After Nero destroyed the vessel in which Samiri had stored most of her strength, the succubus had vented her frustration and humiliation by shouting a few parting lines:
"I won't forget this grudge!"
"Don't think this means you've won!"
At the time, Samiri believed Nero was too far away to hear her. Leaving behind some bravado before fleeing wouldn't hurt, right?
After all, years of effort poured into creating that vessel had gone up in flames. Surely she was entitled to at least a few angry words?
Once she'd fled, Samiri forgot the whole thing. It was akin to a random comment you'd left on a video months ago—by now, utterly forgotten.
But now… should she say it?
A cold sweat trickled down Samiri's forehead.
If she really repeated those words now, there'd be no turning back. She'd be completely exposed, recognized without a doubt.
Should she alter her voice? Could she fake her way out of this? But if her tone sounded unnatural, wouldn't that only raise suspicions further?
Run? That was the dumbest idea of all. How could she possibly escape from someone who had taken down a Demon King Army general in a one-on-one fight, all while under Nero's watchful gaze?
Her mind cycled through plans, only to discard each one. Every rejected idea fed her growing anxiety, which spread like poison through her chest.
The tension gnawed at her, and for a fleeting moment, Samiri even considered giving up entirely—revealing her true identity and letting Nero finish her off.
"Hm? Why are you crying?"
Nero's puzzled voice cut through the chaos of Samiri's thoughts.
Samiri blinked, startled. Tears were welling up in her eyes.
She quickly rubbed her arm across her face, her voice breaking slightly as she muttered, "I'm not crying…"
"But you're literally tearing up," Nero pointed out.
"It's not tears… just water from my eyes…"
Huh… didn't Yoshida Yuko say something similar once? Nero thought.
Turning to the succubus shopkeeper, Nero shrugged, hands open in mock exasperation.
"You saw that, didn't you, shopkeeper? I didn't even do anything, and she's crying on her own."
"I'm not crying…"
"All right, all right. You're not crying."
Nero adopted a soothing, almost maternal tone, as though comforting a sulking child.
"Miss Nero, I must ask you to stop scaring my poor employee," the shopkeeper interjected, puffing her cheeks in mock displeasure.
"All I wanted was for her to repeat something after me! You saw that, right?" Nero sighed.
"Well, fine. Forget that idea. How about letting Samiri—no, Summeriko—try sitting in a massage chair instead?"
The iconic scene from The Demon Girl Next Door! Nero thought, her face lighting up.
But her suggestion was met with blank stares from the shopkeeper and Samiri.
"A massage chair?"
"Hm! Oh, right… This world doesn't have those," Nero admitted with a crestfallen expression, reminded of the technological gap in this magic-based world.
Noticing their confusion, Nero scratched her head and attempted to explain.
"A massage chair is… uh… a device you sit on, and it squeezes, kneads, and taps your body to help you relax and relieve stress."
She did her best to simplify the explanation, but Samiri's face turned ghostly pale.
Squeezing, kneading, tapping her body…
The words conjured a horrifying mental image of an interrogation device, the kind used to torture criminals.
As for Nero's comment about relieving stress? Samiri assumed it referred to Nero's satisfaction at watching the "execution." Demons who found joy in others' suffering were far from rare in hell, and Samiri was certain she'd be the one tied to that torture chair.
So, even after being exposed… I won't even be granted a quick death?
Her heart sank into despair.
If any term fit Samiri's state right now, it was heartbroken beyond repair.
Nero's disappointment at failing to recreate the Yoshida Yuko scene was fleeting. She quickly moved on, turning her attention to the other succubi.
"You've done an amazing job maintaining this place. It must be exhausting," Nero said.
The shopkeeper blinked, surprised by the sincerity in Nero's tone, before offering a warm smile.
"Not too bad. Everyone here is well-behaved, and they've worked hard to protect this shop in their own ways over the years. The customers have also been very supportive."
She turned her gaze toward her employees.
"Nia recently developed a fondness for cute accessories and hair ornaments."
"Lolisa dreams of becoming the top girl at this shop."
"Katarina, despite being a succubus, told me she hopes to marry a man someday, to love and be loved in return, and to experience what true romance feels like."
"Lucia, who once fell in love with reading, recently said she wants to try writing a novel of her own. And Barbara… she dreams of becoming an idol."
The shopkeeper's voice softened.
"Do you know, Miss Nero, before I met these girls and founded this shop, their lives were full of hardship. They had no way to protect themselves and lived in constant fear, always running to avoid being killed. Yet they still had to risk everything just to stave off starvation."
"Now, though, they don't have to worry about food. They have time to think about the future, about hobbies and dreams."
With such radiant smiles on their faces, what did her own exhaustion matter?
"That's truly admirable," Nero said with a small smile.
"In that regard, we're alike. I, too, hope nothing happens to this shop and that the day never comes when anyone here is missing."
After all, if this shop closed down, where else could she find so many beautiful succubi to admire?
"Well then, that's enough for today. I'll take my leave," Nero declared.
"I've thoroughly enjoyed our conversation, Miss Nero. Please visit us again."
Samiri could only stare in shock as Nero waved goodbye, exchanged pleasantries with the shopkeeper, and then left the shop.
She… left? Just like that?
Not killing me?
Her mind swirled with confusion.
Then, Nero's earlier words flashed through her thoughts:
"I hope the next time I visit, no one here is missing."
Is that why she spared me?
In that instant, Samiri felt as though a glimmer of hope had pierced the darkness. Her crushed spirit began to stir back to life.
"If she let me go… I have a chance to escape…"
Escape?
Could she really run? Could she leave this place?
"I hope the next time I visit, no one here is missing."
Samiri froze.
If she ran… wouldn't the shop be missing someone?
"Wait… was that a warning?"
A chill ran down her spine.
If she left and Nero returned to find her gone, there'd be no second chances. Nero would come for her, and this time, there'd be no escape.
Understanding dawned, and Samiri felt as though she'd narrowly avoided walking straight into her own doom.
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T/N: I know sumemriko is wrong name but thats on purpose since the other name from last chapter was a fake name anways