The walk back to the academy passed in a strange quiet; barely anything or anyone was still awake at this time of hour, the only things that were roaming the streets were officers guarding the streets.
It was comfortable enough that we didn’t need to use teleportation.
The moon followed us, bright and beautiful, casting long shadows across the stone path. Evelina walked beside me, close enough that our shoulders brushed more than once. Each time it happened, she didn’t move away.
Neither did I.
Why would I?
When we reached her dormitory, she stopped in front of the door, fingers hovering over the handle. For a moment, she hesitated again, just like she had outside the cave.
Then she exhaled slowly.
"...You’re really calm," she said, not turning to look at me.
"Should I not be?"
She laughed softly. "Well... considering your previous over-the-top reactions, yes."
The door opened with a quiet click.
Her room was exactly as I remembered, controlled, sterile, even cleaner than before. Every book aligned, every object placed with intent. It felt less like a bedroom and more like a personal imperial library built for one person.
She closed the door behind us.
The sound echoed louder than it comfortably should.
"For the record," Evelina said, turning to face me, "this isn’t a test. I just decided that you may be worth my love after all..."
"I know that already, your face tells it all."
"Really? I guess I’m getting rusty."
Her gaze lingered on my face, searching for something: fear, desperation, expectation, or even submission.
Finding none seemed to confuse her.
For someone who acted like a dog that obeyed her every whim, I surprisingly had more agency than she initially thought.
’So he doesn’t always act like a dog... that’s good, I guess.’
She headed to her wardrobe, undressing without a care in the world, not minding that I was present and actively staring at her.
"Not embarrassed?"
"You’ve already undressed me with your imagination at this point..." She looked at me and chuckled, still unnerved by my unnatural accuracy.
But at least she knew I posed no danger to her; If there was any person she would be comfortable being alone with, it would be me.
CRACKLE!
I felt a small sting on my neck, the succubus’s residual magic lingering on my skin, slowly becoming one with my own chaos magic.
And Evelina could sense it; she had already been warned by the succubus days ago.
’That small spark... It’s starting to spill over, isn’t it?’
’Yes, if you’re not careful, he might overwhelm you...’ The succubus replied within her mind.
’I already planned for that.’
’Really, for someone who was just embarrassed about seeing herself in someone else’s fantasies?’
’Silence...’ Evelina’s demonic magic sparked as she reprimanded the succubus. While they had a contract, she still wouldn’t accept disrespect.
’I’m not that ignorant, it just caught me off guard back then, now...? I’m prepared...’
She glanced behind her, seeing me continuing to look at her while she undressed, my gaze more bold than usual, both from her instructions of nullifying our temporary dynamic and the energy pulsing within me.
’Besides, out of every man in this academy, he’s the only one worthy enough to get my attention.’
’No longer hiding your feelings?’
’No... you can read my mind anyway.’
Evelina tapped at her choker, temporarily blocking the succubus from talking, preferring to stay in the moment for a while.
"What are you waiting for, you seriously don’t expect me to believe you’re comfortable enough to sleep in... that, along with that heap of metal on your wrist..."
She stared towards me, now in nothing but her underwear.
"But..."
CRACKLE!
"Never mind, you’re right..."
Huh... that was strange, did I just change my mind almost instantly?
I rubbed two fingers together, feeling static energy wrapped around my skin. I already knew what was affecting me... but Evelina didn’t seem to react to it.
In fact, she looked like she accepted it.
My old coworkers would always say that my weird obsession was a huge turn-off.
Maybe the temporary overflow of succubutic energy around me was enough to give me that small push to stop acting like a dog all the time.
I was self-aware enough to know that I was just trying to be the best pawn I could.
But if she saw me as someone more than a pawn, then I’ll naturally match it.
Evelina tilted her head slightly, studying me in silence.
There was no mockery in her eyes now. No playful cruelty, no calculated pressure.
Just interested.
"You’re thinking too hard again," she said quietly.
I didn’t answer immediately. Instead, I reached up and unfastened the metal on my wrist, setting the launcher down on the nearby desk with deliberate care. The sound it made was soft, but final.
Her gaze followed the movement.
"Better," she murmured.
I shrugged out of my coat next, folding it instead of letting it fall. Old habits. Control, even when it wasn’t required. When I straightened, her eyes lingered openly, tracing me without embarrassment but with open interest.
She already showed her vulnerable side to me back in the tomb; there was no point in hiding it anymore.
Sitting on her bed, she patted the space right next to her, trying to maintain a semblance of control despite the situation.
"Come to think of it... didn’t you imagine me in this situation already?"
"You remembered, huh?" I laughed, kneeling in front of her instead.
I think I now know what Evelina felt while being overwhelmed by the choker.
It was a miracle she even managed to control it.
I couldn’t say the same for me.
"You’re beautiful..."
I grabbed her by her waist as I pressed my face onto her neck, smelling her... it was intoxicating, heavenly... ahh...
I was so happy that I could just flat out die.
This is really happening, isn’t it?
And it didn’t even take me a month...
Ah...
CRACKLE!