Volume 1, Chapter 28 – You’re Going to Make It Big, Stella

“Although this is indeed a rare bit of free time, there’s still a while before dinner.”

Remedios glanced at the sky and suggested to Stella.

“Want to take a look around the training arena? There are usually quite a few upperclassmen dueling around this time.”

“Blood, screams, the sound of bones shattering… I think for us, having just finished an interrogation class, it should make for the perfect entertainment.”

The corner of Stella’s mouth twitched slightly.

Entertainment?

For a Saintess who hadn’t even dared slaughter a chicken back in her village, it sounded more like a horror show.

“I…”

Stella was just about to refuse when the slave waiting for her back at the dorm suddenly surfaced in her mind.

The moment she went back, she would have to figure out what to do with that hot potato, all while keeping a straight face and playing the part of a brutal master…

Just thinking about it was exhausting. She’d rather stay outside and let the cold wind blow over her.

Besides, she was going to duel Cheryl this weekend. She might as well scout out the training arena in advance and get a sense of what fights between succubi were really like.

“Sure.” Stella replied absentmindedly. “Might as well take a look.”

The two headed toward the training arena.

“Speaking of which, Stella, did you know the library lets you look up records of noble crests?” Remedios suddenly asked.

“Huh?”

Stella abruptly raised her head in confusion, only to see Remedios continuing with intense curiosity, “Logically speaking, anyone who could pass the Mirror of Desire’s selection and attend our school should come from a prominent noble family. But regarding the surname Darkfallen… Yesterday, I went through the Demon Realm’s noble crest records from the past five hundred years in the library, yet I couldn’t find a single record of it.”

‘That surname was something that unreliable woman, Inquisitor Itheria, had made up on the spot. Of course she couldn’t find anything!’

‘Come to think of it, is Remedios really that curious about me?’

‘She was investigating my entire family background…’

“Is that so? Maybe it’s because… my family keeps a low profile. We’re just an obscure, ordinary family from some remote place.” Stella explained after letting out a deep sigh.

“Ordinary?”

Remedios stopped walking and gave Stella a long look. Just from her eyes alone, it was obvious that she thought Stella was messing with her again.

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“You possess the most mysterious anti-holy talent, have SSS+ potential, and even your personality fits the aesthetic tastes of ancient demons this perfectly… ordinary?”

“I’m actually rather curious how your parents raised you.”

Remedios shook her head, then asked, “Will I have a chance to meet your parents during a future academy interview?”

‘Meet my parents?’

Even the surname Darkfallen had been invented by the Inquisitor. Where was Stella supposed to find a succubus to play her parent?

Have the Inquisitor do it?

‘Please don’t.’

Stella opened her mouth, but no words came out.

Apparently, in Remedios’ eyes, silence itself was an answer. Her fingers brushed Stella’s almost unconsciously. Then she simply took Stella’s hand and held it comfortingly.

“Sorry. I don’t have any either.”

“…?”

Feeling Remedios’s concern, Stella blinked in confusion.

‘What is this girl suddenly talking about?’

“But if that’s the case, your talent makes perfect sense. It completely confirms my previous guess.”

Remedios looked utterly confident as she once again spoke without the slightest restraint.

“What do you mean?”

“Darkfallen… might truly just be an ordinary surname from some remote region.”

Remedios lowered her voice and leaned closer to Stella.

“But you must be the illegitimate daughter of some reclusive grand duke, or perhaps some prestigious family of the Demon Realm. There’s no doubt about it.”

“You’re going to make it big, Stella. All that’s left is to wait for the Principal to come back.”

Watching Remedios proudly puff out her chest, Stella had no idea how she was supposed to explain things to her anymore.

‘Um…’

‘If I told Remedios that I am actually human, would she believe me?”

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Stella, who knew absolutely nothing about the bloodline examination, broke out in a cold sweat.

“…Think whatever you want.” Stella replied casually.

As they talked, the two of them arrived at the training arena.

The enormous circular arena was packed with noise and excitement. A faint smell of blood hung in the air, and nearly every succubus was gathered around one of the central training grounds, with shrieks and cheers rising one after another.

“Looks like our timing is perfect.” Remedios stood on tiptoe and took a look. “Hohoho, there are already rivers of blood.”

Stella followed her gaze.

At the center of the field, Cheryl Valentine stood proudly.

Across from her, an upperclass succubus was panting heavily, magical power surging around her. She had clearly already gone all out.

“Die, Valentine!” The upperclass student roared, unleashing a skyful of whip shadows.

Splurt!

The whip shadows tore through Cheryl’s skin, sending blood spraying through the air.

Stella’s heart jumped.

If she were the one standing in that arena, she’d probably be sliced into pieces before she even had time to react.

‘Are duels between succubi always this vicious?’

After taking the full brunt of the whipping, Cheryl did not fall. Instead, the blood she had spilled seemed to come alive, instantly solidifying into countless scarlet spikes!

“Got you.” A cruel smile curled across Cheryl’s lips. Her wounds healed at a speed visible to the naked eye, while the spikes formed from her blood shot back toward her opponent even faster than the black whip!

“What—?!” The upperclass student had no time to react.

Psh! Psh! Psh!

Several streaks of red light flashed past, and she was already pinned firmly to the ground. Blood spikes had pierced through all four of her limbs, leaving her completely unable to move.

The entire arena fell silent for a second before erupting into deafening cheers.

“The winner, Cheryl Valentine!”

“So this is… the Valentine bloodline?” Remedios thoughtfully stroked her chin. “Using blood as a weapon while possessing terrifying regenerative ability and monstrous strength. In other words, unless you instantly burn her to ashes, the more blood she loses, the stronger she becomes in combat.”

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“How interesting.”

Stella was drenched in cold sweat just listening to her.

‘So Cheryl is basically a berserker with built-in damage reflection and lifesteal?’

‘…How am I supposed to win against that?’

Stella touched the bottle of succubus elixir tucked inside her clothes, the bottle she had barely had time to warm with her body heat, and half her heart went cold.

Even if the elixir made her stronger, even if she somehow managed to land a punch on Cheryl, Cheryl could immediately turn her own blood into spikes and skewer Stella into a hedgehog, then heal herself on the spot.

In the arena, Cheryl kicked aside the upperclass student who had already passed out and let the nearby succubi drag her off to the infirmary. She somewhat boredly flicked the blood from her hands, then swept her red eyes over the crowd with nothing but disdain.

“Boring.”

“An opponent at this level doesn’t even count as a warm-up.” She raised her head, her voice piercing through the surrounding noise. “Too weak. You’re all too weak! Trash like this can’t excite me at all!”

“Only that woman…” Battle intent burned in Cheryl’s eyes. “Only Stella Darkfallen is worthy of being my opponent.”

“Stella, I’ll be waiting to face you this weekend!”

Stella shrank her neck and silently hid herself a little deeper in the crowd.

“Looks like she really does have a special fondness for you, Stella.” Remedios chuckled.

‘…Can I give that special fondness to you instead?’

“Oh, right. I’ll be your substitute for your duel with Cheryl.” Remedios mentioned it casually. “We’re accomplices, after all.”

“Uh… what substitute?”

“Oh, a substitute is the person who takes over and keeps fighting after you die in battle.” Remedios said casually.

“…”

Then she quickly added a few more words, “Usually people only die in really special duels. The school normally wouldn’t allow it. As for you and Cheryl, you’ll probably just fight each other for a while. At worst… serious injuries?”

Just as Stella began considering whether she should shoulder a train and flee overnight, an emerald-green figure came running toward them, panting for breath.

“Ah, Mentor Stella!”

Stella immediately recognized Prefect Patolize, the succubus who had skipped out on paying her last time.

“What is it?”

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Stella warily took half a step back.

She wasn’t here to demand those herbs back, was she?

They had already gone into the pot and been boiled.

“It’s Vice Principal Mara.” Patolize caught her breath and called out loudly, “Vice Principal Mara just summoned you. She wants you to go to the Prefects’ Washroom immediately.”

“The Vice Principal?” Stella froze. “What does she want with me?”

“It’s good news, Mentor!”

Patolize excitedly grabbed Stella’s hand.

“Professor Katerina reported the talent you demonstrated in class to the Vice Principal. The Vice Principal was absolutely delighted when she heard.”

“She said that since a talent as rare as yours, something seen only once in several centuries, is already showing signs of awakening this quickly, there is absolutely no way she can waste this opportunity.”

‘…T-Talent?’

An extremely ominous premonition surged through Stella’s heart.

“So…?”

“So the Vice Principal said she can’t wait to help you awaken your true bloodline talent!”

Stella’s vision went dark.

‘Awa… ken?’

‘Awaken what…?’

Translator Note

The evolution of a human! xD

It’s funny that she always managed to finish anything with the best result in a completely wrong process, and that result always give her another life-and-death problem xD