Chapter 308 – Would I Still Matter?
He looked down again.
"I guess..." he muttered, "sotis I wonder if anyone would still want if I wasn’t the CFO of Hell. If I was just an incubus who liked to ss around. Would I still matter?"
The silence after that was heavy.
Thick.
Until—
"So..." Celestaria finally said. "You want to be... a normal incubus?"
Lux looked up, startled.
Then he laughed. "No. Hell no."
He straightened, voice regaining so of that familiar confidence—but it was tempered now. Realer.
"Don’t get wrong," he said, stepping back into the room. "I love being Greed. I love my status. My power. My wealth. My portfolio. I am who I am."
He paused. Looked each goddess in the eye.
"But I also want soone who sees . All of . Not just the aura. Or the title. Or the control I fake to hide how fucking hollow I sotis feel."
Selena inhaled softly.
Solara didn’t blink.
Celestaria’s lips parted—but no sound ca out.
Lux smiled.
He wasn’t trying to seduce now.
He wasn’t selling anything.
He was just being real.
"Anyway," he said lightly, as if brushing off the weight of his own heart, "if any of you are into broken devils with massive bank accounts and abandoned issues, my inbox is open."
And just like that—
The spell cracked.
Selena let out a sound that was half-laugh, half-choked sob. "You ruin everything with that mouth."
Solara rubbed her temples. "You sound like an unholy therapy ad."
Celestaria finally blinked. Whispered, "You’re... unbearable."
Lux grinned. "But still handso."
All three groaned.
And yet—
None of them looked away.
Because for once...
They’d seen the real Lux.
And they liked him.
Not just the charming incubus in the tailored white suit. Not just the CEO of infernal wealth. Not even the sin-slicked seducer who always left a smirk where others left silence.
They saw the man beneath.
And damn it, that made everything worse.
The silence after his confession still hung in the air like perfu laced with lancholy—sweet and lingering, but just heavy enough to sting.
Celestaria finally broke it, arms crossed but eyes soft. "So... you ca here just to seduce us?"
Her tone was a strange mix of resigned frustration and quiet heat. She wasn’t even mad. Not fully. Just... disappointed that she was this susceptible.
Lux blinked.
Then smirked. "Hey, in my defense—" He pointed with two fingers, one at his chest, one at her. "I already spilled all my investigations. I ca here for answers. Or at the very least, a conversation about who wants my head. Or soul. Or both."
He walked toward the table again, grabbed his glass, swirled the remaining milk like it was fine whiskey, and added with a wink, "The flirting? Optional. But I decided to take it."
Celestaria narrowed her eyes, her lips twitching despite herself.
Lux sipped. "Also... I was honest." He gave them a half shrug. "Not lying about any of it. Cross my unholy heart."
Selena, who had been quiet for a beat, stepped toward him. Her expression was unreadable—but her aura trembled faintly.
"We’re still investigating it," she said softly. "Your attack. The Limbo. Everything."
Solara crossed her arms beside her. "If this is sothing the higher-ups are behind... It’s going to be hard. So of them—" she hesitated "—have power that even I can’t touch directly."
Celestaria nodded, her hair glinting like frost under the soft lights of the chamber. "Still. I’ll look into what you said. Kaelis. Aelius. The sigil traces. I’ll dig into it."
She looked up, and this ti, her voice was stronger. "Don’t worry. I’m on your side."
Lux’s smile faded into sothing more sincere.
"Thank you," he said.
And it wasn’t performative. It wasn’t dressed in charm or dripping with slyness.
Just... thank you.
"I guess I should return now," Lux added, glancing down at the watch etched into his wristplate. "I need to check on the party prep."
That made all three pause.
"Party?" Solara asked slowly.
Lux looked up. "Housewarming."
Selena blinked. "In the mortal world?"
"Mmhm." Lux gave a lazy nod. "My mansion’s finally complete. I figured it’d be good PR. Soft launch. Local wines. Minor illusions. No demon riots. Just a nice, cozy show of wealth and refined excess."
Solara tilted her head. "Can we co?"
That question.
It wasn’t demanding.
Just... hopeful.
Like a kid pressing their face against the bakery window.
"Hmmm..." Lux humd, buying ti. "My guests will mostly be... fragile."
Selena frowned. "You an mortal."
"I an very mortal," Lux said, flashing her a look.
Solara puffed her cheeks. "We’ll dress modestly."
"No such thing for you," Lux muttered under his breath.
"I heard that," she snapped, eyes narrowing.
He lifted his hands, surrendering. "Okay, okay. Look—I’m not banning you. I’m just saying..." He glanced away, guilt flickering just under his usual cool. "Maybe we can have a separate gathering? One that doesn’t cause a realm-wide panic attack?"
They were silent for a beat.
Then—
A chorus of quiet sighs.
Disappointnt. Tangible and glowing.
Not angry.
Just... let down.
But they understood.
Of course they did.
Still, seeing them like that—three divine won who could flatten a mountain range with a blink, now pouting slightly like they weren’t invited to the mortal kid’s birthday party?
Lux felt like a demon-grade jerk.
He scratched the back of his neck. "I’ll, uh... send invitations. Later. To the second one. The... goddess-friendly version."
Selena mumbled, "We better get early access."
Solara muttered, "I want good music. None of that human lo-fi stuff."
Celestaria—finally—smiled. It was small. But real. "Don’t forget. You promised us a party."
Lux grinned. "I never break contracts."
He walked to the table, finished his milk, and set the glass down with a soft clink.
Then turned back toward the doorway.
His white suit rustled softly as he moved, the fabric trailing just behind his steps like he owned every inch of the polished divine floor. Because of course he did.
He looked back once.
And the three of them?
Still watching.
Still feeling far too much.
"Bye," Lux said. "Try not to miss too much."
And with that, he walked out.
The doors closed behind him with a quiet thud.
Leaving silence.
Leaving heat.
Leaving three very confused, very emotionally compromised goddesses with images in their heads they definitely couldn’t pray away.
He was a devil.
And sohow...
He’d left Heaven’s throne room feeling more human than ever.
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