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

The magical carriage glided to a stop before the grand entrance of the Royal Palace of Syux. As the ethereal horses dissipated into mist, Melisa, Armia, and Javir stepped out.

Melisa and Armia's eyes widened as they looked around.

[Whoa.]

The palace grounds were a sea of glittering gowns and crisp suits, mingling beneath the starry sky. Mostly humans with a few kitsune here and there, all chatting and laughing beneath multicolored spirit crystals lighting up the courtyard before they'd even gone into the palace itself.

Melisa flinched as a hand landed on the small of her back.

Javir, the owner of that gentle hand, whispered:

"Well, shall we make our grand entrance?"

Melisa nodded, trying to quell the butterflies in her stomach.

She glanced at Armia, who looked equally nervous but determined.

Melisa tried to inject some confidence into herself.

[Keep your head high,] Melisa reminded herself. [You were invited by the king himself. You belong here just as much as anyone else.]

As they ascended the marble steps, whispers and stares followed in their wake. Melisa could hear the murmurs of "nim" and "darian" rippling through the crowd, some curious, others disdainful.

They had barely reached the top of the steps when, suddenly...

"Melisa!"

The three of them turned and all three ladies' jaws dropped simultaneously.

Isabella had arrived, alongside Kimiko and Raven, and her clothing, if it could even be called that, was...

"Scandalous" was the understatement of the year.

"Holy..." Melisa breathed, her eyes wide as saucers. She could feel her face heating up, and a familiar warmth pooling in her lower belly. "Isabella... Holy shit."

Isabella grinned, twirling to show off her barely-there outfit.

"Like what you see, Mel? I have to say, maybe I should wear this sort of thing more often."

It was almost funny the way Melisa could straight-up read Isabella's thoughts right now, through the look in her eyes.

She could almost hear Isabella going:

"Come on, tell me I'm hot! Tell me how you want to drop all this and head into the nearest alley with me! Tell me I'm drop-dead fucking gorgeous~"

Instead, Melisa, with a little smile, settled for:

"You look great."

Isabella clearly wanted more, but Melisa just looked away.

[... Nothing wrong with making her work for it, right?]

Armia made a choking sound beside Melisa, her face flushed a deep crimson.
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"That's... that's certainly an outfit," she managed to say before the kitsune could say anything else, Armia's eyes darting everywhere but at Isabella.

As Isabella continued to flaunt her assets, drawing scandalized gasps and appreciative looks from the surrounding nobles, Javir stepped forward to greet Kimiko.

"Ah, you must be Isabella's mother," Javir said, extending a hand. "I'm Javir of House Folden, Melisa's mentor."

Kimiko's emerald eyes sparkled with interest as she took Javir's hand, holding it perhaps a moment longer than strictly necessary.

"A pleasure to meet you, Javir. I've heard so much about you from Isabella. All good things, I assure you."

Javir raised an eyebrow, a small smile playing at the corners of her mouth.

"Is that so? I hope I can live up to such high praise."

"In one particular way," Kimiko stated as she nonchalantly looked Javir up and down, "you already have." Javir grinned, tilting her head a little.

"..."

Melisa blinked.

Before the conversation could progress further, Javir cleared her throat and took a step back, addressing the group.

"Now then, let's go over the plan for tonight."

"You mean it's not as simple as: get drunk, dance, and wake up someplace else?" Isabella asked with a smirk.

"No," Javir replied, though Melisa could see her holding back a smirk of her own. "While I encourage you all to network and enjoy yourselves, remember why we're here. Our primary objective is to keep an eye on Melisa." She turned to Melisa, her expression serious. "You're likely to draw a lot of attention tonight, both positive and negative. Stay alert, alright? You never know what might happen."

"Yeah," Melisa nodded. "I'll keep my guard up."

"Excellent," Javir approved. "Alright, everyone... Have fun."

"Come along you two," Kimiko told Isabella and Raven. "There's someone we need to see before we get started."

And, with that, the group split up.

"Ready?" Armia quietly asked Melisa.

"Yeah," Melisa smiled. "Let's do this."

---

{Isabella}

Isabella sauntered through the crowd, her outfit drawing gasps and hungry stares from all directions. She couldn't help but smirk, reveling in the attention.

[If they think this is scandalous, just wait until the dancing starts,] she thought, suppressing a giggle.

Beside her, Raven looked like she wanted to melt into the shadows. The former assassin's eyes darted nervously around the room, her hand twitching as if reaching for a weapon that wasn't there.

"Relax, Rae," Isabella whispered, bumping her hip playfully against Raven's. "You look like you're about to murder someone."

The nickname had the desired effect immediately.

"Don't call me that," Raven hissed back. "And maybe I am."

Kimiko led the way, her emerald eyes scanning the crowd with predatory focus. Suddenly, she stopped, a sly smile spreading across her face.

"There she is," Kimiko murmured. "Ladies, allow me to introduce you to our... benefactor."

They approached a statuesque woman with silver-streaked black hair and piercing blue eyes. She exuded an aura of power and wealth that made even Isabella feel a bit intimidated.

[Damn,] Isabella thought, her tail swishing nervously behind her. [She looks like she eats girls like me for breakfast. I like her!]

"Amelia, darling!" Kimiko called out, her voice dripping with honey. "It's been far too long."

The woman turned, her eyes lighting up at the sight of Kimiko.

"Kimi! Oh, how I've missed you, you naughty minx."

The two women embraced, their hands lingering on each other perhaps a bit longer than strictly necessary. When they pulled apart, Amelia's gaze fell on Isabella, and the young kitsune felt a shiver run down her spine.

Amelia's eyes raked over Isabella's body, lingering on every curve and barely-covered bit of skin. Isabella felt her cock twitch in response, and she had to bite her lip to keep from getting hard right then and there.

"And this must be the talented young sundancer you told me about," Amelia purred, her voice like silk. "Isabella, was it?"

Isabella nodded, somehow managing to find her voice as she bowed.

"That's right, my lady. It's a pleasure to meet you."

"Oh, I assure you, the pleasure is all mine."

"Raven Nightsong," Raven Nightsong introduced herself in a deadpan tone. "A pleasure as well."

Amelia only gave her a cursory glance before:

"Well then," Amelia said, clapping her hands together. "We should get you two prepared for the First Swing. Follow me, ladies."

As they followed Amelia through the crowd, Isabella's mind raced. She remembered Kimiko's briefing: Six Swings throughout the night, with a dinner break between the Third and Fourth. And of course, the private "dances" in between each one.

[Right,] Isabella thought, a mix of excitement and nerves bubbling in her stomach. [And, in the middle of all that...]

Isabella's eyes drifted to the wand Kimiko had on her hip.

[I shill the fuck out of my invention!] Isabella grinned.

They reached a secluded alcove, hidden from the main ballroom by a shimmering magical curtain. Amelia turned to face them, her expression suddenly all business.

"Now then," she said, her voice low and intense. "Let's discuss exactly what you'll be doing tonight."

---

{Melisa}

Melisa's heart pounded as they approached the palace entrance. Two knights in gleaming armor stood at attention, their expressions stoic beneath their visors.

"Invitations, please," one of them said, his voice gruff and businesslike.

Javir stepped forward first. She produced her envelope in the blink of an eye, like a magician slipping something down from her sleeve. Then, Javir handed over Melisa's envelope as well.

"The darian is her plus one," Javir made sure to inform them. "I didn't bring a guest."

The knight examined the invitations closely, his eyes narrowing as he looked from the letters to the odd trio before him. Melisa could practically see the gears turning in his head.

After what felt like an eternity, he nodded curtly and handed the invitations back.

"You may enter," he said, though his tone suggested he'd rather be saying anything but.

As they stepped into the grand foyer, Melisa's jaw dropped.

The interior of the palace was even more breathtaking than she'd imagined. Crystal chandeliers floated in mid-air, their light reflecting off polished marble floors and gilded walls. Elaborate tapestries depicting scenes from Syux's history adorned the walls, and the air was thick with the scent of exotic perfumes and the low hum of conversation.

But as stunning as the surroundings were, Melisa couldn't help but notice something else: eyes. Lots of eyes. All on them.

It felt like the entire room had fallen silent the moment they'd entered, though logically Melisa knew that couldn't be true. Still, she could feel the weight of countless stares boring into her from every direction.

[Well, shit,] she thought, trying to keep her expression neutral. [I knew we'd draw attention, but this is ridiculous.]

Beside her, Armia shifted uncomfortably, her tail almost looking like it was about to curl around one of her legs. Melisa reached out and squeezed one of her hands reassuringly.

To Melisa's surprise, even Javir seemed to be earning her fair own share of strange looks. Whispers followed in their wake as they made their way deeper into the room.

"Is that... a nim?"

"What's a darian doing here?"

"Isn't that Javir of House Folden? I thought she'd left the court years ago..."

Javir leaned in close, her lips barely moving as she whispered to Melisa and Armia.

"Remember, chins up. You have every right to be here."

Melisa nodded, straightening her posture. She caught Armia's eye, and they shared a quick, nervous smile.

After a moment, Javir's serious expression melted into a mischievous grin.

"Now then," she said, her voice taking on an exaggerated scholarly tone, "shall we review the finer points of networking? Step one: identify a target. Step two: approach said target. Step three: engage in mind-numbingly dull small talk until you discover something useful or die of boredom. Whichever comes first."

Melisa couldn't help but giggle, some of the tension easing from her shoulders. Even Armia cracked a smile, her scales regaining some of their luster.

"Any questions?" Javir asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Just one," Melisa replied, playing along. "What's the proper etiquette if I fall asleep mid-conversation?"

"Ah, excellent question," Javir nodded sagely. "Unfortunately, I have yet to figure out the answer to that myself, so you're on your own there."

Without further explanation, Javir straightened her jacket and strode off, leaving Melisa and Armia standing alone in the sea of staring nobles.

"Well," Armia said after a moment, her voice dry. "This isn't awkward at all."

Melisa snorted.

"Nope, not at all. Just two outcasts, surrounded by hundreds of humans who probably think we're here to serve drinks or provide entertainment."

"Ah, but little do they know," Armia replied, a hint of her usual confidence returning, "we're actually here to serve *looks* and provide *class*."

Melisa burst out laughing, not caring about the scandalized looks it earned her from nearby nobles.

[Well... At least we're in this together, eh?]

"Alright then, Lady Duskscale," Melisa said, offering her arm to Armia with an exaggerated flourish. "Shall we go dazzle these stuffy nobles with our wit and charm?"

Armia took her arm, her grip firm and reassuring.

"Lead the way, Lady Blackflame."

[Time to make some waves,] she thought, a determined smile spreading across her face as they walked forward. [Let's see what kind of trouble we can stir up.]