Syndra and Asmodeus descended three floors.
Unlike the top floor of the castle, which was entirely dedicated to the Queen and her throne room, the rest of the floors were divided among different Succubi based on rank.
"This floor is split between Zarath and Naima." The staircase conveniently divided the floor in two. "This side is Naima’s."
"Okay." He pointed. "She’s there, right?"
"You can sense her, huh?" Syndra scratched her head. "Only Naima can really help us get a grip on you and your abilities."
The further they walked down Naima’s side, the stranger the surroundings became.
"What are those?"
"Jars with various demon body parts."
"And those?"
"Books about magic theory."
"Magic theory?"
"Magic Circles. They’re Naima’s specialty as well. I suck at them."
Asmodeus made a sound that annoyed Syndra quite a bit, as if her confession was expected.
"Naima!" Syndra shouted as she knocked on the door they had arrived at. "Naima!"
"She isn’t answering," Asmodeus noted. "Let’s just go in."
"No, that would be rude." Syndra shook her head. "Do you understand what being rude means?"
Asmodeus frowned. "Just get me to Naima. I didn’t come here for a lesson."
"Ugh." Syndra knocked again. "Naima! Your brother is here to..." Her words trailed off as the door opened at once. "See you."
"Look who we have here!!" Naima shouted at once, crouching in front of Asmodeus.
"Yeah... Hi..." Syndra muttered, having been completely ignored.
"Nice to meet you, little brother," Naima said with a smile. She reached a hand forward.
Asmodeus raised an eyebrow and turned in Syndra’s direction.
"She wants to shake your hand, Asmodeus," Syndra explained. "It’s common when meeting new people."
Asmodeus nodded and placed his hand into Naima’s.
She had long, unkempt red hair that had been tied into a loose bundle behind her head. Unruly strands fell across her face.
Her clothes were considerably simpler than those worn by Nyl or Tariana, and they were quite dirty, stained by blood and other things. A long black coat with several pockets covered most of her body.
"Asmodeus, huh?" Naima whispered absent-mindedly. "It’s a good name."
Her eyes devoured every inch of his body, starting with the hand he had given her. With both hands, she flipped, raised, lowered, and studied his hand from all angles.
"What is she doing now?" Asmodeus asked Syndra. "Is this common as well?"
"Hahaha." Naima laughed, her gaze moving up Asmodeus’s arm to study his face, eyes, and hair. "You’re funny."
"...?"
Syndra could only shrug at his inquisitive frown.
"It’s surreal seeing you," Naima whispered. "The son of a Succubus, nay, the Son of the Succubus Queen, born from said Succubus ingesting a Relic from the Human Realm... You know, just the first part of that sentence makes you an oddity. SON of a Succubus. Haha, it’s funny."
"Are you making fun of me?" Asmodeus asked with narrow eyes.
"Feisty, isn’t he?" Naima joked, giving Syndra a wink. "Come, there are some things I want to try."
She grabbed him by the wrist and pulled him into the room.
’Messy.’ Syndra noted internally as she looked around. ’I guess she’s been studying it up, huh?’
Indeed, ever since Nyl gave birth to a BOY, Naima hadn’t done a thing but look through every bit of information available to see if such a thing had ever happened in recorded Succubus history. It hadn’t. Not as far as she could tell.
"Just what are you, I wonder?" Naima whispered as she lifted Asmodeus up and placed him on a pedestal. "Succubus? Incubus? Both? Neither?"
"I am Nyl’s son," Asmodeus answered.
"Well, yes, I get that, haha." Naima grabbed a couple of tools, two books, and what looked like a magnifying glass. "Yes." She nodded, studying his hand through the magnifying glass. "Your Mana is certainly Demonic. You’re a Demon, no doubt about that," Naima started explaining. "Demonkind is split into dozens and dozens of Species. At first glance, all of Demonkind share the same type of Mana. Demonic Mana, they call it in the Human World. But by looking closer, differences between Species can be-"
"I don’t care about any of this." Asmodeus interrupted. "I’m here to learn things, not to be looked at."
"Well, be silent, and you might learn a thing or two. How about that?" Naima’s tone was quite patronizing. Then again, he was less than a day old.
’You’re gonna let her talk to you like that?’ Syndra was offended. ’Maybe I should have been railroading him from the start as well!’
"Let’s start with something simpler," Naima said and picked up a pair of gloves. "Drop your pants, or skirt."
"Why?"
"We need to figure out what you are."
"I know what I am. I am me."
"That’s cute," Naima muttered somewhat sarcastically. "We need to know what you really are. Figuring what Species you belong to might take a bit longer. First, we need to figure out if you’re really a male."
"You can do that?" Syndra asked with a frown. "I mean... Beyond what’s, you know, between his legs?"
"Of course." Naima scoffed. "Asmodeus, drop your clothes, turn around, and bend down." The sound of the gloves resonated like a slap as she put them on. "I’m checking to see if you have a prost-"
"We’re not checking anything." Asmodeus interrupted again. "I don’t need to check anything. I am what I am, and that’s-"
"It’s useful information. We need to-"
Naima was interrupted a third time. This time, not by his words.
Standing on the pedestal, he was slightly taller than Naima, and as he tightened his grip around her throat, Naima’s body slowly rose until her feet were off the ground.
"Argh... Wai... Argh...!"
"From the moment I was born, you all have been so worried about what I am," Asmodeus said coldly. "I cannot be defined by your pre-existing titles and Species. Stop trying to define me. To constrain me."
"I..." Naima strained. "I... I’m... Sorry..."
"Stop..." Asmodeus’s eyes gained a mortifying glare. "Trying to limit my potential, my possibilities, what I am."
"I... I under..." She tapped his wrist repeatedly, lacking the strength to fight against his grip. "I understand... I’m sorry...!"
The pressure disappeared.
His hand let go of her throat at once, and Naima crashed onto the floor.
She immediately grabbed her throat and sucked in a desperate breath, coughing incessantly.
"Not one of my sisters," Asmodeus whispered as he turned. "Has been a pleasure so far."
Naima coughed as he walked away.
"A-Are you okay?" Syndra asked with a gulp. She had completely frozen at the unexpected violence.
"You ask now that he’s gone," Naima chuckled, holding her throat. "How pathetic can you get, Syndra?"
Before Syndra could respond, Naima collapsed on the ground and lay on her back.
"Are you..." Syndra’s words trailed off as she noticed the bizarre expression on Naima’s face.
She looked... Happy? Almost ecstatic. She was blushing heavily.
"That definitely..." Naima whispered. "Made me hornier than it should have."
Syndra froze as she noticed Naima’s hands start to caress her own body. It even looked like she was about to start undoing her clothes.
"Syndra," Asmodeus called out from the end of the corridor.
"Coming!" Syndra immediately turned around away. "Well, uh, Naima, I’ll uh... Leave you to it."
She ran out as fast as she could, came back to shut the door on Naima, and ran away again.
"Yeah..." Naima whispered, licking her lips and holding a hand to her throat. "Leave me to it... Hehehe..."