CHAPTER 121: CHAPTER 121 (BONUS CHAPTER)

"Yes," Lyra confirmed. "Which implies there can be others. In this case, potentially Jessica. But I was first. You and I connected first. We built something first. That gives me a certain... priority, I suppose. Not in your affections necessarily, but in decision-making about the relationship structure. Does that make sense?"

"I think so," Satou said, though his head was spinning.

Lyra cupped his face with both hands, making him look directly at her. "I love you, Satou. I want you to be happy. I want you to be complete. And I think—I know—that you’re not complete if you’re suppressing your feelings for Jessica out of some misguided sense of loyalty to me."

"But what if I hurt one of you?" Satou asked, his voice raw with vulnerability. "What if I can’t balance it properly? What if—"

"Then we’ll figure it out together," Lyra said firmly. "All three of us. We’ll make mistakes. We’ll have awkward moments. We’ll have to negotiate boundaries and figure out how this works. But Satou—we’ve already figured out how to build a settlement that shouldn’t exist. We’ve already figured out how to make goblins and orcs work together peacefully. We’ve already accomplished impossible things. Why should this be different?"

She pulled him down into a kiss—deep, possessive, claiming. When she pulled back, they were both breathing harder.

"I’m yours," Lyra said. "And you’re mine. And if Jessica is brave enough to be honest about her feelings, then maybe she can be ours too. But you have to answer her feelings, Satou. You have to be honest with her about what you feel. No more hiding behind ’big brother’ when that’s not really what’s in your heart."

Satou pulled Lyra close, holding her against his chest, his enhanced strength allowing him to lift her slightly off the ground. She laughed softly, wrapping her arms around his neck.

"How did you get so wise?" Satou asked.

"I’m an administrator," Lyra replied. "It’s my job to see what people actually need, not just what they say they need. And right now, you need to stop being a dummy and go talk to Jessica before you leave for that fight."

"What if she doesn’t want to see me?" Satou asked. "She didn’t come out when I returned."

"That’s because she’s scared," Lyra said. "She’s terrified of seeing you, of feeling those feelings again, of being rejected again. But she needs to see you before you fight Richard Clay. Because if something goes wrong, if you don’t come back—" Lyra’s voice caught slightly, "—she’ll never forgive herself for not saying goodbye."

Satou set Lyra down gently and kissed her forehead. "Thank you. For understanding. For accepting this. For being... you."

"Thank you for coming back to me," Lyra replied. "Now go. You have less than three hours. Talk to Jessica. Be honest. And then get ready to kill a champion and show the demon lords what you’ve become."

Satou nodded and turned toward the door. But before he could leave, Lyra called out.

"Satou?" said Lyra

He turned back.

"I love you," Lyra said simply. "First wife’s privilege—I get to say it first. But I hope Jessica says it to you too. You deserve to hear it from her."

Satou felt something warm expand in his chest—gratitude, affection, love for this remarkable woman who’d somehow found a way to give him permission to follow his heart without abandoning hers.

"I love you too," he said. "And Lyra? You’re amazing. Don’t ever doubt that."

She smiled—that rare, radiant smile that transformed her entire face. "I know. Now go, dummy. You’re wasting time."

Satou left the administrative building and headed toward the healing hall, his heart pounding harder than it had facing most of the dungeon’s challenges.

Fighting monsters was easy compared to facing the truth about his own feelings.

The healing hall was quiet when Satou entered. The afternoon light filtered through the windows, casting soft shadows across the rows of beds—most of them empty now, since the settlement had been peaceful during his absence.

Jessica was at the far end, organizing medical supplies with meticulous care. Her back was to the door, and she didn’t turn when it opened.

"We’re not currently seeing patients," she said in a professional tone. "If you’re injured, please come back—"

She turned and froze.

For a long moment, they just stared at each other across the healing hall. Satou could see her taking in his transformed appearance—the scales, the eyes, the silver-streaked hair, the way he radiated power that made the air shimmer slightly.

"Satou," Jessica breathed. "You... you’re back. You’re really back."

"I’m back," he confirmed.

Jessica’s hands were still holding a bundle of bandages, gripping them so tightly her knuckles were white. Her eyes were filling with tears—joy, relief, and something more complicated all mixed together.

"You look different," she said, her voice shaking slightly. "Very different. But I can still see you. I can still see the person who saved me from that cave. The person who taught me to fight. The person who..."

She trailed off, and Satou could see her physically forcing herself not to say more. Not to expose her heart again after he’d already rejected her once.

"Jessica," Satou said gently. "We need to talk."

"No," Jessica said quickly, turning back to her supply sorting. "No, we don’t. You already made yourself clear before you left. I understand. I was being inappropriate. I mistook your kindness for something else. It won’t happen again. I’ll be professional from now on. Just your healer. Just your subordinate. Nothing—"

"I have feelings for you," Satou said.

The bandages fell from Jessica’s hands, tumbling to the floor unnoticed.

She stood frozen, her back still to him, as if she was afraid to turn around, afraid that if she looked at him she’d discover she’d misheard.

"What?" she whispered.

"I have feelings for you," Satou repeated, his voice stronger now. "Romantic feelings. Real feelings. I think I’ve had them for a while, but I convinced myself they were just protective instinct, just brotherly affection. I told myself you were my little sister because that felt safer, less complicated."