Asmodeus System: Stealing My Bully's Mother

​Ethan’s fingertips brushed against the base of Isolde’s neck.

​The touch felt like a searing ember forcefully piercing through layers of ice that had been frozen for years.

​Isolde’s body instantly tensed. Her blue eyes widened, reflecting Ethan’s figure as he stood calmly before her.

​"L-let go..."

​She tried to make her voice sound authoritative, but it still trembled.

​Her shaking hands tried to swat Ethan’s hand away. Yet, the young man’s grip on her chin didn’t budge an inch.

​"Why should I let go?"

​Ethan’s voice was low and composed.

​"For years, you’ve endured this agony all by yourself. Every single night, you live with a pain that constantly eats away at your body."

​Isolde’s gaze wavered.

​"H-how do you know...?"

​"I know a lot more than you could possibly imagine."

​Slowly, Ethan’s hand trailed down until it stopped right above the meridian point where Isolde’s mana congestion was centered.

​"No..."

​Isolde gritted her teeth.

​"Don’t..."

​Her pride screamed in refusal.

​She was an Archmage.

​A Duchess.

​The Vice Principal of the Academy.

​But her own body was beginning to betray her resolve.

​As Ethan channeled his Sin Mana into that specific point, a wave of warm energy immediately pierced through Isolde’s mana circuits.

​Whoosh!

​The agonizing pain that had crushed her chest for years gradually melted away.

​In its place, a soothing warmth spread throughout her entire body, melting away the tension that had never truly left her.

​"A-ah..."

​Isolde’s breathing grew erratic.

​Her body trembled softly as the mana blockage that had shackled her all this time began to dissolve.

​Tears unknowingly slipped from the corners of her eyes.

​"S-stop..."

​But her own voice had lost all its conviction.

​For years she had lived with that agonizing pain.

​Now, for the very first time...

​That torment was finally fading.

​Ethan stared at her expressionlessly.

​"That highly revered husband of yours..."

​He paused for a moment.

​"Has he ever freed you from a pain like this?"

​That question struck directly at Isolde’s deepest wound.

​The defensive walls she had built up all these years began to crumble.

​At the exact same time, Ethan called out to the system in his mind.

​Activate.

​[Command Accepted.]

​[Activating Skill: Incubus Mark.]

​The Sin Mana in Ethan’s palm mutated into a crimson-black energy.

​The energy slithered straight into Isolde’s mana core.

​The woman’s body tensed up once again.

​Searing heat radiated from her meridian point.

​Just beneath her left collarbone, dark lines of energy slowly wove together, forming an emblem resembling a black rose entwined with crimson thorns.

​That was...

​The Incubus Mark.

​The moment the symbol was completed, Isolde felt a brand new connection weave itself deep into her soul.

​Something had fundamentally changed.

​That tether linked her mana core directly to Ethan.

​From that moment on, her magic was no longer entirely her own.

​Isolde’s body lost all its strength.

​She slumped onto the carpet.

​Her breathing was ragged.

​Sweat beaded on her temples, while her normally immaculate blonde hair now looked completely disheveled.

​The look in her eyes slowly shifted.

​The arrogance that had previously been so overwhelming was beginning to fade.

​In front of Ethan, a cascade of red notifications popped up.

​[Marking Process Successful!]

​[Target: Isolde von Rosenberg (Rank S Archmage) has been successfully marked.]

​[Initiating Mana Absorption...]

​[Successfully absorbed 30% of the Target’s Ice Element Mana Core Capacity.]

​BZZZT!

​A colossal wave of energy slammed into Ethan’s mana circuits.

​His body went rigid.

​The freezing aura mixed with his Sin Mana, generating an energy vortex that shook the entire room.

​Ethan’s mana circuits were violently forced to expand to accommodate the raw power of an Archmage.

​The agonizing pain only lasted for a fleeting second.

​And then...

​That power flowed flawlessly.

​[Host Status Updated.]

​[Rank E → Rank D (Elite)]

​[New Skill Acquired: Ice Manipulation (High-Tier)]

​Ethan opened his palm.

​The moisture in the air instantly froze solid.

​In the blink of an eye, an ice crystal rose materialized above his palm.

​He observed it for a few seconds.

​Then, he crushed it.

​Crack!

​The rose shattered into glittering crystal shards that caught the moonlight.

​The very power that was once used to oppress him...

​Was now entirely in his grasp.

​Ethan looked down at Isolde, who was still trying to catch her breath.

​The newly forged tether allowed the woman to feel every single shift in Ethan’s mana flow.

​She tried desperately to maintain her composure.

​But her body had not yet fully recovered.

​Ethan crouched down in front of her once more.

​He stared into Isolde’s eyes, which were now brimming with sheer exhaustion.

​"You’ve held on for far too long."

​His tone remained unnervingly calm.

​"From now on, your secret remains safe... as long as you don’t betray me."

​Isolde could only return his gaze.

​For the very first time in her life, she realized that control over her situation had been completely ripped from her hands.

​Silence blanketed the room.

​However...

​KNOCK! KNOCK! KNOCK!

​Loud knocking on the mahogany door shattered the atmosphere.

​Isolde’s body went instantly rigid.

​Her face drained of color.

​"Mother?"

​A young man’s voice called out from behind the door.

​"Are you still inside? The lights in your office are still on."

​It was Kurt von Rosenberg.

​Isolde’s eyes widened.

​Pure panic washed over her face.

​If her son walked in right now and saw the state of this room...

​Everything would be over.

​Her reputation.

​Her family’s dignity.

​Every single secret that had just transpired.

​"W-what should I do...?"

​she whispered faintly.

​Tears began to well up in her eyes once more.

​Ethan merely cast a sideways glance toward the door.

​Then, he turned back to Isolde.

​A faint smirk tugged at the corner of his lips.

​He raised a single finger to his lips, gesturing for Isolde to stay quiet.

​"Your son is here."

​Ethan’s voice was barely a whisper.

​"Wipe your tears..."

​His crimson gaze flared sharply.

​"...and tell him to go away."