Reborn as a Succubus: Time To Live My Best Life!-Chapter 38: The Prodigious Nim, Part Seven

{Melisa}

Melisa lay motionless on her bed, her face buried in her pillow as she tried her best to suffocate herself.

[I’m going to die,] she thought, her entire body burning with embarrassment. [I’m actually going to die right here, right now, and honestly? That might be the best outcome.]

She rolled onto her back, staring up at the ceiling.

[Maybe I should just... never do that again. Ever. For the rest of my life. Yep, that’s it. Melisa Blackflame, the Nim That Never Touched Herself.

Has a nice ring to it, doesn’t it?]

Just as she was considering the logistics of becoming a celibate hermit mage, the door creaked open once more.

Melisa sprang to her feet so quickly she nearly toppled over, her face flushing an even deeper shade of purple.

"I’m so sorry!" she blurted out, her words tumbling over each other in her haste. "I didn’t mean to— I was just— Oh god, I’m so embarrassed."

The dark-haired girl held up a hand, cutting off Melisa’s rambling apology.

"It’s fine," she said, her voice cool and controlled. "I should have knocked. It was my error."

Melisa stopped.

[Whoa,] she thought, blinking. [Her voice is... Amazing.]

The girl who’d just spoken now, whose grey eyes quickly ran up and down Melisa’s body, had a voice that Melisa could only describe as being like water being poured slowly from a pitcher.

[Her voice is so deep, too, for someone as... tiny as she is.] Raven was Melisa’s same height, and sometimes Melisa felt like an ant as she walked around the Academy.

She stepped fully into the room, closing the door behind her.

"I’m Raven," she said, giving a small, formal bow. "I believe I’m to be your roommate."

Melisa blinked.

"Oh! Um, nice to meet you. I’m Melisa," she replied, automatically extending her hand for a shake. "Melisa Blackflame."

Raven flinched back. That act made Melisa flinch too.

[Eh?]

Raven’s eyes widened slightly before she quickly brought her features back into neutrality.

Melisa stayed frozen, her hand hanging awkwardly in the air between them.

[What was that about?] she wondered, slowly lowering her arm. [Ah, no, my bad. Maybe she’s just not used to physical contact.]

Deciding not to make a big deal of it, Melisa forced a smile.

"So, uh, welcome to our room, I guess? Sorry again about... earlier. I promise that won’t be, like, a regular occurrence or anything."

Raven nodded, her grey eyes scanning the room with an odd amount of intensity.

"It’s fine," she repeated, moving to the empty bed. "I’m sure we’ll get along well, Melisa Blackflame. It is a pleasure to meet another talented mage."

Something about the way Raven said her name sent a small shiver down Melisa’s spine, but she brushed it off as lingering embarrassment.

Melisa watched as Raven meticulously unpacked her belongings, each movement precise and calculated. The silence stretched between them, thick and uncomfortable.

[Come on, Melisa,] she thought, fidgeting with the hem of her skirt. [Say something. Anything!]

"So, uh, where are you from?" Melisa asked, wincing internally at how forced it sounded.

Raven paused, her hand hovering over a neatly folded shirt.

"I’m from the eastern provinces," she replied, her voice still so achingly smooth. "A small town called Meerfall."

"Oh, cool! I’ve never been there. What’s it like?"

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"It is quaint." Raven answered quickly. "Lots of farmland. Very peaceful." Raven’s eyes didn’t meet Melisa’s as she spoke, focusing instead on her unpacking.

"What about your family? Do you have any siblings?"

"One brother," Raven answered just as promptly. "He’s younger. Wants to be a baker."

Each response came quickly. Efficiently.

[Huh,] Melisa thought, frowning slightly. [That sounded... rehearsed? Like she was reciting lines from a play.]

Melisa frowned, but she pushed on. It didn’t matter.

[This is my chance,] she realized, a spark of excitement igniting in her chest. [After eight years, I might finally have one friend!]

Taking a deep breath, Melisa stood up, careful to maintain a respectful distance from Raven. Clearly, the girl appreciated having some space to herself if the way she flinched earlier was any indication.

"Hey, I was thinking of taking a walk around campus. You know, get some fresh air, maybe explore a bit. Would you like to come with me?"

Raven’s hands stilled, her eyes flickering with... something.

Surprise? Uncertainty?

For a moment, she seemed to be weighing her options, a internal debate playing out behind those stormy grey eyes.

Finally, she nodded.

"Yes," she said, her voice softer than before. "I think I’d like that."

Melisa beamed, her heart soaring.

"Great! Let’s go then!"

---

{Raven}

Raven walked beside Melisa, her eyes darting over the nim girl’s form.

The purple skin, the horns, the tail. All of it screamed ’other’, ’dangerous’, ’disgusting’. Yet here Melisa was, strolling along as if she belonged, her skirt swishing with each step, exposing flashes of thigh.

[It would be so easy,] Raven thought, her fingers twitching towards the hidden blade strapped to her thigh. [One quick movement and it’d be over. No one would even notice until it was too late.]

But she restrained herself, remembering her master’s words. Not yet. Not here.

"So, what do you think of the Academy so far?" Melisa’s voice cut through Raven’s murderous thoughts.

Without thinking, Raven replied:

"It’s nothing compared to where I trained."

The words were out before she could stop them.

Raven’s heart skipped a beat, realizing her mistake.

[Fool! That’s not part of your cover story!]

But Melisa’s eyes lit up with interest.

"Oh? Where did you train before? It must have been impressive!"

Raven swallowed hard, her mind racing.

[I can’t take it back now. I’ll have to improvise.]

"It was... different," she said carefully. "More focused on practical applications than theory. The training grounds were underground, carved into the bedrock. Not like these airy classrooms and sunlit courtyards."

Melisa smiled, fangs peeking out slightly.

"That sounds fascinating! I’d love to hear more about it someday."

Raven found her gaze drawn to those lips, the way they curved upwards, how they parted just slightly as Melisa spoke.

She shook her head, snapping herself out of it.

[Ahh, there it is,] she reminded herself sternly. [Remember what you were taught. Nim are manipulators. They use affection as a weapon. Don’t let your guard down.]

But as they continued their walk, Raven couldn’t help but notice how Melisa’s eyes sparkled when she talked, how her laughter seemed to brighten the air around them.

[Stay strong,] she told herself. [Don’t fall for her tricks. You have a mission to complete.]

As they rounded a corner, a tall woman with sunlight-colored hair approached them, her eyes lighting up at the sight of Melisa.

"Melisa! How are you settling in?" the woman asked, her voice warm and rich.

Melisa beamed, her tail swishing behind her.

"I’m doing great, thanks. Oh, let me introduce you—this is my new roommate, Raven. Raven, this is Javir."

Javir’s gaze shifted to Raven, her eyes sharp and assessing.

Raven felt a chill run down her spine, her muscles tensing involuntarily. There was something in the older woman’s gaze, a flicker of... suspicion?

[Does she know?] Raven wondered, her heart rate picking up. [Is my cover blown already?]

For a moment, the air between them crackled with tension. Raven’s hand twitched, ready to reach for her hidden weapon at the slightest provocation.

But then Javir’s expression softened, and she offered a polite smile.

"A pleasure to meet you, Raven. I’m afraid I must get back to my office—papers to grade, you know how it is. You two enjoy your walk."

With a quick bow, Javir turned and strode away, her robes billowing behind her.

Raven watched her go, eyes narrowed, every muscle in her body still coiled tight.

"So, shall we continue?" Melisa’s voice made Raven flinch, her hand jerking towards her thigh before she caught herself.

Melisa’s eyes widened slightly, but her voice remained calm.

"We don’t have to if you’re not feeling up to it. I know it can be overwhelming, meeting new people..."

Raven took a deep breath, forcing her muscles to relax.

"No, it’s fine," she said, her voice carefully controlled. "Let’s keep going. I’d like to see more of the campus."

As they resumed their walk, Raven couldn’t shake the feeling that she was being watched. But by who?

Javir, or someone else?