The Incubus System Chapter 1025. I Wonder If I Pushed Her Too Hard

The Incubus System Chapter 1025. I Wonder If I Pushed Her Too Hard

She sighed, and I could sense her frustration, even over telepathy. ‘I know. I’m working on it. Just give me a little more time.’

‘Take what you need,’ I said. ‘But not too much time. The longer we wait, the more suspicious it’ll look.’

Zalira’s voice cut through, sharp and to the point. ‘You don’t have to tell me twice,’ she said, her irritation barely masked by her professionalism.

Then, just as quickly as it had begun, the connection severed.

[You have disconnected with Zalira.]

I let out a breath I hadn’t realized I was holding. The silence returned, thicker now. I leaned back against the railing and stared out at the palace again. Or… at the barrier to be precise. ‘It’s still standing,’ I thought, and the familiar knot of impatience twisted in my gut.

“I wonder if I pushed her too hard,” I muttered to myself, running a hand through my hair. And yeah, deep down, I knew I had. Zalira was carrying her kingdom’s responsibility on her shoulders, and here I was, throwing more pressure at her like it was nothing. She’d agreed to help me, to trust me, but this was our first real interaction. I had no right to push her this far, this fast.

The truth was, I felt bad for her. Zalira wasn’t just some random queen; she was someone who had built her entire life around duty and control. And I’d come crashing into that life, demanding things that could put her entire kingdom at risk. The more I thought about it, the worse I felt. I could sense the tension in her voice earlier—the strain she was under. This wasn’t easy for her, and I was making it harder.

But at the same time, I couldn’t afford to wait. The impatience gnawed at me, relentlessly. I knew what I was capable of. I knew the stakes. And the truth was, I didn’t want to stall any longer than necessary. Puriel’s freedom, the demon hunter association, my own destiny—all of it was right there, just within reach. And maybe that was why I was so desperate to push forward. All of them were within my reach, yet here I was, waiting like a good boy since I didn’t want to create chaos.

Who knew? Once my patience was running, maybe I’d even take a shortcut if it came to that.

Another half hour passed, the seconds dragging on like molasses. Every part of me wanted to use my telepathy again, to reach out to Zalira and ask her how things were going, if there had been a change of plans, or if maybe she needed my help. But I managed to stop myself—just barely. I’d already pushed her too hard earlier, and I knew that if I kept nagging, I’d only make things worse. Zalira was capable. She had to be, given her position. I needed to trust her to sort this out.

The real question, though, was how long I would have to wait. Time had a way of stretching when I was on edge, and right now, every second felt like an eternity. My impatience gnawed at me, the need to act bubbling under my skin. But I forced myself to stay still, to focus. This had to go smoothly, and that meant not rushing into it, no matter how much I wanted to.

Then, out of nowhere, an announcement flashed in front of my eyes.

[You have connected to Zalira.]

Her voice came through sharp and focused, with no hesitation in her tone. ‘I will reset the barrier setting. Your time is only two seconds. Get in and go straight to Mia’s place!’

My heart skipped a beat. This was it.

‘Roger that!’ I responded immediately, my mind already preparing for what was about to happen. Two seconds wasn’t a lot of time. In fact, it was almost nothing. But for me, for what I could do, it was enough. More than enough.

[You have disconnected with Zalira.]

I opened my eyes wide, adrenaline surging through my veins. My body was coiled like a spring, ready to move the moment the barrier dropped. Every nerve was on fire. This was the kind of moment I thrived on. My heart pounded in my chest. I was poised to teleport the instant the barrier flickered out of existence.

But then I heard it—the unmistakable sound of footsteps behind me.

My heart stuttered. A brief moment of panic shot through me.

‘I screwed up!’ I cursed under my breath. In my obsessive focus on the barrier, I had completely forgotten to keep an eye on my surroundings. Rookie mistake! Stupid mistake!

My instincts screamed at me to turn around, but my eyes remained locked on the palace. Every second mattered now. If I turned, if I hesitated for even a fraction of a second, I’d miss my chance to get in. But those footsteps... they were getting closer, stopping just behind me.

It was just one person, judging by the sound of the movement. For a split second, I debated what to do. The pressure built in my chest, the need to act battling with the awareness that someone—whoever they were—had snuck up on me.

But the timing couldn’t have been worse!

I cursed inwardly. This wasn’t supposed to happen. I wasn’t supposed to get distracted. ‘How did I let this happen?’

The footsteps stopped. Whoever it was, they were standing right behind me, probably watching me, waiting for me to acknowledge them. My mind raced, calculating the best course of action. Should I confront them? Or keep my focus on the palace?

I clenched my fists, jaw tightening in frustration. I couldn’t afford this right now. But I also couldn’t afford to be careless. Slowly, I turned my head just enough to get a glimpse of the person behind me, trying to keep my movements casual, non-threatening.

It was Elros.

‘Yup! Of course, it’s him,’ I thought to myself.