The night was silent, its calm broken only by the distant hum of the city beneath a blanket of stars.
Luxer sat alone on the balcony, his figure outlined by moonlight. His gaze stretched over the sleeping city, yet his thoughts remained bound to a single person—the girl behind that closed door. The fiery night they had shared replayed in his mind again and again, burning itself into his heart.
A rare stillness composed his face, but his thoughts churned restlessly. Strategies, possibilities, and desperate hopes all tangled together in his mind. He could not afford to let her slip away.
"She will come to me," he whispered, his voice carried away by the cool night breeze. His eyes lingered on the wooden door, behind which Celia was no doubt erasing the traces of their intimacy. 'If she avoids me now, if she decides to distance herself after tonight… then perhaps my last chance will vanish.'
Tomorrow, they would both enter the Academy. Once within its walls, they would be divided into classes according to talent and compatibility. If fate—or worse, Holland—intervened, Luxer might never again have the chance to draw close to her.
The thought carved a sharp ache into his chest.
Just then—
"Click."
The soft sound of the door opening broke the silence. Luxer's eyes snapped open, his body stiffening. Slowly, he turned his head—and there she was.
Celia stepped onto the balcony, the moonlight falling over her pale skin and the faint blush painting her cheeks. She kept her gaze lowered, her expression a mixture of shyness and quiet resolve.
'She came…' Luxer's heart surged with relief, though his face remained composed. 'Then I still have a chance.'
If she had avoided him, if she had stayed hidden behind that door, their fragile thread might have been severed entirely. But now…
A faint smile crept onto his lips. Celia, however, faltered under the weight of it. Something in his expression made her feel strangely weak, her blush deepening until it almost rivaled the color of dawn.
"It's done," she said finally, her voice steady despite her reddened face. "I made sure Holland won't notice anything strange." Her eyes flickered briefly to his, then away again. "Also… about what happened earlier—"
Before she could finish, Luxer's hand rose. His fingers pressed gently against her lips, silencing her.
Celia froze, her breath caught in her throat.
"Before that," Luxer said softly, his tone calm but commanding. His eyes bore into hers, dark and unwavering. "I want to tell you something first."
She blinked, startled, but then gave the smallest of nods, her lips still pinned by his touch.
"First of all…" His voice dropped to a quiet, steady rhythm. "Thank you. I had… a wonderful time tonight."
The words, so simple and direct, pierced Celia's heart more deeply than she expected. Heat rushed to her cheeks, and she bit back a trembling breath. This time, her blush was impossible to hide. Luxer saw it clearly and, for a brief instant, allowed himself a small, satisfied smile.
"It's also thanks to you," he continued, "that I discovered my Martial Soul's hidden nature. For that, I owe you. And one day, I will make it up to you."
The sincerity in his tone unsettled her. Her lips parted, as though to protest. "You don't have to—"
But when she met his eyes, she faltered. His gaze was calm, yet beneath it burned an intensity that left no room for argument.
"And one more thing," he said firmly.
The air between them shifted.
Luxer leaned closer, his presence filling every inch of her space. His voice carried a weight that pressed directly into her heart. "Tonight… for the first time, I felt truly possessive of something. So I'll say it clearly—Celia Clover, one day, I will steal you away from Holland."
Her eyes widened, her heartbeat hammering wildly at his bold declaration. That directness, that unwavering confidence, that strange aura of his Incubus bloodline—it all pressed against her like an invisible hand.
Before she could gather her thoughts, she found her back pressed against the wall. Luxer's hand caught her wrist with deliberate gentleness, and his lips descended upon hers.
Her breath hitched. For a fleeting instant, every instinct screamed at her to resist. But the strength in his gaze, the fire of his conviction, and the echo of her own stirred emotions shattered her will. Her eyes fluttered shut.
And she accepted it all.
The kiss lingered like fire on Celia's lips, burning her from the inside out.
Luxer pulled back, restraining the heat surging in his blood. He had already pushed far enough tonight. To cross that final line would risk shattering the fragile trust between them, and he could not afford to scare her away—not now.
Yet, as he released her, Celia felt something hard press lightly against her belly. Her entire body froze. Heat flared across her pale cheeks, spreading all the way to her ears. Her breath grew ragged, her heart pounding like a war drum.
She didn't dare meet his gaze. Instead, she bolted, her slender figure vanishing back into the room with hurried steps. The door shut behind her with a muted thud.
Inside her chest, emotions clashed like stormy waves. Shame, excitement, confusion… and a strange, unexplainable weakness.
The memory of his touch lingered vividly, and she knew with terrifying certainty—if Luxer had pressed forward just a little more, if he had whispered her name and claimed her fully—she might not have been able to refuse him.
That thought alone terrified her.
Her cultivation breakthrough was already overwhelming enough. To suddenly leap forward a full stage in a single night was something that defied reason, a miracle that should not have been possible.
Yet here she was, her martial foundation surging with newfound strength. And on top of that, the emotions Luxer stirred within her… was something she could not easily face.
For now, she needed space. She needed time to breathe.
So Celia hid herself away.
Luxer, left standing in the quiet night, stared at the door where she had disappeared. For a brief moment, a wry smile tugged at his lips. Though she had retreated, he could feel it—the wall she had raised between them was thin. Fragile. One day, it would crumble, and when it did, she would no longer be able to escape his grasp.
With that conviction simmering in his heart, he returned to his own bed.
His body was tired, not from physical exhaustion, but from the strain of scheming and maneuvering.
Every word, every glance, every touch tonight had been deliberate.
Each move was a step in weaving the web that would bind Celia to him. Only now did he realize just how drained his mind truly was.
Yet, even as sleep began to tug at his consciousness, he had overlooked something crucial.
His status screen still glimmered faintly in the corner of his vision, revealing that his experience bar had long since overflowed.
He had already reached the limit for his current level—yet he hadn't advanced.
[Status]
Name: Luxer Went
Martial Soul: Low-Demon Kind (Incubus) + [Elemental Bird (Partner)]
Cultivation Paths:
Martial: Basic-grade
Magus: Basic-grade
Psychic: Basic-grade
Level: 1 – [600/100] + (Cap Reached)
MP: 150/150
Ether: 110/110
Mental: 120/120
Attributes:
Strength: 2 → 6
Agility: 3 → 11
Vitality: 4 → 8
Intelligence: 4 → 12
Dexterity: 2 → 6
Spirit: 7 → 15
Realm: Basic Level
Unique Traits:
[Incubus Codex] – Active
[Training Simulation] – Inactive
Available Modules:
[Daily Quest] [Min]
[Instance Quest] [Min]
[Main Quest] [Empty]
[Skill Training Simulation]
[Magic Training Simulation]
[Psychic Training Simulation]
[Combat Training Simulation]
Luxer's gaze lingered on the glowing text.
A single breakthrough had already reshaped his body, granting him a strength that would have taken over a decade of toil in his past life. And yet, this was only the beginning.
The overflowing experience was a sign—the system awaited his command.
The path forward had already opened.
"Tomorrow…" he muttered, his lips curling faintly.
"Tomorrow, I'll push it even further."
With that thought, Luxer finally let his eyes close. The night embraced him, quiet and still, as the gears of fate began to turn.