Chapter 22: Max Favorability
While Lilith and Asmodeus were resting, at the Rodel Holy Kingdom Royal Training Grounds...
Alicia sat on an extremely luxurious lounge chair, her hand tightly gripping her mobile phone. Her brow was furrowed, and her heroic face was filled with worry and anxiety.
"Sigh, how is that guy Old Duan doing?"
"He couldn't have actually been forced into something by the Demon Lord, right?"
"Oh God, my best brother is actually going through something like that... just thinking about it..."
"Is terrifying!"
At the thought of her Best Friend, with whom she used to play games and eat skewers, now being pinned down and weeping by a wicked and hideous Demon Lord, Alicia felt like her worldview was about to collapse!
'Song! Today's payday! My treat for the buffet!'
The previous image was of her sunny, handsome, and dashing Best Friend waving on the street, joyfully inviting her for skewers;
But the next image! It was a shy succubus, leaning against the Demon Lord with extreme charm, holding her large belly and blushing as she said to her:
'I'm sorry, brother... I... I'm already pregnant with the Demon Lord's child... I belong to the Demon Lord now~'
"No! Not that! Anything but that!"
Thump, thump, thump, thump, thump!
In her inner world, Alicia was banging her head against the ground!
Fortunately, at this moment, a sweet and cloying voice interrupted her thoughts.
"Brave One~ break time is over~ it's time to start training~"
The Third Princess walked over with a smile, followed by several 'Hero Party candidates' with hot figures and beautiful faces.
"Your Highness?"
Seeing this, Alicia quickly put away her mobile phone and said with a determined gaze:
"When are we going to the Demon Realm? I can't wait!"
"I have to hurry up and rescue Old Duan!"
"Oh, I told you not to be in such a hurry."
The Princess extended a finger and shook it gently:
"The Brave One's current strength is too weak; you don't match the other members of the party. Going now would just be seeking death. To defeat the Demon Lord, we must undergo special training!"
"Special training?"
Alicia's eyes lit up:
"Is it grinding mobs in a dungeon? Or combat drills with the Knights? Bring it on! I'm ready!"
"No, no, no, those are all too crude."
The Princess gave a mysterious smile and shook her head.
Then, she clapped her small hands, and an Ice Archmage with long ice-blue hair, an impressive figure, and wearing a high-slit mage robe walked out, holding a bottle of essential oil that emitted a strange fragrance:
"Today's special training subject is—Dredging the Mana Circuits and Resistance Enhancement."
"Eh?"
Alicia was slightly stunned upon hearing this.
But before she could react, several maids in white stockings swarmed forward, giggling as they grabbed her limbs.
"Huh? Wait? What are you doing!"
Alicia said in surprise. She tried to struggle, but in the blink of an eye, she was pinned onto the bed by the maids!
"Pr... Princess! What are they doing? I don't understand!"
"Brave One, please endure it!"
Looking at the Brave One on the bed with a nervous expression and wavering gaze, the Ice Archmage's face flushed, and her eyes sparkled with excitement:
"This is for your own good. Only by coating your entire body with this bottle of [Polar Ice Spirit Oil] and using a special... ahem, massage technique, can we activate the Brave One's potential within you at the fastest speed."
"Huh???"
Upon hearing this, Alicia's pupils shook.
Before her horror could even finish, the Princess beside her curled her lips and added with a smile:
"Yes, this is the finest magical potion; the entire kingdom couldn't scrape together five bottles! To avoid wasting the medicine, not a single corner can be missed~ of course, that includes..."
At this point, the Princess smiled without saying more. Under Alicia's incredibly horrified gaze, she silently exited the room, leaving behind one last sentence:
"Begin!"
"Wait a minute! This isn't right! I still think dungeon combat training is more reliable, so Princess... ugh-eek!"
...Thus, two hours later, a message popped up on Alicia's phone.
[Ding! Congratulations, Host!]
[After high-intensity 'Mana Interaction', your level has increased to LV.10!]
[Acquired New Skills: Frost Resistance (Advanced), Water Element Mastery (Advanced), Water Spirit Affinity (Advanced), Charm Resistance (Negative)]
——
Returning to the Demon Realm · Abyss Labyrinth, Eighth Floor
"Mmm... mm..."
Inside the black barrier, Lilith rolled over in the large coffin. Like a lazy kitten, she stretched out defenselessly.
As her body stretched, the hem of that complex and gorgeous black Gothic dress rode up slightly. The tight fabric instantly pulled taut, outlining the girl's unreasonably perfect S-curve.
Her slender waist seemed as if it could be held in one hand, her impressive chest quivered slightly with her breathing, and her black heart-shaped tail lay limp to one side, twitching unconsciously every now and then... but most eye-catching were her beautiful legs, having kicked off her small leather shoes.
Under the dim halo of the barrier, her legs, wrapped in ultra-thin translucent black stockings, shimmered with a delicate and enticing luster—like top-tier chocolate mousse just drizzled with a mirror glaze, silky, mellow, and sparking an urge to take a bite!
Her small, exquisite toes were stretched straight, and her round, cute toes curled restlessly through the black stockings.
At this moment, her snow-white long hair was scattered across the velvet cushions. Her small face was flushed with an enticing redness from the warmth of sleep. Her mouth was slightly open, with a trace of glistening moisture hanging there. Her whole being looked soft and emitted a pleasant milky scent; she was practically a living embodiment of temptation!
"Lord Demon Lord... Master... hehe..."
Perhaps she was dreaming, as Lilith murmured something under her breath.
However, a few seconds later, she suddenly snapped her eyes open!
"Huh?!"
Lilith woke up instantly and hurriedly wiped the drool from the corner of her mouth.
[I seemed to have dreamed of something strange just now? What's going on?]
She sat up in a panic and instinctively looked beside her—it was empty.
The originally warm and broad 'blanket' was gone!
Although Lilith wished Asmodeus would die sooner, for some reason, an inexplicable, empty feeling instantly surged into her heart, making her feel a wave of discomfort.
"Where is everyone? Lord Demon Lord~"
She called out and quickly climbed out of the coffin.
Only then did she notice Asmodeus standing outside the black barrier, looking at the white, misty labyrinth passage in the distance, his brow furrowed and his expression grave.
Lilith tidied her slightly messy hair and dress, then cautiously walked up behind the man.
"What's wrong, Lord Demon Lord?"
"Heir hasn't returned yet."
Asmodeus said in a deep voice:
"Logically, it was just a scouting mission. With his strength, he should have returned long ago, but he's nowhere to be seen... Furthermore, I can no longer sense his mana."
"Disappeared?!"
Hearing this, Lilith was shocked:
"Did something happen to Heir?"
"I'm afraid so."
Asmodeus's tone was serious as he turned around, a cold light flashing in his eyes:
"This labyrinth... ever since we reached this floor, I've faintly sensed a bizarre aura. It doesn't seem like there are powerful monsters; rather, it feels like something is lurking around us..."
"Then what should we do?"
Lilith was a bit anxious.
Although Heir was annoying as an Abyssal Watcher, he was, after all, Lilith and Asmodeus's only 'guide' and 'little fanboy'. Plus, he was so cute (strike that); it wouldn't be good if something really happened to him.
But soon, Lilith thought of something. Her eyes lit up as she pulled out her mobile phone:
"I've got it! I'll use my Divine Artifact!"
Since Heir's 'Affection Value' for the Demon Lord was off the charts before, wouldn't it work if she just detected it again?
Asmodeus was clearly used to Lilith's'strange magical artifact'. Seeing her pull out her phone again, he nodded faintly.
So Lilith confidently opened the app and selected [Affection/Hormones].
However.
When she held up the phone and turned around, the pointer on the screen didn't react at all, remaining stuck at a low-level fluctuation.
[Eh? Strange?]
[Why is there no reaction? Wasn't it very high before?]
She tilted her head in confusion;
But soon, she realized something in hindsight:
[Oh, the previous Heir was still carrying that bizarre stone; it was that stone that turned him into an Abyssal Watcher.]
[Now that Heir has regained his sanity, his feelings for the Demon Lord should just be simple loyalty and respect, not that perverted affection...]
[That makes sense. After all, Heir was originally a boy! Just like me, a real man—yeah, looks like the phone won't work~]
Thinking of this, Lilith shook her head somewhat helplessly.
"It seems this trick doesn't work on Heir anymore..."
"Doesn't work?"
Asmodeus blinked in surprise:
"Is your magical artifact broken?"
"It's not broken, it just can't detect the target. We'll have to find another way."
Lilith shook her head as she explained, instinctively moving to put away her phone.
But at that moment, a strange thought suddenly popped into her head.
[Speaking of which...]
Lilith stole a glance at Asmodeus beside her.
[Since this app can measure affection values...]
[Then... what is Asmodeus's favorability toward me? I'm so curious...]
Although her reason told her that this didn't matter at all, and she, a 'grown man', had no need to know how much Asmodeus liked her;
But as a succubus! The Demon Lord's favorability toward her was crucial! No matter how much she tried not to think about it, curiosity was driving her finger.
[I can't control it! I can't control it! Just one click~ just one look~]
With that thought, Lilith's finger moved, selecting [Internal Host (Lilith)] in the 'Detection Subject' column.
The next second.
Buzz—!
The red pointer on the phone screen was like it had been injected with adrenaline, instantly soaring from 0!
10%... 50%... 80%... Finally, the pointer froze dead on a suffocating number:
[100%]
[Holy crap?!]