Chapter 11: Akane Kurio's Melancholy
"Good morning."
"Good morning, Kurio-san."
I exchanged greetings with my classmates and took my seat.
"Good morning, Akane. It's rare for you to be just in time. Did you stay up late last night?"
"Good morning, Mitsuki. Well, something like that. I went to bed a bit late."
As soon as I took my seat, Mitsuki started talking to me. She's a boyish, always energetic, highly social person who is always at the center of the class, and my best friend.
"Good morning, Akane-san. Staying up late is bad for your skin. You should make sure to go to bed early and get up early."
Aya joined in. She is Akane's other best friend, so graceful and elegant that it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say she personifies purity.
"Good morning, Aya. Yes, I'll be careful. You both always wake up early, don't you?"
"I have morning practice with the track team, and Aya has always been an early riser. Our lifestyles match up well."
"Mitsuki, you should go to bed earlier. Getting enough sleep is important."
Listening to my two roommates talk, I started thinking about Lily, who I had left in the room.
(What is she doing now? She's supposed to be weak to sunlight, so I guess she's sleeping in the room…)
"Akane, are you okay? You seem lost in thought."
"If you're not feeling well, should we go to the nurse's office?"
"No, I'm fine. I was just thinking about something. Thank you both. Homeroom is about to start, so see you later."
While appreciating my friends' concern, I tried to act normal and hide my feelings.
(That's right, I need to think about how to protect these dear friends from Lily.)
Akane straightened her back and tried to muster her shaken resolve.
---
"Akane-san, do you have a moment?"
During lunch break, Kurumi called me, and we moved to the hallway together. Kurumi, who is also an exorcist like me, has a noticeable large chest that always catches my eye.
"You seemed out of it during both class and break today. Are you worried about something?"
It seems she was worried about me. Kurumi always cares about me, not just today.
"No, I'm fine. There's nothing wrong. Thank you for worrying about me."
Because of the power of the enchantment, I couldn't talk about Lily or call for help.
(Why… that's not what I want to say…)
Any hope that Kurumi, who is skilled in using spells and very knowledgeable, might help me quickly vanished. Akane felt her chest tighten with helplessness.
"That's good to hear, but... You went on patrol last night, didn't you? I was worried something might have happened."
"It's fine. Nothing happened."
"Alright. If you ever have any worries, you can talk to me anytime. Also, let's go on patrol together next time."
"Thank you. Yes, let's go together next time."
"Really!? Promise!"
Although Kurumi seemed very concerned, the conversation ended smoothly, and Akane's desperate attempt failed.
---
"Welcome back. I've been waiting for you."
Entering the room, slightly happy to hear words I hadn't heard until yesterday...
"What... is this..."
Akane was speechless. For a moment, she thought she had entered the wrong room, as it had been redecorated. The two desks were pushed to the side, a pastel pink rug covered the floor, the curtains were changed to dark pink, and pink accessories decorated the walls. At the back was a double-sized bed with white sheets and a light purple blanket, the color contrast emphasizing the room's new atmosphere. Standing in this almost fantastical space was Lily, who turned to face Akane.
"Do you like it? I changed the interior to my liking. Isn't it cute?"
This fancy room would be a welcome change, if not for Lily's presence. But redecorating like this was definitely not allowed.
"How did you do all this?"
"I asked the director to change it. Also, I'll be transferring to your class starting tomorrow."
I see. I could grasp the situation somewhat. Lily probably used her charm or something else to get the director to agree to this.
Now I noticed Lily was wearing the school uniform.
"So that's what you were preparing... Where are your wings? Your horns and tail?"
Akane questioned the silhouette of Lily, who looked almost like a human.
"Of course, I hid them. Now, I'm almost no different from a human. I can handle sunlight and can't be sensed by magical power. However, the magic I can use is also quite limited."
Indeed, I can't feel any magic power from Lily's body right now.
If I didn't know her true nature, I wouldn't suspect at all that she's a succubus.
Akane was astonished by Lily's abilities, realizing that she could do such things.
"I received a lot of life force from you yesterday. I'm brimming with power. And besides, a school named 'Shirayuri Girls Academy' is just perfect for me. I really picked up a good slave."
Noticing the seductive change in Lily's expression and voice, Akane gulped.
"I got rid of the bunk bed since it was in the way. From now on, I'll love you in the same bed forever♡"
Lily's lewd whisper reminded Akane of what happened on the bed yesterday, and her body became hot.
Breathing heavily as if afflicted by a fever, with unfocused eyes, she lost strength in her legs and collapsed onto the floor.
"I must reward a useful slave... Akane, come here..."
"Y-yes, Lady Lily..."
Akane crawled on all fours across the rug, moving toward Lily, who was seated on the bed.
The resolve she had mustered in the classroom was crumbling away before the anticipation of pleasure.