CHAPTER 316: THE LONG LOST SYSTEM IS BACK

"And the Pact?" Isabella asked quietly.

The woman’s fingers traced a faint circle on the table’s edge before she replied.

"The name doesn’t come up often. Most don’t say it at all. But gears started to surface with a mark that wasn’t there before.

Spiral-wing. Based on blood red. A claw-shaped tip curling downward."

"Origin?" Isabella asked.

"No confirmed labs. No underground filters match the refinement pattern. We’ve sent samples everywhere.

None of the known zones has the tech or the process to do this cleanly, and certainly not at the scale we’ve seen. That leaves only one explanation."

Isabella raised her chin slightly, studying the woman’s eyes.

"Off-world?"

A flicker crossed the woman’s expression. Not fear. Not a surprise. Something in between. A kind of tension that built under the surface before the truth escaped.

"No," she said slowly, voice lower than before. "Not off-world."

She leaned closer, shoulders stiffening.

"Beneath."

That one word changed the air between them. It didn’t need to be explained.

It just hung there.

Isabella said nothing more. She rose from her chair without a sound.

But just as she turned to leave, the woman’s voice slipped through the space behind her, quiet as a warning that wasn’t meant to stop her, only to mark the path ahead.

"They’re not asking anymore," she said.

That was enough to make Isabella pause.

"They’re taking now."

There was nothing left to say after that.

So Isabella walked.

And she didn’t look back.

—

Meanwhile, back at the university, sunlight streamed through the window in long, lazy shafts, the kind that didn’t really light up a room so much as warm it.

The curtains filtered the light into a soft haze that hung over the bed like a veil. There was nothing urgent about it—just presence—gentle, warm, and unbothered.

Ethan lay still, breathing slowly, the weight of the blanket barely noticeable beneath the warmth of the two bodies curled against him.

Evelyn was nestled against his chest, one of her arms tucked between them, her breath soft and even against his skin.

Everly was draped behind him, an arm across his waist, a leg bent around his own, like she’d locked him in on instinct.

None of it felt heavy. Just... right.

His eyes cracked open for a moment, blinking against the golden light pooling across the ceiling. He didn’t move.

He didn’t need to. Everything around him felt still, secure. There was something unspoken in how they slept against him—maybe trust. Or something deeper.

He exhaled, barely a whisper.

Then closed his eyes again, content to drift.

Until—

[Hey master!!! How have you been doing? Btw what are you going do with the Incubus coins and points that you have collected till now?]

The voice arrived in his mind with its usual lack of ceremony.

His brow twitched.

Internally: "...You seriously waited until now?"

[You seemed... preoccupied. I didn’t want to ruin the mood. But now that the coins and points have added up till now, I just felt that this was the ideal moment to address resource allocation.]

He didn’t open his eyes. Didn’t groan. But mentally, he let out a long sigh.

Across his chest, Evelyn’s fingers twitched slightly. Behind him, Everly made a tiny sound—content, sleepy.

He didn’t want to move.

"Can it wait? Ten, twenty more minutes?"

[Nope. You’ve exceeded your accumulation window. If you delay point distribution, trait evolution becomes inefficient. I’ve logged your recent activity.]

"...You mean the coins?"

[Yes. As of now, you’ve accumulated 6,760 Incubus Points and 3,940 Incubus Coins. Additionally, you’ve reached a new sexual mastery tier. Several store tabs have been unlocked. Interface now available.]

Still not wanting to wake the girls, he opened the interface mentally. A blue translucent display blinked to life behind his eyes, clean lines and familiar tabs welcoming him back.

[INCUBUS SYSTEM PANEL]– Points Available: 6,760– Coins Available: 3,940– Pact Tier: Intermediate (Next: 10,000 Points)

[Available Store Tabs:]

[Body Upgrade]

[Charm Buffs]

[Essence Crafting]

[Dominion Skills]

[Relic Exchange] (New!!)

[Partner Custom Affinity Sync Items] (New!!)

[Legacy Lineage Unlocks] (Locked)

His attention stopped at the last tab.

"Legacy Lineage Unlocks...?"

[New category unlocked through recent evolution activity. This interface is designed for bloodline triggers related to the ancestral Incubus path.

Requirements include lineage progression or contact with a sealed crest.]

He nodded slightly to himself. "Probably tied to my eldest sister’s upgrade then."

The glow around the [Partner Custom Affinity Sync] caught his eye, but he didn’t open it. He already had a guess what that one was about.

He tapped into [Essence Crafting] instead. The menu unfolded into a branching web of traits and enhancements.

Some were familiar.

[Stamina Recovery Rate]

[Lust Conversion Efficiency]

[Mental Anchor Reinforcement]

Others were entirely new.

[Emotion Bond Looping] – Strengthens emotional memory feedback during intimacy. Increases long-term bond persistence.

[Dream Imprint Echo] – Leaves a trace impression of recent bonding experiences in the partner’s subconscious. The effect varies.

Then came one that stood out.

[Voice of Desire] – Locked. Requires: 500 Coins + 1 Tier-3 Harem Bond

"...System. That sounds like mind control."

[Incorrect. This trait enhances verbal influence during consensual intimacy scenarios. Parameters are based on tone, emotional trust, and shared history.]

"...So soft-core mind control."

[We prefer the phrase ethically persuasive dialogue.]

He closed the panel with a sigh that nearly turned into a laugh.

"Fine. What’s your recommendation?"

[Process coin backlog. You’re nearing inefficient cap thresholds.]

He opened the coin store.

Instant regret.

Rows and rows of items flicked into view—some practical, some clearly added with amusement.

[Bed Aura – Lust Grade]

[Partner Sleep Buffer]

[Auto Heat Circulation – Passive Cooldown]

[Touch Sensitivity Toggle – External App]

[Mark of Domain – Passive Signature]

"...Why do I need a toggle for touch sensitivity?"

[Partner preference. Evelyn responds positively to chest-level heat. Everly favors lower leg sensitivity. You adjust subconsciously. This feature lets you customize with intention.]

He blinked, expression unreadable. "You’re tracking all of that?"

[Of course. Emotional feedback, pulse changes, subconscious reactions—this is standard behavior optimization.]

He shook his head, still staring at the screen.

"Let’s keep it simple. Sleep buffer, stamina regen passive. Buy both."