Chapter 38
Chapter 38
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 38
Chapter Title: Lucy Conquest Route
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"Liliana?"
Liliana was enveloped in smoke and fell silent. Fortunately, the smoke soon dissipated.
"What the heck? Where'd she go?"
Did she turn invisible or something?
Whoosh whoosh.
Even when he swung his hand through where Liliana had been, nothing caught.
- I'm right here! Right here!
Liliana's voice came from below.
A silver chain necklace embedded with a red gem lay on the floor.
"Is that you?"
- Yeah! It's me, me!
"Oh. Pretty cool, huh?"
Transforming into a necklace was novel, but the sleek design made it something he could wear without issue.
"But you're a succubus. No invisibility or spirit form or anything?"
- I do have that stuff, but a strong mage would spot it right away. This isn't magic—it's a racial trait, so it's harder to detect.
Hmm. Yeah, he definitely couldn't mimic that.
No flow of mana was detectable.
- See? No problem, right?
"No problem, sure."
Probably fine. Better than her getting into trouble alone—being in plain sight might be safer.
"Alright. We'll hang out together starting tomorrow."
- Okay!
Poof!
Liliana reverted to her original form after achieving her goal.
"Ugh, everything's great, but it's tiring since I haven't done it in ages."
Watching her yawn and stretch made a sudden question pop into his head.
"Got something I'm curious about. Mind if I ask?"
"Huh? What, curious about my cup size too? I got that question over a hundred times during the stream. I did tell them, but..."
"Nah, I don't need to know. And don't share that stuff next time."
Does this succubus have any common sense or not? Just pick one so I can adjust.
"So what is it? Ask away."
"You brought up boobs, so it might sound pervy, but it's pure curiosity. You're a succubus—don't you eat semen or whatever?"
"Contractor Ho-yeon. Are you insane?"
"Sorry. Pure curiosity."
Bad timing. Did she bring up boobs on purpose to make him look like a creep?
"Well, honestly, most other succubi love the stuff. My friends all say it tastes great, but it never appealed to me innately. Never even put it in my mouth. Why eat something dirty that comes from where piss does?"
"Uh..."
She's right. Totally logical, but saying it with that heart-shaped tail kills the immersion.
"Anyway, I'm gonna wash up and crash. Night!"
Pat pat pat.
Liliana headed to the bathroom to clean up.
"Am I living with a succubus or a nun? No clue."
Honestly, he'd had some expectations summoning a succubus, but now he felt... disappointed? Regretful?
"Guess I should sleep too."
He'd showered at the training hall, so he flopped straight onto the living room sofa.
Come to think of it, he should order a bed.
At least now he had a steady income stream. Solid.
Just think of her as a money-copying machine, not a succubus.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ - Whoa, this is the academy? It's huge!
He was heading to the first-year classroom building with Liliana in tow.
Liliana was amazed by the academy—not a big deal, but it made him feel oddly proud.
"Not that impressive. This is the world's smallest school."
- What? For real? Humans advanced that much?
"Kidding."
- ...? Unbelievable. Hey, asshole, how old are you?
He'd teased her out of boredom on the way, and she fired back with curses.
Saying "So how old are you, auntie?" would be funnier, but he exercised superhuman restraint.
"Sorry. We're hitting a crowded spot soon, so I can't reply."
- Ho-yeon, if you pull that, I'll get uncooperative too. Got it?
"Fine, fine. Check out Victoria Academy good. Dropping details in streams builds credibility. Stack enough, and it's airtight."
For example, during exam season: "School exams coming up, so busy~." Boosts her academy student cred big time.
Even better: "Our central fountain is so pretty~" or "Saw flowers blooming nicely on today's walk~."
- How's a kid like you only thinking scams? Tsk tsk.
"..."
No rebuttal, so he quietly entered the classroom building.
Today's class: Mana Studies.
The one where Im Sol caused that incident last time. Taught by old Professor Han Jae-young.
By the time he arrived, cadets were all seated.
Glancing around: Lucy and Lumi in the corner, Kim Young-han with other friends.
No one to sit with.
His social circle was this narrow? Damn.
He took an empty seat, at least one spot away from others.
- Why sit alone? Loner?
"..."
He pulled out his notebook and scribbled in the corner: "Shut up, crazy succubus."
- Heh heh. Pretty face wasted if you're a loser.
"Sigh..."
Shouldn't have brought her. Already regretting.
"Good day. I'm Han Jae-young, in charge of Mana Studies."
The elderly professor in a crisp white suit began class from the podium.
"Today, we'll cover magic circles."
A hologram presentation he prepared appeared.
"Magic circles are fundamentally tools needed to cast spells. No need to explain basics like [releasing mana in a magic circle's form to make magic work], right?"
Click click click.
The diligently made slides advanced.
Trendy design screamed TA blood and sweat. Why assign it then?
"Converting mana to a magic circle and releasing it—the basis of magic, but the hardest part. Simple spells hide the circle; advanced ones show it because they're too complex to form without visualization."
Everyone listened intently, but he knew it all.
So he killed time chatting telepathically with the succubus around his neck.
- Why's that guy so skinny? His clothes scream money.
[Rich folks here don't have to be fat. They spend to stay slim.]
- Huh? Why do something so inefficient? Scared war'll wipe out their capital?
[Humans aren't aggressive enough to bet everything on war.]
She said hell has games—how's she clueless about this?
Different values from hell dwellers? Who knows.
"...Fortunately, there's a simple, standardized way to draw magic circles, refined by past mages."
Boring intro finally over; professor started demonstrating.
Substantiated mana from his fingertips turned to thin threads, forming a magic circle.
"Draw it thread by thread. The standard method. High-level mages might do two at once, but I recommend speeding up single threads—more efficient."
- Human classes aren't bad.
[This is the top human institution.]
- Ah. But killing intent from that corner since earlier. What's up with the big-boobed girl?
...Only one big-boobed girl sending him killing intent.
[She's not a kid; same age as me. Friend.]
- Doesn't feel like friends. That's malice.
[...You taught me it's "glare of hatred" skill, and that's what happened.]
- Ah. Super effective. Caused tons of murders~.
Tell me beforehand if you know that. What if it escalated and ruined things with Lucy? You thick-headed succubus.
Patience. Can't mess with my cash cow. Golden goose.
[...Next time, explain effects fully. No—reorganize all my learned spells' effects.]
- Annoying, but fine, special for you.
Sigh. Not a kid—what's with the childishness at 50?
Anyway, killing intent from Lucy... Good or bad?
He glanced but feared eye contact, so stared forward.
"...We draw circles like this. Speed increases with skill. By the way, our Victoria Academy's Professor Im Sol is world-class. Rumor says she does two threads at insane speed—don't try; it'll overload your brain."
- Not listening? Figures, you look like a thug dropout.
[I know it all, so no need.]
Hm, but a question nagged.
Why thread mana like string? Can't just stamp the whole circle at once?
[Liliana, do you guys cast like that?]
- Broadly, yeah.
[Think stamping a full magic circle form at once is impossible?]
- What bullshit is that?
[Prof says draw threads for the circle. Instead, memorize the form, skip threading, manifest instantly.]
- Uh, yeah... You pull that off, idiot? "Know it all" my ass—you suck at studying.
"..."
Liliana didn't know his talent.
Or that no one beat him in mana control.
'Just try it.'
Professor Han said to try slowly—perfect timing.
He slowly drew up mana.
Grasped flows through his body, shaped over his hand.
Normally, thread it into a circle.
But he aimed for the circle directly.
- Contractor Ho-yeon, don't do weird shit? If possible, everyone would. No living thing has that control.
Liliana yapped distractions—useless.
Mana condensed in his hand per his will.
Gather max before release to form the circle at once.
- Ugh, frustrating. Uneducated idiots... Huh?
'All gathered.'
Instinct said enough mana for the circle.
Mana burst from his hand, finding places in empty air.
Click. Click. Click.
Like reverse puzzle—mana slotted perfectly into the circle.
Completed in one go, shifting to fireball.
Whoosh—
- No way... What the... fuck?
[Told you. Dumbass. That's me.]
He zinged stunned, muttering Liliana.
She cursed him plenty; one shot back was fair.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ Tuesday afternoon, in the [Fun Club] room, Lucy, Lumi, and Felix chatted.
"Whoa! Lumi! New member apps are pouring in!"
"Good thing. I was worried no one was joining..."
"All because that Ho-yeon jerk's gone! Feels great!"
"Congrats, Lucy."
"Thanks, Felix!"
Lucy grinned at the new member forms on her smartwatch.
She'd started the club to meet people, but fretted over no recruits—until they flooded in.
Like a dam breaking. Naturally linked to Ho-yeon's timing.
"Must've been that Ho-yeon. What rumor kept everyone away?"
"Dunno... Never heard rumors about Ho-yeon."
"Me neither directly, but I overheard guys gossiping. Must be something."
A pretty vase sat on their table; Felix fiddled with it mid-chat.
"Felix, why keep touching that vase?"
"Huh? Just pretty flowers. Nothing."
Felix smiled faintly, casually moving it table-center.
"Oh yeah, midterms soon—studied much?"
"Ugh, don't remind me. Studying's my weak spot..."
"Mine too..."
"Wanna study here tomorrow? I'm free."
Felix sounded reliable. Lucy felt secure hearing him.
"Sure! Sounds good!"
"Me too."
"Tomorrow then, same time here."
Felix flashed a trustworthy smile.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ That night, back at her dorm.
"Heh heh. Our club’s finally shining."
Lucy giggled, drying her hair post-shower, in high spirits.
"But... what's this nagging feeling?"
Something forgotten, a lump in her chest since the club room.
As Lucy pondered the frustration—
Ding—
Her smartwatch buzzed with a message.
Felix: Sorry late, Lucy. Lumi forgot she has supplementary class tomorrow, so can't study. Just us okay?
"Oh, right... Lumi mentioned that."
She'd said it with all three there, yet all forgot.
Lucy forgot her own stuff, never Lumi's.
Even prioritized Lumi's over her own once.
Forgetting Lumi's? Felt off.
"Happens sometimes. Can't remember everything."
Lucy shook off the thought, typing back.
Me: Just us is fine~! See you tomorrow!
Before sending, Ho-yeon's face flashed.
[Just know this. I always saw you as good friends, and that hasn't changed.]
"Pfft."
Ridiculous. Club grew, gained great friend Felix after Ho-yeon left.
"Better to cut trash like him quick."
Useless guy.
Lucy shook her head like shaking bad mood, sent the reply to Felix.