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

Soon, Melisa stood before a group of mages, trying not to fidget under their intense gazes.

She couldn't quite see their faces. It was dark in the room, exceptionally dark, but she could feel their eyes on her.

They all seemed human, and they all carried an air of power and authority that made Melisa feel tiny.

[Okay, Melisa, deep breaths. You've got this. It'll be fine. You won't fuck up your one and only chance at living an awesome life. No, of course, not.]

One of the mages, an older man with a long, white beard, spoke up, his voice dripping with skepticism.

"Javir, what is the meaning of this? Are you finally returning to the Academy, or have you simply come to waste our time with... with this?" He gestured dismissively at Melisa.

Javir just smiled.

"Esteemed colleagues, I come before you today to introduce an extraordinary young woman. This is Melisa Blackflame, and I believe she is more than deserving of a scholarship to our illustrious Academy."

The mages exchanged incredulous looks, murmuring amongst themselves.

"A scholarship? For a nim?" a severe-looking woman scoffed. "Surely you must be joking, Javir. You came back to fool around like this?"

Javir shook her head.

"Ah, but that's where you're wrong, my dear Magdalena. Melisa is unlike any nim the world has ever seen. She possesses a gift, a talent that sets her apart from all others of her kind."

That got them to quiet down.

"And what, pray tell, is this supposed gift?" the bearded man asked, his tone still dripping with doubt.

Javir paused for dramatic effect, then dropped the bombshell.

"Melisa can cast spells."

...

The room erupted into chaos, the mages shouting over each other in disbelief and outrage.

"Impossible!" "A nim, casting spells? Preposterous!" "Alright, now I know you're joking."

[Wow. The mere thought is really that far-fetched?]

Melisa felt her cheeks burning.

Javir held up a hand, silencing the clamor with a single, commanding gesture.

"I understand your skepticism, my friends. But I assure you, what I say is true. And I intend to prove it, here and now."

She turned to Melisa, giving her a small, encouraging nod.

"Melisa, my dear, why don't you show these fine mages what you can do? Give them a little taste of the magic that flows through your veins."

Melisa swallowed hard, her heart pounding in her chest.

Melisa stepped forward, her hands already moving in the familiar patterns of the Illuminate spell.

"Illumina, car ei!" she cried.

A brilliant ball of light burst into existence above her palm, casting a warm, golden glow over the stunned faces of the mages. Melisa could only see them slightly better now.

For a moment, there was silence.

Then, the room erupted into an off-beat symphony of disbelief.

"What trickery is this?" "An illusion, surely!" "This cannot be possible!"

[Yeah, okay.]

"You can sense the Essence in the room, can't you?" Javir asked them, her hands behind her back.

But her triumph was short-lived.

One of the mages, a tall, imposing man with piercing blue eyes, stepped forward, his expression unimpressed.

"A simple light spell? Is that all the girl has to offer?" he scoffed. "This proves nothing. A 5-year-old could cast that spell."

[Ouch.]

He turned to Javir, his lip curling in a sneer.

"Javir, you have wasted our time with this... this parlor trick. Is it odd that she can cast spells? Sure, but a nim child casting a basic spell is hardly grounds for a scholarship. If you want us to consider this girl, she must demonstrate true potential, not mere party favors."

Javir, however, merely smirked once again.

"Ah, but that was just the opening act, my good friend. The real show is about to begin."

She turned to the other mages, her voice ringing with authority.

"Esteemed colleagues, I have a request. I ask that each of you draw a spellsign upon the floor, and write beside it the incantation for a beginner-level spell of your choosing."

The mages exchanged puzzled glances, murmuring amongst themselves.

"What is the meaning of this, Javir?" Magdalena asked, her brow furrowed in confusion.

Javir held up a hand, her smile widening.

"Trust me, my friends. All will be revealed in due time. Now, if you would be so kind?"

With a shrug and a few grumbles, the mages complied, each one magically burning a different spellsign and incantation onto the marble floor.

When they were finished, Javir walked up to Melisa, placing a hand on her shoulder.

She whispered:

"Melisa, my dear, it's time to show these mages what you're truly capable of. I want you to take these spellsigns and incantations, and create a new spell from them. Right here, right now."

Melisa's heart skipped a beat.

"You've shown me you can do this. Relax," Javir urged. "Just calm down and do what you did with me."

Melisa took a deep breath, squaring her shoulders and stepping forward.

[Alright, Melisa, this is it. Time to show them what you can do.]

Melisa studied the spellsigns and incantations, her mind racing as she began to piece together the components of a new, unique spell.

[It's just like coding,] she reminded herself, her eyes darting from one magical symbol to the next. [Each spellsign is like a function, and the incantations are the parameters. If I can just figure out how to combine them in the right way...]

Countless hours she'd spent hunched over her keyboard, weaving together lines of code, came flooding back into her mind then.

She could do this.

[Magic is just another language, another system to master.]

Under the watchful gazes of Javir and the mages, Melisa began to piece something together.

[Ignis... Fire... Protev... Shield?]

She broke down syllables from each spell's respective incantations. Then, she tried to place the spellsigns on top of one another in her mind, figuring out what parts she could fit against others. Where each line would start and where each line would end.

[Every spell is structured in a certain way. Category, modifier, activator. Spellsigns and incantations both function like this, just in different ways. So...]

Melisa's eyes widened.

[There!]

After a few minutes, she was done.

A new spellsign and incantation was pieced together in her mind.

Taking a step back for some space, Melisa began to draw the spellsign in the air.

The mages watched on silently. There was a thick tension in the air. Melisa prayed for her hands to remain steady.

Then, she said:

"Ignis, core, protev, mei!"

And, a swirling vortex of flame and wind danced around her, creating a barrier of fire.

The mages gasped collectively.

Javir breathed a sigh of relief.

Melisa saw astonishment in the mages' eyes.

And, dare she say it, a glimmer of respect.

"Incredible..." One breathed, his earlier disdain replaced by genuine awe. "She... She created a new spell... Right in front of us."

Javir grinned, her eyes shining with pride.

"And that, my friends, is why Melisa Blackflame deserves a place at this Academy. Not because she can cast a simple spell, but because she has the creativity, the ingenuity, and the sheer magical talent to push the boundaries of what is possible."

She turned to Melisa, giving her a wink.

"Well done, kid. I knew you had it in you."

Melisa beamed, her heart soaring with joy and triumph.

She thought back to all those long nights spent debugging code, all those frustrating errors and glitches that had driven her to the brink of madness.

[Who would have thought that all that time would come in handy like this? Hehe.]

She looked around at the faces of the mages, seeing the begrudging admiration and growing curiosity in their eyes.

And yet, in some of their eyes, it still wasn't enough.

One of the mages, a woman with a tight bun and a pinched expression, cleared her throat, her eyes narrowing as she regarded Melisa.

"While the girl's talent is undeniable," she said, her voice dry, "creating a few weak spells is hardly enough to warrant a scholarship. If she truly wishes to excel at this academy, she will need to demonstrate mastery of far more advanced magics."

[AT 9-YEARS-OLD!? I THINK YOU'RE IGNORING A VERY KEY PART OF ALL THIS, LADY!]

But before she could get too angry, Javir stepped forward.

She looked irritated. Very much so. But, she said:

"Fine." She breathed in. "If you grant Melisa this scholarship, I will return to my position as a professor at the academy."

The room went silent.

"Effective immediately," Javir added.

Somehow, it looked like that statement made them consider accepting Melisa more than anything the nim had actually done.

[Just how important is Javir to these people?]

After a moment of hushed deliberation, the mages turned back to Javir, their expressions a mix of resignation and begrudging respect.

"Very well, Javir," the bearded man said. "We accept."

[WHAT!?]

Melisa's jaw dropped.

"The girl shall have her scholarship, and we shall have the pleasure of your esteemed presence once more."

Melisa's legs almost gave out.

[JUST LIKE THAT!????]

Javir nodded.

"Send the certificate to my home. Thank you," she said dryly.

Just like that, it was done.

Melisa had her scholarship, and yet, Javir looked like she was at least on the verge of regretting this, even though she was the one who'd started it all.

[She got them to accept me with just a few words. And they were so eager to have her back as a teacher. Just who is Javir, really?]

She didn't bother asking. She doubted Javir would tell her.

"Well, it's done, Melisa." Javir sighed. "The way this is likely to work is as follows: you will take regular courses until you turn 13. Then, you will be placed on the path of a sorceress. Congratulations."

Melisa nodded.

"Thank you."

Javir smiled down at her.

"This is just one of the things you wanted though, right?"

"That's right, I want to be a swordswoman too!"

"Hm," Javir nodded. "Admittedly, that is far from being my specialty. But, I might be able to help you in that regard as well. For now, come on. All that can come later."

Javir stood up straight.

"Now, come on," she said. "Let's get some cake to celebrate!"

"Yay!"

And, with that being done, it was official.

Melisa would be joining Syux Academy.