At this moment, Linen was feeling fantastic.
When he'd defeated Ken, it was mostly through ambush and exploiting his weakened state. The duel with Farao, however, had been his first genuine contest against a peer—and he'd proved stronger than expected.
Though he didn't know how far he still had to go before meeting the Empress's expectations, he was now confident he could crush anyone at the same rank.
Of course, the best reward wasn't the superficial thrill of humiliating Farao, but the deeper value gained from exploiting him afterward.
His mother, the Empress, did indeed tell him to turn enemies into friends—but she also warned him never to let those "friends" become enemies again.
Poor Farao had unknowingly become a credit-producing tool, a truly tragic fate.
But the sweetest part of this victory was seeing the heroines' reactions—particularly Elena's. After watching Linen effortlessly demolish Farao, she'd visibly let out a long-held breath, a detail he keenly noted.
By intentionally preventing Elena from fighting and taking credit points, he'd thwarted her plans and left her feeling stifled—exactly as he'd intended.
He'd briefly worried that their earlier, unusually friendly interactions meant the heroines had warmed up to him because of his charm.
But now, he felt reassured.
Their goodwill steadily declining—perfect. His future was bright!
Who needed this ridiculous system, anyway? It posed no challenge at all.
Having temporarily managed the two heroines openly causing trouble, Linen now turned his attention to the more subtle players hiding in the shadows.
"Linen, you wanted to talk to me?"
A timid voice interrupted his thoughts. Turning, Linen looked at his substitute homeroom teacher.
A baggy, outdated tracksuit, a dull ponytail, thick-rimmed glasses—aside from her above-average height, Milian looked exactly like a plain, forgettable girl from the countryside.
Yet, he'd clearly seen something unusual when she'd stopped his [Wind Blade] earlier—and he couldn't simply ignore it.
"Teacher Milian, have you ever heard of the Diamond Chamber of Commerce?"
Hearing Linen's earnest question, Milian froze, slowly turning her head away and nervously adjusting her glasses with trembling hands.
"Oh dear, Linen, you must be joking! I'm just an ordinary woman hoping for a peaceful life—how could I know anything about such a scandalous-sounding establishment?"
"Oh, really? Maybe I misunderstood," Linen stroked his chin thoughtfully. "But as an apology, allow me to enlighten you about the Diamond Chamber of Commerce—"
"W-wait, Linen!" Milian waved her hands desperately. "Actually, that's not necessary. Teacher isn't interested at all!"
But it was too late.
Ignoring Milian's pleading, Linen spoke slowly, clearly, and relentlessly:
"The Diamond Chamber of Commerce is the largest adult entertainment organization in the Zijinghua Empire. Known for passionate service, affordable prices, and catering to everyone from high-ranking officials to commoners. Some even say its true operators aren't human at all—"
"Stop—stop it!"
Linen's lips curled into a sly smile, pressing on mercilessly:
"They're succubi, you know~"
"Ahhhh! Stop talking!"
With a sudden whoosh, a pair of pale violet wings unfolded from Milian's back. Curved ram-like horns sprouted from her head, and even her skin turned a delicate shade of lilac. Most dramatic was her tracksuit—previously loose and baggy, it now stretched tightly over her figure, revealing an unexpectedly voluptuous shape underneath.
Milian's usual posture—slightly hunched and modest—had given an impression of quiet humility. But now, forced upright by her wings, her hidden curves were on full, provocative display.
Glaring at Linen with resentful eyes, Milian made even Linen avert his gaze despite his preparation.
Even though I knew it… seeing an actual succubus for the first time after transmigration really hits differently.
A dejected succubus-sensei is surprisingly alluring…
"So, you discovered me after all! Even though I thought I hid myself perfectly, I was actually full of holes!"
Fully transformed, Milian wailed miserably, tearing off her dull glasses and revealing a strikingly beautiful, alluring face beneath—though right now, it was marred by utter despair.
"You're going to blackmail me into doing weird things to keep my identity secret, aren't you? 'Teacher, surely you don't want your students to know you're a succubus'—is that how it goes?!"
Linen felt momentarily stunned, coughing softly to interrupt his teacher's increasingly wild imagination:
"Teacher Milian, you're misunderstanding. I only wanted to inform you that your eyes turned back to their natural violet color. If you don't want to get exposed, you'd better disguise yourself quickly."
"Eh? Just that?"
Milian blinked, struggling to believe her ears, until she saw Linen pointing calmly at her eyes. Embarrassed, she blushed furiously, pulled out a small box of colored contacts from her pocket, and hastily applied them, instantly reverting to her human form.
She must have lost them earlier while countering Linen's [Wind Blade], too focused on hiding her wings to notice.
Glancing at Linen, who'd considerately turned his back to keep watch for her, Milian felt her heart beat slightly faster.
It seemed she'd misjudged Linen completely—thinking he was some sort of demon.
Those weren't appropriate thoughts for a responsible teacher.
"Are they back on?" Linen turned around suddenly.
"Y-yes, they are! Thank you, Linen!" Milian nodded rapidly.
"Good. Now, I'd like to discuss a deal with you."
"A deal? What kind of deal?" Milian asked, immediately apprehensive. A moment later, she tentatively asked, "Um, Linen… can I refuse?"
"Of course… not!"
Linen shook his head firmly, slowly smiling.
"Teacher Milian, surely you wouldn't want your dear students to find out you're actually a succubus, would you~?"
A—a demon! He really is a demon!
Milian wept inwardly.