The Incubus System Chapter 1362. Skip Lag
The Incubus System Chapter 1362. Skip Lag
Beside us, the angel in the park, who still hadn’t introduced herself, suddenly looked toward the cafeteria doors. Then she showed up beside her. Her shoulders tensed like she’d just heard thunder through a microphone. “Your Majesty,” she said, voice tight. “The King…”
That was all she managed before her mouth snapped shut.
Lysathiel’s eyes darkened. Just a little. Barely a flicker of celestial cloud across a silver sea. But I saw it.
“I know,” she said softly.
Then she turned to me and reached out again. Her fingers brushed my arm, not glowing this time. Just warm. Steady.
“Take care of yourself, Ethan,” she said.
Her voice was… different now. Not all queenly and ethereal. No riddles. Just… real.
“I might fancy you,” she added with the faintest curve of her lips, “but my husband? Don’t. He’s still grieving Gabriella’s death. He blames demons. Xenos. And…”
She hesitated. Her hand lingered on my wrist.
“…Erebus. Your ancestor.”
I swallowed.
My mouth opened to say something like ‘I’m not him’ or ‘It’s not fair’ or even ‘Thank you’ but nothing made it out in time.
Because with a rush of wind and a searing flash of golden light, both of them vanished.
No snap. No swirl of feathers. Just absence. Cold and sudden.
And then… crack.
The air around me fractured like glass. Not physically, but magically. The dome shattered.
And the real cafeteria came rushing back in.
The noise, the movement, the smells. Everything.
The buzzing chatter of students. The clink of trays. That weird smell of fries and sweetbread wraps. Nothing had changed.
No one noticed we’d been gone.
Not one head turned. Not one conversation paused.
It was like I never left.
And unlike my Devil Space skill, where it made me vanished, this place… this holy dome…
They manipulated it.
Bent it.
Warped it.
It felt like… skip lag. Like they created a pocket scene in a movie, edited it in after the fact, and let the timeline keep rolling without ever cutting the main reel.
I looked around slowly, still holding my half-eaten wrap. Still sitting at the same table.
Still, somehow, sticky sauce on my fingers from before.
What. The. Hell.
Larry leaned closer, his brow creased. “So… you okay?”
I exhaled slowly. My brain was still buffering.
“Yeah,” I said, licking some sauce off my thumb because what else was I supposed to do? “No big deal.”
Emma snorted into her juice box.
Larry gave me a flat look. “So what’s the plan now? Because I’m pretty sure the angels just put a big-ass target on your back.”
“I know,” I muttered. “Question is… for what?”
I picked at my wrap absently. It was still warm. That shouldn’t have been possible. I bit into it again. Pulled away. Chewed.
Barbecue soy beef. Creamy spice. A hint of citrus. Whoever was running the wrap stand today needed a raise.
Larry raised his brow. “I’m guessing the queen’s into you.”
“That’s not helping,” I mumbled with my mouth full.
Olivia crossed her arms, legs propped on another chair like she ran the place. “Okay, but let’s be real. The queen looked… fine. But the king?”
“Yeah,” I said. “The guy might not like me.”
Emma wiped her lips with a napkin and looked skeptical. “They’re angels, right? So they should be more… civilized?”
“Define civilized,” Olivia said flatly.
I raised a hand. “Maybe like… structured? You know. Peace talks. Discussion. Summit. Lawsuit.”
Larry blinked. “Lawsuit?”
I shrugged. “I don’t know. Something with documentation. Debate. A holy committee.”
Emma chuckled. “Sure. ‘Dear Ethan, please attend tomorrow’s smiting hearing at 8am. Dress code: blessed robes only.’”
“Exactly,” I said with a mouthful. “I mean… they’re angels. Not demons. Logically, they shouldn’t harm humans.”
There was a beat of silence.
“Logically,” Olivia repeated slowly. “Right.”
“Look,” I sighed, tapping my chest with a thumb. “I’m not just talking about me. Larry, you need to be careful too.”
Larry blinked. “Why?”
I stared at him. “Cause of your blood, idiot.”
He frowned.
“My late dad donated his blood once to you,” I said.
He paled slightly.
“Oh shit,” he muttered.
Emma looked between us. “Wait… does that mean they’ll come for Celia too?”
My jaw tensed. “Maybe…”
Then I exhaled.
“…but Mrs. Clea said the blood tends to manifest stronger in males.”
Olivia tapped her nail on the table. “So, she might be okay.”
“Might,” I muttered. “It’s a gamble. 50-50”
Emma leaned in, voice lower. “But the king blames Erebus.”
“Yeah. Which is… my ancestor. Technically. Sort of.”
Larry gave me a look. “No offense, but your family tree is sounding more like a bloodstained knot.”
“You’re not wrong.”
I leaned back, letting my head drop against the chair. The cafeteria ceiling looked painfully boring after divine domes and political landmines.
I cringed. My face physically twisted. “This is worse than a magical identity crisis.”
Emma giggled. “You look like your brain’s trying to evacuate.”
“It is,” I groaned. “What next? A half-angel half-demon half-mortal sibling hosting a reality show on celestial cable?”
Larry snorted so hard it almost counted as a spell attack. “Welcome to ‘Heaven’s Got Bastards!’ Hosted by Seraphim Steve, sponsored by holy water and trauma!”
I choked on my laughter. “Don’t forget the prize is therapy we’ll never get.”
He leaned back, grinning. “Honestly though, sounds messed up.”
“Yeah,” I sighed, rubbing my face. “But at least… it wouldn’t be that bad. The issue’s just between me and the King, right? No big deal.”
Right. Just me and the divine ruler of an entire upper realm. Totally fine.
I leaned my head back against the cold cafeteria wall and stared at the ceiling like it might open up and smite me for the audacity of my bloodline. How did people even categorize this? Celestial ancestry chart? Divine divorce court? I was gonna need a spreadsheet for this identity crisis.
I sighed. “I swear, next time someone calls me chosen, I’m choosing violence.”
Larry chuckled again, softer this time. “You okay?”
I nodded slowly. “Yeah. Just need time.”
Because even if I didn’t fully get it, I could only hope it wasn’t as messed up as before. When I needed to fight Zatan and Beel.