Volume 1, Chapter 17 – Skipping Out on the Bill

Stella was completely unable to understand how Patolize’s mind worked.

The kiss that had landed on the back of her hand was exceedingly warm, yet it made Stella feel as though she had just been branded an accomplice.

With all her years of experience hearing confessions, she had listened to countless outrageous bits of village gossip and even dealt with absurd confessions from drunken farmers who mistook goats for their wives. Through it all, she had always been able to keep smiling and effortlessly defuse the situation with a light touch.

But this time, Stella’s brain had completely crashed.

From beginning to end, she had clearly been guiding Patolize patiently, quoting the core teachings of the Book of Holy Words and urging her to cast aside those false drugs, then move her lovers with an honest heart.

But why… had a simple phrase like return to your true heart reached Patolize’s ears and somehow been recoded into giving up on drugs and directly using violent seduction on the level of the soul?

‘Lord, does that make any sense?’

Watching Patolize’s face brim with eagerness after her sudden enlightenment, Stella felt as though her clerical career had just suffered an unprecedented Waterloo ¹ An idiom. To face an insurmountable obstacle that brings about one’s ultimate downfall. .

Sure enough, it would be better not to think too deeply about how a succubus’ mind worked in the future.

‘No. I could not just let her leave like this. I absolutely could not allow a lost lamb to stray onto the wrong path.’

‘Especially not after receiving my guidance.’

‘This is a matter of principle!’

Stella took a deep breath. Making the most of the dozen or so seconds she had, she mobilized every scrap of life experience she possessed and carefully considered how she could drag this lost lamb back onto the proper path.

“Um, Patolize, I think you may have misunderstood…”

Stella opened her mouth and tried to salvage the situation one last time.

Patolize, however, had clearly become completely immersed in the conquest of love awaiting her.

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She released Stella’s hand, her face overflowing with confidence. “There’s no need to say any more, Mentor! I understand the deeper meaning behind your words. Once you make a decision, you have to carry it through to the end, right?”

“No, I don’t think this particular decision needs to be carried through…”

“Well then, since my problem has been solved…”

Patolize clearly did not hear Stella’s muttered complaint. She straightened the hem of her skirt and prepared to leave.

Stella’s eyelid twitched.

Saving souls was important, but saving her stomach was even more important.

Since she could not stop her, she at least needed to collect the money. This was also a matter of principle.

She lightly tapped the small blackboard on the table displaying her price list, producing two crisp knocks.

“That’ll be one demon crystal.”

The room suddenly fell silent.

Patolize froze.

She rummaged through the pockets of her skirt, then felt around inside her cuffs.

“Um… Stella?” Patolize blinked her large emerald eyes as her gaze began wandering between the ceiling and the carpet. “About the consultation fee…”

Stella’s heart sank.

An ominous premonition welled up inside her.

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Don’t tell me…

“I’m… a little short on funds right now.”

Patolize gritted her teeth, then suddenly pulled a heavy velvet bundle from inside her clothes. It gave off a rich, bitter fragrance. She slapped it heavily into Stella’s palm.

“I might not have any demon crystals with me, but this is definitely worth at least as much, if not more. Just take it as my consultation fee!”

“Huh?”

Stella was stunned for a moment. The unexpected weight in her hand left her unable to react.

Before Stella could open her mouth to refuse, the Prefect who would stop at nothing for love had already lifted her skirt and darted toward the door.

“If you ever need any help with Herbology at the Academy, or anywhere else… come find me anytime! Just mention the name Patolize Werner, and the doors to the potion storeroom will always be open to you!”

“Wait—!”

Bang!

The door slammed shut.

Stella remained frozen with one hand outstretched as she stared at the wooden door, which was still trembling slightly.

She skipped out on the bill.

Her very first customer, that wealthy young lady who looked absolutely loaded, had actually accepted her guidance and then skipped out on the bill without the slightest burden on her conscience.

“…The morals of demonkind are declining, and hearts are no longer what they once were.”

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Stella stared at the empty doorway and sighed helplessly.

Having her very first customer skip out on the bill was hardly an auspicious sign for her consultation room.

Or rather, she had not even properly carried out the fundamental task of guiding a succubus through confession…

‘Lord, forgive Your humble believer.’

With some distaste, Stella untied the velvet bundle in her hand, which still retained Patolize’s body heat.

“Hopefully this is at least worth the cost of my black tea.”

However, the instant the bundle opened, a sharp, pristine chill rushed toward her, mingled with the clean fragrance of moonlight.

To Stella’s surprise, resting on the deep purple velvet was a sealed cold-resistant crystal bottle. Inside swirled a liquid that had not frozen despite radiating cold. Beside it sat a delicate little paper packet filled with faintly shimmering silver powder, along with quite a few herbs she had never seen before.

‘Could it be…’

Stella quickly pulled out the parchment she had already thumbed through so many times that it had become crumpled and wrinkled. Written on it was the recipe for the succubus elixir that could help her disguise her bloodline.

‘Use spiritual ice water as the base, mix in three qian of moonlight grass powder, then supplement it with a liquid sample from a succubus, such as sweat, tears, or another substance. Simmer it in a potion cauldron for one hour, then consume orally.’

Stella’s gaze moved back and forth between the parchment and the bundle in her hands.

Not only had Patolize skipping out on the bill failed to cost her anything, she had actually solved more than half of Stella’s most troublesome raw material problem in one stroke!

They were all cheap, commonplace materials, but by sheer coincidence, they were exactly the base ingredients Stella needed. The quantities were just right, the purity was passable, and they saved her the trouble of either stealing them from the potion storeroom or wasting money buying them herself.

“…Patolize Werner.”

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Stella murmured the name under her breath. The stiff, bitter smile that had originally been on her lips finally transformed into a genuine one.

Stella remembered the words Patolize had spoken just before leaving, nearly drowned out by the sound of the door closing.

Whenever Stella needed help with Herbology in the future, the doors to the potion storeroom would always be open to her?

“Thanks.”

Stella carefully put the bundle away, then turned her gaze back to the recipe.

She had the sample. She had the base. She had the supplementary ingredients. All that remained was to find some time to brew it.

‘Lost or not, she really was one… generous lost lamb.’

Stella picked up Primordial Doctrine and gently ran her hand across its pitch-black cover. For some reason, the ancient patterns on the cover seemed to flicker with a faint light.

‘Lord, am I actually shepherding the flock… or sharpening the wolves’ teeth?’

Translator Note

Why the heck Patolize has that elixir ingredients… could it be her lovers are other demon races so she turned them to succubus?