Chapter 287: Chapter 287

Neffie sat in front of the mirror in her room at home in Sunnybrook, admiring her handiwork. This transformation was the perfect disguise, nobody would suspect she was sneaking out the house this time.

The Young Demon Queen realised at only a few a few months old that her Mimic class was good in combat, but much better at blending in with a crowd. So today she was going to play in the city instead of doing her schoolwork.

Larkin, a Spirit Folk Paladin whose room was only two doors down from hers was sick all night and certainly wouldn’t be doing anything active today. Disguising herself as him was a piece of cake. He was a kind person with a neutral accent and no really obvious habits. She’d been studying him all week to pull off this act. She just has to make it through breakfast as him and she’s free.

She even prepared a set of gear that matches his, since he’s recently graduated from Char’s tutelage and started to run dungeons with others his level without her restrictions. She makes her way down the stairs, armor gently clanking , and past her mother.

“Good morning Mrs Lickity.” She greets her, the same as Larkin does every morning, then turns the corner into the kitchen and runs full on into herself. Or, more correctly the real Larkin.

“Good try Neffie, but he woke up early and had Jenna heal him. Now transform back and eat your breakfast.” Lickity laughs, patting her wayward daughter’s head.

“That’s what two for twenty seven?” Larkin laughs, picking Neffie up as she turns back into herself, now looking more like a five year old than an infant still waiting on her first birthday thanks to the rapid growth of her species.

“Three for twenty seven. The trip to the candy store was a success, even if Auntie Char was there when we arrived. We still got the candy.”

From across the table Char laughs at the little Demon. If her and Lickity hadn’t set a pin on her location using the system that number would be much, much higher. She really is a master of disguise.

“Behave for the rest of the week and I’ll take you for a run through the Raids this weekend. You’ve gotten high enough level now thanks to a certain someone.” Cixelcid, her father tells her, making Neffie forget all about breakfast and fly across the room to hug him.

“Thanks Papa. Mom never lets me do anything fun. If it was up to her I would still be level 7.” Neffie praises her father, who hides behind her wings to escape Lickity’s wrathful glare. Succubus really shouldn’t be able to glare like that, it’s not fair.

The raids that Cixelcid leads run every Friday morning, only two days away. Neffie is certain she can behave that long. After all, she’s supposed to go to Uncle Aggramor’s house this weekend, as she calls the Demon King.

His interference is most of the reason she’s managed to reach level 55 so soon. Auntie Char takes her along on dungeon runs once a week during her day off from schooling, but Uncle Aggramor secretly imbues quests into the candies he brings her, so she quietly gains levels just after he leaves from each of his random visits.

The two get along incredibly well, like they were an actual uncle and niece.

“Alright, we’re off.” Char says, standing from the table and leading the morning group of level 40 somethings out to the dungeon.

Neffie sighs, heading to the school down the street for her lessons. Who needs to know at that stuff anyhow? Writing is boring and history has already happened. The only class she really likes is mathematics. Knowing exactly how many Demons it will take to properly fill an area with hellfire is important to efficiency after all.

Maybe this weekend she can trick one of Uncle Aggramor’s maids into bringing her a skill book for history and writing. He also thinks she should study normally, saying it builds character and interpersonal relations skills. Whatever that means.

Once she reached level 20 Neffie discovered she had a racial skill called [Authoritative Aura] which makes others more amenable to following her directions. But the Demon is still too pure to abuse that ability, instead convincing her classmates to play her favorite games at recess, she she’s too strong and fast for tag and red rover. Plus, Hide and Seek was always a superior game anyhow. Even if no skills are allowed.

By some miracle, she manages to finish the week without getting in trouble. She didn’t even get caught cheating on this week’s history test. She studied all evening the day before to pass that test and she was quite proud of herself.

The Naga Raid they’re going to do is level 70, fifteen whole levels above Neffie and she’s certain it’s going to be great experience. Everyone in this week’s raid team is gathered in the kitchen, wearing their Guild Issued Blue Quality gear waiting anxiously for Cid to finish his morning coffee so they can go to the dungeon.

The Naga Raid also drops all sorts of good things, and shiny things. She has a particular fondness for the opal stones and pearls that litter the beaches and brought a small bag tied to her belt to load up with stones.

“Who are you Cosplaying today Nef?” Larkin asks, polishing his armor as they wait.

“Auntie Kone for sure. I don’t have high enough stats to use all of Guild Master Cain’s skills yet, plus she’s prettier isn’t she?”

Larkin has a huge crush on the Spirit Folk Beast Master and he’s been working day and night to get stronger since he graduated training so that he could one day go on a dungeon run with her and impress her instead of being seen like a little brother. He’s the older one after all, it’s just not fair.

Unfortunately for him, Kone has only recently started to develop an interest in boys, so his youthful crush has long gone unrequited.

He’s so preoccupied thinking of her that he almost screams when the transformed Neffie whispers in his ear. “Are you daydreaming again? It’s time to go.”

That has to be the longest Raid of his young life, seeing the energetic and friendly Neffie in the form of his beloved Kone, using her signature Snapping Turtle Kin as tanks to fight beside him. By the time they’re finished the Naga Raid Neffie has a whole bag of opals and Larkin needs a cold shower.

Neffie doesn’t really get the concept of attraction like that, and the rest of the raid group, who are fully aware of Larkin’s crush on Kone took great joy in watching him suffer. Especially because Neffie and Larkin are normally partners in crime, trying to sneak out for candy or playing pranks together, and she’s blissfully unaware of the effect her disguise has on him.

Neffie might look and try to act grown up, but the Guild Members all know she’s really not, and there’s an unspoken rule that nobody is allowed to tarnish the mind of their pure little Demon Queen.

The next morning King Aggramor comes to pick up Neffie for the weekend, promising he’s got an excellent surprise waiting for her. If they ever actually manage to leave that is.

After three rounds of hugs, kisses and tearful goodbyes, it’s decided that Lickity and the other two triplets will also be coming to the Demon Capital for the weekend. Two days away from one of her children was too much for her to handle. 

Once Lickity is all settled in to a guest suite in the Demon King’s castle, with one of Cid’s Lieutenants assigned to help her, Neffie sneaks out to go visiting. As expected, King Aggramor is just around the corner waiting for her with a big smile.

“Neffie my girl, good job. Now, I know how you like shiny things, and I’ve been worried about you, with all that talk of war on the eastern side of the continent, so my present will help with both of those at the same time.” He whispers, rushing through the halls with the little Demon in his arms.

“Can you tell me what it is, Uncle Aggie?” She begs, but he just smiles and continues to jog until they get to a wall of assembled Demons in full armor.

“Not many know this, but there is a Beastkin Raid Dungeon in the basement of the castle, and it’s chock full of gems and precious metals. That’s where we’re going shopping today.”

Her smile and childish giggle are contagious, and the whole party of elite Royal Guards is grinning ear to ear by the time they enter the instance.

Moments later, the helpers assigned to help Lickity settle in to her rooms finally crack under the intense weight of a mother’s guilt trip and tell her where her daughter has gone with the King.

Lickity is both relived that she’s safe, and livid that he’s taken her into a level 230 dungeon when she is certain she specifically told him not to level Neffie up. Again.

“I swear, this time he’s gone too far, that evil, low down, no good Demon. He’ll pay for this.” Lickity mutters and both Neffie and Aggramor feel a shiver up their spines as the Succubus curses at them.

“I think mommy called you a Bad Uncle again Uncle Aggie.” Neffie laughs, and the Royal Guard gets to work “shopping” for presents.