Succubi Chapter 161. The Dorm System
"That is not a system."
"That is the dorm system."
"And what if someone wants privacy?"
She gave me a long, slow look. The kind of look that carried centuries of succubus cultural judgement.
"You live in a succubus dorm," she said. "Privacy is an optional."
I groaned.
She kept talking, completely unbothered, leaning back against the counter like she was attending a mildly interesting lecture.
"And besides," she added, "we have seen each other naked."
"That does not make it normal."
"It does here."
She held my underwear up again, inspecting the waistband like it might reveal hidden lore.
"You know," she said casually, "you have surprisingly respectable fabric quality."
"Put. Them. Down."
She ignored me completely.
"You choose to be naked," she replied lazily. "You do not need this."
"Yet. I am showering."
She nodded like that was fascinating research data. "Continue."
"Sera."
She hummed, swinging one leg idly. "Relax. I came to brush my teeth. You just happened to be narrating your emotional crisis."
"That was private."
I turned the water down slightly and crossed my arms, which felt pointless because I was still extremely naked and dripping.
"Give me my underwear."
She held them up and sniffed lightly. "…Fresh. Disappointing."
"Give. Them. Back."
She tossed them toward the towel rack, still watching me like I was the best entertainment channel in Hell.
"You like her," she said simply.
I blinked.
"That was not a question."
"I know," she said.
I sighed, dragging a hand through wet hair. "I do not know what I feel."
"Sure you do."
"No, I do not."
She tilted her head, studying me with surprising sharpness beneath that sleepy demeanor.
"You are afraid because it was real," she said. "Not lust. Not performance. Not conquest. Real."
I stared at her.
Steam curled between us like a living curtain.
"I am Pride," I said quietly.
"Yes," she said. "And Pride hates being vulnerable."
I swallowed.
She hopped off the counter and padded closer, stopping just outside the shower glass. Her reflection blurred in the fog, turning her into a soft silver silhouette.
"You think liking her means losing control," she said.
"…Maybe."
She smiled faintly. "Or maybe it means gaining something stronger."
I exhaled slowly, leaning my forehead against the warm tile again.
"You girls are dangerous," I muttered.
"We are succubi," she replied sweetly. "Danger is the dorm theme."
She tapped the glass once, then turned to leave, pausing at the doorway.
"Oh," she added casually, "Evelyn is pacing outside your room. She tried to look casual about it. Failed spectacularly."
My heart jumped in a very traitorous way.
Sera smirked.
"Good night, Anomaly."
And just like that, she was gone, leaving steam, water, and a very naked demon prince standing in a bathroom wondering when exactly his life turned into an emotional boss battle.
I stared at the shower head.
"…Shit," I muttered.
And somewhere deep inside my chest, something warm laughed.
Not mocking.
Not cruel.
Just… knowing.
I stood there for a moment, steam curling around me like ghostly hands trying to push me toward a conclusion I absolutely did not want to reach. The bathroom mirror was fogged over, hiding my reflection. Good. I was not sure I wanted to see my face right now. Felt like I might recognize something new in it and I was not emotionally prepared for that level of existential horror.
I stepped out of the shower and grabbed a towel, scrubbing my hair aggressively like I could wipe thoughts out of my skull through friction alone.
It did not work.
By the time I pulled on clean underwear, academy trousers, and my Arcana jacket, the feeling was still there. That weird tightness in my chest. That unfamiliar softness sitting right behind my ribs like it had rented property and refused to pay tax.
Vulnerable.
Yeah.
That word did not exist in my dictionary. I would personally burn the dictionary before allowing it in.
I buttoned my shirt, fingers moving automatically, and stared down at the small tremor in my hands.
Nope.
Nope.
We were not doing emotional processing today.
I shoved the feeling down like it owed me money.
Not really wanting to attach myself to something that one day could disappear. That was dangerous. Attachments were liabilities. Every royal training manual drilled that into your skull before you learned how to summon your first infernal contract.
I frowned slowly.
Wait…
Since when did I think like that so instinctively?
I paused halfway through fixing my collar, leaning against the wardrobe.
Dependable equals weakness.
That thought echoed through my head like it had lived there for years.
"Shit…" I muttered again, softer this time.
I was really a Pride demon.
Not just by title. Not just by bloodline. But mentality. Pride was survival. Pride was armor. Pride never begged. Pride never leaned on something that might vanish. Pride stood alone because alone meant invincible.
But…
What I felt with Evelyn earlier…
That was not just lust.
Not just hormones screaming because I was a teenage demon prince with questionable impulse control.
It was deeper. Warmer. Scarier.
Did I…
Fall in love?
The thought hit me so suddenly I actually laughed under my breath.
"Okay," I said quietly to the empty room. "That is… fine. Possibly. Manageable."
The real question punched me right after.
Did they love me too?
Not just Evelyn.
All of them.
Succubi needed to feed through intimacy. Through pleasure. Through connection. That was survival for them.
So…
Did they love me?
Or was I just… dinner with extra benefits?
The thought tasted bitter in my mouth.
"I mean," I muttered. "I provide excellent service. Five star rating. Would recommend."
The joke fell flat.
I sighed and grabbed my books, stepping out of my room.
The hallway glowed with low amber lighting.
I walked slowly.
Too slowly.
My brain was still chewing thoughts like they were overcooked steak.
And that was why I did not see the tiny shadow darting across the floor until it was too late.
"Ekk!"
I jerked to a stop as something squeaked beneath my boot.
I looked down.
A servant imp stared up at me, eyes glowing neon yellow, tail pinned under my heel like an extremely offended bookmark.
"Oh shit!" I jumped back instantly. "Sorry! I am so sorry!"
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