The Incubus Archduke Dreams of a Pet Human - Chapter 10

Theticia, bewitched by the mystical sight, weakly raised her hand. Her heat-flushed fingertips barely brushed against his cool lips.

This, without a doubt, was no illusion.

A peculiar satisfaction tugged Theticia’s lips into a foolish smile. Above that innocent expression, Asmod’s cold gaze quietly settled.

***

“Please awaken.”

At the sound of her name being called, Theticia blinked open her heavy eyelids. None of the Viscount’s servants had ever addressed her with such formality.

When she lifted her head, a man with graying hair was standing beside the bed.

“Ah!”

Startled by his face, Theticia instinctively lowered her gaze. The man’s smooth, egg-shaped face had no discernible features. No eyes, no nose, no mouth.

‘Was it all a dream? Was I not cured?’

Cold sweat trickled down her spine. The contaminated forest. The fall. The demon’s face with its violet eyes and hair glittering like beetle wings, remained vividly etched in her mind. So did the raw memory of their joined bodies.

Theticia clutched the blankets, her face burning bright red. She thought she had lost consciousness in the bath, yet now she was lying on fine satin bedding. On top of that, she was wearing a lace nightdress she had never seen before.

“…W-where exactly am I?”

“This is Archduke Asmod’s villa.”

At the old man’s mention of Asmod, Theticia’s face lit up with color.

‘So it wasn’t a dream after all!…No, what if I’m not cured? What if he’s the only one I can see?’

She had clearly seen Asmod’s face. Yet this old man’s features were the same flat, indistinct blur she had known her whole life.

‘I have to be sure!’

Theticia hastily slipped out of bed.

“C-could you take me to see Lord Asmod?”

At the sight of Theticia nervously tapping her feet, the elderly servant raised his bushy eyebrows and gave a small nod.

“Follow me.”

Trailing close behind, Theticia followed him through the manor, which he moved through like it was his own. The view of the contaminated forest beyond the windows confirmed it was the same estate she had fallen into.

The moment she stepped into the dining room, her heart thudded so violently she thought it might burst.

At the far end of the long table, the man looked up, and the exact same face from the night before met Theticia’s gaze.

“…Asmod!”

His name left her lips without thought.

So this is what it feels like to see someone’s face. It had only been a day, yet she already felt deeply connected.

Closing the distance in long strides, Theticia boldly reached out, cupping Asmod’s cheeks in her hands. Startled by the sudden touch, Asmod furrowed his brow in bewilderment.

“It wasn’t a dream… I can see your face clearly.”

Those violet eyes, too otherworldly to belong to a human, gleamed even more brightly than they had yesterday. His black hair reflected the sunlight like it had been dusted with crushed gemstones.

“Yes. That is why you slept with me.”

The gentle demeanor from yesterday had completely vanished, replaced by a blunt tone, as if he had already taken everything he wanted. Even so, the moment she confirmed his face was real, the tension in Theticia’s body melted away.

“Are you planning to keep holding on like that?”

Asmod glanced at the seat beside him. Theticia quickly let go of his face and, as instructed, took the seat. The surreal notion of sharing a table with a demon no longer fazed her.

‘Do normal people always live their lives seeing each other’s faces like this?’

The joy she had not yet fully processed from their sudden bond returned again, this time as quiet awe. Before she knew it, the old servant had brought out an elegant meal and placed it before her.

“Eat. You’ve been asleep for two days. You must be starving.”

Had he not mentioned it, she wouldn’t have even realized how much time had passed.

Despite the rich aroma teasing her nose, Theticia didn’t feel particularly hungry.
Just seeing Asmod’s sharply defined profile was enough to leave her full.

As her gaze lingered too long, Asmod’s brow furrowed slightly.

“Are you just going to stare at me? Your stamina is terribly weak. If you want to fulfill the contract, you’d better eat properly.”

“Ah!”

Right. The contract.

Startled, Theticia looked down at her wrist. On her pale, ivory skin, a vivid violet brand, matching the color of his eyes, stood out starkly. A chill spread across the back of her neck.

‘…This is bad.’

Drunk on the euphoria of finally seeing someone’s face, she hadn’t even thought of the brand at all.

Even in Kraven, demons who harmed humans weren’t exactly welcomed. Forming a contract with one? That was a serious crime. If she stepped into Kraven like this, it would mean execution.

Beads of cold sweat formed as Theticia cautiously glanced at Asmod.

Judging by how he spoke of “fulfilling the contract,” he didn’t seem the type to let her go easily.
Careful not to provoke him, Theticia chose her words with caution.

“Um… how long will I be staying here, Lord Asmod?”

A week? Maybe half a month? What if he told her to stay for several years?

If she was going to be here a while, she figured she might as well study why only Asmod’s face had become visible.

“How long do you think you’ll be staying?”

Asmod rested his chin on his hand, languidly. Then, what came from his lips was completely unexpected.

“Once you’ve finished eating, return to your home.”

Theticia was hit with a sudden dismissal.