Champion Of Lust: Gods Conquer's Harem Paradise!

Chapter 342 End of Tonight Before... the End?

With a sigh, he started the process of getting everyone to bed. One by one, he gently scooped them up, their bodies limp with sleep or swaying with drowsy contentment as he guided them to their rooms. Alexa leaned on him heavily, mumbling something incoherent about how he always smelled so nice. He chuckled, tucking her into her bed before moving on to Alera, who muttered in protest about not wanting the night to end.

"Sleep," Pyris said softly, brushing a strand of hair from her face. "We'll pick this up tomorrow."

Emilia wasn't much better, insisting on one last sip of wine as he carried her off. She pouted dramatically when he denied her but was out cold the second her head hit the pillow. Aurelia and Madeline followed, both too far gone to do anything but mumble their thanks as he settled them in.

Finally, he came to Julienne. She wasn't asleep, though her flushed cheeks and glassy eyes made it clear she was just as tipsy as the rest. She clung to his arm as he helped her to her room, her grip surprisingly firm despite her state.

"Pyris," she whispered as he guided her to sit on the edge of her bed.

"What is it?" he asked, his voice gentle as he crouched in front of her, helping her slip off her shoes.

"I…" Julienne hesitated, her fingers brushing against his hand. "I need to tell you something."

He glanced up, meeting her gaze. There was a vulnerability there, a softness that made his chest tighten.

"What is it, Julienne?"

Her lips parted, and the words spilled out in a rush. "I like you, Pyris. No—more than like. I've felt this way for so long, but I didn't know how to say it. And I—"

He pressed a finger to her lips, silencing her gently. "Julienne, you've had a bit too much to drink tonight," he said, his tone kind but firm. "Let's talk about this when you're sober, okay?"

She nodded reluctantly, her expression a mix of disappointment and relief. Pyris smiled, brushing a thumb across her cheek.

"Get some rest," he said softly, easing her back against the pillows. He pulled the blanket over her, tucking her in with care. Her eyes fluttered closed, and within moments, her breathing evened out. He had alot more to do tonight.

_____

With everyone else settled, Pyris made his way back to the living room. The only one left was Zara, comfortably lounging on the couch, a glass of wine in hand. On the TV, a late-night anime played, its colorful characters engaged in some over-the-top battle.

She glanced up as he walked in, a smirk tugging at her lips.

"You've been busy," she said, raising her glass in a mock toast.

"You could've helped, you know," Pyris replied, flopping onto the couch beside her.

"And deprive myself of the entertainment? Never." Zara chuckled, taking another sip of wine. "You looked like a babysitter wrangling a pack of toddlers."

Pyris groaned, rubbing his temples. "You have no idea. Alexa almost refused to go to bed, and Julienne… well, she made things interesting."

"Oh?" Zara arched a brow, her interest piqued."She confessed,?" he admitted with a wry smile and a nod.

Zara laughed, the sound light and genuine. "And you let her down gently, I assume? Classic Pyris."

He shrugged, leaning back against the couch. "She was drunk. I'll deal with it tomorrow."

"Smart move." Zara set her glass down, her gaze drifting back to the screen. "You know, you're good at this whole 'keeping everyone together' thing. It's almost admirable."

"Almost?" Pyris teased.

"Don't let it go to your head," she shot back, a playful glint in her eyes.

They sat there for a while, the weight of the day finally easing as they shared a few more jokes and watched the anime unfold on the screen. For the first time that night, everything felt calm.

The anime on the screen shifted to one of those classic awkward Korean-drama moments—two characters tripping over nothing and somehow landing lip to lip. The accidental kiss lingered a little too long, with dramatic music swelling in the background.

Zara blinked, her fingers tightening slightly around her wineglass.

"Seriously?" she muttered under her breath, shifting uncomfortably in her seat.

Beside her, Pyris sat completely unbothered, leaning back with one arm draped casually over the couch. His expression was calm, composed, like he wasn't even registering the cheesiness of the scene.

But Zara wasn't looking at the TV anymore. Her gaze drifted to him instead, lingering on his face—the sharp line of his jaw, the faint stubble that made him look a little older, a little more dangerous. And then her eyes locked onto his lips.

'Damn,' she thought, her breath hitching. They were so pink. So perfect. She didn't know what it was, but something about them had her stuck. Like, literally stuck. Find adventures on My Virtual Library Empire

Her mouth parted slightly as if on instinct. She licked her own lips, her throat suddenly dry. What the hell was she doing? Why couldn't she stop staring?

Pyris, still unfazed, kept his eyes on the TV, his profile illuminated by the flickering screen. The scene had shifted to something else entirely, but Zara didn't even notice. All she could focus on was how close he was, how soft those lips of his looked, and how absolutely stupid it was that she was thinking about this right now.

She clenched her wineglass tighter, mentally cursing herself. 'Pull it together, Zara. You're not some lovesick teenager.'

But her body wasn't listening. She felt warm, her skin tingling in a way that had nothing to do with the wine. Maybe it was the late hour, or maybe it was the way Pyris just sat there, all casual and cool, like he wasn't the most attractive guy in the room. In the world, even.

Her gaze dipped lower, her thoughts spinning. He didn't even know what he was doing to her. Or maybe he did? Was he just pretending not to notice?

"Zara?" Pyris's voice broke through her spiral of thoughts, smooth and low like he'd caught her red-handed.

She flinched, her eyes snapping up to meet his. "What?" she said a little too quickly.

He raised a brow, smirking slightly. "You okay over there? You've been quiet for a while."

"I'm fine," she snapped, feeling her cheeks heat. She looked back at the TV, desperately trying to focus on the now-overly-dramatic fight scene. "It's late, that's all."

Pyris chuckled softly, and damn it, even his laugh was distracting. "If you say so."

But she didn't look at him again. Because if she did, she knew she wouldn't be able to stop. But could she even stop the unstoppable? Only the end of this night knew... Really...