Reincarnate as the Villainess's Husband-Chapter 126: Precautions

Zalira wanted to challenge Neonidas' authority over the room, but in the end, she only gave a small nod and stepped back. Her blue eyes still burned with anger, but they also held contemplation. Her brother always had plans. And whatever they were, they were never simple enough for anyone to stand against.

One by one, the others slowly began to move. Solara and Celeste exchanged a brief glance before heading for the door. Cassandra looked at Neonidas one last time, but trying to decipher what lay behind his composed expression was futile. Elenora kept her gaze on the floor as she left, while Yuanna hesitated for a moment longer.

Neonidas noticed her reluctance, but said nothing. Eventually, Yuanna took a deep breath, gave a silent nod, and walked out. Yet, her departure left behind a faint unease.

Once the doors shut, Neonidas stood still. The moonlight outside cast long shadows within the room. Slowly, he sighed, running his fingers through his hair as he leaned against the desk, suppressing the sting of his wound.

An assassination attempt…

Who?

How?

Was this a warning? Or an execution order?

Neonidas' mind weighed the possibilities. Identifying the assassin was important—but even more important was discovering who had sent them. An enemy could reveal much. A master revealed even more.

The door creaked open.

Neonidas reached for his knife, his gaze snapping up. But the one who entered was not a shadowed assassin—it was his sister, Zalira.

She closed the door behind her, folding her arms. "Tell me the truth, Neonidas. Were you truly surprised by this assassination attempt?"

Neonidas paused for a moment, then tilted his head slightly with a smirk. Tugging at the torn collar of his shirt, he exposed the wound on his shoulder.

"Zalira," he said slowly, his voice carrying a dark edge. "When have you ever seen me truly surprised?"

Zalira's eyes narrowed, but Neonidas' smirk only deepened.

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By the following evening, Neonidas' bedroom had been entirely redesigned and reconstructed. Given that his bedroom were already larger than most houses in the city, organizing the space took time, but wasn't difficult. Within a day, the old bedroom was gone, replaced by an expansive bed stretching from one wall to the other.

For security, the walls on either side of the bed were reinforced with enchanted stones, while soft cushions had been added for comfort. Since the bed was bordered by walls on both sides, the only way onto it was by ascending a three-step staircase at the front.

When Zalira entered, she found Neonidas inspecting the bed. Countless magical artifacts made of mana stone were now embedded throughout the room, serving as protective measures. Realistically, even if a missile were fired from outside, not a single scratch would mar this place.

Neonidas leaned against the steps leading up to the bed, feeling the faint vibrations emitted by the enchanted stones. As his fingers trailed over the icy surface of the mana-infused material, his eyes narrowed slightly.

These precautions might be enough to keep an assassin out—but the real concern was whether the enemy had already infiltrated from within. Perhaps it was necessary to kill the woman who was now working for him, but who was actually a spy for Duke Draevos.

Zalira, arms crossed, surveyed the room's newly fortified layout. She examined the hidden compartments within the walls and the tiny observation points concealed in the shadows of the ceiling. Everything here proved that Neonidas was already thinking several steps ahead. Yet, the sheer number of precautions unsettled her.

"This is the last one," Zalira said.

She approached the bed, kneeling as she reached beneath it to place another enchanted stone. Neonidas silently observed her movements. His sister's hands moved with practiced precision as she secured the stone. There was an almost imperceptible tension in her expression—one that only a keen observer would notice.

Neonidas took a deep breath and walked to the wide window in the corner of the room. Below, the castle courtyard and the city's stone-paved streets stretched out, bathed in the golden glow of twilight. People were still moving. The city did not sleep.

"Is taking so many precautions starting to weigh on you, Zalira?" he asked, without taking his eyes off the window. His voice was soft, carrying curiosity rather than mockery.

Zalira stood up after checking the placement of the enchanted stone. Wiping her hands on her pants, she looked at her brother. "Not the precautions," she said curtly. "But all of this... it makes me think."

Neonidas glanced at her over his shoulder. "Think about what?"

Zalira took a few steps toward him. "Someone is trying to kill you, Neonidas. And yet, as always, you treat it like a game."

"Everything is under my control. Now go put on something comfortable and come back here."

Zalira's brows furrowed sharply. "What?" She thought, for a moment, that she had misunderstood his words. But there wasn't even the slightest hint of a joke on Neonidas' face.

Neonidas sat on the edge of the bed, leaning back on his hands with a relaxed stretch. "You heard me," he said, his voice perfectly calm. "We're all sleeping here."

Zalira narrowed her eyes. "This must be a joke."

"Don't worry, if I want making love with my women, I'll go to another room."

Zalira's face remained expressionless, but her eyes flashed with a sharp irritation. Crossing her arms even tighter, she stood her ground. "I can understand you being this paranoid, but this is something else. You're... trying to gather us here. Like a defensive line."

Neonidas looked at her but didn't respond. Zalira's words were not a mistake. He still didn't know exactly who was trying to kill him. But he could predict what they would attempt next.

They would try to isolate him.

To cut him off, weaken him from within, shake his trust.

He couldn't allow that.

Keeping his gaze locked on Zalira, Neonidas straightened up, a faint smile playing on his lips. His sister's concerns were not unfounded; on the contrary, they showed that she grasped the seriousness of the situation. But what she didn't understand was that for Neonidas, this was not just another assassination attempt—it was an opportunity to uncover the real players behind the scenes.

"If this is a war, why wouldn't I maximize my advantage?"

Her brother's carefree yet calculating attitude had always irritated Zalira. He rarely shared his plans fully, subtly guiding those around him without them realizing it. Like a chess master who always knew where each piece should be placed in advance.

She crossed her arms, eyes narrowing. "Are you really that afraid of being alone?"

"If you don't want to stay, you can leave, Zalira. But I have to warn you—the next target might be you."

Zalira's expression did not change, but for a brief moment, silence thickened in the room.

Neonidas knew exactly how his sister thought. On the surface, she was strong and distant, but deep down, she had an instinctive urge to protect her family. No matter how stubborn she was, she wouldn't just walk away and leave him like this. And because he knew that, Neonidas' smile deepened slightly.

Zalira clenched her teeth. "You think you're so damn smart?"

Neonidas tilted his head slightly. "I don't think—I know."

Zalira stared at him for a few more seconds before letting out a frustrated huff and turning toward a corner of the room. "I just hope this isn't another one of your stupid games, Neonidas."

Neonidas smirked. "We'll see," he murmured.