1.32.

With Gibera as the bridge, a flock appeared around the four and it only grew increasingly in size. Everyone had a name list of who was assigned to which dorm, and from that alone it was easy to tell which one among them had the highest status.

"Wow, so you're a commoner? How did you even get here ahahaha.."

"You're so pretty Schwii, which kingdom are you from?"

"Are you and Sequencee in a relationship?"

"It's obvious isn't it? The two of them have been flirting in front of our faces."

Sequencee had frequented banquets hosted by high nobles and even one by the royal family with his mother plenty of times in the past. Crowds like these were inevitable whenever he was the son of a renowned (and unofficial) SS-rank mercenary. During times like that, whenever someone wanted to touch on a sensitive topic, it would typically be sugar coated in order to avoid shaming the personage. But here? Everyone was simply trying to show how big or authoritative they were without sparing a second to put themselves in the informant's shoes.

Ro and Lilian began to panic, having their words shot down constantly by the odious nobles. Schwii was having a hard time trying to get things under control. Gibera paled at what she had done unintentionally.

Sequencee grabbed Schwii's hand and spoke.

"How about everyone back off?"

His harsh words cut through the crowd.

"Step back and give us some room to breathe. I'm glad everyone would like to know us better but we're tired after the tour, isn't everyone the same? If you may, we'll be taking our leave first."

With that as a cue, Sequencee forcefully pushed through the crowd with Schwii's hand tightly held and headed towards the stairs. Ro and Lilian followed him from behind.

They took a breather at one of the corners.

"We'll wait here for a bit. Until everyone is gone," Sequencee said with a sigh.

Their room is quite high up. It was inconceivable to take the stairs there.

"That was.. scary.."

"Damn those people.. who do they think they are?"

"..."

"Schwii?"

"H-Huh...…?"

"Are you alright?"

"I-I.." she quickly shook of Sequencee's hand and took distance. She wrapped her arms around her body, gazing down at the ground.

"Schwii?"

"I-I'm fine.. just give me.. some space.." she squeaked, stretching out her hands in order to hold him back.

Sequencee increased the distance between them but raised his vigilance.

Her breathing grew increasingly intense, she was trembling all over, as if she was trying to hold in something. Sequencee wanted to intervene when Schwii staggered, leaned against the wall almost passing out but she stopped him. It took a long while before she gathered herself. Ro and Lilian watched her warily.

"I-I'm sorry for causing that mess. I should've been more perceptive.."

"No. No. It's their fault for trying to do that. It's.." Ro tried to explain.

"No more of this. Let's go. They should've left," Schwii got up and showed a cold expression unlike her usual self.

'???'

Sequencee knew that Schwii suffered from something earlier but he couldn't tell what it was.

"Are you sure you're alright? If.."

"Sequencee. Thank you for your concern, I'm fine now. Please keep some distance between us just in case."

'Why?'

Because of what Schwii said, they had to take the elevator two times, Sequencee and Schwii at a distance. Everyone's luggage was already in the room, so they didn't need to carry the bulk during the tour earlier. On the 21st floor, A312, they tapped their card on the door.

Click. The master switch was toggled, the lights to the living space came on.

"Wow.."

"My gosh, this is.. our room?"

"..."

"..."

Sequencee was amazed without a doubt. But he wasn't in the right mind to admire the place, not when Schwii had acted the way she did.

"Let's pick our rooms."

"Um, you two can pick first. Ro and I will go second."

"Schwii,"

"I know."

She grabbed her luggage near the couch and walked to one of the rooms nearest to the entrance. She shut the door as soon as she entered.

There was a moment of silence. Ro and Lilian looked at Squencee.

"I wish I knew," he said.

"I'm worried.." Lilian looked towards the room which Schwii had entered.

The three of them went to their own rooms, the one furthest back was left empty. Sequencee took the room directly opposite to Schwii's.

'Did someone do something?'

Sequencee tried to recall everything he learned from his past experiences but nothing came to mind. Schwii's reaction was abnormal, he couldn't tell if it was a physical condition or a mental one. What caused it, and why? How does this tie in with keeping his distance?

Sequencee arranged his items into his room silently, mulling over the possibilities in his mind.

===

There were some complimentary bread and ingredients in the kitchen. Ro, Lilian and Sequencee simply those few items for dinner. They didn't dare to leave for the cafeteria or anywhere for that matter without Schwii. She had locked herself up in the room saying to leave her alone for the night.

"Is it because of what the nobles said?" Lilian asked in a hush voice.

"It's unlikely."

'She's a ruler of a nation. Those guys should be no more than bugs to her.'

"Hey, Sequencee. Did you do anything to her by any chance? She told you to not come close to her right? Didn't you just say that you two were engaged?" Ro asked.

Sequencee merely nodded.

"Is she hiding something?" Lilian gulped.

"No idea. It's suspicious. I think you should check on her."

"Yeah. I'm worried.."

When Lilian and Ro retired for the night, Sequencee stood outside of her room. He knocked.

"Schwii. It's Sequencee."

"..."

The time was about 11 pm. Sequencee wasn't sure when Schwii's bedtime was but he knew she was still awake from her presence within the room. In fact, she was rolled into a ball with her back against the door.

Sequencee knocked again.

"Schwii."

"Sequencee, stop," it was a soft voice, barely audible through the breath of the door.

"Schwii, tell me what's going on, please. Everyone is worried."

"Go away.."

"..."

"..."

"I'll be waiting here until you open the door."

Sequencee turned around and sat with his back against the door, knowing well that he was mimicking what Schwii was doing on the opposite side.

Ten minutes passed.

And the door opened.

"Finally, Schwii, you– geh," Sequencee was about to get up when he was strangled by the neck and dragged into her room.

The indescribably sweet scent coming from her body, a sticky wet sensation was transmitted to his neck.

'Ah. That's right, Schwii is..'

Sequencee was dropped harshly on the carpeted ground. With a leg pressed on his abdomen, Schwii whose lingerie loosely hung off her body locked the door with a click. Slowly, she turned towards Sequencee. Her crimson eyes were glazed over with lust.

'.. A succubus'

He noticed the two black wings that protrude from her lower flank, resembling those of a bat. There was an obvious swaying heart-shaped tail, the tip looked like a stinger, and two small horns were visible on both sides of her head, her hair running curls around them.

She leaned in and standled on his waist. Her hair wet from sweat or some other fluid, making it stick on her luscious skin. Teasing his lips and chest with her gentle fingers, she began unbuttoning his shirt. With a sloppy expression shadowed in ecstasy, she reached over with her sticky fingers and cupped his cheeks.

"Bad Sequencee. How many times have I reminded you not to come close?"

Her hot breath stifled his consciousness.

"You must be punished."