Wakaba?” she asked, before being gently lowered to the floor.

“Hey, I-I’m no puppy, so…” I mumbled, my cheeks feeling hotter and hotter with every step Adri took closer to me. I could see Radiata wince as she approached the throne, before reaching forward to gently grab my helmet.

I stiffened up, and wanted to object, but…I didn’t. Nobody did. 

Adri lifted my helmet, gave me a warm, endlessly sweet smile, and kissed the top of my head.

“There, there, puppy. There’s nothing to be scared of.”

I let out a small sob, before she pulled me toward her chest, and gently pet my head.

“You’ve been working awfully hard these past few days, haven’t you, Rina?”

I couldn’t say why, maybe it was just my teenage brain kicking my hormones into overdrive.

But as she pet me, I started to wail.

“My Lord…” I heard Radiata whisper, stunned to see her king reduced to tears, no doubt.

“Adriiii!” I cried, as my vision was entirely blotted out by tears. 

“There there, let it all out… It’s been hard, being separated from everyone, hasn’t it?”

“It has, it has! I miss you all so much!” I sobbed.

“Awww, Rinarin…” Yuuki said, joining in on holding me close.

“We gotcha, pup. We’re always in yer corner,” Wakaba said, cradling all of us in her big, strong arms.

“Adri, Yuuki, Wakaba… I-I…I…” I smiled through my tears, before they overwhelmed me once more. “I’m so happy to see you!”

I couldn’t remember the last time I’d cried quite so hard.

❖❖❖

“You’re suuuuch a cute teenager, Rinarin~! Gosh gosh gosh, this fit’s adorbs, too!” Yuuki smiled, fussing over me at the dinner table. “I’ve gotta bring more clothes sometime! I’m gonna have so much fun with my JK king~!”

“For real?! Oh, that’d be crazy fun! We’ve gotta try on all kinds of-”

Shit, no, you’re not actually a teen, keep it together, girl…

“S-sorry, my emotions are all outta whack right now… I feel like I'm turning into you, Yuuki…”

“Mm, a true JK, through and through~!” Yuuki giggled. “Worse comes to worst, I'll keep you as my little sis, ‘K?”

“You may do no such thing,” Radiata scolded, as per usual. “But I'm glad she’s older than she was this morning. High school is a step forward, I suppose.”

“An’ yer pretty used ta bein’ a brat anyway,” Wakaba chuckled, pouring herself a particularly massive cup of sake. “Hell, yer bigger than usual! ‘Cept yer ass. I think yer body’s got ya beat, there,” she said, leaning over to check me out, before I bashfully covered up my butt. Guh, having inhibitions was doing a number on me. Even just peeking was getting me stupidly flustered.

“D-don’t peek at Lord Suzume's bottom!” Radiata huffed, only making me more embarrassed.

No no, keep staring! Ohh, I've needed some humiliation so bad!

“Mm, don’t tease her too much, Wakaba. She’s going through a lot. Aren’t you, puppy?” Adri asked.

“I-I’m fine, really,” I told them, smiling softly as I calmed myself down, doing my very best to not picture just how fun it’d be if Wakaba went further. Ohhh, she could dethrone me anytime…

A-anyway…

“It was a shock, sure, but Radiata and Hisoka have been here for me, and the work’s not been too hard, so…”

“Yet you cried your heart out when you saw us.”

“Just…nice to see family, ahaha… I was overwhelmed, that’s all.”

“I’m glad we could hold such a special place in your heart,” Adri smiled, gently petting my hair.

“Oh… Wan wan…” I barked softly, nuzzling her palm happily. Haaah, this felt good. I missed Adri’s petting more than I could’ve possibly known.

“Ah! You're so cute when you bark, Lord Suzume!” Hisoka squeaked, dropping down to her tiny size in an instant before happily petting me. “Such a sweet little puppy…”

Look, my heart pounded for hunk Hisoka, but little sweetie Hisoka was doing things to me too. Fuck, she'd be such a fun owner…

“Oh! She shrunk too! Wow~!” Yuuki grinned, snapping photos of Hisoka and I together. “A total hunk and a little cutie all at once! Mm, you’re the total package, girl~!”

“Uwaahhh! N-no pictures, please! I-I'm such a shrimp, so-”

No no, more! You've gotta post ‘em, too! Show off the king being treated like a loser mutt! I need the people to think I'm dirt, please!

Whoof, teen brain was making me painfully horny. I honestly think I'm better at holding back as an adult, and that’s a pathetically low hurdle to get over.

“You're adorbs! And you do such a 180 when you're little! Oooh, I kinda wanna keep you!” Yuuki giggled.

“Hisoka is not yours to keep!” Radiata insisted. “And refrain from such humiliating acts, you two! Rina Saeki needs to commit herself to her role as king, and petting only distracts her from that!” Radiata insisted, pulling me away from Adri and Hisoka both.

“Ah, is she your current owner, then, Rinarin?” Adri asked.

Hoo, fuck. My…my owner? Oh shit, I guess she kinda is, huh?! Radiata could put a collar on me while I’m on the throne, parading me around like her pet in front of everyone. Fuck fuck fuck. Gimme that…

“N-nobody owns Lord Suzume, no matter who occupies her body,” Radiata huffed, trying and failing to cut my dreams down to size. “Though…I am keeping a close eye on her, yes.”

“Oooh, you’re lucky, Rinarin~! Raracchi’s mad scary, but she’ll protect you from aaaanything. Couldn’t ask for a better bodyguard.”

“I’m not even slightly scary, and-”

“Hisoka’s tougher, and she’s not a jerk,” I spat, sticking my tongue out at the thoroughly annoyed Radiata. I figured that with enough persistence, I’d piss her off so bad she’d feel like she had to treat me like a pet.

“An’ you ain’t into that? I thought you liked bein’ treated like dirt,” Wakaba asked, after swallowing a massive bite of tender, perfectly-cooked meat. Say what I will about Radiata, she really was a world-class chef.

“I mean, I’m not not into it… To be honest, I need more so bad, I'm going crazy without it…” I admitted, letting out a deeply horny laugh, before sighing deeply. “But I’ve gotta hide that in this body, sadly… It’s the worst…”

“You pervert… You should be so grateful that My Lord’s body has given you the chance to purge your pathetic traits,” Radiata growled.

“Ohhhh, see, that’s more like it…” I sighed happily, reflexively holding my hands up like paws. “Wan wa~n!” I barked, letting the satisfaction just wash right over me.

“Aw, is that why you became a rebellious teen, Lord Suzume? Do I need to scold you more?” Hisoka asked, before taking a deep breath and pointing right at me, “Y-you big dummy!”

Her words didn’t hurt in the slightest. There was no way they could, yet my heart felt like it'd been pierced right through, all the same.

Cute cute cute! You’re so cute, Hisoka!!!

“You’re doing great, Hisoka,” I smiled, wiping a tear from my eye. “That was perfect.”

“Putting aside a certain someone’s perversion…” Radiata started, flashing me a quick, beautifully harsh glare before turning to face Adri. “What do you hope to achieve by coming here? If you aim to remove Rina Saeki from her position as temporary ruler, then I’m afraid none of you will leave this room alive.”

“Ohhh, you wanna go?” Wakaba asked, leaning in close to Radiata with a fierce grin. “Bet you’d make some real good stress relief…”

“And you’re not even good enough to become a stain on my knife,” Radiata threatened, her voice thick with malice. “Hisoka can take you, you’ll serve well as a training dummy.”

“I-I hardly need training, my spearhand is top-notch…” Hisoka said, mumbling as though she were embarrassed by that fact. “I'll follow your orders, Ma’am, b-but please reconsider! They're way too nice! Don't make me fight them!” Hisoka sobbed as she hid away behind me. Honestly, I could hardly believe that she and the cool girl who'd been watching over me were the same person.

“Ah, it’s OK, Hisoka! Nobody’s fighting!” I assured her, firmly squeezing her hand. Damn, there’s something here. It…it feels kinda good to be relied on, uehehehe…

Mind outta the gutter, dumbass, she’s freaked out.

 “Radiata, cut the crap! That’s no way to treat my family!” I yelled.

“But My Lord, I-”

“Mm, listen to yer master,” Wakaba taunted. “Back off, or ya might get hurt.”

“Wakaba, down,” Adri cautioned, adopting a terrifyingly cold tone that stopped the oni dead.

“Mmm, no throwing hands, you two!” Yuuki shouted, making an X shape with her arms. “This is a friendly visit, Wacchan!”

“You expect me to simply accept her insults, then?” Radiata started. “And in the presence of Lord Suzume, no less! Why, I-”

I grabbed Radiata’s hand, and looked her in the eyes, hoping she’d see just how badly I wanted her to stop.

She let out a sigh, then stayed her blade, while Wakaba slumped back in her seat, taking a massive swig from her gourd.

“Ahaha, gotta say,” Wakaba grinned, “Yer real fierce! Just one look at your eyes told me my life was in serious danger! You ever wanna blow off some steam, gimme a holler, yeah?”

“I have more serious matters to tend to,” Radiata folded her arms over her chest. “But if it would make you happy, then perhaps one day…”

I let out a massive, intensely relieved sigh.

“Alright, everyone’s friends here, see?” I assured Hisoka.

“Shrimp’s got some fight in her too. That bigger form is quite somethin’. I don’t even know if Adri could take her down like that,” Wakaba smirked.

“Well, I am a royal guard, after all…” Hisoka said, looking shockingly proud of the compliment.

“My dearest sister asked me to check up on you, puppy,” Adri said, calmly moving the conversation along as she sipped at her tea. “She’s well aware that her pet’s been absent, and hoped I might provide some emotional support.”

“She knows I’m here?!” I gasped. I tried to keep myself calm, but at the mere mention of Haqua, my eyes lit up, and my words took on a far more excitable tone.

“Then that means she knows Lord Suzume is in Rina Saeki’s body?!” Radiata asked, leaping up from her chair and rushing for the door. “Lord Suzume, stay safe! I’m coming to your aid!”

“Hold it, hold it!” Yuuki said, icing over the door before Radiata could leave. “C’mon, Raracchi. You know Hakucchi. You really think she’d try to hurt the king?”

…Yes.

“...Yes,” Radiata said, right in time with my thought.

She’d make it feel so good, though… Guh, I miss her so much.

“OK, sure, fine,” Yuuki conceded. “But look, she hasn’t. She’s helping her stay undercover. She doesn’t want Miomio, Iocchi, or Rhody finding out anything.”

“Hell, ya couldn’t ask for things to turn out better over there. With Haqua backin’ her up, her investigation or whatever’s gonna be a cinch.”

“Besides, nothing could topple your king, no?” Adri asked, smiling softly. “Well, I believe that my dearest sister could, but you’d surely disagree.”

“...I would, yes,” Radiata said, standing down. “Fine then, I’ll trust you. I’m sure Haqua has at least some concern for Rina Saeki’s body.”

…Well…

I stayed quiet. I wasn’t about to get Radiata more riled up. She was high strung enough as it was.

“You said she left me a note, Adri?” I asked.

“Indeed she did. The scent of her perfume still lingers on the page…” Adri smiled, taking a small sniff of the note before handing it to me with the most blissful smile.

It really did smell just like her. I wasn’t about to sniff at it as passionately as Adri just had, but…it felt comforting, having it nearby, like I was wrapped up in her warm embrace, seconds away from her absolutely stuffing my pussy full of her tail and treating me like a bitch in heat.

“Uehehehehe…” I laughed. I could only imagine how pathetic I made Suzume’s body look in that moment.

“Does it really smell so good…?” Hisoka asked.

“Don’t let her rub off on you, Hisoka,” Radiata cautioned. “Rina Saeki’s mind is concerned with something far more depraved than scent right now…” she said, the disdain in her voice clear as day.

“Just reminiscing, that’s all,” I smiled, before opening up the note, eager to see whatever Haqua had left for me. I wasn’t sure what to expect, but I was extremely excited, all the same. I guess it didn’t really sink in just how badly I missed her until then.

I bet it’s gonna be super lovey-dovey. She probably misses me like crazy right now!

I thought, before laying my eyes on the page before me:

「Be sure to lay plenty of eggs, dear. I’m sure Radiata would be delighted to assist you.
But never forget that you’ll always be my bitch, no matter how many feathers you grow.」

The note slipped out of my hands as I fell back in my chair, gazing up at the ceiling with a completely blank expression on my face.

“Yeah, that’s a note from Haqua, alright…”

“Th-this is ridiculous!” Radiata yelled, rushing to tear up the letter before Adri snatched it away, cradling it protectively. “I-ignore whatever Haqua said, Rina Saeki! She doesn’t know a thing!”

“She knows how ta make you squirm, though,” Wakaba giggled.

“Eggs…” Hisoka mumbled, her voice turning into little more than a teensy squeak.

“Oooh, you wanna lay eggs, Rinarin?! I’ll help~! We’ll make such adorbs moms, right?”

“Precious,” Adri conceded.

“N-nobody is laying any eggs!” Radiata said, cutting things off before the stupid mutt part of me could agree. 

“I’m glad she’s not worried, at least,” I said, smiling softly. I needed that, I think. To be teased by her, even if it was only through a letter.

I also was, admittedly, extremely tempted by the egg-laying part, but…y’know, maybe later, when Radiata can’t yell at me for it.

“So nobody else knows, huh? I’d ask you all to tell Mio, Iori, and Rhody that I’m doing well, but well…this is for the best. I don’t want either of them stressing out over me.”

“You’re sure, Rina? Even if Radiata threatens to kill me, I’ll do anything you ask if it might lighten your load,” Adri offered, ignoring Radiata’s harsh stare.

“Don’t worry about it,” I said, shaking my head. “I…I want to talk to them, obviously. I want to be with them all again so badly it hurts, but…I’ll bear with it. Nobody but Suzume knows how long I’ll be stuck like this for, and if Mio and the others spend all that time worryied about me, it’d just kill me, y’know?” I smiled softly. “Besides, I promised Radiata I’d do my best to really become Suzume, so…I can’t let things slip any further than they already have. Nobody else can be allowed to learn about our arrangement.”

“Lord Suzume…” Radiata muttered, sounding ready to cry herself. She must’ve been insanely stressed out by all of this, I couldn’t imagine how relieved she was to hear me reaffirm my commitment to my temporary life as a king.

Adri took a sip of her tea, then smiled softly at me.

“Understood. Then after today, I shall refer to you as none other than our great king herself. But please, know that we shall always be on-hand to provide any assistance we can. You aren’t alone, puppy.”

“Well, I’ll be on vacay with Iocchi and Rhody soon, but I’ll be with you in spirit!” Yuuki smiled, flashing me a peppy peace sign.

“An’ if ya ever need any muscle who won’t try ta knife ya, I’m your woman,” Wakaba said, chuckling to herself.

“Thanks, everyone,” I said, smiling softly as I began to sniffle. “That…that means the world to me, you know that? Just getting to see you all has helped more than you can possibly know.”

“Awww, JK Rinarin’s super emotional~!” Yuuki giggled, reaching forward to gently scratch my ear, getting me to let out a small, canine whine. For a brief moment, I felt like me again, but…I knew that couldn’t last. I’d be Suzume to all who saw me as soon as they went back home.

“Anyone would be, in her position. She’s gone through a great deal,” Adri said, pulling me into a gentle hug. “But all the same, you make a tremendous king.”

“I’m doing my best,” I said, my voice cracking with strain.

“Nobody could ever deny that, puppy.”

Adri’s caress had never felt quite as gentle as it did that day.

❖❖❖

“You’ve grown quite well,” Radiata said, as she gently helped me clean my talons in the bath that night. “You’re an adult again, it would seem. As radiant as the day I first brought you before Lord Suzume.”

“You got that from these?” I asked, slowly opening and closing my talons. “Wow, you’re more of a perv than I thought, Radiata! Or maybe you got it from somewhere else, huh?”

I shot her a smirk as I hefted up my larger, fuller breasts. Suzume was hardly stacked, but she definitely had a nice fullness to her figure that was much easier to appreciate now that I’d seen just how far she’d come. She made a pretty petite teen, but she made for a really stunning adult.

Still, I knew Radiata’d bite back. She’d call me a moron, tell me how my brain was still firmly in middle school and tell me that I’m pathetic for it. That’s how it’d gone from the moment I woke up in this body, and there was no reason for that to change now.

So imagine my surprise when she simply chuckled and carried on cleaning instead.

“I’ve been by Lord Suzume’s side for quite some time. I am keenly aware of the particulars of her body, yes.”

“Oooh, so a total perv then? A Suzume otaku, through and through,” I kept teasing, a part of me craving the scorn she usually showed.

“Whatever you say,” she smiled, before leaning in close as she took extra care to wash the ridges between my scales.

“O-oh…” I responded, a little too taken aback to say much more.

“That was quite the day, wasn’t it?” Radiata asked, after a moment of silence. “I’m glad you were able to reunite with part of your family.”

“...You are?”

“Should I not be?”

“I mean…you seemed pretty concerned about security breaches. Those three knowing about me is a risk, right?”

“They gave me their word that nobody else would find out. As did you, in fact.”

“Yeah but…you trust me?”

She went silent for a moment, as she circled around to scrub my back.

“I do.”

“Even though I’ve screwed up so much already?”

“Mm, I still trust you.”

…I mean, shit, what am I meant to say to that?

It was hard to believe, sure. In a week filled with things that’d make me sound crazy to say out loud, somehow this was surprising me the most.

But…despite all that, I didn’t get the feeling she was lying. Her voice wasn’t as blank as it was when she was just trying to keep a straight face, and there was none of the harshness that she so often showed me. There was just…a quiet warmth, like I was talking to a friend.

“Wanna go get lunch, Yamada?”

“Ultra hot karaage curry rice, extra cheese?”

“Yeah, exactly.” I chuckled. “Maybe we could get a donut, too. Rhody left some in the break room.”

“And sit by the water cooler, of all things? Ridiculous,” she scoffed.

“That’s scarier than a bath?!” I asked, shouting without really meaning to.

There was a brief silence, before the room filled with the sound of our laughter.

“I kinda miss those days, y’know? I thought you were a weirdo, but…I really liked that time we spent together.”

“...Mm.”

“I guess maybe you weren’t used to human living, and staying in character definitely made you feel pretty intense, but…I dunno, you made my days a whole lot livelier. Rhody and Shizuku are so sweet, but somehow it was you who really helped bust me outta my melancholy. I missed having Mio at my side each day, and…you took my mind off of that, Radiata.”

“Hanako Yamada did that.”

“Oi, cut it out. I’ve spent enough time with you to know that you two are really one and the same. Unless I happen to have met two knife-happy weirdos back to back.”

“It’s not ‘weird,’ it’s being vigilant in the face of threats,” Radiata told me, sounding surprisingly pouty and defensive.

“And Yamada’d say the same!” I said, looking back at her with a smirk, only to stop when I saw how…low she looked. She was smiling, sure, but I could tell there was a great deal of pain behind it.

I had to fix that.

“So, what’s up, Yamada? Senpai’s here to listen.”

“Please stop…” she said, in a painfully quiet voice.

“Can’t,” I told her. “My kouhai’s down in the dumps, and I’m too much of a bleeding heart to leave her be.”

“I’m not your kouhai, Hanako Yamada is.”

“Yep, yep. I know your name.”

“Look, you don’t understand, Yamada is-”

“An act?”

Radiata paused for a moment, then gave a small nod.

“An act designed to catch you, yes. Someone who existed entirely to pluck you from your life entirely, force you into an act of your own, and in doing so, trapped us both in this ridiculous situation…” she said, her voice getting more and more shaky with every word.

“Radiata, c’mon, it’s fine. We’re both getting by OK, aren’t we?”

“Are we, truly? I…I watched you burst into tears at the sight of Adri and her partners. You’d been so deprived of the warmth of love that it overwhelmed you entirely, and…all I can think about is how much of that’s my fault. From the moment we met, every word we shared brought us closer to where you are now, forced to forego everything that makes you you. It’s…it’s horrible. I did something terrible, Rina Saeki, and every day I make this harder on you. How are you just…carrying on in light of all that? How has the weight not crushed you?”

“C’mon, I don’t think being a birdbrain’s that bad,” I laughed.

“I’m serious.”

“Me too!” I grinned. “If I’m good for anything, and I’m really not, it’s that I’m always sincere. Well, these days, anyway. Look, the point is that I’m having fun, Radiata. I mean it.”

“You’re forced to play king, and-”

“-Get treated to delicious meals by a beautiful maid, spend time with a guard who’s either the hunkiest woman I’ve ever met, or the cutest sweetie on earth, live in the lap of luxury, and I might lay eggs? Whew, helluva thing to force on someone! I wish I’d been kidnapped sooner!”

“Pervert…” Radiata clicked her tongue, and I let out a loud, hearty laugh.

“Ohhh, there you go! I was wondering where that bite had gone!” I grinned, before leaning back against her, feeling her large breasts gently pressing against my back.

“Rina Saeki, you-”

“Hold me for a sec, Radiata. That’s not an order, just a request.”

Radiata gave me a small nod, and gently wrapped her arms around me, carefully avoiding letting her hands do anything untoward.

“I’m doing well because of you, Radiata,” I told her, smiling softly. “You’re a grumpy jerk who really needs to stop carrying a knife everywhere she goes, but…I dunno, you’re my friend. You back me up, you’ve had faith in me, you’ve taken care of me, you’ve done everything you could to lighten my load, even when that meant making yours even heavier. A true maid, through and through. Selfless to a fault. Suzume’s so lucky to have you, and even if this doesn’t last, I’m lucky to have had you, too.”

I could feel her heartbeat quicken.

“I only wish I could be a better king, you deserve to serve someone way better than me.”

“Don’t say that,” Radiata spoke up. “I’ve seen the way you talk with the people, how you lighten their loads so easily. Were you given a chance to rule on your own terms, you’d do splendidly.”

“And you don’t say that. I don’t wanna hear that I’d make a good king, governing really isn’t my thing. I wanna humbly stay a mutt, please and thank you.”

“It’s a wonder you aren’t a hellhound…” Radiata sighed.

“Yeah, I get that,” I chuckled.

“I know how strange this will sound, Rina Saeki, but…I-I think I enjoy serving you.”

“No way! I’m way worse than Suzume! She’s gotta be better, right? She’s a great king!”

“Well, of course,” Radiata said, a slight hint of cocky pride entering her voice. “She’s a splendid ruler who works tirelessly for all of her subjects, shouldering everything she can without complaint. But…to that end, being with you, someone who so earnestly relies on me, it’s left me strangely content, and yet it’s made me wonder if I’m much help to Lord Suzume at all.”

“Now that can’t be true. You’re amazing.”

“And Lord Suzume is greater,” Radiata quickly retorted. “I’ve been with her my entire life, serving as her aide through thick and thin. She relied on me a great deal when we were younger, but…lately I’m left with vanishingly little to do for her. Were it not for the meals I prepare, I suspect she wouldn’t need me around at all. It’s frustrating, in truth. I’ve felt…distant from her. I have always called her a friend, but I wonder if she sees me the same way. She so rarely relaxes around me anymore… She’s so brilliant, so boundlessly radiant, and…and I only hope I don’t lose my place at her side.”

“Hey, Radiata?” I asked.

“Mm?”

“You’re in love with her, aren’t you?”

“I-I most certainly am n-”

“Cut it out. You’re acting like more of a teenager than I did today.”

“You’re so frustrating…” she growled, before letting out a deep, heavy sigh. “But…y-yes, your suspicions aren’t…incorrect. In a manner of speaking, I suppose.”

“Oooh, so when Haqua said you’d help with egglaying, you-?”

“Shut up, Rina Saeki!” she cut me off, her cheeks burning hotter than lava. “L-look, I’ve never told anyone else about any of this, understand?! This is a secret I’ve carried for hundreds of years, and-”

“It’s left you down horrendous, huh? Every time the egg stuff comes up, you get so turned on.”

“I-I’m allowed to have feelings, thank you very much!” she huffed, loosening her grip on me.

I smiled, and gently grabbed them again, resting them around me and nestling into her embrace.

“Gotta be pretty shitty seeing her body being piloted by a mutt, huh?”

She went quiet.

“Radiata?”

Her head dropped down onto my shoulder, and she let out a small groan.

“Hey, you OK?”

“...I…like that too…” she admitted, in a voice so tiny I could barely hear it at all. “It…it makes me feel so…”

Her heartbeat grew faster and faster.

“I know it’s not her in there. It’s you. It’s a stupid, perverted brat of a succubus who only has sex on her mind, and yet…”

“You want that, huh?”

“Yamada wants that…” she grumbled.

Hah. Trying to pass those feelings off as someone else's? Cute.

Adorable as it was, though, she needed to be honest, and I knew exactly how to help her with that.

“And I'm bathing with the both of you right now, so…” I said, taking her by the hands and gently guiding them to my chest. She let out a small gasp, yet her fingers sunk in all the same. “Don’t hold anything back…”

She looked ready to burst. I was sure that at a moment’s notice, she'd blurt out something about me being a pervert and slap me for it.

But nothing like that happened. Instead, she squeezed my boobs even tighter, kneading them as she teased my stiff, perky nipples. Her chitinous hands felt so unlike anything I'd known, but that was exactly what made this hit so hard for me.

“Nn, Radiata…” I moaned.

“It's unfair,” she breathed. “I look at you and I see Suzu, but when you speak, all I hear is Rina…”

She pinched my nipples, really squeezing them between her sharp fingernails.

“But maybe, all you really are in the end…” she leaned in close, and whispered into my ear.

“...Is my prey.”

“Ah~!” I gasped, as she squeezed my nipples as hard as she could.

Fuck. Fuck. I couldn't handle it. I couldn't handle how intense she sounded, how her every word dripped with very real venom, tinged with passion. She'd already sunk her fangs into me once before, and she could do it again.

And I wanted that, I wanted it so bad. Even if it killed me, I needed to feel everything she had to give.

“Radiata, I…” I was already short of breath, but I wanted us to go as far as we could together. I turned around, leaned into her embrace as we began to kiss each other deeply and lovingly, and-

“I-I can't!”

…And Radiata pulled back, darting to her feet and turning her eyes away from me.

“Radiata? Are you O-”

“I'm fine,” she said, her words coming out clipped and harsh. “Just fine.”

“Did I do something wrong?! I just wanted to-!”

“You're fine, Rina Saeki, I swear that to you,” she told me, though she refused to look my way.

“Then…then what's wrong, Radiata?” I said, picking myself up and taking her by the hand. “If you're not ready, then that's OK. I won't force this, I swear. We'll take it at your pace.”

I shot her the warmest smile I could, and for a moment, she seemed to soften.

“...Senpai…”

“Mm, I'm here, Yamada. So-”

And then, without warning, she pulled away yet again, before turning and heading for the door.

“Radiata!” I called after her.

“Goodnight, Rina Saeki,” she spoke coldly.

“At least tell me what's wrong!”

“I…forgot myself for a moment, that's all.”

I felt a lump form in my throat, and couldn't bring myself to say anything more.

She reached the door, looked back at me, and headed outside, leaving me completely alone.

“You can say that…” I muttered. “But I felt that kiss, Radiata.”

I tasted all that passion and intensity. That burning, aching desire. I might not be a succubus right now, but all of that was still as clear as day.

And I know those feelings are real.