Reborn as a Succubus: Time To Live My Best Life!-Chapter 390: On A High Note

The stage lights dimmed.

A single spotlight illuminated center stage where Aria stood, looking smaller than usual without her royal regalia. She wore the sapphire dress Rakia had finally settled on—simple, elegant, with a plunging neckline.

[Wait, what’s she doing up there?]

"Our queen honors us tonight," Silviana announced from the side of the stage, "with a gift rarely shared. Her voice."

Melisa’s eyebrows shot up.

[Aria sings!?]

A hush fell over the plaza. Even the drunk kitsune in the back stopped giggling.

Music began—just a single flute at first, haunting and lonely. Then Aria opened her mouth.

The first note struck Melisa’s heart directly. Pure and clear, it carried across the plaza without amplification. Melisa’s tail went rigid. Her whole body got goosebumps.

[Holy fuck.]

Aria’s voice soared through an old ballad, something about moonlight and lost love that should have been cheesy but wasn’t. Not the way she sang it.

[Man... Where was this all along?]

The song built, Aria’s voice climbing impossible heights then dropping to whispers that somehow still carried. Her hands moved subtly, not quite dancing but flowing with the music. The sapphire dress she wore made her glow.

[No seriously, how did I not know she could do this?]

The final note held for so long Melisa wondered if Aria had secretly figured out how to breathe through her ears or something. When it finally faded, the silence stretched for three heartbeats.

Then pandemonium.

The crowd screamed approval. Flowers sailed through the air. Someone threw their underwear, which missed the stage entirely.

Aria bowed once, quickly, and practically fled offstage.

"I need to—"

"Melisa." Raven materialized at her elbow. "Problem."

"When isn’t there?"

"Northeast section. Three nim, but they’re moving wrong."

"Wrong how?"

"Suspiciously." Raven’s eyes tracked something in the crowd. "Southwest section, two more. Same issue. They’re spread out but coordinating."

[Shadow Mages using illusions again, maybe?]

"Have you told—"

"RAVEN!" Isabella bounded over, tits bouncing dangerously in her festival outfit. "Dance with me!"

"I’m working."

"You’re standing!" Isabella grabbed Raven’s arm. "Come on! The drum circle’s starting!"

"Isabella, I need to—"

"You need to loosen up!" She started dragging Raven away. "Melisa, tell her she needs to dance!"

"Actually—"

But Isabella had already pulled Raven into the crowd, heading for where drums pounded out a rhythm that made Melisa’s hips want to move.

[Great. Perfect timing, Isabella.]

Melisa found Silviana by the main pavilion, surrounded by advisors and well-wishers.

The Matriarch caught her eye and excused herself, walking over with that usual hip-sway.

"You look concerned."

"Raven spotted some suspicious individuals. She said they were moving like they’re not comfortable in their bodies."

"Illusions." Silviana’s expression didn’t change but her tails stiffened slightly. "I’ve noticed them too. Plus three more near the food stalls."

Melisa stepped closer. Silvana whispered:

"They’re waiting for something. The question is what."

"The finale? Maximum crowd, maximum chaos?"

"Possible." Silviana’s hand brushed Melisa’s arm. "What would you do?"

Melisa blinked.

"You’re asking me?"

"You’ve fought them since childhood. You understand their tactics." Her fingers traced the gold chains across Melisa’s stomach. "Plus I find tactical discussion very engaging."

[Focus, Melisa.]

"Well... We can’t just grab them. Even if they’re illusioned, they’ll get out of their illusions and claim we’re attacking innocent kitsune. That plays into their narrative."

"Agreed."

"But if we wait, they control the timing."

"Also true."

Melisa chewed her lip, thinking. Silviana watched her with an expression that was part curiosity, part hunger.

"What if we force their hand?"

"How?"

"Change the schedule. Move the finale up. Or better—" An idea struck. "Announce a special performance. Something that would make them act."

"Such as?"

"A nim delegation from Syux. Arriving to sign a friendship treaty. Make it seem spontaneous, like they just arrived."

Silviana’s eyes lit up.

"They’d have to disrupt that. Can’t let nim and kitsune formally ally."

"Exactly. We control where and when. Set the stage properly, minimize civilian casualties."

"Clever girl." Silviana’s hand cupped Melisa’s cheek. "Though we’d need someone to play the delegation."

"My parents could—"

"Perfect. And that darian friend of yours. Very imposing." Her thumb stroked Melisa’s cheekbone. "You’d lead them, of course. The famous nim mage, bringing peace between peoples."

"That’s a lot of pressure."

"You just performed half-naked in front of ten thousand people. This should be easy."

[She has a point.]

"When?"

"Twenty minutes. Long enough to position guards, not so long they get suspicious." Silviana leaned closer. "Can you sell it?"

"I grew up pretending to be normal. I can sell anything." 𝙛𝒓𝓮𝙚𝔀𝒆𝒃𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝒐𝒎

"Mm. I’d like to see what else you can sell." Her breath was hot against Melisa’s ear. "Later. My chambers. Bring whoever you want."

She pulled away before Melisa could respond, already calling for guards and advisors.

[Did she just... with the... while we’re planning... fuck.]

Backstage was barely controlled chaos.

Margaret adjusted imaginary wrinkles in her festival dress while Melistair checked his ceremonial sword for the fifth time. Armia stood silent, arms crossed, muscles tense.

"So we’re bait," Armia said flatly.

"Diplomatic bait," Melisa corrected.

"Still bait."

"I think it’s exciting!" Margaret said. "We get to be important!"

"We get to be targets," Melistair muttered.

"Where’s your sense of adventure?"

"I left it back in Lessmark with our normal life."

Hazel bounced between them, too young to understand danger but old enough to pick up on excitement.

"Do I get to go on stage too?"

"Absolutely not," both parents said simultaneously.

"But Melisa gets to!"

"Melisa’s an adult."

"Barely!" Hazel pouted.

Guards moved into position throughout the plaza. Subtle, but Melisa could see them—extra security near exit points, archers on rooftops, mages with hands ready to cast.

"Two minutes!" a stage manager called.

Melisa’s tail twitched anxiously.

[This better work.]

"You look nervous," Armia observed.

"Eight Shadow Mages minimum, pretending to be civilians, about to try killing us. Why would I be nervous?"

"Could be worse."

"How?"

"Could be nine Shadow Mages."

Despite everything, Melisa laughed.

"Your optimism is overwhelming."

"I try." Armia’s expression softened slightly. "We won’t let anything happen to you."

"I can protect myself."

"I know. But you don’t have to do it alone."

Before Melisa could respond, Silviana’s voice boomed across the plaza.

"Citizens! We have an unexpected honor tonight! A delegation from Syux has arrived, bearing a treaty of friendship between our peoples!"

Gasps rippled through the crowd. Excited chatter in multiple languages.

"Please welcome Lady Melisa Blackflame and her delegation!"

[Showtime.]