The Incubus System Chapter 1229. Food During Apocalypse

The Incubus System Chapter 1229. Food During Apocalypse I blinked at her. “Hey—I just came back.” I threw both arms out dramatically like th

The Incubus System Chapter 1229. Food During Apocalypse

Larry stopped chewing just long enough to glance at me.

He swallowed slower this time. A flicker of something passed through his eyes—brief, but it made my blood twist.

“Yeah,” he said. “But I’m good now.”

That ‘good’ wasn’t convincing.
But I didn’t push.
Not here.
Not while he still had rice to hide behind.

“Alright,” I muttered, leaning back. “We’ll talk later. You’re not getting out of the interrogation.”

Larry groaned dramatically, shoving another spoonful into his mouth like it was a barrier. “Ughhh.”

Celia sighed, finally pulling her hair up into a messy bun. “I’m gonna clean this disaster. Ethan, wash the dishes.”

I blinked at her. “Hey—I just came back.” I threw both arms out dramatically like that’d change the situation. “I literally just got back from saving the world and delivering a world-shattering speech. Wings. Flames. Camera angles. You’re welcome.”

“Besides,” I added, rolling my shoulders and walking toward the kitchen like I wasn’t about to argue, “why don’t—”

“Do you want to eat or not?” Celia cut me off without looking, already wiping a smudge of sauce off the counter like she was battling the stain itself. “I made your portion too. Help me wash the dishes, then you can eat.”

I stared at her for a solid beat. The kind of stare that should’ve been backed by dramatic music and a tragic violin solo.

“…Yes, ma’am,” I muttered.

Larry let out a loud snort from the table, his mouth still half-full. “You’re the same, man.”

I turned just enough to glare at him. “Shut up. I just saved your ass. You’re welcome.”

“You did,” he agreed with zero shame. “And now you’re scrubbing forks. Love that for you.”

I stepped over to the sink, cracked my knuckles like I was about to duel a soap monster, and casually raised one hand.

A few sparkles of demonic power shimmered in the air, swirling around the pile of dishes like obedient little satellites. My Telekinesis wrapped around them, lifting the plates and utensils in a slow float before directing them into the hot water with surgical precision.

Celia didn’t even look up from her cleaning.

“I see you cheating,” she said flatly.

“I’m cheating efficiently,” I said with an annoying smile, already stepping toward the rice cooker like I hadn’t just been given a chore. The plate was still warm. Piled high. Perfectly seasoned. Golden-brown rice studded with chopped egg, sausage, little bits of garlic that smelled like heaven.

She didn’t say anything.

Just gave me a long, flat stare from the corner of her eye.

I clutched the plate close like it was sacred.

“I’m hungry,” I said innocently, tilting my head just a bit. “I just fought two demon lords and yelled at the world. Have mercy on me.”

I sat beside Larry again, who scooted over dramatically like I was taking up the whole kingdom.

“Get your own airspace,” he grunted.

“You’re already breathing all of it,” I shot back, stabbing into the rice with my spoon and immediately shoving a bite into my mouth. Damn. It was actually really good. Not just “Celia's cooking” good. Like, stress-shut-down-a-restaurant good.

Behind me, the soft clink of ceramic caught my attention.

Celia held up another plate and looked toward Miranda. “Want some?”

Miranda blinked, caught a little off-guard. “Oh—yes. Please.”

She walked over and took the plate with a polite nod, as if she hadn’t just helped me fend off otherworldly threats an hour ago. She settled into the living room beside Puriel, who was still sipping her tea like the embodiment of patience wrapped in judgment.

Yuffy followed them, hopping onto the armrest with a slight huff. “Ugh, he's so barbaric,” she muttered, wrinkling her nose and watching Larry devour his food like a feral animal.

Puriel gave her a sideways glance. “Agreed. Both of them are barbaric. I’ve seen demon warlords with better table manners.”

“Okay,” I said through a mouthful of rice. “Now you’re just bullying.”

“I mean, look at you two,” Puriel continued, motioning with her cup. “Spices flying. Oil glistening. spoons as weapons. I’m impressed your plates are still intact.”

Larry grinned, shoving another bite into his face. “We’re just passionate about food.”

“You’re passionate about inhaling it like a vacuum,” Buni added from the side, blinking innocently.

Red barked once in weak support but still looked traumatized by the spectacle.

“Yeah, yeah,” I muttered between bites. “Mock the war heroes. We only saved a continent. But please—do judge my rice consumption.”

“I will,” Puriel said.

“Rude,” I replied.

“You’ve got soy sauce on your cheek.”

I wiped it with my sleeve. “It’s a scar from battle.”

“No, it’s from rice,” Yuffy said. “And it’s still there.”

I sighed and used my fingers to flick the stain off. “Happy now?”

“Not yet,” Yuffy said sweetly. “But keep groveling.”

Celia finally sat down on the floor near the coffee table, cross-legged, still drying her hands. “Honestly, I’m surprised you’re all alive. After what I heard about the last battle, I expected a few broken limbs.”

“I’m a fast healer,” I said.

“I’m a fast eater,” Larry added.

“You’re both idiots,” Celia mumbled.

“I’ll take that as a compliment,” I said.

“Same,” Larry said around another bite.

I leaned back a little in my chair, finally slowing down with the food.

Puriel looked at me again, one eyebrow raised. “I guess I understand why you two are friends.”

“Hey,” I said, turning toward her with the spoon still in my mouth. “You make it sound like it’s a bad thing.”

Larry chuckled. “Tell him, Ethan.”

I pointed the spoon at him. “This man has eaten a sandwich he found near the toilet stall.”

Larry held up two fingers. “It was wrapped.”

“It was unclean,” I shot back.

“It was delicious,” he corrected.

Miranda chuckled quietly from the couch.

Yuffy groaned and flopped onto a pillow. “You two are literally walking disasters. Food first. Apocalypse later.”

“Food during apocalypse,” Larry corrected proudly.

Celia rubbed her temples. “I’m going to ban both of you from the kitchen.”

“I live here,” I said.

“Then you’re on thin rice,” she snapped back.

Larry cackled.

I choked slightly.

“Okay, okay,” I wheezed. “I deserve that one.”

Puriel shook her head again. “This is your household dynamic?”

“Pretty much,” I said. “Add a few kidnaping attempts and demons and that’s just a Tuesday.”

Shadow muttered, “You forgot the family drama.”

“Oh yeah. Family drama. Always with the family drama.”

Buni leaned over, ears twitching. “Can we have dessert now?”

“No,” Celia and Yuffy both said in perfect sync.

I leaned over to Larry and whispered, “There’s ice cream in the back freezer.”

He nodded solemnly. “Later?”

“Later,” I agreed.

We bumped fists under the table like we were making a pact.

And for the first time in a long time… I smiled without faking it.

No rifts. No monster raids. No trials. Just… warmth. Banter. And a lot of damn good fried rice.

Even if they all thought we were too barbaric to be civilized.

Honestly?

They might’ve been right.

But at least we were saved now.