“What a mess...”
Ning Chu slumped back into her seat, burying her head in her arms on the table. “This is so embarrassing!”
She had come just to watch the debate, but somehow ended up on stage participating herself!
Instead of contributing, she had sat there awkwardly, smiling nervously, without saying a single word throughout the entire debate. Luckily, Wen Yang had covered for her, standing up and speaking every time it was her turn.
“Lily, this is all your fault.”
Lily, now free of her earlier flushed state, had returned to her usual cold demeanor, though her eyes held a hint of relief.
For Lily, awkwardly fumbling for words on stage was far worse than losing control of her succubus instincts in public. At least the latter was something only those who knew her well could notice.
“You owe me a milk tea after this,” Ning Chu grumbled. “Or I’m not letting this go.”
“Okay,” Lily agreed quietly.
When Wen Yang returned to their seats, Ning Chu looked up and asked, “Are we done now? Can we leave?”
“I’m planning to watch a few more matches,” Wen Yang replied, smiling at her uneasy expression. “Why don’t you and Lily go do something else?”
“Um...”
Ning Chu glanced toward Wen Wen, the big-chested girl, sitting a few seats away. After a brief moment of hesitation, she decided to trust that Wen Yang’s “type” had been thoroughly conditioned by her succubus charms.
“Fine. But call me when you’re heading home. We’ll go grocery shopping together.”
“Got it.”
The two succubi left the classroom one after the {N•o•v•e•l•i•g•h•t} other, both heaving a small sigh of relief as soon as they stepped outside.
Lily, surprisingly, took the initiative to link her arm with Ning Chu’s, pulling her toward the school gates.
Ning Chu blinked, a little surprised by Lily’s uncharacteristic gesture. “Didn’t you say you were treating me to milk tea? Where are we going?”
“A new place just opened.”
“Oh~”
Ning Chu rarely spent time alone with Lily. The few times they had been alone were in private settings, where they could freely discuss topics of interest to succubi.
Now, walking along the street in public, there wasn’t much room for such “spicy” conversations. Ning Chu found herself at a loss for what to say.
Fortunately, it was Lily who broke the silence. “How did yesterday go?”
She had helped Ning Chu with grocery shopping and picking out recipes, contributing to Wen Yang’s birthday celebration.
“Ugh, don’t even get me started,” Ning Chu groaned. “The cake shop you recommended? The cake arrived looking like a total mess—cream smeared everywhere.”
“And the ring I bought for Wen Yang didn’t fit. I have to mail it back today to exchange it.”
“But at least Wen Yang was happy! Oh, and my cooking wasn’t half bad!”
Lily’s large eyes sparkled briefly before she smirked. “And then you had a good time in bed, huh?”
“...”
Ning Chu shot Lily a sidelong glare, her face heating up, but she didn’t respond.
Can this succubus go three sentences without making things spicy?!
...Though it was true. It had been pretty great...
“You should focus on yourself,” Ning Chu sighed, changing the subject. “You really need to get a boyfriend. You’re starting to lose control.”
No matter how advanced Lily’s collection of “toys” was, there were limits. Especially for someone like Lily, who had all the theory down but no practical experience.
In the novel, Lily had fallen for the protagonist because her long-suppressed instincts left her vulnerable. Just a little teasing had turned her from a cold, untouchable goddess into a needy succubus.
Lily’s expression darkened slightly. She lowered her head and murmured, “Yeah...”
“If you keep suppressing yourself like this, it’ll get scary,” Ning Chu warned. “You don’t want to lose control one day and start pouncing on every guy you see, do you?”
Lily’s face turned pale as she shook her head firmly.
“Exactly. So, get a boyfriend already.”
Lily didn’t reply. She lowered her head, fiddling with her phone. Moments later, Ning Chu’s own phone buzzed inside her bag.
“Huh?” Ning Chu muttered, pulling out her phone. “What’s so urgent that you have to message me?”
When she opened the link Lily had sent, her mouth twitched.
It was an image of a square, menacing machine that could only be described as something straight out of an R-rated sci-fi horror novel. Ning Chu had only seen such things in certain niche stories.
“Super effective, apparently,” Lily messaged.
“How do you even use that in the dorm?” Ning Chu typed back, her thoughts spiraling.
Some conversations can only happen online...
Lily’s tastes were getting increasingly outlandish. The Lovecraftian tentacle toy from before was already weird enough, but at least it was within the realm of understanding. This, though, was a whole new level.
“When the others aren’t around,” Lily replied casually.
“Won’t it break or something?” Ning Chu typed.
“I’m a succubus. It should be fine, right?”
Ning Chu stared at the screen, then glanced up at the serene-looking Lily walking beside her.
Although Ning Chu had long known Lily’s reserved exterior hid a surprisingly lewd interior, each new revelation still managed to shock her.
Good thing Lily’s naturally introverted. If she were as outgoing in real life as she was online, she’d probably be a regular at... certain kinds of clubs.
“Whatever,” Ning Chu sighed. “Wouldn’t a real man be better? You’ve got guys lining up from the east gate to the west gate of the school. Just pick one that’s good-looking and skilled. That’s gotta be better than... this.”
Lily’s expression turned cold. “I hate men.”
“Why do you hate men so much, anyway?”
At this, Lily pressed her lips together and turned her head away.
Sensing the tension, Ning Chu wisely dropped the subject. Together, they reached a newly opened milk tea shop just outside the school gates.
The shop also sold fried chicken and skewers. Although Ning Chu had seen it a few times, she hadn’t been inside since she spent most of her time at the rental apartment.
“The chicken drumsticks are good,” Lily said softly, pointing to the menu. “Xinya orders them all the time.”
“Alright, I’ll have a drumstick and a matcha milk tea with coconut jelly,” Ning Chu said. As soon as she finished, Lily tugged on her sleeve. She added, “Make that two of each.”
After finding a seat in the corner, Ning Chu absentmindedly played with her fingers, staring at the menu on the wall. Without a lively presence like Xinya around, the atmosphere between her and Lily felt a little stiff.
No wonder Xinya and Lily are such a perfect pair. A hyper husky matched with a cold, aloof white cat?
When the server brought their food and drinks, it was Lily who spoke first. “Ning Chu.”
“What’s up?”
“I’m a magical girl now.”
Ning Chu almost dropped her milk tea. She looked up in disbelief. “Did that black cat finally trick you?”
“I was curious.”
“Curiosity killed the cat, you know.”
But Lily’s eyes sparkled with an almost childlike excitement, as though she’d just discovered a whole new world.
This girl is a lost cause, Ning Chu thought, shaking her head.
“Did you find any demons yet?”
“Here.”
Lily pulled out a water bottle with a tiny octopus inside.
“...”
It’s that octopus again!
Ning Chu’s thoughts spiraled out of control. “You’re not planning to... you know, raise it as a toy, are you?”
“Huh?”
Lily froze, giving Ning Chu an incredulous look as though she were meeting her for the first time. “You’re such a pervert...”
“???”
YOU have the nerve to call ME a pervert?!
