CHAPTER 105: AUREALIS, CAPITAL OF THE UPPER REALM [PART 2]

Chapter 105 – Aurealis, Capital of the Upper Realm [Part 2]

Lux looked composed—he always did. He walked like someone born with silk in his blood and war in his resume.

But even behind that divine-disguised exterior... Selena could tell.

He was excited.

It wasn’t obvious—not to the average celestial passing by, nodding politely or sipping holy green tea under hovering shade-umbrellas. But she saw it. The tiny glances. The way his gaze lingered just a second longer than necessary on the crystalline light fixtures shaped like blooming halos. The barely-there curl of his lips when he caught a glimpse of someone playing a harp in the middle of a floating park. The way he straightened his back—not out of pride, but wonder.

She had never seen him like this. Not in meetings. Not during realm negotiations.

Lux always carried himself like the underworld’s CFO. High-ranking diplomat of greed and chaos. Measured. Slick. Dangerous with a smile.

Now?

He just looked...

Curious.

Not calculating.

Just genuinely interested in the world around him.

It was new.

And it felt... strange.

She found herself watching him more than the road. Walking a step behind like a silent observer—which was dangerous. Because she was trained to read. To assess. And what she was seeing now wasn’t the usual public-facing Lux.

This one?

He looked like someone still discovering who he was without a title.

A little girl passed them holding a tiny divine puppy on a leash—a soft golden fluffball with chubby wings and eyes too big for its face. It waddled up to Lux, tail wagging, and yipped softly.

Selena expected Lux to sidestep it, or at best offer one of those polite, practiced smiles.

He knelt.

Actually knelt, robe pooling around his legs like royalty at prayer.

And with a look of genuine fondness, he reached out and patted the puppy’s head.

The pup squeaked in delight, licked his palm, and rolled over like it had just met its god.

Lux chuckled softly, rubbing the puppy’s belly with slow, careful motions. "Well aren’t you a god boy," he murmured.

Selena blinked.

An angel passing by stopped, smiling down at the scene. "Are you from around here?" the angel asked, clearly charmed.

Lux looked up, still crouched by the dog. "Not really," he said with a soft smile. "New to this part of the realm."

"You look like someone who always does good deeds," the angel said warmly.

Selena stared at Lux, waiting for the sarcasm. The smirk. The self-aware jab.

It didn’t come.

He simply smiled. A little gentler than usual.

"Thank you," he said. "You too, sir."

The angel waved and walked on.

Lux stood again, brushing invisible dust from his robes like nothing just happened, then turned to Selena, who was still watching him like she’d just seen a statue blink.

"What?" he asked.

"Nothing," she said too quickly.

He grinned. "You’re not used to seeing me like this."

"No," she admitted.

He raised an eyebrow. "Do I look holy yet?"

"...Strangely, yes."

He gave a mock-bow and they kept walking.

They passed more courtyards and floating parks, more clusters of celestials enjoying their peaceful non-coffee-drinking lives. Everything remained quiet. Music in the air. Gentle laughter.

He looked around again and said, almost to himself, "Different kind of modern. Huh."

Selena nodded. "Peaceful modern. Underworld is chaotic. Mortal realm is... I guess neutral?"

"True," Lux said, hands in his pockets. "Mortals build cities like they’re trying to win a speedrun. Half of it’s beautiful. The other half looks like someone lost a bet with a trash god."

"And the underworld?"

He smiled. "We build like we’re showing off to our exes."

She actually laughed at that, soft and real.

They turned a corner, and the scent of warm broth and grilled root herbs greeted them. A soft bell rang as they stepped through a golden archway into a sleek, light-filled restaurant made of layered glass and curved stone. Floating bonsai trees lined the walls, and a gentle stream of glowing water circled the perimeter like an ambient moat of serenity.

A staff member in a white blouse and beige sash greeted them at once with a polite nod.

"Welcome to Halcyon Bloom," she said with a smile. "Please follow me."

They were led to a low crystal table near a window that overlooked a hovering meditation lake. Chairs shaped like smooth crescents wrapped around the space. Everything smelled like calmness with a side of soup.

Lux took a seat and looked around, eyes still absorbing the place. "This is your favorite?"

Selena nodded as she sat across from him. "I come here when I need to think. Or eat something that doesn’t look like it was blessed by six goddesses and their cookbook."

He raised an eyebrow. "Wait. Celestial food can get that intense?"

"You have no idea."

The staff placed two menus in front of them—translucent sheets of light that shifted as they picked them up.

"Our signature menu today," the server said politely, "includes lotus-braised pearl tofu, steamed starch root with divine glaze, or the feather grain salad with radiant oil vinaigrette. Everything is organic and emotionally stabilized. We also have a chilled wisdom fruit platter for sharing."

Lux blinked. "Emotionally stabilized?"

The server smiled patiently. "It ensures no ingredients were harvested in duress or spiritual imbalance."

"...Of course," he said slowly, nodding like that made total sense.

"If you need time to decide," she added, "please feel free to ring the bell at the side. I’ll give you some space."

They both nodded. The server bowed slightly and glided off without sound.

Selena waited for Lux to comment.

He didn’t.

He just stared out the window, watching the still water ripple as a soft breeze passed by. His hand rested against the menu, but his eyes weren’t reading it.

He looked calm again.

But this time... not the diplomatic kind.

Real calm.

Selena folded her hands in her lap, unsure why her chest felt warm.

She wasn’t used to this.

To seeing him like this.

To feeling like this.

Not because he was being seductive. He wasn’t trying to win anyone. He wasn’t playing a role.

He just... was.

And for the first time... he looked like he belonged. Not in the underworld. Not in the mortal realm. But here. In the Upper Realm.

In her world.

And maybe... that was the scariest part.