Melissa didn't know how much time went by since she entered the demon portal. She had been wandering the strange forest she appeared in.
Even though she was only in the Imp's mind, she could feel the crushing pressure of the demon world, and hear the terrifying sounds of unknown things moving in the corner of her eye.
She could feel a lot of things watching her.
But since the Imp doesn't have natural predators, she doesn't need to advise it to avoid certain areas. As such, she just told it to keep moving.
Something fast ran past the trees as the Imp walked. But since the demon had big eyes, it could make out what it was.
Melissa couldn't physically get chills but she was definitely spooked by the thing that just ran past the demon and hung on to a tree while watching the little demon. Then in a swift moment, it appeared behind the Imp, its silhouette similar to a rag that was thrown to fierce winds.
The Imp stopped. Strangely, it didn't have any feeling of fear, as if this kind of inspection was common.
The wild creature sniffed the demon but then its face distorted and it scurried away, making gagging sounds.
'Even though that demon could skewer the Imp in seconds, it just ignored it? Do demons only attack if the target is potential prey?'
If so, wouldn't that make them no different from animals in the wild? And how is it that these demons are referred to in the same manner as humanoid demons like Greater Demons, devils and Demon Lords?
Is it similar to humans and apes who are believed to be related? Maybe, but unlike humans, these demons aren't given distinctive names.
When you think of demons, you would refer to a whole ecosystem of creatures, which include trolls, ogres, goblins, etc…
'I need to find a settlement filled with humanoids or a village of some sort.' Melissa, who has always dreamt of observing demons, ordered the Imp to follow the river nearby, upstream.
Melissa has never heard official reports of people having actual conversation with demons so she is unsure if she will be able to understand the demon language. But she does know that godorin was wildly used between humans and Valkyries of that time so it wouldn't be strange to think that maybe the demons speak the same language. It was an ancient language that none of the textbooks mention even though the reports she recovered from centuries ago, clearly stated that it was something that was spoken before the "Great Split".
The Imp probably couldn't speak the language, or speak at all. It would be a disappointment if she got to a village of humanoid demons and can't understand them or communicate.
How could she study them otherwise?
'I will need to capture one of them and have them teach me the language.'
There are magic spells that allow two targets to feel what the other wants even without directly conveying their desires by mouth. These spells fall under Mind Control since it invades one's deepest thoughts.
But Melissa isn't well-versed in those spells so she'll have to get someone experienced in that involved in her research. However, if that person babbles, she will no doubt be executed.
When the Imp left the forest, it arrived on a hill. Beyond that hill was an ominous red sky. Looking down the hill, she spotted several buildings made of stone and wood. They weren't just built wherever, but were deliberately built in a way humans have constructed villages for thousands of years.
'Hm, this isn't surprising since the demons have captured humans ever since our first contact with each other. They forced humans to teach them construction.'
Question is: What happened to those humans?
Melissa could see high walls in the distance beyond the village and even the grassland horizon that stretched far beyond the forest. A humongous and strange castle peaked out from behind those tall walls. Even from afar, she could feel the dread coming from that castle.
The Demon King must live there.
'There are quite a lot of camps nearby.' Taking a look west of the village, she spotted camps with wooden pikes lined up around them. These weren't the kind of camps a family would build when going camping, but the sort that soldiers build. And she could see hundreds—no, thousands of demons surrounding each other those camps.
This region must be a strategic point for them.
There were about four more in view, while a small fortress was further away than all of them. This village must be close to a border of some sort if the fortress is built here.
'Get a little closer.' She commanded.
The Imp slid down the hill and jumped on one of the houses. It continued running until she told it to stop so that it can listen to the residents.
Funnily enough, despite being humanoid demons with inhuman heads, arms, or even tails—they wore human clothes. There were illustrations in the records Melissa dug up of the different kinds of demons that one can find. Most of them were depicted with clothes, showing how despite through millennia of conflict, they were able to evolve on their own. Maybe they did so on their own or they learned from observing humans.
But what she actually found strange—
'How is it possible for these demons to speak our language?'
Melissa's brain went into overdrive to look through her memories. She recalls reading one of the centuries' old reports that said that many women were kidnapped by the demons to act as breeding machines so that their numbers would stay consistent during the war. Yes, the children born from these humans were immediately thrown to the frontlines when they grew up, which for demons is just a few months.
As a species that grows to adulthood in under a year and can live up to a thousand years on average—they are a massive threat to humans with their limited lifespan. If something isn't done about them, they will outlast the humans even without a war.
Coming back to the copulation between humans and demons: It's not unheard of for something like that to happen. After all, humans are capable of copulating with creatures like goblins, as found out through verbal reports by victims (mostly villagers or rookie adventurers). Demons are a category of monsters which goblins belong to so it's possible that humans are capable of having children with most demon races in this world.
Anyhow, perhaps they forced the human cattle to teach them the language? Melissa also read that there's an incredibly intelligent and powerful magician demon among them, referred to as the Monarch Watcher, a demon that has raised every single Demon King. It's said to be a million years old.
Maybe that demon was able to learn the language from the humans and teach it to its brethren.
Regardless, this presents Melissa an opportunity to study them from afar.
Melissa was about to issue a mental command to leave so that she can go check out the camps. Gathering intel on the enemy and handing it to the empire will probably prevent her execution since information is vital to preventing a war and them from crossing over until the Hero is ready.
She tried to tell the Imp to go but it suddenly jumped down the house and ran between the roaming demons.
'What are you doing!?' its tongue drooled endless amount of saliva as it ran through the crowd.
Its vision was starting to be clouded by a pink fog that wasn't there before.
Melissa spotted the target of the Imp's bizarre behavior when it jumped on a well nearby—a beautiful voluptuous demon with purple skin, dark purple hair and red lipstick, wearing a skimpy dress that looked similar to a wedding gown, paired with white heels. She held onto a small fancy staff that pulsated with incredible power that she could tell from just a glance.
She looked human despite her tail and horns.
Beside this beautiful demon was another female demon, donning bikini armor that exposed not just her vitals but her bountiful chest, muscular thighs and fit buttocks. Besides that bizarre costume, she wore gauntlets and leg armor that made one think she cut them off of a full set of armor. Despite the weird armor, she didn't seem to have any problem with either movement or exposing her abs and muscles. Perhaps she felt pride in her muscles and womanly charm to show everything like that.
Looking at the woman in wedding dress, she was definitely of high status, maybe the noble equivalent of humans. The one beside her must be her bodyguard. But to not have vitals armor—she was probably incredibly tough to not care for things like that. Then again, Melissa knows that there are women on the battlefield who, while strong, like to show off their bodies so they strip some of their armor.
In any case, even Melissa, someone who is attracted to men and have had several lovers in the past, she had to admit that both of them were incredibly beautiful and she would take the chance at bedding them if given that chance.
Their beauty was almost uncanny, though—inhuman-like.
Even though these two women were the pinnacle of beauty that no human could dare match, there was a weird and dangerous aura around them.
'Don't go there!' she tried to stop the Imp but it ignored the command.
This is bad. Just from a glance, one can immediately tell that those demons were powerful. And the one carrying the staff might even be able to see through the mind control.
The Imp bumped into a bunch of demons on the way who groaned in annoyance. But surprisingly, they didn't hit it or throw things at it. Maybe Imps are just seen as dogs in the demon world?
It managed to get past the demons and appear in front of the two beautiful female demons.
'H-Hold on a minute!'
The next moment, the Imp jumped towards leg of the voluptuous demon lady in the wedding dress.
"Hm?"
Then it started to hump the demon's leg…
Melissa's brain—well, her senses—were filled with the intoxicating smell of a young woman's pheromones. Can you even call something this strong pheromones? It felt like she was hit with a hammer so hard that she became dizzy but instead of pain, the lasting feeling was euphoria. The smell was coming from the woman's privates.
"Iyaahn!" the woman fell down, her legs spread wide. The Imp buried its head in her crotch and began to thrash as it was hit even harder with the pheromones.
"Icch….! Ukkkch!!!" its slimy goo rubbed against the demon lady's leg, staining it in a gross odor and foul juices.
"You need to stop releasing your pheromones, Lilith." The woman in the skimpy bikini armor scowled at the Imp as her companion tried to get up.
"I can't help it! Should I pull down every person's pants when I see them!?"
"You do that already…"
"But this is different! This way I can see who's a male just by looking at the tent in their pants~"
"Lilith" chuckled and picked the Imp up. She was blushing for some reason as her eyes literally turned into hearts and she began to drool.
"Eh!? You don't have a penis!?" she yelled as her smile vanished when she looked down at the Imp's genital area.
The other demon burst out laughing, "Serves you right, whore! I told you before that brainless creatures like Imps hump you regardless if they're male or not. Stupid cheap whore."
"Don't be mean, Ekterina!" Lilith pouted, "Do you have any idea how long it's been since I have been with a man!? Doing it with females doesn't satisfy me!"
Though she was visibly annoyed, she put the Imp down gently, which went straight back to humping her. Even then, she didn't mind. The hearts vanished from her eyes.
'…She was really about to have sex with this flying goblin…? This demon could have any man in the world and she would have quickies with these abominations?'
Melissa felt disgusted but more than anything, very confused. Is it normal for such beauties to have relations with these disgusting creatures? Judging from their exchange, this woman would fuck anything with a dick.
"Can't I see my boys at least, Ekie!?"
"Your love slaves have a lot of potential as soldiers so sorry but with the preparations, we can't let any battle-ready males leave their assigned roles. Just go to the camps that are set up around the country and sell yourself like the cheap whore you are. You've disguised yourself like a low-level succubus hungry for cock before so I don't see how that's difficult for you now."
"But Her Majesty won't let me! I can't refuse an order…! She says my sex is too intense…"
"She's not wrong since releasing just once when inside you causes lifeforce drain as well. You've killed so many demons just so that you can have an orgasm. Only to never have one in your life, hahaha! The Goddess of Love and Life hates you a lot, hahahaha!"
On the verge of tears, Lilith stomped her foot and screamed from her throat. She's a grown woman but she was throwing a tantrum like a toddler. Melissa found it strangely cute.
"It's not my fault my sex is amazing but dangerous…" she folded her arms with a pout. That just pushed up her ridiculous breasts.
"There is nothing amazing about using one's own lifeforce to enhance your orgasms and semen production. This is why succubi are banned from any brothel. And are often seen only roaming the streets spreading their legs for money."
'Brothel and currency… It seems they have a society of their own beyond the Intermid Border.'
It's strange—Where are the tentacle monsters Melissa heard about in school? Children are told at a young age about the Intermid Border and how Freya York always has to seal cracks in the barrier or dangerous monsters will escape.
You would think the demons would be in constant danger having those things in their territory but this village looked almost… peaceful.
Since the purple barrier can be seen even from where Melissa stands, given its immense size and powerful glow, the village must be on the outskirts of the demon territory and close to that border.
"Are you not going to do something about that annoying Imp humping your leg? It smells disgusting and its noises are irritating." "Ekterina" looked at the creature in disgust, "If you aren't fucking it, shoo it away. Unlike the other demons in this village, this thing doesn't know how to suppress its desires."
"I-I'll keep it as a pet."
Ekterina narrowed her eyes, "Oh? Are you going to hook it up to a machine in the breeding facility in your castle?"
"Geh!"
"I'll let it slide since it's not interfering with the war preparations." She turned back to the giant glowing orb, "Let's get back to work. Can you tell me how many portals have opened?"
"Okayyy~" Lilith flicked her finger, which made a bubble surround the Imp and make it float next to her as she walked.
She placed her hand on the orb.
"…"
"Did they succeed in making at least one portal?"
"Hold on…" she frowned slightly as she moved her hand around on the orb, "Looks like we failed again."
Ekterina massaged the bridge of her nose, "We can't keep failing like this. One way or another, the humans will find a way to prevent our collaborators from performing their duties."
She looked up at the orb, "If we don't open the portals exactly as Lord Watcher suggested, the Perdition Core can't be summoned to terraform Diacree at strategic points."
'What is this Perdition Core?'
From what the demon just said, it allows the demons to transform the atmosphere of a world but how does it work? Melissa could only think of the World Tree since it's kind of a similar thing. But unlike the ominous implication of the demon terraformer, the World Tree makes the world a suitable place for all its inhabitants regardless of species, including all spirits, plants and creatures that can only be found in its forest, and the fairies and Elves themselves who feed off the vitality of the tree.
Well, this excludes demons of course since the World Tree also produces divine energy. While not enough to kill demons when they set foot in the Elven nation, it will still be like breathing underwater or inhaling ashy smoke. Put simply, it will be unlivable even if it won't instantly kill them.
"We would need a genocide in the millions to succeed but that kind of thing wouldn't go unnoticed. If the Oracle gets involved, we're in trouble. Dammit, if only I could go to the other side and get rid of all those nuisances. The World Tree also needs to burn."
"No, Ekie. The Oracle may not be on your level but she's still the strongest divine magician that humans have. You can't win." Lilith replied while still moving her hand around.
While not news to her, Melissa was relieved divinity is still their weakness. If demons could somehow find a way to overcome this weakness…
"How are you observing the other world anyway?"
"When a lot of humans injected with our life-force die, the energy allows me to produce a Clairvoyant Window that lets me to see through it. All towns we chose as targets have this window. This artifact gifted to my village by Lord Watcher performs this task."
"I see. And why do you need to bring it out of your castle?" Ekterina looked somewhere. In that direction was a majestic castle that Melissa didn't notice before.
"I concentrate better when I'm out in the open. Even if I don't need mana to us this orb, I still need to focus, you know! The fresh air is also just too good of a drug, hehehe."
"…Lilith, are the rumors of you walking around naked in your village true?"
Lilith blushed and looked away.
Ekterina sighed then her pupils suddenly changed, "Oi, are you not fucking done yet!? Your Love Mistress Vezraya will be pissed off that you're so incompetent and never finger you again!"
"S-Sorry, I'm trying my best Ekie 2!"
???
Melissa watched the exchange in confusion. What the hell just happened? Why is Ekterina's attitude suddenly different…?
"I'm going to kill that Hero the moment a portal opens! Then that damn World Tree is going down!" Ekie 2 clenched her molars. The demons who had been watching the two hurriedly backed away.
"B-But you promised that if you find him, you'll let me have a go at hi—"
"Shut up, Hole! If not for your magic prowess and being the disciple of Lord Watcher, you would be a meat toilet for the lowliest of demon scum! The sewage cleaners could dig your insides with their unwashed dicks!" spit flew as Ekie 2 insulted Lilith.
"R-Really? Ge-Gehehee…" Lilith's eyes spiraled for some reason and drool leaked out of her mouth.
"W-What else do you think of me, Ekie 2?"
Ekterina's face suddenly distorted seeing Lilith sway her hips from side to side while her legs were drenched like a broken faucet.
"You disgusting masochist fleshlight. I hope the next dick you see destroys your insides."
"I-I'm sorry… I'm… Haa… Haa…" she was pinching her nipple this whole time listening to the insults.
'…This must the Succubus Queen Lilith…'
She thought that name Lilith was familiar.
Melissa was doubtful at first since she was said to be this giant grotesque demon with an ugly face but the most beautiful body known to mankind with enormous breasts and wide hips that no normal human nor succubus possesses.
The Lilith in front of Melissa seems more like a young maiden who was locked away in a tower and groomed into a beautiful innocent princess, who just recently found out about her incredibly high sex drive.
Ekterina's pupil turned back, "Aghh, my head…"
"Awww…. Where did Ekie 2 goooo~? I was almost done…"
"Shut it! Did you find anything else or are you too busy getting off?!" she stepped a few steps back seeing the ground being stained by unknown juices. The imp was trying to claw through the bubble to get to it but the bubble was quite strong.
"Hold onnnn~" she moved her hand a few more times then her eyes shot open.
"Eek?!" Lilith suddenly fell down, her knees trembling uncontrollably
"What's wrong? What did you find?"
Her arm trembled as she pointed at the orb, "A-A scary m-man is on the other side… I-It felt like he was choking me when we… haa… haa… made eye contact…"
"Someone can look through the portal? How is that possible!? Connect me so that I can see who it is!" Ekterina lifted Lilith up and dragged her to the orb.
"I-I don't think that's a good idea, Ekie… It seems strong…"
"What do you have to be afraid of? That doesn't matter—connect me now!"
"O-Okay… haa… haa…" Lilith grabbed Ekterina's hand and placed it on the orb then sent a wave of mana into Ekterina's hand.