Demon-kin! The Sudden Duo!

I realized this soon after I started floating. Soon after, I flexed my rock arms and floated into a sphere of slime, my Core being the jellyfish brain of this magical creature. Controlling this was holy-hell awesome!

At the same time, at the same time…

“Waaaaah!!” I dropped it all and slipped back onto my altar, sobbing big tears.

“What’s wrong, Kazuki?”

“I don’t want to be a multi-powered up Monster! I’m a Human! I was Human and still am! I want my body baaack…!”

“You’re being so annoying!! We’re making strides toward it!”

“Uughh, guh.”

“It’s okay, Master. Let it out.”

“You’re so nice, Rin. I’ll have you work more overtime for making me look evil-hearted.”

“Whhhyyy!?”

Too busy and fooling around, we didn’t notice two new visitors!

A sexy Succubus and a tall, fat, ugly, muscley Goblin by her side, an unexpected duo!

“That Succubus!” A Human lady from the town sprang into action, pointing a rude finger. “Don’t let her in! She stole my hero from me!”

“It’s you!”

“The two of us were married for years! Homewrecker! You’re not allowed at Kazuki’s Sacred Spa!”

“That’s unfair! Collecting vitality is a matter of life and death for me!”

“That Goblin!” One of the men swiped an arm accusingly.

“Hgh?!”

“He attacked me and my fiancée! Ever since we ventured into that dungeon, she has never been the same! She’s a nun! Do you know how impure she’s become?! When it came to the night that we saved ourselves for, you know what she said? With such an unsatisfied expression!”

“A matter! Of life and death!” He complained in broken disputes.

“Hey, that doesn’t hold!!”

The females continued bickering loudly. “It’s your fault that he was so easy! Don’t you know how to keep a rein on your man?! You were side-arming him for months! I felt bad for him! He was lonely and begging to be taken care of!”

“I-I would’ve taken care of my ex-husband if you hadn’t gone after him– That’s right! That’s all you Succubus-types care about! Self-indulging! Manger! Where’s the manager?! Maaanager, kick her out! She’s worse than the women who support fat because it clears up competition!”

“Kiii!! You didn’t just go there!!”

“That Goblin too! Our children are here!”

“Quieeett!!!” I bellowed. “Take your cat and dog fights elsewhere! I won’t have this in my spa! For the time being, I need you four to leave!”

“What?!” The uptight woman splashed. “I’ll leave a bad review!!”

“Go ahead! Don’t you know who I am? Doesn’t everyone in the town know who I am?! I’m Kazuki Suzu! I fight for equality and interspecies peace! As a man, as the boss, as the master, keeping to my morals is way more important than any damn review!!”

“Ooohh!!”

“Cheers, Dungeon Core!”

And I needed my body back! I needed to accept any and all clients!

“This will only be temporary. You two, leave for today and be refunded. Goblin, Succubus, we can’t offer services today, but we’ll talk about how to best tailor for you. Everyone, emergency meeting!!”

My partners huddled around me. “Sharlotte, why was there so much discord? I get that they attacked each other, but why is this a problem now? We’ve been letting all kinds of Monsters into our spa! Our friends, Borkas, Sparky, the Dwarfs, Slimes, we even added a stable for the Centaurs!”

“Those are Monsters! Independent creatures of nature! Things change with that Succubus and Goblin!!”

“Those demon-kin are like baddie Monsters, Master.”

“That’s right, Brother!” Borkas expressed. “Most Demon-kin work directly for the Demon Lord, seeking trouble for all Humans. They’re way powerful.”

I glared at Sharlotte with each further explanation. “This is something you should’ve told me earlier, right? This is something you should’ve told me way, way, way earlier, right?”

“Gulp*. I’m sorryyy!”

“And what was that, Borkas? Way powerful? There was that feather we used when I first powered up. Could it be that Vampires are Demon-kin?”

Sharlotte affirmed my suspicions.

I see! If the Demon-kin were superiorly specialized in Abilities than Monsters, the equivalent of SSR clients… We could work with this!!

“We’ll allow them in. Our spa allows all beings.”

“We risk a lot by getting involved with Demon-kin.” Rin worried.

“I’d say there’ll never be trouble.” Borkas clopped. “But never always happens.”

“Definitely.” Sharlotte agreed. “But so what? We can cross the bridge if trouble ever arises. Kazuki can handle it.”

“You can handle it. For once, I find myself agreeing with your laziness. Vote? It’s decided. Reinvite the customers we removed, plus renew their season passes for their troubles!”

Before long, it was a new day, and the four troublemakers were back. The Humans resumed their activities in the Spa while we had the Goblin and Succubus wait at the entrance.

“Oh, so you’re the legendary Dungeon Core Kazuki.”

“Succubus, why is it that you chose this spa? It can’t be because of all the well-dressed men?”

“There was that… At first, I was mainly looking for a place to wash after my activities.”

“Gross. I have a much better idea if it interests you.”

Sign: Succubus Service! Wash and Dry Down! (Nothing explicit or illicit).

“No, the fact that you added it makes it more suspicious.” Sharlotte pointed out.

“A soaping, sunscreening with the assistance of our brand-new Slime Creme, and a proper drying station, all in one!”

“Ah!” The Succubus beamed, her assets bouncing.

“If you want to offer your services to the men at our spa, that’s fine, as long as it’s outside and you don’t get us involved. We have to keep a high standard as an up-and-rising resort.”

“Thank you, Demon Core Kazuki!”

“No worries. And I’m a Dungeon Core. I try to not play favorites.”

Rin sneezed.

“That can’t be.” Chika only leaned closer, tail flicking behind her. “I’m so curious. I heard you were hoping to get your human body back. I can only imagine how dapper you look. I’d kiss you right now if it were a simple curse. When that time comes, I have a lot of ladies who would love to see a clever businessman like you. Here’s my detail. I’m Chika, I run the night-life district, but you can pigeon-letter me anytime.”

“Uhu! Uhuhuhu!” I bubbled smugly as the Succubus Chika strutted off to tour and enjoy her new station.

“Hey, Kazuki. Kazuki!” Sharlotte flapped hard and scorned. “Why is it that you keep adding the most scandalous females you can find to our business?”

“This is how things developed! Don’t shame me for making the most of it! I’m guiltless! Yes, there is nothing to be guilty about! Look at how happy our men are with the new service!”

“This is fifty-fifty my business!! I didn’t bring it up when you had Rin start wearing that dress because I find it hilarious, and well, she likes it. But haven’t we been tailoring way more to one audience?!”

“I’m creating world peace here!”

“Or rather, worse, it can’t be, tailoring way more to yourself?”

“Well,” I peeped high-pitched under her terrifying gaze. “What about the Goblins?”

The Goblin from earlier was at the front counter and wandering closer to the spa.

“Um, master,” Rin neared. “If we’re offering this new attraction for the male clients, about that creature and the story from before, whisper*, whisper*.”

“Hm, hm.”

“And!” She squeezed her thighs together. “Whisper*, whisper*.”

“Y-You’re more depraved than I give you credit for. I should fire you right now.”

“Please don’t!”

“Or move this behind the counter. Men are one thing, but not all women are like you.”

“Please reconsider! I’ve really come to enjoy this place! Whisper*, whisper*.”

“Yes, yes! That’s a much better amendment! We’ll make use of their muscles! Genius, Rin!”

“And it’ll be cathartic for the adventurers and creatures who have been attacked by them! How about it, a massage parlor!”

“Rraah! That means! I! Party with Cute Ladies!”

“No, you’re 100 percent banned. It’s not even a question; what you did was assault, plain and simple. I’ll build my own Heaven, one bath at a time – That doesn’t include serial criminals! All of your Goblin camp friends are invited, though! I do love money!”

“Feel free to bulk party book!”

“Ban?” He furiously heaved his cleaver out, ready to fight. “I? Banned?!”

Oh no.

I had to live with it, but a small percentage of customers will never be good at all!

There was no room for vindication or relaxation for beings like him at our Spa!

“I’ll use all the questionable powers I’ve amassed! Peace to the greater wholeee! For interspecies peaceee!! OOOOAHAA!! [Ability]!!”

“HUUUAAAA!!”

BOOOM!!

A blazing beam of pure white shot past me, Sharlotte, wings flared, halo lively.

“[Divine Light Level 10]!!” she roared. The blast hit the Goblin right in his pointy snout, blasting him back so hard he cratered into my new hedge.

Chika cried out to him. “It’s not worth it!”

“Raaah! No friend! We done! Next time! I kill!” He jabbed a claw at my Core, snot bubbling from one nostril.

“Persistent pest–!” Sharlotte snapped, feathers ruffling so hard they sprinkled angel dust like confetti. “I’m supposed to be clocked out by now! YOU’RE DELAYING MY NAP TIIIIIME!!”

She inhaled, her halo sparked, her eyes glowed so bright that even my Core reflexively squinted.

“[DIVINE LIGHT LEVEL ONE MILLIOOOON]!!”

FWOOOOOOOM!!

A nuclear flash of holy energy detonated in our poor Sacred Spa, pure white and ears blown.

Somewhere behind me, I heard a Gnome gasp. “I can see my ancestors!”

The Goblin made a squeak like a stepped-on bike horn and vanished.

“I’m stunned.” I was literally stunned as well, because a second ago, it appeared as if a flash grenade the size of the sun went off.

She cleared the banned Goblin away! At least, we’re all convinced she did it!!

Our clients cheered and celebrated! “Sharlotte! You actually did something good for once! She actually took her own initiative! One of her blessings actually worked!! That was like seeing my husband’s bald cap on a sunny day! I doubted you since birth, but you really are an Angel!! I’ll forgive my pink sheep!”

“I feel like I’m being insulted. You’re all using this to insult me, aren’t you?”

“Good job, Sharlotte, you useless Angel!”

“Well, it isn’t that bad. I’ll have a year’s paid time off as a reward!” She trailed off happily and passed out.

“Not happening.”

There were more cheers, especially for the new signs as well!

New Sign: Goblin Massage Parlor!

New Sign: Succubus Service!

New [Ability: Sweet Dreams]!