The Incubus System Chapter 1524. Betrayed in HD

The Incubus System Chapter 1524. Betrayed in HD

Larry’s mouth slowly opened.

Pizza nearly fell.

I caught his wrist. “Do not drop the apology pizza.”

He swallowed. “You siphoned Nathan?”

I stared. “I left his normal power alone.”

“Boo.”

I deadpanned. “Larry.”

“Sorry.”

But his face had changed.

The betrayal was cracking.

Under it, something wounded remained, but now he saw the shape of the situation.

He took another bite. “So Damina…”

I sighed. “Was camouflage. I didn’t want Jenny to know Ethan brought Nathan home.”

Larry nodded slowly. “Reasonable.” He looked at me suspiciously. “Did Nathan fall in love with Damina?”

I looked away.

Larry slammed the pizza slice down onto the box. “I knew it! I saw his eyes! He looked like a knight seeing a forbidden witch at midnight!”

I covered my face. “Why are you good at describing this?”

“Because I was betrayed in HD!”

“You were not betrayed.” I exhaled. “Larry. If I wanted to choose someone over you, it would not be Nathan.”

He paused.

I looked at him directly. “You’re my best friend. He’s an annoying responsibility with a sword.”

Larry blinked. His lips trembled again.

I cringed. “Don’t cry.”

“I’m not.”

“You are.”

He grabbed another slice and shoved it into his mouth to hide his emotion. Then he suddenly pointed at me. “Wait. Does Nathan know Damina is you?”

“No.”

“Does Nathan think Ethan likes Damina?”

I froze.

Larry slowly smiled. “I realized after Olivia explained while dragging me like a criminal.”

My soul left my body again.

Larry grinned wider. “So Nathan thinks he has a romantic rival… And that rival is you…”

I stood. “I’m leaving.”

“No, no, sit. Best friend healing requires teasing.”

“You were suicidal five minutes ago.”

“I recovered.”

“Too fast.”

“Pizza.”

He took another bite triumphantly. Then his expression softened again.

“Seriously though… I was scared.”

I sat back down.

“When I saw you helping him, I thought maybe… I don’t know. Maybe I was still just that guy tied to the table and everyone else moved on.”

My chest tightened.

Damn it.

It was the real wound.

I reached across the desk and lightly smacked the back of his head. “Ow.”

“You’re stupid.”

“Emotionally wounded people shouldn’t be physically attacked.” Larry rubbed the back of his head, but he was smiling now.

For a while, we were silent again.

Larry took another slice.

I took one too because technically I brought two boxes, and friendship apology food still counted as food.

He chewed slowly, then exhaled a long breath. “I’m relieved.”

I glanced at him.

He leaned back in his chair, pizza slice in hand, eyes on the ceiling like he had just survived a season finale. “Now I understand about all.”

I pointed at him with the pizza crust. “He might come to you to ask about me.”

Larry blinked. “About Ethan?”

“No. About Damina.”

His face slowly changed. The pizza stopped halfway to his mouth. “Ohhh.”

I leaned back in the spare chair. “Just tell him Damina disappeared already.”

Larry nodded slowly. “Disappeared…”

“Gone. Vanished. Lost to fate. Whatever.”

He stared at his monitor, thinking.

Then I added, “Or you can put extra dramatic performance and point at him as if he stole her from you.”

Larry paused. Then, slowly, an evil smile rose on his face. Not normal evil. Larry evil. The kind that wore anime betrayal lighting and had too much free time. “That’s a good idea!”

I stared at him. “I may have created a monster.”

“No, no, hear me out.” Larry put his pizza down and sat forward, suddenly alive. “If he comes asking about Damina, I’ll look at him slowly. Like this.” He turned his head toward me in slow motion, eyes hollow, lips trembling. “Then I’ll say, You ask me where she is? After taking her from me?”

I closed my eyes. “That’s perfect.”

“I know.” He pressed one hand to his chest. “Besides, I can throw my revenge on him that way. Psychological revenge!”

I smiled despite myself. “Just tell me in case he tortures you again.”

Larry waved a hand. “Nah, that won’t happen again.”

My smile faded a little. “Don’t say that like it’s guaranteed.”

“No, really.” Larry’s expression became calmer. “Though Nathan was one of them, the mastermind behind that incident was the senators. Not him alone.”

Larry saw my face and quickly added, “And now most senators are already on your side, right?”

“More or less.”

“So… that won’t happen.” He lifted the pizza slice again, trying to smile. “If they try, Mrs. Clea will probably turn them into paperwork.”

I snorted. “She would.”

“And you’ll do worse.”

“Much worse.”

“See? Safe.”

I looked at him.

Larry looked back with that stupid, brave face of his.

The one pretending he wasn’t scared because if he admitted it, I would probably start making a list of people to break.

I sighed. “Yeah.”

That was all I said.

But the meaning was heavier.

Larry understood.

He always did when it mattered.

Then, because he was allergic to seriousness lasting longer than ten seconds, he clapped his hands once. “So…” He leaned toward his PC. “Since you’re here… and my mom is on a date with my dad…”

I stared. “Your parents are on a date?”

“Yes. It is disturbing. They used perfume. Dad wore a shirt with buttons.” Larry grabbed a controller from the desk and tossed it at me. “Wanna play games?”

I caught it.

For a second, I looked down at the controller. “I guess.”

Larry’s face brightened. “Yes! Okay, fighting game or zombie co-op?”

“Zombie co-op.”

“Why?”

“I need to shoot something without diplomacy.”

“Healthy.”

“I know.”

Larry opened the game launcher with dramatic speed. His room returned to life around us. Monitor glow, controller wires, pizza boxes, cola bottle.

My shoulders loosened. Maybe I could sit here for an hour, kill zombies, eat pizza, make Larry laugh, and pretend the world wasn’t balancing on a blade between light and dark.

The loading screen appeared.

Larry cracked his knuckles. “Prepare yourself. I’ve trained.”

I raised the controller. “Ready?”

“Ready.”

The match countdown started.

Then…

A voice slammed into my head. ‘Yo, Damian.’

My fingers froze on the controller. I stared at the screen.

That voice… It was Licheri’s voice.

Larry blinked. “Why did you stop?”

The telepathic voice continued cheerfully.

‘We have angel guests here in Lust City.’

My stomach dropped. “Shit…”