Harem Startup : The Demon Billionaire is on Vacation-Chapter 622: Two Envy

Chapter 622 – Two Envy

Lux blinked.

Now that was surprising.

He turned his head slowly, scanning the crowd. Wine glass still in hand. Smile still polite.

Well. That’s rare," he muttered under his breath.

He looked again.

His eyes scanned left to right, through the smoke, through the glimmering gowns, past the political predators and cosmetic illusions.

And then he saw her.

Tall. Confident. Arrogant.

Dressed in Envy’s colors, deep emerald with subtle obsidian shimmer. Skin pale like porcelain, lips painted dark wine. Her posture screamed royalty, her expression sharp and smug. The kind of expression that reminded him of Sira on a bad day. Maybe a six out of ten on the pride scale.

Vira Karess.

And she was walking toward him.

No. Strutting.

His system chimed again.

[Clarification: Signal Not from Primary Visual Target]

[Redirecting...]

[Target: Located – Position: Behind Vira Karess]

Lux frowned.

"Wait..." he muttered. "Behind her?"

He leaned a little, eyes scanning just beyond the approaching heiress.

And there...

There she was.

Hiding behind the taller woman. Almost swallowed by the grandeur. Wearing a modest silver and green dress that looked out of place here, too simple, too real. Her posture was hunched, like she wasn’t used to standing in heels, and her eyes were wide with that careful, quiet kind of alertness that belonged more to prey than predator.

Lux stared.

His brows pulled together. "That’s not just some assistant..."

But then it was too late.

Because the front heiress, now smiling like she’d just won a game she barely played, was already in front of him.

"Lord Vaelthorn," she purred, voice smooth like oiled silk. "Still as radiant as ever."

Lux didn’t return the smile.

He didn’t need to.

"Princess Vira Karess," he said smoothly, gaze steady. "Envy’s favorite storm in a bottle."

Her smirk widened, clearly pleased he remembered. "So you do recall me."

"Hard to forget," Lux replied. "We’ve crossed paths a few times. Fiscal tribunal. The Infernal Ethics Summit. That cursed masquerade where someone spiked the bloodwine."

"Oh, right," she laughed. "I nearly made you sign a debt merger during a slow dance."

"You did make me sign it," Lux corrected. "I just restructured it afterward so your house paid triple in ten years."

Her eyes glittered. "And yet, you still danced with me."

"I was cornered."

"You didn’t complain."

"I filed a tax penalty the next morning."

She laughed again, louder this time, like she was performing it for the crowd behind her. Her posture oozed confidence, the kind born of endless validation and never being told "no."

Lux’s smile flattened into something more distant. Polite. Professional.

Because Vira Karess wasn’t just some overpainted noble looking for an opening.

She was the princess of Envy. Second in line. And just narcissistic enough to think she could flirt her way into his trust, steal some of his secrets, and flip them into power for her court.

And yeah, he’d dealt with her kind before.

Many times.

She leaned closer, one gloved hand brushing his arm.

"I was starting to think you wouldn’t show," she said. "The court’s been buzzing. Some even whispered you’d finally collapsed under all that pressure."

Lux sipped his wine calmly. "Not my style."

"Mm. No," she said, eyes trailing the bite marks still faint on his collarbone. "I can see that now."

Her gaze lingered. Too long. Not with real desire, but with calculation. That heavy Envy stare, measuring not just what she saw, but what she could take.

Lux didn’t blink.

He just smiled. Cold. Distant.

"Tell me," he said, voice calm, "do you always open conversations by reminding people of death rumors?"

Vira grinned. "Only the resilient ones."

He gave a short nod, already slipping back into CFO mode.

Default setting: polished. Polite. Impenetrable.

Because with Vira?

Anything less would be weakness. And with Envy?

Weakness was currency.

"So, Lady Karess," he said. "You’re here to celebrate the Lust-Envy accord?"

"Of course," she said, stepping closer. "Though I admit, my personal interest was more in seeing you."

He gave her nothing.

Just a blink. A half-smirk.

She leaned forward. "You’ve made quite the noise lately. The economy stirs when you’re gone, and trembles when you return. You should teach me how you do it."

"Hard work," Lux said flatly.

"Hmm. Hard. I do like that word."

Lux didn’t answer.

He glanced behind her.

The girl... no, the woman... still stood there. Still small, still silent. Still trying to vanish behind Vira’s sharp hips and sharper aura.

Lux frowned.

"Lady Karess," he said suddenly.

Vira blinked, caught off guard by his sudden tone shift.

He nodded subtly toward the girl behind her. "Who’s that?"

She paused.

Then smiled again. This one colder. "Oh. Her? She’s no one."

Lux’s eyes narrowed. "No one?"

"Yes. My... assistant. Steward. I brought her for errands. You understand how inefficient underlings can be. I prefer ones who don’t talk much."

The girl stiffened slightly behind her.

Lux sipped his wine.

Then smiled.

But it was not a nice smile.

"Hm. That’s weird."

Vira’s brow lifted. "Weird?"

"Yeah. Because she’s clearly royal," Lux said casually, voice light but cutting. "And last I checked, I don’t usually mistake assistants for suppressed bloodlines."

Vira’s face twitched, just for a second.

Lux took a step forward. Closer. Not to her.

But to the girl behind her.

"I’m guessing you forgot," he said softly, "that I have a sight for value. I see what people are worth. Not the fake titles or court masks. But the real stuff. Deep down."

The girl looked up. Her eyes met his for the first time.

And Lux...

Yeah.

He felt it.

That same click in the chest. The same echo his system whispered when it found a match. It wasn’t loud. Not dramatic. Just... soft. Familiar.

She flinched under his gaze but didn’t look away.

Good.

"What’s your name?" he asked.

Vira laughed tightly. "She doesn’t speak in court."

"I didn’t ask you," Lux said without looking at her.

The girl opened her mouth. Hesitated.

"My name is..." Her voice was soft. Barely above a whisper. "C-Cyrinne."

Lux smiled.

This time, real.

"Cyrinne," he repeated. "Pretty name. Rare."

"She’s just a companion-in-training," Vira said quickly. "My House takes in orphans sometimes. It’s part of our charity program. She’s from—"