Succubus World - Start with Incubus System

Thank you [UpUpDowndown] for your gift - A Dragonnnnn

The room on the south side of the second floor was at the end of a fairly quiet hallway. Through the window, they could look down at the garden, where low flowerbeds had been planted along both sides of the path. Meira opened the window to let the breeze in; the scent of leaves and faint flowers quickly replaced the smell of new wood in the room.

"I think Felyn would like it here," Elowen said. "She can hear the trees from the window."

"There’s also a way out to the garden," Laviana remarked.

Erik stood in the doorway, looking at the distance from the bed to the stairs. The room was bright, spacious enough, and did not have much furniture. However, the four of them were looking at it through their own eyes. Felyn would have to become familiar with every distance in a different way.

He took a clean towel, folded it, and tied it across his eyes.

Meira turned to him. "Are you going to try walking through it?"

"Mhm."

"I’ll walk beside you."

"Alright. Catch me if I’m about to fall."

Erik started from the edge of the bed. He reached out to touch the headboard to determine his direction, then searched for the wall on his right. After taking a few steps, his knee bumped into the corner of a small table. Meira immediately moved forward, but he had already steadied himself. Erik touched the edge of the table, memorized its position, then continued onward. When he reached the doorway, the toe of his shoe caught on the low threshold between the room and the hallway.

"I see that every day," Elowen said, "but I never noticed it."

"It’s low," Erik replied. "Just high enough to trip over."

He stepped out into the hallway. The hand following the wall suddenly touched a decorative cabinet set back into an alcove. As he passed the edge of the cabinet, he lost his sense of direction for a moment and had to turn back to find something to hold onto. Laviana looked at the empty space in front of him; if she did not know the house, she would not have noticed where the wall began again either.

At the top of the stairs, Erik stopped for longer. The handrail only began beside the first step, and there was nothing along the path from the room to warn someone that the floor level was about to change. He used the tip of his shoe to find the step, held the railing with one hand, then started down. Meira stayed right beside him, close enough to support him but without touching him.

When they reached the ground floor, Erik continued toward the door leading to the garden. The corner of a table near the path bumped against his hip. He went around it, found the doorframe, then removed the towel.

"Does your knee hurt?" Elowen asked.

"A little." Erik looked back at the table. "Round off this corner and the corner of the table upstairs. Remove the threshold in the bedroom, and move the cabinet in the hallway out of the way. Once something has been placed somewhere, keep it there. Don’t put it on the left today and move it to the right tomorrow."

Meira took out her phone and wrote it down. "The stairs need new handrails."

"The handrail needs to begin before the first step." Erik turned to look at the staircase. "This section is wide. We can add another handrail in the middle. There need to be different markers underfoot at the top and bottom of the stairs, so she knows where she has reached."

"I’ll have the person in charge call the construction team," Meira said. "What about the small kitchen beside the garden?"

All four of them went over there. Erik checked the positions of the counter, stove, and water dispenser. He pointed out how little distance there was between the walkway and hot objects, then suggested replacing the flooring at the kitchen entrance with a type that felt different underfoot, clear enough to recognize but without creating a raised edge.

𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝚠𝚎𝚋𝗻𝗼𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝚘𝐦

"Everything should be arranged in a fixed order," he said. "The hot water kettle needs a secure lid, a body that will not burn her when touched, and raised markings so she can tell it apart. She can’t have to test the temperature with her hand every time she wants a drink of water."

Laviana looked over the things Meira had written down. "I can arrange for someone to serve Felyn."

"It’s good to have someone nearby for her to call," Erik replied. "As for what she wants to do herself, let her decide after she comes and sees the room."

"She lived alone in the forest for so long," Elowen said. "She might not like it if everyone keeps rushing to do everything for her."

"She might also want to rest and ask for help with a few things." Erik looked at her. "We haven’t asked, so don’t make assumptions for her."

Elowen nodded. She had seen Felyn wanting to be cared for while also being afraid of being seen as a burden. A convenient room could help put her at ease, but Erik was right: they had to let Felyn tell them herself what made her comfortable.

"Do we need an audio signal at the garden door?" Meira asked.

"We can try a small bell. If she finds it annoying, we can remove it." Erik looked at the phone in Meira’s hand. "And don’t install cameras in her room on your own."

"I wasn’t talking about cameras."

"You were thinking about them."

Meira did not deny it. "I’m worried she’ll fall and no one will know."

"Put a call bell within reach and arrange for someone to stay in a nearby room. If you want to use additional monitoring devices in the hallway, ask Felyn first."

Erik raised his hand and lightly tapped Meira on the forehead. She frowned and looked toward Elowen for help. Elowen walked over to rub the spot he had tapped, but still said, "Mother has to ask about this."

"I know." Meira hugged her daughter’s arm. "With both of you saying it, how am I supposed to argue?"

"You usually find a way," Erik replied.

Laviana laughed. Meira looked at him as if she wanted revenge, but the phone in her hand vibrated. The person in charge of the villa had received the list and was asking when the renovations could begin. Meira replied that they would only inspect things for now, and they would wait until they brought Felyn over to look before deciding the final placement of the furniture.

Erik turned to look at the stairs once more. "Prepare a room downstairs too. If Felyn doesn’t want to take the stairs every day, she can choose that room."

"This room is quite nice," Laviana said.

"Then show her both."

They took another walk around the garden. Erik asked Elowen where they could place benches for resting, and asked Meira whether she could keep the paths dry when it rained. By the time they returned inside, he had enough things to discuss with Felyn and the Healer team.

Outside, dark clouds gathered very quickly. The first raindrops fell onto the awning, then only a few minutes later, they had joined into a thick curtain of water. Erik picked up his coat, intending to go to the hospital before visiting hours ended.

"Wait until the rain gets lighter?" Elowen asked.

"The car is right at the door. Let’s go."

All four got into the car. When it had just pulled out through the villa gates, Erik saw a woman standing across the road. She stood in the rain without seeking shelter, her wet blonde hair clinging to her shoulders. A car passed by and splashed water onto her feet, but she did not move away.

"Stop the car."

The driver hit the brakes. Elowen followed the direction Erik was pointing, and her expression immediately changed.

"Saraya?"

Meira saw her too. Saraya’s amber eyes were directed at the car, yet they were almost unfocused. She was soaked through; even through the glass, they could see both of her hands trembling faintly at her sides.

Erik opened the door. Meira held his wrist for a moment.

"I can sense that the mana in her body is unstable."

"I’ll keep my distance from her."

"I’m getting out too."

Meira stepped out from the other side of the car. Elowen immediately followed, while Laviana grabbed an extra umbrella placed beside the seat. None of them wanted to leave Erik alone with Saraya, especially after the time she had rushed at him and Elowen on the way to the hospital.

Erik held the umbrella as he crossed the road. Only when he got close did he see how pale Saraya’s face was. Rainwater collected on her lashes, ran down her cheeks, and flowed over the collar of her completely soaked clothes. He raised the umbrella over her head; his own shoulder immediately took the full force of the rain beyond its cover.

"Saraya."

She lifted her head very slowly. Her amber eyes looked at Erik’s face for several seconds before her lips finally moved.

"I... wanted to see you."

"Alright." Erik still held the umbrella without touching her. "First, get out of the rain. You’re cold."

Saraya looked at the hand holding the umbrella. She had thought of so many things she wanted to say, but at that moment, there was only an unfamiliar male voice in her head, repeating an old command.

He’s right in front of you.

She clenched her hands. Erik saw those fingers trembling violently, so he leaned closer to see her face more clearly.

"Are you not feeling well?"

"I don’t know." Saraya shook her head, her voice growing hoarse. "I just wanted to come here. But it keeps..."

A sudden pain pierced through her temple. She clutched her head, took a step back, and lost her balance. Erik let go of the umbrella to catch her before her knees hit the road. Rain poured down over both of them. He wrapped one arm around Saraya’s shoulders and guided her beneath the small awning near the gate.

Meira had already approached to within a few steps. She could clearly sense something in Saraya’s body, mana that wavered with every wave of pain, but she could not yet determine where it came from. Elowen stood beside her mother, her eyes never leaving Erik.

"Saraya, look at me." Erik held her shoulders to keep her steady. "What were you trying to say just now?"

Saraya raised her head. Erik was very close. She saw rainwater in his hair, his collar wet because he had just sheltered her with the umbrella. The sight made her remember the times Erik came home after work, still asking whether she had eaten even though he had not yet had the chance to change out of his sweat-soaked clothes.

Kill him.

"No..." Saraya tried to force that voice out of her head.

She wanted to tell Erik to stay away from her. But the pain tightened around her again, forcing her body to act before the warning could leave her mouth. Saraya’s hands suddenly shot upward and gripped Erik’s throat.

Elowen immediately rushed over. Meira raised a hand to stop her daughter, while an invisible flow of mana had already locked both of Saraya’s wrists. She could still touch Erik’s throat, but she could not tighten her grip any further.

"I’ve got her hands," Meira said quickly. "Elowen, stay beside Erik."

Elowen moved straight behind him. Erik held Saraya’s wrists, feeling Meira’s restraint keeping those fingers from closing. He could pull them away right now, but Saraya was staring at him in horror, as if she had only just woken in the middle of her own action.

"Saraya," he called.

She heard her name. The fingers on his throat trembled harder. Saraya looked at the rainwater running down Erik’s cheek, looked at Elowen standing close beside him, then looked at her own hands.

Grip tighter.

"I don’t want to..."

Her voice broke. Meira still held Saraya’s wrists tightly, but did not pull her hands away. After struggling with herself for a while, Saraya slowly opened each finger. Erik immediately stepped half a pace back; Elowen placed a hand on his shoulder, checked his neck, and only then looked at Saraya.

Saraya could no longer stand. She dropped to her knees beneath the awning, both hands resting on her knees as she stared at the fingers that had nearly hurt Erik.

"I really don’t want to," she said very quietly.

Meira stepped in front of her and crouched down. Beneath the rain-soaked skin on Saraya’s neck, a thin black vein appeared for a moment before sinking out of sight again. Meira saw it clearly this time.

"She needs to be examined immediately," Meira said to Erik. "Take her to the hospital."

Erik nodded, but did not pull Saraya to her feet on his own. He crouched down until they were at eye level.

"I’ll take you to see a Healer. Can you stand up?"

Saraya looked at him. The faint red mark on Erik’s neck was still there. She immediately turned away, her hand gripping the hem of her clothes, but after a few seconds, she still gave a small nod.

Elowen and Meira helped her up. Laviana had already opened the car door and handed Erik a dry towel. He took it, quickly wiped the water from his face, then watched as Saraya was guided over. She did not raise her head again, but when she passed him, her hand instinctively reached for Erik’s sleeve.

He let her hold onto the edge of the fabric until they had both gotten into the car.