Succubus World - Start with Incubus System

Meira had no intention of letting Erik return to his apartment in the middle of the night. He had already agreed to move into the estate, and tomorrow he only needed to go back to pack his things, so staying one night was no inconvenience at all.

A handmaiden led Erik up to the second floor. When the door was opened, he stood outside looking in for a few seconds before stepping across the threshold.

It was called a bedroom, but the space was nearly the size of his entire old apartment. A large bed sat in the center of the room. On one side, floor-to-ceiling glass doors connected to a balcony overlooking the garden. On the other side were a walk-in closet and a private bathroom. Near the window there was even a sofa, a tea table, and a small wine cabinet.

Erik turned to the handmaiden.

”This is really just a bedroom?”

The handmaiden was briefly taken aback, then bowed her head.

”Yes, my lord. If it’s not to your liking, my lady can have another room prepared.”

”No need. This is more than fine.”

Erik looked at the bed, large enough for four people to sleep comfortably, and decided not to ask anything else. He was starting to learn that asking about the price of anything in this estate would only give him a headache.

After the handmaiden left, Erik went into the bathroom. Hot water ran over his body, slowly loosening the muscles still stiff after such a long day. His wounds from the Trial Space had almost fully healed after his rank up, but the mental fatigue remained.

When he came out, he had changed into the sleepwear that had been prepared for him. Erik dried his hair and sat down on the edge of the bed. In the quiet of the room, he opened his status panel for a quick check.

Black Iron Rank 5 had fully stabilized. The Heaven Gate within his soul was still slowly absorbing the small streams of Emotional Energy drifting in from outside. Erik only checked for a moment. When footsteps sounded in the hallway, drawing closer, he immediately closed the status panel. The light vanished just before the door handle turned.

A moment later, the door opened.

Elowen stepped inside, hugging a set of clothes to her chest. A faint blush still lingered on her cheeks.

She closed the door behind her very gently, standing still for a moment as if to confirm she hadn’t walked into the wrong room, then looked toward the bed.

Erik looked at her.

”Aren’t you going back to your room?”

Elowen’s footsteps stopped instantly. Her shoulders, which had just relaxed, went stiff again.

”Do you... want me to go back?”

Just from that tone alone, Erik knew she was starting to overthink again.

”I was just asking.”

Elowen exhaled, hugging the clothes tighter to her chest.

”Then I want to stay here.”

”Then stay.”

Those simple words curved the corners of her lips upward. Elowen carried her clothes into the bathroom, and the door quickly closed. Not long after, the sound of running water began.

Erik lay back against the headboard, closing his eyes to rest. The steady sound of water behind the door and the soft light from the garden made the room feel even more peaceful. For the first time since leaving the Trial Space, he truly felt the long day coming to an end.

About ten minutes later, the water stopped.

The bathroom door opened. Erik instinctively looked over, and his gaze lingered for a few seconds.

Elowen stood amid the drifting steam. Her long silver hair was still wet, a few strands clinging to her neck and fair shoulders. She wore only a large white bath towel, the top held tightly against her chest, the bottom just barely reaching her thighs. Her naturally pale skin was now flushed a soft pink from the hot water.

Elowen noticed his gaze as well. Her cheeks quickly grew redder, whether from the heat of the bathroom or from the person sitting on the bed, it was hard to say.

She stood still for a few seconds before walking over. Each step was smaller than usual, both hands still clutching the edge of the towel at her chest.

Erik watched that cautious approach and raised an eyebrow slightly.

Elowen stopped less than a meter from the bed.

”Erik...”

”Hm?”

She pressed her lips together, her eyes flicking to the empty space beside him.

”Can I... come closer to you?”

Erik blinked. Seeing that he didn’t answer right away, Elowen grew even more nervous.

”I just want to sit next to you. If you don’t like it, I can get changed and go back to-”

Erik couldn’t help but laugh.

Elowen froze.

”You’re laughing at me?”

”No.”

He reached his hand out toward her.

”Come here.”

Her emerald eyes lit up instantly. Elowen stepped forward. The moment her hand touched Erik’s, he gave a gentle tug.

”Ah!”

Elowen lost her balance and dropped down beside him. Her wet hair spilled onto Erik’s shoulder while one hand hurriedly held her towel in place. Her face flushed so red that even her pointed ears took on a soft shade of pink.

Erik looked at her.

”Are you seriously planning to ask permission every single time you want to touch me from now on?”

Elowen lowered her head slightly.

”Sarna said it would be better that way.”

”Well, I’m not Sarna.”

”But I’m scared you’ll find me annoying.”

Erik was quiet for a moment, then reached out and brushed the wet strands of hair from her cheek. The natural gesture made Elowen look up at once.

He stared straight into those emerald eyes.

”Listen carefully. I don’t like you being this timid with me. If you want to hug me, hug me. If you want to lean on me, lean on me. If you want to kiss me...”

Erik paused for a beat, the corner of his mouth curling up.

”You don’t need to stand a meter away and ask permission like you’re waiting for approval.”

Elowen’s face went red all the way to the tips of her pointed ears.

”I’m not that bad...”

”You’re pretty close.”

”But what if you don’t want it?”

”Then I’ll say so.” Erik answered simply. ”We live together. Let’s not force each other to guess every thought.”

He gently stroked her cheek.

”Besides, I like it when you’re forward.”

Elowen’s body stiffened. She blinked twice before finding her voice again.

”Really?”

”Mm.”

”You don’t think I’m too clingy?”

”Not so far.”

Elowen immediately scrunched her nose.

”So far?”

Erik laughed.

”If you start hugging me twenty-four hours a day, no promises.”

”I could try that.”

”Please don’t.”

They both burst out laughing. The last traces of tension on Elowen’s face finally melted away.

She slowly shifted closer. This time, Elowen didn’t ask. Her shoulder touched Erik first, then her soft body leaned into him. She rested her head on his shoulder. Her damp silver hair was cool against his neck, but the warmth of her body came through his clothes with perfect clarity.

Erik pulled a dry towel from beside him, draped it over her hair, and began gently drying it.

Elowen blinked in surprise.

”You don’t like wet hair?”

”I don’t want you waking up tomorrow with a headache.”

She looked at him in silence for a moment. Her gaze gradually softened, and then she sat still, obediently letting him dry her hair.

Beyond the glass doors, most of the garden’s lights had gone out. Only a few magical crystals still hovered above the walkways, casting a gentle glow in the darkness.

Elowen looked down at the ring on her hand, her fingertip brushing lightly over the small crystal.

”Everything that happened today... it still feels like a dream even now.”

Erik set the towel aside and tilted his head to look at her.

Elowen kept her eyes on the ring.

”This morning, I was still thinking you might not want to see me again. By tonight, I’ve become your future wife.”

The corners of her lips curved up, but her eyes were slowly growing wet.

”I used to think that finding a Partner willing to accept me would be enough. After seventeen failures, I even believed I’d never meet the right person in this lifetime.”

Elowen took a deep breath. Her body, leaning against Erik, trembled faintly.

”Then you appeared. In just a few days, everything I never dared hope for came true. So... I’m still a little scared.”

Erik wrapped his arm around her waist. Feeling his arm, Elowen immediately pressed in closer.

”Scared of waking up?” he asked.

”Mm.” Elowen nodded. ”I’m scared that I’ll open my eyes tomorrow morning and find out it was all just a dream.”

Erik looked at her serious expression for a few seconds. The hand resting on her waist tightened gently, pulling her whole body closer.

Elowen instinctively raised her head. The distance between their faces shrank in an instant.

Erik gazed into those wide emerald eyes.

”Then let’s confirm it one more time.”

”Huh?”

Elowen had barely made a sound before Erik leaned down. His lips met hers.

Elowen’s body shivered. Her eyes flew open for a brief moment, then slowly drifted shut. This time, she wasn’t the one who initiated. The hand resting on her thigh clenched softly, then rose to wrap around Erik’s neck.

The kiss wasn’t hurried, but it no longer carried the hesitation from before. Elowen felt Erik’s hand holding her waist, felt his warmth right in front of her. Her heartbeat, which had only just settled, quickly picked up again, so loud she thought Erik might be able to hear it too.

Her arms tightened. Her soft body naturally pressed closer against him.

After a while, Erik pulled back slightly. Elowen’s eyes remained closed, her warm breath brushing against his cheek.

Erik looked at her and smiled softly.

”Still feel like you’re dreaming?”

Elowen’s lashes fluttered. She slowly opened her eyes. A thin mist had settled over those emerald irises.

”Still a little.”

”Is that so?”

”Mm.”

Elowen’s gaze dropped to Erik’s lips. Her cheeks flushed red, but this time she didn’t ask a single question. She wrapped her arms around him and pulled him down herself.

”So...” Elowen’s voice was so soft it was barely enough for the two of them to hear. ”I want to keep confirming a little longer.”