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

Approaching Talahurah without the gargantuan Kh'shanti to greet them from a distance just didn't feel right. The toppled tree rested on its side. Exposed roots, snapped from its anchor to the ground, seemed to reach for the sky instead of the soil.

The people of Talahurah were all over it, wrenching out splinters embedded into the ground, shaving off protruding roots, and grinding down the jagged stump left behind. However, in spite of the tragedy, the citizens were thriving. Children who didn't know any better climbed and played on the branches now reachable from the ground. Burrows had been tunneled into the upper trunks to make homes out of. It spoke to the resilience of Talahurans, to be able to persevere after losing their cultural monument.

Overseeing it all were two beastmen: the lioness Chieftain Sheeba and the black harpy Talon. Sisters of Sin from the Talahurah Branch of the Eminence of Sin were also out in force. Countless laborers pitched in to help.

"Queen Kanae!" Sheeba gasped and took off running towards them. "Not that we aren't happy to see you, but what are you three doing up north?"

"We have a surprise gift for Talahurah. Tada!" Kanae gestured to Arenade, who cautiously revealed to the chieftain a Kh'shanti seedling and whose eyes surveyed the skies.

The lioness couldn't believe it. Her mouth hung agape.

"Well, bloody my claws and call me a hummingbird. Thought Talahurah's Kh'shanti would be the last there ever was. Now this, I'm cool being wrong on." Talon reacted in the chieftain's place.

"We should get that planted right away! Follow me!" Sheeba exclaimed and beckoned them to the stump of the former Kh'shanti.

When the explosion destroyed the great tree, it happened in a way that diagonally severed the trunk and slid off. According to Sheeba, Talahurah's citizens had been hard at work sanding it down to an even ground. There were countless mounds of sawdust and bark around. Apparently, they wanted to flatten the stump and build some kind of memorial to commemorate winning the war.

Sheeba was more than eager to scrap those plans. They reached the center of the stump, and Talon snarled at workers to leave and give them space.

"Wait, you want to plant it here? Not in the ground somewhere?" Kanae asked.

"Kh'shanti's are pretty strong. Their roots will drill into the stump and sap its nutrients over time. Besides, the best place to plant the seedling is where it once grew best," Sheeba suggested.

The lioness flexed out her claws and shredded a small hole. Arenade shrugged and pulled the seedling out of the container, then planted it inside where Sheeba proceeded to cover with sawdust and excavated soil.

Kanae's eyes went wide as the Kh'shanti seedling began to grow in real time. The leaves wriggled as they gradually became larger, the stem taller, and the bulb thicker. Any other plant would have taken time away from it to notice any difference in growth.

"Is it supposed to grow that fast?" Kanae kneeled down and marveled.

"Yes, actually. After all, Kh'shanti can only grow in specific conditions, such as places with high concentration of mana. Eventually, the tree will plug up the geyser that Ortesia let loose. It's going to take a long time before reaching its full glory, but Talahurah will have a great tree again," Sheeba explained.

Kanae, Arenade, and Edina breathed a sigh of relief. The journey up here had a couple of close calls like the poison forest, but they made it in one piece. The Kh'shanti seedling made it in one piece.

"You're absolutely sure the seedling is going to be safe here? We had stupid birds trying to make off with it on the way here!" Arenade complained.

"For how prized this seedling is, I'll have guards stationed here day and night until it's mature enough to survive on its own. Talahurah can't thank you three enough. When the tree fell, everyone's spirits just… fell with it. Not anymore." Sheeba smiled.

"Talahurah is part of the Commonwealth of Sin. As queen, it's my pleasure to help." Kanae extended a hand to shake Sheeba and Talon.

Having just arrived in Talahurah, the three figured it couldn't hurt to stay for a little while. If they were to leave so soon, Arenade would probably throw a fit about traveling again.

They made their way over to the Eminence of Sin church, which was attached to the brothel, The Horns and Tail, that Kanae had been a temporary prostitute in. It was also here where she had met Daya and subsequently Hilde, the then Mistress of Subjugation.

A lot had changed in The Horns and Tail. It was a four-story building now. Silhouettes of patrons and prostitutes were going at it behind the drapes in every window, and their moans were like a chorus. People also shuffled into the church when Talahurans previously couldn't care less.

"We're not seriously visiting a brothel, are we?" Arenade turned to Kanae with a grimace.

"How long have you been with me, and you're still a prude? I just want to check in on Taileen and Erin. You can wait for me in the church," Kanae said.

Right through the door, an elf slugged a beastman across the face. He flexed his arms in victory, but that triumph was short-lived when the beastman got up and pounced on him. They rolled across the floor, beating each other up as patrons cheered them on. Even the waitresses and prostitutes were hollering.

"Ahaha! This is my kind of place. Hey, where's the betting pool?" Edina skipped inside and tossed some gold coins into a pot to bet on the beastman.

"Queen Kanae, hi-hi!" Erin pushed through the crowds to greet her, then bowed to Arenade. "Queen Arenade, too. Hehe. Congratulations on your marriage! Taileen and I barely made it to your wedding. Your dresses were soooo pretty!"

"Aww, thanks. But, uh… It's hard to take your compliment with all this shouting going on. Just what the heck is all this?" Kanae asked.

"We've somehow became the go-to hub for the adventurers hall. They come here after a long day of questing to let off steam. Be it fighting, drinking, or having sex with a Sister of Sin upstairs. It's been great for business!" she explained.

Kanae slapped a hand to her face. All that work trying to build a proper brothel, only for it to become a glorified fight club and bar. Well, success was success.

"Hey," Kanae leaned in close and whispered. "I'm actually looking for a Sister of Sin with the Prestidigitation skill. Is she around?"

"Bitch, you came in here to screw a prostitute after all!" Arenade spun Kanae around and jabbed a finger into her chest.

"It's for a good cause!" she protested.

"Ah, let Kanae have her fun. Get over here, grab a drink, and let's watch this dainty elf get a walloping!" Edina shouted to Arenade.

To Kanae's surprise, Arenade did relent. She scooted over to join Edina, who shoved a full stein of beer into her hands.

"What's so fun about watching someone get beat— STOMP ON HIS BALLS! WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!" Arenade boomed.

Kanae rolled her eyes.

"I believe the Sister you're searching for is over there. Her name is Naisha." Erin pointed to a feline beastman half-succubus, who was humming to herself as she went from table to table with a wand.

Long, dark brown hair stretched down to her waist. Two perky ears twitched at every loud outburst from a patron, but she didn't seem to mind. Someone accidentally bumped into her, spilling his beer onto the both of them. He apologized profusely, but Naisha was not at all bothered. Brandishing her wand, she waved it once in front of her and tidied up the spill. Neither of their clothes were wet anymore.

"Patrons can get really rowdy and messy, so Naisha's been really helpful around here. Oh, Naisha! Come here! Queen Kanae Kanae wants to have a word with you!" Erin waved.

"Greetings, my queen!" Naisha performed a cute curtsy. "I was among those transformed to serve during the on-set of the war. It's been a pleasure to serve you and the Eminence of Sin!"

"Perfect. We're going upstairs to have sex. You have a skill I want," Kanae said.

Naisha's eyes glazed over.

"Isn't that wonderful, Naisha? Queen Kanae, our founder and High Priestess, wants to lay with you. You're going to ascend!" Erin exclaimed.

"What? No, I don't have that kind of power," Kanae said.

"It would be an honor to have sex with you!" Naisha grabbed both of her hands, eyes shining like the sun.

The other Sisters of Sin were busy, but Erin called Taileen over for a foursome in their room upstairs. Naisha was enthusiastic, but she melted as soon as Kanae touched her. It was easy for Kanae to forget that she was a symbol of worship to them. Even though physical intimacy was a regular and expected act as disciples of the Eminence of Sin, to lie with a founding high priestess must be quite the achievement.

Night had fallen by the time they finished. Kanae sat naked at the edge of the bed while Taileen, Erin, and Naisha were strewn about in various states of unconsciousness. Ejaculate leaked from their holes after she made a mess of them with Futanari. Their hairs were a disheveled mess. Satisfied smiles adorned their delirious expressions.

[Feed the Queen] had earned Kanae all but a single level. She went from 275 to 276. It made her wonder if there was another legacy skill to be earned soon. However, the true purpose of this romp proved fruitful.

Kanae brushed a hand over her sigil to bring up the skills and spells list. She scrolled down a spellbook's worth of abilities before coming to [Prestidigitation].

[Prestidigitation: You can perform the following minor magical miracles:

 

• Light or put off a small fire.

• Clean a minor mess.

• Cool or heat something to a mild temperature.

• Write a short message as if you have a quill and ink.]

 

"This spell is a lot niftier than I expected," Kanae said.

Time to test it out. Kanae fished out her wand from her bag. She cast Prestidigitation at the Sisters of Sin intending to clean them, and as magic dictated, vanished the cum from their bodies. This. This was power.

Kanae went around the room casting Prestidigitation. She lit the candle on the nightstand. She cooled the pillows underneath her loyal servants. She cleaned the soiled bedsheets from all their sweat and other juices accumulated over the day. Finally, she left a nice little message on a note offering her thanks.

"Thank you, Naisha. If you're ever in Ehmvier, feel free to come to me any time." Kanae planted a tender kiss on the sleeping beastman's lips.

"Thank you… Queen Kanae…" Naisha mumbled half-asleep.

On the way downstairs, Kanae expected the hustle and bustle to have died down. Quite the opposite. As if it couldn't get any more chaotic, Arenade and Edina were involved. The singular crowd had split into two factions headed by each of them.

Combatants from both sides received buffs from Arenade and Edina before entering the ring to duke it out.

"Get up already! How many times do I have to heal you?" Arenade jeered.

"Please, my arm's been broken five times now! Just let me give up already!" a burly human fighter cried.

"Finish him! Chop him up! I need fresh corpses!" Edina howled at the elven fighter from her side.

"I-I thought this was a friendly bout, not a fight to the death!" The elf hesitated to continue.

"What are you guys doing?!" Kanae jumped into the ring and cast Mass Charm to calm everyone down.

Arenade and Edina in particular, compelled by Kanae's compulsory magic, drunkenly entered the ring. They both looked sloshed beyond belief from one too many drinks.

"We're just having a little fun! Nothing too serious. We weren't actually going to get anyone killed, right?" Arenade asked.

"Oh. Uhh… Yeah!" Edina exclaimed unconvincingly.

"Okay, you two had enough fun. Arenade, Detox yourself and Edina." Kanae folded her arms.

"No! When was the last time I got to cut loose like this? I want to have fun! I want to drink!" She threw a tantrum.

Kanae groaned into a hand, then activated Doom & Gloom. The earrings activated the stored spell as an area of effect. Everyone on the floor blinked a few times, returning to their sober selves.

"Good thing I stored a Detox before Skill Drain's duration ran out. I can't believe I had to use it to make you dummies sober." Kanae sighed.

"Damn it, Kanae! Do you know how many drinks it took to…" Arenade slapped a hand over her mouth and went green. A flood of vomit poured like a waterfall. She collapsed to her knees and continued throwing up.

"Ahahahaha!" Edina started cracking up. "Detox might make you sober, but all that nausea hits you like a— oh, shit…"

Edina joined Arenade on the floor in spewing out her innards. Now, Kanae had two idiots feeling the after effects of being drunk while not being drunk any more.

"You guys are lucky I just learned Prestidigitation…" Kanae whipped out her wand and got to work.

The next morning, Kanae awakened feeling supremely refreshed. To each side of her in beds of their own, Arenade and Edina had curled up underneath the sheets. A couple of kind Sisters of Sin had carried them to the Eminence of Sin.

Kanae got as far as a step from the bed when the door to the room burst open. It was Sheeba, accompanied by Taileen. Both of them looked spooked.

"Something's wrong with the Kh'shanti seedling! Can you come take a look?" Sheeba pleaded.

"Why can't things just go smoothly for once? Arenade, Edina! Wake up already!" Kanae went to shake Arenade up first.

"Uuugh… Ten minutes— No, two hours. My head is killing me…" Arenade groaned.

"Who's playing drums… in the room? I'm gonna kill 'em…" Edina croaked from the other bed, then stuck out hand to grab her staff and summon an undead.

When the skeletal warrior emerged from a portal, it glanced around the room, exchanged a look with Kanae, and shrugged.

"We'll go without them," Kanae said.

They brought Kanae out to the former Kh'shanti's stump where the new seedling had been planted. Spellcasters like mystics and shamans were mulling over it but parted ways as soon as Kanae entered. The seedling was much larger compared to yesterday. Instead of the tiny little plant she remembered, it had grown to the length of her arm. However, black spots marked the leaves, and a ring of fine colorful dust encircled each one.

"That's… Is that bad?" Kanae asked.

"It's called Fairy Rot, a rare botanical disease that only affects magical plants," one of the shamans explained.

"How do we cure it?" she pressed them for answers.

Nobody, not even the shaman who had spoken, seemed to know. They shook their heads instead.

"Fairy Rot is a plague for alchemists who cultivate magical plants for alchemy. There is no known cure other than to separate it from unaffected plants and destroy it," the same shaman said.

Everyone's shoulders slackened.

"Oh, there's a cure alright. Just not on this plane." Arenade, hand pressed to her pounding head and other hand holding a healing potion, came up to meet them. "We'll need to go to Faerealm."