"Ren!"
Gently touching the wolf's torso and activating the skill, the target—the wolf—instantly gave a soft "squeak" and went limp, lying on its side, lifeless.
The fact that there was no wound on its body ironically generated a huge sense of guilt.
Ren, still holding the wolf's body, looked back at her companion, the half-elf with blonde hair and blue eyes.
"I'm done, Iris."
"Thank you, Ren-san."
Iris, who had been holding her bow ready just in case, smiled as she lowered both her weapon and her hands.
"But still, that skill is too frightening. I feel like I might forget the responsibility of taking a life."
"Right?"
Ren felt relieved that her companion shared the same opinion. A smile naturally appeared on her face, and the two of them laughed together.
They would skin this wolf and take the meat, utilizing it as much as possible. Since Ren couldn't butcher it, they would leave that part to Iris's family.
"I want to learn how to butcher a beast, too."
"Eh, but it's quite difficult, you know?"
"I have too much free time. Now that I don't go to the dungeon, I have a lot of empty hours."
She was gradually learning to cook by insisting with Furi, who claimed, "We'll do the cooking, so Ren, you don't have to." Ren knew she would rely on Furi and the others now and in the future, and she genuinely enjoyed cooking with them.
She had been practicing sewing from time to time, and she felt she had become quite domestic, somehow.
"I think you could relax a little... But I think I can teach you how to butcher a beast?"
"Yeah, I'm counting on you, Iris."
"!"
Iris, smiling as if she could jump for joy, moved close to Ren and whispered near her ear:
"It's a promise, okay? Please keep it a secret from my sisters and Metia-san."
"Got it, I'll keep it a secret."
This kind of thing wasn't bad, either. Ren smiled a little mischievously as they sealed their secret pact.
-----------------
After hunting a few other animals in addition to the wolf and returning, Iris's family praised them highly.
Since Ren had undergone race fixation, she was able to learn the Wind Blade magic, "Wind Slash," which allowed her to contribute to logging as well.
"Ren-san can help us right away," Iris's mother said with a smile.
Iris's father, however, wore a face that seemed unwilling to admit it.
"I'm grateful you brought Iris back, though."
"We welcome you warmly!"
"Ren-san, please come visit more often!"
"Yeah. I might be able to visit a bit more for a while."
Iris's younger sisters were as cute as ever.
Their older sister, however, seemed slightly displeased and puffed out her cheeks a little.
"You two. Forget that, shouldn't you find a boyfriend soon?"
"What are you suggesting, Iris!"
Their father shrieked.
The two sisters (whose speech still retained some childishness but whose appearance and actual age were marriageable) looked at each other in response.
"Then maybe I'll make Ren-san my lover."
"Wouldn't it be more reassuring to be with her than to look for someone else?"
"Why are both of you trying to take the person I love...!?"
Their mother, who saw her daughters happily (and loudly?) making a fuss, tilted her head and leisurely muttered:
"I don't think you need to rush that much yet..."
-----------------
"How should I put it, Iris, you're quite jealous, aren't you? I'm happy, but it's a little surprising."
"That's... because of you, Ren-san."
On the way home.
They purposely walked slowly and talked, as flying would get them there too quickly.
Iris, who answered sulkily, cast a slightly resentful gaze at Ren standing next to her. Since Ren was guilty of many things, all she could say was, "I'm sorry."
"Furi-san, me, Mei-san, Sion-san, Metia-san. ...There are five of us already, you know? If three more people are added, my turn won't even come once a week."
"I don't think three more will be added, honestly."
"If you include El-san, that's only two more!"
Ren certainly didn't have a hobby of seducing a twelve-year-old girl. Well, Mei was thirteen when they met, but she was excluded since she was neither mentally nor physically age-appropriate.
Then Iris pressed on, "Is it okay three years from now, then?"
"That's... well. I might be tempted to flirt a little."
"Aren't you satisfied with just us?"
"Oh, Iris? ...Are you that frustrated?"
As Ren brought her lips close to Iris's long ear and whispered almost like a kiss, the girl immediately turned bright red.
"N-n-n-no! It's not like that at all...!"
"It's fine if it is, though. ...Come to think of it, you've gotten used to having them grown now, right? It makes me happy when you ask for it so much, calling my name—"
"Spirit of the Wind! Shut off the sound around her and create the void—"
"Silence Magic!? And with a long incantation, no less!?"
The accuracy and power of many spells increase with an incantation. Ren had never used one because it was generally stronger to cast the spell quickly and follow up with a second one than to waste time chanting.
Debuff spells, where accuracy is particularly important, might be an exception. And perhaps ritual-like magic? Since she gained the bonus of magic development due to race fixation, she wanted to explore that direction as well.
"Ren-san?"
"Ah, sorry. I was just thinking about magic."
"...It doesn't seem like a lie. In that case, I don't mind."
She meant she would have been angrier if it had been about another woman.
Ren chuckled with happiness and hugged Iris's slender body.
"Kya, ah, it's hard to walk!"
"It's fine, let's stop for a moment. ...Since tonight is your turn, Iris, let's do a lot, okay?"
"...A-a lot?"
"Huh? I didn't say 'lewd things', though?"
Perhaps she had teased her too much, as a bright red Iris raised her voice, exclaiming, "Ren-san, you really are a Succubus!"
The voice echoed at the border between the forest and the plain. It might have been heard by nearby houses.
Iris, with a look of dismay, slumped her shoulders.
"...It's Ren-san's fault."
"Don't worry about it. We're not dating in secret, and I love you, Iris."
Nothing was wrong, and there was no harm in people knowing.
The Succubus's temperament was helpful in moments like this. Not only did she love lewd things, but perhaps because of that nature, she didn't worry about small details.
As they started walking again, Iris's cheeks remained flushed for a while, but eventually, she sighed.
"What kind of child will Furi-san and Ren-san have?"
"Curious?"
"Yes. Because depending on that, we can imagine what our child will be like, right?"
Ren had already reported her pregnancy to the Sage.
In that context, when they last met, he had said:
If a Succubus has the characteristic of having children with other species, the nature of the child you bear might lean heavily towards the partner's species.
If so, Furi's child would be a Wind Spirit, and Iris's child would be a Half-Elf.
If a Half-Elf were to be born instead of a Quarter-Elf, it would certainly help increase the Elf-line children.
"I'm just happy that you're seriously thinking about having children, Iris."
"Honestly, Ren-san, you're teasing me again!"
Being alone with her always made her get close and treat her mischievously.
At the second loud voice, Iris covered her mouth, thinking, "I messed up."
============
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