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

{Melisa}

The morning sun streamed through the window, casting a warm glow across Melisa's room.

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She sat on her bed, tail twitching nervously as she reviewed yesterday's notes for the hundredth time.

All around her were sheets of paper Melisa had stockpiled.

Sheets containing damaging, combative spells, specifically.

Continuing her journey toward understanding the varying properties of Blood Magic, Melisa had picked up a few spells at random and had gone to see why exactly they worked the way that they did.

In other words, if she could create illuminating spheres with Water Magic, as she'd done before, or shields with Fire Magic, why couldn't a Blood Magic spell do more than just harm another? Why couldn't a Blood Magic spell function without a sacrifice?

Alas, she got no answers.

The sound of the door closing echoed through the quiet dorm as Raven left for her morning run. Melisa sighed, grateful for a moment of solitude to gather her thoughts.

Suddenly, a sharp knock at the door startled her from her reverie.

[Hm? Did Raven forget something?]

"Come in," Melisa called, hastily smoothing down her rumpled nightshirt.

To her surprise, Javir strode into the room, an air of purpose about her. In her hand, she clutched a thick envelope.

"Good morning, Melisa," Javir said, her voice warm. "I hope I'm not interrupting anything important."

Melisa shook her head, curiosity piqued by the envelope.

"Not at all, Professor. Is everything alright?"

Javir smiled, an uncharacteristically soft expression crossing her features.

"Everything's fine. I just wanted to give you this before the gala tomorrow."

She held out the envelope, and Melisa took it, feeling the weight of its contents.

"What is it?" she asked, running her fingers over the smooth paper.

"Information," Javir replied, her voice low and serious. "About Life Magic and Blood Magic. Things you won't find in any academy textbook. I think you'll find it... enlightening."

Melisa's eyes widened, her heart racing with excitement.

"Javir, I... thank you. This is incredible."

Before Melisa could say more, Javir stepped forward, pulling her into a tight embrace.

...

[Eh?]

The nim girl froze for a moment.

Javir... was not usually this affectionate.

"No problem, Melisa," Javir murmured, her breath warm against Melisa's ear as her hands moved up and down Melisa's back, sending shivers down her spine. "Make good use of this stuff, okay? I look forward to hearing back about it all."

As Javir pulled back, she pressed a soft kiss to Melisa's forehead, right between Melisa's horns.

The gesture was tender and Melisa felt a warmth blooming in her chest. But, she couldn't deny that this was odd.

[Wait a minute,] Melisa thought, her brow furrowing slightly. [This isn't like Javir at all. Is she...?]

Melisa suddenly became acutely aware of the subtle scent of her own pheromones in the air.

She'd grown so used to it that she hardly noticed anymore, but now she realized the effect they were having on Javir.@@novelbin@@

But, if she could smell them, Javir also should have been aware of them. And, instead, here she was, treating Melisa like a stuffed toy.

[She's usually so careful about this,] Melisa mused, watching as Javir smiled at her. [She doesn't even seem to realize what's happening.]

For a moment, Melisa considered saying something. But as she looked at her mentor's relaxed, open expression, she hesitated.

[It's harmless, isn't it?] Melisa rationalized. [And it's... nice to see her like this. Less guarded.]

Decision made, Melisa simply smiled back, clutching the envelope to her chest.

"Thank you, Javir. For everything. I promise I'll be careful."

Javir nodded, seemingly satisfied.

"Good. Now, I should let you get back to your preparations. If you have any questions about the contents of that envelope, don't hesitate to ask."

As Javir left, closing the door softly behind her, Melisa sank back onto her bed. Her mind raced with the implications of what had just happened.

[My pheromones are still evolving,] she thought, looking down at her hands, a mixture of excitement and trepidation washing over her. [Getting stronger, maybe? Or just... different?]

She glanced down at the envelope in her hands, wondering what secrets it held. But her thoughts kept drifting back to Javir's uncharacteristic behavior.

[Is this what it's going to be like from now on?] Melisa wondered. [People dropping their guards around me?]

The potential power of such an ability was not lost on Melisa. At the gala, surrounded by nobles and politicians, the ability to lower people's inhibitions could be invaluable.

With a deep breath, Melisa turned her attention to the envelope. She had a lot to learn before tomorrow night and not much time to do it in.

[Okay,] she thought, clapping her hands. [Let's see what this is about.]

---

As the hours ticked by, Melisa remained engrossed in the documents Javir had given her.

She barely noticed when Raven returned from her run, showered, and prepared for class.

"Are you coming?" Raven asked, pausing at the door.

Melisa shook her head, not looking up from her papers.

"Not today. This is... important."

Raven's eyebrow quirked, but she didn't press further.

"Alright."

Once alone again, Melisa dove deeper into the arcane knowledge spread before her.

Her crimson eyes darted back and forth, absorbing every detail of the Life and Blood spells laid out in meticulous detail.

Suddenly, one spell caught her attention, making her breath catch in her throat.

It was a Blood Magic curse, designed to slowly deteriorate the target's health from the inside out. The description was clinical, but Melisa could imagine the horrific effects it would have.

[This is... terrifying,] she realized, a shiver running down her spine. [But also... fascinating.]

Her mind began to race, recalling a Life spell she'd studied earlier. An idea began to form, a dangerous, exhilarating idea.

[What if...] Melisa bit her lip, her hand already reaching for a fresh sheet of parchment. [What if I could combine them somehow? Turn this curse into something... beneficial?]

For the next several hours, Melisa lost herself in the intricate process of spellcrafting.

She broke down the Blood curse and the Life spell into their component parts, as per usual. Then, mechanically, she began to piece them back together in new, innovative ways.

Her quill flew across the parchment, sketching diagrams and scribbling notes.

She muttered incantations under her breath, her fingers tracing spellsigns in the air. The room hummed with magical energy, responding to her intense focus and determination.

[It's like coding,] Melisa thought, a grin spreading across her face as pieces began to fall into place. [Debugging, optimizing, creating something entirely new from existing parts.]

Finally, as the sun began to set, casting long shadows across her cluttered desk, Melisa sat back.

Before her lay the fruits of her labor - a completely new spell, born from the fusion of Life and Blood Magic.

[I did it,] she thought, a mixture of pride and trepidation washing over her. [But... what exactly have I just created?]

Melisa stared at the spell, her heart racing. She knew she should test it, but on whom? The effects could be unpredictable, potentially dangerous.

[I can't risk using it on someone else,] she realized, her resolve hardening. [There's only one option.]

Taking a deep breath, Melisa stood.

She traced the new spellsign in the air, her voice steady as she spoke the incantation she'd crafted.

"Lumi sanguine, vita crescere," she intoned, feeling the magic surge through her.

For a moment, nothing happened. Then, suddenly, a warm, tingling sensation spread through her body. It started in her chest, radiating outward to her limbs, her fingertips, the tips of her horns.

Melisa gasped, her eyes widening as the sensation intensified. But it wasn't painful. In fact, it felt... good. Invigorating. Like every cell in her body was suddenly more alive, more vibrant.

[What is this?] she wondered, flexing her fingers and marveling at the rush of energy coursing through her. [It feels amazing, but... what's it actually doing?]

As the initial surge of sensation faded, Melisa was left feeling better than she had in weeks.

Her mind was sharper, her body more responsive. Even her tail seemed to move with greater agility.

[I won't know exactly what this spell does until I can observe its effects on someone else,] Melisa realized, a mix of excitement and caution tempering her elation. [But whatever it is... it's powerful.]

She sank back into her chair, her mind racing with the implications of what she'd just accomplished.

She'd created a new spell, one that seemed to blend the life-altering properties of Blood Magic with the beneficial aspects of Life Magic.

As she began to tidy up her notes, hiding the more sensitive information, Melisa couldn't shake the feeling that she'd just taken a significant step forward in her magical journey.

The gala was tomorrow, and now she had a secret weapon - one that even she didn't fully understand, but still.