1000x Random Returns: Investing in My Crippled Demon Wives!

Chapter 37: Chapter 37: I Said I’d Appreciate the View, She Told Me to Take Action

As Lucien slept holding Serephina close andhis other wives slept peacefully I theor rooms, all of them exhausted from the day’s fighting and stress.

Deep within House Astrax’s private wing in a certain room, a man lounged upon a chair carved from black jade, one leg crossed over the other.

Rhazek Astrax did not look angry.

He looked curious, which was, in some ways, far more dangerous.

His servant knelt before him, head bowed. ”My Lord, the invitation was never delivered.”

”Why.”

”Blood Thorn city entered lockdown during the dungeon break that happened today, the person delivering it wasn’t granted entry to the district.”

Rhazek’s fingers drummed once against the armrest. ”And the adventurers I told you to send to observe the estate?”

”They returned, my Lord. But,” the servant hesitated.

”They couldn’t approach the property, they said a defensive barrier surrounded it and it was strong enough that they judged breaking through would draw unwanted attention from other adventurers.”

”A barrier,” Rhazek repeated, mild interest sharpening into something closer to attention. ”On a disgraced vampire’s discarded estate.”

”There’s more, my Lord.” The servant swallowed.

”During the dungeon break, several Ironfang Wolves escaped the dungeon and slipped past the dungeon containment. Lucien Aethernis killed multiple of them that appeared bear the estate several of them being High C-Rank, at minimum. One report suggests he took down the Alpha itself which was a Peak C-Rank.”

Rhazek went very still.

”He’s D-Rank from what we gathered,” the servant added, unnecessary but clearly compelled to say it aloud.

Silence stretched through the chamber.

”Lucien Dracul Aethernis,” Rhazek said slowly, ”was supposed to be talentless.”

”His bloodline was barely worth the paper it was recorded on while his own family discarded him publicly, in front of half the noble houses in the capital.” He leaned back, dark eyes narrowing.

”So why is a man like that suddenly killing C-Rank monsters?”

The servant said nothing, wisely recognizing the question wasn’t actually meant for him.

Rhazek considered several possibilities, turning each one over like a blade testing for weak points.

”A late talent awakening, maybe an inherited artifact or some hidden lineage nobody bothered investigating because nobody thought him worth investigating in the first place.”

”Or,” he said to no one in particular, more troubling still, ”perhaps Aurelia’s condition isn’t quite as hopeless as the clan elders assumed and she is helping him somehow.”

That thought settled uncomfortably.

”If he’s genuinely changed then whatever Aurelia’s value once was, it may no longer apply. A crippled political discard is one thing but a crippled political discard married to someone capable of killing Peak C-Rank monsters as a mere D-Rank is an entirely different problem, and that someone who is supposed to be to be waste.”

”Maybe she has even found a way to heal herself, and considering who she is, it wouldn’t be surprising. ”

”My Lord?” the servant prompted carefully.

”Don’t touch him,” Rhazek said.

The servant blinked. ”...Master?”

”I want to know what changed first.” Rhazek’s voice remained perfectly calm, almost pleasant.

”Continue watching. Everyone who visits the estate. Everything he buys. Which guilds he frequents. Which dungeons he enters.”

He paused, something colder slipping into his tone.

”And most importantly, find out exactly how Lucien Aethernis has changed so much.”

The servant bowed low and departed without another word.

Rhazek remained seated a while longer, turning the report over in his hands, an unpleasant, calculating smile slowly forming.

---

Lucien woke to sunlight and the warm weight of Seraphina still curled against his side.

He eased himself free carefully, tucking the blanket back around her, and padded toward the master bathroom for a quick shower.

Afterward, as had become tradition at this point, he paused at the mirror.

’Damn am I good looking or what?’

’Broader shoulders than I remember having a month ago with actual definition where there used to just be lean.’

He turned slightly, studying the marriage tattoos curling down his spine, faint crimson threads of bloodline energy visible just beneath the skin if he looked closely enough.

’Eighteen years of being the family’s designated disappointment, and now I wake up every morning looking like I belong on a demon noble’s propaganda poster and I even have 3 beautiful wives, maybe being kicked put was the best thing that happened to me.’

He got dressed, reaching into his admittedly sparse wardrobe, mostly hand-me-downs and dowry leftovers, nothing actually purchased for himself.

’Need more clothes,’ he thought, mentally filing it away.

’The girls probably do too, honestly. Aurelia’s basically living in training gear. Seraphina could make a sack look elegant, but that’s not really the point. And Evelisse would absolutely buy the single most ridiculous outfit in any store purely to annoy Aurelia.’

’Family shopping trip,’ he decided. ’Soon maybe, we’ll finally do something a normal family does.’

---

He headed downstairs, mind already drifting toward breakfast plans, and nearly walked straight into Aurelia coming the opposite direction from stairs that lead down to the the training room.

She’d clearly just finished, black sports bra and leggings clinging to every curve, sweat glistening along toned arms and a set of abs sharp enough to make Lucien’s brain briefly forget what sentence he’d been about to say.

”What time do you even wake up?” he asked, recovering.

”Before dawn,” Aurelia said, unbothered, wiping sweat from her brow. ”My body may be damaged but that’s not an excuse to let it get weak.”

’Of course that’s her answer.’

He realized, belatedly, that his eyes had drifted somewhere he had seen all of and hadn’t left it.

Aurelia noticed.

Of course she noticed.

Her mouth curved, amused rather than embarrassed. ”You’re staring, husband”

”I’m appreciating the view my wife is providing,” Lucien said, entirely unrepentant.

”Is that what you’re calling it?”

”Absolutely.”

She stepped closer, deliberately pressing her chest on him until barely any space remained between them and he could feel the softness.

”Then stop staring from over there and come closer.” She whispered into his ears making.

Lucien didn’t need telling twice.

He closed the distance and kissed her, hands settling at her waist, and for half a second she went still with surprise before pressing into it fully, one hand curling into his shirt.

Both of their tongues battling inside their mouths for dominance while her body melted into his.

It lasted considerably longer than either of them probably intended, both of them slightly breathless by the time they finally broke apart.

”You said I could do more than stare, and more I did.” Lucien pointed out.

”Don’t get too confident, husband” Aurelia said, though the effect was somewhat undermined by the faint flush still coloring her cheeks.

”Too late for that when I have such a beautiful and charming wife.”

She pushed his shoulder lightly, more affection than force behind it. ”Go make breakfast and I’ll go freshen up.”

”Yes, ma’am.”

He turned toward the kitchen, then paused looking back at her. ”Can you wake the others while you’re at it?”

Aurelia raised an eyebrow. ”Already planning breakfast for your other wives while kissing this one, huh?”

”They’re hungry and an I’m efficient husband, what can I say?”

”Of course you are.” She shook her head, though the small smile stayed as she headed toward the main bathroom.

As she walked she deliberately swayed her hips, making him stare at her big ass jiggling and her thick and defined thighs, his little brother already waking up, before he forced it down as now wasn’t the time for it.

”Like what you see, husband?” She said turning back to face him and saw the tent in his pants.

She turned back and carried on sensually walked to the main bathroom while he heard her release a low and naughty chuckle before heading to the kitchen.

---

Lucien pulled ingredients together in the kitchen, mind ticking through the day’s growing list.

’Sell the wolf materials. Check on Rika’s party, make sure everyone made it out fine. Buy a storage ring. Finish up whatever’s left on the estate renovations. Take the girls shopping, if there’s time. Figure out next steps for Aurelia’s recovery and Seraphina’s bloodline.’

He smiled slightly, reaching for a knife.

’For once, maybe I can just have a peaceful day.’

---

Far across the city, Rhazek studied a fresh report delivered by a different, faster messenger details on the previous night’s dungeon break, casualty counts, notable kills.

One line in particular held his attention.

”Lucien Dracul Aethernis — Peak D-Rank.

Confirmed kills: Multiple C-Rank Ironfang Wolves, including Alpha specimen.

Estimated combat capability: Peak C-Rank.”

Rhazek’s eyes narrowed slightly, the faint smile from earlier returning, colder this time.

”Peaceful,” he murmured, setting the report down.

”We’ll see how long that lasts.”

***************

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