I thought she was dead.
Before then, I had spent months waiting—hoping for even the littlest signs of her existence—to no avail.
Those were one of the most miserable moments of my life. I caused pain, not only to myself, but also to Emilia and my comrades.
They couldn't understand my obsessive fixations, but they couldn't bear it either.
Eventually, for their sakes and mine, I had to let go... and accept Karlia's fate.
It had been years since I accepted her death. So, why...?!
"Did you really think I died? Hahaha, you know nothing!"
The Succubus was laughing at me like everything was perfectly normal.
It would have been easier to believe if I was hallucinating or having a dream, but neither seemed to be the case.
Everything I was seeing and experienced was real.
"H-how did you... they didn't kill you...?"
"When you say it like that, it almost sounds like you wish I was dead!"
"N-no, t-that's not... I just—"
"I'm just messing with you. No need to be so tense. Hahaha!"
And so, Karlia narrated her ordeal to me.
It turns out they didn't kill her. No, it was more like she was too valuable to be disposed of too easily.
As a result, she was forcefully trapped and imprisoned using Magic.
Using the influence of drugs and Magic, they forcefully made her have constant sexual relations with several Demons.
Every day, even more than the amount she had been used to, Demons flooded her room and she had to service them.
That was how they bred soldiers for the War.
Even Demon Beasts were forced upon her, and she was in no position to refuse—both physically and mentally.
This continued for years... until the war finally ended.
After it was over, she was released from her compulsory mating duties, and was freed.
Having her mind and body broken over and over again, there was only one person—one reason left for her existence.
Me!
My lone existence was enough to bring her out of the abyss that she had been plunged into.
And so, after recovering her mind and body, Karlia only had one place to go—one person to see.
She left the previous Demon Settlement where she was held prisoner and journeyed to the Human world.
"B-but, your constitution! How did you get sustenance? D-don't tell me you—?!" I had been initially worried that she was forced to take the Souls of humans as sustenance.
However...
"Hey!" Karlia gave a cute pout, then sighed in disbelief.
"What do you take me for?" Those words crushed my heart.
"I-I'm sorry..."
"Hmph! As long as you understand!" Her cherry personality never broke.
Despite the horrors she narrated to me—Karlia never changed who she was.
Unlike someone so weak-willed as me, she was a true gem who only glowed brighter under pressure.
As for how a Demon like her was able to freely interact with me—even with Mana pervading everywhere—it was the same reason behind my Mana Resistant Body.
Our multiple sexual escapades caused a new surge of abilities that went both ways.
As a result... Karlia was completely immune to Mana Poisoning for some reason.
Her body was completely halted from deteriorating. The Mana that came into contact with her instantly transformed into Miasma and was processed.
As a result, she never really lacked sustenance and was always being fed by the surrounding Mana.
It was absurd, but I had no choice but to believe it.
After all, here she was, standing right in front of me.
The one I had loved with all my heart.
The very person I cherished so much that I chose the most difficult—seemingly impossible—path, so I could save her kind.
"So... here I am, Lewis. Sorry I'm late, but..."
Karlia approached me slowly. Her seductive body swayed casually as she drew closer to me.
I knew what she wanted. That was because I wanted the same thing.
However...
"Karlia, w-wait..."
... It was already too late.
"What is it, Lewis? Are you mad at me for arriving so late? Please understand. I... I had no choice. But, I'm here now."
As she approached me, I moved backward. The distance between us never closed.
"L-Lewis... why are you being like this? Even after... after everything..."
My heart ached beyond description. Still, I couldn't make the same mistakes. As much as I loved Karlia, it... simply wasn't—
"What's the problem, Lewis? I-I'm here now. W-won't you even look at me? Won't you embrace me as you did in the past? Have I become so disgusting and unsightly to you? Is it because of what they did to me? Are you repulsed by that? You never had a problem with it before! Besides, I don't have to do that stuff again. As long as we're together! Remember our promise? Hey, Lewis, look at me. Lewis? LEWIS!"
I bit my lip and couldn't even utter a single word.
Why was I a coward when it counted the most?
"If you want to fvck me, just say it straight!"
Weirdly enough, those words of hers popped into my head at that point.
It gave me the resolve I needed.
Even as she was about to break down before me. Even as she fought back tears and looked at me desperately. Even as she yearned for me.
I determined within my heart to be completely honest with her.
Unfortunately, before I could say anything...
"Lewis, what's going on here? Are you alright?"
... Yet another complication occurred.
Emilia glided to my side in a flash, traversing the long distance she had been previously the moment she spotted Karlia in front of me—as well as the massive hole in our compound.
"Who is this?" Emilia asked, readying her Magic.
Even if we were currently at peace with the Demons, having one invade our compound and looking at me with such emotion wasn't a good sign for my wife.
Besides, even though I didn't notice it until she stared at my hand, I was still tightly gripping my sword.
"Who is she?" Emilia asked once more, staring at Karlia with hostility.
The Crimson Succubus and the Elf Princess stared at each other with both surprise and a sudden sense of enmity.
At that point, it felt like all hell would break loose. And, the worst part was...
... I was at the center of everything!
