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

The classroom door swung open, releasing a flood of students into the hallway. Melisa stepped out, mixing into the sea of human faces.

She felt it immediately... A gaze so intense it nearly burned a hole through the back of her head.

[Ugh...]

Melisa's shoulders tensed. She didn't need to turn around to know who it was. Sure enough, there she was, in all her glory.

Princess Aria's gaze bored into her, hot as branding irons on her forehead now.

Melisa's tail wrapped around her left thigh as she crossed her arms, pouting.

[What the hell does she want?]

She stopped abruptly, causing a minor traffic jam in the hallway. Students grumbled as they flowed around her, like a stream parting around a stubborn rock.

"Mel?" Isabella's voice floated back to her. "You coming?"

Melisa glanced ahead. Isabella, Armia, and Raven had paused, looking back with varying degrees of concern. She waved them off.

"Go on, I'll catch up."

As her friends reluctantly continued on, Melisa squared her shoulders and turned to face the princess. Aria stood there, white hair glowing in the afternoon sunlight streaming through the windows, a small smirk playing on her black-painted lips.

"Can I help you with something, Your Highness?" Melisa asked, injecting as much sweetness into her voice as she could muster. "Or..." Melisa smirked. "Do you just enjoy staring at my ass?"

Aria's brows shot up to the sky. Even in complete confusion, she looked regal. But, clearly, whatever she'd been expecting to hear, it hadn't been that.

[Caught you off guard, did I?] She took in the small victory. [Well... I just hope she doesn't order my decapitation because of that. Hopefully not.]

Surprisingly, as Aria's surprise faded, a smirk fell on her face.

"My, my. Awfully defensive, aren't we? I was merely taking my time with my walk. No need to rush, after all."

"Uh-huh?" Melisa said, crossing her arms.

Aria stepped closer, her voice dropping to a near-whisper.

"Surely my presence isn't cause for concern, is it? I understand being a bit anxious around royalty, but, I assure you, as I walk through these halls, I will be nothing more than just another student. You can calm down around me."

Melisa narrowed her eyes.

[Oh, you sneaky little royal pain in the ass,] Melisa thought. [She has access to all the best magical tutors in the city. If she wanted a magical "refresher", she could get it at the palace. She's here to investigate, isn't she?]

Melisa didn't like it. But, there wasn't much she could do.

Aria walked forward.

"You know, I've always found nim to be such fascinating creatures. One with your unique abilities, well... I can be forgiven for glancing your way once or twice, right?"

Melisa's heart rate kicked up a notch.

Not wanting to concede, she leaned in.

"Sure, Your Highness. If you need to know anything about my abilities, do let me know."

"Gladly." Aria chuckled, the sound low and dangerous. "I'm sure you have many talents, Melisa Blackflame. I look forward to... discovering them all."

For a moment, they stood there. Crimson and grey irises remained fixed against once another.

Then, the princess turned and sauntered away. Melisa watched her go, a mix of anxiety and the weirdest arousal churning in her gut.

[Well, fuck me gently with a chainsaw,] Melisa thought, running a hand through her hair. [These next few weeks are gonna be fun. And by fun, I mean stressful as all hell.]

She sighed, her tail swishing behind her in agitation. The hallway had emptied, leaving her alone with her thoughts - and they weren't great company at the moment.

[I need to figure out what she knows, and fast. Before this little game of hers turns into something a lot more dangerous.]

---

{Armia}

Armia's quill scratched across the parchment, leaving behind a trail of ink that might as well have been gibberish. The words of the professor washed over her without a reaction from the darian.

Her eyes drifted to her brother, naturally. The ache in her chest throbbed anew, a fresh wave of grief threatening to pull her under.

[It's not fair,] she thought, her grip on the quill tightening until she heard the wood creak in protest. [He was just a kid. He didn't deserve this.]

At the front of the class, Princess Aria of Syux posed a question to the professor, her voice clear and confident. Once upon a time, not so long ago, Armia would have been hanging on her every word, dissecting her mannerisms, trying to glean some secret to nobility.

Now? Now, Armia couldn't have cared less if the princess had stripped naked and started dancing on the desk.

[Becoming a noblewoman,] Armia thought, a bitter smile tugging at her lips. [What a joke. As if that would have protected Darien. As if it matters at all now.]

The sound of chairs scraping against the floor jolted Armia from her thoughts. Class was over. She blinked, realizing she hadn't absorbed a single word of the lesson.

[Not that it matters,] she thought, gathering her things. [None of this matters anymore.]

As she stood to leave, a hand on her arm stopped her. She turned, finding herself face to face with Professor Javir.

"Armia," Javir said, her voice low and urgent. "A moment, please."

Armia nodded, too tired to argue. She watched as Javir gestured to Isabella and Raven, who had been lingering by the door.

"Girls, you too. This concerns all of you."

As the others approached, Armia felt a flicker of curiosity break through her fog of grief. What could Javir want with all of them?

"I'll cut to the chase," Javir said, her eyes darting to the doorway where the last of the students were filtering out. "In light of recent... events, I think it would be best if you all came to stay at my manor for a while."

Armia blinked, caught off guard.

"What? But... my father-"

"Can come too," Javir interrupted. "In fact, I insist on it. The same goes for your mother, Isabella."

Isabella's eyes widened.

"Why the sudden offer?"

"Well, as you can probably guess, it's because we're being targeted," Raven cut in, her voice sharp. "The Shadow Mages aren't playing around anymore. They're escalating. Even now, they could be planning other attacks."

Armia didn't miss the way Isabella twitched, as though those words nearly had her running out to go back home. Armia almost wanted to do the same. On Isabella's end, somehow, Kimiko had managed to survive what Isabella had called an absolute swarm of Shadow Mages. On Armia's end, she didn't want to lose more family than she already had.

"I have several unused rooms in the manor," Javir continued, her voice softening a bit. "And if we run short on space, well, we'll make do. Squeeze in where we have to. The important thing is keeping everyone safe and together. For now, anyway."

Armia's mind raced. It wasn't a bad offer. Not at all.

[Maybe a change of scenery would help,] a small voice in the back of her mind whispered, cutting through any hesitation she was feeling. [Maybe being somewhere else... Somewhere without his ghost around every corner.]

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"I..." Armia started, then paused, swallowing hard. "I'll have to talk to my father about it."

Javir nodded.

"Of course. But please, consider it carefully. We're stronger together, after all. Oh, but, uh..." She gave a wry smile. "Do let them know in advance that people, and by people I mean Margaret and Melistair, can get... active, at times. Most of the time, actually."

"Some headphones might help." Melisa said.

"Some what?"

"Uh, nothing. Just... Hehe, they might want to bring some stuff to cover their ears with. Kimiko and your dad, I mean."

"I'm in," Raven said quietly. "Not like I have anywhere else to go anyway."

"I suppose I can ask my mother. I'll let you know," Isabella said.

"Alright," Armia said, her voice stronger than it had been in days. "I'll talk to my father tonight. But... I think it's a good idea."

Javir's shoulders relaxed, relief evident in her eyes.

"Alright. We'll work out the details, assign some rooms, once everyone's on board."

As they filed out of the classroom, all four girls walking side by side, Armia felt a warmth by her right. Isabella.

The two of them glanced at each other.

Losing Darien had certainly wounded Armia's libido, but... She did feel a twitch as the kitsune smirked at her.

As they walked down the hallway, Armia's mind drifted to the future. To nights spent in Javir's manor, planning and training. To the day when they'd finally face the Shadow Mages and make them pay for what they'd done.

It wasn't the near future she'd imagined for herself. No, this future wasn't exactly filled with balls and curtsies and the trappings of nobility she wanted, the lifestyle others called troubling that she was actively yearning for.

But, she could get to that later. Maybe.