I, Celica and the mage have been following a randomly picked road, which is more like a carriage trail, making its way through heather covered hills littered here and there by stunted junipers. Flying would be a much faster option of course, but since there isn't anywhere to hurry at, and the mage would need carrying, we walk. Besides, it's easy to miss opportunities when flying high above.

All in all, right now there's just a world to explore and little to no obligations. I don't really believe that everything that happens has a meaning - or even needs to have one - but reincarnation into another world is so irregular event that I was sort of expecting some big reveal about its purpose. Distinct lack of such has been bit underwhelming... Not that I'd particularly care about being 'chosen' for some long and dangerous quest to change the fate of world. That sounds like a real pain in the ass, so no thank you.

As we stop to rest (because of the mage), I think more about my stay in this world so far. While this whole chain of events has been stacked against my inclinations, and some adaption was therefore necessary, I find myself doing things I'd never have considered before. This world has changed me much, and I don't quite recognize the me anymore. By now I almost feel like I'm merely pretending to be the me... even recalling my former name is getting more difficult as the time passes...

...

But never mind that, this armor sure is great. I part intimidated, part persuaded and part unwittingly seduced a travelling mage to enchant it to deflect magic. It's mostly so that yet another outfit of mine won't be killed in action, but the added protection is nice too. Speaking of magic, I finally asked Celica about the hellfire spell she used, but she just smugly told that 'it will come to you, tehe~' and that's it. I knew she'd be like that.

We haven't done any contracts for some time, since undirected summonings don't reach us when we're already in the mortal world. It's not like I feel any obligation to do those, but there's a chance to get something useful out of it - my main support in all fights was a ring I haggled in one. Doing them would be preferable to random wandering.

So, how to get contracts without summons? I could facilitate rumors in the right circles and get summonings the roundabout way, but who wants to go through all the hassle? So, I decide to go for a very simple plan instead. When we reach the next town, a smallish imperial settlement surrounded by forested hills in all directions, I put it in motion... by sticking an advertisement on the town's notice board.

"'Succubus services offered'... Are you sure~ this is a good idea~?"

Even Celica's limited rational thinking capacity is rising an alarm. Of course I'm sure it is NOT a good idea. But I didn't have any better ones, and it gives me this little fascination similar to prodding an anthill with stick. Celica reads more of the poster with the mage looking over her shoulder.

"'No lewd stuff'? Ais!? Why~ did you write thiiiis~!?"

"Ehhh? What's the point of a succubus without lewd stuff? ...Isn't that an oxymoron?"

My poster is getting bashed by these two!

"That's because I don't want to attract a horde of horny morons who--"

I stop with my explanation since Celica looks like a kicked puppy. Come on, don't look like that.

"... I'll think of something... You can join too then, I'll tell you when..."

"Boo~. Stupid Ais~."

"..."

I finish putting up the poster while Celica continues to sulk. Fine, whatever. I leave her and the mage in the town and make my way to the place I designated in my notice. My plan is to receive the 'summons' on a hill near the town. I sit to wait, enjoying the quiet while it lasts. It probably won't take long until someone comes here. I don't have much hope that it will any legit contract business yet, but maybe, just maybe, sooner or later someone with legit business will hear of this and come. ... Well, nothing is lost by trying...

Later the same day I get my first clients. Not surprisingly they are a quartet of adventurer-types. I think the 'slay X werewolverines and bring their heads' bounty quest right next to my poster is what they should be doing. By the way, I don't know what werewolverines are like, but I'm certain they make all the other werecreatures feel inadequate with themselves. ... Anyway... I say adventurers, but the equivalent in this world is more like mercenary-hunter. Difference is academical though. They ready their weapons when they see me, with two of them flanking me shamelessly.

"You! Are you one responsible for the poster: 'Succubus services offered; kill quests, information gathering and giving life advice; no druids allowed, no lewd stuff'?"

"Why? Are you here for life advice?"

"Fat chance. What's your game... succubus?"

I don't have my wings in sight, but since I'm casually balancing a swordstaff on my hand while sitting on a cliff's edge, they are reasonably certain I am not a poser.

"I'm not doing anything you wouldn't do."

"You are a demon!"

"... And?"

"Do you think we'd allow you to carry out your schemes with impunity?"

"There's no scheme."

"Like I'd believe a demon!"

Why am I wasting my time talking with them? They obviously won't be persuaded, and I don't need to justify myself anyway. They start making motions signaling their attack. If they want a fight, I have no qualms about giving it. However their equipment looks mediocre and I'd have little to gain from the risk taken. Which is why I use charm spell instead. I generally find brainwashing iffy, but they want to kill me so I make an exception. I target each of them with the spell and give a command.

"Go back to where you came from. ... And make pretend to be a chicken while doing so."

On a whim I added the latter line, and one of them literally does chicken out. But to my surprise the rest of them shrug it off. What's with the underwhelming result? ... Ah. I remember one crucial detail from Celica's explanation about the charm... she said it can control 'weak willed' mortals. Celica, why are you so bad at explaining things?!

It seems so far I've been lucky with my charm usage to not have this problem, but the remaining three attackers are too stubborn and alert for it to have any effect. It's probably more effective if you lower the target's guard one way or another first - this should be something a succubus excels at. But these people mean business right now.

One of them conjures nasty spike of stone from the rock I was sitting on, but I'm airborne before it hits. The leader with whom I spoke looks frustrated with no ranged weapons. He's a short but muscular man with blue woad warpaint, making him look like a poor man's William Wallace. He's armed with a large bladed weapon that looks like cross between sword and scythe, a falx. Third opponent is a black-haired elf with longbow. It might be a she, but I'm not too sure. The elf looses arrows with high rate of fire, and I have to make serious effort to dodge all of them.

I swoop down to pick a fairly large rock, and precariously carry it upwards while trying to hold onto my weapon and keep the boulder as shield from arrow fire. I realize this was dangerous choice, since the mage seems to target the rock now, but I get out of the range before he can impale me using the boulder I'm carrying as material. The trio loses their nerve and scatters as they realize what I'm about to do.

I dive towards ground with accelerating speed like a Stuka bomber. The magic caster, who has armor and shield on top of his magic, is too slow to get out of the way, and I steer my improvised meteor strike towards him. He desperately rises the shield at the last moment, but that does no good at all. When I let go the boulder hits the ground with alarming speed, sinking in despite the hard, dry ground. I can't see anything left of him underneath.

The falxman curses and tries to jump and hit me, since I'm fairly low now, but I parry with my own big blade. Sparks fly as iron hits iron. Elf lets loose, and arrow hits me in shin. I'm still flying so that doesn't affect my performance, but it does hurt, of course. I make a move towards the archer, who seems biggest remaining threat.

"I won't let you pass!"

Falxman still keeps jumping at me. I fly just out of his reach now though, so he looks rather foolish. I can hear the elf let an involuntary sigh as she readies another arrow.

"Didn't think this through, did you?"

"That coward who ran away had the demonbane satchels. But we aren't defeated yet!"

So they were planning to use that herb that smelt painful in my nose? I guess contact with it in powdered form would have been bad. I can imagine them planning for the battle. 'Okay, succubuses use charm spell. Anyone not feeling confident in their willpower, rise a hand. No-one? Okay, good. Let's do it!'

Elf woman (I think she is a she, not 100% sure yet though) backs off as I chop with my long reached weapon. I keep hounding her, and she's forced to retreat. The meeting place I designated is atop a wooded hill, with flat top and steep fall in most directions, so she's running out of room to dodge me. What will she do? To my surprise she fails to notice the danger, and her last dodge sends her tumbling down... and down... and way down. Her battered body hits a tree trunk with an unhealthy sound, and she lies still. Legolas would be disappointed in you, elf.

My remaining enemy starts getting desperate and blindly charges at me when I look at the elf's fall. With my superior reach I impale him with ease. With my blade piercing his stomach, the battle should be over now. But he is not agreeing to that.

"Hrrrrgh... It's... Not... OVER!"

With blood gushing from his mouth he pushes ahead with my weapon blade and pole slipping through his body. It all would be quite impressive display of willpower... if I hadn't let go before he reached me and left him running around with my weapon piercing him like a cocktail stick.

Watching this safely out of his reach, I feel a bit bad for him.

"Well... I guess it was sort of heroic how you went as far as to impale yourself to try to get me."

"'Sort of heroic'... Ha ha ha-- *Cough cough*... Please engrave that in my grave stone..."

The falxman laughs bitterly while coughing blood, before he slowly collapses into a pool of his own blood.