I Took A Succubus's First Time-Chapter 43: Lust Or Love

Kouhei had barely raised his fork to take a bite when Kozue spoke up, her voice carrying an edge.

"I heard earlier that Hina-chan caused quite a commotion because of you."

He paused, his food hovering mid-air, before setting it back on his plate. "Well..."

There wasn't much he could say. It was true—the uproar had been over Sotomura targeting him, and Hina had stepped in to defend him.

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Kozue's gaze was sharp, her tone firm. "I get that Hina-chan's enforcing Yuuna-sama's orders to protect you, but are you really so pathetic that you need a girl to stop a bully for you?"

The words stung, slicing through his pride. She was calling him out, saying he wasn't man enough to handle his own battles. And as much as he wanted to argue back, he knew she was right. Hina had been the one to intervene because, at this moment, he had no way to stand up for himself.

But that would change soon enough.

***

After school, some of them, the ones who'd stayed over at the Saonji mansion, made their way back there together.

As soon as they arrived, most headed to their rooms to rest. Kouhei, however, wasn't feeling particularly tired. After a short break and a change into casual clothes, he went out into the yard. He had a training plan to follow, simple but demanding. One hundred push-ups, sit-ups, and squats, plus a 10-kilometer run every day. Like a certain bald hero's regimen from a popular anime. But since his body wasn't yet up to par, he'd scaled it down to 20 reps each and a 2-kilometer run.

He began with warm-up stretches, getting his muscles ready for the workout. But before he could get down to push-ups, a voice sounded nearby.

"You're training already, Okumura-sama?"

He looked up to see Aria, dressed in her maid uniform and carrying a wooden practice sword in her arm.

"Ah, I got started without you," Kouhei said apologetically.

Aria gave him an approving nod. "That's good, Okumura-sama. Conditioning your body is essential. Your regimen is balanced—you're building a solid foundation. Have you been following this routine for long?"

"Yes," Kouhei replied. For the past ten months, he'd stuck to his regimen religiously. His body had developed some muscle, though he wasn't bulky. His physique was lean, and in clothes, he still looked almost thin.

"Excellent," Aria said. "You've built strength gradually, so your muscles won't suffer too much, even if you push yourself to exhaustion."

She handed him the wooden sword, her gaze steady. "Now, I think you've warmed up enough. I want you to start with sword swings. Swing this sword with all your might—until your arms are begging for mercy. We'll see how many swings you can manage before they give out. Right now, your priority is stamina. To learn swordsmanship and martial arts, you need endurance first."

Endurance was key. Knowing flashy techniques or complex styles was useless if you couldn't last through the battle. If Kouhei couldn't keep up his stamina for at least an hour, even the best swordsmanship wouldn't save him. Style without endurance was just a ticket to exhaustion and, eventually, defeat. Aria's focus on stamina wasn't just practical; it was essential.

Kouhei began his training, swinging the wooden sword as instructed. Each swing sliced the air with a sharp whoosh, filling the quiet expanse of the Saonji Mansion's yard. The sound grew rhythmic, each powerful arc of the sword pushing his muscles to their limits. Sweat started to bead on his brow as he drove himself to keep going, feeling his arms tremble with each swing but refusing to stop.

Meanwhile, Hina was watching him from her window. Her gaze locked onto him as he moved in the yard, intense and focused. She didn't know why she felt so compelled to watch, but something about the sight of him was… magnetic. Earlier, when they'd held hands, there had been a strange stirring in her chest—something she couldn't quite name. It was a sensation that pulled her in, only to retreat before she could fully grasp it. And there was that ache in her heart when she'd seen him with Yuuna, a twinge of something unfamiliar that lingered, keeping her thoughts tangled. She was utterly baffled by her own feelings, emotions she had never experienced before and couldn't begin to decipher.

"Hina," came a voice from outside her door. It was Yuuna. "Are you still awake?"

"Yes," Hina replied, pulling herself out of her thoughts.

"Mind if I come in?"

"You may."

Yuuna entered the room and walked over to the window, standing beside Hina. Her gaze followed Hina's, watching as Kouhei continued training with Aria by his side.

"Aria told me that Okumura-kun asked her to train him with the sword. Looks like they're starting now," Yuuna said.

She recalled Aria's request from the previous evening. Before she'd asked Kouhei to join her for a bath, Aria had approached her, asking permission to train him in swordsmanship, self-defense, and martial arts. Aria was a demon born into a warrior family, one that fought with skill alone, without the aid of mana. Her family, known for having low mana reserves, had honed a unique style—the Red Blood Sword Style. Unlike clans that boasted devastating spells, Aria's lineage focused on perfecting combat techniques that no other species could replicate.

Yuuna had granted her permission, believing it was best for Kouhei to learn to defend himself, just in case. Even if he couldn't match others in raw power, any skill would give him a fighting chance when things went south.

As she looked over at Hina, Yuuna could sense something stirring within her. Hina might have kept her expression composed, but Yuuna could feel the uncertainty swirling in her heart. Hina had never known love, stripped of that right by her deadly ability that prevented her from touching anyone. Anyone she touched would die, a fact that kept her isolated, unable to understand the emotions now bubbling up inside her. And yet, something within her was beginning to break through, a feeling that was almost within reach—but just as elusive.

She might not understand it, but I can tell. She's in love with Okumura-kun, Yuuna thought, watching Hina's gaze fixed on Kouhei below.

How did she know? Well, women could sense these things. They could tell when another girl had feelings for the same guy. And usually, that realization would spark a bit of silent rivalry, a hidden competition to see who could capture his heart first. But Yuuna didn't feel that way. Instead, she believed the stronger their bond with Kouhei, the stronger they would all become.

Okumura-kun clearly loves Hina, too, she mused. I wonder what would happen if they had sex after confessing their feelings. How would their connection evolve?

As she thought about it, an idea formed. Maybe the reason Hina hadn't grown stronger was because she was confused about her emotions, while Kouhei mistakenly thought she wasn't interested. Perhaps if she nudged Hina in the right direction, she could finally understand her feelings.

"Hina," Yuuna began, her voice thoughtful. "What do you think of Okumura-kun? Describe what you feel for him."

Hina tilted her head, clearly puzzled. They'd discussed this earlier, hadn't they? So why was Yuuna bringing it up again? But now that she considered it, maybe her thoughts had cleared up a bit since then, like a fog starting to lift. She still didn't have all the answers, but something within her was beginning to make sense.

"I think…" Hina started, her voice soft, before hesitating. She searched for the words, but they seemed elusive. "I think he's someone I could grow close to."

"Is that just because you can touch him?" Yuuna asked pointedly. If so, her feelings were shallow. Then again, for someone like Hina, who had longed for warmth and touch without the fear of killing, being able to make physical contact was a precious gift. But Yuuna was surprised when Hina shook her head.

"No, Okumura Kouhei… he's someone I feel I could entrust with everything—myself, and all of you, Yuuna-sama."

It was an innocent answer, and not quite a direct response to the question, but it was still a piece of the truth.

"Do you think what you're feeling… could be romantic?" Yuuna pressed gently.

"Maybe…" Hina replied, though her voice was uncertain. "But I'm not sure. It's hard to tell if what I feel is love or lust. Perhaps, because I'm a succubus, I'm just drawn to him in a way that's… physical. Maybe I'm only lusting after him, not actually in love. Maybe that's why our bond hasn't grown stronger, and I haven't gotten stronger either."

That was logical, but Yuuna had her own theory. Right now, Kouhei assumed Hina had no interest in him, which kept their connection from deepening. Now, though, if she could push things just a little further, maybe something would finally shift.

"Why don't you find out for sure tonight?" Yuuna suggested, her smile tinged with calculation. "Go to his room. Maybe that will help you understand if it's lust or love."