The Incubus System Chapter 1058. A Date To Remember IV

The Incubus System Chapter 1058. A Date To Remember IV

Puriel's PoV

Ethan held her gaze. “Because forcing something related to feelings and love isn’t my style,” he said simply. “Yeah, I could manipulate someone’s emotions, make them feel whatever I want, bend their desires to my will. But that’s… hollow. It doesn’t mean anything. It’s just control, not love.”

She was silent, her eyes locked onto his. She didn’t understand. She didn’t understand why he, a demon—an incubus, of all things—would go to such lengths. Why he needed someone to fall in love with him, to choose him willingly. There was something deeply human about it, something that made him feel both familiar and alien at the same time.

Ethan sighed, running a hand through his hair as he searched for the right words. “Yeah, sounds like bullshit, doesn’t it?” He chuckled awkwardly, the laughter hollow, as if even he wasn’t sure he believed his own words sometimes.

Puriel tilted her head, a hint of curiosity in her gaze. “Are you always like this around your partners?” she asked, her voice soft, not judgmental, just genuinely curious.

“Not really,” he replied, his voice a little lighter. “It depends on what they want… and on the atmosphere, you know?” He paused, his gaze drifting over her as he considered his answer. “Mostly, no. I try to keep it light. This is… a heavy talk. At least, for me.”

“Heavy?” she echoed, eyebrows lifting.

“Yeah.” He laughed softly, almost as if he couldn’t believe it himself. “I’ve been fighting and figuring things out for what feels like forever. Facing off against the demon hunter association, dealing with a mess of politics across three different worlds. And on top of that, I’m supposed to be a college student, a nightclub owner, a demon lord, and a prince of the dark dimension.” He shook his head, the corners of his mouth curving into a small, ironic smile. “I’ve got a lot of roles to fill, so when I’m with my partners… what I expect is relaxation, connection. A moment to just be myself.”

She couldn’t help but nod at his words. She’d never thought of it that way, but she could see how someone with such a tangled existence would crave simplicity, a place to unwind, if only for a short while.

“How old are you, anyway?” she asked, the question popping out before she could stop herself.

“Nineteen,” he replied simply.

“Nineteen?” She blinked, taken aback. She hadn’t expected that. “You’re still so young… even for all of this.” Her words were quiet, almost contemplative, as if she were trying to understand the weight he carried.

“I know,” he said, nodding slightly, his gaze drifting back up to the sky. A bitter smile tugged at his lips. “Sometimes I still want to have fun, you know? Just be a kid, not a demon lord or a club owner or any of that… but yeah, I can’t. Not really.”

She stared at him for a moment, caught off guard by this unguarded side of him. Here he was, a 19-year-old demon lord balancing the demands of multiple worlds and countless responsibilities, holding himself up under pressure that would crush most people. And yet, he carried it with a resilience that was almost… inspiring. ‘He’s strong,’ she thought, a surge of respect and admiration warming her chest. Not because of his power but because of his endurance, his will to push through even when it must have felt like the world was against him.

“Ethan…” she said, his name soft on her lips.

He turned to her, brow lifting slightly. “Hm?”

She took a breath, steadying herself. “Do you want me to break your angelic seal?”

A spark lit in his eyes, a quiet determination as he nodded. “Yes.”

“Let’s do it,” she said, surprising herself with the conviction in her voice.

He blinked, frowning as he searched her expression. “Wait… are you really okay with it? I mean… you seemed reluctant earlier.”

Puriel looked away, feeling a surge of emotions—nervousness, anticipation, maybe even a little fear—but she forced herself to meet his gaze again. “Yes. I was hesitant because… because this is unfamiliar. It’s strange and different, and I don’t fully understand it. But…” She hesitated, choosing her words carefully. “But I want to understand. I want to see what you see, feel what you feel. I want to connect with you, Ethan, and… if that means breaking my seal, then I’m ready to do it.”

For a moment, he just looked at her, a mixture of surprise and something warmer lingering in his gaze. She frowned, shifting uncomfortably under his stare. “What’s with that gaze?” she muttered, a little defensively.

Ethan blinked, then let out a laugh, shaking his head as though he couldn’t quite believe what he was seeing. “I’m just… shocked. Really,” he admitted, his eyes not leaving hers. “I thought I’d be the one who had to do everything here. You know, seduce you, pull out all the stops. I thought you’d be…” He paused, searching for the right word. “Reluctant.”

Her frown deepened, her cheeks warming. “So… that wasn’t seduction before?” she asked, her tone hovering somewhere between suspicion and intrigue.

He chuckled, the sound low and genuine. “Nope. That was just me being… me. Trust me, that’s not how I seduce.”

A faint blush spread across her cheeks, and she looked away, embarrassed and oddly relieved. “Good to know,” she murmured, her voice barely above a whisper.

He tilted his head, watching her with a quiet, almost curious intensity, as though he was seeing a side of her he hadn’t expected. And she felt it—the weight of his gaze, the way it seemed to reach past her defenses and see something deeper.

A nervous flutter stirred in her chest, and for a moment, she felt hesitant, uncertain. But then, taking a breath to steady herself, she closed her eyes, feeling her heart race as she pressed her lips together in anticipation. It was an unspoken invitation, one she wasn’t even sure she was ready for, yet somehow, in that moment, it felt right. She could feel her cheeks heating, her skin tingling with the quiet vulnerability of the gesture. She waited, her breaths shallow, wondering if he would take the hint.

For a second, nothing happened. Her heart pounded, each beat growing louder in her ears, and she almost considered opening her eyes to see if he was even still there.

Then, slowly, she felt his fingers brush her cheek, light and hesitant, as though he was savoring the touch. His thumb traced a gentle line across her cheekbone, and she could feel the warmth of his hand against her skin. It was a small gesture, but it held a depth she hadn’t expected, a tenderness that made her breath catch.