Chapter 887 – Unplanned

Lux smiled softly.

"I noticed."

That made it worse.

Way worse.

Because his smile wasn’t mocking.

It was warm.

Comfortable.

Inviting.

And Fiera, poor Fiera.

Had spent enough of her life feeling unwanted that simple kindness from him hit like emotional critical damage.

She held the bottle out quickly before her nervous system exploded completely.

"It’s expensive!"

Lux blinked.

Then laughed quietly.

Not mean laughter.

Soft laughter.

"Oh no," he said gravely. "Now we’re obligated to drink it."

Naomi immediately stood up.

"I volunteer as tribute."

"Sit down," Lux said automatically.

Fiera’s tails swayed nervously behind her.

Lux gently took the wine bottle from her hands.

Their fingers brushed.

Fiera froze again.

Tiny contact.

Barely anything.

But his skin was warm.

Real.

And suddenly she became hyperaware of literally everything.

His scent.

Expensive cologne mixed with wine and water and something darker beneath it.

His voice.

Low.

Smooth.

Comforting.

His body standing too close while wearing almost no clothing like a menace to civilization.

"You okay?" Lux asked softly.

Fiera nodded immediately.

Too fast.

"Yes."

A beat.

"...No."

That made him laugh again.

And somehow, instead of embarrassment...

Fiera found herself laughing too.

Small at first.

Then real.

And that was dangerous.

Because laughing here felt too easy.

The mansion was too warm. The music too playful. The air too rich with wine, perfume, and that strange confidence that seemed to follow Lux everywhere like a second shadow. Fiera had come expecting a casual party. Maybe snacks. Maybe polite drinks. Maybe Lux dressed in one of those sharp suits that made him look like he could buy a country and then apologize beautifully for the inconvenience.

Instead?

He was standing in front of her half-dressed like temptation had filed paperwork and received approval from whatever accounting department he was working in.

Lux, apparently noticing her entire soul trying to climb out of her body and hide behind a curtain, gave her a gentle smile.

"Sorry for the clothes theme," he said. "It’s... unplanned."

Fiera blinked.

"Unplanned?"

Lux nodded, then lifted one hand toward the women behind him, accusing without pointing too hard because apparently he still wanted to survive the evening.

"This outfit is from them. Their outfits are also their own choices."

Fiera slowly turned.

Her gaze landed on Mira.

"Seriously?"

Mira, lounging with the grace of a dragon heiress who had never once regretted anything in her life, crossed her legs and smiled. "Even my ancestor approved it. We have our reward, after all."

Fiera’s ears twitched.

"Ancestor?"

Mira gestured elegantly toward Yue.

Fiera followed the motion.

And saw her.

The woman near the window.

Quiet smile. Calm eyes.

That smile alone sent a tiny shiver down Fiera’s spine. Not fear exactly. More like her instincts whispering, ’that woman has watched mountains grow old’.

Oh wow.

This was real.

She was standing in a room with heirs, legendary women, and an ancient dragon. While holding a bottle of wine like a neighborhood guest who thought "bring something" meant "please enter supernatural politics with merlot."

Fiera swallowed and stepped forward politely.

"Fiera Ninevyn," she said, bowing slightly.

Yue’s gaze softened by a fraction.

"Yue Xianlong," she replied. "Nice to meet you."

Simple words.

Normal words.

And yet they had weight.

Fiera nodded again, then immediately realized she had no idea what to do with her hands.

Tails? Still moving.

Ears? Betraying her.

Heart? Doing unpaid overtime.

Ely saved her.

The high elf approached smoothly.

"Do you want to keep your clothes," Ely asked gently, "or would you like something matching the theme?"

Fiera’s eyes widened slightly.

She leaned closer and whispered, "Okay, I need you to tell me what you guys are planning."

Ely’s lips twitched.

Fiera continued, voice low but urgent. "Why are you all wearing lingerie? Why did you give Lux... that?"

She glanced at Lux, then immediately regretted it.

"That minimum clothes?"

Mira lifted a brow. "That’s not even clothes."

"Worse," Fiera whispered.

Naomi gestured toward Lux with her wineglass, shameless. "That’s good clothes."

Fiera looked again despite every survival instinct advising against it.

"That’s not..."

Her words died.

Because she saw it again.

The fitted black fabric. The low waist. The way the material clung and outlined enough that her brain suddenly evacuated all higher functions and left only a blinking red warning sign.

His bulge.

It was... visible.

Not fully.

But enough.

A heavy suggestion beneath the fabric. Soft, and still already too obvious. The kind of detail she wished she hadn’t noticed, because now she couldn’t unnotice it.

Her face heated so fast she thought steam might come out of her ears.

Ely, seeing her expression, nodded in solemn understanding.

"Yeah," Ely said softly. "I get it."

Fiera looked at her, pleading silently for mercy.

Ely gave none.

"That’s why he’s trending in certain high-society wives’ groups."

Fiera almost dropped her polite posture.

"What?"

Naomi snorted. "Oh, absolutely."

Ely continued calmly, like discussing weather. "Some of them have offered ridiculous sums for one night with him. They just never had a proper channel."

Fiera stared.

Lux, overhearing that, slowly turned his head.

"Excuse me?"

Mira waved him off. "Don’t worry. They can’t reach you."

"That’s not the comforting part you think it is."

Fiera blinked rapidly. "He rejected them?"

Mira laughed. "Please. They couldn’t even contact him."

Sira smirked behind her fan. "High society wives can thirst all they want. Access denied."

Fiera looked at Lux again.

He wasn’t flustered.

Not really.

Annoyed, yes. Slightly offended, yes. But beneath it all, he carried that calm confidence like it was tailored into his bones.

That was the part that made her chest twist.

Not the body.

Not the outfit.

Well.

The outfit was doing crimes.

But it was his eyes.

The way they checked on her. Softly. Quietly.

Like he remembered she could be overwhelmed.

Like he was adjusting himself, not because he lacked confidence, but because he didn’t want his confidence to crush her.

Fiera looked back at Mira.

"But you can’t just make him wear that."