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

After completing Grand Eye Analise's task of dealing with the dragon, Maelstrom, Kanae and her Amethyst Hall celebrated with a hearty feast in the finest restaurant of Lograin city. Unfortunately, Esta couldn't join. She and the members of her hall, including Feraline, needed to return to Radevic, where they would vault the stolen grimoire and throw the thief back into prison. That left more food for everyone else. Only… Kanae's people were many and ravenous.

A Taste of the Woodlands was the name of the restaurant they had gone to. It was run by retired beastmen adventurers turned chefs, who applied their skills to hunt dire beasts and make exotic meals out of. Even the restaurant looked like one giant log cabin. Vines stretched across the rafters and draped down like a jungle. Water ran from a little pond and snaked through the restaurant floor like a river. Harpy waiters flew overhead to bring food to tables, and with any luck, they might accidentally drop a free morsel or two for opportunistic patrons to snack on.

Kanae's table didn't need such luck. They occupied the largest table in the restaurant. It was furnished with food from end to end. No one was eating more heartily than Thume, whose ogre appetite demanded that he shovel food into his mouth by the handfuls.

Meanwhile, Edina filled her squirreling cheeks with an assortment of honey roasted nuts from across the continent. Once they were at the point of burst, she grabbed a bottle of wine to wash it down and proceeded to do it all over again.

The sisters, Claudia, Hilde, and Alicia, were having a party of their own. Claudia proved herself to be a party animal, having gone five steins of mead in and was bothering Hilde to drink more. Too bad the former Mistress of Subjugation was a lightweight. She had one glass of wine and was hiccuping constantly, slurring her speech, and wouldn't stop wobbling. It was cute though. Her hiccups were tiny squeaks, too.

Every time Claudia tried to get Alicia to drink, the latter succubus would use a sleight of hand Rogue skill to make the liquid disappear. Claudia was none the wiser.

As for Petyr, out of everyone here, she seemed to get along with Tess and Aisha the best. Probably because they weren't succubi, a mindless meathead monster, or some foul crowned class.

Even Titan, Glory, and Midnight were enjoying a nice meal outside the restaurant. Kanae made sure they received the highest quality meat and produce possible.

"So." Petyr turned to Kanae. "That golden dragon scale. If you have no idea what you want to do with it, you should give it to me. I'll have the thing fashioned into a set of armor for Glory."

"I'm not giving it to you… I'll probably bring it back to Rog and Lina to see what they can do with it. The scale has magic in it, too. Might be able to make a magical item out of it," Kanae explained.

She clicked her tongue. "We could have killed the dragon and taken all of his scales. Instead you had to go and fuck it."

"I mean, did you expect anything else from our Slut-Commander?" Aisha nudged Petyr in the ribs and cackled.

Taken aback by the nickname, Kanae went red and pouted.

"The way I see it, we avoided what could've been a horrible fight. There's no way an ancient dragon is an easy creature to take down!" Kanae complained.

"Still, woulda been nice to throw down with y'all. Eating our fill's good enough!" Tess grinned and stuffed a bowl of fresh salad down her throat.

"Don't worry. There's going to be plenty to do as long as you're with us." She nodded at the gaur.

The encounter turned out to be incredibly fruitful. Kanae permanently gained several new spells through [Feed the Queen]. Although she hadn't really used [Hailstorm], [Conjured Caltrops], or [Flash Heal] much, they should still be useful if it ever comes up. There was also the dragon she had birthed. That made three. When they finally grew up, the Commonwealth was going to have three grown dragons defending it.

After lunch, Kanae dropped by the Lograin Branch of the Eminence of Sin to say goodbye to High Priestess Eldora. They departed from Lograin by Rown Company carriages.

Groups formed right away. The three sisters entered one. Petyr, Aisha, and Tess hopped into another. Edina summoned her undead dragon. That quickly left Kanae and Thume in the last carriage.

"Uh, wait a minute. When did these arrangements get made?" Kanae asked nervously.

"Last night," Alicia said, popping her head out of the window. "Safe travels, Knight-Commander. We'll see you during a rest stop."

As their vehicles rolled off, Thume picked up Kanae and entered the last carriage. The moment they got inside, the ogre undressed to reveal a thick and throbbing cock.

"Just Thume and Kanae alone now. Time for baby-making sex as promised!" Thume exclaimed.

"I-I never promise you tha— aaaahh!"

For the week-long journey, Kanae and Thume spent it connected at the hips. They didn't even leave during a pit stop. Their carriage rocked violently all the way back, much to the stagecoach's dismay and frustration. Luckily for Rown Company, the carriage boasted a stronger frame and springs. The insatiably horny ogre's Mating Press wasn't enough to break it.

When they finally arrived at Aidenhall, Kanae crawled out of the carriage naked and caked in Thume's spunk. Palace knights backed away and pinched their noses shut. Her behind was red on both cheeks from being pounded by the might of an ogre. Her hair was completely disheveled. It took every ounce of willpower not to switch on Versatile Womb and be impregnated by Thume.

"Uh… K-Knight- Commander Amethyst?" A brave guard drew near intending to help her up until the ogre emerged from the carriage.

"Thume satisfied for now!" Thume pulled up his pants and walked off with a spring in his step.

"Leave her, new guy. That's normal for the Knight of Amethyst!" one of the senior guards shouted from afar.

"Nngh… I… I would still have liked… some help…" Kanae muttered from the ground, still twitching and unable to move.

A whinnying Titan walked up to Kanae, swinging his cock in her face. He wanted in on the action, too, but she was much too sore and beat to do anything.

"Sorry, boy… Maybe later. You're going to have to settle on this." Kanae grabbed the tip of Titan's dick and casted Turn Horny, causing him to orgasm uncontrollably.

It looked like the others had already left. Their carriages must have arrived a little earlier since they were nowhere to be seen. Kanae picked up her belongings and the giant golden scale, but the latter proved too heavy and cumbersome.

A couple of guards saw Kanae struggling but pretended not to notice.

"You five, bring this up to the Amethyst Hall," Kanae ordered.

"Do we have to? It's covered in… ogre jizz and stinks." One of them gagged.

"Amethyst's orders!" She charmed the five to do it anyway, and they made their displeasure known with a disgusted expression despite being magically compelled to.

Kanae made a trip to the baths before anything else. The Grand Eye definitely wasn't going to like taking a report from her covered in gunk. All this sex lately had been a lot of fun, but the messes that came with it were troublesome. To anyone other than a succubus, of course they would react with disgust.

While lounging in the warm waters of Aidenhall's bath house, a pair of lady knights entered. They bowed reverently to Kanae before descending in and making their way to a fountain. The two took turns helping to wash each other's backs.

"Oh, my gosh. Have I ever told you how much I love your hair? It's so dark and lush."

"Ugh. Speaking of my hair… you wouldn't believe what happened. I was on patrol when I ran into a cute knight from the Silver Hall. Bird poop landed right on top of my head!"

"No!"

"Seriously. It was so embarrassing. I had to excuse myself and wash off, but I think I still have some stuck. Like, closer to my scalp."

"Lemme see. I can help."

Kanae watched as the elven woman cast a spell on her human counterpart. White sparks flew from her hands.

"Holy Supreme One!" The black-haired human gasped. "What did you just do? I don't feel the nasty crust of bird poop on my head anymore!"

"Hehe. That was Prestidigitation. I'm crowned a Thaumaturge, like Saint Priest Sheena Darrow! It can clean things up," she explained.

"That's it!" Kanae shot from the water and startled them.

During the wedding, Sheena had cast the same spell to clean up Kanae's gown. In order to resolve having messy sex all the time, she needed to obtain Prestidigitation. However, it was a roll of the dice whether or not any of her Sisters of Sin might have the spell.

Maybe Meidina knew someone…

Kanae apologized to the pair before leaving the bath squeaky clean. She traveled up to the Cathedral of Saint Rue in search of Grand Eye Analise to make a report. The religious leader wasn't at the pulpit today.

A few kind sisters pointed Kanae towards the Archbishop's quarters. Sure enough, Vestrid and Delayn were standing guard alongside Lady and Minestra.

"Now this isn't a sight you see everyday," Kanae remarked about the group.

"Lord Charron and the Grand Eye are inside. Here to make your report on the dragon, Amethyst?" Vestrid asked.

"Yeah." She nodded. "Are they busy?"

"I doubt it. Those two are having us stand guard out here while they drink wine and bitch about Ortesia. They don't need us here for that!" Lady complained through clenched teeth.

Minestra suddenly leaned in to take a deep whiff of Kanae.

"W-What are you doing?" Kanae shrunk back.

"I wanted to get a good smell of you again. It's been so long since I've been by your side. Ahh… Your fresh scent comforts me and wets my loins." Minestra shuddered.

"Nasty… fucking… demons…" Delayn bit down on her lip so hard that she drew blood.

They stepped aside to let Kanae through. When she entered, Lord Charron and Grand Eye Analise were in the middle of ranting about the Empire of Ortesia. It was filled with so much vitriol, even the four guards poked their heads in with eyes wide.

"If Ortesia even thinks about setting foot within the city-states again, we should send a welcoming party. Carriages of dynamites disguised as wine. How does that sound?" Analise asked.

"A wonderful idea! I would suggest we do that, but with ships. Sail them into Crescent Harbor and utterly level their ports!" Lord Charron added with murderous intent.

The door quietly shut behind Kanae. They finally took notice of her presence.

"Amethyst, you have returned! Pull up a seat," the Grand Eye insisted.

"I-I'll stand. Thank you! The two of you aren't seriously thinking of going to war with Ortesia, are you?" Kanae gulped.

"Artaggon eventually will. In time. Not that it's a secret. Neither Radevic nor the Commonwealth need to support me in such an invasion." Charron shrugged, doing little to abate her worries.

"Report, Amethyst. What transpired in Lograin with the dragon menace?" Analise asked.

Kanae explained all of the important bits from start to finish. Of course, she included how they went about resolving the dragon threat. She hid nothing. Even though the Grand Eye didn't cast a Zone of Absolute Truth, and although Kanae would have been immune to it thanks to Steel Mind, she answered everything truthfully.

"Why am I not surprised you laid with Maelstrom?" Grand Eye Analise put a hand to her face and sighed. "Well, what matters is that you and Amethyst Hall accomplished what you set out to do. I have nothing else that needs addressing. You may travel to Talahurah as you originally planned, but please don't stay there too long. Lord Charron, have you anything to tell Amethyst before either of you leave?"

"You're leaving already?" Kanae gasped.

"Indeed. I've stayed longer than I hoped. Chances are, my lieutenants and I will be long gone by the time you return. I can't exactly leave Artaggon leaderless. I intend to restructure my armies. Worry not. We are firm allies now. On the matter of our other allies, however, the Demon Three's Alliance proved to just be the Demon Two's Alliance." Charron made it obvious he was referring to Queen-Mother Zariah.

The resurfaced succubi race certainly posed a problem, especially after centuries of people believing them to have been wiped out. Now, Kanae had legitimized them by giving the Queen-Mother her own country, Temptation.

Ortesia's leadership must not be happy about that. They were the ones who forced Kanae's hand though. Even though Zariah aided in repelling the Ortesian invasion, she and Ambrosia were clear that they weren't truly allies to the Commonwealth.

In many regards, the succubi were similar to high elves. Both believed themselves to be greater than the other races. But that was no way to live. So long as they thought that, Kanae was always going to regard them as her enemies. Lord Charron must be preparing for the eventuality that Queen-Mother Zariah would start making moves of her own again.

"We're lucky Temptation's being quiet for now, but I understand. If I don't see you when I get back, then safe travels!" Kanae extended a hand, and Charron shook it.

"Perhaps you will find time to one day visit Artaggon as guests, not

as an invader like you did before," Charron chided.

Kanae and Analise rubbed the back of their heads out of embarrassment.

The Grand Eye still had some things to discuss with Lord Charron about, so she let them be. Amethyst Hall was quiet when Kanae got back. Most had retreated to their rooms. The only ones out were Quartermaster Meidina and her Sisters of Sin taking inventory in the storeroom.

"Just the succubus I was looking for! Meidina, you were a high priestess for a while. Did you meet any Sisters of Sin who were crowned Thaumaturges?" Kanae asked.

"Thaumaturges?" The elf cocked her head.

"I, uh… need to meet one, for sanitary reasons…" she stammered.

"Hmmm. Oh! Didn't you mention you were going to Talahurah soon? I recall a sister at the Lograin Branch who cleaned using magic moving to the Talahurah Branch some time ago," Meidina answered thoughtfully.

At Talahurah? Perfect! It was a good chance to have another [Feed the Queen] orgy with the Sisters of Sin there anyway.

When Kanae glanced up intending to thank Meidina, she noticed the elven half-succubus backing away and staring past her. She spun around and came faced with Arenade.

"Arenade! Did you come to welcome me back with a kiss?" Kanae puckered her lips, only for her wife to pinch it shut with two fingers.

"Don't give me that! You encountered a GOLD dragon and didn't think to bring me along?" Arenade asked.

"But this was an Order of Colors matter… Also, we didn't know the dragon was gold until we saw it…" she replied through pinched lips.

The high elf recoiled like Kanae had insulted her. Arenade pulled her down to the smithy, where Rog and Lina were currently inspecting the giant golden scale.

"This pristine work of nature is begging me to wear it! Begging! Do you understand me? I can make myself a nice weapon. Maybe a golden sword… or a crown… Just think of the possibilities, Arenade!" Arenade told herself.

"I've never heard you talking in third person before. This is a new level of high elven haughtiness," Kanae joked.

"Listen, buster." She pressed a finger to Kanae's chest. "While you were away, I managed to make the Kh'shanti seed sprout. Juuust a little though. Giving me at least 80% of the dragon scale is the most I deserve."

"Wait… You made it sprout?!"

Arenade led Kanae up to the Knight-Commander's bedchamber. Sitting in an enclosed, spherical glass pot was the Kh'shanti seedling. It was only an inch tall and had all but a single leaf.

"I worked with that horny Saint Priest Lani and her living grimoire. We managed to get it to sprout by raising the concentration of mana in the potting soil. That thing's not out of the woods yet. We need to get to Talahurah where the concentration of mana is the densest. Otherwise, it's going to starve. The seedling sucks out a lot of mana. I've been feeding it mana potions, but even then that's barely enough to sustain the damn plant," Arenade explained.

"Arenade, you're amazing!" Kanae grabbed Arenade's face and kissed her deeply.

When they parted, Arenade was bright red with pride and slightly bashful.

"Well, of course. I'm always amazing!" Arenade puffed out her chest.

"What was that I hear about going to Talahurah? You're taking your best pal along, right?" Edina asked, letting herself into the room.

"You're always welcome to come along. I just figured you were busy making soul cairns in your room all day," Kanae said.

"Hehe. As it turns out, the next place I want to build a soul cairn is in Talahurah. All that mana makes it the perfect place. It's going to be like old times with just the three of us!" The squirreling threw her arms around Kanae and Arenade's shoulders.