Harem Startup : The Demon Billionaire is on Vacation-Chapter 711: Not Controllable

Chapter 711 – Not Controllable

Solara actually smiled faintly at that.

Celestaria folded her hands again.

"And why," she asked carefully, "would your own king want you dead?"

Lux leaned back slightly against the chair restraints. For a moment, his expression softened into something almost... thoughtful.

"Because I am useful," he said simply. "And usefulness becomes threatening when it stops being controllable."

Silence settled again.

Vizreel glanced down at the untouched cookies on the tray, then nudged them slightly closer to Lux.

"Eat," he said.

Lux blinked.

"...You are interrogating me while feeding me snacks."

"It improves cooperation."

The star picked up a cookie.

Lux opened his mouth awkwardly and took a bite.

"...I hate how effective that is."

Celestaria watched him quietly, gaze thoughtful.

"This changes everything," she said finally.

Lux swallowed.

"Yeah," he agreed.

The word hung there, softer than anything he usually allowed to escape his mouth.

Selena tilted her head slightly, silver eyes studying him carefully. "You do not look surprised," she said.

Vizreel glanced sideways at Lux. "He did not look surprised during the battle either."

Lux gave a small shrug, shifting slightly in the chair as the restraint bands shimmered faintly around his arms.

"I wasn’t," he admitted.

Vizreel’s gaze sharpened. "You knew about this?"

Lux exhaled slowly, staring at the untouched tea for a moment before answering.

"I suspected," he corrected. "Sira told me before that the King of Hell might be connected to what happened. That he wanted me gone. Just... not personally. He does not like getting his hands dirty."

Solara’s brows pulled together. "Using intermediaries... celestial extremists included... that is reckless even for infernal politics."

Lux huffed quietly. "Reckless is the brand." 𝓯𝙧𝙚𝒆𝙬𝙚𝒃𝙣𝙤𝒗𝓮𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢

Selena leaned forward slightly. "Why would he want you dead?" she asked. "You stabilize the infernal economy. You regulate cross-realm liquidity. Removing you would destabilize everything."

Lux gave a humorless chuckle.

"Or," he said, "the contracts move to him."

The room stilled again.

"He is the Infernal Sovereign," Lux continued. "If he absorbs my core... my soul... every agreement signed through me automatically transfers to him. He becomes the sole financial nexus between realms."

Solara’s expression darkened. "That would centralize power to an unprecedented level."

Lux nodded once. "Exactly."

Selena shook her head faintly. "That is... grotesquely unfair."

Lux looked at her, expression calm but edged.

"It is Hell," he said simply.

Vizreel crossed his arms. "And that," he said, "is precisely why the Celestial Council remains hesitant about full cooperation with your sovereign."

Lux smirked faintly. "Understandable. I am hesitant too."

Solara glanced at him again, her aura warming slightly as concern bled through her composed authority.

"How about you?" she asked gently.

Lux blinked once. "Me?"

"Are you alright?" she clarified.

Lux tilted his head, genuinely confused for a second. "Yeah. Kinda. I am still pissed off, though. Vaeloryn escaped. That annoys me."

Selena shook her head slowly. "No," she said. "Not tactically. Not politically. I meant... you."

Lux stared at her.

"My... what?"

"Your heart," she said quietly. "Your feelings."

Lux barked out a short laugh, instinctively defensive.

"Feelings? It was a battle. Why would that matter?"

Selena’s expression softened, but she did not retreat. "Because betrayal is not only strategic," she said. "It is personal. Even in Hell."

Lux opened his mouth, then closed it again. His eyes flicked briefly toward the ceiling, toward the glowing runes that hummed with truth-binding energy.

"I already vented frustration," he said finally.

Vizreel raised an eyebrow. "How?"

Lux answered without hesitation.

"Sex. In the mortal realm."

Solara coughed sharply into her hand.

Selena blinked, stunned.

Vizreel just sighed like a man who had expected exactly that answer.

Lux shrugged as much as the restraints allowed.

"I cannot function if I am sulking," he continued matter of factly. "Operational inefficiency leads to bad decisions. Bad decisions lead to collapse. Collapse leads to existential audit failure."

Solara stared at him. "You turned emotional processing into... financial workflow."

"I optimize coping mechanisms," Lux said proudly.

Selena covered her mouth, clearly trying not to smile.

Vizreel pinched the bridge of his nose.

"You are unbelievable."

Lux nodded. "Thank you."

Selena stepped closer to the table, resting her palms against the edge.

"That does not mean you processed it," she said quietly.

Lux met her gaze this time. His expression did not crack, but something behind his eyes flickered... brief and sharp.

"I am alive," he said.

"That is not the same thing," she replied.

Silence stretched.

Even Solara’s aura dimmed slightly, warmth turning contemplative.

Vizreel watched Lux carefully, far more observant than his casual posture suggested.

"You are angry," the Archon said finally.

Lux exhaled slowly.

"Yes."

"You are hurt," Selena added gently.

Lux hesitated.

"...Yes," he admitted after a beat.

"You are also planning something," Solara said.

Lux immediately straightened slightly.

"No."

All four of them stared at him.

Lux sighed. "...Yes."

Vizreel’s wings shifted slightly. "Against your king?"

Lux shook his head slowly.

"Not against," he said. "Above."

Selena frowned slightly. "That sounds worse."

"It is safer," Lux replied calmly. "If I move against him, I become Zoltarin. If I become stronger than him... I become indispensable."

Solara studied him with narrowed eyes. "You intend to surpass the Infernal Sovereign."

Lux shrugged lightly.

"I intend to survive," he said. "Anything else is a side effect."

Vizreel watched him for a long moment, then spoke quietly.

"You understand that path rarely ends peacefully."

Lux smirked faintly.

"Peace is a mortal luxury," he said.

Selena shook her head again, softer this time.

"You speak like someone who accepted being alone."

Lux blinked.

"I am not alone," he said immediately. "I have my harem."

Solara nearly laughed.

Vizreel groaned under his breath.

Selena sighed but smiled faintly. "That is not what I meant."

Lux leaned back slightly against the restraint bands, gaze drifting toward the glowing ceiling.

"...I know," he said quietly.

Another silence settled. Not tense. Just heavy.

Vizreel reached forward and pushed the tea cup slightly closer to Lux again.

"Drink," he said.

Lux glanced at him. "You are very persistent with beverages."

"It stabilizes demonic blood pressure."

"That is not medically confirmed."

"It is spiritually comforting."