The scent of butter and seared meat had filled the entire first floor since early morning. Erik stood at the stove, holding a pan in one hand while using chopsticks with the other to stir several pieces of freshly cooked vegetables. Sunlight streamed through the large windows, falling across the stone countertop and the plates already arranged on it. Dew still clung to the garden outside. A few small birds landed on the fence, only to quickly fly away again.
Erik was accustomed to waking up early. Even though he no longer had to rush between several jobs every day to earn money, the biological clock he had developed over the past five years still woke him before everyone else.
Just as he placed the final dish on a plate, he heard soft slippers dragging across the floor behind him. Elowen appeared at the kitchen entrance with her long silver hair slightly disheveled, wearing only a simple white nightgown. Perhaps because she had just woken up, her emerald eyes were still somewhat drowsy. However, the moment she saw Erik, the corners of her lips immediately curved upward.
She walked straight toward him without saying anything, wrapped both arms around his waist from behind, and pressed her face against his back. Erik lowered his head slightly to look at the hands encircling his stomach, then calmly asked, "Have you brushed your teeth?"
Elowen’s body immediately stiffened. She remained silent for two seconds before quietly answering, "...Yes."
"You just woke up."
"I already brushed them." Elowen answered very quickly, but when Erik turned his head to look at her, she immediately avoided his gaze.
"Really?"
Elowen pursed her lips and finally released him. She turned toward the stairs, her voice carrying a hint of helplessness. "I’ll go brush them now."
Erik laughed. Less than five minutes later, Elowen returned. Her silver hair had been loosely tied behind her, and she looked much more awake. She sat directly beside Erik at the dining table, so close that there was almost no space left between them.
Meira came downstairs a little later. The blonde woman wore a lightweight silk robe over a cream-colored nightgown. Its neckline was slightly wide, revealing a patch of fair skin and her delicate collarbones. Her mature face looked extremely relaxed, and she even seemed to be in a much better mood than usual.
Erik could tell at a glance that something had happened, but he said nothing. Meira sat across from him, her green eyes landing on him almost immediately. Erik picked up his cup and took a sip of tea. She continued staring. He picked up a piece of meat and placed it in his mouth, but Meira still did not look away.
In the end, Erik had no choice but to raise his head and ask, "Is there something on my face?"
Meira blinked and naturally replied, "No."
"Then what are you looking at?"
"You."
Elowen, who was eating beside him, immediately raised her head. She hugged Erik’s arm and said seriously, "Mother, isn’t it a little inappropriate to stare at someone else’s husband like that first thing in the morning?"
Meira raised an eyebrow slightly, her tone remaining perfectly calm. "What is wrong with me looking at my son-in-law?"
"There is." Elowen hugged Erik’s arm a little tighter, her emerald eyes staring directly at her mother.
Mother and daughter looked at each other for several seconds. Erik rubbed his forehead before saying, "Eat your breakfast."
Only then did the two of them withdraw their gazes. However, it did not last long before the phone beside Meira lit up again. She glanced at the screen, and the corners of her lips immediately curved upward. Her finger swiped across it several times before she covered her mouth and giggled softly.
Erik saw everything. He did not need to guess what was happening in last night’s group chat.
’It seems they still haven’t calmed down.’
Meira noticed Erik looking at her, and her green eyes immediately curved with amusement. She showed no trace of guilt. Instead, she even gave him a discreet wink.
Erik immediately lowered his head and drank his tea, deciding not to ask any further questions.
He had agreed to the recording being shared within the private group. Meira managed a hospital and numerous major assets, so she knew where to draw the line in everything she did. At the very least, Erik trusted that she would not release the video publicly.
"Open your mouth."
Elowen’s voice pulled his attention back. Erik turned toward her and saw a piece of egg held in front of his lips. He raised an eyebrow slightly. "I can eat by myself."
"I know." Elowen did not move her hand. She merely repeated calmly, "Open your mouth."
Erik fell silent. Those words sounded so familiar that he could not argue with them. He opened his mouth, and Elowen immediately smiled happily. She placed the piece of egg inside before using a napkin to gently wipe the corner of his mouth.
Erik allowed her to take care of him while summoning his status panel with a thought. Familiar lines of text quickly appeared before his eyes.
[Erik]
[Race: Primal Incubus]
[Heavenly Gate: SS]
[Level: Black Iron Stage 8]
Erik immediately stopped chewing. He looked at the final line again.
Black Iron Stage 8.
There was no mistake. The previous night, he had still been at Black Iron Stage 5. In just one night, he had advanced three stages.
"Erik?" Elowen tilted her head. "Does it not taste good?"
"No." Erik swallowed the egg before replying, "It’s delicious."
He continued scrolling down the information panel.
[Emotion Energy: Stabilizing.]
[Faith: 0.42%]
Erik’s gaze changed slightly. That number had also increased considerably compared to before. He instinctively glanced at Meira just as her phone vibrated again. Meira looked down and immediately giggled before quickly turning off the screen so Elowen could not see it.
Erik immediately understood.
’It’s because of last night’s video.’
What the Primal Incubus absorbed was emotion. Desire, admiration, jealousy, happiness, attraction, and even the feeling of wanting him but being unable to have him could all become energy that pushed him forward.
Erik leaned back slightly in his chair. Three stages in one night. If it had been someone else, they probably would have immediately tried to recreate what had happened. However, Erik did not think that way.
’The first time is shocking. The second time is still exciting. But after the tenth time...’
There would probably be very little emotion left.
Humans could adapt to anything, and Succubi were no different. He could not record a video every day and expect to rely on it to climb straight to the Emperor Rank. This was only a brief explosion. What he needed was a constantly changing source of emotion.
Movies, music, stories, and experiences this world had never seen before. Erik suddenly remembered his meeting with Laviana and The Angel Succubus project.
’It seems this path is even more worth pursuing.’
"Erik," Elowen called him again.
"Hmm?"
"What are you thinking about?"
"Cultivation."
Elowen immediately became serious. "Is something wrong?"
"No." Erik closed the status panel, then looked at Meira. "Meira, what rank are you currently at?"
Both Meira and Elowen were slightly surprised. Meira put down her phone and pointed at herself. "Me?"
"Yes."
She thought for a moment before answering, "Gold."
Elowen immediately whipped her head around. "Gold? Mother, you were only at Silver Stage 8 during your last examination!"
Meira raised her cup, her expression perfectly calm. "I’ve been recovering rather quickly lately."
"But it still shouldn’t be this fast." Elowen looked her mother up and down as though trying to confirm that she was not joking.
Meira smiled. "Perhaps it is because... what I lacked before has been replenished quite well."
She paused halfway through the sentence, her gaze drifting toward Erik. Erik immediately raised his cup and took a sip. Elowen did not notice anything strange at all. Instead, she became so happy that she stood up, walked around the table, and hugged her mother.
"That’s wonderful."
Meira smiled and stroked her silver hair. "Yes."
"Then how long will it take for you to reach Platinum?"
"If my condition continues like this..." Meira glanced at Erik once again before answering, "Probably not long."
Erik suddenly found the mouthful of tea more difficult to swallow than usual. He decided to change the subject. "What kind of power do you use?"
Meira was slightly surprised, but she still answered, "I’m an Elf. In theory, I can sense most natural elements, but everyone’s talent still leans in a different direction."
She raised one finger. A small green sprout appeared in the air, rapidly growing before bending into a circle. When Meira closed her hand, it dissolved into specks of light.
"My strongest affinity is Wood. I can control, defend, and heal to a certain extent." She raised her other hand, allowing a gentle green light to cover her palm. "But my true specialty is still Healing."
Erik nodded. That made things very clear. Meira was both a Support and a Healer while also possessing the ability to control the battlefield. He immediately thought of the Myriad Worlds Mirror.
[Number of Succubi that can be brought along: 2]
One of the two positions already had a candidate.
Meira.
The other person needed to be capable of direct combat. A black-haired face quickly appeared in Erik’s mind.
Carmilla.
The former Succubus War Goddess had once reached the Diamond Rank. If she truly could recover, this lineup would be almost exactly what he needed. However, Erik did not intend to tell anyone about the Myriad Worlds Mirror yet. He still had far too little information about it, and even he had not yet fulfilled the conditions required to enter.
After breakfast, Erik checked his phone. There was a new message from Laviana.
[Laviana: I have an initial direction for the development of The Angel Succubus. There are several things I need to discuss with you in person.]
Erik’s reply was very brief.
[I’ll come over this afternoon.]
Afterward, he took the insulated food container he had prepared in advance and headed to the hospital.
Felyn’s room was unchanged from the day before. Gentle sunlight filled the room, a faint medicinal scent lingered in the air, and a new vase of flowers had been placed beside the window. Felyn was sitting on the bed. The moment she heard the door open, she immediately turned toward him.
"Erik?"
"It’s me."
A smile instantly appeared on her face. Erik walked over, placed the food container on the small table beside the bed, and asked, "Did the doctor just leave?"
"Yes." Felyn’s voice was quieter than usual.
Erik noticed immediately. He pulled over a chair and sat beside the bed before looking at her. "What happened?"
Felyn remained silent for a moment, her fingers slowly tightening around the blanket. Finally, she spoke softly. "I can be discharged in two days."
"That’s a good thing."
"Yes," Felyn replied, but there was little happiness on her face.
Erik looked at her. "What else?"
Felyn pressed her lips together slightly. "My eyes... The doctor said they can’t be healed."
She lowered her head. The white bandage around her eyes prevented Erik from seeing her expression, but the slight trembling of her fingertips said enough.
"The forbidden power from back then destroyed too much." Felyn tried to keep her voice steady. "The curse has also existed for far too long. A Healer can help my body recover, but my sight..."
She gave a very quiet laugh, her smile so weak that it was painful to see.
"Perhaps I’ll never be able to see again for the rest of my life."
Erik did not respond immediately. He placed his hand over hers, causing Felyn to freeze.
"If it can’t be healed now, we’ll find another way in the future."
Felyn remained silent for several seconds before asking, "But what if it still can’t be healed in the future?"
Erik looked at her thin face, which had finally begun to regain a little vitality. "Then I’ll keep describing everything to you."
Felyn tilted her head slightly. Erik gently tightened his grip around her cold hand, his voice remaining calm. "What color the sky is, how the flowers are blooming, how many lights there are in the city at night. Whatever you want to know, I’ll tell you."
Felyn’s lips trembled slightly. After a while, she quietly asked, "Won’t you find it troublesome?"
"I already brought you out of there." Erik laughed. "Isn’t it a little late to ask that now?"
Felyn laughed as well, but her laughter was slightly choked. She lowered her head and held Erik’s hand with both of hers.
"Then you’re not allowed to change your mind."
"All right." Erik opened the insulated container and took out the porridge. "Now eat first."
Felyn immediately raised her face obediently. Erik scooped up a small spoonful of porridge, gently blew on it, and brought it to her lips. Felyn ate very slowly, but every time Erik offered her another spoonful, the smile on her face became a little clearer.
After leaving Felyn’s room, Erik went straight to the special treatment ward.
The moment he opened the door to Carmilla’s room, he realized something was wrong.
Runi sat beside the bed with worry all over her face. A nurse was adjusting the monitoring equipment, while Carmilla lay among several white pillows. Her long black hair was slightly disheveled across the sheets, and her normally pale face was now abnormally flushed. Tiny beads of sweat ran down her temples. The collar of her hospital gown was slightly damp, and her full chest continuously rose and fell with her rapid breathing.
Carmilla’s dark red eyes had also lost their usual clarity. The moment she saw Erik, her pupils immediately trembled.
"Erik..."
Carmilla braced her hands against the bed and tried to sit up. Erik immediately stepped forward and placed a hand on her shoulder.
"Don’t move."
The instant their skin touched, Carmilla’s body trembled violently. A quiet breath escaped her lips, after which she immediately bit down hard as though ashamed of her own reaction. However, her red eyes quickly became covered with a layer of moisture.
Erik immediately withdrew his hand and frowned. "What’s happening?"
The nurse looked somewhat uncomfortable. "Madam Carmilla’s thirst has flared up again."
"Didn’t she already take medicine?"
"She did, but her condition is different from that of an ordinary person." The nurse nodded, then looked at Carmilla for a moment before continuing her explanation. "Runi only recently lost her Contract, while Madam Carmilla has endured this for nearly twenty-five years."
The room immediately fell silent. Runi also asked anxiously, "My Contract was broken too. Why isn’t my condition as severe as Madam’s?"
"Throughout all those years, Madam Carmilla continuously burned through her cultivation to forcibly suppress her body’s needs. The higher her rank was, the more cultivation she consumed."
Erik looked at Carmilla. Only now did he truly understand what it meant to fall in rank.
It was not that Carmilla was weak.
On the contrary, she had once been too powerful, and then she had gradually traded her own strength for time.
Diamond.
Then lower.
Lower still.
Until she finally fell to Silver.
All of it just to keep herself from collapsing.
The nurse continued, "In the past, her family still supplied her with refined blood from previous generations. That supply has now been cut off. Medicine can suppress the thirst, but it is very difficult to eliminate the root of the problem."
Erik looked at Carmilla before asking, "Then why did her condition suddenly become so severe today?"
The nurse immediately fell silent. Runi turned her face away, while Carmilla even pulled the blanket a little higher. Erik looked at the three of them and finally understood.
"Madam watched something on her phone last night," the nurse said quietly.
Erik fell silent.
’Meira.’
He sighed before asking, "Is there any way to stabilize her?"
The nurse looked at him, her gaze becoming somewhat strange. She pressed her lips together and hesitated for several seconds before saying, "Yes. It won’t require much. Just... a kiss."
Erik paused. Runi’s eyes widened, while Carmilla immediately turned her head away. Although her voice was weak, she spoke extremely quickly.
"No!"
The nurse flinched. Carmilla breathed rapidly, her hand clutching the blanket as she refused to look at Erik. "You mustn’t trouble him. I can endure it."
However, even as she said those words, her body continued trembling, and her breathing grew increasingly rapid. Erik remained silent for several seconds before looking at the nurse.
"Only one kiss?"
"Yes." The nurse nodded. "Only a very small amount of life-energy contact is needed. After that, the medicine will be able to stabilize Madam’s condition."
Erik looked at Carmilla again before nodding. "All right."
The entire room immediately fell silent. Carmilla slowly turned her head back, her red eyes wide.
"Erik?"
He looked at her, his tone perfectly natural. "I have a job I need you to do."
Carmilla stared at him blankly. Erik shrugged before saying, "Consider it your wages."
Runi immediately lowered her head, but she could not stop the corners of her lips from curving upward. Carmilla, meanwhile, turned red from her face all the way down to her neck.
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