10. Fixing Mistakes"Welcome to my office, my dear part-timers!"

  Valentina was sitting on her desk in a sensual pose while the trio of immigrants were sitting composedly in front of her on their chair.

  "Miss, why are you sitting on your desk?"

  "This is actually a silly question, dear miss Fr?nze. I'm sitting on my desk to assert my dominance over you."

  The redhead blushed, turning her head downwards.

  "In all seriousness, i've gathered infos about you and about your current leader. We miss Fr?nze, the captain of the guards, mr. Heinz, the strategist, and mr. Oktavian, a simple high ranking member. You three fled from your nation due to fear that our Fr?nze could get assaulted whenever she was vulnerable. That's an understandable reason, however... It's a weird course of actions given your status. You could have just fought her."

  The succubus focused on observing their reactions.

  "I... Was scared."

  Fr?nze's expression saddened.

  "Scared?"

  "And she wasn't even a witness. She, one day, suddenly burst into the throne room, when our numbers where thin because our previous ruler was missing. She announced that she was our new ruler while showing the decapitated head of her predecessor to all of us, before kicking it like a ball."

  Otkavian used a serious tone. He was also sober.

  "Our previous ruler wasn't reckless. He was always escorted by some guards whenever he went. It was easy to think that there were traitors in our ranks, or worse... That our group pledged loyalty to her. "

  Heinz was talking in a detached manner.

  "She's horrilble, starting to harass me the second she saw me, mistreating people and having a complete disregard for life and property. I couldn't stand her. I wanted to beat her to a pulp!"

  The captain of the guards was becoming red from anger.

  "However she managed to stop herself. She was soon overwhelmed by fear, fear of both being heavily ourtnumbered and both to have to fight her dear colleagues. She had no idea about how many would have fought with her and how many would have sided with the baroness, so she desisted from her intent."

  "I see... ck of trust... I can't really bme you..."

  Valentina's tone softened.

  "Can i ask how did you three met?"

  "It was thanks to me. I got drunk in a bar and i started to vent. Those two happened to be near me when it happened."

  "The only good thing he got from getting drunk."

  The strategist smirked, giving the dog man annoyance.

  "Still, i personally scouted the main sites your enemy seems to operate and they didn't seem that big of a threat... Still, I wanted to discuss with you about our course of actions. I'm mostly interested in recovering the faulty colrs and freeing their victims, which are problems i was responsible for. Howeber i'm not really interested into taking a part in seems to be a succession war in another nation. I'd like not to mingle with other nations problems and becoming a scapegoat to use against us."

  The trio nodded almost simultaneously.

  "So, my pn is to make a magic trick to convince the sves they aren't sves anymore and recover the colrs. About your problem, though, you may try to recruit some of the sves to aid you fulfilling your objective, as they don't really like the baroness and her cronies. Then you should learn about how many of your colleagues are willing to leave the baroness behind and then you get a small army against hers. You have to be cautious though since her cousin is retively smart. He has some loyal enforcers and he is rich, so he can hire mercenaries. He also have two lieutenants that may be difficult to deal with."

  "We know them. They were former adventurers that were imprisoned in the capital's jail for reiterated assaults. They shouldn't be too much of a problem though."

  "Oktavian, an opponent is always a problem!"

  The redheaded captain almost yelled at the dogman.

  "But there's nothing better than a fight to have some fun... except sex, maybe..."

  Valentina used a seductive tone of voice who weirded out the part timers.

  "I just wanted to lift your spirit..."

  "It failed."

  Heinz's reply was deadpan.

  "Oh well... I was curious though... why someone like you, miss Fr?nze, became a guard in the first pce..."

  Fr?nze blushed a bit.

  "I just was good at fighting. Some people told me i could become a good guard and i just joined them. I didn't really know what i wanted to do at the time, so i thought: 'Why not?' I soon became the best guard, at least in terms of fighting, and then they nominated me captain. However captains are supposed to be more than just fighters, while i'm only the tter. Luckily i foud reliable people who helped me when i had no idea what to do..."

  "I can confirm. She's not fit to be a captain, as she cks expertise and a higher level of knowledge. She does her best though, and her subordinates appreciate her for that."

  Heinz put a hand on Fr?nze's shoulder, trying to calm her. The succubus listened to all the expnations attentively.

  "Noted. Do you have any person stealthy enough? It just popped in my mind that even if you ck numbers you can neutralize a small army through poison. I know a thing or two about poisons, and i discovered the baroness' cousin's men usually eat in their headquarters. If you manage to infiltrate in it you can poison the food and knock out the men."

  "Well, stealth is not our strong point but this is something worth trying."

  "I appreciate your spirit, mr. Heinz."

  The succubus stood up from the desk, then she went behind it and opened a drawer, from which she took out four fsks.

  "These fsks contain a powerful narcotic. It only work via oral assumption, so don't worry about handling it. A single fsk contain enough narcotic to knock out 25 people. They should be around 60-70. I'm giving you an excess of narcotic just in case i was wrong at counting."

  Heinz took the fsks and he put them in his bag.

  "Thank you, mistress."

  Valentina blushed slightly

  "It's nothing, really... However... You don't really have to stick to my ideas though... For example, if my magic trick manages to send that guy's men into complete chaos, you can exploit it."

  "It's our job to exploit weaknesses."

  Heinz's tone was still deadpan.

  "When do you have intention to act?"

  "Well, miss Fr?nze, i intend to act tomorrow, te afternoon to early evening, before dinner time. You can come with me, if you want."

  The trio looked at each other's, before Fr?nze replied.

  "Thank you, we'll join you."

  "She had a problem at the border st time, so she hopes your presence would be enough to avoid that."

  Heinz was smirking. He managed to make Valentina ugh.

  "I assure you that where will be non such problems with me. I still have to follow all the procedures though. That's mandatory or i'll be detained."

  The succubus, who sat again on the desk, stood up again. She gestured her temporary underlings that they could leave her office. The trio did exactly that, not before thanking her profusely. A little smile formed on Fr?nze's mouth, but it was fleeting as she still had to execute the pn to free her town from the evil baroness.

  ---

  *Knock knock.*

  Ferdinando was knocking on the entrance door of Valentina's house. It was early afternoon and Agamennone was watching a slice of life romcom on the TV when he heard the knocking. He reluctantly stood up from the couch he was ying on and went at the door. From the peephole he recognized the figure of the regent. His mood instanctly soured.

  *Knock knock.*

  "Are you home Valentina?"

  "She isn't. Now sod off."

  "Your majesty, has anyone told you that you ck good manners?"

  Ferdinando's mood also worsened after meeting the boy yet again.

  "Many people told me so. Still, before you vanish from my sight, or my earshot, whatever it suits best in this scenario, have you got more infos about the throne? Can i go home now and leave you to your own nefarious destiny?"

  The regent groaned.

  "Ulterior analyses have shown that the throne needs a lot of energy to be activated. We could channel our magic to speed up the process, but even then we would be able to recharge it in about 200 years, and that assuming all the people in this city give a daily contribution to the throne. Actually... It's not a very long time..."

  The demon lord grinned his teeth.

  "STOP TESTING MY PATIENCE!"

  "My bad, i forgot human lifespans aren't that long. I'm sorry."

  Somewhat apologetic, Ferdinando left. Agamennone blew some air as a sign of frustration. He returned on the couch, immersing himself in the romcom. Two guys were mercilessly punching each other. It wasn't depicted too graphically. Agamennone raised an eyebrow.

  'What happened in that minute i got distracted?'

  Luckily for him, his question was answered by a close up on the childhood friend of both the boys, a short haired girl with brown hair with a ssher smile on her face as she enjoyed the show.

  'Oh, she pyed both of them... Now i understand why she was sometimes seen on the background with the other guy, seemingly being sweet and cute with him, while also pying perfect girlfriend to the main character...'

  The fight was tense, the guys yelling insults at each other, failing to understand their predicament, while the girl smiled eerily in the background.

  'This is becoming slightly unsettling...'

  Agamennone, however, was morbidly curious about how the fight would end. Now the guy were fighting on the floor, still attacking each other with full power. The childhood friend was enjoying herself, so much that she hid under a couple of desks and start pying with herself while both blushing and eerily watching her two friends beating each other while comparing the scene to a smutty homoerotic comic book plot.

  'Maybe it's too much for me.'

  "Oh this is a cssic. I remember that my sister always watching this serie whenever our parents weren't at home so they couldn't scold her for seeing questionable contents while too young for it. I once tried to join her, but decided to leave after seeing this scene. Maybe i should watch it now that i'm old and experienced enough to understand the subtlelties of people's behaviours. I don't know if this story can satisfy my tastes though..."

  The lord turned his head backwards, seeing Vionte's head. The girl was standing behind him and the couch. Her hair were tied in a high ponytail and she was wearing a comfy outfit suitable for working out. He was slightly surprised.

  "I can't answer this question."

  "I know, in fact i haven't asked you anything, i was just telling you a fun fact."

  "Oh..."

  Agamennone returned watching the show on the TV. The fight has ended, with the two men lying senseless on the ground while the girl quietly left them with a pair of panties on her hand.

  "Is she going to flee or is she going to pretend to find the idiots by accident and call someone for help?"

  Vionte scratched her cheek.

  "I don't remember, however she has a more pressing problem at the moment. But i think the second option would be more fitting to her character."

  "A more pressing matter? You mean her underwear? Don't tell me that pair of underwear were the one she had. That would be pointless!"

  The indigo-haired girl smirked

  "It is exactly as you said. And yes, i wouldn't have removed them either. I think guaranteeing some privacy has a higher priority than some uncomfortable feeling..."

  After some seconds of silence, the conversation started again.

  "You have very trashy tastes about fiction."

  The half-succubus smirked in response.

  "You don't seem to have much better ones, Agamennone."

  The boy grinned.

  "I have stated nothing about myself though. Why are you so defensive... "

  "Don't try using logic to turn the tables. I can tell you weren't being neutral with your statement, nor you tried to diminish the potential offensiveness of it."

  The couple soon started ughing. After some seconds, the young man turned his head backwards.

  "Is it normal to air such shows at this hour? Not that i care about children. But usually a lot of people care about them watching inapporiate shows, for better or for worse."

  The girl rubbed her chin.

  "Good point. Usually these shows aren't aired at this hour, however this channel and a couple of other ones are adult-oriented. If you have suggestionable individuals like children you shouldn't watch this channel at all. Or let them watch it at your own risk... My sister and some of her friends start watching these channels quite young and doesn't seem to have had a bad influence on them, at least from what i know about them. However people are different and may react differently to questionable content... especially the most influenceable like the very young."

  Agamennone returned watching the tv, the brown-haired childhood friend now pying dumb with a member of the academy stuff while pretending to discover the two boys on the ground for the first time.

  "You were right."

  Agamennone's reply was deadpan while the half-succubus chuckled.

  "As i said, it would have suited the character better... Still... It wasn't really my intention to talk about fiction though, I wanted to ask you if you were willing to accompany me while i do some shopping. I wanted to buy a couple of accessories... mainly a choker..."

  Agamennone rolled his eyes.

  "I won't force you if you don't want."

  The boy was still quiet. Vionte sensed something.

  "What are you up to?"

  He giggled.

  "You know, i don't, nor i can talk to dogs."

  "Really, you think i'm a dog because i want to wear a choker? Maybe you should see yourself while you're eating, then you'll see who's the real dog between us..."

  Agamennone felt that remark, feeling a little annoyed.

  "I eat like a normal person."

  "I'm sure you really believe it. I'm also sure that in your opinion the set of normal people only has one element, you, in it."

  The lord failed to come up with a decent come back.

  "Returning to the main topic, if you accompany me, we can also hangout together. We can also partake in some activities you enjoy."

  "We can already do that at home."

  The girl threw an annoyed gnce at him.

  "If we go outside we can do many activities we can't at home. Still, you have till tomorrow at lunch to think about it. I already made pns."

  The half-succubus observed Agamennone's face in search of a response which was slow to come.

  "I understand."

  "Now i'm going out, i was thinking about doing some exercises. You can join if you want, even if i'm sure you won't. I'm in the garden if you need something from me."

  "Yes..."

  The girl hinted a smile in her face as she left the house. Agamennone returned watching the tv show, which just ended. The credits were still rolling.

  'I wonder if the next show is even more messed up...'

  The next day, in the early afternoon, Vionte was in a good mood as she was ready to go shopping with her housemate. She was dressed in a cute bck tank top and bck athletic pants. Her hair were tied in a high ponytail

  "Are you ready to go, step-bro?"

  Agamennone, dressed with a magenta shirt and cyan pants, was weirded out.

  "What's wrong with you? Why you started this step-bro thing?"

  "Oh, that... I just thought it would be funny to use some romcom cliché tropes... Do you find it the same?"

  The half-succubus blushed slightly.

  "Not really."

  The girl frowned.

  "Ok then... I thought it could be a way to have fun together."

  "It's a way for you to lose dignity and reputation."

  The indigo haired girl smirked.

  "Like you do with what are you wearing now? Where's the yel-"

  Vionte scanned her housmate's outfit, finding the yellow in the form of his comfortable shoes.

  "Found it... Now put a pair of sungsses and you're ready to print..."

  The girl was slightly annoyed. Agamennone, instead, was irritated by the comment.

  "Don't deflect the discussion. Calling someone step-bro just to have fun with a fictional trope is not bad, doing that in public is pin weird and scowl inducing."

  "That's true... But we shouldn't care about what the other think, right?"

  Agamennone nodded.

  "Still, your outfit is also pin weird and scowl inducing..."

  "I don't take fashion lessons by someone who wants to dress up as a dog."

  "You'll see how this 'dog' is going to make your heart beat fast..."

  The seductive tone of the girl caught Agamennone off guard. Vionte smirked.

  "Let's go. You have a lot of bags to carry for me..."

  "Forget it!"

  Vionte controlled her pockets to be sure to her house keys and her wallet, then, together with the demon lord, they left their house.

  The two were now roaming the city, walking quite fast.

  "So... We shouldn't stay out for long. I just wanted to buy the choker and, since it's close, maybe a succulent pnt... You have to carry nothing."

  "You like succulent pnts?"

  "I do, they're really cute, especially globur cacti and rosette-shaped ones. I have many of them in the balcony of my bedroom. I also have non succulent pnts, of course."

  "Well... I think this is a hobby that kinda fits you."

  The half-succubus blushed slightly.

  "You think? Why do you think that, if i may ask."

  Agamennone started to think, rubbing his chin.

  "From what you let me see... I think you have a caring, kind... Side..."

  Vionte was surprised, then she smiled with radiance.

  "T-thank you... I really appreciate that..."

  "I just hope it's not you wanting to try some clichés with random people."

  The smile dropped into frown,

  "I'm no saint, Agamennone. I won't deny that i have took some inspiration from some fictional characters, mainly characters of the same archetypes, to... smooth out my character. However i didn't do that for my own amusement. I, especially when i was younger, really liked that archetype of characters, yet... I knew i couldn't be like them, since my personality is... a lot different... So i started to emute said characters behaviour hoping to become more like them... But i only managed a partial success. "

  Agamennone was pensive, with his gaze pointed downwards.

  "If you say so... I, personally, can't act differently to how i am."

  The girl sighed.

  "There's nothing wrong with being true to oneself. As long as you aren't completely deranged..."

  Then she shook her head slightly.

  "Still, this is supposed to be a funny exit. We should't think too much about our problems."

  The indigo haired girl started to hum a melodious and catchy song while slowly wiggling her head left and right to try to lift the mood as the couple approached a clothing shop. The girl then entered the shop, followed by the demon lord. They were greeted by a demon woman.

  "Welcome."

  Vionte waved her hand while Agamennone simply stared back at her, still avoiding eye contact.

  'That guy's a weirdo.'

  The girl soon went in the accessory area, where she started to observe the chokers present, while the lord was wandering aimlessly in the shop. The half-succubus ended her observation quite rapidly and picked a bck leather choker with an eptagonal pendant made of chromed steel. She then went to check out and was received by the same girl from before.

  "How much is it?"

  "It's five silver coins."

  Meanwhile Agamennone was sitting on a cushion admiring a potted palm and a couple of mirrors which were creating a Droste effect with both said palm and the boy. After she bought the choker, Vionte immediately put it on before searching for her companion which was soon found still near the palm and the mirrors.

  "It's time to go."

  Agamennone turned his head towards her then he followed her outside the shop without replying and putting his hands in his pockets.

  "So, have you changed idea about chokers? Or do you still think i'm a dog?"

  "You are a dog because you wear a choker, not only if it doesn't suit you."

  Vionte smirked.

  "Do you think it suits me, then?"

  The girl elegantly turned her body towards her companion. She made sure to show her neck.

  "Weirdily... It suits you. Probably because you have teaser tendencies."

  The half-succubus was slightly surprised.

  "Thanks but... I weren't thinking about my personality when i wanted to buy one of them. I just like them. Timotea also wears them even if she is not a teaser."

  "She's a cat though."

  The Indigo-haired girl giggled.

  "I dare you to tell her that she's a cat. She's going to slice you open."

  "Hasn't she cat ears and a cat tail? She's a cat."

  The girl cmly expined him.

  "Timotea is a catgirl, which are hybrids between humans and anthropomorphic cats, which are evolved cats. Calling Timotea 'cat' is quite offensive because you're literally telling her she's a feral beast."

  Agamennone was confused.

  'Catgirls, anthropomorphic cats, normal cats... How many different cats they have it?'

  "Catgirls, anthropomorphic cats, normal cats... How many different cats they have it?"

  Vionte's expression became exasperated.

  "Let's end this discussion, shall we. Let's talk about pnts instead. We are going shopping for them next."

  The two left the shop. Vionte smiled and waved again at the waitress, while Agamennone ignored her.

  The duo was walking towards a pnt shop while talking about pnts.

  "Rosette shaped succulents grow deceptively fast. Despite that, you should not repot them in very big pots or they can't occupy the pot's volume fast enough to avoid rotting from too much water."

  The half succubus was in a very high mood. Agamennone, despite not contributing much in the conversation, was still actively listening to her.

  "Some cacti instead are slow growing, and i mean really slow growing."

  The girl started humming again. Agamennone was instead reflecting about the pnts.

  'These pnts made me think about the simirity between these two worlds... I mean... Someone is forcefully teleported to another world. Even ignoring all the paradoxes about teleportation, it could have been possible for me to just be squashed by the atmosphere's pressure or having my blood boiled by the ck of thereof, to asphyxiate due to ck of oxygen, or too much oxygen... To ck proper food... The physical ws could have been different...'

  The half-succubus, who was casually stretching her arms behind her head, stopped humming as she noticed her companion thinking.

  "I hope you're not thinking about sad things."

  The boy was annoyed.

  "I try to avoid thinking about such thing as much as possible by my own."

  Vionte rolled her eyes.

  "Have you ever thought about thinking before replying... "

  "I have not insulted you, you have no reason to react like this."

  "Can't you feel how condescending your tone is? Sometimes your tone is enough to annoy some people. I'm one of these people."

  "I'm not being condescending, i'm just replying in a normal tone."

  The girl sighed.

  "I believe you, but i can assure you your tone is not 'normal'."

  "It is."

  "Believe it when i say it's not. I'm not attacking you."

  Agamennone pouted, turning his head the other way. He felt a hand on his shoulder.

  "I didn't want to argue with you..."

  She smiled at him. the young man turned again towards her,

  "Smiling won't make me smile too..."

  "I don't smile only for this reason. I also smile to let you know that i'm not being hostile. It's something i learnt from romcoms comics."

  "I was noticing something strange with your smiles..."

  'She's cute when she smiles though... She really seem a fictional character from a romcom when she smiles...'

  "Well, i'm not subtle with them. I don't want to make them subtle, to be more precise. They're made to be seen."

  The girl smiled again. The lord did not reply, rubbing his cheek in thought for some seconds.

  "So... I know a pnt that only grows two very long leaves... Do something like that exist here too?"

  "Yes... there are three or four species of pnts that behave like that. I wanted to buy one but i've never found them. I like to call them 'twintails pnts', for obvious reasons."

  The half-succubus showed all her passion while talking about pnts. They entered the shop still talking. As they reached the counter, the girl waved at the shopkeeper an elderly anthropomorphic goat who replied with the same gesture. Agamennone just observed the interaction.

  "Hi Mr. Dettori."

  "Hi Vionte. What are you searching today?"

  "I don't really have an objective in mind. I'd like just to browse and buy the first little pnt that catches my attention. Still, i'd like to buy some pots too, my rosette succulents have expanded again and i'd like to give them a bit more space."

  The anthropomorphic goat expressed disappointment.

  "Feel free to browse the store, however, we have a shortage of pots right now..."

  "I'm sure this is the day you restock pots."

  The girl started to browse the store in search for some pnts of her liking. Agamennone sighed.

  'She's a pnt fanatic..'

  The shopkeeper turned his head towards Agamennone.

  "And who's this young man? Is it your boyfriend, Ms. Vionte."

  The girl blushed slightly, a smirk appeared on her face. Agamennone, however, was annoyed.

  "I'm not her boyfriend. I've high standards."

  "Your standards are useless, since no one sane of mind would get together with you."

  There was a slight amount of annoyance in her voice.

  "Are you saying you're my only option?

  "Nope, i'm saying your only option is your own reflection in the mirror."

  The youngsters bickering caused the goat to chuckle.

  "You two behave like a married couple. Everyone can see that there's chemistry between you two."

  Another smirk appeared on the face of the half-succubus as she attentively observed a succulent pnt, a globur cactus with a lot of spines. The lord, however, didn't like this sort of comments.

  "The chemistry. Sure... Hers is simir to chlorine trifluoride."

  "You're the one who's really unstable and overreactive. And yeah, i know what are you talking about. I don't think you'll ever be able to manage to insult me in a way i can't understand your intentions."

  Agamennone rolled his eyes in response of his companion's blunt come back.

  "Someone's a little overconfident."

  "I'm just knocking someone a peg or two."

  "Calm down youngsters, there are better things to do than arguing."

  The shopkeeper ughed.

  "I know, Mr. Dettori, but he likes to argue with me over trivial reasons. And i want to let him know that i'm someone that always go down with a fight."

  "I don't like to argue!"

  The shopkeeper chuckled.

  "I know you enough, Vionte, to know that if you really wanted to make him stop you would have already done it."

  The indigo-haired girl, after taking the succulent she chose, started chuckling in a sinister manner, but then she replied like nothing happened.

  "That's true. But i think this problem is not big enough to adopt such measures. Still, he's getting scared already."

  She gnced at her companion, who was getting slightly uncomfortable. As she approached the counter, her eye noticed a second succulent, one shaped like the head of a morning star, simir to the striatae agaves. She took it and, together with the cactus, she put it on the counter.

  "Do you want to buy these two then?"

  "Yeah. Are you sure you don't have pots?"

  The succubus took her wallet and paid the pnts.

  "The shipment i should have received today never arrived."

  The anthropomorphic goat stroke one of his horns.

  "Ms. Vionte, are you willing to help me gather some infos about that shipment? I'd like know why it never arrived."

  Agamennone rolled his eyes.

  "It's not our problem."

  Vionte gred at him. As she returned her sight towards the shopkeeper, the girl's eyes widened.

  "Do you buy pots from the other side of the border?"

  "You're perceptive, girl. I indeed buy pots by the other side of the border. It's both cheaper and the store is quite close."

  The young man was confused

  "If the store is near the border couldn't you just telephone them?"

  Vionte appeared in front of him, her head sideways.

  "I'm sure you can arrive at the right conclusion. Haven't you studied history?"

  "I did, but honestly i wasn't much interested so i may have forgot some of the details."

  The half-succubus gred at him with half-mast eyes.

  "A little detail called the 'Last great war'."

  "Ah... Indeed i've forgot about it, yet i now understand what's the point you wanted to make."

  Vionte raised an eyebrow.

  "You do? Then tell me."

  "Well..."

  Agamennone smirked, putting a hand on his waist.

  "Other than the fact that your enemies should have researched the concept of extermination camps i'm going to go with you wanting to keep your technological advantage against potential enemies."

  The girl put a hand on the man's shoulder, prompting him to turn his head towards her.

  "You're right. Still, i'd like that you refrain about mentioning such subjects in front of strangers. I may not mind talking lightly about such topics but some people may not like it, so... Since i know that you're someone who doesn't bend but who breaks easily, the next time you talk lightly about such sensitive topics in front of strangers, i'll hit you. Hard. And this is not an empty threat."

  The girl's was dead serious. Agamennone felt intimidated by her gaze, slowly nodding. Vionte then turned towards the shopkeeper.

  "Excuse him, He likes to provoke people and knows no boundaries."

  The shopkeeper smiled

  "Don't worry. I'm not holding you accountable for his actions. Still, your friend is kind of a warmongering buffoon."

  The lord was annoyed.

  "And you eat half of your merchandise every month."

  Vionte put her hands on the counter. She was shaking from her anger.

  "Calm down, young dy. Being a shopkeeper also means being able to get over whatever insult your clientele will throw at you."

  The half-succubus sighed.

  "Returning to our main topic. I'll help you gathering infos about your missing pots shipment."

  Agamennone was shocked.

  "REALLY!?"

  While the shopkeeper was relieved.

  "Thank you, Vionte. Tell me how can i repay you."

  "Well, with some pots... And... You know those pnts which only grow a couple of leaves that become longer and longer? If it's possible, i'd like if you're able to get your hands on one of them."

  "I understand. They're not that common though. Some time may be needed before i can get you one."

  "Oh, Don't worry."

  Agamennone was annoyed.

  "Really? You are going to do something fot him you have nothing to do with and you're only asking for a potted pnt? You're really cheap!"

  The girl gred at him, her gaze cold. She immediately turned towards him and grabbed him from his shirt. She didn't say anything. Her look talked by itself. The man was scared. He thought for a moment before he realized the problem.

  "Ah... I said you were cheap because you accepted a ridiculous payment. I didn't mean that you're promiscuous. Why would you even think such thing. It literally have no connection with your situation and... I don't want to make you angry."

  Vionte rexed, freeing him, then she sighed.

  "Sorry. I lost my composure here. I let your childishness cloud my judgement."

  The half succubus returned to the counter. The shopkeeper had put her pnts in a bag.

  "I'm going home to put them in a safe pce. Then I'll go investigate."

  The girl smiled at the shopkeeper. She then took the bag and left the pnt shop

  "Goodbye."

  Agamennone followed her as the shopkeeper waved at them. As the couple left the shop, the half-succubus became more and more tense, until she exploded.

  "Can i ask you what has got into you? You had no reason to behave like that! You are ruining everything!"

  The boy was shocked.

  "What do you mean ruining everything. This is not the st time we are going out together. I didn't think it was important to you."

  Vionte sighed.

  "It's not that important. But you had no reason to be so hostile towards Mr. Dettori."

  "I... Huh..."

  Agamennone was trying to think about an expnation.

  'I don't really know what has got into me though... How can i expin something i don't know!'

  "I... Didn't like his comments about boyfriends... I think. I don't need a girlfriend. Then i started bickering with you and got frustrated by the fact that you always have a reply ready and..."

  "I understand. You're just a prick! And to think i thought there was more about you, and i'm still sure about it! To think that i thought you could have been a potential partner for me! My mind was running too fast! Maybe i wasn't being as rational as i thought. Maybe i was clouded by the pity i had for you, maybe i was clouded by the ck of intimacy that me as a succubus and as a person naturally crave! I was being an idiot!"

  As she said that, her speech became gradually more broken, intense and theatrical. Agamennone was feeling bad for her. He never thougth he could manage to make her lose her patience. He didn't know what to do.

  'Should i leave her some space or should i comfort her... I have no idea. What would she prefer...'

  He was conflicted, remaining in his pce. The girl was still trembling slightly, but she quickly composed herself. However, her mood was bad. She started to slowly walk back to her house, telling Agamennone through signs to follow her. The couple remained silent for some time while walking back theri home. Suddenly, The young demon lord spoke up with a low voice, his face red.

  "I'm... sorry..."

  The girl's ear twitched slightly. She turned towards her companion.

  "Were you speaking to me?"

  "Huh... Rhm... No... Huh..."

  "Take your time."

  The boy started scratching his head.

  "Huh... I said... I'm sorry..."

  Vionte was taken aback.

  "And for what are you sorry, just to know..."

  The indigo haired girl's tone was serious. The young man diverted his gaze.

  "..."

  "I can see you're having some difficulties. I promise not to argue. Just be yourself."

  "I... Am sorry to have made you angry. I've felt bad seeing you in such state."

  The girl sighed.

  "Well... i wasn't expecting you to apologize in the first pce, so... As promised, i won't argue with you. However... You shouldn't really apologize to me, but to the shopkeeper."

  "I have no reasons. He started it. And i don't even know him."

  Vionte scratched her forehead.

  'His reasoning is weird...'

  "Well... i accept your apology... But i'm telling you that apologies shouldn't be given only to people you know."

  The girl used a warm tone. Agamennone replied, with a mixture of confusion and annoyance.

  "Apologies can't be given if you don't feel bad about something. Those aren't apologies, those are lies."

  The half-succubus stared at him, her expression thoughtful.

  "You're not wrong... But i don't think you're right either... I can only say i understand your point of view... I have to think about it..."

  She extended her hand, ready for a handshake. Agamennone slowly extended his hand. Vionte waited until their hands connected, then she started the shaking, with her movements way more energetic than his. She then smiled at him, before resuming to walk. Agamennone soon followed her, his expression pensive and slightly preoccupied.

  'Didn't she mentioned something about potential partner and craving intimacy? Should i worry about her losing control to her lust? Should i lock the door when i go to sleep? How do succubi behave normally? Weren't they hedonists? Is Vionte really fine as she is now? Is she a threat to me? I hope not. Conditional or not she kinda cared about me...'

  Late Afternoon.

  In the abandoned warehouse two guards were harassing some of the sves chained on the ground, one of the guard bending over and taking the chin of a female sve while the other went near him. Those sve weren't malnourished but they were still hungry. They were also tired due to luck of high-quality sleep.

  "You all are lucky since the boss doesn't want us to have fun with you, at least for free."

  "The only drawback of this job."

  The guards stood up, releasing the chin of the girl, and exited the building. As they left, they noticed a red haired woman wearing an elegant white dress. They swiftly took their sword out of their sheath.

  "Who are you?"

  "She's the captain! No, wait, she's n-"

  "Who am i is not important."

  Valentina smirked maliciously, before putting her hand in front of her and suddenly the guards fell onto the ground. They soon started snoring. The succubus then elegantly walked into the warehouse, stepping over one of the guards' back in the process, purposefully and with as much force as possible. She entered the building, in front of her around 40 people, mostly humans, with their leg chained on the ground or on the walls and everyone with a sve colr on their neck. The sves were terrified by her appearence, even with her having morphed into a normal human.

  "P-please... D-don't hurt us."

  "P-please... Help us..."

  'I doubt they'll believe if i tell them that the colrs' power is expired.'

  "Fear not, dear unfortunate people. I'm here to free you."

  The succubus used an elegant tone. Some of the sves were crying, finding hope after a long time, while others were more skeptical.

  "Yes, help us, please!"

  "How are you going to free us. They told us these colrs were made by a powerful and cruel demon."

  Valentina bared her teeth for a moment, before composing herself.

  'How they can say bad things about my daughter. Still, I'd like to imagine their reaction if i say that those colrs were just made by a newbie in training...'

  The succubus smirked.

  "I care nothing about such rumors. What i care about is freeing you."

  The redhead waved her hands around, summoning small orbs of lights.

  "PLACEBO MAGICO1Transtion: Magical Pcebo!"

  The orbs of light danced in the air for some seconds before targeting the colrs and dissolving upon impact.

  'I hope they are fooled by this show.'

  "I've nullified the effect of the colrs. You are free now."

  Some of the sve were cautious, not believing her, while other were ecstatic, trying to pull their colr off their neck, some of them trying as far as yanking them off.

  "The colrs can be unlocked on the back. Obviously, functioning colrs are sealed and cant be removed with such a simple motion."

  The sves heard the succubus' words and tried unlocking the colrs on the back, trying to perceive with their hands some mechanism that could be unlocked. Soon, the colrs started to fall off one by one, the former sves rejoicing.

  "Thank you, miss."

  "You are our saviour!"

  The succubus started walking while using her finger to unch a magic beam aimed at the chains attached the sves, breaking them one by one. Soon all the people in the warehouse were freed.

  'It's not an accurate job but i think it suffices for now.'

  The former sves walked towards the woman, singing about and praising her.

  "You can leave now. Just don't attract attention or your captor's men will catch you again. Even if they can't ensve you anymore, they're still an obvious threat."

  The crowd acknowledged her words, some of the people nodding, while other just listened to her.

  "I'm leaving. I hope you the best for the future."

  Said that, the succubus left the building. The former sves observed her as she left, cheering her. Then they started to talk, agreeing on the necessity of developing an escaping pn. As she left, Valentina morphed again in her original form and started flying.

  'Maybe i should not leave them being... I'll probably continue to observe them and to help them if needed.'

  Having flown far enough, she took a magical walkie-talkie and started talking into it.

  "I've done my part, now observe what your targets behave and choose the best course of action. You can do this."

  The succubus then smirked, still flying but without moving from her location.