Yet, faced with Liz’s mockery, no one reacted at all.
Perhaps the others didn’t know, but both Brian and Red understood—Tos, this guy… was, in fact, a great noble himself.
Sigh… this Empire’s ruler really is beyond saving.
“You’re wrong about that, Liz.”
As silence fell over the group, a refined and gentle voice rang out.
Everyone turned to see Mason, who had gone to buy wine, already back in the group.
Even Liz was a little confused to see this unexpected person return.
She even wondered if she was still dreaming; otherwise, how could she be witnessing such a shocking scene?
A dignified Prince of the Sunmoon Empire, actually… actually appearing in Succubus Street.
“As those in high positions, understanding the sentiments of the people is something we must learn as well. As the saying goes, ‘Refined and elegant pleasures should be shared by all.’”
Confronted with Mason’s ever-warm smile, as comforting as central heating, Liz suddenly found herself at a loss for a rebuttal.
She clenched her fists, hardly able to believe what she was seeing.
Mason—the very person she admired so much, and the reason she insisted on keeping the team to no more than six members—and yet… and yet he was out having fun in a place like Succubus Street!?
Her beliefs were undergoing a severe test.
Her worldview seemed on the verge of collapse.
“Shutting oneself away and working behind closed doors is not a wise choice for us. Even if one is in a high position… ahem, you must always keep your eyes and ears open to the world, otherwise, how can you sit at the top?”
“Liz, you should understand this principle too.”
For once, Mason showed a serious expression.
Judging by age, he was not only Monica’s older brother, but also counted as an older brother to Liz.
“I…”
Liz still looked unconvinced.
Just as she was about to argue back, a light, brisk set of footsteps approached.
“Heave-ho… heave-ho…”
Though the girl approaching had her entire face covered by all sorts of groceries, Red recognized her at a glance.
“Litt?”
“Huh?”
Litt feigned confusion, “Red, what are you doing here?”
After handling Monica, she had put on her disguise mask and come over to see what was going on.
The most important thing was!!!!!
One could skip living, but never miss the gossip.
What?
You’re asking where Monica went?
Don’t ask.
But when she arrived, she realized there weren’t any juicy stories left to hear.
That was a bit of a disappointment.
Seeing Litt arrive, Liz clung to her like a lifeline.
Yes, even if the others weren’t reacting, this nun from the White Church was sure to have a response!
She would definitely be disappointed in Red for sinking so low as to end up in Succubus Street!
Her mind raced, organizing her words, before she slowly spoke up.
“Red, does it feel good having a little succubus step on your back?”
As soon as she spoke, Liz couldn’t help but smirk.
Didn’t Red have some kind of fantasy about this mysterious Litt?
Now, she would make Litt’s illusions about Red shatter first;
Honestly, even Red felt a little panicked when he heard Liz say that.
He didn’t care about much else, but he truly didn’t want Litt’s impression of him to be ruined.
Yet Litt, the very center of the storm, simply stood quietly where she was.
She didn’t show the shock, anger, or scorn Liz expected, nor the disappointment and distance Red worried about.
She tilted her head slightly, those clear sapphire eyes seeming to earnestly ponder the question Liz had raised about “back stepping.”
After a brief silence.
A faint, yet utterly genuine blush crept across Litt’s pale cheeks, her movements shy as a small animal.
“I see… Red, if you ever want that in the future, you can come to me…”
At those words, everyone was petrified on the spot.
Liz was so stunned she couldn’t even speak.
That’s not right!
Normally, shouldn’t someone find this kind of thing disgusting?
This is Succubus Street!
No matter what, shouldn’t someone show some repulsion or discomfort!?
“Hiss… huu… sniff… huu!”
Just as Liz reeled in shock, she heard the sound of beastly breathing behind her.
She turned around to find Tos already completely twisted up, transformed into an indescribable shape.
What’s the use of your disgust, dio!!
Not just Liz—even Red was shocked by Litt’s reaction.
He never expected that answer from her.
Tos… to have Litt, wearing white stockings, step on his back?
Unthinkable, unthinkable—just imagining it felt like sullying the light.
Red shook his head furiously, chasing the images from his mind.
Still, to avoid any misunderstanding, he quickly explained to Litt, “Actually, I went to a Regular Store. Nothing… shady happened.”
Maybe he could act freely in front of his brothers, but with Litt, he was still quite reserved.
Litt didn’t hesitate, smiling and nodding.
“Mm, I believe what you say, Red.”
That angelic smile made Tos’ twisted expression grow even stranger.
Mason and Brian, standing beside him, gripped their grotesque friend tightly, afraid something bloody might occur.
But clearly, Liz wasn’t about to give up.
She pressed on, “Men are very good at lying! Why do you trust him so much?!”
“Then…,” Litt pressed her index finger to her lips, thought for a moment, then responded, “Has Red ever lied to you?”
Liz was stumped by Litt’s counter-question.
She wanted to give an example from her memories, but no matter how she searched, she couldn’t recall Red ever lying to her.
She froze in place.
Litt handed some of the groceries to Red, cradling the rest in one arm, and instinctively reached out her other empty hand to Red.
“Let’s go home…”
Halfway through, she quickly withdrew her hand, her face blushing like a cooked crab, and the words on the tip of her tongue changed.
“Let’s go home together!”
“Oh… okay.”
Seeing Litt run off with tiny steps, Red hurried to follow.
The rest stayed behind, silent for a long time.
Liz clenched her fists, finally understanding—was there really no one else on her side?
Was no one else angry about this?
“Hiss… huu… I was so worried about his future single life… Unforgivable… must endure… unforgivable…”
So why are you the one angry, damn it!?
***
When Red returned home, his heart was still a bit uneasy.
Even though Litt seemed unconcerned on the surface, he couldn’t help but worry that she was just pretending.
Especially after what happened with Liz, he had a bit of a trauma.
Yet even as they sat down to eat together, Litt remained her usual self.
So sunny, so warm.
It was as if she hadn’t seen anything strange that afternoon, sharing amusing stories from her time at the church as always.
But when she spoke of the way home, her cheeks puffed out uncontrollably.
It was unbearably cute—Red’s heart thumped even faster.
He didn’t know whether he’d been startled or simply charmed.
“That kind of place… was it fun?”
Litt’s face was a little sullen, making Red break out in cold sweat.
He wasn’t sure if he should tell the truth or try to fudge it, but after just three seconds’ thought, he decided to be honest.
“It was… alright, but not as enjoyable as I’d imagined.”
That was the truth.
After all, just when he was being stepped on and felt the best, he saw the last thing he should have—how could the experience be good after that?
He even almost drank something he shouldn’t have.
But after saying that, Red quickly added, “But I probably won’t go again, so don’t be mad, Litt.”
“I’m not mad,” Litt’s unhappy expression vanished instantly.
She pressed her hands together in prayer, her whole face lit up, “Hearing that you didn’t lie to me, Red, makes me… so, so happy!”
That look nearly blinded Red with its radiance.
Litt continued, “I may not be an adventurer, but I know a lot about adventurers. There’s a big… need for that sort of thing. I know that in adventurer parties, teammates are comrades, but… but sometimes they’re, um, friends-with-benefits too.”
As she said this, Litt blushed furiously, clutching a sofa cushion as if she wished she could bury her head entirely.
“As for that, I don’t know about other places, but in Dawn’s Edge, it never happened.”
Red sighed.
Back in the team, he was lucky not to get the cold shoulder; let alone any juicy scandals.
The only thing that came close was Letia always dumping her laundry—underwear, panties, and stockings—on him to wash…
But can that really be considered a scandal?
In the Magic Academy, that’d be bullying.
Thinking of this, Red almost forgot something important.
That damned white-stockinged Bishop… he almost forgot to settle scores with Letia.
“I’ll go wash the dishes first.”
“Mm-hm!”
Litt nodded obediently, the blush still lingering on her cheeks, “Then I’ll go change and get ready for a bath!”
Once Litt’s figure disappeared down the hallway, Red’s expression turned as dark as a thundercloud.
He grabbed the communication crystal on the table and stabbed Letia’s name with his finger.
“Bzzz… bzzz… bzzz…”
After a long wait, the call finally connected.
Strangely, just as it did, Red thought he heard a dull “thud” from upstairs, followed by a series of frantic noises—like someone kicking something.
What’s going on up there?
Before Red could think more, Letia’s infuriating voice came through the line.
“Hello? What’s up?”
“I’m telling you…,”
Red’s face was so dark it was about to drip water.
His voice was gloomy as he said, “That recording crystal you gave me really did a number on me.”
“Pfft! Hahaha!”
Letia instantly burst into laughter on the other end, coughing in between—she was truly losing it.
After a long while, she finally calmed down, though her voice still trembled with suppressed laughter.
“Oh, cough, cough! I told you, Red,” Letia cleared her throat, her tone turning full of mischief, “Did you just let my warning go in one ear and out the other?”
She deliberately dragged out her words, her tone full of devilish temptation and suggestion.
“I already told you, there’s more in that video than just my scenes.”
“What do you mean by that?”
Red straightened his back and pricked up his ears.
On the other end, Letia gave a delighted, impish laugh.
“Think about it from another angle—could there really be scenes of me in there?”
With that, Letia hung up, leaving Red standing there, clutching the communication crystal and lost in deep thought.