My Succubus Health Bar Runs on Girl-Crushes

Vanessa watched Tessa’s face run through an entire theater’s worth of emotions and finally decided to spare her. With a teasing little laugh, she said, “All right, all right. Look at our poor little Tessa. If we keep going, we’re going to break her. We’ll let you off for tonight.”

The trial was over.

Unfortunately, the night’s suffering had only just begun.

Late that night, after Tessa had washed up and thought she could finally crawl into her little blanket nest for peace, a shadow shot under her covers with a whoosh.

“Tessa! I watched a horror movie today, and if I sleep alone, I’m going to have nightmares! You smell so nice and you’re so soft, so hugging you will definitely ward off evil!” Chloe announced, then climbed onto Tessa’s already narrow twin bed with a reason so shamelessly forceful that it left no room for argument.

Vanessa and Iris merely exchanged a knowing look. Neither of them had the slightest intention of stopping her.

In the darkness, Chloe clung to Tessa like a clingy octopus, her warm, soft body wrapped tightly around her. She rested her head in the hollow of Tessa’s shoulder and kept whispering all the latest gossip from the day.

“…Tessa, you have no idea. The forum is going insane. They’ve built thousands of replies just fighting over your ships…”

“Tessa, your waist is so tiny… your skin is so smooth… hehe, hugging you feels amazing…”

Warm breath brushed over Tessa’s sensitive ear. A soft girl’s body pressed defenselessly against her back. The careless intimacy made Tessa stiffen again and again, her head filling with chaos until, under the double torture of body and mind, she finally drifted into a dazed, exhausted sleep.

“Knock! Knock! Knock!”

At 5:55 in the morning, Riley Summers’ demonic knocking arrived right on time.

“Mm…”

Half asleep, Tessa felt as if several merciless hands were digging her out of bed. She opened her eyes in a daze and found herself being held up by her roommates. The thin black silk nightdress she wore had been thoroughly ruined by the night’s tossing and turning, wrinkled into a mess, with one strap slipping down to reveal a pale, rounded shoulder and delicate collarbone.

[Ding! High-intensity exercise has been detected. Your current clothing is unsuitable.]

The system’s cheerful voice rang out in her head.

[Would you like to equip the quest reward, [Absolute Zone Athletic Shorts], right away? They’re already in your closet. Put them on, and you’ll be the brightest sight on the whole athletic field. Hehe.]

“Hurry, hurry, Tessa! Riley is about to knock the door down!”

Before Tessa could react, she was half-pushed, half-dragged to the closet. Vanessa opened it with the ease of someone who had done this far too many times and spotted the brand-new athletic shorts at a glance.

In the end, Tessa was forced into the exercise outfit.

The top was an ordinary fitted white athletic tank.

The bottom, however…

Those so-called [Absolute Zone Athletic Shorts] were absurdly short. They barely covered the tops of her thighs, completely showing off her long, straight legs and the graceful curve of her hips. Large stretches of snowy skin were exposed to the air, almost glowing as she shifted uneasily.

“Damn.”

Vanessa was the first to lose composure. She let out a whistle, circled Tessa once, and looked her up and down with eyes that seemed ready to catch fire. “Tessa, sweetheart, are you going out for morning training or hunting prey? Those legs of yours… they’re lethal.”

Riley had been waiting at the door long enough for her temper to climb. She was just about to snap when the door opened.

Then she saw Tessa walk out.

The instant her gaze accidentally landed on Tessa’s fully exposed legs beneath those shorts, Riley’s breath stopped for a fraction of a second.

“Cough.”

To hide her slip, Riley’s expression turned even harsher than yesterday. She nearly ground the words out between her teeth. “Too slow. Warm-up. Today’s training time is doubled.”

She gave the order in a tone that allowed no refusal, then turned and walked away as if one more look would make her lose control.

And so, the second round of Riley’s “demonic body reconstruction” began, a hundred times more brutal than yesterday.

During lunging stretches, Tessa’s already sore legs trembled nonstop. Riley couldn’t stand watching it. She crouched down, pressed one hand against Tessa’s waist, and placed her other burning-hot palm on Tessa’s thigh.

Then came the squats.

Once again, Riley stood behind Tessa and practically wrapped her entire body around her, using herself as support. The posture brought Riley’s chin close enough to almost rest in the hollow of Tessa’s shoulder.

As Tessa panted from exhaustion, her warm breaths brushed over Riley’s neck again and again. Riley felt her own breathing begin to heat up beyond her control.

“Hold steady! Stop swaying!” she barked, using a near shout to cover her panic. Even so, her breath was hot and faintly unsteady. “Your waist is too soft. You can’t use any strength at all!”

The training load was far beyond the previous session. Tessa, who had been weak to begin with, was completely drained.

When Riley finally announced that training was over, Tessa’s vision went black. Her legs turned as soft as noodles, unable to hold her up, and she started collapsing toward the ground.

Riley reacted instantly and caught her in her arms.

The girl’s bonelessly soft body slumped against her. That strange, sweet body scent mixed with sweat and rushed straight into Riley’s nose. Looking at Tessa’s pale face and tightly shut eyes, Riley felt a flash of regret and heartache.

Still, her mouth remained stubborn. She helped Tessa sit on a nearby bench and said stiffly, “Today’s training was only the beginning. Now go to class. Don’t be late.”

Then she turned and left almost like she was fleeing, completely forgetting to remind the little fool to eat breakfast and recover her strength.

By the time Tessa dragged her trembling legs back to the dorm, it was almost time for her first elective of the morning. Her three roommates had different classes and had already left.

She rushed through a shower, changed clothes, and grabbed her textbook without even having time to drink water before hurrying toward the academic building.

After Riley’s brutal training, a whole morning of classes drained what little energy remained from Tessa’s body. She had not eaten a single bite.

When the bell rang, she planned to head straight to the dining hall. But the moment she stood from her seat, the world spun violently. She had to grab the desk just to keep herself from falling over on the spot.

“Aren’t I supposed to be a succubus? Why do I feel like I’m going to pass out just because I skipped breakfast for one morning? Stupid system! Couldn’t you give me a little physical stat boost when it actually matters? Aaaah!”

Tessa cursed furiously in her head as she supported herself against the wall and inched toward the dining hall step by step.

The laughter and chatter of the students around her seemed to drift farther and farther away. Black spots bloomed across her vision, and everything began to blur.

On the tree-lined path to the dining hall, shaded by camphor trees, Tessa finally couldn’t hold on anymore.

All the strength drained out of her body. She went limp, slid down the trunk of a tree, and sank slowly to the ground as her consciousness began to fade.

Just as she was about to pass out completely, a gentle breeze carrying the rich, warm scent of food drifted toward her.

A worried voice, sweet and clear like spring water, sounded softly above her.

“Hey… are you okay?”

Tessa used the last of her strength to lift her head.