I Can Hear the Saint’s Inner Thoughts

38 – Ready, Cue, Action! (1)

* * *

A place where the dazzling lights never cease, making night look like day – the Nightmare Theater of the Demon Realm, despite its name, was filled with people who seemed genuinely happy.

“hhhmm…, have I watched this film too many times….”

Crunch, crunch.

In the largest building of that place, slouched on the most comfortable chair, there was a being gazing at something being projected before her.

“It was really interesting at first. A pure love that transcends species and grudges… As a succubus, something I can’t easily do myself, so I’ve been trying to save it.”

A woman with straight black hair, munching on freshly popped popcorn, was watching the thing being shown with a listless expression.

Her eyes were blood-red, and her pointed ears and fangs marked her as a succubus.

“Lady Bellamora, is there anything that makes you uncomfortable?”

Next to the black-haired woman, a shadowy, blurred figure was pouring champagne with a respectful attitude.

Half of what should have been a head was missing, and black shadows flickered like living flames.

They were beings who had sold their souls to Bellamora, vowing servitude for life. They had sold their blood, dreams, and even their lifespans for a desired dream, finally even selling their own souls.

“…How many movies are left in our territory now? As high quality as possible, love stories that would interest me. Yes, the kind that ordinary people always call pure love.”

Bellamora spoke to the shadow, clapping her hands together. Her attitude was relaxed, as if she were addressing an ordinary butler or employee.

“The lives of the audience, you mean? There are not even five left. We gather all the lives of humans who come to our territory, but that genre is so rare.”

The shadow, having received her question, tilted its head and appeared to count on its fingers.

What Bellamora now called a ‘movie’ was something she obtained when someone sold their life or memories in exchange for a blissful dream.

“As expected, it’s better to go out and find movies myself… it’s more vivid that way…”

Bellamora sighed deeply and took out a small film from between her chest and jacket. Her eyes narrowed as she looked at the object labeled ‘Astal Kaisaros’.

The Succubus Queen, Bellamora Riktis’s ability, was on a different level compared to ordinary nightmares.

Unlike low-level nightmares who simply showed illusions and stole men’s energy, she had no need to go through such trouble.

Bellamora’s power allowed her to reprocess a person’s memories or life into a form she desired, and even turn them into dreams or objects like this.

“Haa…. This man’s life was one I wanted to watch all at once someday… Why don’t they make films like this anymore?”

Bellamora sipped her drink, reminiscing about the first time she met Astal. He was a wizard so handsome that even a succubus like her could admit it.

“When I saw the wizard of the current hero party, for the first time I became excited enough to want to drain a man’s energy.”

That was when Bellamora felt a jolt in her heart for the first time.

A beating, tightening throb in her chest; she could finally realize that the organ called a heart existed in her own body.

“It’s rare to see a man who truly hates or despises me, the Succubus Queen. Even the most noble paladins have at least a little lust mixed in….”

At first, she thought she had imagined it.

It was the first time someone wasn’t looking at her with lustful eyes, wasn’t trying to possess her body, but was purely trying to kill her.

“Until now, I thought those so-called hero parties were trash not even worth dealing with. I’d like to meet him again.”

Bellamora let out a seductive moan, expressing her regret. She had never felt such an emotion in her hundreds of years of life.

How fun it would be to capture a man with such strong eyes, making him love and yearn only for her.

This was also why Bellamora, a succubus, had fallen into the genre of pure love. She had long yearned for the love of ordinary couples.

Pure love, the kind where one sacrifices their life or grinds their body to save another, was something impossible for her own race, who considered s*x just another meal.

“Astal Kaisaros… Are you talking about the famous harmless magician? I’ve heard of him back when I was human.”

“What is it? I’m sure I sucked up all the necessary and interesting memories from your head.”

“He was definitely famous as a genius when he was at the magic tower. He’s the only one who became a magician after working as a janitor because he didn’t have the money for tuition.”

Another shadow, refilling popcorn beside Bellamora, spoke of the facts he knew upon hearing that name.

“I know that story too. They say many daughters of prestigious families proposed or confessed, but he never budged once?”

She had no special reaction even after hearing about Astal. It was information she had already obtained by probing countless magicians’ memories.

“Yes, originally magic is hard to learn unless you are blessed with innate talent or bloodline.”

“Right, those eyes are definitely a blessing from the god Odin. Damn those despicable gods, thinking of the man I’ve set my eyes on as a mere chess piece.”

Bellamora crunched on popcorn as she spoke. She, a follower of the demon king, had some sense of the secrets the gods were hiding.

The eyes that saw the magic power Astal possessed were likely those that Odin had sacrificed at the well of wisdom.

The gods can’t directly influence reality, so they use indirect methods.

“If it weren’t for that slutty milk saint next to him, there wouldn’t have been any need for a preliminary reconnaissance.”

A saint with divine power was originally her polar opposite.

Bellamora clenched her fist, thinking of Victoria beside Astal. The popped corn crumbled and fell apart under her grip.

A chest that was more impressive than even the Succubus Queen’s, she seemed like a harlot, not a faithful saint.

“Even if a saint is Bellamora’s natural enemy, did you really need to go that far?”

“She might make a move on Astal first, so I needed to know him first.”

At the shadow’s question, Bellamora smiled as she held up a shiny film to the light. It showed young Astal crying in a burning village.

The reason Bellamora had simply let the hero party go last time was also this, to peek at Astal’s memories and find out what kind of life he had lived.

Only then could she come up with a perfect plan on how to persuade and lure him into the depths of temptation.

“The perfect movie with Astal as the lead, in my mind, is about rescuing someone with a dark past from their childhood, healing each other’s wounds through pure love.”

Bellamora let out a seductive laugh and slightly turned the film in her hand.

Then, next to Astal crying, an image of a young girl with black hair patting his head appeared.

“Even the fact that his parents were killed by demons, you can change that in a dream, right?”

She definitely thought that he, too, would give everything for such a good dream. Humans inherently have desires hidden inside.

She had even seen parents sell their organs, even their children, to keep experiencing such a dreamscape.

She judged that her trickery wouldn’t be easy to escape.

“Even if that vulgar saint likes Astal, she keeps twitching and spouting lies…”

Bellamora could read the feelings Victoria harbored for him. It was clearly longing, not loathing.

“…If she really loves him, shouldn’t she confront him honestly with her feelings?”

Unlike her, Victoria couldn’t be honest with her own feelings due to her position as a saint and the fact that she was living on borrowed time.

That’s why, when Bellamora, disguised as Astal, confessed, she’d seen her swoon from the sheer joy of it.

“The dreams and memories of the other party members seem delicious too, but when it comes to fine dining, one should choose the most delicious and precious thing, right?”

Bellamora licked her lips, smiling.

How amusing would it be to make them dream of a past where they began to hate demons and monsters, and to make them believe it was reality?

“…Astal Kaisaros, a wizard who doesn’t believe in love, someday, I will definitely make you love me.”

The sheer thought of it brought forth such joyous emotion, she couldn’t control her lips from curling upwards.

“That’s absolutely right, my Lady!”

“Indeed! Lady Bellamora!”

“Glory to the Endless Dream! Eternity to the Nightmare Theater!”

Shadows, once human, weeping and laughing, shouting like madmen.

“Then, for today too, may you all have happy dreams. My dears.”

At Bellamora’s words, all the beings within the theater, who had been watching someone’s life or memory together, rose from their seats, applauding.

* * *

If there was anything different since last night, it was the way Victoria treated me.

“Good morning, Astal-nim.”

“…….”

“Did you have a peaceful night? Hehe, I assume you spent the night tossing and turning thinking about me…”

– Because I made Astal-nim all flustered…

She wore a smug, almost giddy expression, giggling at me as if she’d accomplished something.

The venom was gone from her attitude and tone. Usually, she would’ve started with, ‘Good morning, you pervert virgin wizard?’

Victoria was still wearing nothing but her black underwear and my robe, barely clinging to her body.

“Enough. Just give me back my robe already.”

I averted my eyes from the alluring sight of her skin, like rippling waves, and spoke to her.

That robe was originally a gift directly from my master, so there was no way there was a spare.

“Last night, you showed me such a manly side… and you have nothing to say?”

“What would we have to talk about?”

“Well, didn’t you say you disliked it when I use spiteful or lewd language?”

– It seems it’s best not to use coercive or blatant means to seduce you anymore.

Victoria spoke as she carelessly tossed off the robe right in front of me. It was like she was deliberately pushing out her chest to show me.

– Now that I know you react to me, Astar, I’ll go about it more naturally….

Because I could clearly hear what Victoria was aiming for, I tried my best to avoid making eye contact.

“Knowing that, can’t you please just not do this kind of thing?”

“Have you perhaps forgotten why we entered this contract relationship?”

Ignoring my request, Victoria neatly folded the robe and handed it to me. Her bright smile gave me a tightening sensation in my chest.

“…The Succubus Queen’s territory is just ahead.”

“It’s only been a week, what a pity. I was finding it quite fun to tease you.”

We were now headed to the land of Bellamora Lictis, the Nightmare Theater.

If we subdue her, this contract relationship that’s been so hard on me will end, and Victoria and I will return to our original relationship.

“Do you, like, want to break up with me or not?”

“Well, why don’t you try to guess?”

– Even if you subdue the Succubus Queen, you won’t escape being my lover. I’ll make sure of it.

Victoria smirked at me with a mysterious smile, and as someone who could hear her inner thoughts, nothing could make me more tense.