Because the grandfather clock was positioned right at the turn of the stairs and remained rather inconspicuous, none of the other demons noticed their actions.
Lowering the small succubus from his arms, Xavier grasped the silver handle and lifted it with a gentle pull, revealing a bottomless stairwell plunging downward. Not a single thread of light illuminated the depths below; even the illumination spilling down from the upper floor seemed to be swallowed entirely into the void the moment it crossed the threshold.
Simultaneously, as the cellar door was thrown open, the evil spirit aura that had previously vanished surged outward from within.
Frowning, Xavier’s gaze sharpened as he intercepted Huey, who was leaning forward to peek inside. “Stay behind me.”
The wooden staircase creaked with an audible creak, creak beneath their footsteps, sounding as though it could collapse at any second. Stripped of his magic, Huey felt utterly blind as he navigated the descent, reduced to tightly clutching a corner of Xavier’s tunic as he picked his way forward in tiny steps. Fortunately, Xavier thoughtfully moderated his pace to ensure the little succubus wouldn’t stumble on the steps.
“Why does it smell kind of funky down here?” Huey wrinkled his nose, unable to hold back a tiny sneeze.
“Perhaps it’s simply because it hasn’t been opened in an awfully long time.”
Xavier’s answering voice was exceptionally gentle, yet his facial expression remained freezing cold, his eyes brimming with pure murderous intent.
From the very moment he stepped onto the staircase, Xavier had felt the magic within his body begin to surge, shattering the seal outright. Even the color of his eyes shifted into a brilliant, dazzling gold; had he not forcefully reined in his magical output just in time, his remaining disguises would have failed as well.
Yet it was precisely because of this shift that he was able to take in the full scene unfolding within the basement.
Though the cellar wasn’t particularly expansive measuring only a little over thirty square meters it was densely packed to the brim with evil spirits. They were pressed shoulder-to-shoulder so tightly that many had no floor space left to stand on, piling directly on top of one another layer after layer, clinging heavily to the walls and ceiling.
As Huey stepped fully onto the landing and the cellar door dropped shut above them, the final trace of illumination was cut off entirely. Startled, Huey quickened his pace by two steps and bumped directly into Xavier’s back, his pert little nose nearly squashed flat against the man’s solid frame.
“Why’d you stop?” Freeing a hand to rub his sore, aching little nose, Huey found a few stray teardrops welling up in his eyes from the impact.
Giving a soft sigh, Xavier refrained from turning around, speaking to him with his back still turned: “Huey, head back upstairs first.”
Huey paused mid-rub, blinking in confusion. “What’s wrong? Aren’t we going to check if there’s any treasure down here?”
“It hasn’t been opened in ages, so it’s entirely covered in dust. I’ll search it myself so we don’t ruin your dress.”
What is he on about? Huey pouted mentally. He was a succubus, not some brainless slime; that sort of excuse was transparently intended to chase him away.
Still, Huey considered himself an exceptionally considerate little succubus. “Fine, then I’ll head back up first.”
Logically speaking, the doorway ought to be right at the top of the stairs behind him, but strangely enough, after climbing dozens of steps, Huey failed to find the door at the top.
“Where’s the door?” Huey muttered, struggling slightly to lift his bulky crinoline skirt. Walking down had been manageable enough, but climbing back up without hitching the hem meant risking an immediate trip-up.
“What is it?”
Xavier’s voice traveled over from a distance, sounding somewhat separated from where Huey stood.
“I can’t find the exit door, but this is the only path here.” Standing frozen on the steps, Huey momentarily debated whether he should climb further or turn back down; the combination of unknown darkness and sealed magic inevitably stirred a sense of creeping dread.
In a space beyond Huey’s field of vision, the previously dormant evil spirits abruptly stirred into frenzied motion, churning as black mist billowed outward in successive waves. Even though Xavier firmly blocked the staircase, the spirits exploited an opening to warp the spatial layout of the basement.
“No choice, then.” Letting out a low sigh, Xavier turned around, his brilliant golden gaze locking onto the bewildered little succubus not far away.
Within the dark space surrounding Huey, wisps of black mist were already writhing impatiently, attempting to use their malevolent energy to touch and contaminate him.
“Don’t look back. I’m coming to you.”
The soothing, gentle voice steadied Huey’s mounting panic. Clutching his trembling tail tightly, he listened to the approaching sound of footsteps and rustling fabric behind him, the reassuring noises steadily driving away the fear lodged in his chest.
Xavier ascended the steps. With each stride he took, ripples of radiant light unfurled outward from his body like expanding water rings, incinerating and reducing to ash every shred of black mist daring to approach the young succubus.
“Did you find a lamp?”
Sensing a flicker of illumination, Huey felt the glow though modest instantly flood him with a boundless sense of warmth.
“Yes, I found a candle.”
A warm, sturdy hand covered Huey’s eyes, and the trembling little succubus tumbled straight into an embrace radiating a comforting, secure aroma.
“Close your eyes.”
Hot breath grazed his earlobe, turning Huey’s ears a brilliant shade of crimson. Half-turned in a swirling motion, his head was gently pressed against the man’s chest.
With one hand firmly cupping the back of the small succubus’s head and the other wrapping securely around his waist serving conveniently as a stabilizer for the wayward heart-shaped tail Xavier held him close.
“Good child, don’t open your eyes.”
Intoxicated by the intimacy of the gesture, Huey felt as though he were on the verge of being boiled alive. His brain melted into a complete puddle of mush, leaving him entirely stripped of independent thought so naturally, he obeyed Xavier’s instructions to the letter, not daring to crack his eyelids even a fraction.
“Hah.”
Accompanied by a light chuckle, Xavier lifted his chin. The silk ribbon binding his hair slipped away, letting his long golden locks cascade down unbidden as an aura of sacred, blinding purity radiated from his entire form within the dim cellar.
Swish
Six colossal pairs of pristine white wings unfurled from his back, scattering falling white feathers that drifted through the air, freighted with an immense concentration of light element energy as they floated toward every corner of the basement.
A flash of brilliant light darted across the golden pupils, and the pure energy ignited every drifting feather, scorching and annihilating every single evil spirit present.
“Did you find another candle?”
Even with his eyes firmly shut, Huey could perceive that the external light had grown uncomfortably dazzling, prompting him to bury his face even deeper into Xavier’s embrace, pressing his entire cheek against the man’s firm chest.
“Yes.”
An acoustic isolation barrier completely muffled the dying shrieks of the evil spirits. Lowering his head slightly, Xavier watched a few stray locks of golden hair brush against the soft, fair cheeks of the little succubus in his arms. Brushing those fallen strands away from the back of Huey’s head, he patted the young demon’s back soothingly, much like a parent comforting a frightened child.
“How much longer do I have to keep my eyes closed?” Pestered by the tickling sensation of the hair and hand against his face, Huey desperately wanted to scratch the itch himself, but didn’t dare move a muscle.
“Almost there, good child.”
A cool, light kiss laden with soothing comfort brushed softly against Huey’s smooth brow.
!!!
Eyes still closed, Huey instinctively tipped his chin up slightly to afford his forehead a better, closer fit against Xavier’s lips.
If a kiss was the reward, keeping his eyes shut for another few hours was well worth it!
As the final evil spirit within the basement was burned to cinders, Xavier’s posture wavered slightly, his complexion turning noticeably pale.
Light element energy was pitifully scarce within the Underworld; the power he utilized was drawn almost entirely from his own internal reserves, with precious little opportunity for external replenishment.
Perceptive as ever, the succubus resting in his arms instantly caught the instability in his breathing and blurted out anxiously, “Are you alright? Can I open my eyes now?”
Noticing the anxiety written across the young succubus’s face while he still obediently kept his eyes squeezed shut, Xavier curved his lips into a faint smile.
Golden locks and eyes once more shifted beneath a veil of concealment, and the sacred wings behind him vanished entirely, leaving behind an impeccably cleaned basement where not a single stray white feather remained.
“Open your eyes.”
The embrace parted, and Xavier stepped back a couple of paces, veiling his pallid complexion in the shadows.
For reasons of his own, he didn’t care for the little succubus to witness him looking this weak.
“Eh?” Blinking open his eyes, Huey found himself met with familiar, pitch-black darkness once more, unable to see his hand before his face.
“Where’s the candle?”
Upon hearing that question, the normally composed Grand Archangel froze stiff.
Oh no, I completely forgot about it!
Fortunately, carrying an assortment of random items in his storage ring paid off. Xavier hurriedly fished out a pair of candles, tapping them gently with his hand behind his back to spark a pair of warm, amber flames into life.
“The draft was a bit too strong just now; it probably blew them out.” The Archangel spun the fabrication without batting an eye, extending the two candles forward to hand them to Huey.
“Was there a draft?” Huey accepted the candles with a suspicious expression.
Nodding with absolute certainty, Xavier explained, “It seemed like the basement mechanism triggered, unleashing a gust of wind that swept away all the dust. You probably didn’t feel it because I was shielding you with my body.”
Fair enough; Huey accepted the marginally plausible explanation and chose not to press the matter further.
Raising the candles high, he took a sudden step forward, rising up onto his tiptoes until he was practically plastered against Xavier’s chest.
“Your complexion is far too pale. Have you overdrawn your magic?”
The amber candlelight danced across Xavier’s handsome face, softening his features with a warm glow.
“It’s all my fault,” Huey pouted in distress. “You must have forced your magic to output extra power just to shield me from the wind, which is why your magic got overdrawn.”
Well, that makes a convenient excuse. A flicker crossed Xavier’s eyes as he spoke softly, “It’s nothing serious. I’ll recover shortly.”
“Actually…” Flushing brightly, Huey cast a shy, hesitant glance up at him. “I have a way to help you recover quickly.”
Stunned for a moment, Xavier failed to catch his meaning.
As the young succubus’s lips parted soundlessly without producing words, his tail writhed eagerly behind him, practically begging to speak on his behalf as the platinum-gold little heart tip pulsed with a blinding, rapid flash.
“Pardon me, I didn’t catch that.” Xavier offered an apologetic look, even leaning down and tilting his ear closer toward Huey in an effort to catch his voice.
You can do this, Huey! You’ve got this!
Clutching his dress tightly in both fists until the fabric wrinkled, Huey squeezed his eyes shut.
“…I’m a succubus… I can help you accelerate your energy recovery…”
Having mustered every ounce of courage, the final words still emerged no louder than the hum of a mosquito.
Fortunately, Xavier managed to catch it this time, letting out a soft chuckle. “Very well. And how do you propose to help me?”
Shy and embarrassed, Huey shot him a reproachful glare. What’s wrong with him?! What kind of demon doesn’t know how succubi assist others?!
Puzzled by the glare, Xavier instinctively cast his mind back through his knowledge base regarding the physiological traits of the succubus race.
“Y-you, close your eyes first!” Raising his voice slightly, Huey demanded in a coquettish tone.
Complying without hesitation, Xavier closed his eyes. Well, though I haven’t the faintest idea what the little succubus is plotting, intuition suggests following his lead is the safest bet.
As those seductive dark-golden eyes slipped shut, Huey bit his lip, his gaze dropping to linger upon Xavier’s tightly pressed, thin lips.
Even the coolest lips possessed a soft, yielding texture.
With his forehead burning with heat, Huey took a half-step forward until virtually no space remained between them. Grasping the lapels of the man’s garment in both hands, he rose up on tiptoe, preparing to deliver his soft, sweet red lips.
Closing the distance as their breaths intertwined, just as they were about to make contact—
“Aah—Help—!”
A sharp, shrill shriek jolted Huey back to reality, the voice carrying a jarring ring of familiarity.
“It’s Helen!”
Pulling back abruptly, Huey released his grip on Xavier’s clothes. “My lord, Helen is in trouble.”
As the sweet, intoxicating atmosphere dissolved, Xavier opened his eyes to find the young succubus staring at him with a panicked expression brimming with concern for his companion.
“Don’t worry, let’s go take a look.”
Taking the little succubus’s hand, Xavier led him out of the basement.
Meanwhile, in Heaven.
Frank, the angel tasked with logging incoming evil spirit reports, was currently drowning in a massive influx of spirits dispatched by his superior, working so frantically he barely had time to touch the ground when another message popped up from his boss.
Assuming it contained critical intelligence regarding the evil spirits, Frank clicked it open with a stern, solemn expression…
“Trapping us angels into overwork!”
The celestial communication crystal was hurled across the room, startling a flock of resting white doves off the pristine marble pillars of Heaven.
“I’m working myself to death over here, and my lord is still down in the Underworld flirting with a succubus??!”
The deflected crystal flickered in mid-air, casting out the final incoming message transmitted directly by the Grand Archangel:
“Frank, how do succubi assist others in recovering magic? If a succubus intends to assist me in recovering magic, what might I do to ensure the succubus doesn’t tire themselves out too much?”