The Incubus System

46 Chapter 45. His Son and His Disciple

After walking a few meters, I could see Emma, Theo and some demon hunters not far away from me. Her hand was holding my cap that fell when I fought with the Imp army earlier.

”Damian, are you alright?” she asked as she approached me.

”Iʼm fine,” I replied simply. I glanced at the demon hunters behind her and returned my gaze to Emma.

”Can I have my cap back?”

”Ah, of course,” she said, returning my cap to me.

I took it and immediately wore it.

”Thank you.”

Theo approached me with a displeased face.

”Tell me, where are the demons?”

”I donʼt know,” I answered simply. Iʼd better say I donʼt know than they tried to get information from me. Actually, I kinda regret my request to contact the demon hunter association earlier, but even if I didnʼt ask her I was sure Emma would do the same thing.

Theo gave me a slight condescending chuckle then he grabbed my t-shirtʼs neckline and pulled it towards him, his sour face right in front of me and his eyes staring at me sharply.

”Bullshit! Itʼs clear that the number in Emmaʼs demon compass is very high, thereʼs no way you didnʼt find a single demon!”

”I have tried to find their location, but there was a big explosion. I passed out and I donʼt remember anything after that,” I reasoned. Even though I didnʼt resist, my hands were clenched in fury. This personʼs arrogance has crossed the line.

Emma released Theoʼs hand from me.

”Theo! You shouldnʼt be angry at him, heʼs not a demon hunter! He has no obligation to fight demons, after all, isnʼt the most important thing is his safety?”

Theoʼs eyes still looked at me in displeasure.

”He just made us lose our chance to avenge Mr Renart! Of course, Iʼm angry!” His anger and disappointment were heard clearly in his voice.

Upon hearing my fatherʼs name, I just opened my mouth to ask what his relationship was with my father, but I immediately pressed my lips and swallowed my words since my question was too suspicious.

”Putting hope in a coward is really disappointing!” he sneered. Then he walked past me, followed by other demon hunters. While I remained in my position, my fist grew tighter as I tried to hold my anger.

”Theo, where are you going?” asked Emma.

”Iʼll look for that demons until I get them!” he replied as he continued to walk away

Emma turned her gaze to me.

”I hope you can forgive him. He is not a bad guy, itʼs just ... Since Mr Renartʼs death, he changed.”

”Whatʼs his relationship with Mr Renart?” I said as I could no longer hold my curiosity.

”Theo is just like me, he is Mr Renartʼs disciple.”

Emma looked down for a moment before returning her gaze to me.

”Theo ... He is different from the others. The elves are blessed with talents that allow us to learn magic easily, but Theo... did not have it. They considered him a failed elf, even his parents also thought the same thing. At that time, there was no one in the association who wanted to teach him. But Mr Renart accepted and taught him patiently. That is why he is very close to Mr Renart and regards him as his own father. Therefore Mr Renartʼs death is a hard blow to him.”

A breath out of my mouth as my anger started to subside. I can understand Theoʼs feelings, losing someone who accepts him when the others reject and label him as a failure is not easy. Because for some people, acceptance is not something that can be obtained easily. Just like me ... If there is someone who can accept my true identity as a demon, of course, I will regard that person as someone who is very important for me.

Theoʼs anger reminded me of Celia who blamed me for our fatherʼs death, even though she finally admitted that she also did it because she wanted to distance herself from me but the memories when she blamed me in the hospital still kept ringing in my head.

But however Theoʼs arrogant attitude cannot be justified, he shouldnʼt spit out his anger at people who donʼt know anything about it.

”He swears that one day he will take revenge on the demons who killed his mentor.” She looked right and left, making sure there was no one around us and bringing her face closer to me.

”Even now he is still secretly finding out who Mr Renartʼs children are even though the association has forbidden him. He said he wanted to protect Mr Renartʼs children just like Mr Renart protected him,” she whispered.

My eyes widened after hearing her words. Theo wants to protect me and Celia? Hahaha --- very funny, considering his arrogant attitude towards me before. And of course, thatʼs seriously a big no for me. I donʼt want to take the risk, since I donʼt know he would really protect me or instead would expose my identity as a demon to others.

Emma gasped as soon as she noticed the back of my t-shirt. She turned my body to check it.

”What happened to you?” her eyes examined my back, making sure there were no wounds on it. But Iʼm sure she wonʼt find it because Iʼve healed myself with dark healing.

”Iʼm fine. My clothes were torn by the explosion, but I wasnʼt hurt,” I explained.

”How about we go to the clinic? At least we have to make sure youʼre okay.”

”How about accompanying me for dinner?” I said quickly, trying to change our conversation.

”Dinner?” she said in confusion.

”I havenʼt had time to eat and after all that happened Iʼm really hungry now,” I added.

She frowned, while her expression was still the same.

”Come on, Iʼm really hungry and I canʼt go into the convenience store with these clothes,” I tried to convince her.

She sighed in submission.

”Okay.”

-----

11.34 PM

I sat in the outdoor seating area in front of a 24-hour convenience store near the station, waiting for Emma to come out of the store. I have also transferred my food costs to her virtual account number before. To cover my ripped t-shirt and my dusty body, I chose a seat near the wall so it wouldnʼt stand out too much. Even though I still have other clothes in the locker, I deliberately didnʼt take them because I actually did this to avoid Emma taking me to the clinic.

The automatic door near me opened, Emma came out of there, carrying my food in a plastic bag, a katsu bowl and a bottle of mineral water. Then she placed it on my table.

”Thank you,” I said as I opened the bowlʼs lid. The hot steam and the smell of food came right out of there.

She placed a warm drink on the table and took a seat in front of me, while I took a plastic spoon next to my bowl and began to scoop the food into my mouth.

Her eyes looked at me, occasionally she sipped her drink. A few moments later a smile developed on her face.

”Is there something wrong?” I asked in confusion.

”Nothing. I thought it was just your excuse when you said you were hungry but apparently you didnʼt lie.”

My eyes glanced at my food which was only a half left, within less than a minute. Well, even though itʼs just my excuse, Iʼm not lying either because Iʼm really hungry.

”Forgive my impoliteness.”

She giggled.

”Itʼs okay.”

After hearing her answer, I returned to eating at a slower pace, at least I didnʼt want to be laughed at, twice.

She remained silent and watched me until I finished my meal.

I just finished my drink and closed my mineral water bottle, when she spoke again.

”Are you sure you didnʼt want to join us?” she asked.

That question again.

”I will not change my decision about this,” I answered firmly.

”Fine.” She looked away but I caught her disappointment on her face.

”Are you disappointed?” I asked straight to the point.

”To be honest, yes. You have the ability to fight demons, but you donʼt want to use it to help others,” she said bluntly.

”But I respect your decision ...” she added.

”Thank you,” I replied simply. Even though she might think Iʼm a coward, I also canʼt explain anything to her.

She returned her gaze to me and forced herself to smile.

”You donʼt need to accompany me tomorrow.”

”Why?”

”Actually ... Taking another person to participate in demon hunting is a violation,” she replied.

From her words, I immediately grasped her situation, because Theo and the other demon hunters would have known that I was patrolling with her today.

”Are they gonna punish you?”

”Theo and the others have agreed to say nothing about you as long as I donʼt repeat it.”

I heaved a sigh of relief.

”I understand.” At least thanks to todayʼs incident I know how the demon hunter moves and how they can detect demons. Of course, even though I wasnʼt allowed to patrol with Emma, I could patrol myself and protect her silently. Besides Iʼm not a demon hunter so I donʼt need to follow their rules.

* Ding *

Emmaʼs cellphone sound interrupted our conversation. She pulled out her cellphone and checked briefly before returning it.

”I have to report to the headquarters with Theo.”

”Did they find something?” I asked curiously.

She shook her head side to side.

”Thatʼs why the headquarters called to ask what happened.”

”Okay.”