The Succubus Queen Disappeared

"What?"

Soran stared at the oddly faced Yugoloth before him and murmured, "The Succubus Queen has disappeared?"

He realized he had let his surprise show.

He nodded slightly to show he understood, then waved a hand. "I see. You may go. This is your reward."

Soran tossed him a mid-grade Soul Gem.

The Yugoloth had clearly brought him the news hoping for a reward. Word did not seem to have spread yet, and his source was probably someone within the Succubus ranks. In the Lower Planes, only profit could win a Fiend over. A Fiend might put up with getting nothing once, but the next time he had information like this, he might not pass it on to Soran.

"Thank you, my lord!"

The Yugoloth beamed as he took the Soul Gem. Such gems were hard currency in the Lower Planes, worth far more than gold, jewels, or weapons. Pleased with Soran's reward, he bowed repeatedly and hurried away.

Soran had the innate Spell-like Ability Charm Monster, so extracting Soul Gems was fairly easy for him.

The only problem was the low yield.

At present, Soran could use it only once a day. If he had enough enemies to kill and the right conditions to use Charm Monster, he could produce one Soul Gem each day.

Looks like something big is brewing.

Soran watched the Demons before him. The news had not spread yet, but it would soon set off a chain of events. The Succubus Queen had plenty of enemies. If she really had disappeared, they might seize the chance to tear into her. Soran could not remember any major upheaval in The Abyss before the Time of Troubles, but he was certain the Succubus Queen had not fallen.

And when it came to ruthless schemes, the Succubus Queen