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

Today, Grand Eye Analise had called upon the Knights of the Order Colors for a closed-door meeting. Participation was compulsory. Kanae and the others answered her summons, but they were surprised to find that she wasn't guarded by Saint Priests. The meeting room was held in a special conference chamber within the Basilica of Saint Rue.

Kanae Toyomi, Estaline von Cleisseldor, William Bellevue, and Dalu'luna Mello sat around a large, half-circle table. Analise sat in her own seat in front of them. Unfortunately, the table was looking a little deserted. Empty seats outnumbered those that were taken.

Sylas Briarthorn, who was the Knight of Copper, remained in Capillis City posing as Sire Amerys in secret despite an alliance with Artaggon. The Knight of Red was still missing in Savir. Petyr Stormcloud, though she was never loyal to Radevic to begin with, had since been stripped of the mantle of Gold. It was clear to anyone that if Radevic was to return to its former glory, the order must fill the vacant seats.

“I’ve summoned you here this morning to discuss several important matters. The first is potential candidates for two Knights of Colors. Emerald yet remains empty following Bardell's vacancy. Onyx is reserved for a hare beastman, and Amber for felines. Amethyst, you recently returned from Talahurah. Perhaps you know of someone who may be deserving of the responsibilities?" Analise asked.

"Other than Sheeba for Amber, I don't really have anyone else. But Sheeba is Chieftain of Talahurah. She also sounds really attached to making sure the city stays safe and prospers," Kanae explained.

Everyone else was at just as much of a loss on who to nominate to the empty positions.

"Hey, Kanae. What about Arenade for Knight of Gold? Do you think she would accept the mantle?" Will asked.

"Forget it." Kanae waved a dismissive hand. "There's no way Arenade is going to accept the responsibility of a Knight of Color. Not to mention, she and I are queens of the Commonwealth. It's going to look really suspicious if we're both part of the order."

The entire table heaved a sigh in unison. It was looking like the Order of Colors would stay empty for a while longer. Onyx, Amber, Emerald, and Gold… Filling one seat was hard enough, but four? Without the Knight of Red, the order was essentially only at half its strength.

"Honestly, I'll take anyone at this point. My head is pounding from all the work I have to keep up with. The mantle of Archbishop is still empty, too. When will I be afforded any rest?" Analise groaned.

While the grand eye was lamenting her luck, Esta nudged Kanae and whispered, "Master, what about Wendy Ironspear? And the serpents from Hollowglade?"

"Something you two want to share?" Dalu leaned in to ask.

Analise's sudden hopeful eyes snapped to Kanae.

"Err… Est— I mean, Silver!" Kanae cleared her throat before continuing. "Silver was just suggesting that we nominate Wendy Ironspear to be Knight of Gold. She previously served in Capillis City as a deterrent against undead. Currently, she's a sworn vassal to Arenade. I don't think she has any real allegiance to Artaggon though. A while ago, I subjugated three major lamia tribes in Hollow Glade. I think Garuda of the Emeraldscales would make a great candidate for a new order branch."

"Hm. And it just so happens that they both serve the Commonwealth of Sin." Analise tapped her chin and stared directly into Kanae's eyes.

"I-I know how suspicious that looks, but I'm as loyal to Radevic as you are!" she protested.

Although some of Kanae's past actions had suggested otherwise, such as going behind the Grand Eye's back to free Minestra Val'doun and Hilde, confine Lanil Hammerthorn, and form the Demon Three's Alliance. Extreme circumstances demanded extreme actions. She might have been justified to do so, but it changed nothing that her actions had put Radevic in a tough spot.

At the moment, however, Grand Eye Analise's gaze remained fixed on Kanae as she likely considered her options— of which were few.

Finally, Analise nodded. "Very well. Send word to your candidates. We will see that their mettle is thoroughly tested. Now, onto the next matter: I am tired. I am so very tired. The duties of both Grand Eye and Archbishop were never meant for one woman alone. Which is why I may have… skipped a few bureaucratic steps in pushing forth a new archbishop. Come in and introduce yourself to the Knights of Colors!"

The door behind them pushed open. A stone-faced woman, who was clearly high elven by the way she carried herself with an air of self-importance, entered the room. Her bright, golden hair had been pulled into a ponytail. A round pair of glasses rested on the bridge of her small nose. She wore a clerical robe of deep maroon with gold accents in floral design. Lithe fingers were beset with such large rings, they couldn't close properly. Instead, she had one hand clasped over the other in front of herself.

Unsurprisingly, the usual judging eyes of a high elf noted each person in the room. She did this without so much as turning her head. Her gaze stayed on Kanae for only a second longer than the others before flicking to the Grand Eye.

"Everyone, meet Cardinal Patrice Starborne. Patrice heads the religious studies department in Knights' Academy and is a well-respected clergyman of the Church of One. She is also a very capable Priest," Analise explained.

"Uhh. Another high elf?" Dalu shuddered.

"Rest assured, I bear no loyalty to the Empire of Ortesia," Patrice answered with the sternness of a uppity librarian.

"Cardinal Patrice was born in Lograin and therefore does not belong to any Ortesian house beholden to the empire," the grand eye added, then rose from her seat to stand beside the elf. "In the next few days, Patrice shall be anointed Archbishop in a private ceremony. We don't want to make a big fuss, and neither does she. With that, I conclude the meeting. Everyone is dismissed."

Just like Analise had described, Cardinal Patrice Starborne was quietly made the new Archbishop of Radevic. The ceremony, if it could be called that, was held on the basilica floor. Only the Knights of Colors, Saint Priests, King Turren, and Grand Eye Analise attended. Archbishop Patrice went to work as soon as the ceremony concluded, locking herself inside the archbishop quarters that the grand eye had been using since Gretchen Redbaron's ousting.

For the most part, little had changed. Kanae did receive a lot more assignments than usual, and her missives and reports were answered much more quickly. She occasionally ran into the new archbishop a few times in passing, but they never offered each other anything other than a terse greeting.

One day, Kanae was eating alone in the cafeteria when someone tapped her on the back. She turned around only to find no one there. When she returned to her food, Pan was seated beside her.

"Geez, Pan… Has Revah been giving you lessons on stealth or something?" Kanae sighed.

"Heh. You didn't hear me at all, did ya? Rev and I saw you from afar. I came by to say hi, but she's kinda busy right now." Pan thumbed over her shoulder.

Over at the food line, a group of junior knights were talking to Revah. She made quite a many friends despite being someone of few words.

"So, what's up? You look more tired than Nelly after Teana's done with him," Pan said.

"The new archbishop's been running me and Amethyst Hall ragged. It's been extermination quest after extermination! I can't believe I'm saying this… but I'm starting to understand how Arenade feels whenever we drag her out," Kanae explained.

"New archbishop?"

"Oh, yeah. I guess it's not exactly a secret, but Patrice Starborne is the Archbishop of Radevic now," she answered.

Pan's jaw dropped.

"Ah! Miss Patrice? That Patrice?" Pan gasped.

"You know her, too?" Kanae asked, only to recall that Patrice was also head of religious studies in the academy.

"I hate her sooooo much! We think she has something out for us. She also slams us with homework. My lowest grade in Knights' Academy is religious studies. Hrm… Hey, mooooom~ can you maybe talk up Miss Patrice about going easy on us?" her daughter asked as kindly and sweetly as possible.

"I'm not going to use my status to make school easier for you." She folded her arms and glared.

"Guh… B-But I'm not asking you to make it easier, just to make it fair! Even our classmates are wondering why Miss Patrice singles us out so much. Mine, Daya, Mikki, Revah, Teana's coursework isn't the same as everyone else's… Even our tests are harder!"

Kanae's mom senses started tingling. Patrice Starborne was picking on her children? Not on her watch. She might be Archbishop now, but that didn't stop Kanae from butting heads against the last one.

Red in the face, Kanae flew through the corridors and beelined it for the Basilica of Saint Rue. She sent skirts aflutter and papers flying on her way there. The poor clergy turned heads when she entered the cathedral. They stepped aside as she stormed into the archbishop's quarters.

"Patrice! I heard you were bullying my babies!" Kanae kicked the door open and boomed.

"Sh!" Patrice hushed her from the desk.

"Oh, sor— No, I'm not sorry! Pan just told me you were giving them more work than the other students. I demand an explanation! It's because they're succubi, isn't it?" she asked.

Patrice sighed and shut the book in her hand. The new archbishop rose to meet Kanae at eye-level, showing not an ounce of fear or hesitation that most high elves usually do in front of a succubus. That lack of anxiousness made Kanae flinched, and she avoided meeting her gaze and instead looked at the book titled The Influence of Divine Beings on Civilization, written by none other than Patrice Starborne.

"Kanae Toyomi," Patrice began with a straight face, "you are a fascinating case study. We exist at a point in time where a cult has risen to the status of a religion. Where the cultist has been christened and walks the path to Deification. I saw in real time the Eminence of Sin giving birth to the Commonwealth and wonder… if this is exactly how my kind became the greatest civilization the world has ever known."

"Er… uhm… I'm just here to ask you about my kids having more work than their classmates," Kanae stammered.

"Of course you are. Well, know that I do this not out of malice. I merely hold them to a higher standard. I do not wish for them to simply succeed. I want them to exceed. Particularly Mikki. I have high hopes for her," she explained and even cracked a smile speaking about Mikki.

Kanae suddenly felt disarmed. She came expecting to give Patrice a verbal lashing, but the high elf wasn't being mean to her daughters after all. Well, sort of. They were still being given special attention, whether negative or positive.

"Look, I just want you to cut them some slack. Mikki can probably handle the extra mental load, but at least put the rest back in the same curriculum as everyone else," Kanae pleaded.

"Done," Patrice said.

"That was… surprisingly reasonable of you…"

"Did you believe me to be unreasonable?" She scoffed. "I am a scholar first, an educator second, and a cleric third. Archbishop is just another title in a long line of titles I have earned through merit. You could have learned much under my tutelage. Alas, the curriculum between a student and a Knight of Color candidate is vastly different.

Without even realizing it, Kanae spent the next few hours with Archbishop Patrice lecturing her. All the while she helped the elf put books away into the shelves and boxed up Analise's belongings.

By the end of the impromptu lessons, it was already getting dark out. Kanae's head was full of topics on the allure of religious extremism in the downtrodden, how gods aren't entirely guiltless, and theories on why empires like Ortesia could so easily disregard the suffering of smaller nations. Even now, Patrice was still droning on and on with seemingly no end…

"Hey, uh… It's late. I better get back to the Amethyst Hall…" Kanae was about to slip out until a hand grabbed her by the shoulder.

"In two weeks, the Knight of Ivory and the best members of the Ivory Hall will depart for Savir in search of Red. I want you to convince the Grand Eye to give that mission to you," Archbishop Patrice said.

"But why me?"

"Savir has been embroiled in a civil war for years. The three sultans are weak leaders. I want to see how far you can go. I want to see Queen Kanae Toyomi swoop in and liberate Savir from its oppressive tyrants. What if I were to tell you there is a rumor that one of the sultans is also on the path to Deification? Is that something you can turn down now?" she asked and opened the door.

Kanae finally met Patrice's eyes in sincerity, but they weren't ones that belonged to a schemer. There was no hostility behind those azure irises, only an unslakable thirst for knowledge, to live in a time of great upheaval where history would be written about for the ages.

If there really was a candidate for Deification in Savir, Kanae had to seek them out. It was the last one she needed to defeat. Patrice had played her like a fiddle.

"What exactly do you get out of this? Why push so hard for me to play the hero and become deified?" Kanae asked.

"I get to bear witness to the clashing of two empires, Ortesia and the Commonwealth, on a scale never before seen. How does Demon Empress Kanae Toyomi sound to you?" Patrice flashed a smile.

"I-I'll have to think about it!" She rushed out of the office in a hurry and didn't look back.

Even in the comforts of the Amethyst Hall, Kanae couldn't stop thinking about what Patrice said. The Commonwealth, an empire? She made it sound like seizing Savir and defeating the other candidate was easy.

But… controlling half the continent would rival Ortesia in power. They might even think twice about attacking. Kanae wasn't the only one to become empress, so would Arenade. Their children would inherit an entire empire. She shook her head until the thoughts vanished.

As if Savir was going to just roll over. What a pipe dream.

Kanae laid down in bed and sighed. She turned to her side, coming face to face with Alicia.

"Hello, beautiful." Alicia smiled.

"Why are you in my bed?" Kanae asked.

"I followed you up here," she said and sat up. "You looked so troubled, you didn't even realize I entered the room with you."

For once, Kanae didn't feel horny. Being in bed with Alicia should have excited her, but not tonight. If there was one person to confide in about her troubles…

"Alicia, I trust you. What I'm about to tell you has to stay between us," Kanae implored.