Lucy’s Strategy Route (1)

"Lilliana?"

Lilliana was enveloped in smoke and then she went quiet. Luckily, the smoke disappeared quickly.

"Uh, where'd she go?"

Did she turn invisible or something?

*Whip, whip*

I waved my hand where Lilliana was standing, but there was nothing.

[Over here, here!]

I heard Lilliana's voice from down below. There was a silver chain necklace with a red gemstone embedded in it on the floor.

"Is that you?"

[Yeah! It's me!]

"Oh, that's a cool transformation."

Besides the fact that she can morph into a necklace, the design is pretty sleek. Not a bad choice for a casual accessory.

"Being a succubus, do you have abilities like invisibility or ethereal form?"

[I do, but it'd be easy to dispel if there's a mage stronger than me. It's more like a racial trait rather than magic.]

Hmm. Looks like it's something I can't replicate.

I couldn't sense any mana movements.

[This should do, right?]

"Sure. Starting tomorrow, I'll bring you along."

It might be better for me to stand out a bit than to be alone and end up in some trouble.

[Okay!]

*Poof!*

After she achieved her goal, Lilliana returned to her original form.

"Phew, that was fun, but I'm a bit tired. Been a while since I did something like that."

I looked at Lilliana yawning and stretching, and a sudden curiosity struck me.

"Um, I got something on my mind, can I ask you?"

"Huh? What? You curious about my cup size too? During my stream, people asked that question like a hundred times! I mean, I did tell them… "

"No, I'm not interested in that, and you don't need to answer those kinds of questions! And for the record, don't ever share that kind of stuff again."

Does this succubus even have a hint of common sense? I'd better set some ground rules; otherwise, she'll be spilling everything.

"Okay. So, what's on your mind? Go ahead, ask away."

"You brought up the whole cup talk, and it got me curious. It's just plain curiosity, you know. Being a succubus, do you consume… uhm, male fluids?"

"Contractor Lee Hoyeon, are you out of your mind?"

"My bad. Just plain curiosity, that's all."

Bad timing, I guess. Was she trying to set me up by bringing up the chest talk?

"Well, truth be told, many other succubi enjoy that stuff. My friends say it tastes great, but I'm not interested. I've never tried it. Why the hell would I wanna gulp down something that comes out of a piss spot?!"

"Uh…"

A straightforward answer. Fair enough, but coming from a succubus with a heart-shaped tail… It's like the collapse of consistency.

"I'm gonna hit the shower and catch some sleep. Nighty night!"

*Hum, hum, hum*

Lilliana headed to the bathroom to shower.

"Honestly, I can't tell if I'm living with a succubus or a nun."

I was kinda looking forward to summoning a succubus, but now I'm not so sure if it's a good thing. A little bit disappointed, maybe.

"I could use some rest too."

Since I already took a shower in the training room, I crashed on the living room sofa.

Come to think of it, I should get a bed. At least now I got some money. I'll probably just treat her like a money-making machine instead of a succubus.

***

[Wow, is this the academy? Why is it so damn huge?!]

Bringing Lilliana along, we made our way to the first-year academy building. She acted all astonished, but it's really not that big of a deal. Still, I couldn't resist feeling a tad smug.

"No need to be blown away. This academy is the tiniest school in the whole world."

[Seriously? The human world has come so far, huh?]

"No, it was a lie."

[Screw you! Hey, how old are you?]

Feeling a bit bored on the way, I decided to mess with her, but I got a profanity in return.

"Apologies, darling. Can't entertain your queries when we're out in public."

I could've replied with something like "How old are you then, granny?" That would've been funnier, but I exercised some superhuman patience and held back.

[Contractor Lee Hoyeon, if you treat me like this, don't expect a cooperative partner, you hear?]

"I get it. For now, just pay attention to the fine details of Victoria Academy. If you slip some academy info during your streams, it'll add authenticity to your persona. It's all about the little touches that make a full-blown scam."

For example, when the school exams are around the corner, she could simply drop a line like, "I'm swamped studying for the upcoming exams~" That'd add some weight to her claim of being a Victoria Academy student.

Or she could go with, "Our school's central fountain is so stunning~" or "The flowers on the promenade bloomed beautifully today~" That kind of stuff would be a nice touch.

[Haa… How did I end up with a little shit who can only think about scamming people? Tsk, tsk.]

"…"

I couldn't deny it, so I walked into the classroom in silence.

Today's lesson was Mana Studies – the same class where I had that bracelet incident with Professor Im Sol. It's led by an old professor named Han Jae-young.

As I entered, all the students were already seated. Scanning around, I spotted Lucy and Lumi huddled in a corner, while Kim Yeonghan sat with the other student.

No one to sit with… Who would've thought my social circle would be this narrow?

I plopped myself down in an available spot, at least a safe distance away from everyone else.

[Why are you sitting alone? Loner much?]

"…."

I took out my notebook and scribbled, "Shut the hell up, you shitty succubus!"

[Heh heh, nice expression. But what can you do? You can't even write properly.]

"Sigh…."

It's only the first day, and I already regret bringing her along.

"Greetings, students. I'm Han Jae-young, your Mana Studies professor."

A white-suited old-timer began the class from the podium.

"Today, we will delve into magic circles."

A hologram projection displayed the presentation he prepared.

"Magic circles are essentially tools needed to use magic. I won't go into the basic elements such as converting mana into the form of a magic circle to emit magic, as you should all know them already."

*Flip, flip, flip*

Presentation slides, clearly made by someone who worked their butt off were shown. The trendy design just screamed "assistant's hard work."

They should've been spared that trouble.

"Converting mana into a magic circle to emit it. It's the basics of magic, but also the most challenging part. Easy magic doesn't show the magic circle, and the more advanced the magic, the more visible the magic circle becomes. It's too complex, so you can't create it without visualization."

Everyone seemed attentive, but I already knew all this. So, while they were being good little students, I passed the time chatting with the succubus hanging around my neck.

[By the way, why's that dude so scrawny? His clothes don't scream poor either.]

"Here, not all rich folks are fat. Some splurge their cash on weight loss."

[Huh? What's the point of that inefficient nonsense? What if a war breaks out, and all their saved-up capital goes down the drain?]

"Humans aren't so trigger-happy to risk everything in a war, you know."

She said there are games in hell, so why is she clueless about this stuff? Maybe it's because the values down there are different. Hell if I know.

"…Fortunately, there's a simple and standardized method for drawing magic circles. It's a technique that ancient mages have diligently researched."

Finally, the dull introduction was over, and the professor decided to put on a show. Mana materialized from the professor's finger and turned into a thin thread to form a magic circle.

"Extracting mana like threads and drawing line by line. This is the most standard method. Advanced practitioners can draw two lines at once, but I recommend sticking to one line and increasing the speed. It's more efficient that way."

[Hmm, not bad for the human world's education, I guess.]

"This is the best educational institution in the human world after all."

[Ah, there's someone sizing you up in that corner. What's your relationship with that big-breasted little girl?]

There's only one big-breasted girl I had in mind.

"She's not a little girl; we're the same age. She's my friend."

[Yeah, I sense some murderous intent coming from her. A friend indeed.]

"I used Hatred Gaze spell you taught me on her. That's the result."

[Ah… That spell is actually pretty effective. No wonder it caused a killing spree~]

If you knew that, you should've given me a heads up! What if things escalated and I ended up in a full-blown battle with Lucy? You damn pain-in-the-ass succubus!

But whatever. I can't touch my cash cow. I'll just think of her as a goose that lays golden eggs.

"Next time, make sure to clarify the effects. No, organize the effects of the magic I've learned as well."

[Aaaah, what a hassle. Fine, fine. I'll do it.]

Ugh, she's not a kid, but she sure acts like one. Acting all immature at 50 years old. But speaking of which, sensing murderous intent from Lucy… I don't know if I should like that or hate it.

I sneaked a glance at her, but too scared to make eye contact, so I looked ahead quickly.

"….This is how you draw magic circles. As you become a higher-level mage, your speed will increase. By the way, Professor Im Sol, who teaches at our Victoria Academy, is also considered one of the best in the world. I've heard she can draw two lines at once at an incredible speed, so don't even think about trying to keep up with her if you're just an average person."

[Aren't you going to pay attention to the lecture? I guess studying is too much for a swindling bastard like you.]

"I already know everything that's being taught."

Hm, but I have my doubts. Does mana really need to be extracted like a thread and drawn line by line? Wouldn't it be more efficient to just stamp it out like a seal?

"So, Lilliana, do you use magic in that way too?"

[Well, the details might differ, but overall, that method is correct.]

"You think it's impossible to just stamp out magic circles directly with mana without going through the hassle of drawing it like a thread?"

[What the hell are you talking about?]

"I mean, what the professor is saying is to extract mana like a thin 'thread' and draw the magic circle. But instead, you remember the form of the 'magic circle' and skip the process, directly manifesting it all at once."

[Ah, uh…. Are you dumb? Will that even work? I mean, I know all this, but you can't study for shit.]

"…"

Lilliana doesn't know about my talent. Nobody can beat me when it comes to handling mana.

So why not give it a shot?

Since Professor Han Jae-young suggested slowly creating a magic circle, I might as well try it.

I gradually pulled in my mana, gathering it from every nook and cranny of my body, visualizing it forming above my hand.

Drawing magic circles by extracting mana like this is the basics of magic manipulation. But what if I try creating the magic circle right from the get-go?

[Wait, Contractor Hoyeon. Stop with the weird antics. If it worked, other mages would have done it from the beginning. Human beings don't have that kind of magic control ability in the first place.]

Even with Lilliana's constant nagging and attempts to distract me, it's all futile. My mana keeps condensing according to my will. Gather as much as possible before releasing it outward; that way, I can create the entire magic circle in one go.

[Ugh, so frustrating… That's why these dumbass kids can't learn anything… huh?]

Happening now.

I sensed that I had gathered enough mana to compose the magic circle. The magic power that burst out of my hand found its place in the air.

*Click Click Click*

Like a broken puzzle being reassembled, my mana naturally found its place in every nook and cranny of the magic circle. Soon, the magic circle was completed all at once, and it transformed into a fireball.

*Bwoosh*

[No, this… what the… hell?]

"It worked, of course! You dumb succubus! This is me!"

I gave a smack to Lilliana, who was lost in her own thoughts and muttering to herself. After taking that much abuse, it's only fair to dish out a few words of my own.

***

On a Tuesday afternoon, in the Friendship Club room, Lucy, Lumi, and Felix were engaged in a conversation.

"Can you believe it, Lumi? New member applications for our club are pouring in!"

"T-That's great. I was worried since no one seemed to be joining…"

"All thanks to that jerk Hoyeon being gone. Good riddance!"

"Congrats, Lucy."

"Thanks, Felix!"

Lucy grinned as she watched the smartwatch, flooded with new member applications. She had started the club to meet new people, and just when she was getting concerned about the lack of interest, suddenly, applications started pouring in.

It was like a dam holding back the flow had finally burst open, and the timing seemed perfect with Hoyeon's departure.

"Yep, it's all thanks to that guy. Wonder what rumors are circulating about him that scared everyone away."

"Umm… I haven't heard any rumors, to be honest."

"Neither have I personally, but guys have been gossiping about him. There must be something juicy for them to chat about."

On the desk where the girls were having their conversation, there was a pretty flower vase, and Felix absentmindedly fiddled with it while talking.

"Felix, why can't you keep your hands off that flower vase?"

"Oh, I just find the flowers pretty. No big deal."

Felix smiled faintly and casually moved the flower vase to the center of the desk while speaking.

"By the way, girls, midterms are coming up. Have you guys studied much?"

"Ugh, don't remind me. Studying is my weakness."

"I'm not great at it either…"

"How about we meet up here tomorrow and study together? I've got some free time."

Felix's voice exuded reassurance. Whenever Lucy heard him speak, she felt a sense of comfort.

"Sounds like a plan! I'm in!"

"I'm okay with that."

"Then let's meet here at the same time tomorrow." Felix sent them a reassuring smile.

***

That night, after returning to the dormitory.

"Hehehe. Our club is finally getting some recognition," Lucy said, feeling good as she finished her shower and dried her hair with a towel, her laughter soft and content.

"Wait, what's this? Why do I feel a sense of unease in my chest…?"

After spending time in the club room earlier, there was something that seemed to slip her mind, leaving a lingering discomfort in her chest.

Just then, her smartwatch chimed with a message.

[Felix: Lucy, sorry for messaging you so late. Lumi just told me she has a makeup class tomorrow, and she won't be able to study together. Is it okay if it's just the two of us?]

"Oh, right… Lumi did mention having a makeup class."

Even though they had all talked about it earlier, they had somehow forgotten.

Lucy couldn't remember ever forgetting something related to Lumi, even when she would forget her own appointments. She had always made sure to keep track of Lumi's schedule, sometimes at the expense of her own.

The fact that she forgot something about Lumi made her feel a bit uneasy.

"Well, it happens. Can't always remember everything."

Lucy brushed away the unnecessary thoughts and began typing her reply.

[Lucy: Of course, it's totally fine! Let's meet tomorrow!]

As she was about to send the message, Hoyeon's face suddenly came to mind.

"Lucy! Just understand this much. I always thought of you and Lumi as good friends, and that hasn't changed!"

"Ugh. Nonsense."

Since Hoyeon's departure, the club had gained new members, and Felix, a good friend, had joined too.

"Guys like him are better to avoid from the start."

Lucy grumbled to herself, trying to shake off the bad feeling that had arisen for no reason. She then sent her reply to Felix.