The Incubus System Chapter 993. More Than Just A Means To An End

The Incubus System Chapter 993. More Than Just A Means To An End

My last sentence made Mia pause, her gaze searching mine with an intensity that made me feel exposed. “Is it because you want to use her to release your angelic seal?” she asked, her voice quiet but probing, each word carefully measured. “Or because she is your great-great aunt?”

Those words hung in the air. It made me stop and think, forcing me to confront the motives behind my determination to free Puriel. The truth was, I had always been clear about needing her to break my angelic seal, to gain full access to my power. That was my primary goal, the driving force behind much of what I did. But was that all? Was that the only reason I was willing to risk so much to release her from the crystal?

I felt Mia’s eyes on me, waiting, urging me to dig deeper. I thought back to the moments I had shared with Puriel, even if those moments were in her dream realm. When I first encountered her, I had been focused solely on what she could do for me, on how she could help me achieve my goals. I remembered the initial coldness with which I approached her, treating her like nothing more than a means to an end.

But as time passed, something shifted. I began to see her as herself—a lonely, isolated being who had been trapped for centuries. I could remember her eyes, filled with a sorrow that seemed to stretch across millennia, flashed in my mind. She had been so vulnerable, so desperate for connection, that it was impossible to remain detached.

Indeed, I needed her to break my seal. That was undeniable. But our family tie, the blood connection that linked us, had started to affect me in ways I hadn’t anticipated. The more time I spent with her in those dreamscapes, the more I understood her loneliness, her sorrow. I had seen the sadness in her eyes every time I tried to distance myself or when I was too exhausted to engage with her.

She never directly asked to be freed; she didn’t have to. Her fear of what awaited her outside the crystal, of the changes that had occurred while she was imprisoned, was palpable. She had been trapped for a thousand years—abandoned by the light dimension and left with no place to call home. She was just like me, a being searching for a place to belong.

I looked back up at Mia, her expression softening as she watched the internal struggle play out on my face. My mouth felt dry, and I swallowed hard before I finally spoke. “Both,” I answered, my voice low and filled with my realization.

I took a deep breath and let it out slowly, my thoughts still lingering on the many nights spent in Puriel's dream realm. “I do need her to break my seal, and our family ties do affect me to do it. But…” My words trailed off as memories of our encounters filled my mind. The way she would pull me into her dream realm each night, not out of malice, but out of a desperate need for companionship. For connection. Even if it was through something like a shared dream, it was clear she needed someone. And somehow, she had chosen me.

“I just can’t ignore her,” I said softly, almost to myself, the admission surprising even me. It felt like a confession, the kind I didn’t fully understand until it was spoken out loud.

Mia’s eyes softened, her gaze no longer probing but understanding. She reached out and placed a hand on mine. “You’ve grown attached to her,” she observed, her tone gentle, devoid of judgment. “Despite everything, you see her as more than just a means to an end.”

I nodded, a dry smile tugging at the corners of my mouth. "I guess," I admitted, the words feeling heavy on my tongue. Even as I acknowledged my attachment to Puriel, a storm of doubt began to churn in the back of my mind. The rational part of me couldn’t help but question my actions.

Should I really do this? Freeing Puriel wasn’t just about breaking a seal and restoring my power; it was about potentially unleashing chaos upon Mia’s kingdom. Despite my reassurances to her and to myself, I knew deep down that it wouldn’t be easy. The repercussions could be far-reaching, and not all of them were within my control.

The reality was that Puriel’s freedom could destabilize the delicate balance that had been maintained for centuries. The Serpent Kingdom relied on the angel’s power, not just as a resource but as a cornerstone of their strength. Taking that away would be like pulling a crucial thread from a tapestry—the entire structure could unravel. A revolution might occur, and I couldn’t ignore the possibility that human blood could be spilled as a result of my actions, even if it was indirect, and all of that was on my hands.

‘What am I really willing to sacrifice?’ I wondered. Could I live with the consequences of my decisions, knowing that innocent lives might be caught in the crossfire? In the demon world, I could use my position as the incubus lord and my status as the prince of the dark dimension. I could turn the situation to my advantage, but here, in the human world, everything was more complicated. I was no one here. It also wasn’t just about power and control; it was about navigating a web of relationships, loyalties, and politics that were far more intricate than what I was accustomed to.

I felt Mia’s eyes on me, her gaze searching for answers I wasn’t sure I had. She tried to read me, but I tried to hide my emotions behind a mask of confidence. The concern in her eyes made my heart ache, a reminder of the trust she placed in me—a trust I wasn’t sure I deserved.

“I just hope I can use my Manipulation for this,” I muttered under my breath, more to myself than to Mia. The words slipped out before I could stop them. My abilities had served me well, allowing me to bend others to my will, but I realized that the human world required a different approach. Here, brute force and manipulation weren’t always the answer. Diplomacy, subtlety, and careful planning were just as important, if not more so.