Chapter 760 – Illegal Levels of Cuteness
Before the argunt could escalate further, the dining room doors opened with a soft creak.
Lullaby walked in, barefoot, hair slightly ssy, eyes half-lidded with sleep.
She yawned. "I guess I will join it tonight."
The room froze.
Lux blinked once.
"Lullaby. Good evening."
"Good evening, Lux."
Instead of walking to her seat, she padded over to him and simply climbed onto his lap like it was the most natural thing in the world.
He adjusted automatically to support her weight.
She settled there comfortably.
Then she reached for his plate.
And started eating.
Silence.
Rava pressed her lips together, trying not to smile.
Naomi lted instantly. "That’s illegal levels of cute."
Ely shook her head. "She doesn’t even care about the conversation."
Mira watched with an amused expression. "She just wanted to be spoiled."
It was look cute. But Lux knew if Lullaby did this, it ant she just got bad news.
Lux brushed Lullaby’s hair gently away from her face. "What did he say?"
His tone was soft. Casual.
But his hand paused slightly against her hair.
Lullaby chewed slowly.
Her reaction had been too calm.
Too sleepy.
Which ant she had processed sothing heavy.
She swallowed.
"My father said... the king is dispatching spies everywhere."
The warmth at the table shifted.
Subtle.
But real.
"He’s trying to trap Greed House," she continued quietly. "Either to kill. Or searching for clues to kill Greed. You and your father."
A small pause.
"Well. Especially you."
Lux’s fingers continued stroking her hair.
"That’s bad."
His voice remained level.
Steady.
But inside, sothing sharpened.
Rava leaned forward slightly. "How many spies?"
Lullaby shrugged faintly. "Sloth intelligence picked up unusual movent. Disguised contracts. Shadow funding. Cross-house bribes."
Ely’s eyes darkened. "So it’s not just surveillance. It’s bait."
"Yes."
Naomi looked at Lux. "They’re trying to corner you."
Lux humd softly. "They won’t."
The calm in his tone almost sounded lazy.
But everyone at the table knew better.
Mira narrowed her eyes. "What are you thinking?"
He leaned back slightly, adjusting Lullaby so she sat more comfortably against his chest. "They’re not just looking to kill ," he said. "They’re looking to isolate ."
Rava nodded slowly. "If they cut your alliances first..."
"They reduce collateral backlash," Lux finished.
Ely’s fingers tapped lightly against the table. "Then the move won’t be direct."
"No," Lux agreed. "It’ll be staged."
Naomi frowned. "Staged how?"
"Scandal. Fabricated breach. Accusation of contract violation." He smirked faintly. "Or they’ll try to make it look like I attacked first."
Mira’s tail stopped moving.
"They want justification."
"Yes."
Lullaby looked up at him. "Are you scared?"
Lux looked down at her.
For a second, just a second, the mask slipped.
"I don’t like losing."
"That’s not what I asked."
He exhaled slowly. "Yes."
Honest.
Soft.
The room didn’t tease him this ti.
Naomi reached across the table slightly. "Then why are you acting like this is just another quarterly adjustnt?"
He gave a faint smile. "Because panic benefits them." He tapped the table lightly with his finger. "They want emotional reaction. They want us to move prematurely."
Rava’s eyes glead. "So we don’t."
"Exactly."
Mira tilted her head. "You said they’re setting traps."
"Yes. "
"Then we let them build it."
Lux’s smile widened slightly. "Now you’re thinking like ."
Ely leaned back. "You’re going to reverse trap the trap."
"I prefer to call it asset acquisition."
Naomi stared at him. "You’re insane."
"Thank you."
Lullaby poked his chest lightly. "You’re going to use their spies."
He looked down at her with faint approval. "Yes."
"How?"
He brushed her hair again gently. "Spies cost money."
Rava grinned. "Follow the funding."
Lux nodded. "If the king is dispatching them quietly, he’s using secondary channels."
Ely’s eyes sharpened. "Black pools."
"Or shell factions."
Naomi swallowed. "That ans this goes deeper than a simple loyalty test."
Lux’s gaze flickered slightly.
"Yes."
The air felt heavier now.
But not chaotic.
Focused.
Mira watched him carefully. "You’re calm because you expected escalation."
"I always expect escalation."
Rava laughed softly. "He sleeps like a demon with five contingency plans."
"I have seven."
"Of course you do."
Lullaby yawned again, resting her head against his shoulder.
"So... sex still part of the plan?"
Everyone groaned.
Lux smirked faintly.
"Power accumulation never stops."
Naomi glared. "You’re deflecting again."
"Maybe."
But he wasn’t joking entirely.
He could feel it.
Pressure building around him.
He needed to grow stronger.
Faster.
Without triggering open conflict.
He looked around the table.
These won.
Not trophies.
Not assets.
Not investnts.
Anchors.
He would not let the king touch them.
Ever.
His fingers tightened slightly in Lullaby’s hair. "Listen carefully," he said calmly. "If you notice unusual contact. Suspicious investors. Sudden offers. Don’t react."
Rava nodded imdiately.
Ely followed.
Mira’s gaze burned slightly. "You’re not telling us to stay passive."
"No."
His eyes glead faintly. "I’m telling you to docunt."
Naomi’s brows lifted. "Evidence."
"Yes."
Lullaby murmured sleepily, "We build a case."
"Exactly."
He leaned back. "If the king wants to move quietly, we make him trip publicly."
Rava smiled slowly. "You’re feral."
Lux grinned. "You haven’t seen feral yet."
The tension didn’t disappear.
But it shifted.
From fear.
To preparation.
And then the door opened again.
Sira didn’t walk in.
She entered.
No hesitation. No softness. Pride never tiptoed.
Her heels clicked once against the marble before she stopped at the table, gaze sweeping across everyone. Sharp. Assessing. Controlled anger barely leashed.
"You better not only make proof," she said coolly, eyes landing on Lux. "So might still turn a blind eye. The king has that much power."
Lux didn’t stiffen.
He didn’t smile either.
"Sira. Welco back."
She ignored the greeting and reached across the table to snatch a wine glass. Not delicately. Not politely. Just took it.
Naomi leaned back slowly. "I assu you got bad news too?"
Sira downed half the glass in one controlled tilt. "Yeah." Her jaw flexed. "You know my dad is the closest to the king, right?"
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