Lilith - Chapter 40 - Rise Again

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Silence reigned as the trio stepped through the portal.

The magical light composing the runic circle slowly faded behind them, leaving in the air a faint arcane hum and the scent of ozone, which was swept away by the gentle breeze in the Sidesilvern portal courtyard. Behind them, the tournament staff member took a deep breath, wiping the sweat from her forehead and saying:

"I'm sorry... I really can’t open a portal directly into the school. The magical protections..."

Lillith simply nodded in understanding, saying nothing. Celestina responded with a light nod, and Emma... Emma didn’t even look at the woman. Her eyes were fixed on the ground...

The three walked on in absolute silence.

The courtyard, usually bustling and lit by warmth and glow enchantments, now felt cold. The enchanted statues of former professors watched with dull eyes. It was as if the school itself had sensed something had gone wrong. The three moved slowly, dragging their feet. Each of them carried the weight of failure in their eyes.

Celestina, usually so cheerful and optimistic, walked with her head down, her expression a rigid and somber mask. Lillith had her arms crossed and shoulders tense, her face locked in a scowl that revealed nothing of the storm of guilt inside. And Emma...

Emma looked dead.

Her eyes were open, but they didn’t see. Her face was damp—not with fresh tears, but with ones that had already dried along the way. The redhead walked in a straight line, as if her body were on autopilot while her mind drowned in images of Armand being dragged into the portal by Nyx.

Not a word was spoken during the long walk to Seraphina’s office.

Once in front of the large double wooden door, Celestina slowly reached out and knocked three times.

"Come in," said a sweet, melodic voice from inside, with that warm tone Seraphina always used, like every word was a cozy blanket on a cold day.

The three girls opened the door.

Seraphina was as usual: seated behind the massive ebony desk, covered in scrolls, records, and books. The soft light from the magical carving in the ceiling cast a golden glow on her red hair, tied in a perfect bun. Her glasses rested elegantly on her nose, and the black dress she wore hugged her body flawlessly.

The neckline was deep, as always—an elegant abyss barely able to contain breasts that clearly defied any sense of proportion.

She looked at the group and smiled, still focused on her papers.

Seraphina was still smiling as she finished signing a scroll, the soft sound of the magical quill drawing perfect strokes on the ancient surface. She barely looked up as she commented casually:

"Finally back... although I still think Armand overdid it with the timing... But I can’t blame him. Even being a man, he’s the only one I’d trust to make ungraduated witches win a tournament."

She chuckled briefly, adjusting her glasses.

"Even carrying those damn balls between his legs, Armand has always been more reliable than half the professors here."

She lifted her gaze to the three.

But her smile vanished.

As if her soul had left her face, the sparkle in her eyes dimmed. The magical quill slipped from her fingers, rolling softly across the desk before falling to the floor.

Her eyes scanned the faces of Lillith, Celestina, and Emma. They stopped on the pale face of the redhead. Then on the lifeless eyes of Celestina. Finally, on Lillith’s clenched jaw.

The silence lasted exactly three seconds.

"H-h... hey... where is Armand?" asked Seraphina, uncertain, her voice still calm but less relaxed.

Emma opened her lips. The voice that came out was a faint whisper, almost inaudible.

"We... we don’t know\..."

The headmistress tilted her head slightly, furrowing her brows. Her eyes studied Emma closely.

"Huh?" she muttered, confused.

Emma broke.

Her knees hit the floor with a dull thud, her hands pressing against the dark wooden floor, her shoulders beginning to tremble. The tears returned in full force. Her mouth opened in a trembling sob.

"I’m sorry... I’m sorry... we just... we just stood there... we couldn’t... we couldn’t do anything..." Emma cried, burying her face in her hands.

Seraphina stood motionless for a moment. Her breathing stopped.

The scene felt unreal.

The powerful redhead, who even in high council meetings held absolute control, who made all witches respect her leadership... now felt something she rarely allowed herself: shock.

She pushed her chair back firmly, eyes fixed on Emma. She stood up forcefully. The sound of her heels striking the floor echoed like thunder in the silent room.

Her breasts bounced violently with the motion, slowly adjusting against the dress as if they wanted to burst out of the fabric.

She approached the three girls with firm steps.

She looked at Celestina. Then at Lillith. Finally, at Emma, still on her knees, crying.

And then she spoke.

The voice came out low. Dry. Velvet-smooth in a deadly way.

"You three... will tell me. Now. Every. Detail. Of what happened."

Emma’s breathing was shaky, and she trembled under Seraphina’s intense stare. Celestina kept her eyes fixed on the ground. Lillith, however, raised her chin, ready to speak.

But in that moment, the energy in the room seemed to shift. The air grew heavy. The room’s natural mana fluctuated. It was as if the very core of the school were reacting to Seraphina’s anger.

The most powerful woman in the school was furious!

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**Knock, knock, knock.**

Three precise knocks echo on the dark wooden door of the infirmary. The sound, soft yet firm, breaks the silence of the late afternoon in the school’s medical wing. Luminar, who was organizing some potion vials in the side cabinet, lifts his gaze. His shoulders drop with a quiet sigh, already recognizing the pattern of the knock. He rises unhurriedly, walking toward the door.

The doorknob turns with a faint *click*, and the door opens. Luminar’s eyes drop first, as always, driven by an instinct stronger than he'd like to admit. The firm, medium-sized bust, framed by a low-cut green outfit, enters his field of vision first. The tight outfit perfectly outlines the curves, and even though he’s a doctor, Luminar swallows hard. He already knew exactly who it was, just from the shape of the neckline and that characteristic shade of green.

His eyes slowly rise. A fine face, sculpted like marble, appears. Beautiful, intense. Short hair, black as a newborn midnight. Her eyes... those eyes. They don’t just judge, they don’t just seduce. They clearly say: “I’m the kind of woman who would wake you up on a holiday using your balls as an alarm clock.”

It was Esmeralda.

She raises one eyebrow, leaving the other neutral. A simple gesture, but it says everything. A silent "hi," laced with irony and authority. Luminar, out of politeness or exhaustion, averts his eyes. And then he sees, right beside her, the boy.

One of the few male students in the school. He was on the floor, hands between his legs, eyes red and teary. His knees bent as if trying to protect himself, but it was too late. His face twisted in pain, sobs slipping through clenched teeth.

"Uhnrrr..." Luminar groans in disgust. "Come in, go on..."

Esmeralda smiles. Not a gentle smile, but that smirk that mocks the entire situation. With a calculated movement, she lifts her heel, steps on the boy’s back, and with a gentle push, slides his body into the infirmary like someone pushing an awkward suitcase onto a train.

Inside the room, Astrid is sitting at her desk, slumped over, asleep. The demonotte with long blonde hair, bone-white horns, and generous breasts has her cheek pressed against the wooden surface.

Luminar walks over to her and starts poking her head with two fingers.

"Hey, Astrid. I’ll need you again, can you wake up for a few minutes?"

"Uh?... But I already stayed awake for four minutes today... That’s soooo long..." she mumbles, turning her face to the other side, trying to ignore him.

Without patience, Luminar grabs her horns with one hand, turning her head toward the medical bed.

"Yo," says Esmeralda casually, now standing beside the bed where the boy writhes.

"Uhn?... Hey Esmeralda, you here again?" says Astrid, still groggy.

"Hmn?"

Astrid looks at the bed. Her sleepy eyes scan the boy’s body until they land on the most obvious detail: his hands between his legs.

"Oh? Another broken testicle? Alright... I’ll help..." she says while yawning, as if this were just another regular Tuesday.

"Right, but this time try not to fall asleep again during the procedure! Yesterday you almost permanently crushed William’s testicle when your horns fell on them!" says Luminar, visibly irritated.

"Okay... okay..." Astrid replies, slowly rolling her chair toward the bed.

Luminar stares at Esmeralda. His face hardens, his tone sharpens.

"And you?! What is this now? The fifth one this week?! That’s almost one student a day! What the hell are you doing in class that your students are showing up with injuries that could end their magical careers?!"

Esmeralda just gives a teasing smirk. Her eyes trace her nails as she pretends to inspect them.

"Oh, you know\... sometimes my girls get a little too excited..."

She lets out a low chuckle. A chuckle that doesn’t even try to hide the pleasure she takes in the situation.

Meanwhile, Astrid lifts her chin slightly.

"Oh?"

Luminar immediately looks over, alarmed.

"What is it?"

"There’s a rupture..." says Astrid, placing a finger under the boy’s right ball and casting a visualization spell.

"Holy shit?! That’s a rupture?!" Luminar is now crouching beside her, eyes wide at what he sees, but he quickly calms down. "Oh, it’s not swelling like crazy, but nothing we can’t fix here."

Across the room, Esmeralda, arms still crossed, smiles discreetly. She doesn’t show it, but she clearly enjoys what she just heard.

"But either way, let’s move fast! Let’s start the healing, he could lose half his magic if we take too long!" says Luminar, conjuring stabilization spells.

Esmeralda then turns away. She knows Astrid is more than capable of handling this. She leaves the room without saying another word.

Outside, a student is standing in front of the door with a worried expression. Esmeralda closes the door behind her.

"So... how is he?"

"A swelling, almost a rupture, but nothing permanent, that’s all."

"Oh..."

"Don’t worry, he’ll be fine. But consider the warning I gave you. I know Tronkist is a Tenatrix, and his skin is tough as stone, but that little sack down there... isn’t."

She pauses, her expression almost sadistic.

"See... it’s like Mother Nature gave us women this gift, you know? Men can be made of iron, stone, or flesh. But down there... it’s never protected. It’ll always be soft skin guarding two fragile orbs."

She smiles with light sarcasm.

"I’m not saying don’t kick them hard when you want to—on the contrary. Those things were made to be kicked into the sky... but... if you don’t want to cause permanent damage, avoid using magic aimed directly at them, alright?"

The girl lowers her head, silently accepting the lesson. She nods in agreement.

At that exact moment, Esmeralda sees something at the end of the hallway that catches her attention.

Seraphina was walking with firm steps. Beside her were Lillith, Emma, and Celestina. All three with a shadowed look. Lillith with a closed expression, Celestina in absolute silence. And Emma... the redhead’s eyes were red, swollen. Her fists clenched, her jaw tight.

Esmeralda raises an eyebrow.

"Hmn?" she says, turning her body completely to face the approaching group.

--

Valerya steps onto the first stair of the academy prison. As she descends, small white runes light up on the floor, illuminating each step slowly. Behind her come Esmeralda, then Seraphina, followed by Lillith and Emma. The five form a steady line, walking with slow and resolute steps. Celestina stayed behind in the dormitory, exhausted. Seraphina had recommended the others return as well, but they refused, determined to continue.

As they pass by the cells, Lillith looks to the sides. Most are empty. But a few contain prisoners. Imprisoned men, faces filled with fear, hands covering their groins. One of them, upon seeing Valerya, quickly retreats to the back of the cell, burying his hands over his testicles in clear protection. Others simply watch in silence, hope hidden in their eyes, hoping Valerya wouldn’t stop in front of their cell.

The group rounds a corner in the hallway. They stop in front of a cell where a man is trying to lift his body, bound by magical threads. The spell is clearly squeezing his balls, with a glowing rune over his testicles, like a large invisible clamp.
The man wore a teacher’s uniform, and his pants were at his ankles.

As Valerya approaches, he whispers,
"Valerya..."

She stops beside the others. She looks at him only from the corner of her eye, not getting too close.

"Please... forgive me... I regret it... I’m your little dog, and you are my mistress..."

She raises her eyebrows and replies coldly,
"Forgive you for what?"

He whimpers softly,
"For trying to spy on you in the bath with an invisibility spell."

All the women react with visible disgust. Emma looks away; Lillith frowns; Esmeralda crosses her arms. Seraphina sighs in displeasure.
Valerya then asks,
"And what will happen if you try that again?"

The man replies in a low, resigned voice,
"My useless balls will suffer until they no longer exist..."

Seraphina interjects,
"And then you’ll be fired, because there’s no use for a magic teacher who can’t use magic, right?"

"Yes, ma’am Seraphina..." he murmurs.

Valerya snaps her fingers. Immediately, both the magic binding him and the rune over his testicles vanish. The cell opens with a magical click. Valerya gestures firmly,
"The cell is open. Once you can stand, return to your classroom."

The prisoner groans, still on the floor, and they continue walking.

The group advances to the end of the hallway, to a wider cell, where the twins Synthila and Brad are held.

"**Synthila, Brad, the time has come. I’ll need your information.**"
Seraphina’s voice echoes firmly in the muffled air of the prison. She crosses the cell’s entrance with steps that are soft yet decisive.

Synthila doesn’t respond immediately. Instead, she walks to a wooden chair in the corner of the cell, calmly spins it, and sits facing Seraphina. Her legs cross elegantly, and her eyes remain fixed on the most powerful woman in the school.

"**Yes, ma’am.**"
She answers with a calm and controlled voice.

Brad remains standing. His eyes don’t meet anyone else’s—they stare at the ground for a brief moment, as if trying to draw strength from it. He walks toward a nearby chair, but doesn’t sit. Instead, he stops with one hand resting on the chair back and says,

"**I just don’t get why we’re still locked up. The curse was already removed, wasn’t it?**"

Synthila slightly turns her head, trying to say something to her brother with just a glance. Brad doesn’t notice or ignores it.

"**It’s not like we killed anyone or anything like that!**"

"**Brad.**"
Synthila’s voice sounds more tense now.

"**I’m serious! We didn’t do anything by choice! It was that damn curse’s fault! We weren’t to blame for anything and we’re still treated like garbage?!**"

"**Brad!**"
This time his name comes louder, with clear anger. But Brad was already caught in his own whirlwind of frustration.

"**Am I wrong? This is ridiculous! We were controlled, and—**"

THUFF!

At that exact moment, Brad’s eyes look down.

Esmeralda’s green heel is perfectly positioned between his legs.

The kick lands with surgical precision. The sole of the heel strikes Brad’s sack directly, making his knees bend slightly and his eyes close from the impact. The hand gripping the back of the chair tightens.

Before he can say a single word...

**"THUFF!"**

This time, the heel presses harder into the **left ball**, forcing Brad’s hips to give in and his torso to lean slightly forward. His face loses color.

"**Ughhh...**"
That’s all he can utter.

**"THUFF!"**

The third kick is the last, and the most precise. Brad can’t take it. He **collapses to his knees**, releasing the back of the chair, his body folding forward as if the strings of his soul were cut.

He falls, curled up, arms desperately clutching between his legs.
Esmeralda lifts one hand and gently brushes a strand of hair from her face, still wearing that same faint smile.

"**I thought you weren’t going to fall. I was starting to think you were a strong man.**"

She steps over the chair, walks around Brad’s body—now utterly silent, mouth open in mute agony, eyes glazed.

She crouches, wipes the dust from his back with her hand like cleaning a throne’s seat, and then sits on him. She crosses her legs naturally, as if at home, rests her arms on her knees, and looks at Synthila, who watches her with a subtle smile.

"**In the end, every man is the same.**"

Synthila nods.

"**That was a good kick.**"

Seraphina locks eyes with Synthila and, in a stern tone, asks,

"**What information do you have? I want you to start from the beginning. Everything. No hiding anything.**"

Synthila slowly uncrosses her legs, straightens her posture, and replies firmly,

"**Alright. Let’s begin.**"

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