Succubus World - Start with Incubus System

Zeka looked at Meira’s file for a while longer before closing it. The screen still displayed blank fields in Erik’s Awakening information, but what troubled him most at the moment was not a man with an unconfirmed Talent.

It was the fact that Felyn had appeared before the public, was living in Erik’s villa, and was smiling as though she had never been imprisoned in the Trial Space.

He knew who that woman was. Fifty years ago, Zeka had personally participated in forcing Spring into the world within the Trial Space, which was why he understood more than anyone how abnormal her return was. What he did not know was how Erik had brought her out, and how much she still remembered of the past.

"Take me down to the detention area," Zeka ordered, his long nails tapping once against the armrest of his magical chair. The Succubus in charge of the records immediately lowered her head in response. When she moved to call for additional escorts, he only waved a hand, indicating that he did not want anyone asking questions.

Two female attendants carefully lifted Zeka’s long white hair and followed his chair to an elevator located in the restricted area. The elevator doors opened after symbols confirming his authority lit up.

Zeka entered alone, while the two women remained in the hallway, waiting with lowered heads until the doors closed completely. The elevator carried him deep underground, passing through many levels of structures that even most Council members were not allowed to access.

When the elevator stopped, cold air blew against Zeka’s face. Two female guards standing before the enormous metal door immediately saluted, but he did not even look at them and only ordered them to open it.

Ancient carvings on the metal surface lit up one after another. The sound of locks moving echoed heavily through the silent corridor, and then a vast darkness appeared beyond the door.

The prison chamber lay deep beneath the Men’s Council headquarters. Lines of mana densely covered the stone floor and walls, connecting to an enormous stele at the center. Behind it, energy veins continued extending deep into the earth.

This system was connected to Silver Moon’s ancient structures, but the control symbols inside the room had been altered for imprisonment. Zeka knew every mechanism here well, because he had used them for a very long time.

Winter stood before the stele.

She was suspended by black chains hanging from the ceiling. Her wrists were trapped inside magical shackles that were too tight, while the tips of her feet could barely reach the stone floor, forcing her entire weight onto both arms.

Her long hair was tangled and matted, covering nearly half her face. The dress that had once been light-colored was now torn in many places. Beneath the frayed edges of fabric were pale skin and old wounds that had not yet faded.

Winter had visibly grown thinner. Her collarbones stood out beneath her skin, and her shoulders were pulled so tightly that every time she breathed, she had to carefully adjust her posture to keep the pain from becoming more intense.

Dried blood had turned dark brown around her wrists, layered over fresh red marks. Blood ran along her fingers, gathering at her fingertips before falling onto the stone floor, which was already stained with old marks. Although no one was torturing her at the moment, the shackles themselves continued to hurt her.

Zeka stopped his chair several steps away from her. Winter heard the sound of the motor but did not raise her head. Her half-open eyes behind her tangled hair seemed no longer aware of what was happening before her, while her lips were so dry that even a small crack forced her to press them together whenever she breathed.

"It has been a long time, Winter." Zeka spoke as though he were visiting an old acquaintance. He waited a moment. When she did not answer, he did not become angry. He had grown too familiar with that silence. "Today, I have something I want to show you. Perhaps you will finally be willing to speak."

A magical screen appeared before Winter. Zeka played footage from that morning’s livestream, showing Felyn making her way from the hallway into the living room. Her blindfold, honey-blonde hair, and the way she traced the edge of the wall were all clearly visible.

On the screen, Erik stood beside the chair, calmly waiting for her to reach it by herself before bending down to lightly kiss her cheek once she sat securely. Felyn smiled brightly, reaching up to find his face and kiss him back.

Zeka did not look at that smile. He looked at Winter.

"You recognize this woman, do you not?" he asked, tilting the screen so its light shone clearly over the imprisoned woman’s face. "I thought I would never see her again. It seems there are still unexpected things in this world."

Winter continued hanging her head. If she had seen the image before her, Zeka could not find the slightest sign of it. Her breathing was weak but steady, her fingers did not curl, and even her eyelids did not tremble.

Zeka enlarged Felyn’s face, his voice slower. "Spring. Do you still remember that name?"

A drop of blood fell onto the stone floor. Winter did not answer, allowing the pale blue light of the screen to cover her pale face. Zeka frowned and watched every smallest change in her skin and breathing, but the silence dragged on until he began to lose patience.

"Have you forgotten her, or are you merely pretending?" Zeka asked, his earlier mild demeanor disappearing. "After all these years, I thought you would at least want to know how an old acquaintance was living." He paused and waited a few more beats, then gave a cold laugh when he received no response. "Fine. I do not have time to sit here guessing what you are thinking."

Zeka turned off the screen and controlled his chair toward the door. Before leaving, he looked back at Winter once, but she remained with her head lowered in the same position.

He frowned, unsure whether she had lost all hope or simply refused to let him see anything at all, then ordered the door closed behind him.

The sound of the motor gradually faded, replaced by the sound of metal locks sliding into place. When the final door closed, the room returned to a silence so complete that one could hear every drop of water gathering somewhere in the darkness.

Winter remained motionless.

She had learned that reacting in front of Zeka usually only made things worse. Therefore, when Felyn’s image suddenly appeared, Winter forced herself not to look, not to move, even trying to keep her breathing unchanged. Only she knew how difficult that was. For one brief moment, it felt as though an invisible hand had tightly gripped the heart she had thought had already gone cold.

Now that Zeka had left, Winter’s fingers finally curled slightly. The shackles immediately rubbed against her wounds, sending a sharp pain through her arms. She trembled and struggled to lift her head a little higher, but in the end, she could only look at the empty space where the screen had disappeared.

"Spring..."

The name left her lips like nothing more than a breath. Winter had to swallow hard, trying to moisten her burning throat before she continued. "Are you... still alive?"

She remembered that blonde hair. She remembered a face that had changed so much through suffering, yet had still kept its familiar smile.

Felyn could no longer see, nor did she radiate the power that had once shaken the entire battlefield, but she was walking by herself, smiling, and reaching out to touch someone else without any fear.

Winter wanted to smile, but the moment the corners of her cracked lips lifted, it made her wince. A tear slowly rolled down her cheek, blending with the old bloodstain below before disappearing into her collar.

She did not cry aloud, partly because she no longer had the strength, and partly because this room had made her forget what it felt like to be allowed to cry in front of others.

"That is good..." Winter whispered, as though afraid that speaking even slightly louder would make the image she had just seen disappear. "At least... you got out."

Her head slowly lowered again. The chains continued pulling her arms taut, blood continued dripping onto the stone floor, and the surrounding magical lines continued operating without rest. No one knew that the woman imprisoned beneath the ground had just found a tiny reason to wait for tomorrow.

• • •

The next morning, Erik’s magical convoy headed toward Silver Moon’s southwestern outpost.

Erik sat beside the window, watching the rows of trees pass by outside. Compared with the previous trip, the road was far easier to travel. Tree trunks blocking the way had been moved aside, sunken sections of road had been filled with stone, and patrol teams stood guard at every important intersection.

Occasionally, a female warrior who recognized the insignia on the vehicles would raise a hand in greeting. Their expressions were no longer as tense as during the days when the outpost had constantly been threatened by monsters.

"Last time, this place was still full of vehicles carrying the wounded," Elowen said, gently resting against Erik’s shoulder when she noticed him looking at the roadside. Her silver hair brushed against his arm, while her gaze settled on a group of female warriors repairing a fence together. "It really looks different now."

"Mhm." Erik smiled and took her hand. "I remember that when we first arrived, everyone looked as though they wanted to draw a weapon the moment they heard any sound from the forest. Seeing them have time to repair the roads like this makes me feel relieved too."

Laviana sat across from them, a map and a small recording device resting on her lap. She was marking supply depots and transportation routes that needed to be surveyed while checking the mana inside the recording crystals. Seeing how thoroughly she had prepared, Erik immediately felt a familiar sense of foreboding.

"Are you planning to livestream again?" he asked. Laviana looked up and smiled with feigned surprise, as though the answer were too obvious.

"Of course. We are going to an area that has just been liberated. There are many things worth showing the audience." She tilted her head, red hair slipping over one shoulder. "Besides, the star of the program is sitting right in front of me. It would be a waste to pass up this opportunity."

"I am beginning to suspect that one day, you will suggest attaching cameras to me even while I sleep," Erik said, half joking and half helpless. Hearing that, Laviana’s eyes immediately lit up, making him feel as though he had just made a serious mistake.

"That is a very good idea. If you agree, I can..."

"No! I was only giving an example!" Erik hurriedly waved his hands. Elowen laughed so hard that she had to lean completely against his shoulder. Laviana rested her chin on her hand as she watched the two, the satisfaction in her expression showing that she knew exactly what she was doing.

After teasing him enough, Laviana explained that she had already discussed the filming with the logistics team. The cameras would not be aimed at important defensive positions, military reports, or female warriors who did not want to appear.

Only then did Erik stop worrying, though he still reminded her to prioritize everyone’s safety over viewer statistics. Laviana did not tease him further. She nodded very seriously, because this was also something she had already considered.

Meira had left the villa the previous afternoon to inspect the remaining monster nests and routes around the outpost.

That morning, she sent word that the reception area was safe and that most of the clearing work near the defensive line had been completed.

Erik reread the message, warmth rising in his heart when he saw that Meira had ended it by reminding him not to become so absorbed in the map that he forgot breakfast. He was about to reply when a loud horn suddenly sounded from ahead.

TUUU!!!!

Erik startled and looked up through the windshield. Elowen stopped laughing, while Laviana put down her device to listen. The horn did not sound only once. It was followed by drums and a lively series of sounds, as though a military band had begun performing.

"Do you hear that?" Erik asked, unable to hide his surprise. When Elowen nodded and looked at Laviana with him, the red-haired woman immediately raised both hands to show that she was innocent.

"Do not look at me. I swear I did not arrange this one," Laviana said with a laugh, though she was curious herself. "But it sounds as though we are about to receive a very warm welcome."

The convoy slowed as the outpost gate appeared beyond the bend. Erik had only just leaned closer to the window when he saw a red carpet stretching all the way to the small plaza before the barracks.

On both sides of the road, female warriors in neat uniforms stood in rows, while unit flags fluttered in the wind behind them. A large banner hung above the gate, its carefully decorated lettering impossible to mistake.

WELCOME BACK, SIR ERIK!

Erik sat frozen for several seconds, then turned to Elowen as though wanting to confirm that he was not seeing things. But her emerald eyes were wide too, one hand covering her mouth to hide her smile.

"Wait..." Erik looked outside, his face as bewildered as the expression (O_O). "What are they preparing here?!"