The Incubus System Chapter 1404. Not a Tragic Hero

The Incubus System Chapter 1404. Not a Tragic Hero

“Good morning~” I sang as I went down the stair to the dining room where my pets, Celia, Foxy and Puriel were.

Yeah.

Sang.

Like I was an idol on vacation.

Who even was I?

My bag was slung casually over my shoulder. My steps? Light. Suspiciously light. Like I didn’t spend half of last night spiraling about angels and existential dread and whether my demonic father would start a new war if he knew they tried taking me to their realm.

Nope.

Fresh. Reset. Rebooted.

That’s how the incubus coping mechanism works.

Sex. A lot of sex. And then cuddle. Preferably with someone who smells like chamomile and emotional stability.

Now? I was good as new.

The dining room went quiet the second I stepped in.

Red’s ears perked up from under the table. Shadow paused mid-groom on the window sill. Rave tilted his head from the back of a chair. Buni froze halfway through chewing on a fake carrot stick like I’d just grown a second head.

Celia was holding a cup of tea mid-air.

Puriel blinked slowly.

Foxy’s tails stiffened.

Yeah. They were looking at me like I’d replaced myself with a cheerful impostor.

I strolled past them like nothing was weird at all and casually reached over… and took Celia’s cup of tea.

She stared at her empty hand.

“Hey. That’s mine.”

I took a sip. Calm. Unbothered.

“It’s mine now.”

She squinted at me. “You absolute menace.”

“I’ll make you a new one,” I said, already turning toward the kitchen. “Relax.”

I dropped my bag by the couch and rolled up my sleeves like a domestic husband who definitely did not portal out of his girlfriend’s bedroom fifteen minutes ago.

Behind me, I could feel their stares.

Not subtle.

Not quiet.

Like a council of animals judging their unstable alpha.

Red leaned toward Rave and muttered, “Is he… okay?”

Rave flapped once and replied, “He looks okay.”

Buni twitched his nose. “I still feel worried.”

Shadow stretched lazily. “Maybe the angels kidnapped him yesterday and did something to his head.”

I paused mid-kettle-fill.

“…Excuse me?”

Shadow blinked innocently.

Foxy padded over to the kitchen entrance, hands folded politely. “Master, do you need my help?”

Her voice was respectful, but her eyes were scanning me like she was checking for internal damage.

“Nah,” I said lightly. “It’s just tea. I can make it. I won’t blow up the kitchen over tea.”

“That is not a comforting statement,” Celia muttered from the table.

I ignored her.

Steam began to rise from the kettle, and I leaned casually against the counter, letting the warmth hit my face.

I felt… good.

Not manic. Not forced. Just lighter.

Like the tension under my ribs finally loosened. Like I could breathe without something pressing against my lungs.

“Ethan,” Puriel’s voice cut through the air gently.

I turned, pouring hot water into Celia’s cup.

“You weren’t in your bedroom last night.”

Her tone wasn’t accusatory. Just observant.

Angel eyes. Always noticing.

“You okay?”

I carried the cup back and set it down in front of Celia with a small smile.

“Yeah. I’m fine.” I leaned back casually against the table. “I just went for more sex. You know how incubus work.”

Celia physically recoiled.

“…So last night you were…”

“Emma’s place.”

There was a beat of silence.

Then an audible exhale from multiple directions.

Red relaxed his posture.

Buni nodded approvingly.

Foxy’s shoulders dropped.

Puriel actually looked relieved.

“Good thing you only did a nice sex,” Puriel said quietly. “And not… thinking something weird.”

I narrowed my eyes.

I took a slow sip of my tea.

Then leaned forward slightly toward her.

“What do you mean by that?”

She blinked.

“I— I don’t know,” she said quickly. “Maybe like… surrendering yourself to the angels?”

I choked on my tea.

Actually choked.

Celia smacked my back.

“What the f*ck?” I coughed. “Surrendering myself?”

Puriel shifted awkwardly. “It was just a thought. You have… tragic hero energy sometimes.”

I stared at her.

“Tragic hero?”

She nodded weakly.

Something inside me physically recoiled.

“Hell no,” I said flatly. “Absolutely not.”

Celia crossed her arms. “You do kind of brood sometimes.”

“That’s called processing emotions.”

“That’s called staring at the wall like a divorced dad,” she shot back.

I glared at her.

Puriel looked almost apologetic. “I just meant… you carry a lot. And sometimes people who carry a lot think sacrificing themselves solves everything.”

I straightened slowly.

There was a weight to that.

A dangerous one.

I leaned back again, crossing my arms.

“Let’s be clear,” I said calmly. “I am not a tragic hero. You won’t find a tragic hero fucking around with multiple women and then stealing his sister’s tea in the morning.”

Celia nodded. “That’s fair.”

Red wagged his tail once.

Rave cawed approvingly.

Foxy smiled softly.

But internally?

There was a flicker.

Because Puriel wasn’t entirely wrong.

Last night… that thought had hovered.

What if I just…

No.

I shut that door immediately.

I wasn’t built for martyrdom.

I was built for survival.

And yes.

Pleasure.

And comfort.

And fighting like hell when needed.

I glanced around the room at them.

My pets. My sister. My angel. My fox demon.

They were all watching me carefully.

Not judging.

Just… checking.

That did something to my chest.

“I’m not going anywhere,” I said casually, but there was steel under it. “If the angels want me, they’ll have to work for it.”

Shadow flicked his tail. “Good.”

Buni nodded. “Yes. Do not surrender. That would be very inconvenient for us.”

Celia smirked. “See? You have responsibilities.”

I rolled my eyes.

But I was smiling.

I felt good enough to think straight.

And that might be the most dangerous version of me.

Because when I’m depressed? I spiral.

When I’m horny? I escalate.

But when I’m calm?

I plan.

I lifted my tea and took another slow sip.

Warm. Steady.

Yeah.

No more depressed Ethan today.

Just me.

Annoyingly stable.

And absolutely not a tragic hero.