Chapter 257: The Succubus Queen's Special Lesson – Rong, Watch Carefully (3)
Sistine was delighted but still a little worried.
"If you don't want to, there's no need to force yourself. I can tell her no."
She traced circles on his ches t with her finger.
"More than introducing you to her, I care more about your happiness."
"Everything else is secondary."
Her gaze was sincere, every word from her heart.
It was impossible not to feel a deep affection for her.
Shia tightened his hold on her.
"Don't worry, I'm not forcing myself."
"I'm curious to meet your friend too."
"Isn't it said that loving someone makes you want to be part of their world?"
"If they're close enough to you to be called your best friend, I'd like to meet them."
Sistine stared at Shia, her heart full of gratitude and warmth.
"Then, I'll bring her to meet you tomorrow," she said, unable to suppress her rising smile.
---
Though their conversation was over, Sistine lingered, reluctant to leave.
"I'll go let her know you agreed to meet," she said, resting her chin on his shoulder.
"Alright. Go on."
But she didn't move.
Instead, she kept gazing at him, savoring the warmth of his presence.
"Really, I'll go now~!"
"Go ahead."
Sistine pouted slightly, hesitating. Her gaze, hidden behind her blindfold, hovered around him.
Her palms grew sweaty as she peeked at the others sharing snacks nearby, hoping they wouldn't notice.
Shia found her behavior amusing.
Though she looked like a serene older sister, she was really just a clingy, affectionate girl underneath.
Before he could tease her, she leaned in suddenly, pressing her lips softly against his.
It was brief, a light touch, before she pulled away like a startled fish and darted toward the door faster than a rabbit.
"I'll be back soon to visit again!"
Her voice lingered in the air as her figure disappeared beyond the doorway.
Nia and Rong were about to say their goodbyes but noticed the figures were already gone.
Both stood there, slightly bewildered.
"How did they leave so quickly?"
Shia snapped out of her thoughts at the sound of their voices. She felt the lingering warmth of that stolen kiss just before Sistine left and couldn't help but smile knowingly.
Maybe she was shy?
The senior was getting bolder these days.
Beneath her cold and aloof exterior burned a fiery passion.
Meanwhile, Queen Eden glanced at the door that had just closed again. She withdrew her gaze and casually picked up a piece of dessert, savoring it slowly.
Even Sistine's daring stolen kiss hadn't escaped her sharp eyes.
Looking at her daughter, who was seriously enjoying the dessert beside her, Queen Eden sighed inwardly.
Through the constant stream of visitors, her understanding of Shia's allure had shifted from idealism to reality.
In fact, his appeal seemed to surpass even her expectations.
After all, every single girl around him was both exceptionally talented and incredibly powerful.
Each one had a rich personality and, more importantly, wielded deadly charms no boy could resist.
But her daughter?
Queen Eden's gaze landed on Rong and scrutinized her from head to toe.
Her concerns only deepened.
What advantages did her foolish daughter have?
Flat chest?
Social anxiety?
These were outright negative traits, weren't they?
Absolutely nothing about her was attractive.
Compared to the others, Rong was utterly outclassed, crushed without any chance of winning.
It was downright embarrassing for a succubus.
That night, an uninvited guest arrived in Rong's room.
Hugging her pillow, Rong stared in confusion at Queen Eden, who had suddenly appeared.
The queen didn't wait for an invitation, climbing directly onto the bed.
Was she here to sleep together again?
Rong was already used to it. She closed the door, got back into bed, and prepared to resume sleeping.
But Queen Eden clearly had a purpose tonight.
"We need to talk."
"About what?"
"Your man."
Rong perked up slightly, glancing at her with suspicion.
"You want to make a move on him?"
"Not me. You."
"What about me? I get along fine with Master."
"But he doesn't only have you by his side."
"Master is amazing. It's normal for girls to like him. As long as I can stay with him, I'm content."
"And you're not afraid of losing him to them?"
"Master always makes room for me. I can help him manage them."
Rong yawned, looking ready to sleep again, clearly unbothered by Eden's suggestive words.
Her desires were simple; this life was already good enough for her.
But Queen Eden pulled her up, her voice full of exasperation.
"You're still here only because of luck, not because of any real strength of your own."
"Don't mistake temporary good fortune for ability."
"If one day you face a powerful rival, or your luck runs out…"
She trailed off, letting the unsaid words hang ominously in the air.
As a succubus princess, how could she be content with just coexisting, instead of striving to monopolize?
Did she even understand the strength of her competition?
Rong blinked, suddenly wide awake.
Diana's figure flashed in her mind. Her expression grew serious, and she shivered instinctively.
As much as she disliked this woman sometimes, she had to admit she was right.
Not to mention anyone else—just the woman in front of her was proof enough.
Rong's wariness toward Eden stemmed from knowing her overwhelming charm, something no man could resist.
Then there was the headmistress—her strength wasn't just formidable, but her allure was utterly mesmerizing.
That's why they all treated her with such hostility, wasn't it?
And to counter her, Rong had to pull every string possible, gathering any ally she could.
But what if they failed?
Just imagining that outcome made her heart race with dread.
Compared to them, she had no confidence.
"Surely… it won't come to that, right?"
Queen Eden stared at her silently.
"Even if you all get along in the future and manage to coexist peacefully…"
"What makes you stand out among so many exceptional girls?"
"Tell me, what do you have that's better than them?"
"You know a succubus's weaknesses well. Protecting him with brute force? Can you?"
"And let's talk about allure."
"Why do you think I always say Nia looks more like a succubus princess than you?"
Her eyes slowly drifted downward, carrying a trace of disdain.
Critical hit.
Rong froze.
Unwanted memories started replaying in her mind.
Not just Nia or Sistine, but even their classmate, the princess, was outstanding.
Even his annoying fiancée stood at the top of her league.
Compared to them, Rong really didn't have any redeeming qualities.
Completely defeated, Rong fell silent.
Seeing this, Queen Eden snorted lightly.
"The only reason they tolerate you is that they're kind."
"If it were someone with a stronger possessive streak, unwilling to share, what makes you think you'd still have a spot beside him?"
Panic began to rise in Rong's chest.
She could already see the nightmare of the future—a crowd of exceptional girls surrounding Shia so tightly that she couldn't even get close.
She wouldn't even qualify to line up, let alone compete.
It was terrifying!
Seeing that her words had hit home, Queen Eden smirked in satisfaction.
Crossing her arms, she glanced at Rong with a mixture of disdain and amusement.
"With just this? You won't stand a chance."
Rong shivered and snapped out of her daze.
"Then… what should I do?"