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

The morning after defeating Maelstrom was quiet. No retaliation from the ancient dragon. No world-shattering prophecy delivered to Kanae's feet. Only the bubbling and steaming sounds of alchemy in action. Aisha moved like a well-oiled machine from table to table, adjusting valves, stirring the cauldron, and making minute measurements between beakers.

Kanae tried to make sense of what the hobgoblin alchemist was doing, but she couldn't. People like Aisha, Rosaline, and Mikki were cut from a different cloth. Hard working and talented, they walked the path of great alchemists like Elizabeth Bedlam. Who knows, one day, each of them would reach their own magnum opus. 

"So… Is it done yet?" Kanae asked, hovering behind the hobgoblin.

"For the thousandth time, no!" Aisha whirled around. "And it won't be done any faster with you pestering me all morning. Kanae, I know you want to fuck a dragon, but please… Keep it in your cunt for a little while longer!"

"Nnh. Sorry…" She settled down into her seat in shame.

The urge to breed again was great. Kanae already had two blue drakes roaming the Commonwealth of Sin, slowly growing at their own pace after Versatile Womb's accelerated growth slowed down. The last time she had seen them, they were young adolescents, likely large enough to be ridden on their backs. It would be a while before either of them became full-fledged dragons. Producing more, like those from an ancient gold dragon could only be even stronger.

"Why don't you go to the brothels? Hells, pay Thume or Titan a visit. Anywhere but here, where you're delaying me more than anything." Aisha groaned.

"I let them fuck me sore last night as thanks for helping in the fight. You can't reward them too much, or they start expecting it everywhere. Not that… they aren't already expecting that. Anyway, I gave Hilde permission to get some rounds in with Titan today. She wanted a couple of dreadmourns herself," Kanae explained.

"Seriously, I didn't need to know that. Just be anywhere but here!" the hob growled.

Kanae put her hands up and figured Aisha was right. Her being here was just a distraction, especially since she wasn't an alchemist that could help. She ascended the stairs onto the atelier's main floor. The human alchemist, who owned this place and was kind enough to lend his laboratory to Aisha, glanced up from his tome for a moment before returning to it.

The influence of being a Knight of the Order of Colors was great. Greater now that Grand Eye Analise elevated them to be knights, commanding their own orders. All Kanae had to do was reveal her identity, and people were willing to bend over backwards to serve.

When Kanae exited the atelier, the morning sun warmed her right up. With free time afforded to them, everyone was all over the city. She visited her Eminence of Sin church to check in if the sisters were still around. Unfortunately, High Priestess Eldora informed her that they had left very early in the morning.

"Oh, god… I hope they were fooling around in the Carnal District and not in the religious ward." Kanae prayed to the Many, only to feel an unexpected divine presence.

"Hey, Kanae! It's me, Threcia. You called?" Demigoddess Threcia answered my prayer.

"Are you really allowed to just make contact with mortals willy-nilly?" she asked.

Boisterous laughter filled Kanae's mind.

"What kind of world did you come from? One where your gods are silent? Anyway, I heard you calling. Wanted to see what's up and ask how Arenade's doing?" Threcia asked.

"Arenade is probably living up the luxurious life in Radevic. Actually, since you're tapping in, maybe you can answer my prayers. Can you use your omniscience to check where Claudia, Hilde, and Alicia are?" Kanae hoped she wasn't asking too much from a divine entity.

"Normally, a plea like that will cost you an hours-long praying sesh. Keep this solid between me and you, or the Supreme One's going to punish my tail. I can only tell you where Claudia is, because she's at a church right now. More specifically, at the Cathedral of One," the demigoddess explained.

Kanae froze.

Oh, no. What was that succubus doing over there? Claudia better not be harassing the clergy. Kanae thanked Threcia and promised to offer some tithe over at the Church of Many later. She flew at breakneck speeds for the megachurch dedicated to the Supreme One. 

Things were suspiciously quiet. Visiting parishioners mosied on up the steps to enter the enormous church. Kanae passed by a statue of the Supreme One himself and apologized beforehand, in case Claudia was up to no good.

Last time Kanae had entered the Cathedral of One was so long ago. She had infiltrated this place to find her kidnapped daughter, Teana. It was also here, where she charmed Tabitha and Meidina, both of whom eventually converted to the Eminence of Sin. And Arenade… Arenade was going through some things at the time but had since matured for the better. With any luck, the clergy had forgiven Kanae for what happened.

Inside, there was no sermon going on, but several priests were administering healing magic to the injured and leading group prayers. A high elven man Kanae wasn't familiar with dressed in the cloth reminded her of an old nemesis, Bishop Rudo. However, he wasn't the same elf.

"Oh, by the Supreme One's shining rear… Another succubus?" The high elven man adjusted his glasses and sighed.

"I'm not here to make trouble, but it sounds like you do have a succubus giving you trouble. Did one come by? Because I'm here to fetch her. Her name is Claudia. Blonde hair, red-skin, and dressed like a dominatrix," Kanae said, describing the former Mistress of Pain's signature appearance.

"Perhaps I judged you too quickly. Yes, a succubus named Claudia is here. My name is Bishop Lorus. I have been appointed here since former Bishop Rudo's untimely departure. You are?" The new bishop of Lograin's Cathedral of One bowed low.

Lorus was a high elf of shoulder-length blonde hair. A small pair of glasses rested on his pointy nose. The bishop's regalia was a size too large for him. He looked more scholar than clergy.

"Knight of Amethyst and Queen of the Commonwealth." She curtsied, but Bishop Lorus' eyes went wide and his mouth agape.

Some of the other priests close enough to hear Kanae's introductions also stopped praying. They stared at her with a mixture of fear and apprehension. It only hit her a second later that the war was still fresh in everyone's mind, and clergy's leadership in this church likely came directly from the Empire of Ortesia. Not to mention, they were looking at the succubus who repelled them.

"Uh. For the record, my beef was with Ortesia and not with anyone here," Kanae added nervously.

"Claudia is in the penance chamber behind the cathedral. Just get your succubus companion and leave," Bishop Lorus pleaded.

Kanae scampered off with their glares burning into her back. Good to know tensions with Ortesians were still hotter than coals. She emerged from the cathedral to the back courtyard. The sight of the dormitories was nostalgic. Even the shed where Bishop Rudo had caged Teana was still around. The upper floor of the dormitory, where the bishop's office was behind a large stained glass window, had since been fixed after Arenade punched a hole through it.

When Kanae turned the corner in search of the penance chamber, a high elven sister bumped into her. 

"Oof! My apologies, I—" The sister dropped her things and took off running. "Not another succubus!"

"Wait, I'm looking for the penance chamber! Can you tell me where to find it?" Kanae shouted.

"Follow the current path until you hit a fork and take a left!" she exclaimed without so much as slowing down.

Kanae did as instructed and came upon a small chapel-like building. There were other sisters outside, peering in. She drew closer to see what they were looking at. Too many heads blocked the way.

"What are you all staring at?" Kanae asked.

The gaggle of nuns and priests jumped with a start, then bolted in every direction. At least no one was blocking the way anymore. Kanae saw now that Claudia was inside and on her knees. Several priests were putting all their strength into flogging her. Not with a whip and leather straps though, but with flanged maces.

"Harder, you little bitches! You call that a hit? How am I supposed to get off to that?" Claudia taunted.

"We're not trying to get you off, succubus!" one priest groaned.

"Get out of here already!" another yelled.

"Claudia, just what are you doing?" Kanae asked, entering the penance chamber.

All of the priests spun to face her. They were armed to the tooth. These weren't just clergy of the cloth. They were warrior priests, the same ones Kanae had fought before and were now brandishing their weapons at her.

"It's that damnable succubus! Are you here to harass us, too?" an older elven man growled.

"I was here to get that succubus off your hands, but now I'm having second thoughts!" Kanae fired back.

"Oh, Kanae! You want to get in on this? They infuse their weapon attacks with a holy enchantment. It tingles a little. Feels like a massage actually but doesn't really hurt," Claudia explained.

"No, I think I'm good… Aren't there better ways for you to get hurt? Like pissing off Petyr?" she suggested.

The paladin was taking it easy at Dead Man's Gamble. Since she couldn't show her face around, there weren't many places for her to go.

Claudia rose to her feet, causing the warrior priests to back away out of fright. She flexed her back and shoulders, stretched both arms over her head, and let out an unsatisfied yawn. The succubus flew over to Kanae, sprigher than a newborn deer.

"I've been trying to expand my repertoire of inflicting pain. The Supreme One's faithful are a bust. They aren't creative at all! I mean, hitting with a mace? That's it? Come on!" Claudia threw her hands in the air, and the warrior priests folded their arms at her.

"Take your sex stuff elsewhere!" A warrior priest chucked his mace, but Claudia caught the weapon by the head and crushed it into pieces of iron.

Kanae and Claudia, although still having plenty of energy to bother the Cathedral of One clergy, flew from the courtyard to the safety of the skies. Too bad the succubus had other plans.

"Alrighty. Taking the Cathedral of One off the list. I'm going to see how the Church of Many deals with sinners and miscreants," Claudia said.

"Just don't make too much trouble. Also, take this and offer them to Demigoddess Threcia." Kanae plopped down a few coins of gold into her hand. "Before you leave though, do you know where Alicia is? I haven't seen her all morning."

"Alicia mentioned something about shopping. Check the marketplace maybe?" she suggested.

Kanae headed to the busy markets of Lograin, which didn't narrow things down at all. The city had many dedicated shopping areas. Some large, some tucked away and hidden in lesser traveled parts.

For a rogue like Alicia, she could be anywhere. Fortunately, Kanae's keen eye spotted odd movements on a crowded street filled with vendors and merchants. People practically walked shoulder to shoulder. One stall in particular was selling a crispy, sugary bite-sized bread treat. While the merchant conducted business, he didn't see a skewer of morsels seemingly levitating away.

"What the… hey!" When he finally noticed, it was too late.

The invisible thief escaped with the prize and hid behind an alleyway. Kanae landed in after it. A sweet smell wafted out from behind a stack of empty crates, followed by the crunching sound of someone feasting heartily.

Kanae still had Magical Stealth and went invisible. She tiptoed over to find Alicia sitting on a crate, cheeks speckled with sugar, and eagerly stuffing her mouth with the stolen goods. The culprit was about to toss the last piece down her gullet until Kanae caught it.

"Who's there?" Alicia drew a knife.

"So, the Mistress of Pain has an uncontrollable sweet tooth?" Kanae dropped Magical Stealth and devoured the crunchy treat.

"Knight-Commander!" She gasped, then quickly brushed her cheeks to appear somewhat presentable. "You… saw me, didn't you?"

Kanae nodded and stifled a laugh.

"I wanted to purchase something to eat, but I didn't have any currency," Alicia confessed.

"And because you couldn't help yourself, you decided to steal instead? You could have asked me. I'd be more than happy to buy you something to eat. Let's go. I'll treat you," Kanae said, offering her a hand.

As soon as Alicia took it, Kanae pulled her out of the alley and into the streets. She returned to the same vendor, who was rubbing the back of his head in confusion over what just happened. Kanae ordered a stick for each of them and paid the man a little extra, unbeknownst to him that she was making up for Alicia stealing earlier.

They ate together underneath the shade of a tree. Kanae couldn't help but watch Alicia eat, who squealed and sighed with delight after every bite. When she finally noticed her stares, the succubus pouted.

"Why are you looking at me so intently?" Alicia squinted.

"I just thought you looked like a kid eating that." Kanae giggled into the back of her hand.

"I haven't had any sweets in so long. Trapped underneath that temple afforded me no opportunity after all. I won't take for granted the simple pleasures in life, now that it's within my grasp again. Which is why… are you going to eat that? You did take my other piece, remember?" She pointed to the last piece on Kanae's skewer.

Without even waiting for an answer, Alicia clamped her lips over it and smirked.

Kanae didn't mind one bit. Just sitting with Alicia, watching citizens pass left and right, and eating together was pleasant. The pair spent the better part of the afternoon sampling the culinary delights of Lograin's street food. Afterwards, Kanae pulled Alicia along to enjoy the finer things she missed out on all these years.

They took a dip at Dreizel's Bath House Wonderland until their fingers pruned up. While strolling through a park, they charmed a couple of squirrels into dancing for them. Kanae treated her to a rather expensive restaurant which usually served the nobility and upper classes. The two even picked up a quest at the adventurers hall to slay a rampaging monster some ways away from the city.

Sitting on the corpse of their slain quarry, they watched the sun set over the jagged mountains where Maelstrom lived within his cave. Alicia scooted closer and rested her head on Kanae's shoulder. Their hands clasped together. Her eyelids were getting heavy, and she struggled to stay awake.

"Warm…" Alicia murmured as she drifted to sleep.

Kanae smiled and squeezed Alicia's hand a little tighter. She stayed there for a while longer. As night drew across the horizon, Kanae picked Alicia up onto her back and flew for Lograin.