Chapter 919: This Vacation is Getting Expensive
Chapter 919 – This Vacation is Getting Expensive
After Fiera left, Lux went to shower.
The first thing he did was stand under the shower and stare at the wall.
He was simply... thinking.
Unfortunately, thinking was dangerous.
Especially when his brain had decided today would be a fantastic day to replay every conversation he’d had over the weekend.
The shower hissed overhead.
Warm water rolled down his shoulders.
Lux exhaled. "This vacation is getting expensive."
Not financially.
Emotionally.
Which was somehow worse.
Money could be solved.
Feelings were annoying.
Fifteen minutes later he emerged from the bathroom looking considerably more civilized.
No horns.
No wings.
No tail.
No infernal markings.
Just Lux.
Black shirt.
Dark trousers.
Casual.
Comfortable.
The sort of outfit that screamed billionaire trying very hard not to look like a billionaire.
He checked himself in the mirror.
Looked normal.
Good.
Lux sighed.
Then headed downstairs.
The mansion was already awake.
Servants moved efficiently through the halls.
Breakfast preparations were nearly complete.
The smell hit him first.
Fresh bread.
Coffee.
Fruit.
Eggs.
A little fish.
A little salad.
Light.
Nutritious.
Something designed by people who had collectively concluded that their employer spent too much time surviving impossible situations and not enough time eating properly.
Lux approved.
Several servants visibly relaxed.
He narrowed his eyes.
One servant immediately looked away.
Another pretended to adjust silverware.
A third discovered a sudden interest in a nearby flower arrangement.
Breakfast itself ended up surprisingly peaceful.
Ariel was already there when he arrived.
Freshly showered.
Elegant dress.
Composed.
Far more composed than yesterday.
She smiled when she saw him.
A genuine smile.
The kind that didn’t carry insecurity behind it.
Lux noticed immediately.
He didn’t mention it.
But he noticed.
Good.
Very good.
Mira arrived next.
Then Ely.
Then Naomi.
Then Rava.
Each one looking significantly more professional than they had twelve hours ago.
Weekend mode was dead.
Heir mode had returned.
Lux watched it happen in real time.
The posture changed.
The expressions changed.
The confidence sharpened.
These weren’t just girlfriends.
These were future leaders.
CEOs.
Heiresses.
Women carrying entire families and corporations on their shoulders.
It was attractive.
The terrifying kind of attractive.
The kind that made lesser men nervous.
Lux found it refreshing.
Then Sira arrived.
And immediately ruined the dignified atmosphere.
"Good morning, husband."
Lux slowly lowered his coffee cup. "Sira."
She sat down.
Smug.
Victorious.
Completely impossible.
Rava immediately rolled her eyes.
Mira pinched the bridge of her nose.
Naomi looked exhausted.
Ely started laughing.
Lullaby was still asleep.
Which became a problem ten minutes later.
Because somebody eventually had to retrieve her.
That somebody was Lux.
Five minutes later, he returned carrying a sleeping Lullaby.
The daughter of Sloth had somehow managed to remain asleep despite being picked up and moved across a mansion.
It was honestly impressive.
Her head rested against his shoulder.
Completely peaceful.
Completely trusting.
Lux looked down.
Then up.
Then down again.
She didn’t wake up.
Not even slightly.
The girl was operating on entirely different physical laws.
By the time he returned, breakfast was almost finished.
Which was unfortunate.
Because that was when Sira decided to become a menace.
Lux felt something brush his leg under the table.
He froze.
Slowly.
Very slowly.
He looked across the table.
Sira smiled innocently.
The kind of innocent that belonged in criminal records.
Lux narrowed his eyes.
She widened her smile.
The attack continued.
Lux considered several options.
Most of those options would probably end with him back in the bedroom. With her.
Instead, he focused on his coffee.
Because self-control was important.
The meal eventually ended without incidents.
Which was a success.
One by one the girls began leaving.
Meetings.
Corporate obligations.
Family responsibilities.
Reality.
Ariel departed first.
Then Naomi.
Then Rava.
Then Ely.
Then Mira.
Each goodbye came with kisses.
Promises.
Plans.
Schedules.
The normal things people did when they actually expected to see each other again.
Lux watched the front door close behind the last car.
Silence settled over the mansion.
A different silence.
Not lonely.
Just... quieter.
The weekend was officially over.
The clock showed 8:57 AM.
Almost nine.
Which left him with a problem.
Lux Vaelthorn was a man who needed something to do.
Unfortunately.
His vacation continued.
Meaning his options were limited.
Because idle Lux was creative Lux.
Creative Lux terrified entire economic systems.
He eventually settled onto the couch in the main lounge.
Coffee in one hand.
System screen floating before him.
Beautiful.
Reliable.
Comforting.
Numbers.
He loved numbers.
Numbers made sense.
Numbers behaved.
The familiar infernal interface expanded.
Graphs appeared.
Charts.
Indexes.
[Market Status Updated]
[Greed House +1.5% ]
[Pride House +0.9% ]
[Lust House +2.4% ]
[Sloth House +0.4% ]
[Wrath House +1.1% ]
[Envy House +1.8% ]
[Gluttony House +0.7% ]
[Royal House -0.8% ]
[Authority Confidence: Recovering]
[Shadow Corridor +4.9% ]
[Fastest Growing Faction]
Lux took another sip of coffee.
Interesting.
The Royal House was still negative.
Not as bad as yesterday.
But still bleeding.
Meanwhile, the Shadow Corridor was climbing like someone had discovered a money printer and forgotten to tell the rest of Hell.
That was concerning.
The graph continued rising.
Not gradually.
Not naturally.
Aggressively.
The sort of growth that made investors excited and CFOs nervous.
Because normal growth meant profit.
Explosive growth usually meant somebody was hiding something.
Or planning something.
Or had accidentally discovered a way to monetize a disaster.
In Hell, all three options were equally likely.
His eyes narrowed.
More data streamed across the floating display.
[Shadow Corridor +5.1% ]
[Black Market Activity: Increasing]
[Unknown Capital Inflow Detected]
Lux leaned back against the couch.
His fingers tapped the coffee mug.
"I wonder if the rumors spread faster than I expected."
The rumors.
The ancient ones.
The old monsters.
The powers that had remained quiet for far too long.
The kind of names that made even Sin Lords pay attention.
The market loved rumors.
Especially terrifying rumors.
Fear was profitable.
Always had been.
Always would be.
Lux was about to open another report when a familiar weight suddenly landed on him.
Literally.
A body collapsed sideways into his lap.
Lux didn’t even need to look. "Sira."
