"Together…?"
When Kurose Akira heard Viola's invitation, his gaze drifted toward Ivsha and the others.
Although he had absolutely no idea what this Forest Ritual actually involved, he certainly didn't mind joining them.
"Sure!" Akira replied with a smile as he walked over to them.
"Then, Guild Master~ please sit here," Viola said gently, pointing to an empty space beside Roxia.
"Alright."
Akira nodded and took the seat beside Roxia before asking curiously,
"So… what exactly do I need to do?"
Viola answered softly,
"You only need to close your eyes and relax your body and mind."
Akira followed her instructions and slowly closed his eyes.
At the same time, Viola also shut her eyes and began guiding the ritual.
The branch she held in her hands began to glow with a faint emerald light. The blossoms blooming along it swayed gently, releasing a refreshing fragrance that seemed to wash over the senses.
Surrounded by that enchanting aroma, Akira's consciousness gradually sank into a strange realm. The scenery before him shifted instantly.
"Where am I?"
Akira opened his eyes and looked around in confusion.
He found himself standing in an unfamiliar forest. The trees here were unusual—both the branches and leaves were incredibly soft. When he touched them lightly, his fingers sank in slightly, almost like pressing into something cushioned.
Strangely… it felt comfortable.
"Where are Viola and the others?"
Akira scanned his surroundings, but there was no sign of Viola or anyone else.
Just as he was beginning to feel puzzled, a familiar voice echoed inside his mind.
"Guild Master, come this way~"
Viola's voice was soft and clear, as if she were whispering right beside his ear.
At the same moment, a small green light appeared out of thin air, flickering in front of him like a guiding beacon.
Akira immediately followed the glowing point deeper into the forest. After passing through dense woods, he finally arrived at an open clearing.
It was a lush green meadow surrounded by towering trees.
At the center of the meadow stood a statue woven entirely from emerald vines—a statue of the Goddess of Nature.
To Akira's surprise, the statue's face bore a slight resemblance to Viola.
But there were differences.
The Goddess possessed a subtler, more mature charm… and unlike Viola, the statue depicted a fully human body.
In front of the statue was a crystal-clear spring.
The surface of the water was perfectly calm, reflecting the blue sky, drifting clouds, and the surrounding forest like a mirror.
Yet something about the spring was strange.
Though the water was clear, it seemed bottomless.
Just as Akira was studying the spring carefully, a pair of hands suddenly covered his eyes from behind.
Immediately afterward, a playful voice whispered beside his ear.
"Master~ guess who I am?"
Akira knew Alice's voice far too well.
Smiling, he answered without hesitation,
"I'm guessing… Alice?"
"Wrong~!"
"You'll have to accept a special punishment!"
"?"
Before Akira could react, he suddenly felt the Holy Light slipping free from its restraints… and being gently praised by "Alice."
"???"
Akira hurriedly pulled away the hands covering his eyes—only to discover that they were nothing more than illusory hands woven from magic.
And the one currently praising the Holy Light…
Wasn't Alice at all.
It was Ivsha.
Akira's brows knitted tightly.
He immediately realized that Ivsha had been imitating Alice's voice and tone.
But another question remained.
Why was Ivsha the only one here?
"Where are Viola and the others?" Akira asked.
"Them? Ah~ mm~ they'll return very soon~ hmm~"
Ivsha answered while greedily praising the Holy Light, seemingly trying to take in every last bit of it.
"?"
Before Akira could press her for details about what Viola and the others were doing—
Their laughter suddenly drifted closer.
Akira's expression instantly tightened.
The little ones absolutely could not see a succubus feeding.
"Ivsha, stop!"
"I refuse~"
"???!"
Akira hurriedly looked around for somewhere to hide.
Finally, his eyes landed on the spring beside the statue of the Goddess of Nature.
"Quick, hide!"
He whispered urgently, then scooped Ivsha into his arms and leapt straight into the spring.
Just as he had expected—
Although the water was crystal clear, it was impossible to see beneath the surface. The water must have been enchanted by magic.
The moment they entered the water, their figures vanished completely, leaving the surface perfectly calm.
Even more astonishing—
Akira realized he could breathe underwater freely.
And through the surface of the water, he could still clearly observe everything happening outside.
Meanwhile, Ivsha showed no intention of behaving.
Even underwater—
She continued praising the Holy Light.
So delicious~
At that moment, Viola and the others arrived at the statue of the Goddess of Nature.
"That's strange… Why isn't the Guild Master here? I clearly guided him to this place…"
Viola looked around, confused.
"Ivsha-sister isn't here either. Maybe the Guild Master and Ivsha-sister are together?" Alice suggested after placing the flowers she had brought on the ground.
"Maybe…" Viola nodded.
Although she still had some doubts, she trusted Ivsha enough not to worry too much.
Besides—
This was the spiritual world she had created. It should be perfectly safe.
"Let's begin~"
"Okay~"
"?"
Hidden beneath the water, Akira carefully watched everything happening outside.
He could only see the girls sitting in a circle with their backs facing him. He had absolutely no idea what the little group was doing.
Meanwhile, Ivsha seemed completely absorbed in her own world.
She was praising the Holy Light with full devotion, utterly indifferent to everything else around her.
First, eat your fill.
Suddenly—
Akira felt a powerful surge of magic disturbing the Holy Light.
He glanced downward.
His expression instantly turned serious.
It turned out Death Coil didn't just have—
Wait.
Akira felt a sudden sense of dread.
But by then, it was too late.
Under Ivsha's devout praise, the Holy Light burst forth in dazzling brilliance, tinting the once-clear spring with a golden shimmer.
Damn it!
Akira's brows furrowed.
Wouldn't that definitely expose them?
Right then, Viola slowly stood up and said gently,
"Wait here a moment. I'll fetch a pot of spring water~"
As her words fell, she gracefully stepped forward on her deer legs and approached the spring.
This is bad!
Akira instantly panicked.
Yet Ivsha continued her reverent praise, causing the Holy Light to shine even more brilliantly.
"Hm? That's odd… Why is the spring glowing?"
Standing beside the water, Viola looked puzzled.
She distinctly remembered that the spring shouldn't glow.
So why now…?
"Viola, is something wrong?" Alice and the others asked with concern after noticing she had been standing there for a while.
Viola gently shook her head and smiled.
"It's nothing!"
Then she filled her pitcher with the spring water—now infused with Holy Light—and returned to the group, pouring a cup for each of them.
With a cheerful smile, she explained,
"This is the Forest Spring Water. It's sweet as honey. Not only does it beautify the skin, it also nourishes the soul~"
Roxia's eyes widened slightly in surprise.
"It has effects like that?"
Meanwhile, Natasha had already finished a cup.
As the cool liquid flowed across her tongue, she soon discovered that her skin felt noticeably smoother, as if a faint golden glow now coated her entire body.
She looked even more captivating.
"This spring water is incredible! Can I have another cup?" Natasha praised eagerly.
"Of course~"
Viola happily poured her another.
Natasha drank it down in one gulp and sighed in satisfaction.
"So delicious~"
Although it was supposedly forest spring water, a strange sense of familiarity welled up in her heart.
And the golden specks flowing inside the water…
Suddenly, Natasha seemed to realize where Akira might currently be hiding.
She smiled faintly at the spring before glancing back at Viola.
"May I have another cup?"
Seeing Natasha praise the spring so highly, the others eagerly began drinking as well.
"Strange… Why does this taste so familiar?"
After taking a sip, Mare Rhine frowned slightly. She felt as though she had tasted something similar before but couldn't quite place it.
"Ah~ it's delicious~"
The elf sisters also smiled happily after drinking.
The magical properties of the forest spring caused their cheeks to flush lightly, giving them a soft, intoxicated charm.
All of this was witnessed by Akira from beneath the water.
At that moment, he felt more than a little embarrassed.
Because the spring water was… enhanced with extra ingredients.
But there was no way he could suddenly leap out and explain the truth.
So he remained silent.
Just then, Ivsha pressed closer, wrapping her arms around Akira's neck as she smiled seductively.
"Mr. Akira~ you must endure it~ don't make a sound, okay~?"
As she spoke, her pale golden heart-shaped tail quietly wrapped around the Holy Light…
Akira frowned slightly but didn't dare make a sound.
He could only allow Ivsha to do as she pleased while she continued praying to the Holy Light underwater.
Meanwhile, outside the spring—
After drinking the water, Viola and the others leaned against each other and began their ritual.
The ritual itself simply involved closing their eyes and meditating together.
While they meditated, glowing green motes drifted around them, making the entire scene feel dreamlike.
Thus—
While Viola and the others conducted the Forest Ritual, Akira remained hidden beneath the water, locked in an intense battle with the succubus.
Nearly an hour later, the underwater struggle finally came to an end—though neither side seemed fully satisfied.
"Mmm~ Mr. Akira~"
Ivsha lightly sucked on her fingertip and smiled.
"Viola's forest spring is now filled with your presence~"
"…"
"They seem to have fallen asleep. We should leave as soon as possible."
Akira spoke quickly to Ivsha. Staying underwater for so long clearly wasn't wise.
"Alright~"
Ivsha smiled sweetly, wrapping her arms around him.
With a light leap, the two of them burst out of the spring and landed quietly beside the others.
"So the Forest Ritual just requires closing your eyes?" Akira asked after observing the girls.
"Yes~"
Ivsha nodded and explained,
"This is a spiritual world created by Viola. Once the ritual begins, everyone enters a state of mental purification, allowing their souls to resonate with nature."
"Resonate with nature…"
Akira found himself curious about what that sensation actually felt like.
But one thing was certain—
Viola had used some method to draw everyone's souls into this spiritual world.
Yet the forms they displayed here were not mere spirit bodies.
They looked like real physical bodies.
"The most important part is this…"
Ivsha continued with a sly smile.
"During resonance, the body becomes extremely sensitive. But at the same time, it's as if one is sealed off—unable to hear anything from the outside world and unable to resist at all…"
"?"
Hearing that explanation, Akira felt a strange unease.
It sounded like Ivsha's words held a deeper implication.
Before he could think further, Ivsha had already glided over to Viola and gently touched her body with a slender finger.
"Mmm~"
In her resonant state, Viola let out a soft moan, her body trembling faintly.
Just as Ivsha had said—
Their bodies had become incredibly sensitive.
Yet they could neither hear anything nor actively react.
They could only instinctively respond to the sensations of touch.
"…"
Akira remained silent, watching Viola closely.
Ever since she had obtained the [Demon King] trait, the aura surrounding her seemed to be gradually changing.
In addition—
Akira noticed that the light-purple fur along Viola's deer back was now emitting a faint dark-red glow.
The color wasn't simply replaced—it flickered intermittently.
Just as Akira was pondering this—
Ivsha's voice broke the silence once again.
"Oh~ right. This spiritual world actually has a very interesting function."
As she spoke, she clasped her hands together and began chanting softly.
"?"
Akira frowned slightly.
"What are you doing?"
"You see~ since this is a spiritual world," Ivsha explained with a smile,
"Anything you feel can be transmitted to everyone present through spiritual connection~"
As she spoke, pale violet magic flowed from her body like strands of silk.
They spread outward like a spider's web, linking themselves to everyone present.
"??"
The moment Akira heard that explanation, his brows instantly tightened.
A terrible premonition surged through his chest.
He tried to turn and escape—
But Ivsha's charm magic had already activated.
With the double amplification of 1000% Desire and 100% Special Combat Power, Akira was completely ensnared by the succubus's magic, unable to break free.
At that same moment—
The Holy Light burst forth in radiant brilliance, as if declaring its glory.
"Mmm~ now then…"
Ivsha slowly licked her lips, her eyes glowing with a bewitching light.
With a seductive smile, she whispered,
"It's time to let these girls… have a taste of the Holy Light~"
Akira: "???"