Reborn as a Succubus: Time To Live My Best Life!

Melisa stumbled out of the palace, her legs wobbly and her mind reeling.

The cool night air hit her flushed skin, making her shiver. She glanced back at the imposing structure, half-expecting guards to come rushing out, dragging her back to face the queen's wrath.

[Holy shit, I actually got away with it,] she thought, her heart pounding. [I fucked the queen, learned some crazy-ass history, and I'm still alive!]

She felt like she was in one of those Task Improbable movies starring John Cruise.

Part of her had wanted to reconvene with Zephyra, run back into the palace and tell her everything she'd learned, but Melisa decided against it on the basis that at literally any second, the queen could change her mind, decide telling Melisa everything she'd said had been a stupid, lust-drunk idea (which it certainly was), and silence her permanently.

So, Melisa just left before she could.

The streets of Syux were quiet, most citizens tucked away in their homes already. Melisa's footsteps echoed off the cobblestones as she made her way back to Javir's manor. Every shadow felt like it was hiding a potential threat.

[Man... AAAH! I feel like a government whistleblower right now. Tomorrow, the news might claim I killed myself mysteriously or something. God...]

She couldn't shake the feeling of being watched. Her tail twitched nervously, and she picked up her pace.

As Melisa approached Javir's manor, she let out a sigh of relief.

The familiar sight of the grand house, with its well-manicured gardens and imposing facade, felt like a sanctuary after the insanity of the past few hours. The insanity of not just what she'd done (having had her tongue and hand up the queen's ass for the better part of an hour) but also what she'd learned.

As she stepped inside, movement caught her eye. Jaylin was just then walking in from the gardens, heading towards her room. The human's eyes locked with Melisa's for a moment, narrowing in that all-too-familiar look of disdain.

[Great, just what I needed,] Melisa thought, fighting the urge to roll her eyes. [It's like she's got some kind of Melisa-sensing superpower. She's totally going to ignore me. Please do. I don't need this right now.]

Jaylin said nothing, merely brushing past Melisa with a dismissive sniff. Melisa watched her go, a mix of irritation and exhaustion washing over her.

Suddenly, part of her felt very annoyed at being ignored... for some reason.

[Whatever. I don't have the energy to deal with this bullshit right now.]

Melisa sighed and headed for the bathroom.

Her body ached in places she didn't even know could ache, and the scent of sex still clung to her skin. As she passed a mirror, she caught sight of her reflection and nearly laughed out loud.

Her black hair was a tangled mess, her red eyes bright with a mix of excitement and fatigue. And was that... a hickey on her neck? Find your next read on My Virtual Library Empire

[Fuck, the queen really did a number on me,] Melisa thought, a smirk playing on her lips. [Who knew she had it in her? All for, what was it? "A little nim whore" or something? Actually, come to think of it, she might just decide the reason I should be assassinated isn't cause I'll spread what she said, but just so people never hear about how I made her scream~]

She stripped off her clothes, wincing as the fabric clung to her sweat-dampened skin.

The hot water of the shower was a blessing, washing away the physical evidence of her encounter with the queen.

But it couldn't wash away the weight of the knowledge she now carried.

As Melisa scrubbed herself clean, her mind raced.

The truth about nim history, the queen's involvement with the Shadow Mages, the ongoing persecution of her people - it was all connected, and she was right in the middle of it.

[What do I do? If I start preaching from the rooftops, how many people will even believe me? Or, will people be so institutionalized by now that they decline to even try using any magic? And, even if they do and they try to follow me... What could I even teach them?]

Melisa sighed.

[This is partly why I haven't made any sort of public announcements or something. I need to figure out how to use magic - real magic - myself before I go around trying to portray myself as some teacher.]

By the time she crawled into bed, exhaustion had overtaken her. She fell into a deep, dreamless sleep, her body finally succumbing to the day's exertions.

---

Melisa's exhausted slumber didn't last long.

Her eyes snapped open, heart racing, as she sensed a presence looming over her. In the dim moonlight filtering through her curtains, she made out Margaret's familiar silhouette.

"Mom?" Melisa mumbled, her voice thick with sleep. "What's wrong?"

Margaret stood there, naked, clutching a bedsheet around her body to preserve a small amount of modesty, her purple skin pale with worry. Her hair was disheveled, and there was a faint sheen of sweat on her brow, and Melisa could smell...

[Oh. She and Dad just stopped... Yeah.]

She shook her head, focusing.

"Melisa, sweetheart," Margaret whispered, her voice trembling slightly. "We... we heard something."

It was then that Melisa noticed her father, Melistair, standing just behind Margaret. He was also completely naked, unfortunately, standing there with a grim expression.

"W-We think we heard someone breaking into the house," Melistair said quietly, his eyes darting towards the bedroom door.

Funny enough, that bit of news made Melisa feel relieved.

Melisa sighed, pushing herself up into a sitting position.

"This again? Well..."

[I guess I shouldn't have expected Shadow Mages to just take a day off after that conversation.]

It wasn't the first time assassins had come in the night, of course. Over the years, Melisa had grown almost accustomed to these nocturnal intrusions, and tonight, they actually had more of a reason to come in like this.

And, as she swung her legs over the side of the bed, she figured they had reason to come tonight. Possibly more so than ever before.@@novelbin@@

Melisa crept to her bedroom door, pressing her ear against the wood. The faint sounds of movement reached her, along with hushed voices and the telltale clink of metal.

[Wait a second... that doesn't sound like just Shadow Mages.]

She closed her eyes, focusing on the sounds.

Mixed in with the stealthy movements she associated with the Shadow Mages were heavier footsteps, the unmistakable sound of armored boots on wooden floors.

[Knights, maybe? What the fuck are knights doing here, though?]

Melisa's mind raced. Had the queen changed her mind after all?

She turned back to her parents, keeping her voice low.

"Mom, Dad, this is... different. Go wake up Javir. Now."

Her parents nodded, turning to leave. They hurried out, leaving Melisa alone with her thoughts.

Melisa moved to her dresser, quickly pulling on a pair of shorts and a tank top. She may have to fight for her life, but she'd be damned if she did it naked.

Picking up Isabella's wand, Melisa walked out of her room.

[Okay... Let's do this.]

---

{Jaylin}

Jaylin's eyes snapped open, her body clock rousing her from sleep at its usual ungodly hour. She glanced at the ornate clock on her bedside table, its hands pointing accusingly at 2:30 AM.

[Perfect,] she thought, a determined grin spreading across her face. [While that purple bitch sleeps, I'll be getting stronger~]

She slipped out of bed, her muscles already twitching in anticipation of the grueling training session ahead. As she changed into her workout clothes, Jaylin's mind wandered to the upcoming presentation.

[I'll be damned if I let Melisa outshine me. This time, I'll show everyone who the real prodigy is!]

Jaylin made her way quietly down the hallway, her bare feet silent on the plush carpet. As she descended the grand staircase leading to the gardens, a flicker of movement caught her eye.

She froze, one foot hovering above the next step.

In the spacious area below, illuminated by the pale moonlight streaming through the high windows, stood Melisa. But she wasn't alone.

Facing the nim girl was a group so large it made Jaylin's breath catch in her throat. Men and women in black robes - [Shadow Mages?] Jaylin wondered - filled the space. But what really made her blood run cold were the figures interspersed among them, their polished armor gleaming in the dim light.

[Are those... royal knights? What the fuck is going on?]

Jaylin crouched low, her heart pounding. She strained her ears, trying to catch what was being said.

Melisa's voice, surprisingly steady, carried up to where Jaylin hid.

"Why are you here?"

The question hung in the air, heavy with tension. Jaylin found herself holding her breath, waiting for the answer.

But no answer came.

Instead, as if Melisa's words had been some sort of signal, the entire group surged forward as one.

Jaylin's eyes widened in shock.

[Holy shit, they're attacking her!]