The Incubus System Chapter 791. Lonely Girl I (Patreon)

The Incubus System Chapter 791. Lonely Girl I

My attention was soon diverted by a peculiar sight on one of the luxury apartment terraces. There sat a young girl, no older than ten, her short black hair contrasting against the pale moonlight. She was asleep, and her back propped against a cushion. A thin mattress lay beneath her, offering an odd contrast to the opulent surroundings. She was bundled up in a jacket, her form partially covered by a thin blanket. A water bottle stood by her side, a lone companion in the night.

My flight paused mid-air, and my brows knitted together as my gaze remained locked on this unusual scene. Something about it was amiss, something that didn't quite fit. If she had come out to observe the stars or the moon, one would expect her to have a pair of binoculars or a telescope at hand. Yet, those were absent. The balcony's light was off, the glass door and windows were shrouded in curtains, giving the interior of the apartment a shroud of darkness. The entire situation was perplexing, to say the least.

A curious itch of concern prodded at me, and I made a decision. Using my Teleportation skill, I disappeared from the sky and reappeared silently on the balcony beside the girl. My arrival was soundless, and I took a moment to observe her more closely. The name "Jill" was on the status above her head. Her fragility was palpable, her small frame shivering slightly. Concern etched her features. The question was obvious: What was she doing out here in such a condition?

Without a word, I crouched beside her, my eyes studying her features. Even without relying on my Observation skill, it was evident that she was unwell. Her skin was a pallid canvas, her lips a delicate shade of blue. The cool night air was hardly conducive to healing, and her presence in this space raised countless questions.

My gaze shifted to the closed glass door, my curiosity piqued. What could prompt a child to venture out to a cold balcony in the middle of the night, under such conditions?

With my curiosity piqued and boredom gnawing at my senses, I decided it was time to dig into this. I activated my Camouflage skill, allowing my form to morph into that of a boy around her age. My hair took on the same shade as hers, and I resembled an ordinary youth who could have been a neighbor or a passerby.

Taking on this new guise, I approached Jill cautiously. My form now seemingly one of her peers, I went beside her, feeling a strange sense of empathy for her plight. Gently, I reached out and touched her shoulder, giving it a light shake. She stirred slightly, and as I supported her body, a startling realization swept over me. Her skin was unnaturally warm, her feverish heat transferring to my touch. Shocked, I stared at her for a moment, hardly able to believe what I was experiencing.

Cautiously, her name left my lips, "Jill?"

Her eyelids fluttered weakly, and her gaze met mine in a haze of confusion. Her voice trembled as she struggled to speak, "Who…?"

"Hey there," I said softly, introducing myself with a reassuring smile. "I'm Damian."

The confusion in her eyes deepened, her words barely audible in her weakened state. "Damian? Who... who are you? Did my mom ask you to accompany me?"

As her question reached my ears, a sense of unease prickled at my senses. Something didn't quite add up. If her mother was indeed aware of Jill's presence on the balcony, why was the girl's condition so concerning? The pieces of the puzzle didn't fit together as they should.

"Yes," I replied, allowing my expression to convey the role I was playing. "Your mom thought you might need a friend out here."

The weak hope in her voice tugged at my heartstrings. "So... does that mean I can finally go back inside?" she asked, her voice feeble yet tinged with a note of excitement.

A hint of doubt crept into my mind. Why was she out here in the first place? Had her mother confined her to the balcony as some form of punishment?

I offered her a reassuring smile, my disguise holding strong. "Don't worry. She'll call you back soon," I assured her gently, hoping to ease her discomfort.

Her reply was a resigned, "Oh," accompanied by a helpless sigh. She lapsed into silence once again, seemingly lost in her thoughts and confined by her circumstances.

A sense of curiosity and concern propelled me to break the silence. "Hey, would you mind telling me what happened? Your mom asked me to keep you company, but she didn't really give me the full story," I inquired, trying to be as friendly and approachable as possible.

She glanced at me, her eyes reflecting a mix of hesitation and longing to share her burden. After a moment, she seemed to decide that I was someone she could confide in. "Mr. William is staying over at our place tonight," she began, her voice carrying a heavy weight of resignation. "So, I have to sleep out here."

My brows furrowed at her words, my concern deepening. "Who's Mr. William?" I prodded gently, my curiosity getting the best of me. "Is he like a family member or something? Where is your dad?"

She shook her head, her short black hair swaying slightly with the motion. "No, he's not family," she replied, her voice tinged with sadness. "My Dad is long gone, and I've never met Mr. William before. He's the one who gives my mom money sometimes, but he doesn't like kids. So, whenever he stays over, I have to sleep out here."

The pieces of the puzzle clicked into place, and my heart went out to her. A mixture of empathy and indignation swirled within me. "I see," I murmured, my voice heavy with understanding. "Sounds like you're going through a lot."

She nodded, her gaze fixed on the floor as if trying to avoid my sympathetic eyes. "Yeah, well, it's not the first time," she said, her tone a blend of resignation and bitterness.