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

{Aria}

Princess Aria sat in her opulent carriage, the gentle rocking doing little to soothe her troubled mind.

Her slim fingers traced the edges of a well-worn letter, the parchment crinkled from countless readings. The words were so blunt, its contained statement was so simple, that Aria felt like she was being mocked.

"Queen Melara is dead. Circumstances unknown. Syux in turmoil. A nim rises to prominence. Exercise caution during your return, Your Highness."

Aria's grey eyes scanned the words for what must have been the hundredth time.

Her white hair, akin to freshly fallen snow, fell in a curtain around her face, hiding her expression from the world.

[Mother... gone,] she thought, her face a mask of calm despite the storm raging in her heart. [And now this business with a nim. It doesn't make sense. None of this makes sense.]

When she first read the paper, a single tear had escaped her. During her tenth time reading it, anger boiled inside her. Now, it had simmered down to quiet irritation.

"Your Highness?"

The voice of her advisor, Lord Caelum, broke through Aria's reverie. She looked up, her grey eyes sharp and alert despite the dark circles that hinted at the many sleepless nights she'd been having lately.

"Yes, Lord Caelum?"

Lord Caelum, a chubby man with a bushy mustache that almost had a life of its own, bowed slightly.

"We've received word from the Rhayan border. The darian chieftains are... restless."

Aria nodded, carefully folding the letter and tucking it into a hidden pocket in her dress. She straightened, her black-painted lips pursing slightly as she considered the situation.

"Restless how?" she asked, her mind already whirring with possibilities.

Lord Caelum cleared his throat nervously.

"There have been reports of increased skirmishes along the border. Nothing major, but... tensions are high, Your Highness."

Aria's brow furrowed slightly.

"And what of our diplomatic overtures? Have they received no response?"

"I'm afraid not, Your Highness. The darian chieftains seem... reluctant to engage in talks."

[Damn,] Aria thought. [We can't let this escalate. Not now. Not when we're so close to a breakthrough.]

"What does my father say about all this?" she asked, though she could already guess the answer.

Lord Caelum's mustache twitched uncomfortably.

"His Majesty believes a show of force might be necessary to bring the darians to the negotiating table."

Aria felt a flash of frustration.

[Of course he does. Always reaching for the sword when a kind word might suffice.]

"No," she said firmly. "We will not resort to violence. Not when there's still a chance for peace."

Lord Caelum looked relieved, though a hint of worry still lingered in his eyes.

"What would you have us do, Your Highness?"

Aria stood, moving to the small window of her carriage. Outside, the lush forests of Syux's borderlands rushed by, a sea of green punctuated by the occasional flash of a mountain stream.

"We need to understand them better," she said, her voice thoughtful. "I don't believe the darians are mindless brutes, no matter what some in the court might think. They have their own culture, their own values. If we're to have any hope of peace, we need to speak to them in a way they understand."

She turned back to Lord Caelum, her grey eyes intense.

"I want to arrange another meeting. But, for this one, tell them to bring their scholars. Their storytellers. The keepers of their history and traditions. It will have to happen soon, though."

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Lord Caelum's eyebrows shot up.

"Your Highness, that's... unorthodox, to say the least."

A small smile tugged at the corners of Aria's black lips.

"Sometimes, Lord Caelum, unorthodox is exactly what we need. Arrange it. And make sure to emphasize that this is a gesture of respect and curiosity, not a political maneuver."

As Lord Caelum hurried off to carry out her orders, Aria turned her attention back to the letter. Her slim fingers traced the words once more, lingering on a name that had suddenly become so important.

"Melisa Blackflame," she murmured. "Who are you? And what role do you play in all of this?"

Just then, a commotion outside caught her attention. Shouts rang out, followed by the distinctive roar of darian warriors.

[Skirmishers,] Aria thought, her pulse quickening despite her outward calm. [So much for a peaceful ride home.]

"Your Highness, p-please, stay within the carriage!" Lord Caelum cried, his face pale.

[Hm?] Aria raised a brow. [What does-]

Then, she recalled she had her sword next to her. Lord Caelum probably thought she, like some eager, young, wild princess warrior, would hop out and start swinging.

But Aria didn't move. She had no interest in that. Instead, she turned her gaze to the small window, watching as her royal guards engaged the darian attackers.

It was chaos outside. Darian warriors clashed with the silver-armored royal guards. Magic crackled through the air, bolts of elemental energy flying back and forth, mingling with flames.

Aria observed it all with a critical eye.

Fighting wasn't her strong suit – she much preferred the intellectual challenges of diplomacy and negotiation – but she knew the importance of understanding warfare.

[They fight with passion, with fire, no pun intended,] she thought, watching as a particularly large darian warrior held off three guards at once. [But there's coordination there too. This isn't just a random attack. They're testing us. Probing our defenses.]

As the battle raged on, Aria's mind raced. She saw not just the clash of steel and scale, but the underlying currents of culture and history that drove this conflict.

[Perhaps we've been approaching this all wrong,] she realized. [These people value strength and action. We need to show them we're strong enough to be worthy allies, not just adversaries.]

Finally, after what felt like hours but was likely only minutes, the skirmish died down. The darians retreated into the forest, leaving behind a handful of wounded, some dead, and one very shaken royal convoy.

Throughout it all, Aria had barely moved. She sat, poised and regal, as if watching a mildly interesting play rather than a life-or-death struggle.

As the last echoes of battle faded away, Aria turned back to her advisor. Lord Caelum was huddled, his mustache quivering with each ragged breath.

"Well," Aria said, her voice dry. "That was informative."

Lord Caelum gaped at her, clearly struggling to reconcile her calm demeanor with the carnage outside.

"I-Informative, Your Highness?"

Aria nodded, already reaching for a fresh piece of parchment and a quill.

"Indeed. We've been going about this all wrong, Lord Caelum. The darians respect strength, yes, but also honor and directness, I think. We need to change our approach."

As she began to write, her quill scratching rapidly across the parchment, Lord Caelum watched in bewilderment.

"What... what are you doing, Your Highness?"

"Writing a letter," Aria said, not looking up. "To the darian chieftains. I'm challenging them to a contest!"

Lord Caelum's jaw dropped.

"A contest? But Your Highness, surely after this attack-"

"After this attack, they may be expecting retaliation," Aria interrupted. "Threats, ultimatums, perhaps even military action. Instead, we're going to surprise them. A contest of strength and skill, but also of wit and wisdom. Something to showcase the best of both our cultures."

She looked up, a spark of excitement in her grey eyes.

"Besides, I could use a bit of fun before I make it back home."

[Something to take my mind off Mother, hopefully.]

Lord Caelum sputtered, clearly struggling to keep up with this rapid change in strategy.

"But... but Your Highness, what about security? What about the court? Your father-"

"Will trust my judgment, as usual," Aria said firmly. "This is a good chance for peace, Lord Caelum. We can't afford to let fear dictate our actions."

As she finished the letter, sealing it with the royal crest, Aria's mind turned once more to the mystery that had been nagging at her.

"And Lord Caelum," she added, "I need you to gather all the information you can on this Melisa Blackflame. Everything. Her background, her abilities, her sudden rise to prominence. Leave no stone unturned."

Lord Caelum blinked, clearly thrown by this sudden shift in focus.

"The nim girl, Your Highness? But surely with everything else-"

"Everything is connected, Lord Caelum," Aria said, her voice soft but intense. "My mother's death, this nim's rise to power, the tensions with the darians... there could be a pattern here. If there is, I intend to unravel it."

As Lord Caelum hurried off to relay her orders, Aria turned her attention back to the window.

The forest rushed by, a blur of green and shadow, but in her mind's eye, she saw a future. A future where Syux and the darian tribes of Rhaya stood not as enemies, but as allies.

[It won't be easy,] she thought, a determined smile on her face. [But nothing worth doing ever is.]

The caravan lurched back into motion, continuing its journey through the borderlands. But inside, Princess Aria's mind was already racing ahead, plotting and planning.

But, of course, there was one more matter that required her attention.

"Melisa Blackflame," Aria muttered aloud, narrowing her eyes. "You... What's your deal?"