Diary of the Improper Monster Girl Transformation.

Chapter 379 Encounters and Partings (Please Subscribe!)
Flora felt she had run into a troublesome guy.

The white-haired boy was more handsome than most elves, and his temperament was exceptionally noble and elegant.

But the real him is completely different from his appearance.

That boy who called himself Herbert was being incredibly noisy.

"Hey, let me come with you, just include me!"

"Anyway, you don't seem to have many friends, so why don't I be your friend?"

"Am I wrong? Oh, then where are they?"

"Could it be that all your friends went to the party, but you were the only one who didn't receive an invitation?"

"You don't want to go to their party? Oh, I get it, I get it, you don't need to explain, I understand!"

"Yes, yes, yes, it's because you don't want to go, not because you didn't receive an invitation! I understand!"

"How pitiful... Oh, I didn't say anything, you misheard me."

"Unhappy? Then tell me, do you have any other friends?"

……

noisy.

That guy kept bringing up things Flora didn't want to talk about.

It wasn't them who isolated me, it was me who isolated them!

Who wants to go to their silver party?!
I dont go!
Flora's teasing of Herbert was rather annoying, but she couldn't reveal the truth about being a succubus.

So she could only helplessly endure Herbert's teasing, gritting her teeth inwardly, hoping to find an opportunity to punish him properly.

In order to find this opportunity, the embarrassed Flora eventually agreed to Herbert's request to accompany her.

Perhaps it was because, as he said, she was truly too lonely, and he touched a soft spot in her heart, making her yearn for someone to accompany her.

Or perhaps it's because I want to try to understand what "love" is, and I want to try to get that feeling from him.

Or perhaps... it's because Herbert is a very handsome young man as long as he keeps his mouth shut.

Well, even keeping it as a pet would be nice.

Flora initially thought that Herbert would only stay with her for a few days at most, and would leave after getting tired of her.

But to her surprise, it would take much longer than she had imagined.

One day passed, ten days passed, a month passed, a year passed... and he still followed by his side.

And they showed absolutely no intention of leaving.

On the last day of the year, Flora finally couldn't help but ask Herbert, "Herbert, aren't you...aren't you leaving?"

Why should I leave?

Herbert smiled and tilted his head, then asked leisurely, "Are you trying to get rid of me? If you want me to leave, you can tell me."

"Of course, even if you try to kick me out, I might not listen~"

The boy smiled, half-closed his eyes, and gazed at her quietly with his deep, unfathomable eyes.

"..."

Flora had a special feeling.

Even though she couldn't sense anything from Herbert, she felt as if those gray eyes could see right through her.

I felt completely exposed in his presence.

Has he discovered his true identity? Does he know his secret? Has he discovered the truth about himself?
If he knew all this, then why did he still stay by my side?
What is he plotting?
What does he want from me?
Countless questions shrouded Flora's soul, and she could not find an answer for a long time.

After a long silence, Flora finally sighed deeply and shook her head helplessly.

"...If you want to stay, then stay."

The boy's reply remained flippant and casual.

"Okay~"

"Don't worry, I won't leave you easily."

In the end, Flora did not have the heart to drive Herbert away.

Even though she knew he had a secret and that he wasn't following her aimlessly... Flora still softened her heart.

She was so lonely.

In the abyss, among her own kind, she was always an outcast.

Not understood by others, not liked by others, and regarded as a thorn in someone's side.

Even if someone is lucky enough to become her friend, they will eventually have a disagreement and leave her.

So Flora fled the place.

She escaped from the abyss and came to the mortal world, longing to find companions like herself.

But Flora was wrong; even in the mortal realm, she remained alone.

Different races, but the same hostility.

Here, my loneliness did not lessen, but rather intensified.

This boy, though somewhat different from the perfect companion of his dreams, was also a bit noisy and disruptive.

But Herbert was indeed the first companion willing to travel with him.

Although Flora complained about him, she was actually very happy about his appearance.

Thus, companionship became a part of the long journey.

Flora and Herbert continued their journey, traveling through the mortal realm and wandering together.

Their relationship became increasingly familiar, no longer as cautious and unfamiliar as before.

The two bickered and laughed together for a hundred years.

During this process, they gained more and more companions, and their team gradually grew stronger.

There are wandering merchants, lost warriors, mage apprentices who have gone out to gain experience, and even druids who are trying to find themselves in the wilderness.

Later, they even encountered a special black cat.

The talking black cat claimed to be some unspeakable, great being, and demanded that they worship it.

It's very good at telling jokes, like the kind where you give it a fish first, and then when it recovers, it'll give them the position of archangel in God's kingdom!

To Flora's dismay, the black cat always liked to cling to Herbert, either lying on his head or hiding in his shadow.

I don't have much contact with her on a regular basis, and I don't let her touch its smooth fur.

Even if he did, he would look her up and down, then shake his head regretfully and sigh dramatically.

However, none of these people stayed with them until the end; after a period of time, they would quietly leave.

Some returned to their city-states, some found their own path, some were captured by their mentors and taken back to the tower, and some disappeared into the jungle.

Some people come, some people leave.

Along the way, they experienced meeting and parting.

The black cat was the last to leave.

On the last day of parting, it looked at itself quietly, without any more blatant sighs, but nodded and said something inexplicable.

it says:

"Hmm, you're not bad."

After making this ambiguous comment, the black cat disappeared completely.

Flora felt some regret about the departure of the others, but she was still able to accept it.

Because, although many people have left, there is one person who still chooses to stay by her side.

Herbert is still alive.

"Herbert, aren't you...aren't you leaving?"

A century later, Flora asked that question again.

This time, Herbert didn't need to answer; he already knew the answer—"Are you trying to get rid of me?"

The noisy boy was exactly the same as he had been a hundred years ago; his appearance and demeanor remained unchanged.

He remained by my side.

Herbert was the reason Flora was able to hold on.

With him around, she won't break down.

So, Flora, having realized her mistake, spoke first: "No, I don't want you to leave. I want you to stay and stay by my side."

The boy's smile remained warm. He nodded and said softly, "Then, so be it."

After the black cat left, Flora and Herbert's relationship grew even closer. They continued their journey for the next several centuries.

Their group remained unchanged; no new companions were added, only the two of them remained.

Although they encountered many people along the way, including enemies and allies, none of them ultimately left a significant mark on their lives.

Just when Flora thought everything would continue like this... they finally faced an ending.

After rescuing some poor slaves and instigating their rebellion, they retired to the mountaintop to rest.

They sat on the hill, overlooking the city ablaze below, admiring their masterpiece.

They freed the slaves and gave them a new choice.

Although that may have meant physical death, they gained freedom of spirit.

Perhaps this is an unacceptable gift to others, but for the demon, it is a pretty good choice.

It was at this moment that Herbert suddenly spoke up.

"Flora, I'm leaving."

!!!

The unexpected turn of events left Flora frozen in place.

"What did you say?"

"You heard it, that's exactly what you heard."

"..."

Flora remained silent.

Without any warning, without the slightest foreboding.

They didn't argue or disagree.

Your closest companion is suddenly about to leave you.

"……Why?"

After a long silence, Flora asked in a hoarse voice, "Is it because of my identity as a succubus?"

Herbert shook his head and said gently, "It's not because of that. I know your identity. I've known it from the beginning."

His answer only confused Flora more.

Since you knew all this from the beginning, why did you suddenly choose to leave at this time?

"So... are you worried about my betrayal? Because of the demon's bloodline?"

"No, Flora, I'm never worried about your betrayal."

Herbert lowered his eyes, gently shook his head, and said softly, "It's not because of any of that."

"Then why?!" Flora demanded angrily, glaring at the heartless boy before her.

You know perfectly well that I don't want you to leave!

You know perfectly well that I can't lose you!

Why make such a heartless choice?

Faced with Flora's sorrowful gaze, Herbert's eyes remained unusually calm—as deep as when they first met hundreds of years ago.

Herbert looked at Flora with his gray eyes and said softly, "Because this is your past, all by yourself."

"I can't be with you until the end."

!!!

The completely unexpected words sent a shock through Flora, as if a heavy hammer had struck her on the head.

hum-

She swayed and took two steps back before finally regaining her balance and avoiding falling to the ground.

She covered her head, looked at Herbert with difficulty, and asked through gritted teeth, "What... are you saying?"

"Do not understand?"

Herbert smiled, then slowly walked to Flora, gently put his arm around her waist, and whispered, "You will understand... Now, you will remember all of this."

As he spoke, he gently kissed Flora's forehead.

“You…ah.”

Then, as Herbert said, Flora suddenly remembered everything.

wake up.

A long, beautiful dream that had lasted for hundreds of years suddenly came to an end.

Waking up from a nightmare, you feel a sense of relief, thankful that none of it ever happened.

But when the beautiful dream ends, one will feel an endless emptiness.

Flora was plunged into an unbearable emptiness.

She suddenly realized that it was all a lie.

There was no one else on this long journey.

Without Herbert's company.

Only herself.

She endured that difficult time all by herself.

"..."

Flora remained silent for a long time, then looked up at Herbert and asked with difficulty.

"Are you humiliating me?"

I was deceived.

She knew that the boy in front of her was not a phantom from her dream, but a real person who had truly invaded her dream.

He manipulated his own memories, fabricating a false dream.

But at this moment, what welled up in Flora's heart was not anger... but sadness.

Rather than questioning Herbert's intentions, she desperately wished those memories were real, not just empty illusions.

Faced with Flora's questioning, Herbert remained calm and gently explained, "Flora, you understand, I can't change your past."

"No matter how much I want to be a part of that time, I can't change what has already happened."

“You really did bear a lot on your own while I was away.”

"Loneliness, sadness, heartache... You watch them come and see them off."

He held Flora tightly, feeling her trembling body, and narrowed his eyes slightly.

Herbert took a deep breath, lowered his head, looked into the succubus's eyes, and said earnestly:
"I may not exist in your memories of the first half of your life, but I can remain in your later life forever."

"If we say that our relationship with others begins with meeting and ends with parting..."

"Then, perhaps our relationship could be reversed."

"This time, I will leave, but that doesn't mean it's over."

Herbert lowered his head and said gently yet firmly:

"Because we have already experienced separation, all that is left in our lives is meeting again."

After he finished speaking, he gently kissed her.

But the dream shattered the moment he kissed her.

……

! ! ?

Flora suddenly opened her eyes in the lava pool.

But before she could even figure out what was going on, she saw a pair of faces very close to hers—it was Herbert again!

"Um!!?"

Herbert paused, smiled at her, and then—Flora's already wide eyes widened even more.

Because, after greeting her, Herbert, who was holding her, continued to kiss her.

Want to escape?
Can you escape?

Flora: ! ! ?

"You, wait... ugh!?"

(End of this chapter)