Chapter 869 – New Collection

After like another four more rounds of quickies, Lux and Mira were finally done with their "bath."

Yeah.

Sure.

That word had lost all meaning at this point.

Lux leaned both hands on the marble counter, head slightly lowered, breath steady but not tired, never tired, just... recalibrating. Steam still clung to the mirrors, turning their reflections into blurred silhouettes, like even the room itself was too embarrassed to look directly at what just happened.

He rolled his shoulders once.

Twice.

Cracked his neck.

"I should charge extra for this," he muttered under his breath.

Mira, behind him, huffed faintly.

"You’d tax oxygen if you could."

He glanced back at her.

"Don’t tempt me."

She smirked.

Then turned away first.

Lux noticed.

He grabbed a towel, dragging it through his hair, then over his shoulders, his movements slower now, more deliberate. The earlier chaos had burned off, leaving behind something quieter. Not calm.

Never calm.

Just... grounded.

Dangerously grounded.

They dressed without much talk at first.

Not because there was nothing to say, but because both of them knew the shift had already happened. The room wasn’t the same as before. The tension hadn’t disappeared. It had just... settled into something deeper.

Lux stepped into his clothes piece by piece.

Shirt first.

Crisp.

Clean.

Perfect fit.

Then the slacks, finally, because yeah, that was necessary for public interaction, and then the jacket. He adjusted the sleeves slightly, fingers moving with practiced ease, every motion precise without looking forced.

Mirror.

He glanced at himself.

Paused.

Yeah.

That worked.

Not flashy.

Not loud.

But sharp.

Controlled.

The kind of presence that didn’t demand attention.

But got it anyway.

He reached for the cologne next.

One spray.

Two.

Subtle.

Clean.

Then the watch.

Final touch.

He adjusted it once, then let his hand fall.

"Yeah," he muttered quietly.

Not bad.

Not bad at all.

This wasn’t about impressing.

Not really.

It was about control.

Presentation.

Message.

Because walking into a dragon family house?

Yeah.

That wasn’t a casual visit.

That was a statement.

And Lux didn’t do sloppy statements.

He turned slightly.

Mira was already dressed.

Her cheongsam this time.

Different.

Clean.

Sharp.

And intact.

He caught the faint glance she gave him in the mirror.

Then the smirk that followed.

"You ready?" she asked.

Lux adjusted his cuff slightly.

"Yeah."

Simple.

But his eyes flicked to her again.

Because she wasn’t just asking about readiness.

She was checking his state.

His control.

His focus.

He met her gaze.

Steady.

Present.

She smiled.

Then stepped closer.

Too close.

Again.

"You know," she murmured, fingers brushing lightly over his jacket, smoothing something that didn’t need smoothing, "seeing you like this..."

A pause.

Her lips curved.

"...makes me want to mess you up again."

Lux exhaled slowly.

Here we go.

"We’re going to be late," he said.

Not defensive.

Just practical.

Mira tilted her head.

"Not really."

He raised an eyebrow.

"They’re not expecting us today."

A beat.

"And you have your portal."

Lux sighed.

"That’s not what I meant."

She leaned closer.

"Then what did you mean?"

He didn’t answer immediately.

Instead, he gestured.

Toward the balcony.

Mira blinked.

Turned.

And froze.

Yue.

Sitting there.

Calm.

Still.

Watching.

Not hidden.

Not pretending.

Just... there.

And her eyes?

Locked on Mira.

Lux didn’t react.

Because yeah.

He had felt her the whole time.

From the moment she was there.

From the moment she chose not to interrupt.

From the moment she decided to just... sit there and observe.

Mira, on the other hand, cringed.

Hard.

"...Oh."

That was all she said.

Her hand immediately dropped from Lux’s chest.

Distance created.

Fast.

Clean.

"Right," she muttered.

Lux didn’t say anything.

Didn’t tease.

Didn’t push.

Because honestly?

This was funnier without commentary.

Mira cleared her throat.

Then straightened slightly, regaining composure with impressive speed.

"Fine," she said.

A beat.

"We’ll have breakfast first."

Lux nodded.

"Good plan."

His gaze flicked briefly back to Yue.

Still watching.

"Yeah," he muttered quietly.

Then stepped toward the door.

"Let’s eat."

The dining room doors opened.

And yeah.

Everyone was already there.

Lux stepped in.

And the atmosphere shifted instantly.

Not hostile.

Not tense.

But alert.

Because that’s what happened when a room full of powerful women all noticed something new at the same time.

Rava lounged back in her seat, tentacles lazily curled beneath the table, one brow raising just slightly.

Naomi paused mid-sip of her drink.

Ely’s fork hovered mid-air.

And then...

Sira.

And Lullaby.

Back.

That alone said enough.

They’d just returned from the underworld.

Which meant...

Information.

Energy.

Power shifts.

And now, their eyes locked.

On Yue.

Sharp.

Direct.

Lullaby blinked once.

Twice.

Then tilted her head slightly, like she was trying to process something new and slightly confusing but interesting.

Sira?

Didn’t blink.

Didn’t soften.

Her lips curved.

Slow.

Dangerous.

"New collection, hm, Lux?" she said.

There it was.

Straight to the point.

Lux didn’t even pause.

"She isn’t a collection."

Simple.

Clean.

Final.

Sira’s brow lifted slightly.

"Oh?"

That was new.

That answer.

That tone.

The room noticed it too.

Yue stepped fully into the room then.

She didn’t sit immediately.

Didn’t speak.

She just stood there.

Calm.

Composed.

Like she belonged.

Which, ironically, made her presence louder than anything else.

Lullaby smiled softly.

"She’s pretty," she said quietly.

Honest.

Pure.

Yue glanced at her.

Then nodded once.

"You’re perceptive."

Lullaby blinked.

Then smiled wider.

"Thank you."

Sira, meanwhile, leaned back slightly, eyes still locked on Yue, analyzing, measuring, weighing.

"Not a collection," she repeated, tasting the phrase like it might crumble if she said it wrong.

A beat.

"Then what is she?"

Lux exhaled quietly. Here we go.

"Partner. Same as you."

A soft clink came. Naomi set her cup down. "Oh, so you slept with her already?"

Lux arched a brow. "You didn’t hear a thing last night?"

Naomi made a helpless, almost sheepish gesture. "I slept like I was in a coma. You could detonate a rune in the hall and I’d miss it."