Night of the Assault

The ruined castle at night. The balcony.

Bathed in moonlight, Aery turned to look at Charlotte.

"You seem a bit under the weather, Char."

"… Yeah. Looks like it."

To the utterly matter-of-fact inquiry, Charlotte gave a small nod in a restrained voice.

It would be difficult to tell at a glance, but after years spent together, Aery could not miss it. Charlotte's cheeks were flushed red as if feverish, her skin faintly warm. Her breathing was ever so slightly uneven, her voice small and strained.

She wiped sweat from her brow as if harboring a fever, shaking her head irritably.

"… Maybe I've been cursed or something."

"Any idea who might be responsible?"

"The guy from three days ago."

"… So it was him after all."

"Probably."

Aery nodded in understanding. Charlotte wiped her forehead with her military uniform's sleeve, her chest suddenly heaving.

"I started feeling off the next day. It's been gradually getting worse since then. Though it doesn't seem to be anything serious…"

"Have you informed Lady Almaeira?"

"No."

"That's not very wise. It adds another secret to keep."

"… You're right about that."

Charlotte gave a bitter smile and shrugged.

However, regarding her condition, it wasn't mere bravado. If it were a dangerous symptom, Almaeira, who was always by her side, would have noticed immediately. The magical arts she was most skilled at dealt with purity and impurity. If there was any impurity invading her body, she should have been able to sense and easily remove it.

"I can't say for certain it's not worth mentioning… I don't know what will happen from here on—but at this stage, even Almaeira can't do anything about it."

"… What do you mean?"

If even Almaeira couldn't do anything, wouldn't that itself be dangerous?

As if sensing Aery's concern, Charlotte waved her hand dismissively and gave a light laugh.

"It's not that she can't help because it's dangerous… The effect is so subtle that it doesn't fall within the scope of purification. To put it simply, it's like my autonomic nervous system is just a little off. It's hard to tell whether it's a curse or something else entirely…"

"Fever and sweating, increased blood flow and metabolism—the symptoms do seem to be about that level. Your pulse and heart rate are also faster than normal… Depending on how you look at it, one might say you're healthier than usual."

"Just how much are you listening to?"

"If you wish, everything from your heartbeat to the pulsing of your organs."

"—There's really no catching you off guard… Ah, I suppose this is what it'd feel like if I spent a whole day in a sauna."

Aery let out a small sigh at Charlotte, who insisted on acting carefree.

"Excessive health can sometimes be poison. Sweating and fever easily lead to dehydration. The symptoms may very well worsen. It would be best to rest as much as possible and monitor your condition."

"That's why I stayed near you. I figured you could carry me if I collapsed."

"What if it's a contagious curse? Not that I would refuse."

"Oh, Aery, you could easily prevent a secondary infection—ahh, what a nice breeze."

Feeling the wind sweep across the night sky, Charlotte narrowed her eyes contentedly.

The early spring night breeze was cold, but it felt just right on her flushed skin. Her honey-colored bangs swayed pleasantly as her sharp blue-green eyes gazed into the distance.

"… You really don't seem well."

"Maybe not."

"You should rest. Nighttime patrol is outside your jurisdiction anyway."

"… I suppose so. I wanted to settle things as soon as possible, though."

These past three days, not a day had gone by without Charlotte worrying.

Even if it was reflexive, she had defied Almaeira's words and so easily cut down Yoal's prosthetic body. He hadn't actually died, but there was a very real possibility she could have killed him. That experience branded itself like a mark of sin, slowly gnawing at Charlotte's heart.

"You should focus on restoring your body first. When the body is weak, the heart weakens too. Using your head when you're weak only leads to bad decisions. Rest is also part of your duty."

"… You're right. If we fought fair and square, I don't think I'd lose."

"The other side has no intention of fighting fair."

"—Agreed."

She hadn't told Aery about what happened during the confrontation. But Aery had surely long since noticed that Charlotte was torn between the Demon King and Almaeira.

That was precisely why Aery made her straightforward offer. Charlotte nodded honestly and lowered her eyes. She gathered her brick-colored shawl to her chest and turned on her heel with a click of her shoes.

"Sorry, Aery… I owe you one."

"No. This is also my duty."

Aery's resolve was likely firm. She would stand by Almaeira no matter what.

As Charlotte walked away, she glanced back once.

—When Aery learned that Charlotte had defied Almaeira's words, what would she think?

Would she understand, thinking it was to avoid conflict with the Demon King Gardel? Would she be angry that Charlotte had ignored Almaeira's will? Or perhaps—

"… Ah, damn, I can't think of anything good."

Holding her head as it boiled with heat, Charlotte leaped down from the castle walls.

Her destination was the territory of the "Witchlands," surrounded by the Black Forest.

Near its center, not far from the ruined castle, stood Charlotte's residence.

Residence, though calling it that was generous. It was barely a step above a witch's log cabin.

Like the others, it was a single-story wooden building. The clear difference was that it had a storage facility for supplies and expanded functionality.

"… Hah, phew…"

Opening the door and entering, Charlotte exhaled a feverish breath.

—It wasn't a serious illness. Those words weren't a lie, but that didn't mean there was no burden. With no one around, the tension naturally eased, and she let her guard down. Immediately, a wave of feverish sensation welled up from deep in her loins.

She heaved her chest slowly, drawing in a deep, deep breath.

"… This is bad."

Sweat beaded on her forehead. Her cheeks burned hot. Her lower abdomen was intensely flushed, and smooth blood flow spread throughout her body.

In the pitch-dark room, Charlotte quickly shed her shawl. She loosened the buttons of her military uniform and tossed everything into a straw basket.

A white open-collared shirt and black slacks—she'd stripped down to casual wear, but the heat still wouldn't subside.

"That man…"

At this point, Charlotte clearly understood the true nature of this heat.

It was probably a power similar to an aphrodisiac. Perhaps she'd been cursed with something from the lineage of succubi.

That would explain how it could affect her without harming her body. Extremely malicious, but a clever move. There was no other way to erode a woman's body while slipping past purification magic.

At the same time, feelings of contempt welled up—even if that man was really Yoal Yaotl himself, could someone who used such tactics be trusted?

No, Charlotte concluded. Saying he'd use any means necessary might sound good, but in the end, he was just exploiting a woman's weakness. What guarantee was there that such villainy wouldn't be turned on Almaeira?

"… Still, what am I going to do about this…"

Even so, this sweet heat that slowly roasted her lower body, simmering it over a low flame.

Bewildered by the intensity of the sexual urges welling up now that she was alone, she suddenly realized—wasn't tonight just before her ovulation day?

Normally, Charlotte rarely ever thought about her femininity. Beyond her strong-willed nature, there wasn't a single man around her. There simply had been no trigger to make her conscious of it.

—In that case, tonight was the peak of these symptoms.

Just before ovulation. In other words, when a woman's body was most active. If she could just get through this, the physical effects would diminish considerably.

"… Alright."

With that resolve, Charlotte stripped off all her clothes.

She tossed her uniform and undergarments into the basket. Her trained, naked female body was revealed in the pitch-dark room.

Full, ripe breasts. Slender, toned buttocks and thighs. Delicate arms like tightly wound rope. Honey-colored hair softly adorning her groin.

Without hiding her dazzlingly white beauty, Charlotte headed for the bathroom.

She would wash off her heated body with cold water, get into bed quickly, and fall asleep. That would get her through for now. As Aery had said earlier, she could think about what came next later—

At that moment, the door was kicked open with a thunderous BANG.

"Wha—"

Charlotte's thoughts stopped completely for an instant.

There was a barrier at the entrance to ward off intruders. There was also a function to detect magical reactions in the surrounding area. And above all, Aery's magical detection network should have covered the entire territory.

All of it was bypassed. The intruder had brushed aside every single measure.

—BANG.

Night wind rushed in as the door was slammed shut.

And then the intruder walked without hesitation toward the bathroom, where light was leaking out.

"—Hah…"

Charlotte took a calm, deep breath.

She discarded all the questions that rose in her mind and focused solely on dealing with the danger.

In this situation with nothing to cover her skin, the only option was bare-handed combat.

No problem, she concluded. With pure physical ability alone, she was more than capable of subduing him. The very fact that he used firearms was proof that he had no decisive advantage.

Charlotte clenched her fists and raised them before her face.

Silence.

Water in the tub rippled and dripped onto the wooden slats with a small splash.

In that instant, the black shadow in the room suddenly blurred.

The man closed the distance soundlessly, and then an arm shot out with blinding speed.

He forcefully grabbed the woman's wrists with a smack—pressing her against the wall, pinning her as if crucifying her.

"Ngh—…!!"

The super-acceleration he had shown several times before.

Far faster than any of those times, he—Yoal—had closed in on Charlotte.

"… Ugh, kuh…!!"

Yoal forcefully sealed the struggling Charlotte's lips. He pressed her entire body against the wall, making it impossible for her to move at all.

"… Let's make this quick."

"Ngh, mm, kuh…!!"

What are you planning—her heat-moistened eyes glared at Yoal.

He paid no heed, placing his palm on her lower abdomen and pouring all his magical power into Charlotte.

The aphrodisiac that had unknowingly accumulated in her body was activated all at once. The power to arouse a woman's body multiplied several times over, blazing up inside her all at once.

"Ngh… uu, ugh…!!"

Charlotte gasped for breath, her spine shuddering.

Immediately, her shoulders went limp. Strength drained from her entire body, replaced by spark-like pleasure racing through her. Her head fizzled with a sweet numbness, her thoughts melting away in an instant.

A fierce heat incomparable to the warmth from before. Scorched by rising indecent desires, sticky nectar trickled down her inner thighs. Her light curls were soaked through, her slender hips trembling violently.

—This is bad, I can't, if I give in, I'll lose, I'll—

Her eyes glazed over, growing teary. Her hole twitched and contracted on its own. Her white skin flushed like scattered flowers, sweat bursting from her entire body.

Into her ear, now dyed completely red, Yoal whispered softly.

"… I'll make you submit, even if I have to force you. This is retribution for defying Alma."

—How do you know about that?

When Charlotte couldn't help but question it, magical power was immediately driven into her. Her will to endure was crushed, and her defenseless body was exposed to the man's malice.

"—Ngh, kuh, ahh…"

In that instant, the aphrodisiac's effect spread throughout her entire body. Her female senses became hypersensitive, and Charlotte moaned at even the slightest touch.

The day before ovulation, when a woman's reproductive organs were most active. With treatment that pushed her to her limits on top of that, her toned lower abdomen spasmed in small tremors.

"I'll make you forget all about the Demon King and everything else."

"… Don't… be… ridicu… mmn…"

Defiance welled up against this man. But it was true that she had defied Almaeira's will. Her guilt was stimulated, and she nearly accepted the word "retribution." She gritted her teeth in frustration and glared at the man, but in the end, it was her own inadequacy that had brought all this about. Tormented by helplessness, the lust welling up inside her swelled unbearably—

"I won't let anyone interfere… Because I'm the real Yoal."

"… Th-that, ahh, … kuh, uuugh…"

That can't be true.

The moment she started to say that, her hardened pink nipples were pinched. They were twisted hard, and sweet electric pleasure shot through Charlotte's spine.

Emotions welled up endlessly, and at the very moment she was overwhelmed, intense pleasure was carved into her. Her flushed body, burning with carnal desire, was toyed with, and melting physical ecstasy filled her belly.

She no longer needed to be restrained. Her body relaxed in rapture, her honeypot dripping with thick nectar. Unable to control her fully aroused body, she found herself waiting for the man's hands to roam over her.

"Kuh, aahh… s-stop…!"

"… Just take me to Alma quietly. I'll stop as soon as you do."

"…!!"

A fatal, decisive either-or.

Those words demanded nothing less than a break from the Demon King.

At the same time, it was also a sweet choice for Charlotte. Since it was exactly what Almaeira had asked of her, there was no reason to refuse.

"… Then… can I tell Almaeira everything that happened today…?"

"If that's what it takes."

"…!"

The best outcome would be to confront Almaeira with this man's true nature and prompt her to change her mind.

Charlotte thought so, but Yoal's brazen response left her bewildered.

Rather, it only increased her wariness—what if this man's vile hands reached Almaeira too?

In that case, she absolutely could not guide him.

"I refuse… whoever you are, to a man like you… aahh, kuuuh…"

"… Then I'll continue until you accept me."

Charlotte's eyes widened at the pleasure of her nipples being kneaded and rolled.

Meanwhile, Yoal took out a small bottle from his pocket and poured all its contents into her mouth.

Charlotte's body flushed as if bursting into flames. She felt heat like she'd just drunk strong liquor, sweet numbness racing up her spine.

"Ngh… ahh, kuh… what… is this… ahh, kuuhh…"

Charlotte writhed, unconsciously pressing her thighs together. A knee was forced between them, preventing her from closing her legs.

Her defenseless womb began twitching on its own. Her lower abdomen spasmed, thick arousal fluid squeezed out. Her melted folds twitched and squirmed, exposing her pink vaginal membrane wide open.

"… You'll find out soon enough."

"Ahh, wai… stop, ahh…"

Her nipples were rolled between the man's fingers, and each time her back arched violently. Her tongue lolled out, drool dripping, as she trembled and surrendered to the pleasure in her breasts.

Unable to resist, a palm was pressed firmly against Charlotte's groin. An extended middle finger traced her vaginal folds, rubbed against her small clitoris, and found her tiny opening.

—In that instant, her melted opening was penetrated with a wet sound. His fingertip quickly reached her swollen vaginal ceiling, tracing circles against it.

"Ahh… ahhh… ahh, hii, ahh, ahhhhhh…"

Sweet moans burst forth. Her neck and back arched, thrusting out her breasts as Charlotte writhed in deep vaginal climax.

Her opening clenched tightly around the man's finger, gripping it lovingly.

Her trained abs stood out clearly on her stomach, proclaiming her pleasure. Her vaginal walls tightened further, kneading his fingertip as if seeking something. Each time sweet waves of pleasure washed over her, her abs quivered, and her folds clung lewdly.

"—Huh."

Yoal looked on with displeasure at the climaxing Charlotte.

Even in the midst of moaning sweetly and trembling at the hips, her sharp blue-green eyes were glaring at him.

"… If that's how you want it, I won't hold back."

"Ahh, ahh, … kuh, uuugh…"

Yoal moved his finger in small motions, and each time Charlotte surrendered to the sensations inside her. Just having her vaginal ceiling stroked brought sweet climactic feelings welling up, making her stomach clench.

Charlotte, still lingering in the deep afterglow of ecstasy—yet even so, she gritted her teeth and glared at Yoal with contempt.