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

After nearly a week of suffering under the intense Saviran heat, Kanae and her companions had finally reached Bravost, the Emerald Jewel of Savir. Riding in from afar, they were able to make out the tall sandstone walls that surrounded the sprawling city. Beautiful buildings topped with domed or onion-shaped roofs towered higher than the walls protecting them.

The most striking of all was the palace in the distance. An enormous emerald jewel, oval in shape, embedded on the front-facing side of the monumental building. Sunlight reflected off its gleaming surface with blinding intensity. It was Bravost's hubris to display an exceedingly large and expensive crystal for slum settlements beyond the walls to see. Broken down homes and gaunt citizens living outside gathered around small campfires. An elven woman with sunken cheeks holding a baby close to her chest, eyed Kanae's carriages with envy. While probably not intended, ramshackled repairs and makeshift shelters turned the slums into a maze of destitution. The poor roasted scorpions and rats, or whatever they could get their hands on just to sate their hungry stomachs.

But all of that was off the main road, which cut right down the center of the slums. Patrolling guards riding on camels kept a closer eye on the shadows and rooftops than travelers.

"Ah, Bravost! What a sight to behold!" Vizier Duran breathed deeply of the dry air and smiled.

"Yeah… what a sight…" Kanae repeated as she noticed two people fighting over a dead rat.

"Ignore the rabble. It is much more beautiful and safe within," he assured her.

The way Duran regarded the sad state of Savir's poorer citizens rubbed Kanae the wrong way. Edina must be feeling the same way. Her eyes remained fixed on a beastman couple with their small child, begging a guard for water. She eventually peeled away from the sight and shut the window.

As they drew nearer to the city entrance, trees with long, needle-like leaves became a more common sight. Guards wearing thick lamellar armor stood watch underneath the shade of the canopy. Each of their helmets were designed with an upward facing hook in the back, and a small emerald gem embedded on the front. A much smaller number of them boasted more than one emerald and were likely officers of rank.

The large archway had no gates nor portcullis. People came and went through a long corridor inside the wall, where guards scrutinized them from balcony vantage points above all the way down. They all carried crossbows, primed to fire at the first sign of trouble. Ceiling traps held only by an iron chain could fall on travelers at any moment. These were definitely an indication of a paranoid ruler.

"Well… I see my cousin has increased security since I was last here. It feels a lot less welcoming," Duran said, staring worriedly at the traps and fearful of falling victim to them.

"Help… please…" someone begged.

Kanae glanced out the window to find a naked and beaten man whose ankles were bound by rope, hanging upside down from a balcony. There were more. All of them groaned in pain, asking for mercy or for their suffering to end.

"Are you sure Sultana Dudula is the good guy here…?" Kanae hesitated to ask.

"Desperate times call for desperate measures. You've already uncovered proof of an attempt to dethrone my cousin. You foiled a plan to assassinate her loyalists in The Diamond! For all we know, these are conspirators after her life," the vizier explained.

"All I did was conduct trade… with a merchant from Elusis…" a hanging man muttered after overhearing them.

Kanae folded her arms, but a sweating and anxious Duran offered only an unconvinced shrug.

"Meh. I don't like it," Claudia chimed in and grimaced. "I know the way someone in agony sounds when they're guilty or innocent. I'd stake my tail on not all of them being guilty."

"What do you know, succubus? Your kind tried to enslave the world three centuries ago," Duran fired back.

"I mean, hey. I was wrong. I've learned to inflict pain on only those who deserve the whip. It's more fun and satisfying." She smirked.

Sunlight draped them again as they emerged from the corridor and into Bravost at last. Vizier Duran described it as the city of jewels, opulence, and architectural beauty. Rivaled only by Kandis, or so he had emphasized. Here, the citizens walked atop a mountain of jewels waiting to be dug up. Except it was all property of Sultana Dudula, and any attempts to excavate the earth without express permission carried the penalty of imprisonment.

Those that did have permission were members of the sultana's court, and they wielded both administrative and lawful powers equivalent to ministers. It was Bravost where the world got its jewels from. Artisan jewelers came from a long line of jewelcrafting families, who honed their craft over centuries. Many from around the world traveled to apprentice under those masters, and returned home to sing of Bravost's praises.

It came as no surprise that mining was the most common line of work. As a byproduct of digging for jewels, ore also contributed greatly to the city's prosperity. Jewels and metals were almost used in excess in construction, evidenced in the lavish designs of Bravost's great buildings.

They entered first a wide and spacious rectangular plaza. Caravans arriving in and leaving the city checked in at the administrative hall. But their true destination was the plaza in which Sultana Dudula resided.

From the block's plaza, three highways led deeper into different sections of the city. Winding roads led under and over entire neighborhoods, with the destitute hiding underneath the shadows of their wealthier counterparts. 

As Vizier Duran steered the carriages in the direction of the north highway road, city guards stopped their advance.

"Halt! You must identify yourselves at the High Courts before proceeding. Turn around now or you will be arrested on sight," a centaur guard said.

"Halt? You do not halt Vizier Duran, cousin of her majesty, Sultana Dudula." Duran stepped out of the carriage, much to the shock of those who stopped him.

"V-Vizier! We meant no offense, but the sultana's rules are—"

"Escort us if you must. I demand an audience with my cousin. Now!" he ordered and stormed back inside the cabin.

The guards exchanged a brief and nervous conversation before relenting. Four of them broke off from the main group to lead their carriages through Bravost. Kanae marveled at the city's infrastructure as they drove onto the highway reminiscent of the Imperial Span. The city was so large, they erected enormous streets suspended nearly fifty feet above the surface for travel. Smaller ramps led on or off the highway and the districts below where those in squalor lived.

"You think necromancy ain't allowed in Bravost, too?" Edina asked.

"Please, don't." Duran sighed. "Your skeletal beasts are terrifying enough. We need not cause the public any more panic. If you summon any more, I can't guarantee your safety in Bravost."

Sultana Dudula's palace was situated in its own walled-off section of the city. The only entrances were two bridges, one of which they were already on. Her palace would be an impenetrable fortress if they were to blow up those paths. Or a sitting duck against the Harpy King's aerial forces.

When they arrived at the fortifications, different guards surrounding the palace descended to meet them. These were much more equipped than the city guards and appeared more seasoned. A dark elf, probably a spellcaster judging by his robes and staff he wielded, watched quietly from the ramparts.

"Vizier Duran, it is quite the surprise to see you so far from Kandis. You bring with you succubi, a necromancer, and a high elf I can only presume is Ortesian, so you must excuse our caution." The elf bowed.

"Archmage Donnu, I'm here to meet with Dudula. She is beset by assassins and schemes which seek to overthrow her from all sides. I must inform her. These are my escorts who pledged to aid us against the Mutt of Avanesse and the Harpy King!" Vizier Duran explained.

"Now, you must understand how suspicious that sounds to us. You came with demons long-believed dead, who possesses the magic to charm and compel one's very will. We can't be too sure you're not under their sway and intend harm on Sultana Dudula," Archmage Donnu said.

"I would never—"

"Be that as it may, we cannot allow your guests in. You and you alone may enter. Sultana Dudula will not have it any other way. What shall it be?" he asked.

On cue, the guards surrounded the carriages and drew their weapons. Petyr brandished her warhammer and was itching for a fight. Some of the guards gulped hard, unsure about being on the receiving end of her giant weapon or facing succubi.

"Wait!" Kanae shouted. "We really are here to help Sultana Dudula, but it isn't entirely out of the kindness of our hearts. I'm here in search of Sivvy Brenhallow, who your sultana knows as the Knight of Red. Red came to Savir years ago to escort a group of archaeologists from Ordane University. She will know exactly what I'm talking about. Can you at least relay that to her in our stead?"

"Hm. Very well. You don't strike me as a scheming sort, but that doesn't mean we trust you yet. You're welcome to stay in the city. Do not take advantage of our hospitality. We have eyes everywhere. Vizier Duran, the sultana awaits." The elven magister disappeared behind the wall, and the iron gates groaned open.

"I'll convince my cousin to grant you an audience. Until then, I beg of you… don't make any trouble in the city," Duran pleaded desperately.

Kanae watched as their small-fry traveling companion entered with a company of heavily-armed guards. Archmage Donnu waited for them on the other side. The elf offered her a bow before they marched for the palace.

"What's our next move?" Alicia asked. "The plan was to tell Sultana Dudula everything ourselves. There's no guarantee of that now."

"We still have several threads to follow up on. The Dryoak Consortium you discovered, who are outbidding Sultana Dudula's attempts to buy out Saviran mercenaries. Renya is somewhere in the city being pursued by the Dervish Five. Back in The Diamond, I met an old acquaintance, whose guild was involved with the Knight of Red before they vanished. There's a lot to do, but I really don't feel like splitting the party again…" Kanae groaned at the thought of them going their separate ways like before.

"How about a place to stay first? I'm pooped!" Edina exclaimed.

They were about to climb back into the carriages until a couple of guards rushed out of the palace.

"Wait, wait! Archmage Donnu strongly urges that you not use necromancy in Bravost. It might not look good if he and the vizier try to set up a meeting between you and Sultana Dudula," the guard explained.

Edina threw her head back in exasperation and moaned. She inevitably un-summoned her undead beasts. But left with nothing to pull the carriages, Kanae and her party left the vehicles in front of the wall.

"Excuse me! You can't leave your vehicles parked by the palace either!" he shouted.

"Not our problem anymore!" Edina cackled.

They wandered back to the block adjacent to the palace, populated mostly by the wealthy and elite class of Bravost. A little too wealthy for Kanae's liking. The air of self-importance could only be rivaled by Ortesians. Petyr fit in just fine with her nose turned to the sky and aura of arrogance, but even she found them insufferable. It also didn't help that Edina's sticky fingers were acting up.

A kind guard showed them the way to Ordane's Rise, a block that was home to Ordane University and the city's Museum of History and Relics. It wasn't like any university campus Kanae had gone to back on Earth or Knights' Academy in Radevic. Instead of young, bright-eyed students, Ordane's Rise was swarming with scholars and professors of elderly age, many of whom debated in cafes and parks as a pastime.

The university itself was a series of three tall spires interconnected by winding walkways and levitating platforms. Floating terraces rotate slowly around them like celestial bodies. Unfortunately, it was inaccessible to Kanae and her companions, since they were not members of the school.

"Seif and Panner should be here soon. They left around the same time we did but took a different route. Let's find a tavern in the meantime," Kanae suggested.

They settled on a tavern on the outskirts of Ordane's Rise. The modest, two-story building welcomed travelers not native to Savir. As a result, those staying here had the familiar manner of speech and accent from as far as Radevic. An usual hobgoblin was drinking with goblins and a human man at the corner of the tavern floor.

While Kanae's companions retreated upstairs after acquiring a room, she opted to stay downstairs and mingle with the locals to gather information. Two older goblin men were knocking back beers, looking like they could use the company of a woman.

"It's not often you find goblins in Savir," Kanae said, taking a seat between them.

"Well, hello hot stuff. Hehe… You ain't a common sight either!" One of them drunkenly scooted closer and rubbed her inner thigh.

"Damn deserts are a little too hot for us, but there's no shortage of work. Apparently, when you're digging into places, having someone with a small body to get into nooks and crannies helps a lot! Though… I'd like to assure you, I ain't small down there, if you catch my drift." The other drew closer from her opposite side and winked.

Kanae bought them another round of beer to keep them talking. They spent most of the evening complaining about work, all the while groping her body with other patrons nearby to make a show of it. She learned their names as Racket and Finch. They were old enough to be missing some teeth and all of their hair, but still had enough vigor to work hard labor.

"How long have you two been working in Ordane anyway?" Kanae asked them.

"Humm… Gotta be fifteen years now, eh? Maybe it's about time I settle down and put a baby in someone," Racket said, rubbing his chin.

Fifteen years? Then they must have been around when Sivvy came through.

"Wow! That is a long time. You must have encountered a lot underground then. I hear… some mining settlements are keeping quiet what they're digging up. Is that true? I wonder what's being dug up?" Kanae continued playing along.

"See, lady. That there's where the secret starts. It's capiche from here on out." Finch put a finger up to his lips.

"Awww. But I really want to know. I'm an adventurer, so looking for this stuff is what's fun~" She pressed her breasts to the goblin's face and reached into his pants to grab his cock.

"Hey, hey, hey! What about me? I'm in on it, too! But, uh… we can't tell you about it here. How about somewhere more private?" Racket suggested salaciously.

Kanae followed the goblins up to their room, where they double-teamed her like their lives depended on it. Finch facefucked her while Racket pounded her from behind. They may be old, but the two certainly went at it with youthful energy. She bucked her hips against the thrusts and sucked with great enthusiasm, but careful not to drain them to death.

"Ouughh! A succubus really is the best lay! This bitch is sucking up my soul!" Finch exclaimed, holding her horns as leverage as he pumped into her throat.

"Wait until you fuck her pussy! Tighter than a female goblin!" Racket hugged her from behind as he blew his load.

"Will you tell me now?" Kanae asked shyly.

Both of them exchanged glances and shook their heads.

"Must be the old age getting to me. How about we go for a few more rounds to jog my memory?" Racket asked.

They swapped positions. Kanae was lying on her back, and now Finch was the one pistoning into her. His unkempt nails bit into her thighs. Meanwhile, Racket sat on her abdomen as she squeezed his green cock between her breasts. Goblin spunk splattered all over Kanae's face. She licked up any that landed on her lips.

"Alright, toots." Finch seemed satisfied enough to talk now but made her suck him off while he explained. "The old sacks at the university have us and a couple of other goblins working for them personally. Usually, they blow a hole underground somewhere, and send us in to go check it out. You should see the shit we've found over the years. Gigantic temples. Huge underground tunnels. Sometimes they lead to weird metal places. We've been calling them the Under Roads."

Racket continued after his companion, "Scary place down there though. Gives me the creeps, and I ain't scared of nothing. Thankfully, we don't need to explore. Just confirm there's a temple, road, or metal cities, and that's it. They blow those places up into smithereens, as far as I know."

"Whatever happened to the archaeology guild that used to be with the university? I thought it— ooumphh!" Kanae couldn't finish the rest of her sentence after both of them shoved their dicks into her mouth.

Although the goblins were quick to climax, they had endless stamina when it came to sex. Kanae sucked them both off. But as they neared orgasm, Racket and Finch pulled out to jizz on her body. Almost as if to mark her in their scent.

"Yeah, I remember 'em!" Racket recalled. "Ordane disbanded them. Beats us why. Those guys are still around though."

"Eh, not all. Some got nabbed in Elusis, remember? The rest that came back ain't working under any official capacity. It's all hush-hush," Finch added.

"Give me the name of someone from the guild I can meet." Kanae sat up and charmed them.

"Arch… mage… Donnu," they answered stiffly at the same time.

Kanae gasped. That same mage they met in front of Sultana Dudula's palace? Which meant Donnu knew about the Knight of Red and played it off as if he didn't.

Why?

"Sorry, I got a little carried away." Kanae released the charm on them.

"Don't apologize, sexy. I kinda liked it!" Racket licked his teeth.

"Thanks for the fun, but I think I better get going. See you two around~" She got up just only for the door to swing open and a dozen other goblins poured into the room.

They froze as soon as they saw Kanae, who was still butt naked and covered in spunk. All of them popped an erection at the same time.

"Perfect timing, you guys! This succubus right here's a real ho. Why don't you stay a little longer, toots?" Finch asked.

"I guess I have time." Kanae chewed on her lower lip.