NOVEL WEB The Incubus System
Chapter 19. Sweet and Sour
The Incubus System Chapter 19. Sweet and Sour
We walked out of Franz's fighting studio and down the street.
"Ethan, are you okay?" Olivia asked, looking at me.
"I am okay."
But even with my answer, her eyes remained fixed on me and I realized it.
"Is there something wrong with me? "
"You look like ... someone else."
A breath accompanied by a chuckle out of my mouth.
"Maybe you've never seen me like this before. If I'm not Ethan, then who am I?"
She sighed and smiled.
"Maybe you're right ... I'm just not used to this."
"I'll accompany you back home."
Olivia stopped and grabbed my hand.
"It's okay. I'll go home by myself."
"The night is getting late. Let me accompany you."
She looked down sadly.
"My house's condition is still chaotic. At least I don't want you to see it."
"Okay." I understood her difficulty since I felt the same way when my mother left us.
"Then I'll accompany you to the station."
"It's fine." She pointed to a car not far from us.
"My ride has arrived."
"Okay, then see you tomorrow." I was just about to leave but she grabbed my hand, stopping my movement.
"Thank you for today." Her voice sounded softer than usual. To be honest, instead of her who asked what was wrong with me, I was the one who wanted to ask what's wrong with her? Olivia's image, which had been frightening and scary, immediately disappeared.
"You are welcome," I replied. But even though I already answered her, she hadn't let go of my hand and her eyes were still staring deeply at me.
"Olivia?" I said in confusion. I really didn't understand why her attitude changed.
"Ah!" she let go of my hand awkwardly.
"See you tomorrow, Ethan." Then she ran to her car.
While I looked at her, making sure she got in the car before turning towards the station.
-----
* Ding Dong *
"Attention please, we have arrived at Ironshade Town."
My feet stepped off the train and exited the station while my eyes looked at my status and skill screens.
[Status]
[Name: Damian Lucio] [Age: 18]
[Level 8] [Exp: 64.86%]
[Race: Demon-Incubus] [Title: Beast]
[HP: 250/250] [DP: 65/120]
[STR: 32] [VIT: 25]
[AGI: 40] [LUK: 17]
[INT: 21] [WIS: 12]
[Partners - 2]
[Camila Creststream - Human (35)]
[Mia Ashelis - Hybrid-beast (24)]
[Unused stat - 15]
I just distributed some of my status points to AGI while I planned to put the rest to WIS tomorrow. With a good combination of AGI and STR, I would be able to fight more effectively without getting hurt or relying too much on my skills. At least if I met more powerful opponents and I was forced to fight them openly, I could overcome them without having to rely on my Demonic Energy skill.
[Skills]
[Charm Lv 1 (Requires 5 DP)]
[Dark Healing Lv 1 (Requires 10 DP)]
[Demonic Energy Lv 3 (Requires 12 DP)]
[Demonic Erection Lv 1 (Requires 5 DP)]
[Manipulation Lv 2 (Requires 8 DP)]
[Observation Lv 3 (Requires 3 DP)]
[Dispel lv 1 (Requires 5 DP)]
[Unused skill points - 1]
As for skill points, I already distributed them to my Demonic Energy and Manipulation skill. Right now my manipulation skill chance had gone up by 10% while my Demonic Energy had gone up by 60%. Indeed, for the time being, the demon I had ever met was only rat demons. But as far as I knew the rat demon was the lowest demon.
I stepped into the yard and unlocked my door.
"Celia, I'm home," I said as I went into the house and took my shoes off.
My eyes were on the sofa where Celia used to sit, but she wasn't there.
"Celia?" I called her as I stepped in to put my bag on the sofa. She should have been home a long time ago.
"I am here." her voice came from inside the dining room together with a noise.
My feet stepped into the dining room, it wasn't usual for her to had dinner at this hour. My eyes fixed on Celia who was busy cooking, occasionally, she slurped her bubble tea. Her pink favourite apron covered her thin sleepwear.
"You haven't eaten, right? I'm making dinner for us," she said. I was quite surprised, she wanted to cook for me for two days straight and was grateful that our relationship had improved.
A smile grew on my lips as I walked toward her, curious about what she was cooking.
"So today's dinner is katsudon?" I said excitedly after seeing what she cooked for me. Katsudon was my favourite food when I was a child. My mother always made it for me, when I didn't want to eat.
"Yes." She flipped the tonkatsu over the pan with a long chopstick before turning her gaze to me.
"I bought the meat at the neighbourhood market. Since I ran out of it at the nearby market."
"Didn't you say that your exam is next week? You don't need to do this for me." But despite my words, to be honest, I was very happy.
"Pffttt!" She held back her laughter.
"I know you are happy. "
"That's not true," I denied.
"Your face has said everything, " she teased, putting the tonkatsu to the drying rack and putting another one to the pan then she took her bubble tea and sipped it.
"What flavour is that?" I asked. The bubble tea's colour was very interesting like a rainbow and did not mix even though it was shaken repeatedly.
"Do you want to try it?" she asked while the straw was still in her mouth.
"Can I? " I said happily.
She put down her chopsticks and bubble teacup. Then without warning, she pulled my neck, bumping her lips at mine. I could feel the sweet, sour taste of fruits flowing into my mouth along with her tongue which slowly tickled my tongue and my mouth. I could only be stunned with a flushed face while my heart beat fast.
After releasing her kiss, she took back her chopsticks and flipped the tonkatsu that almost burnt. I could see her face flushed just like me.
"Does it taste good?" she asked.
"It's delicious ..." I said, covering my lips with my hand.
"Which one?"
"Huh?"
"The bubble tea or the kiss?" she clarified her question.
I turned my face in embarrassment.
"Both... "
After that awkward silence filled the room, only the sizzling sound from the pan was heard. After a minute she turned off the stove and put the katsu on the drying rack.
"I'll prepare the utensils," I said when I could come back to my senses.
But she grabbed my hand, preventing me from leaving.
"Brother, I want to apologize."
"About what?"
"About my words when dad died."
I sighed.
"Never mind, that was a year ago. I know you were devastated at that time. The important thing is that you are no longer mad at me."
"Actually, I'm still angry at you."
"Why?"
"Since dad died, you not only tried hard to take his responsibility but you started acting like him." She bowed in sadness.
"That accident ... Not only took my dad, but also my brother..."
Indeed after my father's death I tried hard to take his responsibility for raising Celia but it was all because I felt I had the responsibility of being her brother.
Celia hugged me from behind, her head leaned against my back.
"I'm not a little kid anymore, but you never tell me anything. Even when mom sends less money you just keep quiet ... You just said you will take care of everything. I feel you're getting further away from me ..."
Her words were true, but I didn't expect that she had been act cold to me not because she blamed me for father's death but because I didn't want to say anything about our difficulties.
"I'm sorry. It's not that I don't want to be honest. I just don't want you to worry about it..."
She tightened her embraces.
"From now on, be honest to me. Tell me your difficulties. I want we to return to the way we used to be, just like when dad was alive."
"Okay," I replied. I knew I couldn't be completely honest especially about my work and my sudden change. But at least I wanted to improve our communication.
She released her hug and heaved a sigh of relief.
"Then I will prepare the utensils," she said as she left.
"I'll do it," I said. But when I had just taken one step, she turned and pushed me into the chair.
"I'll do it, "she insisted.
"But if done together, it will finish faster," I reasoned.
"No. This is my apology. I want to be a reliable sister." She put her hand on my cheek and rubbed my face while her eyes looked at me deeply.
"Because I will make you only belong to Celia." She flashed a smile to me then went to get the food utensils.
While I could only be stunned as I tried to calm myself.
----
After taking a bath, I sat in front of my desk in my room and took out my two cellphones from my bag. A happy smile adorned my lips. I was very relieved after I was able to improve my relationship with Celia, we even spent the whole dinner with jokes and laughter.
I opened my chat application with my new cellphone and started typing chat messages for Camila.
Me: Hello, Camila. It's me Damian. I'm sorry for just contacting you today.
Just a few seconds after I put down my cellphone and took my book out of the bag, she replied to my message.
Camila: Finally you contacted me. I thought you didn't save my number.
Me: I heard you were looking for me at Ledred. What's wrong?
Camila: Do you have time tomorrow? I want to talk.
Me: At what time?
Camila: 06:00 PM at Ledred.
Me: Alright, but about the place, how about the Havana Cafe in the Acrine district?
Camila: Okay. See you tomorrow.
Me: See you tomorrow.
I took my other cellphone and sent a message to Olivia.
Me: Hey, I already checked at my schedule. My work starts at 06.00 PM. So I can accompany you tomorrow.
Olivia: Really? It's good to hear that. I would be really nervous if I need to go to Ledred alone.
Me: But this time it's not free.
Olivia: Huh? You want me to pay?
Me: Yep. I want you to meet with someone, after I leave.
Olivia: A man or a woman?
Me: Woman.
Olivia: Your sister?
Me: No. Celia is busy studying for next week's exam.
After that, she did not reply to my chat even though I saw 'Olivia is typing ...' several times, next to her profile picture.
'What did she type? Why took her so long?'
I was just about to ask but she replied to my message.
Olivia: Your girlfriend?
Me: I do not have one.
Olivia: Then who?
Me: You will know tomorrow.
Olivia: Don't make me curious.
Me: You also made me curious today.
Olivia: Are you trying to get revenge on me?
Me: Of course not. You know this person.
Olivia: Well, since you helped me I can't say no. See you tomorrow.
I put down my cellphone and sighed. Yes, I decided to bring Olivia and Camila together tomorrow. Even though Olivia said she would accept Damian, but she had seen me bump to Emma. I was not sure she let her mother be together with a man who also seduced her best friend. While I also couldn't let Olivia end up like me and Celia. She had lost her father, I didn't want her to lose her mother too.
But I also didn't want to hurt Camila's feelings. She had just been betrayed by her husband, if I could make her happy I wouldn't mind. But of course I needed to make them understand each other first, I didn't know if it would work or not but at least I wanted to try.
'Whatever their decision is. I hope that's the best. '
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