Volume 7 Short Story: The Devil and the Forbidden Book

This happened when I stayed outside until it was late and was making my way back home.

"… What's going on?"

Even though it's this late, for some reason, there's a whole bunch of people lined up next to an alley.

And there were several familiar faces in the line.

My sense of curiosity getting the better of me, I walked up to them and asked,

"Excuse me, what's this line for?"

"F-Frequent customer. What are you doing here at such a time?"

Within the queue are the onee-sans who often entertain me at the store.

"A-A human! Why would a human appear at this time?"

"Oh no, we've been discovered! Will today's sale be canceled?"

The people in the line started raising a fuss upon seeing me.

"N-No, it's fine. This man is a frequent customer at our store. He already knows that we are succubi."

Hearing the words of the onee-san, the people in the queue let out a sigh of relief.

In other words, none of the people in this queue are human.

"Well, you see, tonight, the store we are lined up in front of will release an extremely shocking gravure magazine."

An extremely shocking gravure magazine?

"I'm really looking forward to it ever since it was announced! I've been looking forward to this day!"

"I-I've been praying to the evil gods every day since it was announced…"

I heard the two men right in front of the line say.

Now that I pay attention, almost every single devil in the line had an extremely excited expression on their faces.

Is it really that shocking?

"That's the situation, so… frequent customer, could you do us a favour and keep what you've seen here a secret?"

Saying that, the onee-san gave me a deep bow.

"Of course I'll keep it a secret. Actually, I'll line up too."

"Eh?"

All the devils present let out a shocked gasp.

"Is-Is that really okay? I don't know if I should be the one to say this, but it's a really shocking gravure magazine. If a young devil who hasn't developed much resistance to such matters were to read it, it might even cost them a few of their lives."

"I want to see it even more."

"J-Just who is that human? Does he have a death wish?"

"Don't you know? He's a frequent customer at our store, and is on friendly terms with Vanir-sama."

Such murmurs started spreading throughout the crowd. For some reason, some of them started looking at me with envious gazes.

At that time-

"Thank you for lining up at my shop this late, everyone! Please, enter!"

The one who announced that was Vanir.

Well, judging from where we were, I suspected that it might be the case…

The devils rushed to buy the book, and those that got their hands on a copy treated it like it was some kind of valuable treasure.

"Hey, hurry up and flip the page! I want to see what's next!"

"I-I understand how you feel, but calm down! D-Don't let it get to your head! This page is way too stimulating…"

The male devils at the front of the line immediately engrossed themselves in the book the moment they got their hands on them, seemingly unable to contain themselves any longer.

"Kyaa!"

"Oh! That's why I said that you're still too young for this. You just lost a life there."

Possibly because she got too excited after hearing the exclamations of the devils up front, but the loli succubus who was once caught by Aqua spurted out a spray of blood from her nose and collapsed.

Is it really that amazing?

Just when I had my hopes raised-

"Oh, my apologies, they are all sold out. The people still in line, please hold onto your tickets and await the next reprint."

Vanir announced such disappointing news.

I pushed my way past the devils who were heading the other way with glum expressions and confronted Vanir.

"Hey, hold it right there! Raising my expectations so much just to pull this on me!? Isn't that too much!?"

"Oh? Moi was wondering why I was feeling such delicious dark emotions. So it's because of this perverted brat who falls head over heels for succubi. What are you doing here?"

"I'm very interested in that extremely shocking gravure magazine. Is there really not a single copy left?"

"You aren't a devil, so why are you interested in it? Well, you are an important customer. I do have a book I've been keeping on hand in the event of any errors, but…"

Hearing our conversation, the succubi who I was with earlier started to raise a din.

"How-How could this be? Frequent customer, you're way too sly! At least give me a look!"

"Me too! Give me a peek too!"

Well, it's not like I can't understand how they feel. With high expectations, I opened the book in front of the succubi…

A bed of roses was depicted on the first page, and in the middle of it was Vanir's mask.

Yes, only Vanir's mask.

"Aaah! V-V-Vanir-sama's nude form…"

"T-This is amazing! I can't believe that even the underside of Vanir-sama's mask is…"

Unlike the excited Succubi around me, I only made a puzzled expression. And Vanir cheerfully said,

"You really are a strange man. To desire my gravure magazine, do you perhaps hold romantic feelings towards me? Sadly, us devils have no gender, so Moi cannot answer your feelings… Oh, that's an intense swell of dark emotions! It's delicious indeed!"