"I feel like I've pretty much gathered all the necessary skills now..."
I mumbled, looking at my status window in the living room, when Furi looped her arms around me from behind and peered into the window.
"Ren, you always seem to be worrying about something."
"I don't recall you ever looking worried, Furi."
"That's because I'm only aiming for trap countermeasures and one-hit-kills."
Putting it simply, she just needs to rotate between 'Trap Detection,' 'Trap Disarm,' and 'Aim for Vitals.' She's actually taken a few more minor skills, but it's basically the same.
"But you're right. My max MP keeps increasing even without a level-up, so I shouldn't have any problems for a while."
"Yeah. That's why I'm hoarding a few skill points."
In my spare time, I review the skill list and fret over what to do.
It's just like character development in a game; you can worry about it forever if you want to, especially when there's no immediate need.
It's a tough decision because there are still skills that aren't strictly necessary but would be convenient to have, as well as succubus-specific skills that don't directly contribute to dungeon exploration.
"It would be pretty easy to decide if I just went with a whim."
"Like what?"
"Like the derivative of the 'Grow' skill."
I pointed at one of the skills.
With a skill I took previously, Ren could 'grow' something on herself, but the new skill allows her to apply this to others.
In other words, she can temporarily 'grow something on another person.'
Furi twitched, having understood, and subtly tried to pull away from me. I quickly grabbed her arm so she couldn't escape.
"I already apologized for last time, and you got your revenge, didn't you!?"
"I still haven't gotten revenge for you bullying me by calling mine a 'weak point' all the time."
"That was revenge for you bullying me all the time...!"
"I didn't mean to bully you, was it unpleasant?"
"I-It wasn't unpleasant... but..."
Furi turned her face away, bright red, so Ren won this round.
"What are you two talking about in the living room...!?"
Instead, we were scolded by Shion, who had been basking in the sun. We both apologized together.
Perhaps the stimulation was too strong for the genuine young lady, as the small fox sat up on her bed by the window and uttered a sulky, "Honestly."
"I know that you two are dating, but perhaps you should conduct yourselves with a little more restraint."
"Huh?"
"Dating...?"
We exchanged confused looks, and she was surprised, asking, "You're not dating...!?"
"Well, no. We haven't actually talked about formally dating."
"Yeah. There's also Iris-chan, Mei-chan, and Mariabelle, so it didn't feel like it should just be me dating Ren."
"I was aware that Ms. Iris also had feelings for Ren-sama, but... isn't this rather unhealthy?"
"Even so, this isn't Japan. If no one's bothered, I don't see the problem."
If we started calling things unhealthy or unnatural, Mariabelle and Aisha's relationship would also be out of the question.
In Ren's case, she can probably even have children with a woman, and since there are no physical issues, it might even be more okay than typical same-sex relationships.
...When I voiced this somewhat plausible argument, Shion gave an exasperated sigh.
"I feel my previous common sense crumbling again... but perhaps that's true. I know well that Ren-sama isn't indiscriminately seducing women."
"Exactly. I have no intention of stealing someone's lover, or forcing myself on anyone."
"But you love cute girls, right?"
"Of course I do. But liking someone because they're cute is different from wanting to date them."
In manga and stuff, girls pinching their boyfriends just for looking at another woman is definitely going too far.
Ren felt that she should be allowed to feel a little excited since she wasn't cheating.
Shion thought for a while, murmuring "Mmm..." before sighing in resignation.
"But still, that 'Grow' skill is strange... Um, do you, well, use contraception usually?"
"Huh? Um, well, I try to have him pull out, at least."
"And we don't do it very often anyway."
In this world, rubber is a precious commodity, and medicine isn't easily obtained, so it's not a guaranteed "absolute."
By the way, brothels have staff who can use contraceptive magic, and the prostitutes reportedly always have the spell cast before work.
If a customer were to secretly dispel the magic, they would be banned for life at the very least.
Shion looked at us with a half-closed eye.
"We also need to consider the possibility of a break in dungeon conquering due to maternity leave..."
"Hmm, well, I was thinking of doing it with Iris-chan when the time comes. But we don't want that to happen until the conquering settles down, right?"
"Yeah. But there isn't a spell like that in the succubus skill list, either..."
You'd think there would be one.
Furi pondered, saying, "Hmm."
"Hey, can succubi get pregnant?"
"Beats me...? I feel like they shouldn't, but I also feel like they might in one shot. Wait, Furi, are you considering getting it in me?"
"Huh? Since we have the opportunity, Ren should experience it, too."
"No, no, no. Even if I 'grow' something on you, it would be just to bully your 'weak point.'"
"Aww. It would definitely feel good, though."
"Hmph."
Hearing the word "good," I couldn't help but wonder, "...Is it that good?"
Well, if just being touched by a finger feels several times better than when I was a man, then a more serious act might feel even better.
I involuntarily swallowed.
"Besides, if you experience the whole thing, maybe that awkward way you talk will clear up."
"You're totally messing with me...!?"
"So, should I skip taking it then?"
"...Well, now that it's come up, I guess I should take it."
I spent the skill points and acquired the skill to 'Grow' something on others.
Then, a new skill was unlocked: a skill to control pregnancy from an act you were involved in. The timing was almost too perfect.
Furi smiled, asking, "Oh, really?"
"You sound interested, after all?"
"More like, I don't want the conversation to automatically become 'Furi will give birth' when we talk about having kids."
"You'd give birth?"
"It sounds tough, right? I think it's only fair that we either both give birth, or we decide who does with rock-paper-scissors or something."
If it were a man and a woman, the man couldn't give birth, and the man earning money is the typical setup, so it couldn't be helped. But here, anyone can earn money regardless of gender, and Ren is a woman.
I argued that it would be logically wrong to make Furi suffer all the hardship alone... and she hugged me over the back of the chair.
"What is this handsome guy—no, beautiful girl. But still a handsome guy."
"You're saying something I don't understand."
"However, I understand your feelings, Furi-sama. I sometimes feel down when I think that the time will eventually come."
"At your school, Shion, are there many girls who get married right after graduation?"
"It's a minority, but not none. Or they get engaged, go to university, and then marry after graduating from university."
The ones who can capture a well-born, educated young lady are usually wealthy men.
They can afford to live without their wives working, and in many cases, they prefer their wives to be full-time homemakers, believing that going outside increases opportunities for encounters, which raises the possibility of infidelity.
After saying all this, Shion looked distant.
"...In that sense, coming here has extended the period before marriage, I suppose. Though I might end up becoming an old maid because of it."
"If that happens, Ren will marry you. Right?"
"Yes. If Shion is okay with it."
The fox-like, or rather, the actual fox eyes blinked.
"Even in this form, you wouldn't mind?"
"Of course."
"...Then, that might not be so bad, after all."
A slightly sentimental atmosphere flowed through the conversation.
Then, Mei, who seemed to have finished her chores and returned, interjected, "By the way."
"The Art of the Bedchamber is a technique to mix the qi of male and female, Yin and Yang, correct? If you 'grow' the male organ on a woman using the Master's power, wouldn't she be able to satisfy the condition alone?"
"Huh?"
"Ah."
Should I say, 'I didn't think of that,' or 'How did you even come up with that?'
"Shion."
"N-No, I won't do it. I absolutely won't...! Such a lewd thing as growing a male organ...!?"
"However, aren't immortals beings who have transcended humanity—those who are not swayed by common lust? Wouldn't it be more vulgar to shun the Art of the Bedchamber as a wanton act?"
"..."
"..."
Mei might just be messing around, and her interpretation of the Art of the Bedchamber and immortals might be questionable, but it had a certain persuasive power.
After a moment of silence, Shion repeatedly insisted, "It's temporary, right? You can make it disappear, right!?" before reluctantly acquiring the skill.
The appearance of the little fox after receiving the 'Grow' skill honestly didn't change at all.
She's covered in fur, so unless you look closely, you can't tell. Then, we had her shoot plenty of Foxfire into a suitable place—a bathtub filled with water—to reduce her MP, and then had her perform the Art of the Bedchamber solo.
"My MP... it recovered!?"
"Seriously?"
Her MP was shockingly full after the recovery.
She said that the recovery process felt like a "strange sensation that isn't very pleasant." It also seemed to be mentally and physically tiring, as her HP was drastically reduced in exchange for the MP recovery.
Although HP can be restored with a Heal spell, it would likely be limited to one use per dungeon run.
"But being able to recover if needed is a huge advantage."
"Since it seems mostly impossible to use during combat, we need to think carefully about when to use it."
Incidentally, using the Art of the Bedchamber granted experience points, and Shion's level increased.
"Shion-san. If you use it once a day, your level-up will be faster."
"I'd like to limit it to only when absolutely necessary..."
That's understandable, so we stopped pushing her.
"By the way, I feel like my body is getting a little bigger every time I level up."
"Oh, now that you mention it...?"
Since the change is gradual, it's hard to notice at a glance, but when I pick her up, she feels heavier than she did at first.
"I haven't gained weight, have I? I haven't, right?"
"Calm down, Shion-chan. No one's accusing you."
"Exactly. I've had a similar experience, so it's probably just the effect of leveling up."
She'll gradually get bigger and eventually become a magnificent fox.
And as a nine-tailed fox, the sheer volume is going to be immense.
"Hmm, I wish you could at least retract your tails."
"If they can suddenly grow, shouldn't they be able to suddenly disappear, too?"
"Try wishing for it; you might be able to."
Shion then started trying to make her tails disappear in her spare time, and a few days later, she happily informed us, "I did it!"
She has to leave one tail out, and she must have her tails out when casting multiple spells simultaneously, but otherwise, she can make them disappear.
"Now they won't get in the way."
"That's great, Shion-chan."
"Yes!"
Thus, Ren and Shion acquired new skills.
Regarding the skill to 'Grow' something on others, I also tried it on Furi that night, and we discovered that ingesting body fluids was more efficient for Energy Drain.
We tried it orally, by the way.
Furi, who had something grown on her for the first time, was momentarily stunned by the unfamiliar sensation before asking, "How did it taste?"
"...It was kind of a weird taste. I feel bad thinking that I made you drink this."
"Haha. Well, it's not so bad once you get used to it. I think I also experienced firsthand how desperate guys feel."
The first taste of the body fluid, combined with the Energy Drain, also gave Ren a strange sense of satisfaction.
When I mentioned this, Furi froze and said,
"As expected of a succubus. Even the way you feel things is quite different."
"I'm not exactly happy about it..."
"Oh well. If you want it again, I'll let you have it tonight."
This skill probably couldn't be used in the dungeon.
It felt like I was gaining skills like that one after another, but it was still useful for gaining succubus experience.
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