Chapter 269 | The Intruders
Lyra was almost skipping with the kids too.
Her long black hair swayed behind her as she walked between the twins, carefully holding their plates beyond the reach of their chaotic little hands.
"Food!"
"Food!"
Lyra silently mouthed the word again, and the boys laughed harder.
Dexter watched them, and something softened inside him.
Lyra was different around the children, she looked young, happy, playful and incredibly beautiful.
"Cute."
The thought surfaced naturally, and then another followed before Dexter could stop it. For just a moment, Peter and Paul disappeared from his imagination. In their place were two other children.
His children, their children.
One with Lyra’s dark hair. Maybe another with her violet eyes. He imagined Lyra walking through their garden with them holding her dress exactly like this. He imagined her chasing them, feeding them, perhaps pretending to be angry when they stole food from the kitchen. He could almost picture them running toward him afterward.
’Dad.’
The thought struck harder than expected, and Dexter smiled unconsciously.
"What are you thinking about?"
Selene’s voice sounded from within the daydream. Dexter turned to find her facing him. Her pale eyes couldn’t yet focus perfectly on his face, with a small smile on ge face.
Dexter answered unconsciously. "I was thinking how nice it’d be if you girls were playing with our kids someday."
"..."
Mira slowly turned, and Selene’s smile froze. Tessa stopped chewing, her father immediately became fascinated by his plate, and one of the elderly men raised his eyebrows. Old Lady Lucy’s face lit up with such terrifying delight that Dexter immediately realized his mistake.
Mira’s crimson eyes narrowed. "Pervert."
Dexter looked at her. "How does wanting children with my wives make me a pervert?"
Mira’s cheeks were already becoming red. "Because..." She stopped.
Dexter waited as Mira apparently couldn’t find an answer that didn’t make things worse. His lips curled. "You’re my wife, after all."
Mira’s blush deepened, and she scoffed and turned away. "Hmph!"
Dexter chuckled, and Mira immediately glared back. He stopped laughing.
Old Lady Lucy slapped her knee. "I knew it!"
Dexter’s expression changed. "Please don’t start again."
Lucy pointed at him. "See? The boy has plans!"
"I made one comment."
"Three wives, three opportunities."
"Grandma Lucy!"
The elderly people laughed, Tessa covered her mouth, and Mira looked ready to throw something at Dexter.
Selene, however, remained quiet. Dexter didn’t notice the way she was looking at him. Her smile had changed. It was deeper now and a ofter.
There was a warmth in her expression that hadn’t been there moments earlier. She couldn’t clearly see Dexter’s face, but she could see his vague shape, his colors, his presence. And she’d heard every word.
’Our kids.’
Her fingers tightened gently against her dress, and she looked away before anyone noticed. At least, before Dexter noticed.
Old Lady Lucy noticed everything. Her eyes briefly moved toward Selene, and the old woman’s smile widened but she didn’t say anything and laughed again.
---
Meanwhile, Lyra had nearly reached Peter and Paul’s parents. The twins were still attached to her dress, and their father smiled apologetically. "Sorry about them."
Lyra shook her head. She didn’t mind.
The mother smiled warmly. "They seem to like you."
Peter immediately declared, "She’s pretty!"
Paul nodded. "Very pretty!"
Lyra blushed slight and then smiled.
Their mother laughed. "At least they have good manners sometimes."
Lyra handed over the plates, and the father accepted one. The instant the aroma reached him, his expression changed. "What..."
His wife noticed too, and she looked down at the food. "This is Dexter’s?"
Lyra nodded.
Peter immediately reached for his plate. "Mine!"
His father lifted it away. "Wait."
Peter looked betrayed. "It’s mine!"
"I’m checking if it’s too hot."
Paul hugged his mother’s leg. "Don’t eat mine!"
The mother laughed. "We’re not stealing your food."
The father stared at the dish another second, then looked across the field toward Dexter. His expression became thoughtful, and Lyra noticed but didn’t react. She gave the twins a final wave.
Peter waved back. "Bye!"
Paul followed. "Bye, Dexter’s wife!"
Lyra nearly stumbled, and their parents froze.
Peter frowned at his brother. "She has a name."
Paul looked confused. "What is it?"
Peter opened his mouth, then stopped. He didn’t know either.
Lyra covered her mouth, shoulders shaking with silent laughter. She waved once more and turned away.
That was when she noticed them.
Two men stood several meters ahead. Middle-aged and in ordinary clothes. Nothing outwardly remarkable. Yet they weren’t looking at the festival. They were looking directly at her.
Lyra slowed, and the laughter disappeared from her face.
The men approached and one stepped into her path while the other stopped slightly behind him.
Then, without warning, both placed closed fists against their chests and bowed their heads.
"Greetings, Shadow Monarch."
Lyra stopped as her violet eyes narrowed, and she looked behind herself. Nobody. They were definitely speaking to her.
Her voice entered their minds. ’Excuse me?’
The first man’s head rose, his expression changing from confusion to recognition as he studied Lyra’s face. The second man did the same, and something passed silently between them.
The first man frowned. "Seems this personality has temporarily taken over."
Lyra frowned in confusion. ’What are you talking about?’
They ignored the question, and the second man nodded slowly. "Hmm." He looked around. People were everywhere, families, children, Heroes, ordinary residents. Too many witnesses. "We can’t remain here."
The first man nodded. "We’ll take her by force."
Lyra’s eyes sharpened, and the second man’s voice lowered. "Do it quickly before we’re noticed."
Lyra took one step backward, and shadow mana instinctively stirred within her, ready to activate her necklace. ’Who are you?’
Neither answered and suddenly, the first man vanished with speed that surpass that of a Superhuman realm.
Lyra’s pupils contracted. ’Fast!’
In a split second, he appeared directly beside her, and a palm shot toward her neck to knock her unconscious. Lyra tried to move, but she was too slow.
The palm approached, 10 centimeters, 5, 2.
Then... everything stopped.
Lyra’s violet eyes widened as a familiar coldness crawled through her mind. Something that had been sleeping and the playful warmth she’d carried moments ago disappeared.
Her expression became empty and incredibly cold.
The attacker’s palm was centimeters from her neck when a voice entered both men’s minds. It was no longer Lyra’s gentle mental voice. This one carried crushing authority, cold enough to make both men stiffen.
’You dare.’
The man’s palm stopped, his eyes widening. The second man’s face changed instantly.
Both recognized that voice as their bodies shook instantly.
The attacking man immediately withdrew his hand and dropped to one knee. His companion followed.
"Monarch."
The woman before them stared down. Her posture had changed. There was no obvious physical change but she seemed to have grown even taller, untouchable like a goddess.
The warmth was gone from her eyes and even her breathing seemed different.
Aurelyx...
The first man lowered his head. "Forgive us. We didn’t realize you had returned. We meant no disrespect."
Aurelyx looked toward the distant picnic area.
Her eyes found Dexter immediately—sitting beside Mira and Selene, laughing, unaware. Something unreadable flickered within her gaze, then vanished. She looked back at the kneeling men.
’Let’s go.’
The two men raised their heads. Neither questioned her.
"Yes."
[A/N: I truly apologize for the festival part being so long.]