Chapter 33: Lucia! Prepare to Die, Meow!

Lilia lowered her head, staring at the carpet beneath her toes.

The new collar around her neck pressed down, making it hard to breathe.

The metal ring hung just above her collarbone. Every time she took a breath, the thing swayed.

Stay focused.

Lucia’s voice pulled her back.

Lilia looked up and saw the black fireball floating above Lucia’s palm.

There are only two key points to the Fireball Spell.

Lucia spoke.

Compression, ignition.

The fireball in her hand began to shrink, but the black flames burned even fiercer.

The air around them twisted.

Compress it to the limit, use Spirit Force as a spark, and detonate.

As soon as she finished speaking, she flicked her finger.

A streak of black light shot toward the target in the corner.

Boom!

The Obsidian Target was blasted open with a hole the size of a basin, smoke curling from the edges.

Lilia was completely stunned.

That power…

If she learned this…

The humiliation in her mind was instantly washed away by a surge of longing.

She had to learn this!

Did you get it?

Lucia asked.

I… I understand, meow!

Lilia nodded vigorously.

Then try it.

Lilia took a deep breath and extended her right hand.

With her experience from spinning the cat toy stick, it was much easier to gather Magic Energy this time.

Soon, a white sphere the size of a fist floated above her palm.

This was her current limit.

Compress.

Lucia spoke a single word.

Lilia gritted her teeth and began forcing Spirit Force into the sphere.

But it was much harder than she imagined.

Magic Energy naturally wanted to expand outward. As she compressed it, the sphere shook wildly, its edges leaking energy.

Steady, meow!

She clenched her back teeth, pouring all her Spirit Force onto the sphere.

Fist-sized… apple-sized…

By the time it compressed to the size of an egg, sweat was pouring down Lilia’s forehead.

Her brain started to throb. Her Spirit Force was nearly depleted.

Continue.

Lucia spoke beside her.

Lilia bit down and pressed harder.

Egg-sized… ping pong ball-sized…

When the sphere shrank to the size of a ping pong ball, she could barely hold on.

The thing trembled madly in her palm, ready to explode at any moment.

N-no more… meow.

Her voice trembled.

Useless.

Lucia spat out the word coldly.

Lilia’s body went rigid.

You can’t even withstand this much pressure, and you still dream of pushing me down?

She…

So she knew all along!

A surge of fire shot up inside her.

Who are you calling useless!

I’m not!

Meow!

Lilia shouted, summoning her last shred of Spirit Force and forcing it into the sphere.

Pop!

The sphere exploded in her palm, scattering into tiny points of light.

Failure.

Lilia gasped for breath, her legs giving out as she collapsed to the floor.

Her Spirit Force was drained, her head splitting with pain, and her vision went black.

You can’t even control your own power. All you do is make a mess.

Lucia walked over and looked down at her.

Get up.

Lilia braced herself against the floor, trying twice before failing to stand.

Lucia frowned.

Then she bent down and scooped Lilia up, letting her lean against her chest.

Then she grabbed Lilia’s right hand and pressed her own hand to it.

Meow?!

Lilia tensed up.

She tried to pull her hand back, but Lucia’s grip was unbreakable.

Feel my magic.

Lucia spoke right beside her ear.

A massive, pure wave of Magic Energy poured from Lucia’s palm.

Cold, solid, carrying an overwhelming will.

The power circled through Lilia’s body.

Then it gathered between their joined palms.

A black fireball formed once more.

Your problem is your Spirit Force isn’t focused and your output is chaotic.

Lucia controlled the fireball with their joined hands.

Don’t try to force it. Use finesse, not brute strength.

She guided Lilia’s Spirit Force around the fireball.

Lilia could feel it clearly.

Lucia’s Spirit Force wrapped around the fireball from all directions, applying even pressure.

Find the balance point and lock it in.

Under Lucia’s guidance, the black fireball shrank steadily.

But the entire process was stable. Not a single wisp of energy leaked.

Lilia was completely immersed.

Her body pressed against Lucia’s.

Her nose was filled with that cool, clean scent.

Her hand was held tightly in that warm grip.

Lucia’s Magic Energy and Spirit Force were laid bare for her to see.

This hands-on, almost zero-distance teaching—

….

Lilia’s face began to burn.

This perverted Demon King… even though she had a sharp tongue, when she taught things…

She was actually pretty serious?

Distracted?

Lucia’s voice interrupted her.

N-no, I’m not, meow!

Lilia quickly refocused, concentrating on the flow of Magic Energy.

She didn’t know how much time passed.

When the fireball was compressed to its limit, Lucia let go.

Try it yourself. Ignite.

Lilia stared at the pitch-black energy sphere hovering above her palm, no larger than a fingernail.

She swallowed.

Imitating Lucia, she sent a thread of Spirit Force over with a gentle flick.

The next moment—

The black energy sphere, carrying all her hope, shot forward with a howl.

It streaked across the air, striking the Obsidian Target in the distance.

Puff–

A hole the size of a fist appeared on the target, its edges unnaturally smooth.

Lilia stared at her palm, her mind blank.

This thing… did I really fire it?

Though its power was far less than Lucia’s, it was still a complete Fireball Spell!

She’d done it!

I did it! Meow!

Lilia jumped up, her tail wagging furiously.

She turned to Lucia, pride lighting up her face.

Master! I learned it! Meow!

Lucia only nodded.

Barely passable.

Compression rate thirty percent, Spirit Force ignition delay half a second, trajectory unstable.

As my Pet, that’s just passing.

A string of technical terms rained down, dampening Lilia’s excitement by half.

This person… would it kill her to say something nice?

But she quickly adjusted her mindset.

Passable is passable! Entry level is entry level!

She’d mastered the principle and casting technique!

With more practice, she’d definitely increase the power!

And then—

Lilia’s eyes flickered, a bold plan forming in her mind.

She’d give this perverted Demon King a ‘surprise’!

Master, I… I think my Spirit Force is depleted, my head hurts, meow…

Lilia suddenly clutched her head, her body swaying.

Her face paled, her voice grew weak, and her cat ears drooped powerlessly.

This acting was something she’d learned from the advanced chapter of Succubus Advancement Manual: How to Turn Innate Gifts into Weapons—How to Use Weakness to Disarm the Enemy.

Is that so?

Lucia glanced at her.

Lilia’s heart skipped.

Did she see through me?

Lilith.

Lucia ignored her, giving a command to the air.

Take her back to her room to rest. Cancel this afternoon’s lessons.

Yes, Your Majesty.

Lilith appeared and supported Lilia’s ‘weak’ body.

Miss, please come with me.

Lilia shifted more of her weight onto her.

She pretended she could barely walk.

Lilith helped her, step by step, toward the door.

As she turned, Lilia sneaked a glance back at Lucia.

Lucia had already returned to her seat behind the desk, picking up the thick tome and paying her no mind.

Good!

The fish took the bait!

Lilia cheered inwardly.

Back in her room, Lilia immediately sprang away from Lilith.

The weak act from moments before vanished without a trace.

Lilith, thank you for bringing me back, meow!

I’d like to be alone for a while, is that alright? Meow?

She flashed her sweetest smile.

Lilith glanced at her, said nothing, bowed, and left.

The door closed.

The smile vanished from Lilia’s face.

She rushed to the center of the room, spread her stance, and extended her right hand.

Fireball Spell!

She began to gather Magic Energy in her palm.

Her Spirit Force wasn’t depleted at all!

It was all an act!

In reality, thanks to Lucia’s hands-on teaching, she’d not only learned the Fireball Spell, but had also ‘borrowed’ a fair bit of pure Magic Energy from Lucia.

She was in perfect condition!

The sphere formed in her palm, then compressed!

Ping pong ball size—

Longan size—

Soybean size!

Lilia gritted her teeth, pushing her Spirit Force to the limit.

This time, she compressed the sphere to the size of a soybean—and kept it stable!

Hah!

With a low cry, the energy point shot out.

Puff!

A small hole appeared in the cabinet at the corner of the wall.

Amazing!

Meow!

Lilia clenched her fist.

This shot was even stronger than the one in the study!

She was a genius!

Next, she practiced furiously.

Gather, compress, fire—again and again.

From awkward to skilled.

Her Spirit Force was tempered each time she pushed her limits, growing more refined and resilient.

Her understanding of the Fireball Spell deepened.

The compression rate can go higher…

I can advance the Spirit Force ignition by another 0.1 seconds…

The trajectory can be corrected by adjusting the initial angle…

She was completely immersed in the thrill of rapidly growing stronger.

The holes on the wall multiplied and grew larger.

Lilia looked at the latest Fireball Spell’s mark—almost twice as big as the ones before.

She nodded in satisfaction.

The time was right.

Lilia tiptoed to the door and quietly opened it a crack.

The corridor was silent.

She slipped out soundlessly, heading straight for the study.

She would give Lucia a massive ‘surprise’!

She would make that perverted Demon King realize Lilia wasn’t to be trifled with!

The study door was ajar, light from the magic lamp spilling out.

Lilia’s heartbeat sped up.

She hid behind the door, took a deep breath, and began gathering Magic Energy in her hand.

This was the strongest Fireball Spell she’d prepared all afternoon!

She poured all her Spirit Force and Magic Energy into it.

A dangerously bright energy point formed in her palm.

Brighter and more stable than any before.

Now!

Lilia burst through the door, shouting at the figure behind the desk:

Lucia! Prepare to die!

Meow!

The fireball containing all her power and hope roared forth!