CHAPTER 123: CHAPTER 123

"You didn’t lose anything," Satou said gently, stroking her hair. "You were brave. You told me how you felt even though it was scary. That gave me something to think about, to realize about myself. If you hadn’t been honest, I might never have acknowledged my own feelings."

They stayed like that for several minutes, Jessica crying and Satou holding her, both of them processing the weight of what had just been said.

Finally, Jessica pulled back, wiping her eyes and laughing at herself. "I’m a mess. This is supposed to be a romantic moment and I’m crying all over you."

"You’re beautiful," Satou said, and meant it. Even with red, puffy eyes and tear-stained cheeks, Jessica looked beautiful to him. "And this is romantic. Real romance, not the sanitized version from stories. Real feelings, real vulnerability, real connection."

Jessica smiled, a radiant expression that made her whole face light up. Then her expression became more thoughtful.

"I should talk to Lyra," she said. "I need to thank her. I need to understand what boundaries she wants, what makes her comfortable, how to... how to do this without hurting anyone."

"That’s wise," Satou said. "And important. You three—you, me, and Lyra—we’ll need to figure this out together. Communication will be crucial."

"Three," Jessica repeated softly. "We’re going to be three. That’s... that’s actually happening."

"If you want it to," Satou reminded her.

"I do," Jessica said firmly. "I want this. I want you. I want to try building something with you and Lyra. It’s unconventional, but then again, so is everything else about our lives."

She stood, pulling Satou up with her. "But right now, you need to focus on your fight. Richard Clay is waiting. You can’t afford to be distracted by relationship complications when you’re facing someone who kills everything he touches."

"I won’t be distracted," Satou promised. "If anything, this makes me more determined. I have even more reason to win now. I have two people waiting for me to come back, not just one."

Jessica’s smile was bittersweet. "Just promise me you’ll come back. Promise me you won’t do anything stupidly heroic that gets you killed."

"I promise," Satou said. "I didn’t survive seventy days in the Dungeon of Eternal Nightmares just to die to Richard Clay. I’m coming back, Jessica. To you and to Lyra both."

Jessica stepped close and raised up on her tiptoes. "Can I... can I kiss you? Before you go?"

"Yes," Satou said.

She pressed her lips to his—gentle, sweet, holding a promise of things to come. It was different from kissing Lyra, who kissed with confident passion. Jessica kissed with tender hope, like she was still afraid this might all disappear.

When they pulled apart, both were smiling.

"That was nice," Jessica said softly.

"Yeah," Satou agreed. "Really nice. We should do it again sometime. After I win tomorrow."

"You better win," Jessica said, trying for stern but landing on worried. "Because if you die, I’m going to be very upset with you."

"Noted," Satou said with a slight laugh.

A knock on the healing hall door interrupted them. Cassius’s voice called through: "Lord Satou, Lord Loki’s portal will open in ten minutes. He suggests you prepare."

"I’ll be right there," Satou called back.

He turned back to Jessica. "I have to go. But when I get back—"

"When you get back," Jessica interrupted, "we’ll figure all of this out. Together. You, me, and Lyra. We’ll build something new. Just like we’ve built this settlement—one day at a time, making it up as we go."

"Exactly," Satou said. He kissed her forehead gently. "I’ll see you soon."

"You better," Jessica said.

Satou left the healing hall, his heart feeling fuller than it had in... maybe ever. He’d entered the dungeon as one person and emerged as someone fundamentally different. Not just in power, but in understanding himself.

He’d been afraid to acknowledge his feelings for Jessica because it felt like a betrayal of Lyra. But Lyra had shown him that love didn’t work that way—that having feelings for multiple people wasn’t betrayal if everyone was honest and communicative.

He’d called himself a dummy, and she’d been right. He’d been so focused on what he thought he should feel that he’d ignored what he actually felt.

But now he knew. He loved Lyra—fierce, intelligent, capable Lyra who’d organized his chaos into something functional. And he loved Jessica—gentle, determined, healing Jessica who’d wormed her way into his heart while he wasn’t paying attention.

And somehow, miraculously, both of them were willing to try building something together.

If he could survive the dungeon, he could figure out how to make this work.

But first, he had to survive Richard Clay.

Satou stood in the courtyard as the purple portal materialized. Loki stepped through, dressed formally now in elegant demonic regalia that screamed "important demon lord attending significant event."

"Ready?" Loki asked, his sharp eyes taking in Satou’s expression. "You look... different than you did an hour ago. More settled. Like you resolved something."

"I did," Satou confirmed. "Multiple somethings, actually."

"Good," Loki said. "A clear mind is as important as a sharp blade in the arena. Though speaking of blades—" his eyes went to Void Fang, barely visible on Satou’s back, "—that weapon will do most of the work. Richard Clay has never faced anything that can cut through Decay itself."

Lyra and Jessica had both appeared, standing together near the edge of the courtyard. Satou noticed they were holding hands—a gesture of solidarity and mutual understanding that made his heart swell.

He walked over to them, and both women looked up at him with identical expressions of worry mixed with faith.

"Come back to us," Lyra said simply.

"Both of us," Jessica added.

"I will," Satou promised. "I have too much to live for now to do anything stupid."

He kissed Lyra deeply, then turned and kissed Jessica with equal affection. Behind him, he heard some gasps from settlement members who’d gathered to see him off, but he didn’t care. Let them talk. Let them adjust to this new reality.

He was building something new here—in multiple ways.

Satou turned to Loki. "I’m ready."

"Then let’s not keep Chronus waiting," Loki said with a predatory grin. "I’ve been looking forward to seeing his face when you shatter his champion."

They stepped through the portal together, leaving the settlement behind.

The Arena of Fallen Stars awaited.

Satou touched Void Fang’s hilt, feeling the weapon respond to his touch.

He was ready.