Creating A Succubus Army In A Fantasy World!-Chapter 26: Amara. [Bonus]

[2/10 Of Castle Mass Release! Shout out to Dragonman009128 for the gift!]

Creed trailed behind Layla as she eagerly took him on a grand tour of her palatial estate. Each hallway they passed through seemed to scream wealth.

Polished white marble floors reflected the soft glow of the overhead lights, while intricately carved silver patterns wove along the walls like silent witnesses to her family's insane fortune.

Massive paintings hung on the walls, probably worth more than everything Creed had ever owned in his entire life, maybe even his previous life.

Layla's voice was bright and enthusiastic as she pointed out various rooms and facilities with casual ease, as if it wasn't the most overwhelming place Creed had ever seen.

"This is the indoor garden! And that's the meditation room. Oh, and over there is our personal library—it has over ten thousand books!"

Creed nodded along like he was absorbing every detail, but his mind was elsewhere.

'What exactly am I supposed to do now? Stay here forever? Is she planning something? Why is she being this nice? Nobody's this nice without wanting something in return... right?'

His thoughts spun in chaotic circles, torn between the logical part of his brain which screamed that he didn't belong here, and the small, deeply buried voice whispering that maybe, just maybe, he'd landed himself a once-in-a-lifetime stroke of luck.

Before his inner turmoil could spiral any further, they reached a massive, steel-gray building attached to the estate's far end.

The moment they approached it, a deep chill crept through the air, slipping beneath Creed's clothes and biting at his skin like invisible frost.

A sharp, metallic humming filled his ears, and just beyond the entrance, the unmistakable sound of explosions rattled through the walls.

Boom! Crack! FWOOSH!

"Uh, what's that?" Creed asked, shivering despite himself.

Layla just smiled like it was no big deal. "You'll see."

The moment the doors slid open, Creed was hit with a gust of freezing air so sharp that he almost gasped out loud.

The room beyond was a vast, all-white chamber—like stepping into the core of some futuristic ice palace.

Blinding lights reflected off smooth, reinforced metal panels lining the walls and floor, giving the whole space a sterile but strangely majestic glow.

But what really caught his attention were the three sleek, red drones flying around the room at insane speeds, zig-zagging through the air like angry hornets.

Each drone shot out bursts of laser beams, thin lines of searing energy slicing through the cold air with terrifying precision.

And then Creed saw her.

In the center of the chaos, weaving through the laser fire like she was dancing on instinct alone, was a girl who looked like she belonged on the cover of some glamorous action movie poster.

She couldn't have been more than a few months older than him, but her confidence radiated through every movement.

Silky blue hair cascaded behind her in a high ponytail, matching the sharp intensity of her icy blue eyes that tracked the drones without missing a beat.

Her lips were a soft cherry-pink, set in a focused line that only made her even more striking.

Her body moved with the elegance of a trained warrior—tight, toned muscles beneath her form-fitting outfit flexed with every motion.

Creed couldn't help but notice how certain... assets bounced with her every dodge and leap.

That jiggle...

'Oh, you're ridiculous,' Creed thought, mentally scolding himself while trying not to gawk.

'You just survived a freaking apocalypse an hour ago, and here you are drooling over some ice princess like a total maniac.'

The girl suddenly thrust her hand forward, a spike of shimmering ice shooting from her palm with deadly precision.

One of the drones shuddered as the ice impaled its metallic body, sending sparks flying as it crashed into the wall. Creed's jaw dropped.

'What a beauty... And she's dangerous too. Perfection.'

Just as the last drone fell, she turned toward the entrance, her frosty glare softening ever so slightly when she noticed Layla.

Without hesitation, Layla bolted toward her, arms wide open.

"Big sister Amara!" Layla shouted, throwing herself into the girl's arms like an overenthusiastic puppy.

Creed's brain short-circuited for the second time that day.

'Of course. Of course, she has a gorgeous big sister. I should've guessed. It's always the rich families that are genetically blessed beyond reason.'

The older girl—who was apparently named Amara—hugged Layla briefly, though her expression didn't change much from its default I'm-too-cool-for-this mode.

After their little reunion, Layla turned and practically dragged Creed forward by the wrist.

"Big sister, this is my big brother Creed! He saved my life back in Moonlake, so I saved his life too! I brought him here with me. Isn't that cool?"

Creed opened his mouth to offer some kind of awkward greeting, but Amara's eyes locked onto him like two frozen daggers.

She didn't speak right away—just stared at him for a painfully long moment, as if analyzing every inch of his very existence.

'Okay, she either thinks I'm a hero... or a cockroach. There's no middle ground here.'

Finally, Amara's cold, clear voice cut through the silence like a blade of ice.

"Another one trying to take advantage of my sister's kindness to climb above their place."

Creed froze. Amara's cold words hit him harder than any beast's strike ever could. His eyes narrowed, sharp like the edge of a blade.

The words weren't just rude, they cut into his pride, the very thing he had left after barely escaping death.

This... this was exactly what he'd been trying to avoid. He didn't want to follow Layla to her home. He didn't want to owe anyone more than he already did.

And he definitely didn't want to be looked down upon like some pathetic stray dog looking for scraps.

His pride wouldn't allow that. Not after everything he had survived.

Before Layla could speak, Creed clenched his fists, feeling the sting of frustration. No. He wouldn't let this go on.

Layla quickly stepped between them, her eyes wide with panic.

"Big sister, no! You don't understand—he didn't have any hidden motives! He saved my life outside the bastion, and if it wasn't for him, I wouldn't be here right now!"

Her voice cracked under the pressure of the situation, but Creed just smiled at her, softly, warmly.

"Layla, it's fine," Creed said, his voice calm but carrying an unspoken steel beneath it.

His pride wouldn't let him stay here, not after being treated like this. He couldn't be anyone's burden.

"You've done more than enough for me. I owe you my life, and I won't forget that."

Layla's face twisted with emotion as she grabbed his hand tightly. "Don't go, big brother! You'll have nowhere to stay. Please!"

Creed gently patted her head, a gesture so natural it caught even Amara off guard.

"We'll meet soon enough," he said, his voice low and certain. "And when we do, I'll be standing on my own two feet."

Without sparing Amara a glance, he turned and walked away. The silence in the room was heavy as Layla stood there, tears welling in her eyes.

Amara, on the other hand, stared at Creed's back with an unreadable expression. Her mouth opened as if she wanted to say something... but no words came out.

She just watched him go, her cold demeanor slightly cracking from within.

.....

Now back on the streets, Creed took a deep breath and looked around the bustling city of the Infernal Ice Bastion.

Strangely, there wasn't any bitterness in his heart toward Amara. Her words didn't sting anymore—not really.

He had expected that kind of reaction from someone like her. In her eyes, he was nothing more than a peasant, a low-tier citizen who didn't belong anywhere near her world.

But all it did was strengthen his resolve.

Power and status—those were the only things that mattered in this world. Without them, he would always be treated like trash.

He clenched his fists tighter. 'I'll climb higher. No matter what it takes!'

The problem now? He had nowhere to live.

He navigated to his bank account and checked his balance: 1,500 credits.

It wasn't much, but it was all he had left from selling those Stage 1 Pure Crystals yesterday. Creed groaned and leaned back on a sleek metal bench by the side of the pavement.

"If only I hadn't lost those five crystals this morning," he muttered under his breath.

His heart ached at the thought. Those crystals would've earned him at least 5,000 credits.

Enough to keep him going for weeks, maybe even longer if he budgeted carefully.

But what was done was done.

Pulling out his battered phone—which, of course, was already screaming for mercy with a flashing low battery warning—he quickly opened up the internet.

"Let's see how expensive this fancy place is..."

The search results popped up quickly and mercilessly.

10,000 credits per month.

For a one-room apartment!

Creed choked on his own spit so hard it felt like he'd swallowed a shard of glass. He coughed violently, drawing some weird looks from passersby, but he didn't care.

"WHAT?! Are these apartments made of pure gold or something?!"

His mind spiraled. At this rate, even if he sold a kidney, he wouldn't be able to afford the bathroom, let alone a whole room!

_____

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