Volume 1, Chapter 25 – Did I— Break Her?

“Very good.”

Professor Katerina clearly wasn’t angered by Stella’s insolence.

On the contrary, she smiled with great interest.

“I admire your arrogance, Stella Darkfallen. A genius naturally enjoys certain privileges.”

Stella maintained her aloof expression. She had clearly gotten her way.

The reputation of a genius really was useful. From here on, she only needed to follow the plan step by step.

Spycraft Tip No. 6.

No matter what, you must hide your true self.

In other words, Stella had to conceal her true nature as a Saintess as much as possible and play the role of a proper succubus so vividly and flawlessly that no one could see through her.

So far, she was doing fairly well.

Even though she absolutely hadn’t wanted it, her reputation as a succubus genius had already spread throughout the entire school.

“You said you wanted to become the benchmark, so let me see whether our SSS+ genius truly has the substance to back it up, or whether you’re merely… good at grandstanding.” Professor Katerina paused. “If you fail to open everyone’s eyes as you claimed you would… then you will fail this course outright. And as the price for your failure, in next week’s class, I’ll use you as teaching material for everyone to practice on. Even Mara won’t be able to save you. Understood?”

“…”

Stella froze.

‘Use me, a student, as teaching material…?’

‘Is she serious?’

Stella had no idea how broad-minded someone would have to be to accept such a harsh proposal.

She certainly wasn’t.

But there was no turning back now. She was the one who had already stepped forward.

Stella forced herself to meet those icy eyes while maintaining an utterly unruffled expression on the surface. She kept her chin raised, doing her best to gather her usual arrogance in her violet eyes.

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“Of course, Professor.” Her voice was so steady that even she was surprised. “I won’t disappoint you.”

Stella could feel the entire class watching her with curiosity, mockery, and anticipation. Remedios was rapidly scribbling something in her notebook, while Cheryl folded her arms, making no attempt to hide how much she was looking forward to the show.

Stella turned around and faced the shackled apprentice nun alone.

The two of them were extremely close.

“D-Demon…” The nun’s voice was weak, yet exceptionally stubborn. “I swear in the Lord’s name… I will never submit to you! Holy Light will cleanse every filthy monster like you! Every last one! Especially you—!”

She glared at Stella with tear-filled eyes.

Stella fell silent.

What was that supposed to mean?

Was she singling Stella out because Stella looked even more hateful than the other succubi?

…Oh.

She probably did.

But the nun’s current expression of loathing was exactly the reaction Stella needed.

Stella slowly extended both hands toward the pale neck directly before her and seized the nun’s slender throat as though snapping the stem of a flower, forcing the girl to look straight at her.

“Save it, little nun. Your Lord can’t hear your prayers right now. And… rather than cursing me, you should worry about yourself first.”

“You—”

The nun had only just begun to retort when Stella’s fingers suddenly tightened.

Stella lowered her eyes and used her own body to block everyone’s view as she began silently chanting the incantation.

Holy Art: Holy Radiance Extraction

—All light returns as one, grace flows back.

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Stella silently recited the incantation in her heart.

The next second.

Hum!

The pale golden film of light that had previously protected the nun like an eggshell suddenly began to tremble.

It did not produce a repelling force like it had when struck by Katerina’s fingernail earlier, nor did it shatter beneath an external attack. Instead, it was as though it had encountered a vortex born from the same source, or perhaps a sovereign of a higher order.

“…W-What are you doing?!”

The nun’s eyes widened, her pupils contracting violently.

She felt no pain, no tearing sensation, no burning, not even the slightest discomfort.

There was only an indescribable feeling of something draining away. The Holy Power that had always warmed her and supported her will was now surging out of her body like the receding tide.

That was a blessing bestowed by God!

How could a succubus absorb it so easily?

“No… stop! Stop!”

The nun struggled in terror, but the hand pressing down on her head was like a mountain, completely unmoving.

Stella lowered her eyes, feeling that familiar, warm power flow through her palm and into her body. It was pitifully weak, probably no more than the amount she would receive from a single morning prayer at the convent, but it was unquestionably genuine divine energy. Perhaps because it shared the same origin as her own power, the absorption was exceptionally smooth.

Three seconds.

Only three seconds.

Crack.

A faint, crisp sound rang out.

The holy blessing vanished completely.

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Deprived of the support of Holy Light, the nun collapsed onto the floor. She stared blankly at her own hands, feeling the desolate emptiness inside her body.

It was gone…

No matter how she silently recited her prayers, no matter how many times she called upon the Lord’s name, that power gave her no response whatsoever.

Had it been eaten…?

The nun suddenly raised her head and looked at the silver-haired, violet-eyed succubus before her.

Fear.

Fear unlike anything she had ever experienced.

This succubus hadn’t used a single torture instrument. She hadn’t even spoken a single line of an incantation. She had merely touched the nun’s head, and then swallowed the Lord’s blessing… whole?

“W-What in the world are you?” The nun’s voice trembled so violently that it nearly changed pitch as tears spilled from her eyes. “Devil… you’re a true devil… a monster that can even devour Holy Light…”

Stella frowned slightly.

‘Monster?’

She sighed inwardly.

She might look like a succubus on the outside, but inside, she was an upright and proper Saintess.

If they were in the Holy City, then according to rank, you should be kneeling on the ground and kissing her ring of authority right now!

“Lord, my Lord… why have you forsaken me…”

The nun sat limply on the floor, clutching the extinguished holy emblem at her chest.

“I can’t hear it… I can’t hear anything anymore…”

“It’s empty… everything’s empty…”

She raised her head and stared at Stella with unfocused eyes, tears silently sliding down her cheeks. Her lips trembled as she uttered one final plea.

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“…Please, kill me. Kill me…”

A deathly silence hung over the classroom for a moment.

Then it erupted into a wave of hushed, uncontrollable whispers of alarm. Everyone was practically scrambling to pull out their quills and parchment.

“Hey… was that for real? That was a holy blessing that burns your skin the moment you touch it…”

“Now that was eye-opening, seriously eye-opening… Darkfallen really doesn’t hold anything back when she has the skills. She actually made such a stubborn cleric break down and beg for death in three seconds.”

“What do you know? That’s what an SSS+ genius is worth. She’s way too brutal. Professor Katerina’s expression looks awful.”

“How did she do that? Take notes, take notes!”

Meanwhile, Stella: “…?”

‘Um… have I heard that wrong?’

cKill her?c

Stella involuntarily held her breath.

‘Oh no.’

‘…Had I gone too far just now and broken her?’

Translator Note

Cruel Saintess…! She broke the pitiful girl’s mental state within mere seconds…! ><