Chapter 884: Too Innocent?
Chapter 884 – Too Innocent?
The clock struck 5 PM.
Which meant peace was officially over.
Lux had barely finished his second "temporary relaxation" swim and changed into loose black lounge pants before the mansion exploded with voices, footsteps, shopping bags, and enough feminine energy to destabilize small governments.
The front doors opened.
And chaos entered elegantly.
Naomi came in first carrying three luxury bags like a corporate assassin returning from a successful hostile takeover. Behind her came Ely with neat folded boxes stacked perfectly in her arms, Rava casually carrying what looked like half a boutique by herself, and Mira walking calmly despite holding enough shopping bags to financially cripple a small kingdom.
Then there was Sira.
Who looked entirely too pleased with herself.
Which immediately activated Lux’s survival instincts.
Yue entered last.
And Lux almost forgot what he was thinking for half a second.
The Veilweaver Bracelet was still active, its faint silver-black glow hidden beneath her sleeve, but now she wore modern clothes instead of traditional cheongsam. Nothing excessive. Nothing flashy.
Just...
Good.
Dark fitted pants. Soft white sweater slightly oversized at the sleeves. Black boots. Hair loose.
Simple.
And somehow that simplicity hit harder than all the ancient dragon elegance earlier.
Because she looked less like an untouchable legend now.
And more like someone who could stand beside him naturally.
Lux hated how much his brain liked that thought.
Naomi suddenly tossed something at him.
Lux caught it automatically.
Black card.
His black card.
Naomi sat beside him and crossed her legs comfortably. "We met Ariel while shopping."
Lux blinked. "Ariel?"
Naomi smiled. "So we invited her."
Lux immediately sat up straighter.
"Wait, what?"
Sira looked offended by his reaction. "What do you mean what?"
"She’s a kid."
The room went quiet for one second.
Then Sira physically recoiled.
"She is above twenty."
"She acts seventeen emotionally."
"She’s an adult."
"She still apologizes when people bump into her."
Naomi covered her mouth to hide laughter.
Lux rubbed his temple. "No, listen. I know she knows about devils already. I know she knows about us. But..."
He struggled for the word.
Ugh.
How do you explain Ariel?
"...She’s too..." Lux gestured vaguely. "Pure?"
Sira stared at him.
Then slowly smiled.
Dangerously.
"Oh?"
Lux immediately regretted speaking.
"You think she’s too innocent for your evil little devil life?" Sira asked sweetly.
"That’s not what I said."
"You think she’s weak?"
"No."
"Unworthy?"
"No!"
Sira leaned closer. "Then what?"
Lux exhaled hard through his nose.
This was why arguing with Pride was exhausting. She didn’t debate. She cornered psychologically.
"She still has trauma," Lux said quieter now.
That softened the room slightly.
Years of abuse.
Forced pearl harvesting.
Pain turned into luxury products for rich monsters.
"She’s healing," Lux continued. "And our current situation isn’t exactly stable. Kaelmor, ancient prisoners, conspiracies, assassination attempts—"
"Which is exactly why she should have normal experiences too," Ely interrupted gently.
Lux looked at her. "We aren’t normal."
The elf’s expression stayed calm.
"A party won’t hurt her."
Rava nodded slightly. "He has a point though. Ariel’s condition isn’t fully stable yet."
"She fainted from standing in the sun too long," Lux muttered.
Naomi softened. "She’s healthier now."
Mira crossed her arms. "And she likes you."
Lux immediately pointed at her. "Not helping."
Sira smirked wickedly. "Oh she definitely likes you."
Lux groaned.
"I know she likes me. That’s part of the problem."
Naomi blinked. "How is that a problem?"
Lux stared at her like she asked why fire was hot.
"Because look at my life."
The girls looked around the mansion.
Then at him.
Then at each other.
Naomi slowly nodded.
"Fair."
Lux leaned back deeper into the couch.
"I’m serious. I don’t want her dragged into this mess before she’s ready."
Ely tilted her head slightly.
"But eventually?"
Lux paused.
That tiny pause betrayed him instantly.
Sira’s grin widened like a shark sensing blood in the water.
"Aha."
Lux pointed at her tiredly. "Don’t aha me."
Ely smiled faintly now.
"You can bring her into your harem after things settle down."
Lux opened his mouth.
Closed it.
Opened it again.
"You guys say things so casually."
Naomi shrugged. "We live casually."
Sira snapped her fan open. "Besides, we’ve all seen how you look at injured women."
Lux frowned. "What does that mean?"
"You adopt them emotionally."
Rava nodded. "Like a stray cat."
"That is deeply insulting."
"And accurate."
Lux hated that part.
Because yeah.
Maybe.
A little.
He liked protecting people.
Not because it made him noble.
But because he knew exactly what it felt like to carry too much alone.
Ariel.
Yue.
Even Mira sometimes beneath all the dragon pride.
He understood lonely things disturbingly well.
Sira clapped once.
"Then settled."
Before Lux could react, she shoved a shopping bag directly into his chest.
He caught it automatically. "What’s this?"
"Your outfit for tonight."
Lux narrowed his eyes slowly.
"Why are you smiling like that?"
Sira’s grin turned deeply suspicious.
"Oh nothing~"
Danger.
Immediate danger.
Lux looked toward Naomi for help.
She looked away.
Traitor.
Then Lux noticed something else.
Yue.
The ancient dragon was standing near the stairs now, pretending very hard to look composed.
But her ears?
Slightly red.
Her gaze kept flicking toward the bag in his hands before immediately looking away again.
Lux blinked once.
Then looked back at Sira.
Then at the bag.
Then at Yue.
Oh no.
No no no.
Whatever was inside this bag was absolutely not safe.
Before he could investigate, Sira suddenly spun around dramatically.
"See you in an hour~"
The girls immediately scattered.
Mira grabbed Yue’s wrist and dragged her upstairs before Lux could ask questions. Naomi and Ely disappeared laughing quietly about "coordination." Rava casually carried everyone’s remaining bags like a moving company.
Lux sat there alone.
Holding the suspicious shopping bag.
The mansion suddenly felt very quiet.
Too quiet.
He stared at the staircase.
Then slowly lowered his gaze toward the bag again.
"This better not be another open-chest shirt," he muttered.
[Would you like me to prepare emotional support coffee before changing?]
Lux immediately started walking upstairs.
"Yes."
