The Incubus System Chapter 1521. Avoidance

The Incubus System Chapter 1521. Avoidance

It was 3 PM when we got out the portal and arrive home.

And no, I didn’t open the portal to the living room.

I opened it straight into my bedroom.

Why?

Simple.

Avoidance.

The greatest survival technique known to mankind, demonkind, angelkind, and emotionally exhausted college students who accidentally became their enemy’s dream woman.

I had already suffered enough humiliation today.

That was enough.

More than enough.

Actually, too much.

I didn’t want to step into the living room and face my girls.

Because if they knew even half of what happened, they would tease me until my soul requested independent housing.

So yes.

Bedroom.

Except, like I said before…

I was cursed.

The moment Celia and I stepped out of the portal, I froze.

My bedroom was not empty.

Puriel, Astra, Nefaris and Syntyche were there.

And Foxy was there too, already back in her real form, ears lowered, tails drooping, looking gloomy enough that even my bed seemed emotionally concerned.

For one beautiful, stupid second, I considered stepping backward into the portal and pretending I had misdelivered myself.

Too late.

The portal closed behind me.

My whole body went cold.

Celia beside me made the tiniest sound.

Not laughter.

Anticipation.

“I…” Foxy’s ears lowered more. “I don’t know why Master did that. Master telepathed me and said he would explain later. So I did my best pretending to be Ethan at college, but…”

Her lips trembled.

“But even Larry was heartbroken.”

I closed my eyes.

The room went silent.

Then Foxy added, “He said he didn’t want to live anymore.”

My eyes snapped open. “What?”

“Not seriously,” Celia said quickly, because apparently she had learned to translate Larry’s dramatic language. “Probably.”

Foxy looked up first. “Master…” Her voice was soft and wounded. “Emma and Olivia had to ask their assistants to escort him home. He kept repeating…”

She swallowed.

Then, in a surprisingly good Larry imitation, whispered, “Why, Ethan…? Why? Why Nathan?”

I made a bad cringe.

A full-body cringe.

The kind that traveled from spine to skull and punched every nerve on the way.

“No,” I said immediately. “I only helped Nathan and decided to hide my identity. That’s all.”

Nefaris, lounging near my bed like a vampire queen invited herself into judgment court, raised one elegant brow. “That is all?”

“Yes.”

Syntyche sat in her silk hammock, legs crossed, chin resting on her hand. Her smile was already too sharp. “Oh, Damian.”

I pointed at her. “Don’t.”

“I haven’t said anything yet.”

“That’s the problem. You’re preparing.”

Puriel stood near the desk, arms folded, golden hair falling over her shoulder, eyes filled with the calm disappointment of someone who knew I had done something stupid but wanted the report anyway.

Astra stood beside her, posture straight, expression controlled. Which meant she was curious.

Foxy’s tails swayed once, gloomy. “Larry saw you supporting Nathan.”

“I was helping him walk.”

“He said you chose Nathan over him,” she added.

“I didn’t choose anyone!”

Nefaris tilted her head. “Foxy said it included a hug.”

“It was not a hug.”

Puriel’s brow lifted. “Foxy said Nathan leaned on you.”

“That’s not a hug. That’s medical inconvenience.”

Syntyche smiled wider. “Medical inconvenience. How romantic.”

“It wasn’t romantic.”

Nefaris looked at me in disbelief. “Really? You are not lying?”

“I swear it wasn’t a hug. I just helped him walk. That’s all.”

Everyone looked at me.

Deadpan.

All of them.

I threw both hands up.

“Whatever. Let me take a bath and sleep.”

Puriel’s eyes narrowed slightly. “You haven’t told us what happened in the Light Dimension.”

Astra stepped forward. “Did you find the king?”

And just like that, the stupid air in the room changed.

The teasing didn’t disappear entirely, because my life never allowed clean transitions, but it moved back. Behind it, danger stood up.

My face turned serious. “No,” I said.

Astra’s eyes sharpened.

“But he observed me,” I added. “From a distance.”

Puriel’s expression hardened. “He didn’t attack you?”

I shook my head. “Not yet.”

That word sat in the room.

Yet.

Because we all knew this wasn’t over.

Aurelion didn’t appear because he was afraid, cautious, arrogant, or all three. But he watched. He measured. He learned.

And so did I.

“I guess he’s trying to analyze me,” I said.

Astra’s gaze dropped slightly. “That sounds like him.”

I rubbed my temple. “But I already sent the message.”

Puriel frowned. “What message?”

I smirked. Not warmly. “That I can siphon angel power.”

The room went still.

My smirk widened just a little. “Send more,” I said softly, “and I’ll siphon more.”

The air pulsed.

Not because I released aura.

Because the meaning itself was heavy.

“I will grow more powerful,” I continued. “More and more.”

Yeah.

There it was.

The real thing under all the comedy.

Damina was stupid.

Nathan’s crush was stupid.

Larry’s heartbreak was stupid.

But Aurelion?

Dangerous.

And if he wanted to send holy blades at me, he needed to know every blade might become my food.

Puriel’s voice was quiet. “You siphoned Nathan?” she guessed.

“Only the bestowed power,” I said. “The one from Aurelion. I left Nathan’s own demon hunter power alone.”

Nefaris’s red eyes narrowed. “That was merciful.”

“Was it?” I asked.

No one answered quickly.

Because it wasn’t clean.

Mercy and cruelty had held hands in that arena.

I stripped Nathan of something he wanted.

Humiliated him.

Broke his chance to become Aurelion’s useful pawn.

Saved him.

Punished him.

Protected him.

Hurt him.

All true.

Syntyche slipped down from her hammock, bare feet touching the floor soundlessly. Her dark beauty carried that spider-queen danger again, silk and poison woven into one shape. “You did it in front of the king?”

“Yes. And I bowed.”

Celia turned her head sharply. “You bowed?”

My smirk deepened. “It was theatrical. He wanted a performance and I gave him one.”

Syntyche’s smile returned slowly. “Oh, Damian.”

Nefaris laughed softly. “A bow without submission.”

Puriel sighed. “You are impossible.”

Astra looked troubled. “If he understood the meaning, he will not ignore it.”

“I don’t want him to ignore it.”

“He may escalate.”

“He was already escalating by kidnapping Nathan.”