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

Melisa followed Princess Aria through the palace gardens, her purple skin prickling with unease. The princess moved with natural grace. Light, feathery steps, back so straight it almost looked arched, face completely neutral...

[... Is this what it's like to *feel* poor? I haven't felt like this since before I got my office job back on Earth. Wow.]

Behind them, two knights clanked along in their armor, their presence about as subtle as a pair of walking trash cans. Melisa could practically feel their eyes burning into the back of her skull.

Melisa's tail curled around one of her legs on its own.

[I half expect my head to roll off any second now. Maybe they're just waiting for the signal from Her Royal Iciness up there.]

The mental image of her head popping off and rolling away like a purple bowling ball almost made Melisa snort. She managed to hold it in, though. Somehow, she didn't think Princess Aria would appreciate the giggles.

"So, Miss Blackflame... May I call you Melisa?"

"Uh, sure." Melisa shrugged.

"Melisa," Aria's cool voice slipped out as she nodded, "tell me, how did you come to learn magic? It's quite... unusual for a nim, isn't it?"

"..."

There it was. The first strike in what Melisa was sure would be a long and painful game of verbal fencing.

"It is unusual, Your Highness," Melisa replied carefully. "I discovered my ability quite by accident, several years ago. Then, Professor Folden recognized my potential and took me under her wing."

Aria hummed thoughtfully, plucking a rose from a nearby bush.

"How fortunate for you. And where exactly are you from? I don't recall hearing of any particularly talented nim being born here in our dear city."

"I'm from a small village called Lessmark, Your Highness. It's quite far from here."

"Lessmark?" Aria repeated, her storm-grey eyes narrowing slightly. "I don't believe I'm familiar with it."

"With all due respect, you probably wouldn't be, Your Highness. It's in Yalmir."

"How... quaint." The princess smiled. Somehow, though it didn't reach her eyes, it still made Melisa feel warmer. "You are correct. Unfortunately, I've yet to explore Yalmir as much as I have, say, Rhaya. Speaking of the darians, you took a darian woman as your plus one to the gala, did you not?"

"I-I did, Your Highness."

"Hm... Interesting."

The conversation continued in this vein, with Aria asking seemingly innocent questions that Melisa felt were somehow designed to trip her up. It was like dancing on the edge of a knife, each answer potentially leading to a fatal misstep.

[Fuck, I feel like I'm in one of those period dramas,] Melisa thought, desperately trying to keep her cool. [All we need now is some asshole in a powdered wig to pop out and challenge me to a duel.]

Just as Melisa was starting to think she might be getting the hang of this verbal sparring match, Aria dropped a bomb that nearly made Melisa's heart stop.

"You know, Melisa," the princess said, her voice light and casual, "I find something rather amusing. Isn't it funny that a Blood Mage saved the king, and then sometime later, my mother died? I find that absolutely hilarious." Experience tales with My Virtual Library Empire

Melisa's eyes widened, her breath catching in her throat.

[Shit, shit, shit!]

"Your Highness, I... I'm not a Blood Mage," Melisa stammered, her usual eloquence deserting her. "That's a misunderstanding, I-"

"Oh?" Aria turned to face her, one delicate eyebrow arched. "Then perhaps you can explain why Professor Folden, who you've been seen with many, many times, was seen taking a Blood Magic tome from the archives shortly before the gala and then, after multiple healers failed to save my father, you miraculously succeeded?"

[Fuck me sideways with a cactus,] Melisa thought, panic rising in her chest. [She just got here. How much research has she done already?]

"Your Highness, I can explain-"

But Aria wasn't finished. She circled Melisa like a predator sizing up its prey.

"It's quite the coincidence, don't you think? A nim with unprecedented magical abilities, using forbidden magic to save the king, gaining his trust and favor. And then, so tragically, the queen passes away under mysterious circumstances. Haha," she giggled, "one would almost be forgiven for mistakenly thinking you were out to replace her or something."

Melisa felt like she was drowning, each of Aria's words another weight dragging her down.

[This feels bad. This feels really, really fucking bad.]

Still, Melisa calmed down and said:

"Your Highness, historically, Blood Magic has been known for two things," Melisa opened. "Firstly, Blood Magic exclusively hurts. Using Blood Magic to heal is unheard of. Second, Blood Magic requires sacrifices, does it not? And yet, I was able to heal the king without anyone around me dying, right? How can you conclude I used Blood Magic to make it happen?"

The girl tilted her head.

Melisa subtly pushed her pheromones forward. Just a little push, just enough to make the princess doubt her suspicions.

Suddenly, Aria turned away abruptly, her black lips curving into a smile.

"Well, this has been a most illuminating conversation, Melisa Blackflame," she said, her voice dripping with false sweetness. "I do hope we'll have the chance to... learn more about each other in the future."

With that, the princess pretty much glided away, leaving Melisa standing alone in the garden, feeling like she'd just survived a battle she didn't even know she was fighting.

[Goodness gracious,] Melisa thought, letting out a long, shaky breath. [I'm going to have my hands full with this one.]

As she watched Aria's retreating form, Melisa's mind raced. The princess clearly suspected her of... what? Killing the queen? Using forbidden magic? Being some kind of magical assassin?

It was absurd, but Aria seemed convinced.

[Great. Just fucking great. As if I didn't have enough on my plate with the Shadow Mages and the whole 'nim actually used to keep humans as their slaves' revelation. Now I've got a paranoid princess gunning for me. And, I mean, with good reason.]

Melisa ran a hand through her hair, her horns catching on her fingers. She needed to think, to plan. Aria was clearly intelligent and well-informed. She'd be a dangerous enemy... but potentially a powerful ally, if Melisa could somehow win her over.

[But how the fuck am I supposed to do that when she already thinks I'm some kind of murderous Blood Mage? I mean, I absolutely am becoming a Blood Mage, but not a murderous one!]

So stressful.

---

{Zephyra}

Zephyra lounged behind her desk. Her feet were propped up on the polished wood, hands tucked behind her head, the very picture of relaxation. Or at least, that's what she was going for.

[If I look casual enough, maybe the universe will forget my presence and I'll be left alone during all these damn conflicts,] she thought, her eyes fixed on the ceiling.

Of course, with the queen deciding to up and die on them, Zephyra's plans for a swift exit from Syux had gone up in smoke faster than a fireball in a hay barn.

A knock at the door interrupted her brooding. Zephyra sighed, not bothering to move from her reclined position.

"Come in," she called out, "unless you're here to tell me the city's on fire. In which case, please, give me five more minutes."

The door creaked open, and in walked Melisa, looking like she'd just gone ten rounds with a particularly grumpy dragon. Without a word, the nim girl dramatically draped herself across Zephyra's desk, narrowly missing knocking over an inkwell.

Zephyra raised an eyebrow at the purple puddle of misery now occupying her workspace.

"Rough day?"

Melisa groaned, her voice muffled by the desk.

"You have no idea. It's like the universe decided to use my life as its personal comedy routine, except nobody's laughing."

Zephyra lowered her feet, leaning forward.

"Alright, spill it. What's got you turning my desk into a fainting couch? I mean, aside from what we've gone over."

Melisa rolled over, staring at the ceiling.

"Oh, you know, the usual. Shadow Mages attacking my friends' homes, people nearly dying. Just another Tuesday for yours truly."

Zephyra's eyebrows shot up.

"Wait, what? Attacks? On who?"

"Armia and Isabella," Melisa said, her voice heavy with guilt. "Their homes were hit. Armia's brother... he didn't make it."

"Shit," Zephyra breathed. "And Kimiko? Is she...?"

Melisa shook her head.

"She survived. Barely, but she's alive."

Zephyra let out a breath she didn't realize she'd been holding.

[Thank the gods for small mercies,] she thought. [If my actual dream woman had died just days after I met her, I'd probably burn the city down.]

"I just... I don't know what to do," Melisa continued, her red eyes meeting Zephyra's. "It feels like everything's spiraling out of control, and I'm just standing here watching it happen."

Zephyra studied the young nim.

[Aw. She looks quite charming when she's falling apart.]

"Well," Zephyra said, leaning back in her chair, "we do the only thing we can do. We study, we train, and we enjoy ourselves when we can."

Melisa sat up, her brow furrowed.

"But the Shadow Mages are still out there. They're plotting, planning their next move. How can we just... go on like normal?"

Zephyra stood up, moving around the desk to place a hand on Melisa's shoulder.

"Who said anything about normal? We prepare. We get stronger. And when those bastards show their faces again, we'll be ready to kick their asses back to whatever dark basement they crawled out of."

A small smile tugged at Melisa's lips.

"You make it sound so simple."

"Oh, it won't be," Zephyra grinned. "But that's half the fun, isn't it? Besides, you've got me helping now. Between your raw talent and my devastatingly good looks and vast knowledge, those Shadow Mages won't know what hit them."

Melisa laughed, the sound brightening the room.

"Your modesty is truly inspiring, you know that?"

"I try," Zephyra winked. "Now, off you go. I'm sure you've got some studying to do, or friends to console, or whatever it is you do in your spare time." As Melisa headed for the door, Zephyra called out, "And don't worry too much. We've got this."

The door closed behind Melisa, and Zephyra's smile faded. She walked to the window, looking out over the city she'd hoped to leave behind.

[Well then, time to earn my keep,] she thought, her mind already racing with plans. [Let's see what dirt I can dig up on these Shadow Mages.]