Harem Startup : The Demon Billionaire is on Vacation-Chapter 604: We’re Not Judging

Chapter 604 – We’re Not Judging

She folded her arms under her robe, the fabric still warm against her skin, still clinging in places where it shouldn’t. Her nipples had not gotten the memo that divine visitors were present. They were still hard. Still sensitive. Still aching in a way that made her painfully aware of every breath she took. Her tentacles, obedient for once, curled tightly behind her back like guilty thoughts.

Lux smiled up at the three goddesses from his very inconvenient position. Tied. Half dressed. Smug. Unrepentant.

"In my defense," he said mildly, "I’m bored. Have mercy on me."

Solara immediately lifted both hands, palms out, as if surrendering to an armed lunatic. "We’re not judging. We’re not here to interfere."

Celestaria let out a small, very tired sigh. It sounded like someone who had just opened a quarterly report and realized the numbers were worse than expected. "Lux," she said, pinching the bridge of her nose, "why do you always look like you’re five seconds away from either starting a war or seducing someone?"

"Both can be productive," Lux replied. "Depends on the market."

Rava bit the inside of her cheek. Even tied up and recovering, he still talked like a demon CFO pitching a hostile takeover.

"So," Lux continued, eyes flicking between the three of them, "why are you guys here? Miss me already?"

Celestaria huffed. Not dignified. Not divine. Just... humanly exasperated. "We came to make sure you are okay. And alive."

She glanced down at the ropes. The bed. The hastily adjusted shirt. The faint scent of sex still hanging in the air like an unfiled expense.

"And it seems," she added dryly, "you are more alive than ever."

Selena, who had been very carefully not looking at Lux’s waistline, finally glanced up. Her cheeks flushed again. "Seducing a woman while being tied up is... something."

Lux’s smile widened, slow and pleased. "Thanks for the compliment."

All three goddesses looked like they had simultaneous headaches.

Solara stepped closer.

Rava felt it brush her skin, warm like sunlight through water. Solara placed two fingers gently on Lux’s forehead.

"And?" Solara asked, businesslike now. "What’s his condition?"

"I’m fine," Lux said immediately.

"He is mostly okay," Rava cut in at the exact same time.

Lux turned his head slightly, eyes flicking to her. There was surprise there. And something else. Something quieter. Something like being seen.

Rava inhaled, steadying herself. This was important. This was not about embarrassment or desire or the fact that her body still wanted him badly enough to ignore common sense.

"This isn’t just physical," she said, voice firm. "The battle injured his nerves."

Solara’s fingers paused.

Rava continued, because once she started, she couldn’t stop. Because someone needed to say it out loud.

"He used his TechoGreed to enter the network and kill his uncle. Zoltarin. The damage didn’t stay in the network. It all came back to him. In the real world."

Celestaria’s expression sharpened.

Selena’s wings shifted slightly, feathers rustling.

Lux closed his eyes briefly. Just a second. Not in denial. In acceptance.

"Despite the flesh wounds recovering," Rava went on, her voice softer now, "his nerves took the hit. The network was never meant to be a battlefield. Especially not between royal princes. The feedback loop. The cognitive strain. The system backlash. It affected him."

She swallowed.

"He pushed himself anyway."

Solara withdrew her hand slowly. "That explains the instability."

"It explains a lot," Celestaria murmured.

Lux exhaled through his nose, then opened his eyes and looked at Rava again. "You surely know a lot about me now."

There was no accusation in his tone. Just quiet curiosity.

Rava met his gaze. Didn’t flinch. "Lullaby told us. Sira too. Corvus filled in the parts you conveniently skip."

"Traitors," Lux muttered fondly.

"They care," Rava said simply.

He studied her for a long moment. Then nodded once. "Makes sense."

Solara tilted her head. "And the reason why he’s tied up?"

Rava didn’t hesitate. "Work."

Lux snorted. "Rude."

"He is a workaholic," Rava continued, deadpan. "If tomorrow is doomsday, the last thing he’ll do is work." 𝑓𝘳𝑒𝑒𝓌𝘦𝘣𝘯ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝑚

Lux lifted his chin slightly. "I prefer the term dedicated."

Celestaria arched a brow. "That is not a compliment in this context."

"He’d try to stabilize the markets during the apocalypse," Rava added. "While the sky is falling."

Lux smiled proudly. "Someone has to. Also... The angels are the ones holding the trumpets for doomsday," he added helpfully.

Selena blinked. "That’s... not how it works."

Lux shrugged as much as the ropes allowed. "Still. Someone has to audit the end of the world."

Rava closed her eyes for a second.

This was what scared her.

Not the enemies. Not the assassins. Not the gods.

This.

This absolute refusal to rest. This instinct to shoulder everything alone. This man who could seduce her into forgetting her own logic, then turn around and joke about doomsday audits while his nervous system was still healing.

She loved him.

That realization hit her with the same force as the first time she realized she wanted him. Sharp. Clear. Unavoidable.

She loved him enough to be angry.

"This explains why you kept this quiet," Celestaria said. "If word got out..."

"More knives," Lux finished. "Different hands."

"Different motives," Selena added.

"And different bidders," Lux said lightly. "I’m a valuable asset."

Rava’s jaw tightened. Asset. That word made something twist in her chest.

Solara looked at Rava then. Really looked. Took in the robe. The faint tremor she was trying to hide. The way she stood between Lux and the goddesses without even realizing it.

"You’re guarding him," Solara said.

Rava blinked. "I’m what?"

"You’re guarding him," Solara repeated. "Instinctively."

Rava opened her mouth. Closed it. Her tentacles shifted behind her back, restless.

"I’m... managing risk," she said finally.

Lux laughed softly. "See? Finance."

Celestaria shook her head. "You surround yourself with terrifying women."

"By design," Lux said.

"And yet," Selena said gently, "you let them tie you up."

Lux’s grin softened. "That’s trust."

Rava felt heat rush to her face again. Not embarrassment this time. Something deeper. Something warmer.

Solara cleared her throat. "We won’t stay long."

"Shame," Lux said. "I had snacks. Or you can snack on me. I’m bored, seriously. I’m going to die of boredom."