Chapter 21: Restraint and Freedom
“[I now grant you equal authority to mine],” Lily exclaimed upon hearing my words. Afterward, as if receiving my command, the heart-shaped emblem on Lily’s chest lit up, then gradually faded, along with my name. It seemed successful. I turned to look at her back; the emblem was still there. It appeared to be a mark symbolizing the contract, one that couldn’t be erased. However, it should now be nothing more than a symbolic, ordinary tattoo. After all, she and I were now on ‘equal footing.’ It was like a group administrator granting privileges to another member. Though I was still her master in name, in reality, she no longer needed to fulfill her duties as a slave.
Still, I wasn’t entirely sure yet.
“Lil-Teacher?”
She didn’t respond. This meant it was successful! Ah, wait. Perhaps she was just holding back from calling me that?
“Lily, try calling my name.”
She seemed alright, but what was with that pause? I’ll try a few more times.
“Teacher Lily? Older Sister Lily? Mom Lily?”
“What’s with ‘Mom’!” She flicked my forehead.
Oh, oh, oh!
“Ah…”
“Ah…”
Both Lily and I let out sounds of surprise, but it wasn’t due to pain. It was because we realized something very important. This kind of reaction was long overdue. Before I discovered Lily’s true nature, Teacher Yang and I used to interact this way frequently. But then, due to the contract, Lily became sodeferential to me that it took me a long time to get used to it.
“Jun… it doesn’t hurt…”
“Oh! It succeeded! Now, even with the contract, we don’t have to hold back anymore!” It seemed completing the contract was actually a good thing! “We can finally return to a normal teacher-student relationship! Lily!”
“A normal teacher-student relationship… SF Light Novel.”
“That’s right! Wow~ Honestly, I was wondering if it could be used this way, but this contract truly fulfills all of a master’s wishes! Since my command is above all else, I can bestow upon you the authority I possess! Since we can’t ‘share’ it, we’ll ‘copy’ it.” Without caring that her chest was completely exposed, she directly parted her breasts to the left and right, looking into the space between them. There was no mark or my name there.
And she didn’t react. What was with that expression of loss?
“—Why…?” she whispered, tears welling up. I don’t understand what I did wrong. Apologies, but why is she crying? She looks happy… Shouldn’t she be happy about regaining her freedom? But her expression doesn’t seem like it. Having everything controlled by another person, it’s like how I feel under Lanhua’s surveillance. If being bound made it hard to escape, I’d probably be dancing with joy. How can I escape Lanhua’s surveillance? Wait, what… what should I do now?
Comfort her, how do I comfort someone and maintain our relationship? Am I a love guru? Ha! You’re still too green, Juncheng An. “You thought you could have a girlfriend…?”
“Wah! Principal! My name!” …There’s still a contract with the Principal that hasn’t been fully resolved, but its compulsion seems weaker than with Lily. Since it’s only a minor issue, we can probably leave it alone. The Principal frowned. Lily, however, showed no reaction. Lily just clutched her chest, crying like a child as if she had lost something important.
When the Principal arrived, she asked, “Nana, why are you here?”
“I just came out to find Xun. SF Light Novel.”
“Xun hasn’t returned? She hasn’t been back since.”
After running out of the Principal’s office, the Principal continued, “I was worried she hadn’t returned this late, so I came to look for her… Do you know anything?”
“No, I’m also curious. I told her everything about Xun wanting to ‘eat’ me, but I think it’s better not to casually mention it…” Although I wanted to tell her everything, it’s better not to. “…I remember ‘eating’.”
She will come to find me in my dreams and ask questions, so it means I should sleep. This should be a hint that a good meal awaits. “Hoo, then let’s go back and make…”
“Aren’t you looking anymore?” Her physical abilities far exceed those of an ordinary person. If she ran at full speed, she’s probably already out of this mountain range. “She’s a ‘Great Demon’… by now, she’s probably run out of the city and is somewhere unknown.”
“I see… So the roles have been switched.”
“Let’s change the subject.” It felt like secretly meeting in my girlfriend’s house and being caught by her parents. I surprisingly looked at the new horns that had grown on her head. “‘Heavenly Queen’s Horns’… Is there something wrong with them?”
“It’s not that. These horns are only possessed by the ‘principal wife.’ However, for a succubus who has been enslaved, wearing such prominent horns…” The Principal sneered. “…is somewhat contrary to the ‘Devil King’s’ image…”
“I think they look good. They feel comfortable to touch, too.” The Principal glanced at me. “Hmph, after all, they grew according to the master’s preferences.”
“Your tone is quite aggressive. Are you in a bad mood?” I felt that the Principal’s mood today was unexpectedly calm. I thought she would be here to see us… but instead, I saw a childish scene of a couple arguing.
“Eh?!” (x2) Both Lily and I exclaimed in surprise and looked at the Principal with confusion.
“When the horns fall off, before new horns grow, a succubus’s appearance is no different from a human. That is the peak of a succubus’s charm. For you humans, it’s like seeing an unparalleled beauty, and falling in love at first sight is a natural development… The pleasure is inevitable, and it’s perfectly normal to continue procreating until exhaustion…”
At this point, the Principal narrowed her eyes. … ‘You must not really be frigid, right?’
“You’re the frigid one!”
“I’m naturally frigid! My face isn’t even blushing!” She actually admitted it! This… who was it that said ‘I’ll make you regret it’ in my dream? I received this message from the Principal’s murderous gaze. Uh… ‘If I continue…’ It sounds like that, but the actual meaning is: ‘You’re no longer needed here, get lost. I can’t stand looking at you.’ To be so heartless to a dream lover… well, she is a ‘Heartless Succubus’ after all.
“Then, I…” However, it’s true that there’s nothing more I can do here. It’s getting late, so I should go back.
“Um, wait! Juncheng!” Lily called out my name loudly. I turned back to look at her and asked, “What is it?”
“Your… your school uniform, I’ll wash and mend it for you!”
“Oh, thank you. I’ll trouble you then.” Speaking of which, it was because of her school uniform last time… Heh, what a coincidence. The last time I asked her to mend my school uniform, she became my servant, no, my slave. This time, when she mends my school uniform, she’s back to being a teacher… It’s… perhaps not the same anymore. I can’t fully treat her as a teacher anymore.
“Also, um… I’ll start helping you tutor tomorrow… Come to the library during your evening study session…”
“Okay, I understand. Is there anything else?”
“N-no…”
“Then I’ll be going now, Lily.”
“… Be safe. Please be safe.” She still used respectful language. It seems both of us need time to get used to this. Can we truly return to our previous relationship?
“You’re not crying anymore?”
“Honestly, crying like that is unseemly. Succubi are only allowed to shed tears during climax.”
…Mom, did you drink?
“Just one can.”
“What a shame. You were so close to being the first to take his virginity.”
“There’s nothing to regret. Master, Juncheng’s first time should be with someone better, not…”
“Typical defeated dog speech.”
…Mom, you’re really annoying today.
“How is it? Although Juncheng An is still your master in name, since I’ve granted you this level of authority, the master-slave contract is practically void. No one will interfere with your affairs anymore. The horn replacement is also complete, and you should be able to control your succubus abilities freely now. This time, you’ve truly obtained the ‘freedom’ you’ve always dreamed of.”
“Freedom…”
“I must say, he’s a good master. I never expected anyone to use a master-slave contract like this, especially for us succubi. This is unheard of. It can even be called a miracle. After completing a master-slave contract that should have been a nightmare, you gained freedom? Oh ho, is it because he’s a saint, or… ‘he simply didn’t care about you’?”
“Stop… saying that!”
“So, what do you want? Tell me clearly.”
“His… name… is on my chest. My heart… even if it was just a mere ‘imprint,’ it’s a fact that I don’t intend to deny… He is my master… always.”
“…My daughter is an M, I’m also in despair…”
“Mom—”
“Don’t bother making hangover soup. Go buy some liquor from downstairs. Xun might not be home until the latter half of the night. Before midnight, I’ll drink with you.”
“Then… just one can.”
“Oh, right. Although the contract is practically void, he hasn’t started calling you ‘Teacher’ again, has he?”
Cry-laughing… Tsk, how disgusting.
“I’m going to buy alcohol.”
