Harem Startup : The Demon Billionaire is on Vacation

Chapter 712 – Corrupt Bureaucracy, Balanced Bureaucracy

Lux snorted softly and took a sip anyway.

Selena folded her arms loosely. ”You do not have to carry this alone,” she said.

Vizreel lowered the cup slowly.

”...I am the contractual anchor between realms,” Lux said. ”If I wobble... everyone falls.”

Solara stepped closer now, voice gentle but firm. ”Even anchors require maintenance.”

Lux glanced at her.

”...I get regular maintenance,” he said dryly.

Vizreel smacked his own forehead lightly.

Selena rolled her eyes but smiled despite herself.

Solara actually laughed this time, warm sunlight flickering across the room.

Celestaria, who had remained silent throughout most of the exchange, finally spoke again.

”You mask vulnerability with competence,” she said quietly.

Lux looked at her.

”It works,” he replied.

She nodded once.

”Yes,” she agreed. ”But it also isolates you.”

Lux held her gaze for a long moment... then looked away.

”...Isolation is efficient,” he said.

Selena whispered, almost to herself, ”And dangerous.”

Lux did not respond to that.

Vizreel slid the tray closer again without comment.

The star reached for another cookie and went to him.

Lux bit into the cookie thoughtfully.

”...For the record,” he muttered, crumbs catching slightly at the corner of his lip, ”if I do become a Demon God... I am renegotiating snack policies across realms.”

Solara laughed again.

Selena shook her head.

Vizreel sighed... but he was smiling faintly now.

And for just a moment... despite betrayal, assassination attempts, and looming interrealm political catastrophe...

The room felt strangely... steady.

Solara leaned her shoulder against the luminous wall, sunlight aura dimmed into something more conversational, more personal.

”Does your harem know about this?” she asked gently. ”I mean... Sira is the Pride Lord’s daughter. Lullaby is Sloth Lord’s daughter. You trust them, obviously. But their parents...”

Lux shook his head slowly from side to side.

The movement was small. Firm. Final.

Celestaria’s gaze softened slightly. ”Oh,” she said quietly. ”You did not tell them.”

Lux exhaled.

”I can’t,” he admitted.

Vizreel frowned slightly. ”Why?”

Lux leaned back into the chair restraints, staring at the ceiling sigils for a moment as if calculating interest rates on emotional consequences.

”Because... they won’t let me,” he said finally.

Selena tilted her head. ”Won’t let you... do what?”

”Continue,” Lux answered simply. ”They would try to change my mind. Pull me back. Shield me. Interfere.”

Celestaria folded her hands. ”Because they know it is dangerous.”

Lux nodded once.

Vizreel crossed his arms. ”Yet you chose to tell us.”

Lux huffed softly.

”I didn’t have a choice,” he said. ”You saw what happened. That ambush was not subtle.”

Vizreel nodded slowly.

”What are you going to tell him?” the Archon asked carefully. ”About the infernal power signature. Your king already knows you sensed it.”

Lux rolled his eyes slightly.

”No,” he said. ”Despite the fact I could feel the power... I only confirmed it because of advanced detection layering.” He tilted his head. ”Otherwise, I might have categorized it as high-tier infernal authority interference. Dangerous. Suspicious. But not definitive.”

Solara frowned. ”You are saying your king might assume you are still uncertain.”

”Correct,” Lux said. ”But I was surprised he intervened personally to extract Vaeloryn. Strategically, it means Vaeloryn is connected to something... or someone... worth sovereign intervention.”

Vizreel nodded grimly. ”Yes. I arrived at the same conclusion.”

Lux glanced sideways at him. ”See? Balance boy still functioning.”

Vizreel gave him a flat stare.

”I am centuries older than you.”

Lux grinned lazily. ”Which makes you a vintage model. Collectible. Possibly fragile.”

Vizreel grabbed a cookie and shoved it directly into Lux’s mouth.

”Shut up, devil.”

Lux made an offended noise around the cookie.

Selena coughed into her hand, very clearly hiding laughter.

Solara outright turned away for a second, shoulders shaking.

Lux chewed slowly, maintaining intense eye contact with Vizreel like this was a declaration of culinary war.

When he swallowed, he said calmly, ”Physical assault during interrogation. I will file a complaint.”

Vizreel deadpanned, ”Please submit it through proper celestial grievance channels. Processing time is roughly four centuries.”

Lux scoffed. ”Corrupt bureaucracy.”

Vizreel shrugged. ”Balanced bureaucracy.”

Lux tilted his head. ”You know you are going to become a virgin old man, right?”

Solara inhaled sharply.

Selena clapped a hand over her mouth again.

Vizreel froze mid-breath.

”...I am a Guardian of Balance,” Vizreel said slowly.

”And?” Lux prompted innocently.

”I do not concern myself with physical indulgences.”

Lux blinked. ”You mean sex.”

Vizreel’s eye twitched. ”Language, Lux.”

”P*ssy.” Lux scoffed. ”Virgin old man.”

Vizreel leaned forward slightly. ”I am an eternal divine adjudicator, you perverted CFO.”

Lux grinned wider. ”Sounds like a job description written by someone who has never been kissed.”

Selena actually laughed this time, the sound soft but bright like glass chimes.

Solara leaned against the wall again, openly amused now.

Vizreel pointed at Lux with the cookie tray. ”You are literally tied to a chair.”

”Yes,” Lux agreed. ”Yet still winning this conversation.”

Vizreel shoved another cookie toward his face.

Lux tilted his head aside so it bounced harmlessly off his shoulder and landed in his lap.

Celestaria sighed, pressing her fingers lightly to her temple, though her expression betrayed quiet fondness for the chaos.

”You two behave like unsupervised siblings,” she said.

Vizreel immediately responded, ”He is the problem.”

Lux shot back instantly, ”He started it when he denied me lap dancers.”

Selena wheezed softly.

Solara muttered, ”I am beginning to understand why cross-realm diplomacy is so exhausting.”

Vizreel turned back toward Lux. ”You are aware that if this becomes public, it will damage both celestial and infernal negotiations.”

Lux nodded calmly. ”I am extremely aware. That is why I am being very responsible right now.”

”You just suggested replacing interrogation procedures with exotic entertainment.”

”That was a morale improvement suggestion.”

Vizreel stared at him.

Lux stared back.

Selena whispered, ”He is not joking.”

Vizreel groaned quietly. ”I know.”

Lux shifted slightly against the glowing restraints, testing them with absent curiosity.

”You know,” he said casually, ”these bindings are very professionally designed. Comfortable tension distribution. Minimal circulation obstruction. Who manufactures them?”

Vizreel blinked slowly. ”You are reviewing interrogation restraints.”