Concession

The night was long, and my ladies were filled multiple times in it.

The morning dawn too quickly, though, and I noticed a few Succubi with red faces after the proceedings inside our tent. My women came out with rosy red cheeks looking satisfied, while many Succubi looked like they suffered over the night. I smiled, knowing what I caused. I saw Tammy coming out of her tent and noticed a red face.

I chuckled softly, seeing so many women looking frustrated. Many looked frustrated coming out of tents. I looked at the wooden cells and saw some of the men in the cages also have a red face knowing that some were used as outlets for the succubi. I didn't pity them, knowing they wouldn't be here if they were not caught being an enemy of civilization.

With the many wagons carrying bandits and prisoners arriving, I knew that we could start soon. I happily sat down at an area many sexy succubi were setting up for a canteen. The amount of sexiness here was a sight to behold. All the women of various ages worked on setting up for the week in various states of dress, looking ready to work as carpenters setting up temporary structures. I felt my image of the succubi race change at this moment.

I always thought of them as sexy women looking for sexual energy to become stronger. But I realized that many were low on sexual energy and didn't seek to build it up to become more powerful. They looked like workers doing various jobs as cooks and normal jobs. This made it clear to me that no race could survive without the bottom class. This reminder made me remember all the problems with Bunny-kin society, and I realized I developed prejudice without realizing it.

They worked although looking tired; they did so efficiently as any group of workers I've seen. I felt out with my mana noticing many with F-rank power, and it looked like no intention of growing it. I questioned why this was so, and I had many questions to ask Mally when I got back to the Embassy.

The revelation was a small one, but I remembered that I needed to protect myself from these prejudices. What may be true also may not be. It was a lesson that made me realize generalization was a potential blind spot.

I watched as sexy bodies all over the camp finished setting up in the sunlight. They started on some temporary cabins as well. I noticed that one came with a sign saying it was for me. This surprised me, but I realized my position again. I chuckled to myself, and I took things off my wagon, ensuring that my potions were in perfect shape. I walked out into the field, looking for the best place to start our testing.

I walked with my women a couple of miles away before noticing some Succubi following us. I turned, seeing Se Mon, Julia with the Legal loli Succubi. I think I remember her name being Tammy? I was pretty sure of that as I smiled as they came up to me.

"What brings you out here, Ambassador?" Se Mon asked.

"Checking out an area where we will test. I am surprised you have such a large field available near your capital." I commented, looking at the large field.

"Well, Duh, We need a place to make things go boom!" Tammy spoke up with a large smile. Her actions were completely different from how I met her last night.

I looked at her small chest, hoping to get a reaction. "Why are you looking at my breasts?" Tammy asked.

I turned to Se Mon and her chest as if I was comparing before turning back, "Sorry, what breasts?" I asked her teasing her.

Her expression turned dark, and I realized I must have stepped on a sore spot too much. Se Mon laughed. "Stop teasing her too much. I know you have women whose breasts are even smaller than hers." Se Mon got in between us.

I laughed before turning to Tammy. "Sorry, I really did go too far with that last joke," I said sincerely. "Your right and I should not attack your insecurities. Please accept my apology, and we can move on with the discussion of experiments." I said.

Tammy looked at me with puffed cheeks that emphasized her cuteness. I could tell that my quick apology only annoyed her more at this point. I knew I made a mistake at this point, and I wasn't sure how to deal with it. Her expression was gradually getting darker and darker. I knew the way I went about apologizing was even worse. I stifled a sigh, knowing that I touched her bottom line.

"What do you want in compensation?" I simply asked. If apologies didn't work, I would go with Bribes.

This seemed to get her attention much more than my previous apology. "I want whatever made your women cry out last night for hours on end. That was a form of torture you subjected us to!" She exclaimed loudly.

Se Mon and Julia looked away, but I could see a small nod. "You think that too?" I asked Se Mon and Julia, "That's fine; no one ever told you ladies couldn't have joined in. But all of that is for later. For now, can we please start to discuss the experiments? We only have a week, and I have many things to do after that." I said sternly, pleased to have more women join me tonight to test the cabin's soundproofing.

With more joining, I remember I must have accumulated a lot of system points to spend. Since I do not see a battle in my near future, I am definitely going to try out that lottery to see if I can snag something great off of it. I turned my attention back to the experiment grounds as we talked about the coming days.

"So we can start our first experiment today to see what things can happen with the combination of the potion and illusions." I stated, "Easier seeing how effective it can be before finding the minimum requirement for it."

"Hmm, I don't think that is a great idea personally, Chelsea." Se Mon shot back, and I turned to her. "I am not saying that is a bad idea, but top Illusionists like Julia and Myself are rarely on the battlefield, but when we are, we do not need supporting potions. We can cloak the battlefield under our spells, already confusing the enemy. What we need is something for our lower-level combatants."

"Your point is valid. Although if it does work well, I wouldn't say it is useless to you and Julia, though. You can use it if the Enemy has someone able to suppress the Illusion and lower the enemy's willpower to use less mana on lower ranks to have more mana for fighting the higher-ranked opponents." I countered but quickly went back on topic. "You are correct. Your spells are powerful, and the need for lower-ranked Succubi Illusionists are more important than that of the higher-level ones." I finished and turned to Tammy, "Tammy, You are missing just the opportunity to become B rank. How many people do your Illusion magic work on?" I asked.

She looked at me, her face showing her serious expression as she contemplated. "I have maxed out while burning through my mana quickly done eighty people of the C-rank. It was a retreat, though, and we needed a little bit of time. Most of them were only stunned in the Illusion for a couple of seconds, while others I held for thirty seconds. My mana depleted shortly with the number of enemies." She finished.

"So, What affects the amount of mana and the effectiveness of the Illusion?" I asked.

"That is touching some of our core secrets, Chelsea." Se Mon's voice became stern as she cut in. "I hate to say it, Chelsea, but we will come up with how effective it is." Se Mon said harshly.

I took a moment to think before I nodded. "Makes sense; I was curious, though." I shrugged my shoulders. "I can see the results, and I can work from there. This will mean you will have a better idea of what is happening with the potion than the one creating the potion for you..." My voice trailed off, and I saw Se Mon's eyes narrow.

"You're leading to something, Chelsea." She stated, before asking, "Be quick with it; what do you want?"

My grin turned large, "Nothing much. Just some commitment to what I asked earlier. I want you to join us as mercenaries." I said, my grin turning wicked. "You will be getting more information than us. This means that no matter what, I will be negotiating from now on with a handicap. You will know the true effects while I am in ignorance selling a product that I know less than the buyer. I cannot give a true value of worthwhile you can purchase knowing its true worth. I want concessions on that."

Se Mon's eyes narrowed before she grinned. "I cannot answer that yet, Chelsea." She said, and I rolled my eyes.

"Then tell me, What are you willing to give up for knowing more information than me." I countered quickly.

"My body," Se Mon countered with a grin.

I joked, "Se Mon, Julia, I thought our encounters meant more!" I turned to my ladies then. "I can't go with that though, Se Mon, You are valuable, but unless you are selling yourself to our country, then I can't take that offer. Honestly, I wouldn't want to be your master either. You are too powerful to be controlled by me either." I explained, "All joking aside though, I do need a concession; otherwise, our trip out here will be wasted. You will have a significant position better on future negotiations, and I need a concession before continuing."

Se Mon now realized that I was being serious and wouldn't back down. "Chelsea, Why are you being this stubborn?"

"Se Mon, I am doing everything for my country and my Kids. I need a concession. I need something tangible I can go back to my home country with that I can say no matter what I have done this. I think many of the Demons land people do not understand the number of problems I am currently having. You all want potions at a lower price from the Bunny-kin. Every race, including the Succubi, are making me concede things, and I am nearing the line that I cannot step back from." I said truthfully. "Now, I am testing a military technology with the Succubi, and I need to concede the high ground as well? Where is my bottom line? Where do I become a doormat for the Demon lands? We, the Beast-kin Nation, want the demon land's help. But regardless of if we get that or not, we will fight for our people. Now, I am giving up the high ground on future negotiations by allowing you to have more information than me on the experiment. That means again, and I am giving ground to you. Although I know, this isn't your fault Se Mon, But I need a breakthrough. One of the ways I can do that is by Hiring your Wizard tower into our conflict."

"Again, I understand that this isn't your fault, but your being a victim of your nation's dealings right now. I need something tangible. You want to deal with the Beast-kin Nation for a piece of military-level equipment potentially. Your nation would do the same, and just because I have inseminated you, I cannot give ground regardless. I need a concession, or I might be returned home, and Ambassador Ralph might regain being our ambassador while I leave." I finished with a nightmare scenario.

"Things cannot be that bad for you?" Se Mon looked at my determined expression and asked.

"Not that bad? More like, not that good. The council is happy with my win regarding the Pirates. Your nation's interests were on board with that as well. If I send our current trade deal and the amount I have given up, it paints me as siding more on your nation than mine. I have four votes for going to war out of it under this promise. So I have nothing to show for it. So I might as well abandon the trade deal." I shrug my shoulders. "What can I do? I need something that I can put a pillar on and use as a Foundation. The Demon lands know how much we want your nation's help. They are beating me with it until I am black and blue. That all brings me to this moment. I need something concrete Se Mon. I need something that I can write home about."

Se Mon was very serious now when Tammy piped in, "I don't know much about the Mercenary thing, but why not all of us in the Illusionist tower make an adventurer party and lend ourselves to the Beast-kin Nation. We win in almost every way?" She asked Se Mon.

"Chelsea, I cannot give up so much for nothing. I do not even know if the potion works yet, or what it will do for our illusions. What I will say is this. If it works like you are thinking, then;" She sighed, "Yes, We will lend our power to your nation."

I grinned, "Okay, I will give up ground on this and we can start the test. But I am serious on this Se Mon. Let's get some trash out here to start some tests and learn what this potion can do."