After Becoming a Succubus, I Was Offered to My Mortal Enemy - Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Inside the study, even the burning incense could not mask the overwhelming stench of alcohol.

Dressed only in her inner robes, Sikong Xue sat despondently, violently pouring wine into her mouth. Her eyes were bloodshot; though she didn’t shed a tear, anyone could see how much pain she was in. This posture, if seen on a battlefield, would be the equivalent of surrendering before the fight had even begun.

Yin Chiyun pushed open the door and strode forward, grabbing Sikong Xue by the shoulders. “Sikong Xue, sober up! The alien tribes sent this tribute for no clear reason—it’s highly likely she’s aimed right at you! How can you let yourself be bewitched by her?”

Shaking off Yin Chiyun’s hand, Sikong Xue thought of that face identical to Ning Yuan’s. “She is not a tribute! Do not call her that! She is a living, breathing person!” After speaking, she took another long swig from the wine jar.

She wasn’t bewitched. Once she confirmed the girl wasn’t Ning Yuan, she had given up hope. But because the girl looked exactly like Ning Yuan, Sikong Xue could not bear to hear anyone use such an insulting term for her—not even her oldest friend.

“Fine, fine, she’s not a tribute, she’s an ‘Alien Princess,’ happy now?” Yin Chiyun didn’t want to argue semantics. She snatched the wine jar from Sikong Xue’s arms and said, “Sikong Xue, if you abandon yourself now, what happens to the Ning family far away in Lingnan? If something happens to you, who will protect them? Don’t expect me to do that kind of head-rolling business for you.”

At the mention of the Ning family, Sikong Xue finally regained a shred of her senses. For all these years, she had plotted and schemed precisely for the Ning family, so that Ning Yuan might rest in peace knowing her kin were safe. How could she lose her mind over a mere lookalike? The Eldest Princess was still watching her, waiting for her to make a mistake. She couldn’t let drink ruin everything.

Sikong Xue had a high tolerance for alcohol; with Yin Chiyun’s reprimand, she sobered up immediately. However, while her mind was clear, her heart still ached with sorrow.

Seeing Sikong Xue calm down, Yin Chiyun hurried to check her pulse and perform acupuncture, then ordered someone to quickly brew a sobering tonic. Sikong Xue remained listless, like a marionette, showing no reaction to the needles. Fortunately, she was willing to take her medicine, so she wasn’t completely giving up on herself. Such a shock required time to digest.

It was lucky Yin Chiyun was the one by her side; if it had been someone with ill intent, they could have ended Sikong Xue with a single blade, and she likely wouldn’t have resisted.

“A-Xue, how… do you plan to settle that girl?” Yin Chiyun chose her words carefully, swallowing the word “tribute.”

It was strange. Anyone else would likely treat this alien girl as a substitute for Ning Yuan. But Sikong Xue was stubborn; her heart only recognized that pampered, willful Eldest Miss of the Ning family.

“How to settle her…” Sikong Xue repeated woodenly.

The girl looked exactly like A-Yuan. If she let her fall into the hands of others to be bullied and insulted, Sikong Xue couldn’t bear it—especially with Yuchi Jin watching with such malice. But how to settle her? That face, the one Sikong Xue yearned for every night, was one she didn’t dare look at now. A lookalike was not her A-Yuan.

Sikong Xue let out a long sigh and said, “Keep her in the manor.”

She wasn’t short on silver; keeping one more person was no issue. A-Yuan was kind-hearted; she shouldn’t blame her for this.

Yin Chiyun quickly summoned Songyan. Sikong Xue instructed: “Settle the girl I brought back in the West Courtyard. Give her whatever she wants—food, supplies, everything. If she’s sick, find her a doctor. If she’s bored, give her some of the tribute silks to tear up for fun. Just one thing: she is not allowed to leave that courtyard, and she is absolutely not allowed to appear in front of me.”

A single glance had already thrown her soul into chaos. If she looked again, she would truly go mad.

“Master?” Songyan had been by Sikong Xue’s side for years, having been her study companion since childhood. Since the Ning family’s downfall, Sikong Xue had become a person of few words. Usually, Songyan could intuit her master’s needs with just a look, but today’s detailed instructions were hard to parse.

With this attitude, was she supposed to treat the girl well or not? If it was good treatment, why the house arrest? If it was bad treatment, why was she allowed to tear up precious tribute silks?

Yin Chiyun waved her hand, signaling Songyan to just follow orders. Yin Chiyun was certain that once Songyan saw the girl’s face, she would understand exactly why Sikong Xue made these arrangements.

After Songyan left, Yin Chiyun looked at the bloodshot veins in Sikong Xue’s eyes, hesitating several times. Sikong Xue picked up an outer robe and put it on. Her expression returned to normal, as if the person who had just lost control didn’t exist.

The study was burning Agarwood, Ning Yuan’s favorite scent. Smelling it, Sikong Xue reverted to her imposing, sharp persona of the imperial court. The great revenge was not yet achieved; she couldn’t afford self-pity.

Seeing the difficulty in Yin Chiyun’s eyes, Sikong Xue said calmly, ” I recognize she is not Ning Yuan and will not lose my mind again. What else do you want to say?”

Yin Chiyun said, “A-Xue, don’t forget that the girl the aliens sent… she is known as a Succubus (Meimo).”

“Mhm,” Sikong Xue responded indifferently. Since it wasn’t A-Yuan, what did it matter what she was? She was only providing for her because she looked like A-Yuan. Her heart belonged solely to A-Yuan; she wouldn’t be seduced. Even if she was a Succubus, so what?

Yin Chiyun took a deep breath, appearing to have made a massive decision. “Have you forgotten? Alien Succubi experience ‘heat’ (passion-fever) every month. You’ve locked her in the manor and forbidden her from going out. After a while, I’m afraid…”

…there would be big trouble. If left unreleased, there could be a danger to her life. Yin Chiyun knew that even if it wasn’t Ning Yuan, if something happened to her, Sikong Xue would be grieved.

Speaking of Succubi, there was a funny story from when they were in the academy. The ancient texts recording Succubi were forbidden books, which only made the girls more curious. The teacher’s daughter happened to have access to the forbidden books, read them in secret, and told the stories the next day.

Yin Chiyun remembered that Sikong Xue, worried these “filthy words” would corrupt Ning Yuan, specifically lured her away. She snatched Ning Yuan’s pearl flower, making the girl chase her to hit her. Later, when the teacher found out and punished everyone with copying texts, Sikong Xue escaped punishment because she wasn’t there. Yin Chiyun’s hands had ached from writing, while Sikong Xue ran over specifically to gloat.

At that time, Yin Chiyun didn’t bother to expose her. Sikong Xue was playful and hated the classics, but she had read plenty of forbidden books; the Taiwei had been quite annoyed by it. In Yin Chiyun’s view, the one who most deserved punishment was Sikong Xue. How could Sikong Xue not know about Succubi? She ignored proper knowledge but knew the “unorthodox” stuff by heart. Her current indifference was only because the girl wasn’t Ning Yuan.

But she still looked like her.

Sikong Xue’s brow furrowed at the warning. If the alien princess looked ordinary, she wouldn’t care. But she looked exactly like Ning Yuan. Sikong Xue couldn’t bear the thought of letting malicious people touch that face. But if Sikong Xue helped her herself, she felt she was betraying Ning Yuan. If the girl went into heat and no one helped her… she couldn’t let a person die in her manor. But she felt guilty enough just for losing her composure over that face; to do that with a stranger was…

Sikong Xue spoke with difficulty, “I remember ancient texts mentioning a medicine that helps alien women alleviate the heat. Chiyun, you are a skilled physician—can you formulate it?”

Calling her “skilled” was flattery, but she was Sikong Xue’s only hope now. As the daughter of the Imperial Hospital Judge, surely she could find a way.

Hearing such an outrageous request, Yin Chiyun wanted to slap herself. She shouldn’t have opened her mouth to remind her. Now she had created work for herself. But for a doctor, while this was a “trouble,” it was also a curiosity. If not for this, where would she get a chance to see a Succubus or touch alien secret medicines?

Yin Chiyun mused, “Speaking of which, the one they sent should be an adult. On the journey here, to avoid an outbreak of heat, the tribe should have prepared medicine for her. If I can get my hands on the alien medicine to examine it, I might be able to replicate it for you.”

Sikong Xue rubbed her temples in frustration. Earlier in the hall, she had lost her mind and brought her back without a second thought. She hadn’t even looked at the two chests the aliens sent along. She would have to send someone to the palace to retrieve them.

Songyan arrived at Sikong Xue’s room. As soon as she pushed open the door, she saw a girl huddled tightly in the quilt on the bed, her back turned, crying piteously. The thin gauze clothing lay shredded on the floor. This scene… it was hard not to let one’s imagination run wild.

After doing such a thing, no wonder Master wants to treat this girl so well.

Songyan brought clean clothes and kept her head down. Placing the clothes by the bed, she said, “Miss, my Master has arranged for you to stay in the West Courtyard. Specific staff have been assigned to serve you; if you need anything, just ask. Just one thing: the Prime Minister’s Manor is an important place; you may not wander at will.”

Hearing a familiar voice, Ning Yuan sniffed, turned her head slightly, and looked at the clothes. They were dignified and proper, with thick fabric—not that insulting alien attire. At least Sikong Xue has a bit of a conscience.

Ning Yuan was about to tell her to leave so she could change, when she heard Songyan say in a voice full of disbelief, “Miss… Miss Ning?”

Master’s loss of control was actually because of Miss Ning. But hadn’t Miss Ning been buried? Her own Master had buried her.

Ning Yuan recognized Songyan, but she was currently too exhausted and frightened to say much. She only said, “You have the wrong person.”

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