Volume 1, Chapter 5 – A Tall Tree Catches the Wind

Mental Seduction Studies, practice-oriented.

What could a practical class for succubi possibly have them practice? Anyone could figure that out with their toes.

Stella was speechless.

Mental Seduction Studies was personally taught by Vice Principal Mara, and it was explicitly marked as practice-oriented. In other words, Vice Principal Mara would definitely require the students to actually use seduction arts in practice. Not to mention that she had even demanded Stella place among the top students.

If Stella couldn’t produce any seductive effect at all, or if her Holy Light caused some earth-shattering commotion, she would be finished.

Was her career as a spy really going to end on the second day?

She had considered martyrdom before, but dying because she failed a seduction arts exam and got fed to a flower by the vice principal…

Stella raised her eyes, her silver hair slightly disheveled.

‘No. At the very least, I couldn’t die in such an unprofessional way.’

She could still struggle a little longer.

Although the succubus elixir she had taken again before enrollment was only of average quality, it was still enough for her to disguise herself with the racial characteristics of a succubus and perform the most basic seduction arts.

Although the first class was practice-oriented, if she spent a little more time devouring Vice Principal Mara’s entire textbook, then according to the usual grading standards, getting first or second place shouldn’t be a problem.

Time to cram.

Holding the thick textbook, Stella sat down in the high-backed chair before her desk.

She opened the rigid cover. On the very first page was a flamboyant message written by Vice Principal Mara in dark-red ink.

【The most powerful seduction art is an action taken after thoroughly understanding another person’s psychology. A succubus no one can refuse is one who can cater to the darkness in their heart, while the most powerful succubus is one who can guess what others are thinking. Only a truly genius succubus can completely master these techniques.】

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Stella blinked. She didn’t quite understand it, but somehow it sounded very impressive. Then she turned to the table of contents.

【Chapter One: Perception and Resonance of Desire.】

【Chapter Two: Basic Emotional Guidance and Amplification.】

【Chapter Three: Basic Forms and Techniques of Externalizing Magical Power.】

【Chapter Four: Absorbing Negative Emotions and Self-Enhancement.】

……

The oil lamp cast a faint glow through the dim, fragrant, lonely room. Every so often, the swaying curtains let in waves of cool night air that sharpened the senses. The girl sat by the window reading, her long silver hair slipping from her shoulder as she raised a fingertip and gently tucked it behind her pointed ear.

“Desire… emotions… magical power…” she murmured, sounding out the words. “Could this be… an advanced version of hearing confessions and spiritual counseling?”

Stella thought of the believers at the monastery, whose faces were always filled with worry. All along, what she had needed to do was listen, empathize, and then guide them toward the Holy Light.

“Hmm, looking at it this way, the principles really do seem to have something in common? Both involve intervening in the target’s inner state and listening to the other person’s confession…”

Stella’s eyes lit up slightly.

In that case, she could completely find an opportunity to return to her old line of work inside this Succubus Academy and open a confessional.

‘As for absorbing negative emotions…’

‘Uh, perhaps I could understand it as temporarily taking the burdens of lost lambs onto her own shoulders?’

Although it still sounded rather heretical, it was at least workable.

‘As long as my heart remained devoted to goodness, then the Lord would surely choose to forgive me!’

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Stella placed one hand on the cover of the textbook and solemnly declared as though swearing upon holy scripture.

She would prove to the world… no, not to the world. Proving it to herself would be enough. She would prove to herself that she was a genuine Saintess, and that failing the civil service exam before had merely been one tiny mistake!

—————

The next day, Stella walked expressionlessly into the classroom on the third floor of the library with faint dark circles beneath her eyes.

On her very first day after enrollment, she had pulled an all-nighter.

To survive this practical class, she had actually rekindled the potential she’d possessed back when she was studying for the Saintess exam, devouring Vice Principal Mara’s textbook until she knew it inside and out. Her mind was now stuffed full of all sorts of wicked theories about stirring emotions and resonating with desire. She had no idea whether any of it would actually be useful, but in any case, she had memorized every word.

“Lord, forgive my sins.”

Stella muttered under her breath.

The instant she stepped into the classroom, a gaze locked onto her.

Cheryl Valentine was leaning against the teacher’s desk, her crimson curls draped over the shoulders of her black uniform. Her legs were crossed as her blood-red eyes scrutinized every inch of the approaching girl, filled with undisguised provocation.

Stella ignored the gaze and headed straight toward the back row.

“I’ve finally got you, Darkfallen.” Cheryl straightened, her tone rising slightly with the confidence of someone certain of victory.

‘Finally got me?’

Stella narrowed her eyes slightly, her gaze sweeping imperceptibly over Cheryl’s somewhat stiff shoulders and neck.

‘Wait. I entered the classroom right on time.’

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‘Then this eldest young lady…’

‘She couldn’t possibly have been holding that pose the entire time just to block me, could she?’

‘Is that really necessary?’

Stella sighed soundlessly and found a seat in a corner.

“This class is Basic Mental Domination Practicum.” Cheryl approached step by step until she stopped in front of Stella’s desk, looking down at her from above. “And I will challenge you. I hope your skill is enough to support the arrogance you showed yesterday.”

After delivering her threatening words, Cheryl probably felt that she had regained some face. She elegantly turned around and sat back down in the seat diagonally behind Stella.

Although she did her best to maintain the bearing of a prestigious family, Stella still keenly heard the faint crack of Cheryl’s joints when she sat down after remaining stiff for too long.

‘Alright. That really must have been hard on you.’

Stella rubbed her head, in absolutely no mood to think about Cheryl’s declaration of challenge. As far as she was concerned, there was nothing more important than muddling through this practical class.

A little while later, the classroom door was pushed open again. Vice Principal Mara stepped inside, her dark-red cloak brushing over the threshold as she took her place before the lectern.

“I imagine none of you came here to learn how to sway your hips or scatter cheap perfume.”

Mara spoke in a voice barely above a whisper, yet everyone could hear every single word with perfect clarity.

“Think about it. With nothing more than a simple seduction, your enemy becomes obsessed with your charm, sees nothing but your image, willingly obeys your commands, and even draws a blade against someone they once loved.”

“That sensation of control is enough to intoxicate your heart and enthrall every one of your senses. Seduction is an instinct engraved into your bloodline.”

“I have no intention of teaching you step by step how to smile or how to captivate someone’s soul. That would be an insult to your bloodline.”

Mara gave a soft laugh. The teaching whip in her hand snapped against the floor with a crisp crack.

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Stella suddenly had a bad feeling.

“So, we will begin directly with practical duels.”

Mara’s gaze slowly roamed among the succubi before silently settling on the silver-haired figure currently trying to shrink herself into her seat.

The corners of her lips curved upward as she lightly pointed in Stella’s direction.

“Miss Stella Darkfallen, as an SSS+ genius admitted by special exception, show everyone just how great the gap between you truly is.” Mara smiled as though she were praising her. “I imagine no one would object to watching a genius perform, would they?”

Stella’s fingers tightened around her pen.

‘Huh…? We’re getting straight to the real thing already?!’

A tall tree catches the wind, a tall tree catches the wind… ¹ An idiom. Just as a tall tree stands above the rest and takes the full force of a storm, a successful person stands out and faces intense scrutiny or jealousy.

‘Lord, although I’m only a Saintess candidate who sneaks bites of the offerings, I’m still one of Your faithful believers.’

‘Please, whatever You do, don’t let me make that kind of infatuated expression in front of a whole crowd of succubi!’

Translator Note

Her Lord surely loves to prank our Stella HAHAHA XD