Early morning, bright sunlight filled Succubus City and Shien’s room.
However, Shien sat on his bed, looking as though he was questioning his existence.
Feeling even more sore than the previous two days, only three thoughts filled his mind:
“Who am I?”
“Where am I?”
“What am I doing?”
He was completely bewildered. He had decided to stay awake all night, so why did he still fall asleep? Was he no longer used to the life of a shut-in? He looked up at the sky speechlessly.
After a while, Shien climbed out of bed with difficulty. He not only felt sore but also drained, as if he had overexerted himself. He wanted to crawl back into bed and sleep, but the bed seemed cursed, and he was afraid.
Moreover, the bedsheets had been changed, and the bedframe looked unstable, as if about to collapse. Even his clothes were new, his body clean and smelling strongly of perfume, as if he had been bathed and scrubbed while unconscious.
Shien suddenly shouted,
“It was you, wasn’t it, Lasha? I know it was you! Come out! Come out now, and I’ll spare you!”
He grew more and more agitated. Besides Lasha, he couldn’t think of anyone else who could do this to him while he was asleep. With his current power, even a Transcendent Level being couldn’t do this, only that unscientific maid. He suspected Lasha had secretly returned and done unspeakable things to him.
However, even before, he hadn’t felt this drained after waking up. He must have been attacked by some unknown “energy vampire.”
“No! This can’t continue!” Shien became serious. At this rate, he might die in his sleep. “I have to find out what’s happening.” Even if he had to die, he wanted to know why. He wouldn’t accept such a humiliating death.
Thinking of this, Shien rushed out of his room, bumping into Liel.
“What… what’s wrong with you?” Liel asked, startled, then even more so seeing his pale face, red eyes, and ghostly appearance.
Shien ignored her. “I don’t have time to explain. You can go play by yourself today,” he said, then ran off.
But before leaving, he hesitated, then, blushing, whispered to Liel,
“Please prepare more tonics for me, the stronger the better. I… I need them…” His voice grew softer and softer, as if speaking of something shameful.
Then he fled, leaving Liel standing there, dumbfounded.
Shien, filled with shame and indignation, almost burst into tears. “My reputation is ruined.” In Liel’s eyes, he must be seen as an incompetent man now. Thinking of her disdainful look, he felt a surge of sadness, then anger.
“If I find out who did this, you’ll pay…!” He cursed the culprit in his mind. But the more he thought about it, the more sore he felt, as if the cursing was tiring him out.
“I can’t think about this anymore…” For his future happiness, he stopped his lewd thoughts.
Arriving at Shafney’s door, he knocked forcefully.
“Shafney! Are you there!?” He shouted, no longer caring about being polite or disturbing her, only wanting to know the truth. Shafney’s strange behavior yesterday suggested she knew something.
Shafney’s voice, filled with exhaustion, anger, and even grievance, came from inside,
“What do you want so early in the morning…!?”
Shien, sensing her emotions, felt a strange pang of guilt. But his concern for the unknown situation overshadowed it.
“I have something important to ask you! Open the door!” he said urgently.
Shafney’s voice became even more aggrieved and resentful.
“Can we talk tomorrow? I’m too tired today, even more tired than the past two days. Let me rest,” she pleaded.
“You’re tired too?” Shien was startled, “I’m also feeling tired for some reason. Do you know why?”
Shafney was silent for a long time, then said hatefully,
“I don’t know, I don’t know anything. Don’t ask me. If you’re tired, go back to your room and rest. Don’t bother me, understand?” She seemed to lie back down.
But Shien wouldn’t give up.
“I don’t even dare to return to my room now. Too many strange things happened these past few days. I’m scared,” he said, making a pained face, “Just tell me, Shafney, is there something wrong with this Succubus Fortress?”
“Get lost!” Shafney snapped, “You’re the one with problems! You were the one who insisted, acting so wildly. Who can you blame? You made me so tired, and I still have to clean up the mess and deal with the aftermath…!”
“Wait!” Shien interrupted, stunned, “What did you just say? What do you mean I made you tired? And what mess and aftermath are you talking about?”
Shafney didn’t want to answer.
“Anyway, there’s nothing wrong with my Succubus Fortress, and there’s nothing wrong with you. Nothing you’re worried about will happen. Just go back and rest,” she said tiredly.
“We’re leaving for Central City tomorrow. You’ll only be here for one more night. Just go back to sleep, and I promise nothing will happen tonight, alright?”
Hearing this, Shien was still uneasy.
“What happened? Can’t you just tell me?” he asked, exasperated.
Shafney was silent.
After a while, she said softly,
“If I tell you, will you take responsibility?”
This strange question confused Shien.
“Huh?” Responsibility? Responsibility for what?
As he thought this, several images flashed through his mind, beautiful and joyful images, like forgotten memories resurfacing, then disappearing again.
“What was that just now…?” Shien clutched his head, trying to remember, but the images didn’t return.